IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC DREDGERS AND EXCAVATORS
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Fothergil Batho
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th August 1878.
WILLIAM FOTHERGIL BATHO, of Westminster. *" IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC
DREDGERS AND EXCAVATORS."
This Invention relates to an improved dredger for the purpose of excavating and
deepening channels, canals, rivers, docks, basins, or other similar work, in which one
or more excavators, slung to an oscillating beam, are arranged so as to work over
the bows of a vessel or through wells placed either on its centre line or at any
convenient angle thereto, whereby a wider channel would be cut than by the
ordinary dredger.
For excavating I prefer to use either the excavators described in the Specification
of Letters Patent granted to me, dated 19th May 1873, No. 1809, or one of a
modified form.
The operation of opening and closing the excavators is performed by hydraulic
rams or pistons applied to the centre rod and to the sliding collars of the excavators,
as described in Letters Patent granted to me, dated 6th December 1875, No. 4217,
such apparatus being slung to either or both ends of a beam working on a pivot
carried by framing fitted to the hull of the vessel, motion being. given to the beam
by oscillating rams worked by hydraulic power.
Each excavator is provided with a swinging discharge shoot, attached at one end
by means of a shaft to a portion of the main framing, the other end being attached
to the oscillating beam by means of chains; it is drawn into position beneath the
excavator by means of the said beam, and thereby worked automatically with the
excavator.

page_text: For small lifts I prefer to use a single excavator, slung to the end of the beam
with counterbalance cast-iron weights, and to perform the whole of the lift by
means of the beam. In dredging in deep water only a part of the lift is performed
by the beam, the remainder by the excavator, which is raised by means of a
hydraulic cylinder, as before described in Patent No. 4217.
In applying such apparatus to excavations on dry land I employ the above-
described excavator fitted to the end of an oscillating jib pivoted on a turn-table,
such jib being carried between the vertical cheek plates, and provided with a
counterbalance weight at the opposite end, the engine, boiler, and pumps being
fitted to the check plates, or if desirable may take the place of above balance-
weight.
The operation of raising and lowering the beam is performed by an oscillating
hydraulic cylinder centred between the upper portions of the cheek plates, the
piston rod of the said cylinder being fitted to the jib.
When excavating on inclined surfaces the excavator is brought to bear upon the
surface perpendicularly by means of a hydraulic ram, actuating the boss upon which
the blades are centred.
The whole of above apparatus is-mounted upon a trolly fitted on cast-iron wheels,
and provided with 'a roller path and swinging gear to enable the excavated material
to be deposited in trucks alongside.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Fothergil Batho in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
February 1879.
WILLIAM FOTHERGIL BATHO, of Westminster.
DREDGERS AND EXCAVATORS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC
This Invention relates to an improved dredger for the purpose of excavating and
deepening channels, canals, rivers, docks, basins, or other similar work, in which one
or more excavators, slung to an oscillating beain, are arranged so as to work over
the bows of a vessel, or through wells placed on its centre line, or at any convenient
angle thereto, whereby a wider channel would be cut than by the ordinary
dredger.
For excavating I prefer to use either the excavators described in the Specification
of Letters Patent granted to me, dated 19th May 1873, No. 1809, or one of a
modified form.
The operation of opening and closing the excavators is performed by hydraulic
rams or pistons applied to the centre rod and to the sliding collars of the excavators,
as described in Letters Patent granted to me, dated December 6th, 1875, No. 4217,
such apparatus being slung to either or both ends of a beam working on a pivot
carried by framing fitted to the hull of the vessel, motion being given to the beam
by oscillating rams worked by hydraulic power.
Each excavator is provided with a swinging discharge shoot, attached at one end
by means of a shaft to a portion of the main framing, the other end being attached
to the oscillating beam by means of chains; it is drawn into position beneath the
excavator by means of the said beam, and thereby worked automatically with the
excavator.
For small lifts I prefer to use a single excavator slung to the end of the bean,
counterbalanced with cast-iron weights, and to perform the whole of the lift by
means of the beam. In dredging in deep water only a part of the lift is performed
by the beam, the remainder by the excavator, which is raised by means of an
hydraulic cylinder, as before described in the Letters Patent No. 4217.
•
In applying such apparatus to excavation on dry land, I employ the above-
named excavator fitted to the end of an oscillating jib pivoted on a turnable, such
jib being carried between the vertical check plates, and provided with a counter-
balance weight at the opposite end, the engine boiler and pumps being fitted to the
cheek plates, or if desirable may take the place of above balanceweight.
The operation of raising and lowering the beam is performed by an hydraulic
oscillating cylinder centred between the upper portions of the cheek plates, the
piston rod of the said cylinder being fitted to the jib.
When excavating on inclined surfaces the excavator is brought to bear upon the
surface perpendicularly by means of an hydraulic ram, actuating the boss upon
which the blades are centred.
The whole of the above apparatus is mounted upon a trolly fitted on cast-iron
wheels, and provided with a roller path and swinging gear to enable the excavated
material to be deposited in trucks alongside.
And in order that the said Invention may be well understood, I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, reference being made to the accompanying
Sheets of Drawings, like letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all
the Figures.
Sheet No. 1 represents a longitudinal section of an improved double excavator
hydraulic dredger.
Sheet No. 2, an enlarged longitudinal section of the hydraulic dredging apparatus
for above dredger.
Sheet No. 3, detail of the hydraulic excavator employed in such dredger.
Sheet No. 4, the starting valve for the above hydraulic dredger.

page_text: Sheet No. 5 represents an improved hydraulic dredger with single excavator
working over the bows.
Sheet No. 6, the hydraulic excavator employed in such dredger.
Sheet No. 7; the hydraulic starting valve for this dredger.
Sheets Nos. 8 and 8, an improved hydraulic excavator mounted on a trolly for
excavating on dry land, and for the performance of such work as trenching,
excavating cuttings for railways, or dock work.
I prefer to use in connection with above-named dredgers the hydraulic excavators
of a modified form, as hereafter described.
The hull A (Sheets 1 and 2) is fitted with two wells a, a, through which the
excavators B, B1, work; C, C, are vessels for the reception of the material raised;
D is the oscillating beam, the trunnion d of which is carried in journals d', d², fitted
to framing H in the vessel A; E, E¹, are the oscillating hydraulic cylinders, the
trunnions e, e', of which are carried in journals d, d', d², d³; F, F, are the rams
which impart motion to the oscillating beam D, and are connected to same by means
of pins ff; G, G1, (see also Sheet 3) are hydraulic cylinders slung to the ends of
the beam D by means of universal joints h, h, and containing pistons g, g'; g being
'connected to the boss i or centre of the excavators B, B₁, by means of a hollow
rod h, and g¹ being in like manner connected to the sliding collar j, which is then
connected to the arms K of the excavators B, B1, by means of links .
:
I, I¹, are swinging shoots carried on framing moving on pins n, n', n², n³, and are
connected by means of chains o, o¹, 0, 0, to the sliding collar j, by means of which
the shoots I, I', are raised and lowered as required, automatically with the movement
of the excavators B, B¹.
It
J (Sheets 2 and 4) is the hydraulic starting valve admitting pressure to the
various hydraulic cylinders according to the various requirements of the case.
is composed of two hydraulic cylinders K, K', for forward and after excavator
respectively, within which are moved hollow piston valves p, p, provided with
ports L, L, the pressure being admitted from the under side through pipe L, passes
through centre of piston valves 2, 2', to the upper side of same, and through
holes q, q, q, for counterbalancing the pressure on the valve piston K, which is
connected to a rack 7, 7, motion being given to the valve-pistons- by means of a
hand wheel & fitted on a sliaft t, on which is keyed a pinion ; a small valve v
is fitted within the piston valves p, p, for prevention of leakage when the pressure
is required to be locked.
Having now described the construction of the dredger, as shewn on Sheets Nos. 1,
2, 3, and 4, I shall proceed to describe the means of putting these parts into operation
at the various periods when they are required.
When the excavator B has been lowered into the bed of the channel, and the
apades closed, as shewn on Sheets No. 1 and No. 2, the piston p in valve J is moved
until part L is brought opposite to delivery, when water is admitted into hydraulic
cylinder E beneath ram F, and into hydraulic cylinder G beneath the piston g¹,
causing the beam D and the excavator B to rise simultaneously, the water pressure
being at the same time locked between the two pistons g, g².
When excavator B has been raised to the extent of its stroke, drawing after it
the shoot I by means of chains o, o³, connected to the sliding collar j, the water
beneath the piston g¹ is locked, and that between the pistons 9, g¹, exhausted and
admitted above piston g in hydraulic cylinder G, causing the piston y connected with
boss of excavator B to descend, and thus opening the excavator and discharging
the material into shoot I, from whence it drops into the vessel C.
The excavator B having thus been opened, the operation, as above described, can
'be repeated alternately with the after and forward excavators. The excavated
material deposited in the vessels C, C¹, is then dealt with in the manner described
in the Specification of the Letters Patent of F. Duckham, No. 2491, A.D. 1875,
above referred to, or otherwise.
In the arrangement seen on Sheet 5, the hull is fitted with one excavator B
working over the bows of tlie vessel; D is the oscillating beam, the trunnion & of

page_text: which is carried in journals d', d, fitted to framing H in the vessel ; E, E¹, are the
oscillating hydraulic cylinders, the trunnions p, p, of which are carried in journals
9, 9', q², q³; F, F¹, are the rams which impart motion to the oscillating beam D, and
are connected to same by means of pins f, f¹, and which thereby give motion to
beam D. A (see also Sheet 6) is an hydraulic cylinder slung to the end of beam D
by means of an universal joint, provided with two compartments A¹ and A³, and
with ramis a' and a fitted with cross heads b, b', which are connected by rods c, c¹ ;
d, d, are rods connecting the hydraulic cylinder A with centre e of the excavator B,
the cross head being connected by rods f, f', to the arms g, g³, of the excavator B,
and thus the rams a and at give the required motion for opening and closing tho
excavator BC is a cast-iron weight for counterbalancing the weight of the
excavator B; G is the steam boiler; I is the steam engine working, from a prolon-
gation of the piston rod, a double-acting hydraulic pump J; K is a spring
équalizer; L, L', are piston slide valves for admitting water pressure to the
excavator and ram cylinders respectively, as shewn on Sheet No. 7.
Having now described the construction of the single excavator dredger, as shewn
on Sheets Nos. 5, 6, and 7, I shall proceed to describe the means of putting these
parts into operation at the various periods when they are required.
When the excavator B has been raised into position shewn on Drawing No. 5,
with the spades closed, and is thus ready for discharging, water pressure is admitted
from the piston valve L into the upper compartment A of the hydraulic cylinder A,
which acts upon the under side of ram a', and causes the excavator B to open, and
thus discharge the contents into swinging shoot M connected to oscillating beam D by
means of chain N. The water is then locked in the upper compartment A' and
admitted by valve L' into hydraulic cylinder E', where it acts upon the ram F',
causing it to rise and the excavator B to descend until it reaches the material to be
operated upon, when the pressure is locked in cylinder E¹ and admitted into lower
compartment A of hydraulic cylinder A, by which means the ram a² forces the
spades of the excavator B into the mud, and is closed. Water is then admitted
through valve L' into forward hydraulic cylinder E, where it acts upon ram F,
whereby the beam D is raised to the required height, drawing after it, as above
described, the swinging shoot M, when the material is discharged and the operation
as described before can then be repeated.
The above-described land excavator is shewn on Sheets Nos. 8 and 8ª, of which
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section and Fig. 2 a cross section. In this arrangement I
prefer to use the same excavator as before described.
A is an hydraulic cylinder with two compartments A' and A', with rams a' and a²
fitted with cross heads b, b', which are connected by rods c, c'; d, d', are rods con-
necting the cylinder A to the centre c of the excavator B, the cross head b being.
connected by rods f, f¹, to the arms g, g¹, of the excavator B, and thus the rams a
and a give the required motion for opening and closing the excavator B; the
cylinder A is provided with trunnions h, h', resting in journals h³ and h³ fitted in
the end of jib or beam C; j is an angle iron frame connected to centre or boss e and
to hydraulic cylinder A, point being connected by means of chain passing
beneath pulley j³ and over sheaves l, l', connected with hydraulic cylinder D and
ram D, by which means the required cant or angle is given to the excavator when
working upon inclined surfaces; E is an hydraulic cylinder carried in cheeks F by
means of trunnions E¹ cast on cylinder E; E' is a piston and ES a hollow piston
rod fitted to a cross head u, which is connected to jib or beam C for giving required
motion to jib C; G is a cast-iron weight for counterbalancing the excavator B.
The jib or beam C is carried on hollow steel pins J supported partly in cast-iron
bushes H fitted in cheeks F, and partly on brackets I carried on intermediate
girders K.
L is a trolly carried on cast-iron wheels L, LL, L'; M is the cast-iron roller
path with boss in centre for carrying the post N, the upper end of which is fitted
in a bearing O fitted between cheeks F.
P is the steam engine, Q and Q' are the hydraulic pumps, and R the steam boiler;

page_text: Sis a three-cylinder hydraulic engine, having a pinion T fitted to its crank shaft
geared to the roller path, capable of being disengaged at will, for swinging the
excavator.
"
Having now described the above apparatus, as shewn in Drawing Nos. 8 and 8,
I shall now proceed to describe the means of putting these parts into operation.at
the various periods when they are required.
The excavator B, as shewn in Fig. 1, is représented as ready for discharging, and
in order to open the excavator or discharge its contents, water is admitted into the
upper compartment A of hydraulic cylinder A under ram a¹, and exhausted from
lower compartment 'A2. The excavator can then descend by admitting the pressure
above the piston E² in hydraulic cylinder E until the excavator B coines in contact
with the surface to be operated upon. Water pressure is then admitted into
lower compartment A2 of hydraulic cylinder A and under ram a², causing the
excavator to close in the material pressure is then admitted to the under side of
piston E in hydraulic cylinder 'E, connected to beam C by means of hollow piston
rod E³ and cross head U when the excavator B is, raised. The operation as above
described can be repeated.
:
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which 'the same is or 'may be used or carried into effect, I
desire it to be understood that I do not claim the mechanical parts of which the
machinery herein described is composed as taken separately or apart from the com-
bination and application thereof, in manner and for the purposes herein described,
nor do I claim the construction and arrangement of the hydraulic machinery as
described for excavating, but what I do consider, novel and original, and therefore
clain as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters,
Patent is,-
3.
1. The dredging apparatus taken as a whole, wherein excavators intended for,
excavating under water, and operated by hydraulic power, are arranged to work.
through wells placed either singly or in pairs longitudinally with the vessel, or at the
bow thereof, in combination with an oscillating or vibrating beam, and having
shoots suitably arranged, and actuated by chains (or hydraulic power), substantially
as and for the purposes herein-before described, and as illustrated on Sheets Nos. 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the accompanying Drawings.
か
2. The dredging apparatus taken as a whole, wherein excavators intended for
excavating on land and operated by hydraulic power, are arranged in combination,
with an oscillating or vibrating beam, the whole being mounted on a trolly fitted
with a roller path round which the excavator is capable of being swung, substan-
tially as herein-before described, and illustrated by Sheets 8 and 8 of the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Fothergil Batho, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-nine
Witness,
E. T. HUGHES,
: Patent Agent,
123, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. F. BATHO. (LS:)