IMPROVEMENTS IN EXCAVATING OR DIGGING MACHINES
Year: 1885

page_text: We, JOHN DEWAR MORRISON Junior of 38 Warwick Street, Gateshead, Boiler
Smith and ALFRED EMLEY of 7 Ellison Place Newcastle-on-Tyne Ironmonger do
hereby declare the nature of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXCAVATING OR
DIGGING MACHINES."
This Invention has for its object improved apparatus or means for effecting the
automatic action of what are known as mechanical diggers, grubbers or excavators
In carrying out this Invention two scoops or buckets are arranged to work on
separate centres on opposite sides of a working chain connected with a crane or
winch. The said centres are fixed to a frame which carries a drum or barrel from
which pass chains connected to a piece fitted to slide vertically in the frame and
attached to the edges of the scoops by links to effect the opening and closing of the
said scoops. This sliding piece is provided with rods which pass through a cross
head containing a moving eye or tumbler. On the crosshead are also hinged two
levers which are caused by a ball or projection in the working chain to auto-
matically engage and release the said chain. This chain passes down from a pulley
above, through a cradle and through the moving eye or tumbler and between the
two hinged levers, thence through a pulley block and then made fast to the frame
of the apparatus This pulley block is connected to a chain passing round the
drum around which pass the chains bereinbefore referred to for operating the
scoops. Or two connecting chains may be attached to the pulley block and led
over two conveyance sheaves on the frame to the ring or bar to which the links
for scoops are attached.
The cradle herein before referred to is suspended from a crane or otherwise at an
elevation suited to the height to which the scoops are required to be raised. The
cradle is provided with two hinged pieces between which the moving eye or
tumbler passes when scoops are raised the apparatus then resting by a projection on
the moving eye or tumbler engaging with the said hinged pieces. Upon loosening
the working chain for the purpose of lowering the apparatus the moving eye
with the crosshead and slide (herein before referred to) to which the scoops are
attached by links are suspended from the cradle whilst the frame to which the
scoops are hinged is lowered whereby the scoops are caused to open out and deposit
the material contained therein. The working chain being lowered sufficiently far

page_text: for the ball or projection' thereon to pass below the hinged lever on the crosshead
so that upon again raising the chain a few inches the hinged catchés on the cradle
are thrust aside allowing the moving eye or tumbler to drop through the cradle
and the projection on the tumbler to rest on the crosshead. The apparatus is then
ready to be lowered the scoops being open ready to penetrate the ground for a fresh
charge of material. After the scoops have been lowered to the ground the working
chain is lowered still further until the crosshead comes into contact with the frame
and so open out the hinged levers to allow the projection on the chain to pass freely
between them. Upon commencing to raise the chain the scoops are caused to dig
into the earth and close up the material which is then raised and deposited as
herein before described and the herein before operations repeated as often as required.
Although two scoops only are referred to, the invention is equally applicable
when more than two are employed.

page_text: improvements in Excavating or Digging Machines.
We, JOHN DEWAR MORRISON Junior of 38 Warwick Street Gateshead. Boiler
Maker and ALFRED EMLEY of 7 Ellison Place Newcastle on Tyne Ironmonger do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This Invention has for its object improved apparatus or means for effecting the
automatic action of what are known as mechanical diggers, grabbers or excavators.
In carrying out this Invention two scoops or buckets are arranged to work on
separate centres on opposite sides of a working chain connected with a crane
or winch. The said centres are fixed to a frame which carries a drum or barrel,
from which pass chains connected to a piece fitted to slide vertically in the frame,
and attached to the edges of the scoops by links to effect the opening and closing
of the said scoops. This sliding piece is provided with rods which pass through a
crosshead containing a moving eye or tumbler. On the crosshead are also hinged
two levers which are caused by a ball or projection on the working chain to
automatically engage and release the said chain. This chain passes down from a
pulley above through a cradle and through the moving eye or tumbler and between
the two hinged levers thence through a pulley block and then made fast to the
frame of the apparatus. This pulley block is connected to a chain passing round
the drum, around which passes the chain hereinbefore referred to for operating the
scoops.
Or two connecting chains may be attached to the pulley block and led over two
conveyance sheaves on the frame to the ring or bar to which the links for the scoops
are attached.
The cradle herein before referred to is suspended from a crane or otherwise at an
elevation suited to the height to which the scoops are required to be raised. The
cradle is provided with two hinged pieces between which the moving eye or
tumbler passes when the scoops are raised the apparatus then resting by a projec-
tion on the moving eye or tumbler engaging with the said hinged pieces. Upon
loosening the working chain for the purpose of lowering the apparatus the moving
eye with the crosshead and slide (hereinbefore referred to) to which the scoops are
attached by links are suspended from the cradle, whilst the frame to which the
scoops are hinged is lowered, whereby the scoops are caused to open out and
deposit the material contained therein, the working chain being then lowered
sufficiently far for the ball or projection thereon to pass below the hinged lever on
the cross head so that upon again raising the chain a few inches the hinged catches
on the cradle are thrust aside allowing the moving eye or tumbler to drop through
the cradle and the projection on the tumbler to rest on the cross head. The
apparatus is then ready to be lowered the scoops being open ready to penetrate
the ground for a fresh charge of material. After the scoops have been lowered to
the ground the working chain is lowered still further until the crosshead comes
into contact with the frame and so open out the hinged levers to allow the projec-
tion on the chain to pass freely between them. Upon commencing to raise the

page_text: '
chain the scoops are caused to dig into the earth and close up the material
which is then raised and deposited as herein before described and the hereinbefore
operations repeated as often as required.
Although two scoops only are referred to the invention is equally applicable
when more than two are employed.
And in Order that our said Invention may be fully understood we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
C
Figures 1 and 2 of our drawings are perspective views of our improved exca-
vating or grabbing machine Figure 1 representing the scoops in their opened out
position in readiness to be lowered for operating on the material to be raised and
figure 2 representing the scoops closed and being raised—figures 3 and 4 are details
which will be hereinafter referred to-A is the framing of the machine carrying
two scoops B B¹ fitted to turn on separate centres CC' The sides or edges of the
scoops B B are connected by links D D' to rods E E¹ attached to two blocks F F¹
fitted to slide in the frame A. Each of the blocks F F¹ is provided with a rod G
extending upwards through a cross head I with which the upper enlarged ends i of
the rods G engage so that when the cross head is raised the blocks F F¹ are caused
to rise with it.
The lower end of the framing A carries a drum or barrel K to which two
chains L and M are connected and which pass round the drum in opposite
directions so that when one of the chains is wound onto the drum the other chain
is unwound therefroin The free end of the chain L is connected to the rods E E¹
whilst the free end of the chain M is provided with a loop, link, or sheave N,
through which the main working chain O is passed, one end of the said working
chain being attached to the top plate A¹ of the frame A, the other end thereof being
passed through the tumbler P on the cross head I and connected to a crane or other
suitable winding apparatus To the cross head I are hinged two levers Q (shewn
clearly in figure 3) which are caused to automatically engage and disengage a ball
or projection o on the chain O so as to move the cross head with the said chain or
allow it (the chain) to be raised and lowered without moving the cross-head, or to
allow the cross-head to move along the chain as required. R is a cradle (shewn
detached in figure 4) or supporting device suspended above the cross-head I at the
requisite height to discharge the contents of the scoops through which cradle the
main working chain O passes This cradle or supporting device consists of two
levers or jaws S fitted to turn upon pins T between check pieces t the ends of the
levers or jaws being of such a shape that as the cross head I rises the projection p
on the tumbler P will enter and be engaged between the ends of the said levers
and thus retain the cross head in its elevated position while the frame A is being
lowered for the purpose of opening the scoops to discharge the load.
The apparatus works in the following manner-assuming it to be in its elevated
position as shewn in figure 1 with the scoops B B' open, the tumbler P engaged by
the cradle R, and the ball or projection o on the chain O engaged by the levers Q
the apparatus is raised slightly by hauling the chain O so as to cause the enlarged
portion p² of the tumbler P to enter between the hinged levers or jaws S of the
cradle so as to separate and disengage them from the projection p of the
tumbler P and thus release the cross head I.
The apparatus is then lowered, and so soon as the scoops B B¹ come in contact
with the ground or material to be excavated or raised the cross head descends onto
the plate A bringing the ends g of the levers Q into contact with the plate A¹ thus
causing the said levers to turn on their centres and disengage the ball or projection o
on the chain O and allow the chain when hauled by the crane or windlass to pass
up through the tumbler P. The hauling up of the chain O (which as before
described passes through the loop, link or sheave M) exerts a powerful downward
pull upon the frame A and causes the chain M to unwind from and impart a rotary
anotion to the drum or barrel K, and the chain L to be wound on to the said drum

page_text: or barrel, and the said chain L by acting upon the links D D¹ turns the scoops B B¹
on their centres causing them to penetrate the ground or material and enclose a
charge thereof between them.
0
The hauling or winding up of the chain O being continued the apparatus is
raised until the projection p of the tumbler is engaged by the cradle R which is
suspended from the crane or otherwise at a height to which it is required to lift
the load. The apparatus is then swung round by the crane or otherwise into the
position for discharging the load from the scoops, such discharge being affected by
slackening the chain O. The whole weight of the apparatus being supported by
the cradle R the frame A with the scoops B, B¹ will descend by their own gravity
on the blocks F, F, the links D, D¹ causing the scoops to open out and release the
load therefrom whilst at the same time rotation will be imparted to the drum or
barrel K by the unwinding therefrom of the chain L, the chain M being simul-
taneously wound onto the barrel. The chain O is then further slackened or
lowered until the projection o thereon engages the levers Q in the crosshead I the
apparatus being then in the condition shewn in Figure 1 ready to be lowered for a
fresh charge.
Although I have described the apparatus as a digger or excavator, it is obvious
that it may be employed for raising and transporting from one place to another
earth, gravel, grain and like substances or materials.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said.
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
First. In machines such as herein before described for digging excavating or
the like the application and use of a cradle or supporting device constructed
and arranged to operate substantially in the manner herein before described and
illustrated by our drawings.
Second. In machines such as herein before described for digging excavating
or the like a cross-head constructed substantially as herein before described and
provided with levers for automatically engaging and releasing the lifting chain
in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by our
drawings,
Third. In machines such as herein before described for digging excavating or
the like the combination of the cradle or supporting device R and the cross-head I
fitted with the tumbler P and the hinged levers the whole being constructed
and arranged to operate substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and
illustrated by our Drawings.
Fourth. The general construction combination and arrangements of parts con-
stituting an apparatus for excavating or digging land or for analogous operations
substantially as herein before described and illustrated by our drawings.