An Improved Floating Apparatus for Shipping and Unshipping Coal, Coke, and other Material.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Floating Apparatus for Shipping and Unshipping Coal,
Coke, and other Material.
I, ALEXANDER WINTON ROBERTSON, of Custom House Engine Works, Victoria
Docks, London, E. Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved floating apparatus for shipping and unshipping
coal, coke, and other material, and has for its object so to arrange and construct
such apparatus that by its use and employment the process of transhipment is greatly
facilitated and cheapened, and a very considerable saving of time is effected.
This apparatus is provided with adjustable winches, as hereinafter described, for
working the lifting tackle; it is moreover movable from ship to ship, and thus is
obviated any necessity of employing separate floating derricks, or of rigging up or
erecting on the decks of the vessels, to be loaded with the above description of
cargo, any special raising and lowering mechanism or apparatus for loading or
unloading from or into barges.
In accordance with this invention I place rails longitudinally along the floor of a
barge, and upon these rails, and capable of traversing the same by means of rollers
or wheels, I place any convenient number of winches.
These winches, which may be of any suitable or known type, are capable of
attachment, or of being secured, to the rails at any desired spot, so that the operation
of loading or unloading may be carried on at same time either from each end or
both or ends, or from both ends and centre portion, or from one end and centre
portion, or from centre portion only of barge. A further means of adjusting the
aforesaid winches is to cause them to revolve upon separate axes, thereby dispensing
with the intervention of fair leads" when required to work from an angle.
And in order that this my invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, reference is had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of
reference marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a barge constructed and arranged in
accordance with this invention, and fitted with four winches A, A, A, A, provided
with rollers or wheels a for the purpose of traversing the rails B. These winches I
prefer to operate, as shewn, and best seen in Figure 2, which is a plan of the same
barge, from shafting C, coupled in suitable lengths, running from end to end of
barge, and driven by means of an engine provided for the purpose which may be
placed amidships, as shewn, or at one end of barge, as may be desired or most
convenient. This same shafting C may carry a screw propellor D and by suitable
clutch gear E operate either the propellor or the winches as and when required.
Figure 3 is a midship section of the barge arranged and constructed according
to this invention, and in which similar letters refer to like parts as in Figures Ĭ
and 2.
Though in accordance with this invention winches of any suitable or known type
may conveniently and with advantage be employed I prefer to employ, as effecting
a great saving in labor, and greater rapidity in loading and unloading, besides
reducing the wear and tear of the engine, those fitted with the reversing gear described
in my and James Robertson's Specification of Patent No. 1447489 for "A new or
improved frictional reversing gear for steam winches, crabs, or other machinery for
lifting or hauling," whereby the drum or barrel of the winch is driven backwards
for the purpose of running out or lowering the chain or rope without reversing the
ancing

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :
The improved floating apparatus for shipping and unshipping coal, coke, and other
material, constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, and shewn in
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Thirteenth day of Santamben 1000
JAMES
STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 20, High Holborn, W.C., Agent for Applicant.