Improvements in Excavating Apparatus as Applicable to Steam Travelling or other Cranes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Oct., 1889-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1889
Improvements in Excavating Apparatus as Applicable to Steam
Travelling or other Cranes.
We, JOB ISLES, Engineer, Stanningley, Leeds, THOMAS GARFORTH RHODES,
Mechanical Draughtsman, Kirkstall, near Leeds, and ELIJAH YEADON, Manager,
Stanningley, aforesaid all in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in excavating apparatus, and has for
its object, the provision of means whereby the radial arm to which the excavating
bucket is attached, may be controlled by the crane attendant standing on the foot
plate from which the engine and hoisting motions are managed; also to so arrange and
combine the racking mechanism with the crane jib, that the latter may be moved to
any practical angle without materially interfering with the driving mechanism of the
racking motion, which we accomplish in the following manner.
The radial arm to which the excavating bucket or scoop is attached, is arranged to
slide between suitable stays mounted to the crane jib in such a manner, that the
buckot end of the said arm may he moved towards, or away from the foot of the
crane jib. The arm is provided with rack teeth which gear with respective pinions
on a shaft carried by journals secured to the crane jib; the said shaft being coupled
by gearing to another shaft mounted at the foot of the crane jib and on which is
placed a pair of bevel wheels having friction cones forming a part thereof, a corre-
sponding sliding cone being placed between the same, on the operation of which,
the pinions on the crane jib may be revolved in either direction for racking the
radial arm.
The last named shaft is mounted near the supporting pin at the foot of the jib and
in such position that when the jib is at a mean angle, the centre of the additional shaft,
jib pin, and engine shaft are all in the same line; motion being imparted from the
engine shaft, to the shaft at the foot of the jib by means of a pitch chain.
On the back of one of the before mentioned bevel wheels we form a brake bed,
around which is a strap operated by a lever extending to the foot plate of the engine,
the said lever being so formed that it may be operated either by the foot or hand;
the sliding friction cone before alluded to being also controlled by a lever extending
to the footplate, and so placed that the crane driver has complete control over the
hoisting, racking, and other motions of the crane when standing on the said plato.
Dated this 21st day of January 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Excavating Apparatus as Applicable to Steam
Travelling or other Oranes.
We, JOB ISLES, Engineer, Stanningloy, Leeds, THOMAS GARFORTH RHODES,
Mechanical Draughtsman, Kirkstall, near Leeds, and ELIJAH YEADON, Manager,
Stanningley, aforesaid, all in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the samo is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to cortain improvements in excavating apparatus, and has.
for its object, the provision of means whereby the radial arm to which the excavating
D

page_text: bucket is attached, may be controlled by the crane attendant whilst standing on the
foot plate from which the engine and hoisting motions are controlled: also to so
arrange and combine the racking mechanism with the crane jib, that the latter may
be moved to any practical angle without materially interfering with the driving
mechanism of the racking motion.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1. represents a side view of such portions of
an ordinary steam travelling crane as are required to illustrate our improvements
which are added thereto.
Fig. 2. is a plan of the crane cut through the irregular line a. b. and
Figs. 3 and 4. are detached details of parts hereinaftor described.
The engines, hoisting, travelling and other motions of the crane are of the ordinary
description and form no part of this invention. The crane jib A. is carried at the
foot by a pin in the usual manner, and is elevated or lowered by the chain B. operated
by any of the well known methods.
To some convenient part of the jib A. and at each side of the same is secured a
bracket B. the outer end of the brackets being held firm by the respective bracing
rods C. Extending through and supported by the brackets B. is a rotating shaft D.
upon which, or to a suitable boss on each bracket concentric with the shaft, is
suspended a guide or stay arm D¹ provided with rollers E. upon which the side
meinbors F. of the radial arm move.
At the foot of the radial arm is secured the excavating bucket or scoop G. attached
to the hoisting barrel by a rope or chain C₁ passing over the end pulley of jib; and
near the middle of the radial arm secured to each side member F. is a toothed
rack H. into which gear pinions H' secured on the rotating shaft D which is
connected by the shaft J. and suitable gearing to a revolving shaft K. carried by
brackets K¹ secured to the foot of the crane jib.
On shaft K. are a pair of bevel wheels L. having a conical friction cone L' at the
face of each, between which mounted on the said shaft and upon feather keys, is a
double friction cone L' operated in either direction from the foot plate M. by the
lever N. through the connecting rod N¹ and bell crank lever N"; motion to the
shaft K. being imparted by means of a pitch chain O. engaging with a pitch chain
wheel secured to the engine shaft E¹ behind the ordinary disc plate P. and with a
similar wheel Q. secured on the shaft K.
By mounting the shaft K. near the supporting pin Y. at the foot of jib A. in the
position that when the jib is at a mean angle somewhat as shown, the centre of the
additional shaft K. supporting pin Y. at foot of jib, and engine shaft E' are all in
the same line the radius of the jib may be varied considerably without materially
altering the tension of the pitch chain O.
On the back of the bevel wheel L³ mounted on the end of shaft J. at the foot of
crane jib, is formed a brake bed, around which is a brake strap R. one end of which
is anchored in any convenient manner, and the other is extended and connected to a
double armed lever S. supported on a fulcrum pin St and connected by rod T. to an
arm U. forming part of a compound lever W. This lever is formed with another
arm or extension at W¹ so that the brake strap R. may be operated either by the hand
at W. or by the foot at W¹ thereby enabling the operator standing on the foot
plate M. to have complete control of all the motions of the crane and excavating
gear.
It will be easily understood by persons conversant with the structure of steam
cranes that, the shaft K. may be mounted in a corresponding position on the upper
side of the jib, or by making the jib supporting pin Y. hollow as shown by Fig. 5.
and in two parts, one for each side of the jib, and of such length as to extend through
the jib supporting lugs Z. the shaft K. may be supported by passing through the
hole in the centre of the hollow supporting pins Y the shaft D. being connected
to the shaft K. by a shaft J. carried by journals attached to the jib in any convenient
manner.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, wo declare that what
we claim is:
1. In an excavating machine the combination of the bucket G. and radial arm side
bars F. with the stay arins D' racks H. operating mechanism at foot of crano jib
and hoisting barrel all arranged substantially in the manner as hereinbefore described
and illustrated.
2. The combination of the bucket or scoop G. and radial arm with the operating
arm and brake strap R. coupled to the compound lever W and W' for the purpose
hereinbefore described.
3. The combination of the compound lever W and W¹ with the brake strap R.
wheel and the friction genr mounted at the foot of crano jib, all arranged sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purpose herein before set forth.
4. A pitch chain wheel placed between the disc plate P. and crane frame, combined
with shaft K. and gearing connected therewith, arranged substantially in the manner
and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
DLS ALL 1
1000
JOHN WAUGH,
Agent.