Improvements in Apparatus for the Conveyance of Sand or other Matters Arising from Dredging Operations to any Desired Spot, the said Apparatus being also Applicable to the Transport of Grain.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1887
Specification Accepted, 6th Jan., 1888
Improvements in Apparatus for the Conveyance of Sand or other
Matters Arising from Dredging Operations to any Desired Spot,
the said Apparatus being also Applicable to the Transport of
Grain.
I ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON of 46 Southampton Buildings, Holborn in the
county of Middlesex and 31, Lincoln Place, Leinster Street, Dublin, Patent Agent do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
THE CONVEYANCE OF SAND OR OTHER MATTERS ARISING FROM DREDGING OPERATIONS
TO ANY DESIRED SPOT, THE SAID APPARATUS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE
TRANSPORT OF GRAIN and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, a com-
imunication to me from abroad by Pierre Bony, Civil Engineer, of the city of Lyon
in the Republic of France :-
:―
In most apparatus in present use for conveying sand or other matter to a distance
by means of pipes, a certain quantity of water is added to the sand, this mixture is
then forced by pumps through the pipes for conducting it to its destination. The
drawback to this method is, that the sand and water having to pass through the
pumps, these latter soon become worn, and otherwise injuriously affected notwith-
standing all precautions. By the apparatus forming the subject of this invention
the pumps simply force plain water, so that they are uninjured.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a transverse section of an apparatus
embodying my invention, showing also the discharge pipe of a dredging machine.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 being a plan seen in section taken at the line y. of Fig. 2.
The same letters of reference indicate like parts seen in the respective Figures.
K is the end of a discharge pipe of a dreding machine having a movable part L, M,
turning on an axis M and which can occupy either the position L, M, or L, M.
In the first position the dredgings fall into the compartment B, in the second they
fall into the receptacle A.
N, N, are valves alternately opened to allow the dredgings to enter one or other

page_text: -
of the compartments A or B and which are closed whilst the compartments are
cmptied.
A, B, are twin receptacles receiving the dredged matters (sand or otherwise)
alternately from the pipe K-0, P, Figs. 2 and 3 are two valves turning on a vertical
axis and serving to direct the current of water either to the recipient A or B.
r, s, t, Fig. 2 are three exits for the water under pressure, situated at the lower end
of each recipient A and B. U is a cylinder placed vertically at the head of the
apparatus, this cylinder provided with a piston or plunger capable of rising freely
in a vertical manner, if the pressure of water from conduit becomes too powerful at
any time, and thus performs the functions of a safety valve. The action of the
apparatus is as follows:
Supposing it is placed on, or near a dredger for conveying the sand or other
dredgings by means of pipes to any desired distance. According to the position of
the clack valve L, M, the sand or other matter will fall in one or other of the
receptacles A or B. If for instance this valve is in the position marked L, M, the
sand will be directed to the compartment B, the valve N₁ of which is then opened.
When this compartment is full, the valve L, M is placed in the position marked L, M
shown by the dotted lines the sand then falls a short time on the valve N which is
closed. then the valve N¹ is closed and the valve O is placed in the position shown
by O, and the valve P in the position P¹.
The plain or pure water forced by the pump will then enter the compartment B,
at its lower end, will pass out through the openings r, s, t, and will draw with it
particles of sand with which it is mixed and the whole is directed to the point of
discharge of the apparatus. The sand thus drawn along will be replaced (as the work
proceeds) by the sand in the recipient above until it is quite empty.
Whilst the water forced by the pump draws along the sand contained in B the
valve N is opened and the sand from the dredger freely enters the compartment A,
whilst forcing the water their contained and which passes through the tap V, which
is previously opened. When the compartment A is full the clack valve is lowered to
the position L, M, the valve N is closed and displacing the valves O and P the water
is driven to the compartment A till all the sand in it is removed. The same operation
is alternately repeated with each recipient A. B. in a continuous manner so that the
water always enters the apparatus pure and leaves it mixed with sand or other matter
that are being dredged or removed. The same apparatus can be employed for the
transport of grain, in this case compressed air is used instead of water which drives
the grain in the direction required through pipes leading to vessels loading, or
unloading; or to warehouses.
In applying the apparatus to the discharge of grain it can be made to measure the
quantity of grain by placing a sieve above the recipients A, B, the capacity of the
sieve forming the measure which can be automatically conducted by aid of a counter
in communication with the valves N, N¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The apparatus as herein described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings
for removing to a distance the sand or other matter from dredging operations or for
the discharge of grain in any direction.
That this 1 Desemba 1007