IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM EXCAVATORS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ERNEST DE PASS, of 68 Fleet Street, in the City of London; Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM EXCAVATORS, communicated to nie from abroad by Louis
Gabriel Le Brun, of 1 Boulevard Saint-Denis, Paris, France, Constructing Engineer,
to be as follows:-
This steam excavator, with continous discharge, is destined to execute all kinds
of earth-work, whatever its nature, either by excavating or by scraping the earth.
The apparatus is specially destined for executing earth-works in unfixed, marshy,
muddy, clayey or sandy soils of little consistency and requiring a support of a large
surface to ensure its stability. This steam excavator has been invented to over-
come the following difficulties:
To allow the centre line of the frames which support the whole weight of the
apparatus to be placed, during the working, at a great distance from the edge of
the excavation.
To obtain this advantage by the construction of a large bogey frame resting upon
one or several tracks of different gauges, and upon which bogey frame may be
placed, and easily arranged, the frame work, the engines and machines destined to
effect a very powerful extraction.
Upon this bogey frame, of perfect rigidity, is a carriage with a variable course,
travelling on rollers, or sliding on rails, iron bands, or otherwise.
This carriage is provided with a fore jib, or jibs, which may carry one or more
sliding frames and the driving drums or bosses of one or more chains of dredger
buckets. The axle of the drums or bosses is driven by any motor, fixed upon the
carriage, or other part of the machine.
The object of this carriage is to avoid scraping of the tracks and consequently
cost and loss of time.
The mobility of the carriage supporting the whole of the movements of the
chain of dredger buckets allows of the removal of earth from a trench up to
10 metres in width and of a depth varying from 0 to 10 metres and of such &
length as the installation of the work allows without the lateral displacement
either of the track or the apparatus,

page_text: Thus without any displacement either of the track or of the apparatus, and
according to the length of the works, 100 to 200,000 cubic metros of earth may be
extracted with the greatest rapidity in proportions varying from 3 to 5 thousand
metres of extraction daily.
When the section of the trench, which the length of the fore jib allows to be
made, is finished, and when, without lateral displacement, quantities, varying as
before stated from 100 to 200,000 cubic metres, are thrown on the bank along the
aides of the trench, according to the lengths of track, a few minutes will suffice
for the entire apparatus to be replaced, by an automatic movement, on its new
track of attack, which has been prepared during and without disturbing the
working of the exacator.
The removal of the earth from the trench on to the bank may be effected by
means of a travelling apron, which receives the earth from the buckets and conducts
it, without encumbrance, to trucks, or to automatic transporting straps. This
removal may also be effected by a long shoot, with or without a pump, or by
compressed air forcing the earth on to the bank, or by other means, to the desired
spot.
These transporters are fixed to the back frame of the carriage and rest on a series
of rollers and are moved around a fixed pivot which allows of setting, forward or
backward, the axis of discharge. As these transporters are fixed upon the carriage
travelling perpendicularly to the trench and as they retire on the bank in the same
proportion as the chain of buckets advance the cutting of the trench, this arrange-
ment allows of the uniform distribution of the earth on the bank without the
help of regulation by hand which necessitates a costly working.
The tracks of the excavator being placed at a great distance from the edge of the
trench, the water which escapes from the buckets.cannot wet the ground on which
the rails are laid. The ground thus preserves its primitive hardness and offers a
great resistance to the sinking of the sleepers which prevents the unlevelling of the
track.
The carriage supporting the whole of the machinery instead of being moveable,
may be fixed to the platform of the excavator.
Between the flanks, or at the upper part of the fixed framework.of the machine,
a rolling or sliding platform may be erected on which the whole or a part of the
mechanism of the machine may rest, and which platform, as is the case with the
moveable carriage, would travel over the same course with the chain of dredger
buckets, and would thus avoid scraping of the track.
The said excavator may also be arranged with only one platform either fixed, or
moveable on wheels, and having, at its fore part, its dredger buckets, and at back,
a transporter serving as ballast and as a counterweight; this arrangement not only
gives a more perfect stability to the machine but allows of the track way and
wheels of existing transporters being dispensed with.
L1001

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, ERNEST DE PASS, of 68 Fleet Street, in the City of London, Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM EXCAVATORS, communicated to me from abroad by Louis
Gabriel Le Brun, of 1, Boulevard Saint-Denis, Paris, France, Constructing Engineer,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say -
This steam excavator with continuous discharge is designed to execute all kinds
of earth-work, whatever its nature, either by excavating or by scraping the earth.
The apparatus is specially destined for executing earth-works in loose, marshy,
muddy, clayey or sandy soils of little consistency, and requiring a large surface of
support to ensure its stability.
This invention has for object :-
-
To allow the rolling axis or centre line (axe de roulement) of the frames which
support the whole weight of the apparatus, to be placed, during the working, at
a great distance from the edge of the excavation; and
To obtain this advantage by the construction of a wide frame resting upon one
or more lines of rails, of suitable gauge, and upon which frame may be placed and
conveniently arranged the framework, the engines and machines for the performance
of work on a large scale. Upon this perfectly rigid frame is a wood or iron
carriage, having a variable travel, moving on rollers, or sliding on rails, iron bands
or otherwise.
This carriage is provided with a fore jib or jibs, which may carry one or more
sliding frames or beans and driving drums or tumblers of one or more chains of
buckets.
The object of this carriage is to avoid scraping of the tracks and consequently
cost and loss of time.
The mobility of the carriage, supporting the whole of the movements of the
chain of buckets, allows of the removal of earth from a trench up to 10 metres in
width, and of a depth varying from 0 to 10 metres, and of such a length as the
installation of the work allows, without the lateral displacement of the track of
the apparatus.
Thus, without any displacement either of the track or of the apparatus, and
according to the length of the works, 100,000 to 200,000 cubic metres of earth
may be removed with the greatest rapidity, in proportions varying from 3000
to 5000 metres per day.
When the section of the trench, which the length of the fore jib allows to bo
made, is finished, and when, without lateral displacement, quantities varying,
as before stated, from 100,000 to 200,000 cubic metres, are thrown on the bank,
along the sides of the trench, according to the lengths of track, a few ininutes will
suffice for the entire apparatus to be replaced, by an automatic movement peculiar

page_text: to it, on a fresh working track which has been prepared during and without
disturbing the working of the excavator.
The romoval. of the earth from the trench, on to the bank may be effected
by means of a travelling apron, or the like, which receives the earth from the
buckets and conducts it, without hindrance, to trucks or to belts of automatic
transporters.
These transporters are fixed to tho back frame of the carriage and rest on a
series of rollers; they move around a fixed pivot which allows of the axis of
discharge being set forward or backward. As these transporters are fixed upon
the travelling carriage, perpendicular to the trench, and as they retire on the bank
in the same proportion as the chain of buckets advance in front of the cutting of
the trench, this arrangement allows of the uniform distribution of the earth on the
bank, without the help of regulation by hand, which necessitates an additional
charge for labour.
'
The tracks of the excavator being placed at a great distance from the edge of
the trench, the water which escapes from the buckets cannot wet the ground on
which the rails are laid. The ground thereby preserves its primitive hardness
and offers a greater resistance to the sinking of the sleepers and thus prevents the
unlevelling of the tracks.
The carriage supporting the whole of the machinery, instead of being moveable,
may be fixed to the platform of the excavator.
Between the flanks, or at the upper part of the fixed framework of the machine,
a rolling or sliding platforma may be erected on which the whole or a part of the
mechanism of the machine may rest, and which platform, as in the case of the
moveable carriage, would travel over the same course with the chains of buckets
and would thus avoid scraping of the track.
The said excavator may also be arranged with only one platform, either fixed,
or moveable on wheels, and having, at its fore part, its buckets, and at back a
transporter serving as a ballast and as a counterweight; this arrangement not only
gives a more perfect stability to the machine, but allows of the track way and
wheels of existing transporters being dispensed with.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a front
view; Fig. 3 is a plan of the platform, and Fig. 4 a plan of the trucks and frames
of a steam excavator constructed in accordance with this invention.
A, B are trucks travelling parallel to the excavation.
'C, chain of buckets.
D, endless travelling apron,
E, automatic transporter.
F, tumbler working the chain of buckets.
G, travelling carriage.
H, truck frame.
1, fixed screen.
J, motivo power engine.
K, boiler.
M, winch for raising the bucket beain.
N, engine for operating changes of position.
11

page_text: The frame-work H, firmly fixed on the trucks A. B, is so constructed as to have
a long overhanging range, out of the perpendicular, towards the trench, at the
same time maintaining the stability of the apparatus.
This arrangement has for its object to allow of the excavation being effected at
a great distance from the points of support, that is to say, from the nearest line of
rails, so as to avoid earth slips.
The excavation is made by means of an endless chain of buckets, of a length
determined by the work to be done, and operated by the drum or tumbler F, carried
on the upper part of the travelling carriage G.
The drum or tumbler shaft is actuated by a prime mover J, and boiler K, fixed
either on the travelling carriage itself, or on any other suitable part of the
apparatus.
The purpose of the travelling carriage is to avoid the continual scraping of the
tracks in travelling on the frame H, connecting together the trucks. It is only
after a number of strokes or revolutions have been made that it is necessary to
remove the excavator, in its entirety to a distance from the excavation and replace
it on a fresh line of rails parallel to the first and placed at a distance from them
equal to the travel of the carriage.
.
"This displacement of the apparatus is effected either by means of points and
crossings, or by means of a traverser arranged for the purpose, or by any other
suitable means.
The excavated earth delivered by the buckets may be received:
1. By the endless apron D which conducts it to the bank, or to a transporter, or
to trucks.
2. By a long shoot, with or without a pump.
3. By compressed air forcing the earth on to the bank.
4. By. any other means for transporting it to a desired spot.
The travelling advance motion of the apparatus is obtained from an independent
motor, or by a special connection with the engine which works the excavator, with
means for disconnecting when desired.
This motion is communicated to one or more of the axles of the trucks by
means of an endless screw, or other arrangement operating a pitch, or other chain
transmitting its motion to the axles which may be connected to each other if
required.
It is obvious that the special arrangement and the dimensions of the apparatus
may vary according to the nature of the work for which it is to be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1. The installation of steam excavating apparatus on one or more lines of rails
laid parallel to the line of the proposed excavation, and sufficiently distant
therefrom to avoid earth slips, in cases where the ground is of an insecure nature, as
described.
2. In steam excavating apparatus the adaptation to a wide supporting frame
of a carriage capable of travelling perpendicularly to the axis of the excavation,
such carriage, on which the entire working apparatus is moved, being provided
with a jib at the back of which the bucket carrying mechanism is mounted,
and the ends of which serve for attaching the bucket beam at the bottom of the
excavation, the travelling carriage moving on rollers or sliding on the fixed
platform being essentially destined to avoid the scraping of the tracks, all
substantially as described.
3. In steam excavating apparatus, the arrangement of a like carriage having one
or two fore jibe of the same length, and of the same arrangement, the whole fixed
on the wide supporting frame, substantially as described.
4. In steam excavating apparatus the arrangement of a single fixed or moveable
platform, or travelling carriage, mounted on wheels, having in the front part an

page_text: excavating mechanism, and at the back part a transporter forming ballast and
counterweight, thus ensuring the stability of the apparatus and economizing the
tracks on which the transportor truck, as well as the truck itself, is carriod.
5. The steam excavating apparatus with continuous discharge substantially as
'describod and illustrated in the drawings.