Improvements in Dredging machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Improvements in Dredging machines.
A communication by FRANCIS MURPHY, of 36, Winthrop Place, Chicago, State
of Illinois, United States of America, Inventor.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates more particularly to dredging machines in which the
dredging or excavating devices are carried by a suitably constructed vessel and
adapted for service in the formation of canals.
The object of the invention, generally stated, is to provide a highly efficient and
economically operating dredging machine, capable of rapidly and effectively
performing a large amount of work, and so adapted and arranged that it may
economically and without difficulty dig its own floatage.
Further objects are to so construct and arrange the machine that it can be easily
controlled by an engineer on board the vessel, and readily positioned for work both
as a whole and in respect to its excavating and discharging members; to permit
the machine while digging its own floatage to discharge well onto the banks along-
side the canal which it is forming; to balance the vessel while the work last
mentioned is being performed; to avoid all spilling of the excavated material and
thereby keep the machinery free from clogging and dispense with all necessity for
re-dredging; to provide novel and improved means for supporting the excavating
buckets, and to provide various novel and improved details and features of com-
bination and arrangement all serving to increase the general efficiency of dredging
machines.
To the attainment of the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists
in matters hereinafter set forth.
In a dredging machine characterized by this invention, a vessel of any suitable
construction is provided with an endless chain of excavating buckets, arranged in
front of the vessel, and with a conveyor arranged to take the excavated material
from the excavating buckets and discharge the same onto an adjustable discharging
conveyor which is supported by a revolving tower. By thus arranging the
excavating buckets to dig ahead of the vessel, the machine can dig its own floatage;
and by providing in connection with such arrangement a revolving or rotary
adjustable tower and a conveyor extending therefrom, the tower can be adjusted so
as to permit the conveyor to discharge the excavated material at either side of
the canal.
As a means for balancing the machine, a float is arranged alongside of and
attached to the vessel, so that when the discharging conveyor which is of con-
siderable length is extended laterally from either side of the vessel, the float will
balance the same.
As a further and important feature, a triangular frame is
provided and pivotally supported upon the vessel and extended forwardly from the
Batne. The forward side of this triangular frame is adapted to provide a ladder for
the endless chain of excavating buckets and is arranged so that whether the frame
is swung down for deep excavating, or raised for comparatively shallow work, the
ascending excavating buckets shall travel along a plane which is either vertical or
slightly inclined from the vertical. By such arrangement, the excavated material
will not spill from the buckets, and the latter can cut from bottom to top of a high
bank, and thereby avoid the disadvantage attendant upon making an undercut only
and relying upon the caving in of the earth above the undercut. The formation of

page_text: the triangular frame also permits it to be swung down to any desired extent for
deep work, and further permits the utilization of one of its sides as a frame support
for an endless conveyor which serves to receive all of the excavated material
discharged from the excavating buckets at the upper end of the ladder, and convey
the same to the discharging conveyor, which can be adjusted for dumping the
excavated material at either side of the vessel.
The discharging conveyor is swung horizontally by turning the tower; and as a
means for varying the height of its discharge end, it is pivotally supported at its
inner end upon the tower and swung up and down to desired positions by chains or
cables which serve both as stay and adjusting devices and which are wound upon
and unwound from winding drums as occasion may require.
The endless chain of excavating buckets and the conveyor onto which they
discharge are conveniently operated by chain gearing in or on the vessel, and the
discharging conveyor is conveniently operated from an engine in the tower.
Various details constituting further matters of improvement are hereinafter set 1
forth.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents, in side elevation, a dredging machine embodying the invention.
Figure 2 represents, in side elevation, on a somewhat larger scale, the middle
and forward portions of said machine; it being observed that, in Figures 1 and 2,
certain details shown in certain other figures are for convenience of illustration
omitted.
Figure 3 represents the revolving tower, partly in vertical section and partly in
elevation; and includes end portions of the two conveyors and a hopper, which
latter is shown in vertical central section.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the revolving tower and illustrates the side
delivery chutes P, the hopper, and the means for directing the excavated material
on to one or the other or both of said chutes.
Figure 5 is a top plan view of Figure 4.
Figure 6 represents one of the guards or deflectors for the endless chain of
excavating buckets.
Figure 7 represents the upper portion of the revolving tower and illustrates
means for winding and unwinding the chains or cables 22 by which the discharging
conveyor I is raised and lowered, the ends of the differently sized rolls being
indicated by dotted line circles.
Figure 8 illustrates the differently sized winding drums for the chains or
cables 22.
Figure 9 represents in side elevation the outer end portion of the conveyor I.
Figure 10 illustrates a portion of one of the conveyor chains.
Figure 11 is a side view of a portion of one of the conveyors.
Figure 12 is a section on line 11-11—in Figure 11.
Figure 13 represents one of the excavating buckets with a portion thereof broken
away so as to show a plug D' which can be removed when it is desired to provide
a vent hole in the bottom of the bucket.
Figure 14 shows a construction of excavating bucket which can be used for
certain kinds of soil and for breaking stone.
Figure 15 comprises diagrams W, Z and Y illustrating the machine at work in
different positions.
A barge or vessel A is operated by a propeller B, which not only serves as a
means for propelling the vessel from place to place in navigable water, but also as
a means for positioning it in place for action and advancing it as the work progresses.
The ladder C, which serves to support an endless chain of buckets D is arranged
in front of the bow or forward extremity of the vessel; and is supported so that it
can be raised and lowered in conformity with the required depth of excavation to
be made. This arrangement of the ladder and buckets is of importance, since it 5
permits the excavator to excavate and dig its way into banks in a manner to
prepare its own floatage. Said arrangement also involves as a further important

page_text: advantage, the arrangement and positioning of the ladder in a way to permit the
buckets to run approximately vertically and thereby not only avoid spilling out the
material, but also allow them to cut away the bank from bottom to top and without
making merely an undercut, as hereinafter more fully set forth.
The ladder comprises a strong frame provided at its ends with polygonal rolls C¹
or other known substitute found in dredging machines for the endless chain of
buckets D; which said chain of buckets is driven by applying the driving power to
the upper roll.
The ladder C constitutes one of the sides of a triangle, whereof the two remaining
sides are formed by the frames E and F, the whole serving to form a triangular
frame or structure C, E and F, which is pivotally held at 1, so that it can be swung
up and down, in order to raise and lower the endless chain of buckets D. This
triangular frame affords a simple, economical, and comparatively light, and at the
same time exceedingly strong device, which operates as a swinging arm pivotally
supported from and at a suitable height above the vessel A; and, by reason of its
triangular form, the ladder which forms one of the three sides of the triangle, can
be maintained in a nearly vertical position, whether lowered for deep excavating
(as shown in dotted lines, Figure 1,) or raised for more shallow excavating (as
shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 2).
Referring, for example, to Figure 2: it will be seen that, owing to the com-
paratively slight inclination of the ladder, which may be said to form the outer or
forward side of the triangle, the buckets will cut from the base to the top of the
bank G whether high or low; and thus make a clean cut, each bucket simply
taking up the earth which it has pared off from the side of the bank. The advantage
of this will be understood by comparing it with excavators in which the location
and arrangement of the ladder necessitates such inclination on the part thereof that,
should it be attempted to dig in front of the vessel, it would only allow the buckets
to make an undercut to the point 2, and hence, by thus digging under the bank,
necessitate a reliance upon the upper portion of the bank falling down when
sufficiently undermined. It will also be seen that the last mentioned undesirable
inclination of the ladder would cause the filled bucket to travel in such position that
much of the soil would spill therefrom.
The triangular frame C, E, F, is strengthened by struts or braces 3 and 4, which
are disposed in a way to give great strength to the frame as a whole and also
especially and effectively to brace the ladder. The ladder can be raised and
lowered by one or more chains or cables 5, connected with the triangular frame
and carried back to a winding drum 6 in or on the vessel, as indicated in dotted
lines in Figure 2. As shown in said figure, a chain or cable 5 is attached to the
lower side F of the triangular frame and, on its way back to the winding drum, is
carried up to and over an elevated pulley 7 on an upright 8 which rises from the
forward end portion of the vessel. From said elevated pulley, the chain or cable
passes down to and about a guide pulley 9, (indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2);
and thence it passes back to the winding drum 6, which can be operated from the
engine in any suitable way. At the point where the buckets are inverted, at the
upper end of the ladder, the soil is discharged therefrom and dropped onto an
endless conveyor H, which is supported by the upper side E of the triangular frame.
The utilization of said side of the triangular frame as a support for the conveyor
avoids multiplying the frame work and further involves the features of compactness
and general convenience ;-it being observed that, whether the triangular frame is
swung up or down, its upper side E will proximate sufficiently to the horizontal to
permit the conveyor to effectively carry the material.
The conveyor H comprises an endless chain or series of buckets 10; and has its
upper leaf suitably supported from the upper side E of the triangular frame, by
roll 11. The conveyor H is driven from the engine by a chain belt 12, which
passes up from the engine to a sprocket pulley 13 on the polygonal roll 14, for the
conveyor, at the discharge end of the latter. The pulley 13 is connected by a
chain belt 15 with a like pulley 16, on the polygonal roll 17 for the conveyor, at

page_text: the receiving end of the latter, and said pulley 16 is by a chain belt 18 connected
with a pulley 19 on the upper roll for the endless chain of buckets, as a means for
operating said roll and thereby driving said roll and thereby driving said endless
chain of buckets.
The carrier or conveyor H is arranged between the endless chain of buckets D
and a long swinging conveyor I, as a means for conveying material from the former
to the latter. The conveyor I is arranged to receive the material from the con-
veyor H and discharge the same at some desirable point, such as on the bank
alongside the stream or canal, or into a scow or the like, as may be desired. The
conveyor I (which may be termed the discharging conveyor, in contradistinction
to the intermediate conveyor H), is supported by and arranged to extend from a
revolving tower K.
The revolving tower K rises from about the middle of the vessel; and is supported
upon anti-friction rolls 101 so that it can be readily turned from the engine through
the medium of any suitable power transmitting connection.
It is not regarded as necessary to particularly illustrate devices for operating the
tower from an engine L (indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1), since the construc-
tion of means for such purpose-for example gearing or the like-will be readily
understood by any practical mechanic and can be readily supplied without special
illustration herein. The discharging conveyor I comprises an endless chain or
series of buckets 20 arranged to pass about suitable polygonal rolls C¹ on a frame 21,
which is at one end pivoted at 21* upon the tower so as to permit it to be swung up
and down. By such arrangement, the tower can be turned about a vertical axis in
order to permit the conveyor I to discharge at either side of the vessel and hence
dump the material upon either bank of the canal; and, further, the discharge end
of the conveyor can be raised and lowered according to the requirements, by tilting
the conveyor frame upon its pivotal support.
As a means for upholding and steadying, and also for raising and lowering the
discharging conveyor, the tower is provided with a set of winding drums; which
are operated from the engine, and from which chains or cables 22 are carried to and
connected with the conveyor frame at different points. The arrangement of these
winding drums is best illustrated in Figures 7 and 8.
The chains or cables pass over pulleys, at 23 (an indication of one pulley at such
point being sufficient), and thence severally connected with the winding drums 24.
These are differently sized as shown by dotted line circles so as to compensate for
the varying extent of motion which the conveyor frame will have at different points
along its length when it is tilted; and for the respective relations of such points to
the points at which the winding drums 24 or guide rollers 23 are stationed and for
the position of such drums relatively to the point at which the conveyor frame is
pivoted. Thus, it will be obvious that during a given extent of swing on the part
of the conveyor frame, the chain or cable attached to the conveyor frame nearest
its pivotal point need not be wound on its allotted drum to the same extent that the.
chain or cable nearest the outer end of the conveyor frame should be wound on its
allotted drum. The drums are not shown mathematically proportioned with
reference to such winding, but such is a simple matter of calculation, and the
principle involved can be readily understood from the foregoing. The desired
result could be attained by operating a set of drums all of the same size, by
differently sized gearing, but it is preferred to employ drums of different sizes. As
illustrated in Figure 7, for example, the winding drums 24 are provided with worm-
wheels 25, which are all engaged by a worm 26 on a vertically arranged driving
worm shaft 27. Said worm shaft 27, has its bearings on the tower and is arranged
centrally within the same so that the tower can be turned about the axis of Baid
shaft. The shaft 27 extends down toward the vessel and is understood to be
operated from an engine M within the tower.
The discharging conveyor I is provided at its outer end with an adjustable
tilting chute N, which is arranged to take the material from the discharge end
of the conveyor and deliver it to the desired locality. The chute N is hinged

page_text: to the elevator frame, so that it can be tilted in conformity with the height its
discharge end should occupy, and may also be swung up so as to practically
extend the length of the conveyor. The rear end of the chute N is connected
with the conveyor frames by arms 28 and 29, forming a bracket or support to
which the inner end of the chute is pivoted, permitting the latter to be swung
bodily with the conveyor, and also allowing it to be tilted about its pivotal
connections with the arms which are understood to be in pairs respectively
fixed to opposite sides of the chute. As a means for adjusting the chute with
reference to the desired position of its discharge end, the forward end of a
link, (or links) 30 can be pivotally attached to the chute, at a point near the
discharge end thereof, and the rear end of the link, (or links) can be pivotally
attached to a block or bearing 31, which forms a link in the adjusting chain
or cable 32. This chain or cable 32 passes about a pulley 33 arranged on the
conveyor frame near the forward end thereof, as in Figure 9, and both its ends
extend back along the frame 21 to the tower, where they can be operated
either by a crank and windlass, or by a winding drum actuated from the tower
engine. It will be observed that the chain or cable 32 is arranged somewhat
as an endless belt, so that it can be drawn in either direction, for the purpose*
of swinging the chute one way or the other, as may be necessary.
In order to direct the material from the intermediate conveyor H onto the
discharging conveyor I, a hopper O, (Figures 3, 4 and 5) is supported within the
revolving tower and arranged to receive the material from the discharge end of the
conveyor H and direct the same onto the receiving end of the conveyor I.
Provision is also made for a.side delivery, independent of the conveyor 1, a
prominent feature involved in such arrangement being the utilization at will of
one or the other of two laterally arranged conveyors or chutes P which are
short in comparison with the long conveyor I and which can therefore be used
for dumping at points as close as may be desired to the sides of the vessel, for
example, into a scow or the like; it being observed that the conveyor I is
made of considerable length, so that it can discharge well onto the banks along
the canal.
The chutes P are arranged upon supports 34 at opposite sides of the tower;
and have their outer end portions 35 hinged to their inner end portions 36, so
that the discharge ends of the chutes can be adjusted in height; any suitable
device can be employed for adjusting the outer end portions 35 of said chutes,
hence adjusting rods 35 are shown, which said rods can at their lower ends be
adjustably held in suitable bearings or notches. In order to permit the material
from the conveyor H to discharge onto the chutes P, a section 37 of the
hopper O, is made separate from the remaining portion of the hopper and
arranged so that it can be raised from its position shown in full lines
(Figures 3, 4 and 5) to the position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4. A
deflecting plate 38 is attached to and arranged to depend from the hopper
section 37, and a couple of ways or chute portions 39, and 39 are attached to
the plate 38. The hopper section 37 with its pendant plate 38 can be raised
so as to bring the outer ends of the ways or chute sections 39 into alignment
with the inner ends of the chutes P, in which case the material discharged from
the conveyor H will strike the plate 38 and be directed onto the ways or chute
sections 39, which will direct the same to the chutes P. An arrangement can
also be made whereby the plate 38 shall direct the material onto one or the
other of the side chutes; and, to such end, the ways or chute section 39 can
be pivoted at 40 to the plate 38. When, therefore, the hopper section 37 and
plate 38 are raised as in dotted lines, Figure 4, either one of the ways or
chute sections 39 and 39 can be swung up and so held while the other
way or chute section can be permitted to register with one of the chutes P and
hence direct the material to the same.
Any suitable means can be provided for raising and lowering the hopper-
section 37; and, since a great variety of devices for such purpose can be readily

page_text: made by an intelligent workman, it is not regarded as necessary to illustrate any
particular mean". In like manner, means can be supplied for adjusting the ways
or chute-sections 39; hence plate 38 is simply shown provided with a line of holes 41
in which pins on the chute-sections 39 can be inserted so as to hold the latter at
desired angles.
With reference to certain details of construction, provision is made in connection
with the endless chain of scoops or buckets D, of a series of guards or deflectors 42,
which alternate with the buckets, as shown in Figure 2. The deflectors are
adapted to direct the material discharged from the buckets onto the conveyor H,
and to prevent the material which is discharged from an inverted bucket from
dropping onto the bucket next below it. The construction of these deflectors will
be best understood by reference to Figure 6, wherein a deflector 42 is shown
attached to a couple of links 43 of the chain which carries the buckets. The
deflector shown in said figure is preferably made of sheet metal and formed with
sides 44 which are secured to the links, and with a curved deflecting face 45.
Referring now to Figure 2, it will be seen that the bucket at the point X' is
inverted and in position to discharge its contents and that the deflector next below
it (but of course ahead of the bucket so far as the direction of the movement of
the endless chain is concerned), will prevent the material thus discharged from
falling onto the next lower bucket, and also direct the same onto the conveyor H.
The buckets and chains of the conveyors H and I are constructed and arranged
alike; hence, a description of the details of the conveyor 1 will serve for both
conveyors. Referring to several of the figures on Sheet IV of the drawings, it
will be seen that the front ends 46 of the pans or buckets 47 incline upwardly and
forwardly; so that, while the buckets are being carried by straightened portions of
the belt, the forwardly projecting end portions of each of such buckets can extend
into the rear portion of the bucket next ahead of it, as illustrated in Figure 5
wherein portions of the conveyor H and I are shown. To permit this temporary
interlocking or fitting together of the buckets, each bucket is open at its rear end
and formed with longitudinal sides which converge toward the front end of the
bucket. Said arrangement of buckets effectively prevents the soil from spilling
out while being conveyed from the receiving end to the discharge end of the con-
veyor. These buckets, will, however, separate from one another at the point of
discharge, as shown in Figure 9, where a bucket at the discharge end of the
conveyor is shown in position to discharge onto the chute N. The chains of the
conveyors are formed by flanged single links 48 alternating with duplex links 49
and 50, as in Figure 10, the outer links 50 of said duplex links being flanged.
The buckets are bolted or riveted to the flanges of the links 48 and 50, as
illustrated in Figures 11 and 12.
The endless chain for the buckets D and guards or deflectors 42 can also be
constructed like the chains for the conveyors H and I, and, hence, need not be
further described.
When the revolving tower is adjusted so as to cause the discharging conveyor !
to extend back from the stern of the vessel, as in diagram W, Figure 15, the vessel
will be balanced, since the weight of the triangular frame, projecting forwardly from
the bows of the vessel and carrying the excavating conveyor or endless chain of
excavating buckets will balance the weight of the conveyor I.
It is, however, necessary, in digging a canal, to place the vessel in position other
than cross-wise of the stream or canal Q (as in diagram W). Thus, it is at times
necessary to place the vessel parallel with the line of canal, as in diagram Y; so
that, while the vessel is floating in the excavated portion Q of the canal, the
excavating buckets can dig ahead into the ground at 51; and, in such case, it is
necessary to adjust the tower so as to cause the conveyor I to project from a side
of the vessel. In order, therefore, to counteract the weight of the conveyor and
balance the machine as a whole, there is attached to one side of the vessel, by any
convenient means, a float R, which is of sufficient size and weight to maintain
such balance.

page_text: For certain kinds of work, such as digging into cemented gravel banks or hard
pan, a special construction of bucket should be used; such, for example, as the
bucket 52, shown in Figure 14, and formed by prongs in place of plates. With
further reference to the excavating buckets D, it may be stated that each bucket
can be provided with a vent hole closed by a plug D' as in Figure 13, so that in
digging up clay, for example, the plugs can be previously removed from the
buckets, by which arrangement they will dump more readily, since in parting with
their loads, air can enter through the vent holes.
The vessel can be held and adjusted by chains or cables operated from the engine
in any suitable way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A dredging machine comprising a floating vessel, provided with a ladder and
an endless chain of buckets, arranged for excavating ahead of the vessel, and at a
depth suitable to provide floatage for the same, a conveyor arranged for receiving
the excavated material from the buckets and carrying the same toward the middle
portion of the vessel, a rotary tower rising from the middle portion of the vessel,
and carrying a discharging conveyor arranged to receive the excavated material from
the first named conveyor, the said tower being adapted for rotary adjustment, and
an overhung discharging conveyor extending from, and wholly supported by the
rotary tower, so that by adjusting the tower the discharging conveyor can be swung
over the rear portion of the vessel, or brought into position to discharge either in
rear of the stern of the vessel or onto the bank opposite either side of the same,
substantially as described.
2. A dredging machine comprising a vessel provided with an endless chain of
excavating buckets supported in front of the vessel, and arranged to operate sub-
stantially for the purpose described, a revolving tower, a vertically swinging
adjustable discharging conveyor pivotally supported upon the revolving tower,
which serves when revolved to swing the discharging conveyor laterally so that
said conveyor may discharge in rear of the stern and also alternately at opposite
sides of the vessel, and an intermediate conveyor arranged for carrying material
from the excavating buckets to the discharging conveyor, which latter by reason of
its pivotal connection with the tower can be raised and lowered so as to vary the
height of its discharge end, substantially as set forth.
3. A dredging machine comprising a vessel provided with an endless chain of
buckets supported by a ladder in front of the vessel, a revolving tower, a discharging
conveyor arranged to extend from the revolving tower which can be operated so as
to swing the discharging conveyor into position for discharging alternately at
opposite sides of the vessel, and a balancing float arranged alongside of and
attached to the vessel, said float being adapted to balance the vessel when the
discharging conveyor is swung out from either side of the vessel, substantially as
set forth.
4. In a dredging machine, the swinging triangular frame C, E, F, extending
forwardly from the vessel and carrying an endless chain of excavating buckets
supported upon the front side C of the frame which constitutes the ladder, and a
conveyor supported upon the upper side E of the frame and arranged to receive
the material discharged from the excavating buckets substantially as set forth.
5. In a dredging machine, the swinging triangular frame C, E, F, extending
forwardly from the vessel and carrying an endless chain of excavating buckets and a
conveyor, the endless chain of excavating buckets being supported upon a ladder
formed by the front side C of the frame which extends above the upper side E of
the frame, and the conveyor being supported upon said upper side E of the frame,
substantially as set forth.
6. The combination in a dredging machine of the swinging triangular frame C. E. F.

page_text: carrying an endless chain of buckets on its front side C which forms the ladder, and
a conveyor on its upper side E, and driving chain connections between a driving
roll at the upper end of the ladder and an engine, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination in a dredging machine of the swinging triangular frame
pivotally supported at one corner upon the vessel and arranged to extend forwardly
from the same, an endless chain of excavating buckets D supported by a ladder
formed by the forward side C of the triangular frame, a conveyor H arranged upon
the upper side E of the triangular frame, a driving chain passing from the engine
to a pulley on a driving roll 14 for the conveyor, driving connections such as set
forth between said roll and a roll for driving the endless chain of excavating
buckets, and means suitable for raising and lowering the swinging frame, substan-
tially as described.
8. The combination in a floating dredging machine, of the swinging triangular
frame extending forwardly from the vessel and carrying an endless chain of
excavating buckets on its front side C and a conveyor on its upper side E, and a
revolving tower carrying a discharging conveyor arranged to receive material
discharged from the conveyor on the triangular frame, said triangular frame being
arranged to swing independently of the revolving tower which serves as a means
for swinging the discharging conveyor horizontally, substantially as set forth.
9. The combination in a dredging machine of a vessel provided with excavating
buckets arranged for digging ahead of the vessel, a revolving tower arranged upon
the vessel, a vertically swinging conveyor which is pivotally supported upon the
revolving tower, and which serves to discharge the material excavated by the
buckets both in rear of the stern of the vessel and alternately at opposite sides of
the same, chains or cables 22 connected with the conveyor frame, and winding:
drums for said chains or cables mounted upon the revolving tower, so that by
operating the drums the discharge end of the conveyor can be varied in height
with reference to the height of the bank alongside the vessel; substantially as
set forth.
10. The combination in a dredging machine of a vessel provided with excavating
buckets for digging ahead of the vessel, a revolving tower arranged upon the vessel,
a vertically swinging discharging conveyor pivotally supported upon the revolving
tower, and serving to discharge the material excavated by the buckets, chains
or cables 22 connected with the conveyor frame, and differently sized winding
drums 24 for winding and unwinding the different chains or cables, substantially 3
as set forth.
11. The combination in a dredging machine of a revolving tower arranged upon
the vessel, a vertically swinging discharging conveyor carried by the revolving
tower, winding drums mounted upon the revolving tower, chains or cables connecting
the winding drums with the conveyor frame, and a vertically arranged driving 4
shaft gear connected with the winding drums, and a suitable engine for operating
said driving shaft, substantially as set forth.
12. A dredging machine comprising a vessel carrying means for excavating
ahead of the vessel so as to provide for floatage for the same, a revolving tower
on the vessel, and a vertically swinging discharging conveyor arranged to extend 4
from the revolving tower and provided at the outer end of its frame with an
adjustable delivery chute N, for varying the point of discharge with reference to
the banks alongside a canal which is being dug by the machine, substantially as
described.
13. The combination in a dredging machine of a discharging conveyor_carried 6
by a revolving tower which is supported upon the vessel, an adjustable delivery
chute N carried at the outer end of the conveyor frame, and a chain or cable 32
connected with the chute as a means for adjusting the same, substantially as
set forth.
14. The combination in a dredging machine of a discharging conveyor carried 6
by a revolving tower which is supported upon the vessel, a swinging delivery chute N

page_text: at the outer end of the conveyor frame, a link 30 connected with the chute, and a
chain or cable connected with the link, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
15. The combination in a dredging machine of a discharging conveyor carried
by a revolving tower which is supported upon the vessel, a chute N suspended from
the conveyor frame, a link 30 connected with the forward portion of the chute and
a chain or cable connected with the link 30, substantially as set forth.
16. The combination in a dredging machine of a vessel carrying an endless chain
of excavating buckets for the purpose described, a conveyor H arranged to receive
the material discharged from the excavating buckets at the forward end of the
vessel, a revolving tower carrying a discharging conveyor, and a hopper supported
upon the revolving tower and arranged to receive the material from the conveyor H
and direct the same into the discharging conveyor, substantially as set forth.
17. A dredging machine comprising a vessel carrying at its forward end an
endless chain of excavating buckets, arranged for excavating ahead of the vessel
so as to provide floatage for the same, a conveyor arranged to receive the
excavated material from the buckets, a discharging conveyor supported near the
centre of the vessel and adapted to receive the excavated material from the first
conveyor and arranged to swing over the rear portion of the same or into position
to discharge onto the bank at either side of the vessel, one or more chutes arranged
to receive the excavated material from the first named conveyor, and means for
directing the excavated material from the first conveyor either to the discharging
conveyor or to one or more of the chutes, said chute or chutes being located for
side delivery at points closer to the vessel than the discharge can be effected from
the discharging conveyor, substantially as described.
18. The combination in a dredging machine of a revolving tower carrying a
discharging conveyor, a conveyor H, a chute P supported upon the vessel, a
hopper provided with an adjustable section 37 and arranged to direct the
excavated material from the conveyor H to the discharging conveyor, said adjust-
able section of the hopper being provided with a chute section 39, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
19. The combination in a dredging machine of the conveyor H, the revolving
tower carrying a discharging conveyor, the hopper O having an adjustable section 37,
the chutes P supported upon the vessel, and the adjustable ways or chute
sections 39 or 395 pivotally connected with the hopper section, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 12th day of October 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.