IMPROVEMENTS IN EXCAVATORS, GRABS AND BUCKETS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, SIDNEY MANTHORP COCKBURN of 9, Victoria Chambers, Westminster London,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
EXCAVATORS, GRABS AND BUCKETS to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in machines for excavating and raising
earth, sand, grain, or other materials; herein after termed excavators, and consists
of the introduction of springs for the purpose of closing or assisting to close the
blades of the excavator. The springs are contained in the excavator, and arranged
to be compressed by external forces or by the weight of the excavator or the
excavator and its contents, in such manner that when the excavator is lowered
open onto material to be raised, the springs expand and cause the blades of the
excavator to close. Suitable means being provided for causing the springs to
remain compressed until such time as they should be released and allowed to
expand.
I SIDNEY MANTHORP COCKBURN of 9. Victoria Chambers Westminster London
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
20 same is to be performed, to be particularly. described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in machines for excavating and raising
earth, sand, grain, or other materials, hereinafter termed excavators and consists in

page_text: the introduction of springs for the purpose of closing or assisting to close the
blades of the excavator. The springs are contained in the excavator and arranged
to be compressed by external forces or by the weight of the excavator or the
excavator and its contents, in such manner that when the excavator is lowered
open onto material to be raised the springs expand and cause the blades of the
excavator to close, suitable means being provided for causing the springs to
remain compressed until such time as they should be released and allowed to
expand.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of so much of a three bladed excavator as is
necessary to illustrate the manner of carrying my improvements into effect, fig. 2
is a longitudinal section at right angles to fig. 1 of the catch gear, a bottom collar
to which the blades 6 are pivotted at c d tie rods connecting the lower collar a to
the upper collar e, f spindle passing through the upper collar e and connected at its
lower end to guide g, which latter is free to slide on the rods d. h spring box
provided with lugs i arranged to slide freely on rods d, j connecting rod pivotted
to the blades b at k and to the spring box h at 1, m spring or springs n abutment
pieces. o clips pivotted to the spring box h at p engaging with collar e for
keeping the excavator open. q springs for holding the clips in position. * openings
in upper collar e through which the clips o pass, a catch pieces on collar e,
t releasing toggles pivotted to the lifting spindle fat u, v lifting link.
The action is as follows:-When the excavator is raised by the spindle f the
weight of the excavator on the collar a compresses the springs until the clips o
engage with the catch pieces 8 and the blades are kept open until they rest on the
ground and the spindle of has descended into the position shown in fig. 2 when by
hauling on the lifting link v the releasing toggles t force the clips o out of gear
and thereby allow the spring or springs to close the blades. A trip piece w acting
on a projection on the spindle f, prevents the said spindle from rising far
enough to open the blades until striking gear secured at the desired height in any
usual or suitable way is reached.
It will be evident that my invention is equally applicable to two and four
bladed excavators, and that numerous modifications of catch gear may be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I claim
The combination with excavators grabs and buckets, of the blade class of
springs for closing the blades.
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33
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1000