IMPROVEMENTS IN EXCAVATORS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Fothergill Batho of Westminster in the
County of Middlesex Engineer for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
EXCAVATORS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Fothergill Batho
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th September 1883.
WILLIAM FOTHERGIL[L] BATHO of Westminster in the County of Middlesex
Engineer, IMPROVEMENTS IN EXCAVATORS "
My present invention relates to excavators with either four or two blades under
the now well known Bruce and Batho system, and has for its main objects
simplification of construction and reduction of cost of apparatus.
To provide an efficient four bladed excavator, the blades, which are of any usual
or suitable construction so shaped as to fit together and form a bucket with a base
of round square or other desired form, are made or provided with lever arms and
are pivotted in pairs to a boss; One pair of blades being pivotted at right angles
to the other and in different horizontal planes. The above construction allows
of the lever arms being made straight and the carrying boss sliding collars and
connecting rods being simplified. Motion is given to the apparatus by means of
a chain attached to the collar connected to the rods which open the blades. Catch
gear connected to the collar for closing the blades is also employed together with a
suitable crane and operating engine. It is to be noticed that by pivotting the
pair of blades in different planes. One pair commence to cut or act before the
other pair thus rendering the action more effective.
To provide an efficient two bladed excavator under my invention I construct the
blades with lever arms pivotted to a boss and connected by rods to cross heads
free to work in or on guides forming part of a frame. The necessary motions for
opening and closing the blades are given by means of a chain and trip gear
substantially as set forth in connection with the four bladed excavator or if
desired two chains are used one connected to the crosshead operating to open and
the other to the crosshead acting to close the blades.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Fothergill Batho in the Patent Office on the 5th March
1884.
WILLIAM FOTHERGILL BATHO of Westminster in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN EXCAVATORS
"
"J
My present invention relates to excavators with either four or two blades under
the now well known Bruce and Batho system and has for its main objects
simplification of construction and reduction in cost of apparatus.
To provide an efficient four bladed excavator, the blades which are of any usual
or suitable, construction so shaped as to fit together and form a bucket with a base
of round square or other desired form, are made or provided with lover arms and
are pivotted in pairs to a boss; One pair of blades being pivotted at right angles
to the other and in different horizontal planes. The above construction allows of
the lever arms being inade straight and the carrying boss sliding collars and
connecting rods being simplified. Motion is given to the apparatus by means of a
chain attached to the collar connected to the rods which open the blades. Catch
gear connected to the collar for closing the blades is also employed together with a
suitable erano and operating engine. It is to be noticed that by pivotting the
pair of blades in different planes one pair commence to cut or act before the other
pair thus rendering the action more effective.
To provide an efficient two bladed excavator under my invention I construct the
blades with lever arms pivotted to a boss and connected by rods to cross heads
free to work in or on guides forming part of a frame. The necessary motions for
opening and closing the blades are given by means of a chain and trip gear
substantially as set forth in connection with the four bladed excavator. or if
desired two chains are used one connected to the cross head operating to open and
the other to the cross head acting to close the blades
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig 1 is a plan, figs 2 and 3 side views at right angles. to each other partly in
section and fig 4.a transverse section at the line A. A. of a four bladed excavator
under my invention, a. a'. b b¹ are the blades shaped so as to fit together and form
a bucket with a round base. The said blades a a¹ bb' are formed with lever arms.
c. cd d. The blades a a¹ have their lever arms cc' pivotted at e to the boss: f.
The blades bb' have their lever arms d d¹ pivotted at g to the boss but the axes
og to which the respective pairs of arms are pivotted are one above the other and
are also at right angles to each other, h are links attached to the collar i and to
the lever arms c c d d for closing the blades, j are links attached to the collar k
and to the blades a ab b' for opening the same. The collars and slide-on
guide rods secured to the boss catch gear of usual construction attached to
the carrying bar m. connected to the collar. The action of the apparatus is as
follows: The excavator is carried and moved from place to place by the bar m
which is attached to any suitable crane or hoist. The opening of the blades is
effected by the crane chain which is hooked under the collar the closing is
effected by releasing the catch gear in the usual way. The collars, carrying bar,
guides, catch gear and links may bo of any usual kind or the catch gear may be
dispensed with and two operating chains used. The main feature of this part of
my invention is the pivotting of four blades on axes at right angles to and above
each other so as to enable a straight lead to be obtained for the lever arms and a
simplification effected of the opening and closing mechanism whatever description
is used.

page_text: Fig 5 is a plan, fig 6 a side elevation, and fig 7 an end elevation of a two bladed
excavator under my invention, fig 8 is an end view of the same excavator shown
open instead of closed. Fig 10 is a view of the crossliead, a are the blades
pivotted by the lever arms e to the boss f forming part of a frame n. The lever
arms care attached by rods and links h to a cross head i. The blades a are also
connected by links ; to the cross head k. The crossheads i and k slide in guides
formed by the frame n. Motion may be given to the excavator by means of two
chains one attached to the crosshead and the other to the crosshead k, or
one chain attached to the crosshead and catch gear may be used as is well
understood.
Fig 11 is a view illustrative of a two or four bladed excavator provided with
catch gear jattached directly to the collar i. Fig 12 shows another modification
of catch gear for use with two or four bladed excavators..
Having now described the nature of my said invention and particularized the
same in such manner that others will be enabled to carry my improvements into
effect I claim :-
First. Excavators provided with lever arm blades pivotted to a boss in pairs
substantially as set forth.
Second. Apparatus for giving motion to four bladed lever arm excavators
constructed and operating substantially as set forth.
Third. Two bladed excavators with lever arms links cross heads and frame
substantially as set forth.
In Witness Whereof I the said William Fothergill-Batho have hereunto set
my hand and seal this fifth day of March in the year of Our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.