Improvements in Cranes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 16th July, 1891-Accepted, 29th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by HENRY AIKEN, Mechanical Engineer, of
Mawhinney Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.]
Improvements in Cranes.
I JOHN THOMSON KING of 4 Clayton Square, Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The crane has an upright stationary cylinder within which moves a plunger
carrying the horizontally projecting jib. The mast of the crane is composed of
upright parallel I-beams fixed at the top to a journal which rotates in a top bearing
or steadiment, and at the base fixed to an annular casting which is adapted to rotate
in the base plate of the crane.
The plunger is rotatory within the upright stationary cylinder and the jib and
mast rotate with the plunger. To admit water to the cylinder, the following
arrangement is employed.
The foot of the cylinder is contracted in diameter, and has a water passage
extending longitudinally and centrally through it from the end to the cavity in
which the plunger works.
This foot is stepped in a seat in a base plate at the middle of which a water
passage leads from a point directly opposite the hole at the end of the cylinder-foot,
to a waterpipe at the side or base of the base plate. A flexible gasket is interposed
between the end of the cylinder foot and its scat on the base plate and as the
cylinder does not turn, the mere pressure of the heavy cylinder on the gasket serves
to make a watertight joint the tightness of which of course, increases as additional
down pressure is applied by lifting of burdens by the crane. An extremely simple
water connection is thus afforded, without the use of stuffing boxes. The cylinder
may be held from rotation by a key inserted horizontally in the base plate and
engaging the contracted cylinder foot. In order to prevent danger, which would
result if the cylinder should break at its contracted foot, the base plate has a
circular flange which extends vertically upward around the cylindrical foot, and thus
acts as a guard which would confine the cylinder and prevent falling in case the foot
should break.
In order to take water on the crane for the purpose of operating the hydraulic
cylinder on the jib for racking the trolley back and forth and for operating an
hydraulic cylinder, which may be on the trolley for the purpose of operating tongs,
extracting ingots from their molds, and like purposes, the following arrangement of
water connections is used
Suppose that there are two double acting cylinders on the jib to which the water
is to be supplied. There is an upright casting set on the jib in close proximity to
the mast and having four upright parallel water passages from which four pipes
extend to the ports of the two cylinders. This casting moves vertically with the
jib. Four vertical pipes pass through stuffing boxes at the upper end of the upright
casting and extend into the parallel passages thereof so that the upright casting
shall when moved with the jib slide telescopically over the pipes. These pipes at
their upper ends are fixed to the casting which connects the tops of the mast beams.
This casting is of L shape; the vertical portion is in the line of the axis of the
mast journal and is circular in cross section; the horizontal portion or "foot
the lower end.
22
is at
Four parallel water passages extend through the L shaped casting and in the
cylindrical vertical part of the casting are four lateral holes which extend respec-
tively into the four water passages and are at different levels. Around each hole

page_text: is an annular sleeve to which a water supply pipe is fixed. Each sleeve has a gland
or stuffing box at its ends, and annular followers are set between the sleeves around
the upright cylindrical casting.
The sleeves are stationary and the casting turns within them as the crane mast is
rotated. Water may be admitted to any of the pipes last named, passing therefrom
through the sleeve to which that pipe is fixed, thence through the communicating
passage in the shaped casting, thence into the proper one of the vertical pipes,
thence into the passage in the upright casting on the jib, and thence to the cylinder
on the jib. Water can thus be admitted to or exhausted from either of these
cylinders.
Dated the 15th day of October 1800.
Per pro J. T. KING,
J. Johnson.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cranes,
1 JOHN THOMSON KING of 4 Clayton Square, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster Patent Agent 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:-
Figure 1 and 2 are elevations at right angles to each other of a crane under my
invention part being in section.
The crane has an upright stationary cylinder 1 within which moves a plunger 2
carrying the horizontally projecting jib 3. The mast of the crane is composed of
upright parallel I-beams 4 fixed at the top to a journal 5 which rotates in a top
bearing or steadiment 6 and is at the base fixed to an annular casting 7 which is
adapted to rotate on the base plate 8 of the crane. The plunger is rotatory within
the upright stationary cylinder 1, and the jib and mast rotate with the plunger. To
admit water to the cylinder the following arrangement is employed:-The foot 9 of
the cylinder is contracted in diameter, and has a water passage 10, extending
longitudinally and centrally through it from the end to the cavity in which the
plunger 2 works. This foot 9 is stepped in a seat in a base plate 8 at the middle of
which a water passage 11 leads from a point directly opposite the hole at the end
of the cylinder foot to a water pipe 12 at the side or base of the base plate. A
flexible gasket is interposed between the end of the cylinder foot, and its seat on
the base plate, and as the cylinder does not turn, the mere pressure of the heavy
cylinder on the gasket serves to make a watertight joint, the tightness of which of
course increases as additional down pressure is applied by lifting of burdens by the
crane. An extremely simple water connection is thus afforded without the use of
stuffing boxes. The cylinder may be held from rotation by a key inserted hori-
zontally in the base plate and engaging the contracted cylinder foot. In order to
prevent danger, which would result if the the cylinder should break at its contracted
foot, there is above the base plate a circular flange 13 which extends vertically upward
around the cylinder foot, and thus acting as a guard which would confine the cylinder
and prevent falling in case the foot should break.
In order to take water on the crane for the purpose of operating the hydraulic
cylinder on the jib 3 for racking the trolley 14 back and forth, and for operating an
hydraulic cylinder 15, which may be and preferably is on the trolley for the purpose
of operating tongs, extracting ingots from their moulds, and like purposes, the
following arrangement of water connections is used:-There are two double acting
cylinders 15, 16 on the trolley 14 and the jib 3 to which water is to be supplied.
There is an upright casting 17 set on the jib in close proximity to the mast and
having four upright parallel water-passages 18 from which four pipes 19 extend to
the ports of the two cylinders. This casting moves vertically with the jib. Four
vertical pipes 20 pass through stuffing boxes at the upper end of the upright casting

page_text: and extend into the parallel passages thereof so that the upright casting shall,
when moved with the jib, slide telescopically over the pipes. These pipes at their
upper ends are fixed to the casting 21 which connects the tops of the mast beams 4.
This casting is of L-shape the vertical portion 22 is in the line of the axis of the
mast-journal and is circular in cross section; the horizontal portion or "foot" 23
is at the lower end. Four parallel water passages 24 extend through the L-shaped
casting and in the cylindrical vertical part of the casting are four lateral holes 25
which extend respectively into the four water passages 24 at different levels.
Around each hole is an annular sleeve 26 to which a water supply pipe is fixed.
Each sleeve has a gland or stuffing box at its ends and annular followers 27 are set
between the sleeves around the upright cylindrical casting. The sleeves are
stationary, and the casting turns within them as the crane mast is rotated. Water
may be admitted to any of the pipes last named, passing therefrom through the
sleeve 26 to which that pipe is fixed, thence through the communicating passage in
the L-shaped casting, thence into the proper one of the vertical pipes 20, thence
into the passage in the upright casting 17 on the jib, and thence to the cylinders on
the jib and trolley. Water can thus be admitted to or exhausted from either of
these cylinders 15, 16.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what inanner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
First. The combination of the base-plate or socket, having a water passage and
the upright stationary cylinder bearing on the base plate and closing the joint by
pressure thereon, said cylinder having in its end a passage registering with the
said water passage; substantially as and for the purposes described.
Second. In a crane, the combination of a stationary cylinder having a contracted
foot, a rotary mast having a contracted foot fitting around the foot of the cylinder,
and a step for the mast; substantially as and for the purposes described.
Third. In a crane having a contracted foot such as the foot 8 forming a journal
on which the crane is rotatory, the combination with such foot, of a base plate or
socket, in which it is stepped and in which it has a lateral bearing, and an external
curtain or guard, which extends above the top of the said lateral bearing; substan-
tially as and for the purposes described.
Fourth. In a crane, the combination of the base plate or socket, having a water
passage, an upright stationary cylinder having a hollow end stepped in said base
plate or socket, and connected therewith by a tongue and groove joint and a
gasket on which the cylinder end rests; substantially as and for the purposes
described.
Fifth. The combination of the base plate or socket, having a water-passage, the
upright cylinder, having in its end a passage registering with the water-passage in
the base plate and a key connecting the cylinder and base plate; substantially as
and for the purposes described.
Sixth. In a crane the combination of the stationary cylinder a base plate or
socket on which it is stepped, said base plate or socket having an external curtain
or guard extending above the bearing of the said cylinder in the base plate or
socket, a rotary mast encircling the cylinder at the base, and having a flange 13
encircling the cylinder; substantially as and for the purposes described.
Seventh. The combination of a vertically movable jib, carrying a cylinder or
cylinders and connections for conveying motive fluid from the mast to said cylinder
or cylinders, said connections consisting of upright hollow telescopically connected
channels or pipes; substantially as and for the purposes described.
Eighth. The combination of a vertically movable jib, carrying a cylinder or
cylinders, and connections for conveying motive fluid from the mast to said cylinder
or cylinders, said connections consisting of a box or casting having passages or
channels formed therein, and pipes entering the same and telescopically movable
therein; substantially as and for the purposes described.

page_text: Ninth. The combination with the rotary-mast of a pipe divided into two or more
channels, encircling boxes or sleeves, and lateral holes or passages connecting the
passages in the boxes with the respective channels in the pipes; substantially as and
for the purposes described.
Tenth. The combination with the rotary mast of a pipe 22 divided into two or
more channels, encircling boxes or sleeves, and interposed followers or glands by
which the joints between the sleeves and the pipe are packed; substantially as and
for the purposes described.
Eleventh. The combination with the rotary mast, of a pipe divided into two or
more channels, encircling boxes or sleeves, interposed followers by which the joints
between the sleeves and the pipe are packed, and end followers 27 substantially as
and for the purposes described.
Twelfth. The combination with a rotary mast having a series of longitudinal
passages or waterways through its journal with peripheral ports at different points,
of a series of encircling collars having annular waterways which preserve constant
communication with the respective waterways of the journal; substantially as and
for the purposes described.
Thirteenth. The combination, with the rotary mast of a pipe 22 divided into two
or more channels, encircling boxes or sleeves, holes or passages connecting the
passages in the sleeves with the respective channels in the pipes, a jib, and hollow
telescopically-sliding channels or pipes connecting the channels in said pipe
with a cylinder or cylinders on the jib; substantially as and for the purposes
described.
Fourteenth. The combination, with the rotary mast, of a pipe 22 divided into two
or more channels, encircling boxes or sleeves, holes or passages connecting the
passages in the sleeves with the respective channels in the pipes, a foot connected
with said pipe, and having compartments communicating with the channels thereof,
a jib and hollow telescopically-sliding channels or pipes connecting the compart-
ments of said foot with a cylinder or cylinders on the jib; substantially as and for
the purposes described.
T..1.. 1901
Per pro J. T. KING,
W. B. Johnson.