Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 31st Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1887
I, WILLIAM SHAPTON of 8 Great George Street in the City of Westminster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
--
This invention has for its object improvements in ship's cranes.
Hydraulic cranes on ship board usually have posts which pass down through the
deck and are supported on the deck next below. The post constitutes the lifting
cylinder and generally is fixed and the jib of the crane revolves around it. Sometimes
however this post revolves with the jib and other parts of the crane. Both methods
are objectionable.
When the post goes through the deck it is found that valuable space is interfered
with; and in the case of the revolving cylinder there is some difficulty in preventing
water getting through the deck at the point where the cylinder passes through it.
To overcome these objections I keep the crane entirely above the deck line. I step
the bottom of the post or lifting cylinder on the deck and support the upper part of
the cylinder by a collar or bracket from a deckhouse, mast or other structure. The
tie rods supporting the jib take hold of the cylinder above this collar and the jib is
attached to the pillar between this collar and the footstep.
The lifting chain where it runs along side the cylinder also passes through the
collar. The slewing cylinders are fixed upon the deck at the foot of the crane.
It will be observed that the structure need present no fixed obstruction rising above
the deck-house and that the distance the ram can rise is not limited.
Dated this 4th day of February 1887.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, WILLIAM SHAPTON of 8 Great George Street in the City of Westminster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention has for its object improvements in ship's cranes.
Hydraulic cranes on ship board usually have posts which pass down through the
deck and are supported on the deck next below. The post constitutes the lifting
cylinder and generally is fixed and the jib of the crane revolves around it. Sometimes
however this post revolves with the jib and other parts of the crane. Both methods
are objectionable.
When the post goes through the deck it is found that valuable space is interfered
with; and in the case of the revolving cylinder there is some difficulty in preventing
water getting through the deck at the point where the cylinder passes through it.
To overcome these objections I keep the crane entirely above the deck line. I step
the bottom of the post or lifting cylinder on the deck and support the upper part of
the cylinder by a collar or bracket from a deckhouse, mast or other structure. The
tie rods supporting the jib take hold of the cylinder above this collar and the jib is
attached to the pillar between this collar and the footstep.
The lifting chain where it runs alongside the cylinder also passes through the collar.
The slewing cylinders are fixed upon the deck at the foot of the crane.
In order that ny said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an elevation and
Figure 2.is a plan of a ship's crane constructed in accordance with my invention.
Figure 3 is a plan to a larger scale of the cylinder or post.
a is the foot step fixed to the deck and a a¹ are two hydraulic cylinders formed
with the foot step for slewing the crane which they do by means of a chain a² attached
by its ends to the cylinders at a³ a3 and passing around pulleys a* a' carried by the
rams which the cylinders a¹ a¹ contain.
There are pipes for conveying water under pressure to and from the cylinders a¹ a¹
under the control of valves operated by the attendant and arranged in the ordinary
way. There are passages in the foot step for the conveyance of water to and from
the main hydraulic cylinder and valves of ordinary construction moved by the
attendant to govern the flow. 6 is the rotating crane post and the principal part of
this post is the main hydraulic cylinder 6¹; beneath the cylinder are the pulleys or
sheaves 62 62 for the crane chain or rope. 63 is the drum on the crane post which
receives the slewing chain. The water passages to and from the cylinder 6 pass as is

page_text: frequently the case in hydraulic cranes through the pivot which enters the foot step.
At 6 a ring is fixed upon the crane post to fit into the bracket, or collar which forms
the upper support.
Through openings within the ring between its periphery and the side of the
cylinder the crane chain c passes where it runs parallel with the cylinder. 6 6 are
lugs fixed upon the post at its upper end to receive the tie rods for supporting the jib.
d is the ram entering the cylinder and working as usual through a gland at the
upper end of the cylinder. dare pulleys or sheaves carried by the ram and around
which the chain c passes.
e is the jib, it is jointed at its lower end to the post b and
at its upper end sustained by tie rods ff. e¹ el are pulleys on the jib-head over which
the crane chain c passes as shown. The tie rods ffattached at the jib-head are con-
nected with the lugs 6" by means of a bar g the ends of which project through the
lugs. The eyes of the tie bars are passed over the projecting ends of the har g and
keys inserted into slots in the bar secure the ties. The tie rods can however be very
readily detached from the post and then the jib can be lowered down to be out of the
way when the crane is not in use. is the bracket which forms the upper support for
the crane post it is represented as fixed to a deck house but sometimes it may be
convenient to fix it to a mast or other upright. The bracket shown in the drawing
takes the form of a collar surrounding the cylinder but it is obviously not essential
that it should do so provided the cylinder be supported by the bracket in such a
manner as admits of its rotating through a sufficient are about a vertical axis. In the
collar shown by the drawing there is a circular recess into which the ring & on the
post fits so that the post is held and kept steady but nevertheless the post is able to
turn freely with all the gear attached to it. When the jib is lowered the structure
does not present any obstruction likely to occasion inconvenience as would be the case
were a support for the crane post provided above the top of the ram.
The crane post
also can be lifted out of its place without much trouble should it ever become necessary
to do so. The ram may be made to rise any distance which may be required and the
rise is not limited by any structural considerations regarding the position of the
supports for the crane post.
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 :—
1. An hydraulic ship's crane substantially as described having an upright cylinder
or post free to revolve on a foot step on the deck and supported at an intermediate
point in its length by a bracket from a deck house mast or other structure and having
also a jib supported by the post at its lower end and connected with the post by tie
bars passing from the head of the jib to the top of the post above the bracket as herein
set forth.
2. An hydraulic ship's crane substantially as described having an upright cylinder
or post free to revolve on a foot step on the deck and in a collar supporting it at an
intermediate point in its length; and having also a jib supported by the post at its
lower end and connected with the post by tie bars passing from the head of the jib to
the top of the post above the collar as herein set forth.
3. An hydraulic ship's crane substantially as described having an upright cylinder
or post supported at an intermediate point in its length by a collar and together with
the lifting chain where it runs along side of the cylinder being able to rotate within
the said collar as herein set forth.
4. An hydraulic ship's crane substantially as described and represented by the
annexed drawings.