Improvements in Apparatns for Shipping Coal and other Minerals.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 19th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 21st Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatns for Shipping Coal and other Minerals.
We, WILLIAM SHAPTON of 8 Great George Street in the City of Westminster,
Engineer and ROGER WRIGHT of Elswick Works, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for shipping coal and
other minerals.
The ship to receive the coal or minerals lies alongside a quay wall.
A hoist is provided movable along rails laid along the quay wall-this hoist is
provided with a cradle suitable to receive the wagon upon it and with hydraulic
chain tackle by which the cradle is then lifted and inclined so as to cause it to
deliver its contents into a shoot. The cradle when in its lowest position enters a hole
prepared to receive it upon the quay wall so that rails which are laid upon the cradle
become continuous with the line of railway laid upon the quay wall and the wagons
When the cradle has received a
may run along this line of railway on to the cradle.
loaded wagon it is lifted and without turning it the wagon is at once emptied by
tipping then lowered and run off again from the cradle. The shoot may be provided
with anti-breakage apparatus such as is described in the provisional Specification of a
former application for a Patent by William Shapton dated 6th April 1888 No. 5157.
The shoot leads coal or mineral into a tub suspended from the jib of a crane.
crane is also movable along the quay wall and can be set to work in any position.
The crane swings the tub from the shoot over the hatchway of the vessel and lowers
it down into the hold. The tub has doors at the bottom which are controlled by a
second chain operated in conjunction with the main chain of the crane and this second
chain is allowed to fall slack when it is desired that the doors should open and deliver
the contents of the tub into the hold of the ship.
The
The jib of the crane is capable of being raised and lowered as well as being
turned about the centre and by this arrangement the coal or mineral can be delivered
into the hatchway whatever the position of this hatchway may be although the move-
able hoist is only capable of working at certain stations prepared for it at convenient
distances the one from the other.
In another arrangement we combine the hoisting and tipping apparatus with the
crane. The combined apparatus can travel along the quay wall and may be so
arranged as to be able to operate in any position.
In some cases an elevated road way parallel to the quay wall serves to bring up
A traverser
the wagons and convey them away. A hoist is not in all cases needed.
may form part of the apparatus and serve to transfer the wagons to the tipping
apparatus. Sometimes where a hoist is requisite a traverser may be provided to
convey the wagon to it from a line parallel to the quay wall.
consisting of a
At a sufficient
traverse along
A cradle is also
According to another arrangement a gantry crane is employed
rectangular frame-work movable on wheels along the quay wall.
elevation the frame-work carries a pulley carriage which can
horizontal overhead-beams at right angles to the quay wall.
provided to receive the wagons but it is not essential that holes in the roadway
should be provided to receive it for the wagons can be run on to it whilst the cradle
rests upon the rails of the railway. By the lifting chains descending from the
carriage the cradle with the wagon upon it is lifted and it is turned by means of a
swivel. The wagon is taken up to the necessary height, traversed to the tipping
point and tipped by tackle afterwards described.
The coal passes down a shoot carried by the framework into a skip which is
suspended from a crane jib which also the frame carries. The skip when filled is

page_text: lowered into the hatchway and emptied. The lifting tackle consists of a pair of
main chains and an auxiliary chain or chains all passing around pulleys on a
hydraulic lifting ram over said pulleys to pulleys on the carriage; they descend to
the load ascend again to other pulleys on the carriage and then pass on to points on the
frame work where they are made fast. The main chains pass beneath pulleys at the
two ends of a beam which at its centre is provided with a swivel with live rollers
from which four chains pass to the corners of the cradle.
The auxiliary chains as they pass from the pulley carriage may descend beneath
pulleys, from which chains pass through a centre eye in the swivel to the rear
part of the cradle which they serve to tip. For this purpose after the cradle has
been raised and brought into position the auxiliary chain is further hauled upon;
and this is effected by the rising of another ram over which the auxiliary chain
passes. Or the ram may advance against the chain and drive a loop of it between
two abutment pulleys. Or the secondary chain may be always kept taut by being
wound upon a tarrel actuated by another drum on the same axis from which a
chain is drawn by a hydraulic cylinder and ram in constant communication with
the pressure main. The tipping in this case is effected by locking the drums fast,
by applying an bydraulic brake and then lowering upon the main chain.
carriage is traversed by chains and racking cylinders to bring the cradle into
position. The racking is required in consequence of the frame-work being wide
enough to allow the cradle to come up without any guide.
The
The frame is provided with elevators independent of the lifting tackle by which
the attendant may go up to attend to the tipping and descend when the wagon
comes down to perform his other duties.
The wagons are brought to the gantry crane along the line of rails over which
it bridges and after being emptied the wagons are run off still along the same line
to a pair of turn tables, by the aid of which they are transferred to a return line of
railway running parallel to the first.
The parallel lines of railway may be connected by cross over roads. If cross over
roads be laid in the ordinary manner they will prevent the cradle being used in
certain positions. Sometimes this will be unimportant; in other cases the objection
iray be overcome by making a portion of the line moveable and capable of being
lifted out of the way to admit the cradle. Sometimes the apparatus may be used
without the skip, the coal being delivered direct from the shoot into the hold.
In place of a pulley carriage capable of being traversed along overhead girders at
right angles to the quay wall we provide pulleys for the lifting and tipping chains at
the upper end of a moveable frame pivotted to the main frame near the ground level.
This moveable frame is controlled by hydraulic gear by which after the cradle has
been lifted by the main chains and turned by means of the swivel; the frame can be
moved around its pivots in a vertical plane so as to bring the suspended load forward
towards the shoot. When the wagon reaches the shoot it is tipped by the tipping
chain passing from the hinder part of the cradle, through the eye of the swivel (or
otherwise) up to the pulleys on the head of the moveable frame.
This arrangement in which the pulley carriage is substituted by pulleys on a
rocking frame admits of the empty wagons being lowered at once on to the line of
rails running along behind the apparatus and parallel to the quay wall in place of
being passed thereto by turntables or cross over roads. The line of railway to receive
the empties may often with advantage be carried upon columns.
Dated this 90th day of Nazeh 1000
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Shipping Coal and other Minerals.
We, WILLIAM SHAPTON of 8 Great George Street, in the City of Westminster, Engineer,
and ROGER WRIGHT of Elswick Works, Newcastle upon Tyne, Engineer, 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:-
This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for shipping coal and
other minerals.
The ship to receive the coal or minerals lies alongside a quay wall.
A hoist is provided moveable along rails laid along the quay wall-this hoist is
provided with a cradle suitable to receive the wagon upon it and with hydraulic
chain tackle by which the cradle is then lifted and inclined so as to cause it to
deliver its contents into a shoot. The cradle when in its lowest position enters a
hole prepared to receive it upon the quay wall so that rails which are laid upon the
cradle become continuous with the line of railway laid upon the quay wall and the
wagons may run along this line of railway on to the cradle. When the cradle has
received a loaded wagon it is lifted and without turning it the wagon is at once
emptied by tipping then lowered and run off again from the cradle. The shoot may
he provided with anti-breakage apparatus such as is described in the provisional
Specification of a former Patent granted to William Shapton dated 5th April 1888
No. 5157. The shoot leads coal or mineral into a tub suspended from the jib of a
crane. The crane is also moveable along the quay wall and can be set to work
in any position. The crane swings the tub from the shoot over the hatchway of the
vessel and lowers it down into the hold. The tub has doors at the bottom which are
controlled by a second chain operated in conjunction with the main chain of the
crane and this second chain is allowed to fall slack when it is desired that the
doors should open and deliver the contents of the tub into the hold of the ship.
The jib of the crane is capable of being raised and lowered as well as being
turned about the centre and by this arrangement the coal or mineral can be
delivered into the hatchway whatever the position of this hatchway may be although
the moveable hoist is only capable of working at certain stations prepared for it at
convenient distances the one from the other.
Figure 1 is an elevation shewing this combination of apparatus for shipping coal
and other minerals. aa is the framework of the hoist; it is carried by the wheels a¹ a¹
which run upon rails parallel to the quay wall alongside of which the ship to be
loaded lies. is the cradle (it is shown in the figure in two positions) when down it
is received into a shallow pit where it makes good a gap in a line of railway laid
beneath the frame a. c is the loaded wagon also shown in two positions in the figure.
When the cradle is down the wagon can be run on to it up to a ramp or stop and
by simple fastenings it may be secured. There is room within the framework a for
the cradle and wagon to be lifted without fouling the framework. This lifting is
effected by four chains passing over pulleys d on the top of the framework. All the
chains are led down beneath pulleys ate and these pulleys are forced down by an
hydraulic ram when the load is to be lifted. But the chains attached to the rear end
of the cradle before descending beneath the pulleys e are passed upwards over other
pulleys at f. The pulleys are carried by an hydraulic ram and when it is required
to tip the cradle water under pressure is admitted beneath this ram. The cradle with
the wagon upon it is shown in the upper position to which it is brought by the
descent of the ram carrying the pulleys e and the ascent of the ram carrying the
pulleys f.
When the wagon is tipped into this position the coal or mineral passes out of it
into the anti-breakage shoot g. h is the tub which receives the material from the shoot ;
the tub has doors at the bottom and is of a well known pattern. i is a crane from the
jib of which the tub is suspended. The crane is mounted on wheels and is moveable
along other rails laid along the quay. The jib of the crane can be raised and

page_text: lowered by tackle worked by an hydraulic cylinder at . The upper part of the
crane can be turned on the lower part or base by hydraulic cylinders and gear at .
The main lifting cylinders occupy a central position in the crane post; they work
two chains one passing to the body of the tub and the other to the doors at the
bottom. In lowering one of the rams in retiring pays out both chains equally and
afterwards to empty the tub the other or auxiliary ram is permitted to retire and so
the chain attached to the doors at the bottom of the tub is payed out and the doors
are permitted to open. Similarly the advance of the auxiliary ram closes the doors
at the bottom of the tub and the advance of the main ram lifts the tub and any load
which it may contain.
Figure 2 is a ground plan. A A are moveable hoists and tips as above described
and B B are the moveable cranes. C is the edge of the quay wall alongside of
which the ship to be loaded lies. D D are pits at convenient distances apart each
one of which is provided with a filling up piece so that wagons can be passed over
it when the hoist is over another one. These filling pieces may be lifted in and
out by the crane to receive the cradle when the hoist has been moved over the pit.
E is a fixed hoist and crane which it may be convenient to provide but which forms
no part of the invention. The hoist E can be used to load into one hatchway of a
ship whilst one of the moveable cranes loads into another hatchway. Or in some
cases two cranes may work at the same hatchway. The lines of railway by which
the wagons are brought up and pass away are indicated in Figure 2.
According to another arrangement we combine tipping apparatus with the crane.
The combined apparatus can travel along the quay wall and may be so arranged as
to be able to operate in any position.
An elevated road way parallel to the quay wall serves to bring up the wagons and
convey them away. A traverser forms part of the apparatus and serves to transfer
the wagons to the tipping apparatus.
These arrangements are illustrated by the Figures 3, 4 and 5.
Figure 3 is a plan. Figure 4 is a front elevation and Figure 5 is an end
elevation. F is a line of elevated railway parallel to the quay wall; as shown in
the drawing it connects two lines which bring down trucks to stationary tips G
having shoots everhanging the wall. With these stationary tips the present invention
is not concerned.
His a crane such as already described and H' is a platform extending from the
crane and over the elevated line F; it is suitably supported on wheels and broad
gauge rails so that with the crane it can travel along the line of railway F. The
platform carries a tipping machine I and a traverser K. The loaded wagons are
passed along the elevated line F on to the traverser K and this traverser moving
along rails on the platform carries the wagon to the tipping machine. The tipping
machine delivers the coal or material down the shoot L fixed at the side of the
platform. The material is received into tubs which are swung round by the crane
and discharged into the ship as already described.
In Figure 4 the jib of the crane is not shown.
The moveable crane with its tipping machine and transverser can pass to and
work in any position between the stationary tips G and if need be it can load into
the same hatchway with either of them.
According to another arrangement a gantry crane is employed consisting of a
rectangular frame work moveable on wheels along the quay wall. At a sufficient
elevation the frame work carries a pulley carriage which can traverse along horizontal
overhead beams at right angles to the quay wall. A cradle is also provided to
receive the wagons but it is not essential that holes in the roadway should be
provided to receive it for the wagons can be run on to it whilst the cradle rests upon
the rails of the railway. By the lifting chains descending from the carriage the
cradle with the wagon upon it is lifted and it is turned by means of a swivel. The
wagon is taken up to the necessary height, traversed to the tipping point and tipped
by tackle afterwards described.
The coal passes down a shoot carried by the framework into a skip which is

page_text: suspended from a crane jib which also the frame carries. The skip when filled is
lowered into the hatch way and emptied. The lifting tackle consists of a pair of
main chains and an auxiliary chain or chains all passing around pulleys on a
hydraulic lifting ram over guide pulleys to pulleys on the carriage; they descend to
the load ascend again to other pulleys on the carriage and then pass on to points on
the frame work where they are made fast. The main chains pass beneath pulleys at
the two ends of a beam which at its centre is provided with a swivel with live
rollers from which four chains pass to the corners of the cradle.
The auxiliary chains as they pass the pulley carriage descend beneath pulleys from
which a chain passes through a centre eye in the swivel to the rear part of the cradle
which they serve to tip. For this purpose after the cradle has been raised and
brought into position the auxiliary chain, is further hauled upon; and this is effected
by the rising of another ram over which the auxiliary chain passes. The carriage is
traversed by chains and racking cylinders to bring the cradle into position.
racking is required in consequence of the frame-work being wide enough to allow
the cradle to come up without any guide.
The
The frame is provided with elevators independent of the lifting tackle by which
the attendant may go up to attend to the tipping and descend when the wagon comes
down to perform his other duties.
Figure 6 is a side elevation and Figure 7 is a plan of a moveable coal shipping
apparatus such as above described.
.
o is the
k is a frame carried on wheels along rails laid at the edge of the quay wall. is
a cradle it may be such as is described in Westmacott's specification No. 5480 in the
year 1882. In Figure 6 this cradle is shown in two'positions; in the lower position
it receives the loaded coal wagon upon it and in the upper position it delivers the
coal. The cradle is attached by chains passing from its corners to the two ends of a
beam m and this is carried in the centre by the swivel n which can turn freely. On
the swivel are pulleys n¹ n¹ beneath which the main lifting chains pass.
overhead pulley carriage; it is attached to the rod o' of a piston working in an
hydraulic cylinder and by means of it the pulley carriage can be moved along a pair
of transverse beams forming part of the frame-work. The pulley carriage has upon
it four pair of pulleys; the pulleys near the two sides of the carriage are for the
main chains and the pulleys near the middle of the carriage are for the auxiliary
chains. Each main chain may be traced as follows:-it is fast to the top of the
frame work on the right hand side as seen in Figure 6; it passes over a pulley on
the carriage; it descends and passes beneath a pulley n¹; it ascends and passes over
another pulley on the carriage; it passes to a guide pulley at the top of the frame
on the left side; it descends and at p passes beneath a pulley carried by the main
lifting ram; it ascends and passes over the guide pulley q and finally descends and
is made fast to the head of the ram. Thus the lift is three times the stroke of the
ram. The auxiliary chains take a similar course, passing from the right side of the
frame work over the pulley carriage, taking in their course the pulleys r then they
pass over guide pulleys on the right of the frame and descend but not as the main
chains do to the main ram but to guide pulleys at and then up again over the
pulleys on the head of the auxiliary or tilting ram. Then the auxiliary chains
descend beneath pulleys at p, ascend over the guide pulleys at 9 and go down again
to the head of the ram where they are made fast. A chain connected with the
pulleys descends through a central eye or passage in the swivel and the eye is
attached to a cross bar and two other chains which are fast to the hinder end of the
cradle. is the anti-breakage shoot suspended by the chain u¹ and is capable of
being raised and lowered. is the crane and v¹ is its turning gear. The crane has
two lifting chains for carrying and working the skip or tub w.
These chains are
operated by hydraulic gear as already described the cylinder is represented at r.
y is an elevator by which the man in charge ascends when the truck goes up to
control the working. y' is a hydraulic cylinder to work the elevator.
The wagons are brought to the gantry crane along the line of rails over which it
bridges and after being emptied the wagons are run off still along the same line to a

page_text: pair or
turn tables, by the aid of which they are transferred to a return line of
railway running parallel to the first.
The parallel lines of railway may be connected by cross over roads. If cross over
roads be laid in the ordinary manner they will prevent the cradle being used in
certain positions. Sometimes this will be unimportant; in other cases the objection
may be overcome by making a portion of the line moveable and capable of being
lifted out of the way to admit the cradle. Sometimes the apparatus may be used
without the skip, the coal being delivered direct from the shoot into the hold.
Or in place of effecting the tipping in the manner described above a ram may be made
to advance against the auxiliary chain and to drive a loop of it between two abutment
pulleys. Or the secondary chain may be always kept taut by being wound upon a
barrel actuated by another dram on the same axis from which a chain is drawn by
an hydraulic cylinder and ram in constant communication with the pressure main.
The tipping in this caso is effected by locking the drums fast, by applying a
hydraulic brake and then lowering upon the main chain.
According to another arrangement in place of a pulley carriage capable of being
traversed along overhead girders at right angles to the quay wall we provide pulleys
for the lifting and tipping chains at the upper end of a moveable frame pivotted
to the main frame near the ground level. This moveable frame is controlled by
hydraulic gear by which after the cradle has been lifted by the main chains and
turned by means of the swivel, the frame can be moved around its pivots in a
vertical plane so as to bring the suspended load forward towards the shoot. When
the wagon reaches the shoot it is tipped by the tipping chain passing from the hinder
part of the cradle up to the pulleys on the head of the moveable frame.
This arrangement in which the pulley carriage is substituted by pulleys on a
rocking frame admits of the empty wagons being lowered at once on to the line of
rails running along behind the apparatus and parallel to the quay wall in place of
being passed thereto by turntables or cross over roads. The line of railway to
receive the empties may often with advantage be carried upon columns.
Figure 8 is a side elevation and Figure 9 is a rear elevation of a hoist with over-
head pulleys upon a rocking frame.
a is the main framework supported upon wheels, the front wheels run upon a rail
laid close to the edge of the quay wall and the hind wheels upon a rail laid along
the edge of the elevated road ẞ upon which also are rails to receive the empty wagon.
Y is the rocking frame, it is pivoted to the main frame at y¹; the pulleys at its
upper end are shown in three positions marked 1, 2 and 3 in Figure 8. is the
cradle with the wagon upon it; it also is shown in three positions in Figure 8. E is
the hydraulic cylinder which controls the position of the frame y; the chains for this
purpose pass from the cylinder & over suitable conveyance sheaves placed at each side
of the main framing to the outer end of the rocking frame Y. When the pulleys at
the top of the frame y are in the position marked 1 the cradle with the loaded wagon
is lifted by the hydraulic cylinders %; the chains for this purpose pass from the
bottom of the cylinder by suitably placed conveyance sheaves to sheaves on the
heel or pivot of the rocking frame y, one chain being on each side of the frame, and
from thence over sheaves at the outer end of the rocking frame y to the beam carrying
the swivel on the cradle..
When the wagon is raised clear of the ground the wagon is turned partly round,
the swivel admits of this, and then it is raised to the full height required. The
frame Υ is then moved carrying the wagon with it until the pulleys at the top of the
frame reach the position 2. Then by the operation of the hydraulic cylinder the
cradle is tilted and the contents of the wagon is discharged into the shoot i which
delivers it into a skip or tub suspend from a crane as already described.
The tilting chains pass from the lower end of the tilting cylinder to the keel or
pivot of the rocking frame y (one chain being on each side of the frame) and from
thence over sheaves at the outer end of the rocking frame to the beam carrying the
cradle. They pass through the centre of the swivel and over sheaves to one end of
the cradle.

page_text: When the wagon is empty the frame y is moved to a position such that the
pulleys at its upper end are in the position marked 3. The wagon is then again
turned, it is set down on the roadway ẞ and run off the cradle which is then taken
back to its original position to receive another loaded wagon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
:―
1. The hoist substantially as described in respect to Figure 1 and consisting of a
moveable framework; a cradle which is lifted, lowered and freely suspended within
the framework by four chains attached at its corners and passed up over pulleys on
the top of the frame work; hydraulic apparatus operating upon the chains to raise
lower and tip the cradle; and a shoot so arranged upon the frame work as to receive
the material when the truck after being lifted without turning is tipped end wise and
serving to convey the material into tubs or receptacles as herein set forth.
2. The combination of apparatus substantially as described in respect to
Figures 1 and 2 and consisting of the hoist referred to in the first claiming clause
and a moveable crane and skip operating in conjunction with the said hoist as herein
set forth.
3. The combination substantially as described of the moveable crane; the traverser
and the tipping machine as illustrated by the Figures 34 and 5 of the annexed
drawings.
4. The hoist substantially as described in respect to Figures 6 and 7 and consisting
of a moveable framework; a cradle; an overhead pulley carriage; a swivel attached
to the cradle; lifting chains descending from the pulley carriago; apparatus
actuating the lifting chains; and a shoot; the whole so arranged that a loaded
wagon can be passed on to the cradle, lifted, turned and tipped into the shoot as
herein set forth.
5. The hoist substantially as described in respect to Figures 8 and 9 and consisting
of a moveable frame work; a cradle; a rocking frame carrying overhead pulleys;
lifting chains descending from the overhead pulleys to the cradle; apparatus
actuating the lifting chains; and a shoot; the whole so arranged that a loaded
wagon can be passed on to the cradle, lifted and tipped into the shoot as herein set
forth.
6. Apparatus for shipping coal and other minerals substantially as represented by
the annexed drawings.