IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FITTING OF THE HOLDS OF COLLIERS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to. Charles Havelock Mowll, of Dover, in the County of
Kent, Gentleman, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FITTING OF
THE HOLDS OF COLLIERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Havelock Mowll
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th July 1881.
CHARLES HAVELOCK MOWLL, of Dover, in the County of Kent, Gentleman.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FITTING OF THE HOLDS OF COLLIERS."
The object of this Invention is to provide against the breaking up and disinte-
gration of a large percentage of coal delivered into the holds of colliers, such
disintegration occurring in the act of loading the vessel.
To this end I fit in the holds of colliers permanent shutes which reach from the
hatchways to the floor of the hold.
Supposing for example it is desired to fit a hold with one central hatchway
according to iny Invention, I construct two shutes, say, of sheet iron, which extend
from the centre of the hatchway to the floor of the hold in opposite directions and
near to the ends of the hold. These shutes I form with vertical side pieces, having
a depth of, say, from ten to twenty inches at their upper part, and gradually
decreasing almost to nothing at their foot. These side pieces serve to prevent the
coal as it is charged onto the shutes from falling at a high elevation over the edges
of the shute, and breaking by concussion against the floor of the hold. Thus the
coal as it is charged onto the shutes will be guided down the inclines, and be
deposited gently on the floor of the hold, falling over the unprotected edges of the
incline, and eventually burying the foot of the shute.
As this delivery of the coals into the hold proceeds, the distribution of the coal
will be assisted by the trimmers as heretofore, who will also provide for the filling
of the space behind the shutes as the accumulation in the hold takes place.
The upper parts of the shutes I prefer to make movable, hinging them a little
below the deck level to the fixed portions, in order to provide a clear space in the

page_text: hatchway for access to the coals. As these hinged portions when turned up
would stand above the coamings of the hatchway, I cause the upper part to fold
over, and thus reduce the height to the height of the coaming.
When these hinged parts of the two shutes are brought into the working
position they will butt against and serve to support each other.
In adapting the Invention to some ships, I may find it convenient to fork the
shutes in order to clear them of the masts and the pump well, which take a central
position through the hold.
In cases where the hold is provided with a main hatchway and two sub-
hatchways, I furnish the latter with a single shute, each of the construction
described, such shutes extending from the further side of the sub-hatchway
downwards towards the foot of the next adjacent shute.
It will be understood that when the length of hold requires it, the sub-hatchways
may be fitted with double shutes forked or not as desired.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Havelock Mowll in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th January 1882.
CHARLES HAVELOCK MOWLL, of Dover, in the County of Kent, Gentleman
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FITTING OF THE HOLDS OF COLLIERS."
The object of this Invention is to provide against the breaking up and disinte-
gration of a large percentage of the coal delivered into the holds of colliers, which
disintegration occurs in the act of loading the vessel.
To this end I fit in the holds of colliers permanent shutes which reach from the
hatchways nearly to the floor of the hold.
Supposing for example it is desired to fit a hold with one central hatchway
according to my Invention, I construct two shutes, say, of sheet iron, which extend
from the centre of the hatchway to the floor of the hold in opposite directions, and
nearly to the ends of the hold. These shutes I form with vertical side pieces
having a depth of, say, from ten to twenty inches at their upper part, and gradually
decreasing almost to nothing at their foot. These side pieces serve to prevent the
coal as it is charged onto the shutes from falling at a high elevation over the edges
of the shute, and breaking by concussion against the floor of the hold. Thus the
coal as it is charged onto the shutes will be guided down the inclines and be
deposited gently, first on the floor of the hold and then on the accumulating mass,
and eventually burying the shutes.
As this delivery of the coals into the hold proceeds, the distribution of the coal
will be assisted by the trimmers as heretofore, who will also provide for the filling
of the space behind the shutes as the accumulation in the hold takes place.
In adapting the Invention to some ships, I may find it convenient to fork the
shutes in order to clear them of the masts and the pump well, which take a central
position through the hold.
In cases where the hold is provided with a main hatch way and two subhatchways,
I may furnish the latter with one or a pair of shutes, each of the construction
described.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 represents in plan view a collier fitted
according to this Invention, the main hold containing a pair of forked shutes
arranged longitudinally of the vessel, and leading down from the central hatchway;
the fore part of the hold, a pair of forked shutes arranged transversely of the vessel,
and the aft part of the hold, a single shute not forked, arranged in the centre line
of the vessel, and directed towards the central hatchway; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal
section taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross section taken in the
line 3, 4, of Fig. 1; and Figures 4 and 5 are partial plan and sectional views of a
pair of shutes, shewing the mode of folding them back clear of the hatchway.
In these Figures A, A, are the shutes formed mainly of sheet iron, but having at
their upper ends double hinged pieces B, B, which are by preference made of
frames filled in with parallel bars arranged longitudinally of the shutes. These
hinged pieces constitute, not merely guides, but also screens for separating the
small pieces from the coal as it is tipped onto the shutes.
The shutes are held in an inclined position by suitable permanent supports, and
when arranged in pairs, their upper ends meet and abut against each other at the
centre of the hatchway, as shewn at Fig. 2. a, a, are side plates commencing imme-
diately below the hinged pieces, and extending to the bottom of the shute. These
side pieces form guides for the descending coal, and prevent it from falling over the
edges of the shutes.
To provide against the coal falling over the sides of the hinged pieces B, guide
pieces bare employed.

page_text: These pieces, which are of a triangular form to fit the space between the deck
and the shutes, depend from the deck beams, and are temporarily attached by hooks
or otherwise to the shutes. When however the loading is completed they are
detached from the shutes, and the hinged pieces B are then free to be folded back
into the position shewn in Figures 4 and 5, when they may be secured by bolts or
otherwise. By thus making the upper ends of the shutes to fold back, I provide a
clear space in the hatchway for access to the coals.
I have said that the single shute in the after part of the hold is directed
towards the central hatchway; this is for the purpose of guiding the coal delivered
through the aft hatchway to the space between the nearest forked shute, and thus
facilitating the operation of trimming.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
Fitting of the Holds of Colliers," and explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent I claim,-
Fitting the holds of colliers with fixed shutes in the manner and for the purpose
above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Havelock Mowll, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
C. H. MOWLL. (L.S.)