Improvements in Apparatus for Transporting Merchandise for Short Distances, such as for instance Between the Holds of Vessels and Warehouses.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of, Application, 4th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 4th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 4th Feb.,
1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Transporting Merchandise for Short
Distances, such as for instance Between the Holds of Vessels and
Warehouses.
We, FRANCIS CONST BARKER, of Denmark Street, Dublin, in. the. County of
Dublin, Ireland, Envelope Manufacturer, and JAMES MUSGRAVE of 16 Cornwall
Terrace, London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object a portable shute or trough or carrying device
for loading and unloading vessels with sacks and even produce in bulk. It is, also
applicable for carrying such sacks or produce from one warehouse to another, for
loading from the warehouse into wagons, and, in fact, for loading, unloading and
transporting for short distances generally.
We stretch two parallel ropes or wires between the two places between, which
the material or sacks have to be transported. On these ropes or wires, we suspend
a series of wooden or other troughs, their ends rounded and fitted with a, metal
catch to prevent the troughs over-riding, so that they shall form one uniform
surface. These troughs are suspended by means of metallic bands passing round
them, and screwed or nailed to them and their hooked ends passing over the ropes
or wires. If there be sufficient inclination between the place from which the
material has to be transported and the place where the material is consigned, the
latter is simply slid down the troughs from the one place to the other. If, however,
they are more nearly on a level, hauling mechanism has. to be used instead... In
some cases, we form the bottom of the trough of a series of, rollers,, and on these
rollers we place an endless band passing back under the troughs, in some cases on
further rollers suspended from the troughs. This band, in case of having to ascend
a very steep gradient, can be armed on its upper surface with spikes, bars, rough-
nesses or buckets, as in a dredger, or other means for holding the merchandise and
preventing it from running down. In this way, several ships can be unloaded
abreast and at once into, or loaded from, the same warehouse or dock,wall,, as the
terminals of the troughs can be raised to any given height by, sheer legs or, other-
wise, and three or four hatches in the same vessel can be loaded or unloaded at the
same time, even if the vessel lies end on to the wharf., ¡ The troughs at, their
junctions can be strengthened by means of an iron...plate firmly attached to the
upper trough and passing under the edge of the lower one. The wires, when in
position, are firmly anchored and made tight by block and tackle which regulates
the speed of the bags, by increasing or decreasing the fall,,and, to take off the strain
of the wires from the troughs, distance links are placed between. the wires beyond
'the block and tackle.
"

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Transporting Merchandise for Short
* Distances, such as for instance Between the Holds of Vessels and
Warehouses,
We FRANCIS CONST BARKER, of Denmark Street, Dublin, in the County of
Dublin, Ireland, Envelope Manufacturer and JAMES MUSGRAVE, of 16, Cornwall
Terrace, London, 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 has for its object a portable shute or trough or carrying.device
for loading or unloading vessels with sacks or even with produce in bulk. It is also
applicable for carrying such sacks or produce. from one warehouse to another, for
loading from the warehouse in the waggon and in fact for loading, unloading and
transporting for short distances generally.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in these,
Figure 1 shows a jointed trough brought from a place on the sloping dock wall
to a small schooner.
Figure 2 shows three such troughs in side elevation,
Figure 3 section of trough,
Figure 4 enlarged view of side of trough, and
:
Figure 5 a section of trough showing one of a series of rollers forming the bottom.
Two parallel ropes A A are first stretched' between the two termini of the course
through which transportation has to be effected.
4.
On these ropes or wires is suspended a series of wooden or other troughs B
sometimes hinged together; they are suspended by hooks C. It is not necessary in
many instances to hinge them, but in some cases it may be desirable, and to supple-
ment 'the hinge with ties at the sides of the troughs in such manner that the hinge
can only open to a given angle. In other cases however the troughs are preferably
suspended by metal bands passing round them and screwed or nailed to them and
having their hooked ends passing over the ropes or wires as shown in Figures 3
and 4. If there be 'the required inclination between the space from which the
material, is to be forwarded to that where it is to be consigned, the material is
simply slid down the troughs from the one point to the other." If however the two
points be more nearly on a level, hauling mechanism has to be used as well. In
'some instances we form the bottom of the trough of a series of rollers and on these
rollers sometimes place an endless band passing back under the troughs and if the
distance be great, the return band is also supported by rollers suspended from. the
troughs. This band in case it has to ascend or descend a steep gradient can be
"armed on its'upper surface with cross-bars, spikes, or other roughening or holding
devices, whereby the merchandise is held securely in position on the band. By this
means several ships can be unloaded abreast, as shown in Figure 2. The troughs
"at their junctions can be strengthened by means of an iron plate D; Figure 4, firmly
attached to the upper trough and passing under the edge of the lower one for a
short distance. The wires or ropes when in position are firmly anchored to any
desired anchoring device, such as E. and F, shown in Figure 1. The wires or ropes
when in position are made tight by block and tackle & or equivalent device. In
some instauces distance pieces are placed between the two wires and in others we
may make the suspension bars of the troughs of different length and the wires a
considerable distance above the trough. By this means the series of troughs can
have a more uniform slope while the wire maintains its normal curve. By this
invention sacks can be raised direct from the hold of a ship and delivered into
warehouses, carts or barges alongside, without handling, after once being placed in
the shute, and in case of loading from a warehouse or high bank, vessels can be
loaded at a distance from the shore, when owing to their drawing too much water

page_text: they cannot get alongside or would have to wait for the tide to rise in order to do
so. These shutes being inexpensive and easily set up and removed are useful where
permanent structures cannot be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood
that we make no claim broadly for a fixed stationary trough for loading and
unloading or for allowing merchandise to descend an incline, nor yet for a single
portable trough or series of troughs supported on piers or abutments, nor yet do we
claim a travelling band broadly for carrying merchandise as we are well aware that
such is in constant use in grain warehouses and other places and has been used
for transporting grain and other like material from the dock to the warehouse, but
we declare that what we claim is
1. The combination of a suspension device such as wires or ropes A with a series
of troughs suspended therefrom and unitedly forming a shute for the transportation
of material from one point to another.
2. In combination with a shute for transporting merchandise from one part to
another, a travelling band supported on rollers in that shute and where the
inclination is necessary supplied also with spikes cross bars or the like for holding
the merchandise.
3. The arrangement of apparatus for transporting merchandise over short
distances, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
1 1
CT1902
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.