Improvements in the Modes of and Means or Machinery for the Transmission and Raising of Paddy Rice or other Grain from Vessels into Storehouses, or from these to their Decorticating and Treating Mills.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th May, 1892-Accepted, 16th July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Modes of and Means or Machinery for the
Transmission and Raising of Paddy Rice or other Grain from
Vessels into Storehouses, or from these to their Decorticating
and Treating Mills.
I, JOHN FARMER, of 147 St. Andrews Road, Pollokshields, Lanarkshire,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows :-
My invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved system and
arrangement and combination of mechanical appliances for the conveying of paddy
rice, that is, rice in the husks, from the native boats and larger cargo boats into
which the native boats have measured and discharged the paddy rice, in the rivers
of India or other rice districts, into storehouses or what are known as godowns
built on shore adjacent to the river or sea landings where the grain has to be
discharged, and close to the mills or works where the rice is treated or finished.
The storehouses or "godowns" are generally built in large rectangular buildings
covered in by longitudinal sets of angled rafter roofs supported on columns and
longitudinal and transverse frames above over the flat floor of the building in which
the grain is stored, generally in large square divisions for separating the quantities
divided off by the partitions between the said columns. In very many places where
these storehouses "godowns," and the rice mills are situated the ground owing to
softness is unsuited for the erection of quay walls to allow boats getting close to
shore for discharging the paddy rice. This makes the facilities inadequate for the
usual methods of mechanical discharging grain, and expensive and tedious hand
carrying is resorted to, the native or cargo boats being, as a rule, drawn as close
to bank as tide will allow and communication established by means of temporary
gangways on which the "carriers" walk from the boats to the "
vice versa in discharging.
godowns," and
My invention also comprises means for mechanically removing paddy rice from
the "godowns" in which it has been stored, into the hoppers, from whence it is
taken by bucket ladder bands, and the like and distributed through the rice mill
into the different machines for treatment in the usual way. In my improved
methods of removing from the said "godowns to hoppers I also dispense with
hand labour and remove or lift the stored paddy rice from any part or division of
the godowns desired.
"
In carrying out my invention I by one arrangement bring the native vessels with
the paddy rice, or the cargo vessels, close up to a long floating pontoon like a
floating stage or quay, which may be made in sections and secured together by
their upper framing or staging or otherwise, to which I can moor these vessels,
this pontoon being secured by end angled chains up and down the stream to bollards
or capstans so as to be able to draw these in or let them out into the river to suit
the depth of water or tide to bring the pontoons and boats as near and parallel to
the shore as possible. And one or more wood or other stays may also be used in
addition to the chains, and when two stays are used they may be made in the form
of a lattice girder and work parallel on fixed centres or universal joints on shore
and on like centres on the pontoons or floating stage near their ends for steadying
these boats at the desired distance from the shore to keep them floating while being
discharged, and one or more of these stay frames may be made in the form of gang-
ways. The main object of this movable barge or pontoon, is to form a quay which
at high water can be drawn in close to bank and at low water let out a suitable
distance to be always floating, and so that at all states of the tide native craft or
"
cargo vessels may be drawn up to and moored against the pontoon to get
66

page_text: discharged but the pontoon to be always so arranged that it can be drawn as near
to the shore as possible at all states of the tide so as not to interfere with the
traffic on the river, and to keep the vessels afloat while discharging them. It is
also part of the improvements to convey and discharge at pleasure the paddy into
godowns" during the time it is being taken out of the native or
"boats
at all states of the tide, and in whatever position the floating stage or pontoon
stands in relation to the shore.
66
C
cargo
By one arrangement of the improvements I convey the paddy rice along one,
two, three, or it may be a greater number of parallel frames preferably made in the
form of steel or iron lattice girders for strength and lightness carried on fixed
swivelling universal joint centres on shore, and another at their inner ends on the
pontoon or floating stage, any or all of which may act as stays for steadying the
pontoon to the shore. These frames carry traversing endless webs on transverse
driving rollers at their inner ends and reversing rollers at their outer ends, or it
might be endless chains with buckets, or with scrapers, or by antifriction helical
or screw conveyors, working in troughs in the frames, to convey the paddy rice
from the outer ends of these frames, where hoppers would be erected over them
into which the rice would be emptied as discharged from the native or cargo boats
by hand from their measuring baskets or vessels, or by chain elevators or other
appliances from the cargo boats as hereinbefore described. These traversing webs
may be of any of the ordinary constructions with angled edge guide rollers for
making them hollow for receiving and carrying the rice, and the chains of buckets
may also be of any of the ordinary constructions for raising and transmitting rice
or grain. The paddy rice would be conveyed away from the hoppers at the outer
ends of these conveying frames to their inner and higher ends on the shore, and be
delivered into a long hopper on shore, erected over a horizontal traversing endless
band, over the one end of the "godown" building, which would deliver the rice
on to traversing endless bands carried on longitudinal or transverse frames to be
delivered into any of the compartments of the "godown." And the receiving
hoppers may have sluice or other regulating valves to deliver or shut off the supply
of paddy rice on to the traversing bands. Or otherwise the first long traversing
band conveying the rice from any or all of the traversing shoots of the floating
pontoon may deliver it into the lower receiving hopper of an endless chain of
elevating buckets at one end or lower part of the "godowns," which buckets would
deliver the rice up into the longitudinal or transverse travelling bands mounted
and fitted on trollies in the upper framing of the "godowns," from any of which
travelling bands the rice could be delivered by angled plates or ploughs into any
part or division of the "godown" building, and it may be assisted by an auxiliary
air jet nozzle.
Or by another further improvement these endless longitudinal or transverse
conveying bands and their frames might be traversed on wheels and rails across the
upper framing of the "godown" to deliver the rice direct down into any division
or compartment of these, in the same manner as an overhead crane is traversed,
either with or without the use of angled shoots. These endless bands or chains for
so conveying the paddy rice would preferably be actuated by small air engines
fitted on the shore end of each of the conveying frames, having the air conveyed
from air compressing cylinders worked by steam engines at the mill or in the
vicinity of the "godowns the paddy husks from the decorticating mills being
used and abundantly supplied there as fuel for these engines. Or a longitudinal
shaft may be employed for driving the whole set of endless bands, with suitable
engaging and disengaging couplings to each.
"
By a further improvement instead of using frames of endless travelling bands or
chains for conveying the paddy rice from the boats and floating pontoon direct to
the "godowns" as described, pneumatic tubes may be used carried on swivels at
their ends or on swivelling frames with nozzles at their outer ends under the
receiving hoppers, the air being conveyed to work these pneumatic nozzles from
the air compressors by pipes along the frames or tubes to force the rice up the

page_text: tubes into the long hopper on shore, as described, to the "godowns." Or in some
cases the air tubes may be carried with their end nozzles on swivelling bends direct
down into the holds of the cargo boats, or into the native boats, so as to receive
and deliver the rice direct from these up to the "godowns." Or chain elevators
may be mounted on the cargo boats or on the floating pontoons for discharging the
rice from the holds of these into the receiving hoppers of the endless web conveyors
or of the pneumatic tubes. And in some cases the shore swivelling ends of the
frames carrying the whole set of pneumatic tubes, or endless conveying bands, and
their long delivery hopper and travelling bands may be carried on a long carriage
frame on wheels, traversed on rails at right angles to the side of the river as the
floating barge or pontoon was brought nearer to or taken further from the river
bank, without requiring the angled and swivelling stays or conveying frames herein-
before described. Or these angled and swivelling stay frames may be made in two
parts as toggle joints, so as also to parallelly recede or approach the bank of the
river. The compressed air used in the motive engines would be conveyed by means
of piping, preferably of iron, joined by india-rubber piping at places to allow for
the varying positions of the barge, and also for the varying position of the elevators
on the pontoon. When the compressed air has performed its work in the power
cylinders of the various elevating apparatus it may be further made use of for
ventilating and cooling the buildings or "godowns" and rice, or for the manufacture
of ice on the pontoon or on shore in the usual manner by the compressing cooling
and expanding of compressed air. In this case the air would be cooled before
getting into the elevator cylinders by passing it through pipes coiled round the
pontoon, immersed in the water and after doing work in the cylinders and having
expanded would be exhausted into a prepared tank filled or fitted with trays or
other vessels containing water for freezing in the usual manner.
The great distance compressed air can be carried and its freedom from condensa-
tion as in the case of steam when engines are worked at intervals and the steam
used intermittently-renders it very serviceable for such work and likewise saves
the "paddy" from injury through contact with moisture and water.
66
In some cases this floating stage or pontoon might have a roofed-in building on
it or an endless long enclosed hopper or receiver with divisions and regulating
valves with the longitudinal travelling band under it on to which the paddy rice
would be delivered, and conveyed to a hopper or shoot at one end, or it might be
two traversing bands both conveying the rice to a shoot or hopper at the centre of
the pontoon, which in either case would deliver the rice on to a traversing endless
band or other equivalent up to hoppers or shoots at the end of or within the
godowns," as described in reference to the former arrangements, these single
traversing frames being mounted on trollies and trolly frames on shore so as to
be angled to any position at the shore end, and raised to any height required to
suit the position of the floating barge and the receiving hoppers of the "godowns."
And the rice would be discharged from the native or cargo boats by elevators or
pneumatic nozzles and tubes fitted on the pontoon or in the cargo boats, into this
hopper house and traversing band on the floating pontoon. And the separate air
engines to actuate these elevators and the traversing bands would have their
compressed air tubes led out from the compressing engines on shore on to the
pontoon, and they might be coiled on a reel on the shore or on the pontoon to suit
the distance of the pontoon from the shore. And in some cases instead of using
these floating pontoons, large long cargo vessels with air engine propellors might
be employed for being anchored out in the river or estuary to receive the paddy
rice from the native boats conveyed through elevators on the cargo boat, or
pneumatic tubes and nozzles with their outer ends and hoppers projecting over the
side of the large vessel into the native or small cargo boat so as to receive the
measured rice there from these and deliver it into the large cargo vessel. And
the compressed air for working the engines of the propeller and the elevators or
pneumatic conveyors on the large cargo vessel would have their compressed air
pipes led out to it along the bottom of the river and held there by weights attached

page_text: to the pipes, so as not to obstruct the traffic on the near side of the river; and this
large cargo vessel would also have tall chain elevators mounted on it extending
down into the hold for discharging the rice up into the "godowns," when it was
brought in near the shore, from shoots on to a long endless band frame having its
outer end carried by hoisting gear on the floating vessel. Or the angled shoots of
these elevators might deliver the paddy rice into hoppers in the outer ends of any of
the arrangements of endless web or pneumatic conveyors carried on the moored
floating pontoons before described; and these bucket elevators may be portable and
be raised and lowered by cranes or other hoisting gear worked by compressed air
or steam.
A further improvement consists in an alternative mode of forming the frames for
carrying the rice transmitting endless web, or chains of buckets, or the pneumatic
tubes, as nearly balanced jib frames either straight or curved, swivelling on a
vertical axis near their inner delivery end on a large boss or turn-table on anti-
friction balls or rollers, mounted stationary, or on a traversing carriage on rails
either over the frame of the hopper and travelling endless bands of the pontoons,
or the like frames and bands erected on shore or over the nearest end of the
godown stores so as to deliver the rice into the hoppers; and swivelling on a
horizontal axis on the holiow turn-table or frame so that the outer end of the jib with
the receiving hopper on it could while turning round on the horizontal turn-table be
also raised and lowered to go down to the level of the native or cargo vessels to
receive the paddy rice to be transmitted and elevated to the delivery end of these
frames. Or when the large propelled vessel is used for receiving the rice from the
native boats in the centre of the river these swivelling jib frames may be used for taking
the grain direct from said propelled vessel when brought close into shore or to the
floating pontoon, and these propelled cargo receiving vessels may have arrangements of
hanging endless bands of blades or scrapers carried on movable frames operated by
compressed air engines which would scrape the paddy rice forward to the holds of
this vessel convenient for being removed by the jibs or elevators. These swivelling
jib frames, when made in a straight form, might have a traversing balanced weight
worked by a screw or otherwise on the inner shorter arms beyond the hollow
fulcrum, to balance the outer longer arm carrying the traversing and rice trans-
mitting endless web. This outer end might in some cases have mounted on it a
vertical angled frame box with an endless chain of elevating buckets the lower
end of which might either have a hopper to receive the measured rice to be raised
from the native boats or be lowered direct into the rice in the hold of the cargo
vessels to raise the rice and deliver it at the hollow swivelling end into the long
hopper and endless transmitting web. Or this outer end of jib and traversing band
may carry a pneumatic tube for so raising the rice and delivering it on to the
transmitting band. These swivelling frames may also carry pneumatic transmitting
tubes with air nozzles at their lower hopper ends, and the frames carry the small
air force pipes out to them, with elastic or rubber sections or branches at the inner
swivelling ends. Or as an alternative arrangement this outer arm of the swivelling
transmitter might be made of a quadrant or curved shape of a rectangular section
of sheet steel or iron preferably Strengthened by stay and tie bars across its inner
or convex sector, and have transverse rollers to carry the endless chain of buckets
reaching down to the outer end of this quadrant arm, which might thus be swivelled
and lowered through any position of the hatchways into the rice in the holds of
the vessels and so be raised direct up the curved box arm, and delivered down
through the hollow centre at the inner swivelling end of this transmitting jib.
These jibs when straight can be swivelled up horizontally and secured or housed
longitudinally on the tops of the hopper framing carrying their swivelling centres,
whether erected on the pontoons or on shore. And when they are made with
vertical elevators at their outer ends, or of the bent curved form can also be raised
and swivelled in over the pontoons or shore, although not horizontally as with the
straight balanced transmitter just described. All these swivelling jibs would have
their air motive engines mounted on them as in the case of the radial stay frames

page_text: and endless transmitting bands, so as to be at once stopped or started at any
moment required, and so that the elastic air-pressure pipes could be led out to
them along their frames, and the exhaust air after doing its work in the engines be
utilized as herein before stated for cooling and ventilating either the pontoons or
the buildings on shore or refrigerating the food for the workmen. These balanced
swivelling jibs with endless bands or chains of buckets, or pneumatic tubes, for
transmitting the rice from the vessels may be mounted in sets both on the top of
the houses of the floating pontoons and on shore over the near end roof of the
godowns," by having the pontoons divided into housing compartments, instead of
being fitted with endless hoppers and transmitting bands as before described, and in
making the transmitting jihs on the top of the barges receive the grain from the
boats and delivering it into the compartments of the floating pontoon. While the
other jibs mounted on the "godowns "would receive the rice from the compart-
ments of the floating pontoon and deliver it into the "godowns" and on to their
traversing bands to carry it to and deposit it in any part of these godowns.
*
The improved arrangements and combinations of mechanism for transmitting and
raising the rice from any of the various divisions or parts of the godowns where it
had been previously stored by the improved arrangements of apparatus herein-
before described, consist, first, in either raising the rice by frames carried on
angling or swivelling centres on traversing frames in the upper framing of the
building. These frames either carry endless webs or chains of buckets, or
pneumatic tubes with nozzles at their lower ends, and have chains attached to
these lower ends passed over supporting pulleys in the upper framing or roof
of the building, so as to angle these ends into any rice compartment of the
"godowns" and raise and deliver it at their upper ends into long traversing
endless webs mounted on the upper framing of each roof building equivalent to
those described for carrying in the rice and delivering it into any compartment
of the "godowns." Or this long longitudinal endless receiving and discharging
web might be mounted on a carriage frame on transverse rails in the upper
framing of the building, so as in either case to carry or transmit the rice
delivered into it from any section of the "godowns" as described, to an angled
shoot at the end of the building next the decorticating or rice treating mill,
and deliver it into a special hopper at the lower end of the chain bucket
elevators of the miil, or it might be into long troughs over one or more endless
bands which would carry or transmit the rice into this hopper, from which the
rice would be lifted by the endless chain of buckets to the upper part of the
mill for decorticating polishing or other treatment, and the separation of
the paddy husk therefrom, which as before stated, would be used to drive the
steam engines of the air compressing cylinders for producing the compressed air
to be led by the pipes to and work all the separate engines of the arrange-
ments of endless transmitting bands, which engines would preferably be arranged
with two small cylinders at one end and each side of the frames carrying these
bands, with their connecting rods working on crank pins at right angles on the
engine shaft which would by reduced wheel gearing drive the end barrel of the
endless bands or endless chains of buckets of each of these transmitters or
clevators. An alternative improved arrangement to that of raising all the rice
from any part of the "godowns would consist in forming one, two, or more
longitudinal parallel sub-ways or channels of brickwork under the rows of
divisions or compartments of the "godowns," and in mounting in the upper
part and centre of each of these subways long traversing endless bands actuated
by air engines on each of their carrying roller frames, so as to be set to work
separately at any time desired, the waste air from the engines ventilating these
subways, and also the building above the floor through perforations in it or in
pipes above it; and rectangular holes would be formed through each division
of the floor over these travelling bands, with controlling swivelling or sliding
shutters, or sluice valves, preferably worked by turning or drawing rods or
levers under the floor within the subways to open these delivery holes to any
""

page_text: desired extent, and draw off the rice from any longitudinal division of the
"godowns" over these travelling bands, which would thus when set in motion
carry the rice to the end of the building nearest the mill and deliver it into
the transverse long hoppers and endless bands which transmit the rice to the
lower main receiving bopper of the chain elevators at the end of the mill all
otherwise as previously described. In some cases one main central subway only
and travelling band might be used with one longitudinal set of delivery holes
and regulating shutters through the centre of the floor over the said band,
regulated at distances in line with the transverse divisions of the building, and
having mounted in each of these transverse divisions a nearly horizontal trans-
verse frame of about half the width of each longitudinal roofed section of the
"godown" building carrying an endless web or chain of projecting blades or
vanes passed over end driving barrels or wheels driven by an air engine at one
end, and carried on raising and lowering chains at each end, passed over pulleys
in a traversing frame mounted on rails in the central upper part of the framing
and roof. This frame would also have a chain at the end next the side of the
building to draw it to any desired angled position, so that when the endless set
of chains were set in motion the lower vanes in this case would draw the rice
from the divisions at the side of the building to the centre discharge holes over
the subway traversing web, and this same traversing web might either be
reversed or have others to work from the opposite side of the building, and be
capable of being traversed in the centre of the building between the main
columns to remove the rice from any of the transverse divisions along the whole
length of the building. This central transmitting web within the under subway
would in this case deliver the rice direct into the receiving hopper at the lower
end of the chain elevators of the mill without the use of the long transverse
hoppers and traversing webs for transmitting the grain to this receiving hopper
referred to in the previous arrangement.
Although I have herein so far mainly described these rice conveyors as actuated
by compressed air and air engines in some cases steam may be used as the motive
fluid for working the engines on shore which drive the transmitting rice conveying
bands, and also for actuating the cranes or other motors on board the pontoons or
vessels when these are situated close to the shore, from where the steam pipes may
be led. Or electro motors may be used on the floating pontoons and cargo boats
for actuating the raising and transmitting rice conveying bands and mechanism on
these, the electric energy being conveyed to these motors by cabled wires from
dynamo electric generators close to the motive engines on shore.
In using the pneumatic tubes and nozzles for drawing in and forcing the rice by
the compressed air led out to them in pipes as before described to the rice receiving
nozzles of the transmitting tubes, single or duplex adjustable annular nozzles may
be used for admitting the air in a thin film round the circumference near the throat
of the trumpet rice receiving nozzles to draw in the rice and force it through the
pneumatic tubes of their carrying frames herein before described. An improved
form of nozzle however may be used for giving a greater induction and transmission
of the paddy rice by regulating the admission of pressure air and rice, and consists
of a long rectangular form with narrow throat, but widening out trumpet ways in
the longitudinal sectional direction, and parallel in the transverse direction which
admits the rice and air to the delivery conoidal end lateral acting tube, and by one
arrangement having the forced air admitted to one end of a long transverse hollow
key and cock fitted below, or it might be both below and above the throat of this
flat trumpet nozzle, the key and cock having a longitudinal narrow parallel slit in
the transverse direction of the nozzle either near the throat or it might be further
out towards the wider trumpet end of the nozzle to regulate the transverse jet of
forced air admitted as required proportionate to the pressure of the air used and
the width of the trumpet nozzle. Instead of admitting the pressure air to the
hollow end of this regulating key and cock direct, the air might be admitted to a
branch and space along the outer circumference of the key, which outer circum-

page_text: ference might be made of a flattened curved shape so that when turned in one or
other direction, it would open or close the narrow space and openings formed in the
throat of the trumpet and thus regulate the opening or thin parallel jet of forced
air admitted to that side on which the cock is fitted. When this improved arrange-
ment of cock is only fitted to give a forced jet of air across the lower side of this
parallel orifice nozzle, the upper side of the trumpet of the nozzle might be mounted
on a transverse spindle at or near the throat of the trumpet, so as to be turned on
this spindle and closed or opened to give a wider or closer orifice of the trumpet
aud throat for taking in the rice or grain as desired, and be fixed in any desired
position by a screw and sector at its outer end or on the spindle.
An improved arrangement of central air jet nozzle of the circular conoidal form,
consists in fitting the controlling central screw spindle for regulating the air jet
within a longitudinal moving conical case, with lateral air branch attached, which
is made adjustable by screw nuts in a central hollow boss carried on radial arms at
the outer open end of the trumpet nozzle, which receives the rice to be forced into
the conveying tubes, thus the conoidal case, containing the central air jet regulating
spindle, can be moved to or from the trumpet and so regulate the area of its throat
for the entrance of the rice proportionate to the air jet also regulated by the central
spindle.
Dated the 29th July 1891.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Modes of and Means or Machinery for the
Transmission and Raising of Paddy Rice or other Grain from
Vessels into Storehouses, or from these to their Decorticating
and Treating Mills.
I, JOHN FARMER of 147 St. Andrews Road, Pollokshields, Lanarkshire,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,
that is to say:-
66
My invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved system, and
arrangement and combination of mechanical appliances, for the conveying of paddy
rice, that is, rice in the husks, from the native boats, and larger cargo boats into
which the native boats have measured and discharged the paddy rice, in the rivers
of India or other rice producing districts, into storehouses or what are known as
godowns" built on shore, adjacent to the river or sea landings where the grain
has to be discharged, and close to the mills or works where the rice is treated or
finished. The storehouses or "godowns" are generally built in large rectangular
buildings covered in by longitudinal sets of angled rafter roofs supported on
columns and longitudinal and transverse frames above over the flat floor of the
building in which the grain is stored, generally in large square divisions for
separating the quantities received from different districts or owners and divided off'
by the partitions between the said columns. In very many places where these
storehouse "godowns" and the rice mills are situated, the ground owing to softness
is unsuited for the erection of quay walls to allow boats getting close to shore for
discharging the paddy rice. This makes the facilities inadequate for the usual
methods of mechanically discharging grain, and expensive and tedious hand carrying
is resorted to, the native or cargo boats being, as a rule drawn as close to the bank
as the tide will allow, and communication established by means of temporary gang-
ways on which the "carriers" walk from the boats to the "godowns," and vice versa
in discharging.
My invention also comprises means for mechanically removing paddy rice from

page_text: the "godowns
in which it has been stored, into the hoppers, from whence it is
taken by bucket ladder bands, and the like and distributed through the rice mill
into the different machines for treatment in the usual way. In my improved
methods of removing from the said "godowns" to hoppers I also dispense with hand
labour and remove or lift the stored paddy rice from any part or division of the
godowns" desired.
<<
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended seven explanatory sheets of drawings, in which the same reference letters
are used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure 1 on Sheet 1, represents a plan view of a general arrangement and
combination of one modification of part of my improvements, Figure 2, is an end
view as looking on the left hand side of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a front elevation
of the right hand side corresponding to Figure 1, and shown as broken away
at ZZ. While Figures 4 and 5 are a sectional side and end view respectively of
one of the swivelling shore joints of one of the gangways C. In this and the other
general arrangements Zindicates the river or other water where the improvements
are to be applied, which may have different levels as indicated by the dotted
lines Z, Z. Z represents the landing shore bank or quay, and Z2 represents the
paddy rice storehouses or "godowns," all situated where the improvements are to be
applied.
Referring to these figures.-In carrying out my invention under this arrangement
I bring the native boats or vessels z from which the paddy rice has to be measured
as it is delivered, or it might be the cargo vessels shown in some of the other
drawings, close up to a long floating pontoon A, like a floating stage or quay,
which may be made in one piece as shown in Figure 1, or it might be formed in
sections and secured together by their upper framing or staging, or by chains or
otherwise, to which I can moor these vessels as indicated at 2. This pontoon A
is secured by end angled chains A' up and down the stream Z, it might be crossing
each other as shown at A" and led to chain bollards or capstans preferably
mounted vertically on a strong foundation plate B¹ secured on the shore bank Z,
so as to be able to draw these chains A' in, or let them out into the river to suit the
depth of water Z and tide to bring the pontoons A and boats 2' as near and parallel
to the shore as possible as indicated in their extreme outer and inner positions
respectively in sharp and dotted lines in Figure 1. And one or more wood or other
swivel and tie stays or stages may also be used in addition to the chains A', and
when two stages C, C', are used they may be made in the form of a lattice girder
as shown particularly in Figure 2, and work parallel on swivel centres or universal
joints C, C2, on a fixed plate or foundation C³ on shore, and on like or equivalent
centres and plates at C on the pontoons A, preferably near their ends for
steadying these pontoons A and boats at the desired distance from the shore to
keep them floating while being discharged; and one or more of these stage
frames C, C¹, may be made in the form of gangways as at C¹ in Figure 1.
The
main object of this movable barge or pontoon A, is to form a portable or movable
quay which at high water can be drawn in close to bank as shown in dotted lines in
Figure 1, and at low water let out a suitable distance, so as to have this pontoon A
and boats always floating, and so that at all states of the tide, native craft z or
cargo " vessels 2 may be drawn up to and moored against the pontoon A. to get
discharged, but the pontoon to be always so arranged that it can be drawn as near
the bank or shore Z" as possible at all states of the tide, so as not to interfere with
the traffic on the river, and to keep the vessels afloat while discharging them. It is
also part of the improvements to convey and discharge at pleasure the paddy into
the rice stores or "godowns" 7 during the time it is being taken out of the native
or cargo "boats at all states of the tide, and in whatever position the floating
stage or pontoon A is situated in relation to the shore.
56
By one arrangement of the improvements as shown in these figures I convey the
paddy rice along one, two, three, or it may be a greater number of the parallel

page_text: 66
=
stage frames C or Cl, preferably made in the form of steel or iron lattice girders for
strength and lightness, carried on fixed swivelling universal joint centres C", C³, on
shore, and another at their inner ends at C; C2, on the pontoon or floating stage A,
and shown to an enlarged scale in Figures 4 and 5, and any. or all of which girders
would act as stays for steadying the pontoon A to the shore, and swivel horizontally
on the centre Cofia strong frame C in the sole-plate. C³ as these stages C, CL,
are swivelled near to or out from the shore bank Z, while they oscillate vertically
on the horizontal centres or gudgeons C2 in the frames C as the pontoon A rises
and falls with the 'tide or different levels of the water Z. Any of these
frames C. C', as shown at C are made to carry a traversing endless web D, of strong
canvas or other suitable material passed over a transverse driving roller D' at the
inner bank end and over a reversing roller D at the outer or pontoon end, or it
might be an endless chain with buckets, or with scrapers; or antifriction helical or
screw conveyors, working in troughs on the frame C, to convey the paddy rice from
the outer pontoon ends D" of these frames, C where hoppers E would be erected
over them into which the rice may be emptied as discharged from the native or
cargo boats by hand from their usual measuring baskets or vessels, or it might
be by chain elevators or other appliances from the cargo boats as will hereinafter
be described; or a long horizontal traversing band D2 or other equivalent may, be
fitted on the pontoon A, equivalent to that D, described as fitted on the gang-
ways C, and receive the measured rice from the native boats and convey same, as
indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, into the hopper E. These traversing
webs D, D, may be of any of the ordinary constructions, with angled edge guide
rollers for making them hollow for receiving and carrying the rice, and the elevating
chains of buckets may also be of any of the ordinary constructions used for raising
and transmitting rice or grain. The paddy rice would be conveyed away by the
traversing bands D from the hoppers E at the outer ends D of these conveying
frames to their inner and higher ends D¹ on the shore, and be delivered into a bucket
ladder receiving box Z3 on shore, so as to be raised by the chain of buckets at Z
and delivered into the upper part of the shore-houses or "godowns". These
endless bands D and D2 of the stage frames C and pontoons A would preferably be
actuated by compressed air from any ordinary arrangements, of air compressing
cylinders and steam engines at the mills or in the vicinity of the "godowns" not
shown in the drawings, but having the compressed air conveyed by the pipes a to
local actuating double cylinder air engines & mounted on the delivery ends D' of
the conveying bands D and D2. And these pipes a would have flexible parts at a
for leading the air to the service conveying pipes all, a, along the frames C and
pontoons A, to. compensate for the oscillation of the frames C at their swivelling
joints C. Or otherwise as shown in Figures 4 and 5 the pipe a may be led through
a stuffing box a into the upper end of the swivelling centre frame C and from
this conveyed through to the pipes a", a², so as to dispense with the elastic piping
at al: The service pipes a on shore would also have. branches a³ leading to small
air cylinder engines at B to work each bollard B'by a screw on the crank shaft
and screw wheel B² which by a pinion and gearing toothed wheels would operate
the chain bollard B. The chains A' when drawn in by the bollards B would be
delivered over a guide pulley into a deep receiving box B³ or other equivalent sunk
in the shore bank or quay Z.
HH..
.
:.
:
Referring to Figures 6 and 7 on Sheet 2, these show a plan and corresponding
end view of an arrangement of floating pontoon A. and fittings in accordance with
my improvements, but somewhat different from that shown in Figures 1 and 2.
In this arrangement the pontoon A is held, by its two sets of chains A' A' and
bollards B at any desired distance from the shore bank, Zand is only shown with
one swivelling stay girder and gangway and rice conveying band D, but made
broader to act as a foot gangway also, having its swivelling soleplate C on the
centre of the pontoon A, and its swivelling frame and plate C, C³, on shore fitted
close to the delivery box Z3 of the elevators for taking the grain to the upper
part of the "godowns." On the right hand side of the pontoon A, two sets of
k

page_text: longitudinal traversing grain carrying bands D2 are shown for receiving the
measured paddy rice or grain from the native boats moored to either or both
sides of the pontoon as dotted in on the inside in Figures 1 and 6. The rice is
delivered from the bands D² to a receiver and elevator ³ or other equivalent at the
centre of the pontoon which raises the same to the shore conveyor D. On the left
hand side of the pontoon A in these Figures 6 and 7 only one longitudinal
conveyor D2 is shown in the centre with a framed and roofed erection over it
divided into large square receiving and delivery hoppers F' within, surmounted by
swivelling frames F2 over openings F" to each hopper F'. These swivelling frames
carry air blast tube and nozzle conveyors F³ counterweighted or balanced by an
inner lever at F, the outer arm and nozzle of the conveyor F3 being fitted with a
hopper or receiving vessel F into which the grain is measured by the boatmen
from the native craft z, or it might be from any of the cargo boats 2¹ without being
measured and delivered to any of the hoppers F¹ according as the swivelling
frame F is traversed over any of the holes F" on rail frames on the top of the
erection F to deliver the rice into any of the hoppers F', or a separate air blast
tube conveyor F³ might be fitted stationary over all or any of these openings F"
of the hoppers.
Referring to Figures 8 and 9 on Sheet 2, these show another arrangement of my
floating pontoon with a great number of the swivelling girders C and conveyors D,
all secured and swivelled on frames C on the shore, and the two end ones at Ci
on the ends of the pontoon A. to retain the latter in position parallel to the shore 7" ;
while the intermediate ones need only rest on saddle swivels on the pontoon, as they
are not required to retain the pontoon in position. In this arrangement each of
the conveyers is preferably made to project out beyond the pontoon A and fitted
with a receiving hopper E over it into which the measured paddy rice is delivered
from the native boats ; or it might as shown to the right in Figure 8 be raised
from the holds of a cargo boat by chain elevators G, worked by air engines d
and delivered into angled spouts G₁ which lead the grain into hoppers E of the
conveyers D as shown in end view Figure 10. In these arrangements the pressure
air is led from the longitudinal service pipes a² by flexible and other pipes a to the
engines d and to the nozzle hopper F of the conveyers F in Figures 6 and 7.
These conveyers D deliver the rice at their shore end D¹ into a long hopper Di
erected over a traversing endless conveying band D³ erected on a foundation
frame D on the shore bank Z" and which conveys the rice into the elevators Z in
the "godowns" Z not shown in Figures 8 and 9. When rice of different qualities
as from different native craft have to be conveyed by the separate bands D to the
shore, a series of similar longitudinal bands D³ may be placed on shore as shown
dotted-in and broken away in Figure 8 for conveying said different qualities of rice
to separate sections or compartments of the "godowns," two of the bands D being
shown as feeding to each of the bands D³. In any of these arrangements when this
shore bank Z is of soft earth, it may have piles driven under and frames formed
en it as indicated at Z* in Figures 8 and 9, for securing the shore swivelling
ends C, C³, of the conveying girders C and also the bollards B for securing the
chains and floating pontoons A thereto.
Figures 11 and 12 on Sheet 3 are a plan and end elevation respectively of another
arrangement of floating pontoon A and rice conveying mechanism, in accordance
with my improvements. In this arrangement the rice conveyors are made in the
form of a series of air forcing tubes E¹ mounted at right angles to the pontoon A
and shore bank Z" on vertical swivelling trunnions C and frames C on the
pontoon A, with hoppers or funnels E at their extreme outer ends, into which the
rice is filled as it is measured from the native boats 2. The inner ends of these
tubes E are mounted on vertical trunnions C on frames fixed on a long traversing
carriage D running on sets of rails De laid at right angles on the shore bank Z³.
This carriage also carries a long longitudinal hopper D and rice conveying
band D³ which receives the grain from the inner discharge end E" of the whole
set of conveyors E'. A'l so that as the pontoon A is drawn in towards or pushed

page_text: "
out from the bank to snit the level of the water, the inner ends of the conveyors E¹
and carriage D³ traverse in and out on the rails De, and this action is effected by.
chains D' attached to the inner and outer ends of the carriage D' passed over chain
wheels D, carried in bearings projecting up from the bank Z", the two inner
wheels being mounted on a longitudinal shaft D actuated by motive power or
otherwise to draw the carriage D³ in or out on its rails D6, the pontoon A. being
secured parallel to the shore bank by the hawser chains A' and bollards B as in
any of the former arrangements. In any position of the carriage D³, the longi-
tudinal traversing web D³ on it, conveys the rice as indicated by the arrows into
a long transverse hopper d' mounted over a traversing web conveyor d below it,
which delivers the rice into the receiver Z³, from which the elevators Z raise it to
the top of the "godown store, and deliver it into a hopper (and on to one
end of an ordinary longitudinal traversing web conveyor erected in the top
framing of the "godown" store house Z2 all as indicated by the arrows and from
which it may be delivered into any of the square compartments of the "godowns
by angled delivery plates technically termed "ploughs" and shoots, or usual
"throw-off" gear. In this arrangement the pressure air would be conveyed from
the shore conveying pipes a along service pipes a carried under or along the side
of the air forcing pipes E' to the acting nozzles in the receiving hoppers E, as will
hereinafter be described. But instead of having receiving hoppers E, when the
grain does not require to be measured and delivered into these, a suction induction.
Swivelling branch and nozzle E² may be fitted on the outer end of each conveyer E¹
and be led down into the grain in either the native boats or the cargo boats = as
indicated at E2, in Figure 11. Although pneumatic transmitters have been shown
as applied to this arrangement Figures 11 and 12, it is to be understood that other
mechanical transmitters may be used such as the endless webs or screw transmitters
hereinbefore described.
"
Figures 13 and 14, on Sheet 4, show an elevation and plan respectively of a
simple modification of pressure air rice conveyer E analogous to that shown in
Figure 11, but only in a single form, and having its outer end attached at El to
an air floating buoy near its receiving filler E. While at the inner end it would
swivel on a centre frame Cu horizontally and vertically on trunnions C2, so as to
be swivelled in-shore by the chains A' towards the bank " to suit the state of the
tide, and receive the rice in the hopper E as it was measured from the native or
cargo boats zor and deliver it at its inner end E³ into a chamber Z³ on the
bank Z", from which the chain elevators 2* as shown in the former figures would
raise and deliver it into the upper part of the "godowns" Z2, the compressed air
being conveyed out from the pipes a on shore, along the service pipe a¹ to the
nozzle chamber Et, at the outer end E of the conveyor E
Figures 15 and 16 on Sheet 4 show a plan and sectional end elevation respectively
of a floating pontoon in the form of a barge A with long open hatchway, and fitted
with a simple windlass A2 at each end, either actuated by hand as shown at the
one end or by an air cylinder engine as shown at the other end, each crank shaft
having a screw on it working into a screw wheel A³ on a shaft projecting out
through the end of the barge, with a chain hauling pulley A* on its outer end,
round which chains A' would pass, secured at their one end on the shore bank Z
and at the other end to an anchorage out in the water, or to the bank on the opposite
side of the shore, all so that by these windlasses A the barge A may be drawn in
close to the shore bank Z" when the water Z was at its high level Z; while it may
be drawn out to get the rice filled into it from the native boats at any level of the
tide or water as shown in dotted lines in these figures. In any of these positions
the barge A is held by its hawser chains A¹. When the barge A. was hauled close
to the bank Z as shown in these figures, the rice would be raised by an arrange-
ment of endless chain of buckets g mounted over rotating barrels g¹, 9", within a
quadrant or segmental hollow jib elevator G2 secured on a swivel head frame G³
mounted on wheels and slotted guides G, and with counter-weighted lever G.
The frame G³, G, carrying the elevator is mounted on carriage G³ traversed

page_text: 99
on rails Go over a long longitudinal divisional hopper frame G7, having a travelling
rice conveying band D3 actuated by the air engine cylinders d, and which delivers
the grain into the receiver Z³ from which the elevators Z shown in the previous
drawings deliver it up into the "godown storehouses, the carriage frame G
traversing the elevator G2, to raise the rice from any position of the hold of the
barge A to any sectional division of the hopper G7, and each fitted with a delivery
slide or shutter below, for use when required as also indicated in the divisional
hoppers F, F, in Figure 7 on Sheet 2.
"
:
Figures 17 and 18 on Sheet 4 show a plan view and end elevation respectively of
a floating pontoon A which is held in its position at any level of the tide or water
by its hawser chains A¹, and actuated by a single windlass chain A5 in the centre,
F.
and windlass chain gear A2, and having a longitudinal divisional hopper house F,
erected on board the pontoon A, with a central endless traversing web conveyor D
fitted and actuated below the hoppers, for conveying the rice filled into them
at any level of the tide from the cargo boats by endless chain bucket
elevators G and angled shoots G' actuated by air engine cylinders d above
carried on a stage at the top of the elevator, and all raised and lowered by a
chain crane G* mounted at the ends of the pontoon A, but only indicated in
Figure 18 all being actuated by compressed air led out by the service air
pipes a, a, from the supply air pipes a on land. When this hopper pontoon A
is filled with rice from the cargo or native boats situated out at the lower level Z
of the water, as indicated in sharp lines in these figures, it would be drawn in by
its windlass and chain gear A2, A3, to the position shown in dotted lines in these
figures at the high level of the tide or water Z', and the rice be conveyed from one
end of the longitudinal traversing band D2 on the pontoon A to and by a transverse
endless traversing conveyer D, dotted-in in these figures, to a receiving elevator
chamber 73 ou shore, not here indicated, but shown in the previous figures, the
inner end of the conveyer D being traversed on wheels.
Figure 19 on Sheet 5 is a plan view of a modified form of the stay or girder rice
conveyors C, D, for staying and steadying the pontoon A parallel to the shore
bank Z and also conveying the rice from the pontoon A, to the traversing bands D³
on shore.
In this arrangement the girders are each made in two parts jointed to each other
in the centre at c*, and two sets of the endless band longitudinal rice conveyers D
are mounted on the pontoon A, one conveying the rice to the first transverse
conveyer D, of the outer limb of the girders C, at the one end of the pontoon A
while the other conveys the rice to the conveyer D) at the other end of the
pontoon A.; and the first set of endless web conveyers D. D, would deliver the rice
on to the outer end of the shore conveyers D, D, at the joints e, and which would
in turn deliver the rice into shifting hoppers at D and down through the shore
end of the girders C, on to the longitudinal bands D³ on shore, to be conveyed to
the "godown" storehouses all as indicated by the arrows in this figure. Each of
the shore girders (would be continued beyond their oscillating centre frames C
on the bank and be loaded with weights at C to counterbalance the joint
ends c' of these double girders C', C', or these joint ends may be supported by buoys
as dotted in at E, floating on the water, and they would be shifted and held in
their several positions to retain the pontoon A at any parallel distance from the
bank to suit the level of the water Z by an endless chain A secured to them
by a traversing centre at (6 and passed round a chain barrel capstan at B and
reverse chain pulleys at B5 as indicated in dotted lines in this figure.
+
Figure 20 on Sheet 5 is an end section showing a pontoon A. made in the form
of a barge, with native and cargo boats, ¹, moored at its sides, and fitted with
endless longitudinal web bands D2 down in the hold of the barge A, and long
hoppers over these, into which the rice may be measured and delivered by hand
from these boats z, as indicated by the arrows, and the conveyers D would
transmit same to a chamber at either or both ends of the barge A, and from
which the rice may be raised by any of the chain elevators G, G, hereinbefore

page_text: described, or G² g to Gʻ Figures 15 and 16 on to the shore bank 7", or otherwise
be delivered on to the endless conveyors D on any of the stay girders C, indicated
by dotted lines in this figure.
Figures 21 and 22 on Sheet 6 are sectional end and side views respectively of a
barge pontoon A, having the outer end of the angling stay girders C for carrying
the endless web or other conveyer D, which convey the paddy rice to the shore,
showing a mode of jointing the outer end of the girders C by a deep frame ('x
on horizontal gudgeons C2, in a horizontal swivelling pivot jointed frame C" C
over a strong frame C, in this case secured deep down the bottom of the
pontoon A, with a set of antifriction radial rollers or other equivalent, mounted
in bearings or rolling grooves c to carry the weight of the whole outer end of the
girder C. In this case an endless band D is shown for conveying the rice from the
barge A, with a hopper E at its outer end.D", and having the rice filled into this
hopper from a longitudinal traversing band D2, from the native or cargo
boats or ¹, or it might be by any of the chain elevators G, G¹, described in
reference to Figures 8 to 10..
an.
Figures 23 and 24 are a plan and transverse section respectively, the latter being
taken near the line 1-1 in Figure 23, of one end of a pontoon barge A, with a
strong open conical rice collector or well. W, at end of barge into which the rice
is shown as delivered from two endless web conveyers D2 carried and actuated as
hereinbefore described on the upper part of the barge A, and having the outer
end of the girder C, in this case, mounted to rise and fall on its gudgeons C in an.
upper open rectangular horizontal swivelling plate frame Crotating on
annular set of antifriction balls c, or it might be radial wheels, as in Figures 21
and 22, mounted to roll in a strong annular groove C in this case formed in the
upper part of the strong receiving hopper W; and. having an endless web chain
bucket elevator y mounted within a nearly vertical rectangular case g², down
through a recess in the swivelling frame C and girder C, on each side of the
transverse endless web conveyor D on the girder C. The roller or chain drum g¹
is mounted within the case 2 to work down into the rice in the open hopper W,
while the upper chain bucket drum g" is driven by a pitch chain g³ from the end
barrel D of the conveyor D, so as to deliver the rice over it by a spout at gill
into a transverse angled hopper 9, which leads it on to the endless web conveyors D
to be delivered on to the shore bank Zinto any of the arrangements of con-
veyors previously described for conveying the rice into the "godowns" Z. Short
strong end segmental rails h, h, are here shown as mounted on the top of strong
raising vertical screws ' mounted at their lower ends in sockets " with nuts /₁₁i
on the sides of the pontoon barge A, so as to raise the rails under these swivelling
outer end of the girders C, to steady the pontoon in position during any height of
the tide or water Z.
Figure 25 is an end view of a cargo boat or it might be a pontoon barge A,
analogous to that shown in Figures 15 and 16, and the top part of a "godown" Z2,
or it might be that of a long divisional hopper G on the bank Z, as shown and
described in reference to Figures 15 and 16. In this arrangement an ordinary
chain bucket elevator to as described in reference to Figures 23 and 24, is
shown as mounted over the boat, with its lower open end gl working down into
the rice in the cargo boat, and carried on the outer end H' of a straight counter
balanced transverse stayed jib frame H H', mounted at its centre balanced end" H",
either over a fixed open hopper F2 at the top of the ridge of the longitudinal
"godown" Z², or it might be a longitudinal traversing hopper running on wheels
or on a strong frame F" on rails fixed on the top of the "grodown," or on the
pontoon or shore hopper Figures 6 and 15; so that the hopper and this stayed jib
frame H H carrying its elevators g to g could be traversed longitudinally to any
position of the barge A and "godown" Z2, so as to carry the rice from any part of
the pontoon and deliver it into any longitudinal division of the "godown." The
outer jib arm H³ carries a long endless traversing web rice conveyor D actuated by
an air engine d at its inner end, where it delivers the rice into the open hopper F?, the

page_text: rice being raised by the bucket elevators g to g³ and deposited on the band D, by
the hopper g, the elevators being driven by a chain and chain wheels g³ from the
spindle of the drum D" at the end of the conveyor D, all as indicated by the
arrows in the figure. This counterweighted jib elevator H to H" and its chain of
buckets g to g³ may be swivelled vertically and horizontally and secured or housed
longitudinally along the top of the hopper framing carrying the swivelling centres
at H" whether situated on the shore as shown in this figure, and in Figures 15
and 16, in the curved bent form, or on the pontoon A, as shown in the forced air
conductor form at F to F in Figures 6 and 7.
Figure 26 is a sectional plan view with the roof removed, and Figure 27 an end view
of one section of a દ
godown" building Z2, as constructed and fitted in accordance
with one arrangement of my improvements for removing the rice housed in them
from any of the compartments or divisions I between the standard frames or
columns of the "godowns," where it had been stored by the arrangements of
apparatus herein before described, for conveying it as hereinafter described to
the rice mills for decorticating or other purposes. In Figure 27 the actual
remover J, J, as hereinafter described is shown in a horizontal position; while
Figure 28, which is a diagram end view of Figure 27, shows this remover J J¹, in
the act of removing the rice from the stored compartments I, and Figure 29 also
shows it as being removed with its carrying frame J³ along the central division,
from one compartment to another. In this arrangement a longitudinal parallel
subway or channel I", is formed of brickwork or metal under the floor of the
centre of the whole row of divisions or compartments I, in each longitudinal roofed
section of the "godowns" 72, and in this subway a long traversing endless band D.
is mounted analogous to those described in reference to the jib frames C, and
actuated by air engines on each of the carrying roller frames, so as to be set to
work separately at any time desired, the waste air from the engines ventilating
these subways I", and also the buildings above the floor through perforations
in its closing in roof at I; and rectangular holes 12 are formed through each
division of the roof floor of this subway I over these travelling bands, with
controlling swivelling or sliding shutters, or sluice valves as indicated at 13 preferably
worked by turning or drawing rods or levers under the floor within the subway I",
to open these delivery holes 12 to any desired extent, and draw off the rice from
any longitudinal division of the "godowns" over these travelling bands D which
would thus when set in motion carry the rice to the end of the building nearest
the mill and deliver it into the transverse long hopper and endless band which
transmit the rice to the lower main receiving hopper of the chain elevators for
raising it into the end of the mill. A horizontal transverse frame J is mounted to
remove the rice from each division l' between the columns I of about half the
width of each longitudinal roofed section of the "godown" building and less than
the length between the inner rows of columns II', shown particularly in the
horizontal position in Figures 27 and 29. This frame J carries a transverse endless
web or chain of projecting blades or vanes J₁ passed over end driving barrels
or wheels J", J2, driven by an air engine d supplied by service air pressure
pipes a a¹ and wheel gearing at one end, and carried on raising and lowering
chains,, at one end, and at the other end, passed over pulleys or wind-
lasses, in a longitudinal traversing transverse frame Ja mounted, by wheels
at J as a carriage or travelling crane, on rails J' supported on the inner columns I¹
of the central upper part of the framing and roof. This frame J has also the
chain passing over a pulley at at the end J" next the side of the building to
draw it to any desired angled position, so that when the transverse endless chain
of vanes were set in motion, the lower vanes in this case would draw the
rice from the divisions I at the side of the building to the centre discharge holes [³
preferably through a hopper I', over the subway traversing web D. This frame J
and endless chain of vanes J¹ may either be reversed or have others to work from
the opposite side of the building I*, and be capable of being traversed with its
travelling crane J³ in the central division of the building between the inner main

page_text: columns II, as shown in Figure 29 to remove it to any division I of the building
to remove the rice therefrom on to the travelling band D. This central longitudinal
transmitting web D, within the under subway I" may in this case deliver the
rice direct into the receiving hopper at the lower end of the chain elevators of
the mill without the use of the long transverse hoppers and transversing webs for
transmitting the grain to this receiving hopper when a number of subways I", and
longitudinal transmitters D are used. In Figure 27 the carrying chains to of
the transmitter J J¹ are shown in the position for the transmitter removing the
rice horizontally on the floor; while in Figure 28 the rice is shown at a con-
siderable height in one of the divisions I, where this transmitter is acting, and the
chains holding the transmitter and its frame at the proper acting position to
bring down the rice to the centre hopper 1, the chains being lowered gradually as
the rice is removed. And a circular swinging jib J has a sliding groove or
pulley on its outer, end through which the chain passes on its way to its raising
and lowering windlass *, so as to swing the jib round in the path of the dotteil
line j indicated in the plan view Figure 26 to cause this transmitter J J' to remove
the rice from any part of the surface of each division I, between the columns I',
and also swing this transmitter J, J', round in the opposite direction to remove the
rice from the divisions indicated at I on the opposite side of the building from
that in which it is shown acting in Figure 28.
"
Figure 30 on Sheet 7 shows a plan view of a floating pontoon A as secured at its
various distances from the shore bank Z" by the end hawsers A¹ to the bollards B,
and by one swivelling angled girder C in the centre, as shown and described in
reference to Figures 6 and 7, but in this case having a main tubular-forced air
conveyor E' mounted on it to convey the rice from the pontoon A to the discharge
end E, and into a hopper D over a conveying end band D³, on shore, for being
conveyed and raised into the upper part of the " godowns Z2 as shown and
described in reference to Figures 11 and 12. In this case as seen in the detail
Figures 30 and 30B,. the rice would be fed into the lower outer end of the
pipe E at E on the pontoon A from the centre swivelling branch e¹ of a
longitudinal air pipe e with branches e¹¹ and hoppers and air forcing nozzle chests
at E, into which the rice would be measured and delivered from the native boats z, the
compressed air being led from the main pipes a on shore and service pipes all along
the girder C to the service pipes a² on the pontoon A, which by cocks and
branches a lead the compressed air to each nozzle and hopper at E to force
the air along the pipes e and E¹ to the shore as indicated by the arrows in the
Figure.
Figure 31 shows an end view of a "godown" Z² corresponding to Figures 26 to 29
with an arrangement of my improvements for removing the rice from the several
divisions I of the " godowns" by a hanging compressed air tubular conveyor E,
with induction nozzle branches E2 for removing the rice by compressed air currents
through the service pipes a, a", a through each of the nozzles E2, into the central
hopper I, and on to the endless conveying band D in the centre subway 1" of the
godowns" all as indicated by the arrows in this figure, the rice conveying
compressed air tube E¹ being carried and actuated by the chains j to j² and
windlasses j, j³, and j' on the travelling crane J³ for removing the rice from the
compartments I, all otherwise as described in reference to the endless vane
conveyers JJ in Figures 26 to 29.
As an alternative for subways in the "godowns," overhead longitudinal endless
conveying bands D may be used on the top framing of the building as shown in
Figure 31 Sheet 6 on to which the rice would be elevated by vertical transverse
bucket ladder elevators K and transmitting bands K' or by pneumatic pipes and
nozzles E, E².
In using the pneumatic tubes and nozzles for drawing in and forcing the rice by
the compressed air led out to them in pipes a to at the rice receiving nozzles E² of
the transmitting tubes E', all as before described in reference to Figures 6 and 7

page_text: and 11 to 14, and cubes e and nozzle branches el in Figures 30 and 31; ordinary
constructions of single or duplex adjustable annular nozzles may be used for
admitting the air in a thin film round the circumference near the throat of the
trumpet rice receiving nozzle chambers to draw in the rice and force it through the
pneumatic tubes of their carrying frames hereinbefore described. An improved
form of nozzle however may be used as shown in sectional elevation and plan view
in Figures 32 and 33 respectively, for giving a greater induction and transmission
of the paddy rice through these pneumatic transmitting tubes, by regulating the
admission of pressure air and rice, and consists of a long rectangular form with
narrow throat L, but widening out trumpet ways in the longitudinal sectional
direction as shown in Figure 32 both of the inlet trumpet nozzle L' and of
the inner induction nozzle L", but all parallel and wide in the transverse
direction as shown in Figure 33, which admits the rice and air to the delivery
conoidal end lateral acting tube L", and in this arrangement having the forced air
admitted to a branch L at one side of a long transverse hollow key and cock
at L!! fitted below in the case L³, or it might be both below and above the throat L,
of this flat trumpet nozzle, the key having a part cut away and made of a flattened
curved shape at in the transverse direction of the nozzle, either near the throat
or it might be further out towards the wider trumpet end of the nozzle to regulate
the width of the transverse jet or thin parallel film or forced air admitted as
required at the slit across the whole throat proportionate to the pressure of the
air used and the width of the trumpet nozzle. When this improved arrangement
of cock is only fitted to give a forced jet of air across the lower side of this
parallel orifice nozzle, the upper expanding side L³, of the trumpet of the nozzle
might be mounted on a transverse spindle L at or near the throat of the trumpet,
so as to be turned on this spindle and closed or opened to give a wider or closer
orifice of the trumpet and throat as indicated respectively in sharp and dotted lines
in Figure 32 for taking in the rice or grain as desired, and be forced in any desired
position by a screw and segmental slot at 13 at its outer end, or it might be on the
spindle L outside.
Instead of admitting the pressure air to a branch and space to deliver it in a thin
stream at 7 near the throat L of the trumpet nozzle L' as described in reference to
Figures 32 and 33, it may, as seen in the sectional side and end views in Figures 34
and 35, be admitted by a branch L to the end of a hollow key L2, having a longi-
tudinal narrow parallel slit at in the transverse direction of the nozzle, so that
when turned it would regulate the opening or thin parallel jet of compressed air
passing through the slit 7 in the nozzle part L', in this instance shown at the outer
entering part of the nozzle, but it might be near the throat as shown in Figure 32,
the width of the entering trumpet and throat L being regulated by the upper
hinged part L3 and bolt 3 as in the former arrangement.
Figure 36 shows a sectional elevation of an improved arrangement of central air
jet nozzle m of the circular conoidal form and which consists in fitting the con-
trolling central screw spindle m¹ for regulating the air jet within the conical case m
with lateral air branch m" attached and which may be made adjustable by screws
in a central hollow boss m carried on radial arms m³ screwed at m* on the outer open
end L of the trumpet nozzle L", which receives the rice to be forced into the con-
veying tubes and secured there by a large nut m; thus the conoidal case m, con-
taining the central air jet regulating spindle m¹ can be moved to or from the
throat L of the trumpet L, and so regulate the area of the throat L for the
entrance of the rice proportionate to the air jet also regulated by the central
spindle m¹.
i
Figure 37 shows a sectional elevation of a modified form of the conoidal annular
nozzle shown in Figure 36, in which the nozzle m with its spindle m' is screwed
within a fixed hollow annular air chamber m into which the air branch leads,
and is secured to the trumpet part L' by fixed arms m³. The adjustment of the
width of the trumpet for the admission of the rice and air is regulated by the

page_text: screwing in or out of the hollow nozzle m and fixed by the lock nut m³, the nozzle m
being made with holes in it at m* to receive the pressure air from the annular air
chamber m, the spindle m¹ regulating the pressure air jet admitted from the
interior of the nozzle m.
Although I have herein so far mainly described these rice conveyors as actuated
by compressed air and air engines, in some cases steam may be used as the motive
fluid for working the engines on shore which drive the transmitting rice conveying
bands, and also for actuating the cranes or the other motors on board the pontoons
or vessels when these are situated close to the shore, from where the steam pipes
may be led. Or electro motors may be used on the floating pontoons and cargo
boats for actuating the raising and transmitting rice conveying bands and mechanism
on these, the electric energy being conveyed to these motors by cabled wires from
dynamo electric generators close to the motive engines on shore.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,―
First. The system and arrangement and combination of mechanical and pneumatic
appliances for the transmitting and elevating of paddy rice or other grain from the
native or cargo boats into floating pontoons or barges, and from these to the
godown" storehouses on shore at any state of the tide or level of the water, sub-
stantially as and in the manner herein described, in reference to and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
66
Second. In combination with a floating pontoon or barge, the arrangement and
use of stage frames or girders carrying mechanical or pneumatic rice transmitting
appliances placed between said pontoon and the shore and fitted with horizontal
and vertical swivelling or oscillating centres or joints which will admit of the
pontoon being moored at varying distances from the shore and rise and fall with
the tide or level of the water, substantially as and for the purposes herein described
in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. In combination with a floating pontoon or barge the fitting of longitudinal
mechanical endless band or mechanical transmitters, or pneumatic tube transmitters
for receiving the paddy rice or grain from the native or cargo boats and trans-
mitting same to the mechanical or pneumatic conveyors on the shore stage frames,
substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Fourth. In combination with a pontoon, barge, or floating structure, the
arrangement and use of one or more mechanical or pneumatic rice or grain trans-
mitters placed between the pontoon and shore and admitting of the pontoon being
moored at varying distances from the shore to suit the state of the tide or level
of the water, the shore ends of the transmitters moving as a carriage on rails,
substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Fifth. The arrangement and combination of a vertical and horizontal swivelling
counterweighted pneumatic transmitter, for raising and conveying the rice or grain
from the native or cargo boats to hopper houses or transmitters on a floating
pontoon or on shore, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in
the accompanying drawings.
Sixth. In combination with a floating barge or vessel, the arrangement of a
counterweighted vertical swivelling and longitudinal traversing segmental hollow
jib with internal endless chain buckets for raising and transmitting, rice or other
grain to hoppers and endless chain bands on shore, which transmit it to the
"godowns," substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Seventh. The arrangement and combination of a longitudinal mechanical endless
band conveyor on shore, with hoppers or hopper houses for receiving the rice or
grain from the floating pontoons or barges, and transmitting it to the "godowns,"
D

page_text: substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Eighth. In a rice or grain store or "godown" the forming of longitudinal
subways with endless band conveyers below the floor under the rows of transverse
divisions and with holes or hoppers for removing the rice or grain from any of the
divisions in the building; or alternatively having overhead rice conveying bands
with mechanical and pneumatic elevators, substantially as and for the purposes
herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
"
Ninth. The arrangement and combination of a rice or grain store or "godown
formed with longitudinal subways in the floor and endless band conveyers with a
motive power portable transverse acting endless band vane conveyer or pneumatic
tube conveyer carried by lateral and vertical acting chains and windlasses or
winches and swivelling jib on an overhead longitudinal traversing carriage in the
upper central part of the "godown," substantially as and for the purposes herein
-described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Tenth. In pneumatic apparatus for the raising and conveying of rice or other
grain the construction or arrangement and combination of induction nozzles having
a broad shallow throat and wide induction mouth with either solid or hollow trans-
verse keys for giving a thin film of the compressed air along the whole width of
the nozzle, and with a movable side for regulating the width of the throat and
induction mouth, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Eleventh. In pneumatic apparatus for the raising and conveying of rice or other
grain, the construction of an annular trumpet shaped induction nozzle with a
movable internal compressed air central jet chamber, and central regulating screw
spindle, the former for regulating the annular induction jet of rice, and the latter
for regulating the central annular jet of compressed air, substantially as herein
-described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 28th May 1892.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.