IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING OR TRANSFERRING GRAIN OR OTHER MATTERS FROM VESSELS OR OTHERWISE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gillett, of Melksham Foundry, Melksham, in the
County of Wilts, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR UNLOADING OR TRANSFERRING GRAIN OR OTHER MATTERS FROM VESSELS OR
OTHERWISE
"
Sealed the 4th June 1880, and dated the 6th December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gillett at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th December 1879.
JOHN GILLETT, of Melksham Foundry, Melksham, in the County of Wilts,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING OR TRANSFERRING
GRAIN OR OTHER MATTERS FROM VESSELS OR OTHERWISE.'
"
My Invention of improvements in apparatus for unloading or transferring grain
or other matters from vessels or otherwise, relates to apparatus in which bucket
elevators are used for unloading, and endless travelling bands or chains for trans-
ferring grain or other matters from ships to warehouses, or from vessel to vessel, or
otherwise from place to place.
To enable the position of the tube or trough containing the endless band or chain
to be adjusted longitudinally, I arrange it to travel at one end on rails or a suitable
bed; the other end I suspend from a chain or chains passing over pulleys on a
moveable derrick or sheer legs, so that its position may be readily adjusted in a
vertical sense by hauling in or slacking out chain. In one plan I control the chain
or chains by hydraulic apparatus, but other means may be employed for this
purpose.
.
I suspend the elevator by a universal joint to the tube or trough at a point below
the latter, so that the elevator may, when out of use, be caused to lie up against the
bottom part of the tube or trough. In some cases the tube or trough instead of
being made adjustable longitudinally, may be made moveable on a pin or joint, in
which case the tube or trough and the elevator inay be raised together to a vertical
or nearly vertical position so as to be out of the way.
Another mode of connecting the elevator to the trough is by providing the tube
or trough with jointed parts or extensions, which carry the elevator, suspended by
a universal joint, in such manner as that when required for use it will hang in

page_text: suitable position with the tube or trough at different angles. The clevator delivers
the grain or other matters into a hopper above the endless travelling band, and is
regularly laid on the hand by revolving wheels or pulleys which I arrange under
the hopper in such manner as to form a groove-like guide or shoot travelling at the
same speed as the band. The cross sectional area of this groove-like guide or shoot
is constructed to suit the maximum capacity of the band so as to prevent over-
loading. I drive the elevator from the travelling band, which conveys the grain or
other matters from it as follows:-
On the axis of the pulley or roller which carries the band at the outer end of the
tube or trough, I fix a pulley or pulleys, from which I drive one or more other pulley
or pulleys whose axis is concentric with the joint on which the elevator is moveable
in relation to the tube or trough, and from such last mentioned pulley or pulleys I
drive the elevator. To increase the carrying capacity of the travelling band I
arrange the axes of its carrying wheels or rollers in trunnion bearings in such
manner that when the band is loaded the weight of the load will cause the axes of
the wheels or rollers to incline and allow the central part of the-band.to dip some-
what, thus forming a travelling trough. I prefer to provide the wheels or rollers
with bushes of metalline, which is obtainable from the Patent Metalline Company,
of Dundee.
Another part of my Invention relates to an improved construction of travelling
.conveyer, as follows:-On a suitable belt, band, or chain of leather or other flexible
material I secure metallic or other shoes or parts of a trough-like cross section so as
to form a compound travelling trough or gutter..
The sides of these shoes or parts are provided with rails or bars, which at their
ends are alternately bevilled in opposite directions, thus forming, with the sides
themselves, alternate grooves or recesses and bevilled edges, so that when the belt,
band, or chain is running flat, or nearly so, the bevilled part of one shoe shall be
within the groove or recess of the next, in such manner that the end of one shoe or
part shall form an abutment and lock for the adjoining one, and thus enable a heavy
load to be conveyed with a lesser number of intermediate rollers or supports for the
belt, band, or chain. I provide the shoes or parts above referred to with wedges or
keys arranged to tighten them up as required to compensate for stretching or wear
of the belt, band,, or chain.
In some cases I provide studs and links in lieu of the grooves and bevils above
imentioned. I prefer to bush the end pullies and carrying wheels. or rollers with
metalline.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Gillett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th June
1880.
JOHN GILLETT, of Melksham Foundry, Melksham, in the County of Wilts,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING OR TRANSFERRING
GRAIN OR OTHER MATTERS FROM VESSELS OR OTHERWISE."
My Invention of improvements in apparatus for unloading or transferring grain
or other matters from vessels or otherwise relates to apparatus in which bucket
elevators are used for unloading, and endless travelling bands or chains for trans-
ferring grain or other matters from ships to warehouses or from vessel to vessel,
or otherwise from place to place.
To enable the position of the tube or trough containing the endless band or
chain to be adjusted longitudinally, I arrange it to travel at one end on rails or a
suitable bed. The other end I suspend from a chain or chains, passing over pulleys
on a moveable derrick or sheer-legs, so that the position of this end may be readily
adjusted in a vertical sense by hauling in or slacking out chain. In one plan I
control the chain or chains by hydraulic apparatus, but other means may be
employed for this purpose.
I suspend the elevator by a universal joint to the tube or trough at a point below
the latter, so that the elevator may when out of use be caused to lie up against the
bottom part of the tube or trough. In some cases the tube or trough instead of
being made adjustable longitudinally may be made moveable on a pin or joint, in
which case the tube or trough and the elevator may be raised together to a
vertical or nearly vertical position so as to be out of the way.
Another mode of connecting the elevator to the trough is by providing the tube
or trough with jointed parts or extensions, which carry the elevator suspended by
a universal joint in such manner as that when required for use it will hang in
suitable position with the tube or trough at different angles.
The elevator delivers the grain or other matter into a hopper above the endless
travelling band, and it is regularly laid on the hand by revolving wheels or pulleys
which I arrange under the hopper in such manner as to form a travelling
groove-like guide or shoot moving with the contained grain or other matter at
approximately the same speed as the band. The cross sectional area of this groove-
like guide or shoot (it may have one or more grooves) is constructed to suit the
maximum capacity of the band, so as to prevent overloading.
I drive the elevator from the travelling band which conveys the grain or other
matters from it as follows:-
On the axis of the pulley or roller which carries the band at the outer end of the
tube or trough I fix a pulley or pulleys, from which I drive (by belt or chain) one
or more other pulley or pulleys, whose axis is concentric with the joint on which
the elevator is moveable in relation to the tube or trough, and from such last
mentioned pulley or pulleys I drive the elevator. To increase the carrying capacity
of the travelling band I arrange the axes or axles of its carrying rollers in trunnion
bearings, in such manner that when the band is loaded the weight of the load will
cause the said axes or axles to incline and allow the central part of the band to
dip somewhat, thus forming a travelling trough. I prefer to provide the rollers
with bushes of metaline, which is obtainable from the British and Foreign Metaline
Company, of Dundee.

page_text: groove-like guide or shoot for laying grain or other matters elevated regularly on
to the band-conveyor; Figs. 4 and 5 shew to a larger scale the relative arrangement
of the hopper that receives the matters from the elevator.
a is the tube (it may be a trough instead of a tube) which contains the endless
band or chain conveyor. This tube in the arrangement illustrated is at its inner
end a¹, supported by a carriage a², able to travel on rails 6 (or a suitable bed may
be used in lieu of rails). The other end a³ of the tube is suspended from a chain c,
passing over pullies d on sheer-legs e (or moveable derricks may be used in lieu of
sheer legs), so that the position of this end may be readily adjusted vertically by
hauling in or slacking out the chain c; f is a hydraulic apparatus of ordinary
construction for operating the chain c, as required, but I do not confine myself to
the use of hydraulic apparatus for this purpose; other means may obviously be
employed; for instance, the chain may be worked by hand. g is an universal joint
whereby the elevator (which may consist of an ordinary frame and chain of
buckets) is connected to the tube a at a point below the latter, so that the elevator
may when out of use be caused to lie up against the bottom part of the tube. As
already stated, in some cases the tube or trough instead of being made adjustable
longitudinally, as shewn, may be made moveable on a fixed pin or joint at the
end a', in which case the tube or trough and the elevator may be raised together
to a vertical or nearly vertical position so as to be out of the way; i is a hopper
above the endless travelling band or conveyor k; is the grooved wheel or pulley,
which in the present instance is formed with two grooves, as shewn in Fig. 3, but
it may be a compound wheel or pulley, that is, as for instance, built up of two or
more wheels, or may have only one groove (as in Figs. 4 and 5) or more than two
to suit circumstances. This pulley is arranged under the hopper i, as shown in
Fig. 1, in such manner as to receive from the hopper the grain or other matters
deposited thereon by the clevator, and to lay the same regularly on the band or
conveyor k, which drives the grooved wheel or pulley by frictional contact, as
indicated in Fig. 4. The band or conveyor k drives the elevator as follows:-
On the axis o of the pulley or roller of which carries the band k at the outer ond
of tube a is fixed another pulley (or there may be two, namely, one at each end of
the said axis), from which by belt or chain p is or are driven another pulley or
pullies q whose axis is concentric with the chain on which the elevator is moveable
in relation to the tube, and from a pulley or pullies 9 the elevator is driven by belt
or chain and pulley 8. The carrying capacity of the travelling band or conveyor
is increased by the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2, where the axes or axles ₺ of
the rollers u are arranged in trunnion bearings vin such manner that when the
band or conveyor is loaded, the weight of the load will cause such axes or axles to
incline more or less as represented, and allow the central part of the band to dip
somewhat, thus forming, as already explained, a travelling trough of greater or loss
depth according to the load for the time being thereon. At v I provide a spring or
equivalent means, having a tendency to keep the axes or axles of the rollers
horizontal, which will be their position when the conveyor k is not loaded. The
conveyor and elevator are in the arrangement illustrated driven by band or other-
wise applied at a³.
In my Provisional Specification I described a construction of travelling conveyor,
wherein, on a suitable belt, band, or chain, of leather or other flexible material
I proposed to secure metallic or other shoes or parts of a trough-like cross-section so
as to form a compound travelling trough or gutter, the slides of the shoes or parts
being provided with rails or bars having their ends alternately bevilled in opposite
directions so as to form with the sides themselves alternate grooves or recesses and
bevilled edges in order that when the belt, band, or chain, was running flat or
nearly so the bevilled part of one shoe should be within the groove or recess of the
next in such manner that the end of one shoe or part might form an abutment and
lock for the adjoining one, and thus enable a heavy load to be conveyed with a
lesser number of intermediate rollers or supports for the belt, band, or chain; and I
proposed furthermore to provide the shoes or parts above referred to with wedges

page_text: or keys arranged to tighten them up as required to compensate for stretching or
wear of the belt, band, or chain; also in some cases to provide studs and links in
lieu of the grooves and bevils above mentioned. I do not, however, lay especial
claim to such arrangements, as I consider the same loss convenient in practice
than the apparatus herein before more particularly described.
Having described the nature of my said Invention and explained in what manner
the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I would have
it understood that what I consider to be novel and original and claim as secured to
me under the Letters Patent herein before in part recited is,-
1. Arranging tho travelling band that conveys the grain or other matters from
the elevator in a tube or trough adjustable, substantially as described.
2. The method, substantially as described, of connecting the elevator to the tube
or trough that contains the conveyor, by a universal joint so arranged that the
bottom end of the elevator can be swung in various directions when at work, and
be folded up under the tube when not in use.
3. Driving the elevator from the conveyor, substantially as described.
4. The combination with an elevator and an endless band conveyor of a grooved
wheel or pulley (or wheels or pulleys), so constructed and arranged that grain
or other matter delivered by the elevator, will, by the said wheel or pulley (or
wheels or pulleys) be regularly laid on the endless band conveyor, substantially as
described.
5. The method, substantially as described, of increasing the carrying capacity of
the travelling band conveyor by arranging the axes or axles of its carrying rollers
in trunnion bearings in such manner, that when the said band conveyor is loaded
the weight of the load will cause the said axes or axles to incline and allow the
central part of the band conveyor to dip and form a travelling trough.
6. The combination of parts constituting the improved apparatus constructed,
arranged, and operating, substantially as shewn in and described with reference to
the Drawings, for unloading and transferring grain or other matters from ships to
warehouses, or from vessel to vessel, or otherwise from place to place.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gillett, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
JOHN GILLETT. (L.S.)