Improvements in Apparatus for use in Removing Débris from Wells, or in other Operations where it is required to Secure, Retain, and Elevate Materials.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left. 18th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for use in Removing Débris from Wells,
or in other Operations where it is required to Secure, Retain,
and Elevate Materials.
I, JOHN JAMES WOOD of Church House Ardington near Wantage in the
County of Berks, Estate Clerk of Works, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :-
My invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficient apparatus which
can be lowered into position for grasping the matter to be retained and elevated
and then be operated for grasping and retaining the matter it being capable of
being closed and opened as required when in any position. The apparatus consists
of a pair of tongs or levers centered together so as to be capable of being turned
upon each other similarly to a pair of scissors or pincers. The lower arms of these
tongs carry the appliances such as forks scoops or the like by which the matter is
grasped and retained they being preferably readily removable and replaceable by
devices suited to the particular matter to be dealt with. The upper arms of the
said tongs are provided with the appliances by which the apparatus is lowered and
raised and opened and closed as required. These appliances consist of a pair of
arms secured by a centre pin one to each lever arm and hinged together at their
meeting ends by a "rule joint" which allows the pair of arms to be moved down
but not to pass out of line sufficiently to draw the tongs together when drawn
upwards so that then they act as a strut to keep the upper arms of the tongs apart.
To the joint by which the connection of the said pair of arms is effected I connect
a loop to which a rope or chain is attached, this loop having on it a hook presented
downwards with which engages an eye connected by chains or the like to the upper
arms of the tongs. To this eye another rope or chain is attached which together
with the rope or chain connected with the aforesaid loop passes upwards to tho
place whereat the apparatus is operated. When the apparatus is lowered the eye
engaging with the hook on the loop holds up the pair of arms so that they act as
struts to keep the upper arms of the tongs apart consequently keeping apart also
When the
the lower arms of the said tongs carrying the grasping devices.
apparatus touches the place to which it is lowered the eye becomes automatically
disengaged from the hook of the loop and when the rope attached to the eye is
drawn up the chains by which the eye is connected to the upper arms of the tongs
draw the said arms together and the grasping devices are brought together and
grasp, retain, and elevate the matter which may be between them. By means of
the rope or chain attached to the loop the tongs can be opened at any time required
and be closed again by pulling on the rope or chain attached to the eye, so that
matter can be grasped or released in any position whether floating or sunken for
instance.
D
1101
1001
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for use in Removing Débris from Wells,
or in other Operations where it is required to Secure, Retain,
and Elevate Materials.
I JOHN JAMES WOOD of Church House Ardington near Wantage in the
County of Berks, Estate Clerk of Works, 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 :-
My invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficient apparatus for

page_text: lifting carrying and depositing articles or material which apparatus can be lowered
into position for grasping matter to be retained and elevated or lowered and ther
be operated for grasping and retaining the matter, it being capable of being
operated with a single rope or of being closed and opened as often as required and
in any position by means of two ropes, either one or two ropes being employed
according to the nature of the work to be done.
The apparatus consists of a pair of tongs or levers centered together so as to be
capable of being turned upon each other similarly to a pair of scissors or pincers.
The lower arms or jaws of these tongs carry the appliances such as forks scoops or
the like by which the matter is grasped and retained they being preferably readily
removeable and replaceable by devices suited to the particular matter to be dealt
with. The upper arms of the said tongs are provided with the appliances by which
the apparatus is lowered and raised and opened and closed as required. These
appliances consist of a pair of toggle arms or levers secured by centre pins one to
each lever arm, and so hinged together at their meeting ends by a
"rule joint" as
to allow the pair of toggle arms to be moved down but when drawn upwards to the
full extent they form an obtuse angle so that then they act as a strut to keep
the upper arms of the tongs apart but readily yield downwards when the tongs are
drawn together. To the joint by which the connection of the said pair of toggle
arms is effected I connect a loop or link to which a rope or chain in some cases is
attached, this link having either formed in it a socket in which is inserted a pin
carried by a ring or eye to which the hauling rope is attached, or having on it a
hook presented downwards with which engages the said ring or eye carried by the
hauling rope. This ring or eye is connected by chains or the like to the upper
arms of the tongs. The hauling rope attached to this ring or eye together with
the rope or chain connected with the aforesaid loop or link when used passes
upwards to the place whereat the apparatus is operated.
When the apparatus is
being lowered the pin engaging in the socket in the said loop or the eye engaging
with the hook on the loop or link as the case may be holds up the pair of toggle
arms so that they act as struts to keep the upper arms of the tongs apart
consequently keeping apart also the lower arms of the said tongs carrying the
grasping devices.
When the apparatus touches the place to which it is lowered
and the hauling rope slackens the pin becomes automatically disengaged from the
socket or the eye from the hook and when the hauling rope attached to the eye or
ring is drawn up the chains or the like by which the said eye or ring is connected
to the upper arms of the tongs draw the said arms together causing the grasping
devices to be brought together and grasp, retain and elevate the matter which may
be between them. By means of a rope or chain attached to the loop or link the
tongs can be opened, at any time required, by hauling ou the said rope and
slackening the rope which is attached to the eye, and be closed again by pulling on
the rope or chain attached to the eye and slackening the rope connected to the loop
so that matter can be grasped or released in any position whether floating or
sunken for instance.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawing the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus constructed according to this
invention, shewing the grasping jaws in the open position. Figure 2 is a similar
view shewing the jaws closed and Figure 3 is an elevation at right angles to
Figure 2. Figure 4 illustrates a modified construction of the framing or arms of
the apparatus suitable for operating on heavy material and Figures 5 and 6 are
details of the means for releasing the jaws to permit of them closing.
The
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, A. are two arms or levers hinged or centered
together at a so as to open and close after the manner of pincers or scissors.
lower ends of these arms or jaws are provided with forks scoops or other appliances
suitable for retaining the matter which they are intended to raise which forks or

page_text: the like may if desired be formed on the arms themselves; I have shewn them in the
drawing as forks or rakes B connected to the arms or jaws A by inserting studs b
on the forks into sockets c on the lower ends of the arms and securing them in
position by means of bolts and nuts d but any other means for connecting the parts
may be provided so as to render them capable of being readily removed and
replaced by other appliances when required. The upper ends of the arms A are
connected by ropes or chains e to an eye D carried by a hauling rope E by which
single rope the apparatus may be lowered operated and raised. To the upper ends
of the arms A at a suitable distance below where the said arms are attached to the
chains or ropes e are connected two arms or toggle levers F joined together at by
a knuckle or rule joint which will admit of the levers turning downward into the
position shewn in Figure 2 when the jaws A close, and of moving into the position
shewn in Figure 1 to open the jaws and act as a strut to maintain the jaws in their
open position.
The distance to which the jaws A are permitted to open may be regulated as
desired by connecting the levers F to the arms A at different distances from their
ends, series of holes es being provided in the arms A for that purpose.
Or instead
of the holes e² being made in the arms A, they may be made in each of the levers F.
To the knuckle or rule joint of the levers F is also connected a loop or link G to
which for some purposes may be attached a rope 1 shewn by dotted lines in
Figures 2 and 3 by means of which the levers F may be raised into the position
shewn in Figure 1 so as to open the jaws A at any time required.
In the link or
loop G is a socket see Figure 5 for the reception of a pin or stud / which is
linked to the eye D to which the chains or ropes and the hauling rope E are
attached, so that when the apparatus is suspended and being lowered into position
to grasp the material the jaws are maintained open by the toggle levers F being
held up in the position shewn in Figure 1 although the rope I connected to the
link G may be slackened.
The apparatus is specially useful for cleaning or clearing wells and excavations
for foundations and the like, but it is not restricted to such uses. When the
apparatus is in use for cleaning wells for example one rope (E) only is required the
pin or stud is inserted in the socket g in the link or loop G and the rope E
connected to the eye D and held taut so that when the apparatus is suspended the
levers will be raised so as to force the jaws A into their open position shewn in
Figure 1 in which position the apparatus is lowered to the bottom of the well or
excavation from which the matter is to be removed. When the rakes B or the
like touch the bottom of the well the rope E is slackened whereupon the pin or
stud will become detached from the socket g in the link or loop G, which is then
free to descend so that when the rope E is hauled taut and the apparatus raised
thereby, the upper ends of the arms A will be drawn together and cause the forks
or other devices on the lower ends of the arms to close onto and grasp a quantity
of the material which the jaws embraced and which will be retained by the jaws
while the apparatus is being elevated by the rope E to the surface where it is to be
discharged. After discharging the material, the pin or stud is again inserted in
the socket y and the apparatus lowered as herein before described for a fresh charge
of material.
g
When a second rope I as shewn by dotted lines in Figures 2 and 3 is used in
conjunction with the rope E it is not necessary to insert the pin or stud into the
socket y but the apparatus will then be lowered by the rope I to the spot from
which matter is to be removed and the apparatus will be closed and elevated by
winding taut the rope E. When the apparatus with the material retained therein
is raised or moved to the place where the material is to be deposited tension is put
on the rope I and the rope E is slackened thereby causing the toggle levers F to
rise and force the jaws A apart so as to release the material from their grasp. For
operating on light material the construction of the apparatus may be of simple
construction as shewn in Figures 1, 2 and 3 but when heavy articles or material is
to be carried by it I prefer to make it stronger by increasing the number of arms as

page_text: shewn at in Figure 4. Instead of the pin h and socket g hereinbefore described,
the loop or link G may have a downwardly projecting hook g² as shewn in Figure 6
with which the eye D carried by the rope E is caused to engage for the purpose of
maintaining the toggle levers F in their extended position and the jaws A open.
The size and shape of the apparatus may he varied to suit different purposes for
which it is to be employed and I do not restrict myself to the details of construction
herein before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st. In apparatus for grasping carrying and depositing articles or material, a
pair of arms or jaws connected together so as to be capable of opening and closing
like pincers or scissors the upper ends of these arms being connected together by a
pair of toggle levers or arms joined together by a knuckle or rule joint so as to
act as a strut to keep the jaws open while being lowered into position to grasp
the material to be raised, and capable of yielding so as to admit of the jaws closing
to grasp and retain the articles or material while being raised substantially as
hereinbefore described.
2nd. In apparatus for lifting carrying and depositing articles or materials, a pair
of jaws or arms capable of opening and closing like scissors or pincers and connected
at their upper ends by chains or the like to an eye carried by a hauling rope or
chain, the upper ends of the said jaws or arms being also connected together by a
pair of arm or toggle levers joined together and to another hauling rope in such a
manner that by slackening the rope connected to the arms or jaws and maintaining
taut the rope attached to the toggle levers the jaws may be opened, and by
slackening the rope connected to the toggle levers and hauling on the rope connected
to the arms or jaws the jaws will close substantially as hereinbefore described.
3rd. In apparatus of the kind hereinbefore described means for connecting forks,
scoops or the like to the arms A so as to be capable of being readily removed and
replaced by others substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
4th. In apparatus for the purpose hereinbefore described the combination with the
toggle levers or arms F connected to the arms or jaws A the eye D carried by
the hauling rope E and connected to the arms or jaws A, of the loop or link G and
the pin or stud h, or its equivalent, such as the hook g², by means of which the
toggle arms or levers F are temporarily connected to the eye D and maintained in
their extended position while the apparatus is suspended and being lowered but
which when the apparatus comes to rest on the bottom of a well or the like are
automatically disengaged from the eye so as to admit of the arms closing when the
apparatus is being raised substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
5th. The construction combination and arrangement of parts constituting the
apparatus for grasping, carrying and depositing articles or materials substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of September 1891.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
A conta