IMPROVEMENTS IN DREDGERS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Simons and Andrew Brown, both of the
Town and County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineers and Ship-
· builders, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DREDGERS.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Simons and
Andrew Brown at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 8th October 1875.
WC, WILLIAM SIMONS and ANDREW BROWN, both of the Town and
County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineers and Shipbuilders, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DREDGERS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention, which rolates to improvements in dredgers, has for its
object in the first place to diminish the expense and loss of time
occupied in repairing and renewing the bucket chain links.
According to this Invention the bucket chain links are formed to
embrace the back of the bucket and fit into recesses, thereby avoiding
the use of riveting which is at present adopted.

page_text: In the second place this Invention has for its object to improve the
means of closing the bucket ladder well so as to facilitate the propulsion
of the dredger. This object is effected by the use of a continuous sheet
of bars, plates, or laths of wood or iron connected together by hinge or
equivalent joints, and attached to rollers on or upon which they are
capable of being folded or rolled up, or unfolded or unrolled. At such
times as it is required to propel the dredger the bucket ladder is raised,
and the sheet of bars or plates is unfolded or unrolled so as to close the
bottom of the well, the well being formed with grooves or guides into
which the edges of the sheet of bars or plates pass and rest.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Simons and Andrew Brown in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 7th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
SIMONS and ANDREW BROWN, both of the Town and County of Renfrew,
North Britain, Engineers and Shipbuilders, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the 39th
year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said William Simons and Andrew Brown, Her special
license, that we, the said William Simons and Andrew Brown, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
William Simons and Andrew Brown, our exccutors, administrators, or
assigns, should at any time agree with and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DREDGERS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Simons and Andrew
Brown, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar

page_text: months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Simons and Andrew
Brown, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had to
the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
Our said Invention, which relates to improvements in dredgers, has
for its object in the first place to diminish the expense and loss of time
occupied in repairing and renewing their bucket chain links.
In the second place our said Invention has for its object to improve
the means of closing the bucket ladder well so as to facilitate the pro-
pulsion of the dredger.
And in order that our said Invention may be properly understood,
we now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or
manner in or under which the same is or may be used or practically
carried into effect, reference being had to the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:-
On the Sheet of Drawings hereunto appended, Figure 1 is a longi-
tudinal section, partly in elevation, of a dredger with the improvements
which constitute our said Invention shewn applied thereto; Figure 2 is
a deck plan of the dredger; and Figures 3 to 15 are respectively details
of buckets and bucket chain links illustrating the manner under which
the first part of our said Invention is carried out in practice.
According to this Invention the bucket chain links are formed to
embrace the back of the bucket and fit into recesses, thereby avoiding
the use and necessity of riveting, which is at present adopted, and
diminishing the expense and loss of time occupied in repairing or
renewing the bucket chain links.
Figure 3 of the Drawings is a longitudinal section, Figure 4 a plan,
and Figure 5 a transverse section of a bucket attached to the bucket chain
in the manner set forth. As shewn by these Figures the bucket A is.
formed with two projections B on its back, the sides of which are
recessed, as seen more particularly at O, Figure 5, to receive the links D

page_text: of the bucket chain, and which are held in their position in the said
recesses by screw bolts a.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 are detailed views of the links D, and as shewn by
Figure 3, the under side of each recess C on the bucket fits between the
shoulders or projecting parts 6, Figure 6, of the links D. Shoulders or
projections e, Figures 7 and 8, are also formed on one side of each
link D, and which bear against the ends f of the recesses C. The ends
of the links D project beyond the parts B of the bucket, and between
the ends of each pair of links D a single link E is placed. Pins h pass
through holes in the links D, E, or through tubes placed in the said
holes, and which pins are made to hold the links together so as to
constitute a continuous length of chain by cotters k passed through
them, as seen at Figure 4. On the ends of the outside link of each pair
of links D shoulders or projections m are made, which bear against the
heads of the pins h, and assist in relieving the strain on the apparatus
when dredging.
Under a modification of our said Invention, in lieu of forming the
part B of the bucket with flanches at its outer end, as seen at n,
Figure 5, the said part may be made as shewn in end elevation at
Figure 9, in which case the shoulders or projections b, herein-before
described as formed on the under sides of the links D, are dispensed
with.
Figure 10 is a side elevation of a link constructed for employment
with the bucket shewn at Figure 9 of the Drawings.
Under another arrangement illustrated in longitudinal section at
Figure 11, in transverse section at Figure 12, and in plan at Figure 12"
of the Drawings, the back of the bucket A, instead of being made as
herein-before described and shewn at Figures 5 or 9, is composed of a
series of bent or angled plates a, the ends of which are bevilled or
inclined outwards from the back of the bucket, as seen at Figure 11.
Shoulders with a corresponding bevil or taper upon them so as to fit
against these inclined ends are formed on the links D at the parts
marked 6, Figures 13, 14, and 15. The bucket is attached to the links D
at or near its upper or open end by the pins e, which pass through the
plates a, and links D and E, the said pins being retained in position by
cotters f, as herein-before set forth. The pins 9 at the bottom of the
bucket, as shewn on the Drawing, pass only through the links composing

page_text: the chain, but if desired the pins at that end of the bucket may also pass
through the plates a.
The improvement which constitutes the second part of our said
Invention has for its object to provide a more effective means of closing
the bucket ladder well, so as to facilitate the propulsion of the dredger
when in motion or being navigated. This object is effected by the use
of a continuous sheet of bars, plates, or laths of wood, iron, or other
metal or material connected together by hinge or equivalent joints, and
attached to a roller on or upon which the continuous sheet or band is
capable of being folded or rolled up, or unfolded or unrolled, as seen at a,
Figure 1, of the Drawings.
The continuous sheet 6 of bars is wound up on the roller a when it is
desired to open the bottom of the bucket ladder well by operating the
windlass c placed on deck, and which is geared with the roller a by
chains or bands passed round pulleys d, as shewn, or by other equivalent
means.
When it is required to propel the dredger the bucket ladder is raised,
and the sheet 6 of bars or plates is unfolded or unrolled from the roller a,
so as to close the bottom of the well by winding on the windlass fat the
stern or after end of the well, and to which the sheet of bars is
attached by chains, as shewn. The bottom of the well is formed with
grooves or guides, into which the edges of the plates or bars constituting
the sheet 6 freely pass, and on which they rest.
In lieu of folding or rolling the sheet 6 on a roller at the forward end
of the bucket ladder well, it may be folded or rolled on a similar roller
at the after or rearward end; or in opening and closing the well the said
shect may be unfolded or unrolled from a roller at one end on to a roller
at the other end, that is to say, such rollers may be placed at both ends
of the well.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, we would
observe in conclusion that what we consider to be novel and original,
and thereforo claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The several arrangements and constructions of bucket chain
links and bucket backs herein-before described and shewn on the

page_text: Drawings, or any mere modification thereof, whereby the use of riveting
to attach the buckets to the chain is avoided, and the expense and loss
of time occupied in repairing and renewing the bucket chain links is
diminished, substantially as set forth.
Second. The continuous sheet of bars, plates, or laths, shewn at i
Figures 1, 2, and 2* of the Drawings, and the employment thereof in
closing the bucket ladder well under any of the modes herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Simons and Andrew
Brown, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifth day of 1
April, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
THOMAS ANDERSON, Witness.
ALEXANDER M°KENZIE, Witness.
W. SIMONS.
(L.S.)
ANDREW BROWN. (L.S.)