Improvements in the Make, Construction, and Adaptation of Steam Scouring Dredges for Rivers and Drains.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in the Make, Construction, and Adaptation of Steam
Scouring Dredges for Rivers and Drains.
ALFRED HARRISON Engineer of Spalding in the County of Lincoln do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Attached to a boat or barge I use two dredging rollers, with the requisite spades or
diggers one at either end of the said boat or barge in such a manner that perfect
steering power is obtained and the boat placed under entire control while being hauled
through the water by suitable winding gear, worked by steam or other power, thus
obtaining perfect control of the boat by means of the same roller that is in operation
at the bottom of the river or stream, and also being able to suspend such roller at any
desired depth.
Dated this 26th day of September 1887
SAML. E. K. CAPPS,
For the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in the Make, Construction, and Adaptation of Steam
Scouring Dredges for Rivers and Drains.
ALFRED HARRISON Engineer Spalding in the County of Lincoln, 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:→
From the head and stern of any suitable boat or barge, or specially constructed
vessel, I fix booms or outriggers forming a framo, from which I suspend, hedghogs or
dredging rollers made and constructed of iron, on the face of which I cast on or fix in
a suitable manner, spades or diggers of any desired number and shape that may be
required, on the said booms or outriggers, I also fix a frame constructed and acting
as a lever, by which means the said hedghogs can be raised or lowered as required, so
that both of the said hedghogs can be used at one time or separately as may be
required. To put the said hedghogs in motion I employ steam power to drive
winding drums, one fixed at each each end of the said boat or barge, as shown in
elevation Fig. 1. and in plan Fig. 2, and to which said winding drums I attach steel
wire ropes, the other ends to anchors fixed in the river bank at any suitable distance
away. When power is applied to either of the said drums, one winds, up the rope, and
the other pays out, causing the said boat or barge to be hauled through the water,
this motion causes the hedghogs or rollers resting on the bottom or bed of the river to
revolve, and break up or disintegrate the clay or other formation in such a manner
that it is carried away in suspension by the current of water passing up or down the
said river or drain-I also use the said hedghogs or rollers for the purpose of steering
or controlling the boat or barge by setting them at different angles to the line of the
boat by means of winches and chains attached thereto, and to facilitate such steering
or controlling power, I place the diggers in the said hedghogs alternately straight
and across the perifery or face of the said hedghogs as shown in Figs. 3. and 4.,
which cause the hedghogs to have a firm grip on the bottom of the said river or
drain and effectually prevents any tendency to a slipping or sideway motion. The
diggers or spades being placed in this possition also greatly assists the operation of
dredging as the one digger cuts the bottom for the one following to dig or break up
-In some cases as may be required I fix between the hedghog frame and the boat a
cross bar or coupling connected by chains to the said frame and the boat as a better
means of haulage and also to facilitate the steering when the nature of the river or
drain require it.
In the drawings attached, it will be seen that the power employed is an ordinary
semi-portable engine driving by means of endless chains two winding drums fixed at
either end of the said boat or barge, so that when the engine is set in motion one
drum hauls in the wire rope and causes the boat or barge to move through the water,
this sets in motion the said hedghogs or rollers, pushing one and pulling the other,
until the reach or part being worked has been covered, when the engine is reversed

page_text: and the winding drum that has been paying out is set in motion and hauls the boat or
barge back again over the said reach or part being worked. It will also be seen that
the said scouring dredger, hereinbefore described may be made of any desired size or
shape in accordance with the work to be executed in any river, drain or running
stream.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1st. The adaptation to a boat or barge or specially constructed boat or barge or
vessel of two dredging rollers or hedghogs one at each end of the said boat, barge
or vessel, and the fixing of such rollers or hedghogs to booms or outriggers as
hereinbefore described.
2nd. By the aid of the said rollers or hedghogs the means of steering and controlling
the course of the said boat, barge or vessel.
3rd. The mode or method of pushing and pulling the said rollers or hedghogs
suspended from the said booms or outriggers at any suitable or required distance from
each end of the said boat, barge or vessel.
Dated this 14th day of March 1888.
SAML. E. K. CAPPS,
For the Applicant.