IMPROVE- MENTS IN HYDRAULIC ENGINES FOR DISCHARGING SHIPS' CARGO, PARTS Or WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES.”
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Betts Brown, of 80, Cannon Street,
London, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HYDRAULIC ENGINES FOR DISCHARGING SHIPS' CARGO, PARTS Or
WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Betts Brown at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th December 1872.
I, ANDREW BETTS BROWN, of 80, Cannon Street, London, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC ENGINES FOR DISCHARGING SHIPS' CARGO, PARTS
OF WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in hydraulic engines
for discharging ships' cargo, parts of which are also applicable for other
purposes.

page_text: My said Invention consists of two winding barrels mounted on
separate shafts which run in bearings set in four suitable frames, these
frames being securely fastened to a foundation plate. The winding
barrels run loose on this shaft but can be connected to and made one
with it by any suitable clutch. The winding barrels are fitted in the
usual way with friction brakes and straps for lowering heavy bodies.
Between the two inner frames and on the ends of each barrel shaft is
keyed or otherwise securely fastened an excentric. A strap works on
each of these excentrics having a large boss formed at its periphery.
Each boss is bored out to receive a crank pin which passes through and
connects both excentric straps rigidly together in the form of a double
crank. The object of these straps is that a variable stroke or throw may
be obtained by shifting the straps round the excentrics fixed to the
barrel shafts. The straps have a series of holes bored from the inside
into which a spring detent bolt slides from a recess in the excentrics.
The bolt is actuated by a wedge with collar and levers so that it may be
withdrawn while the shaft revolves. In order to put in motion the
winding barrels, two or more hydraulic cylinders, by preference oscillating,
are set to work between the inner frames, and their rods lay hold of the
crank pin already described as fixed in the excentric strap bosses. The
cylinders may be either single or double acting, and have the usual slide
valves for the admission of water at a high pressure which may be
obtained by any suitable means. In this way different powers may be
had for hoisting or other purposes without the intervention of gearing.
Hydraulic engines constructed as above with a crank of variable
stroke are applicable to machinery for boring, turning, and other
purposes, where the work to be done is of a variable nature. This
engine or apparatus I place in a convenient position at the side, back, or
front of the hatchway of a vessel, and a chain having one end attached
to the winding barrel passes over a pulley suspended to a jib. This jib
hangs from the mast or other convenient means of support in such a
manner as to enable the chain to plumb the centre of the hatchway.
When the hydraulic cylinders begin to work they hoist up the chain,
winding it round the barrels. Several chains may be used one on each
barrel with a corresponding number of pulleys suspended from the jib.
Letters of reference to tracing:-A, A, two winding barrels ; B, B, B, B,
four frames in which the barrels work; C, C, excentrics fixed on ends of

page_text: shafts; D, D, excentric straps having crank pins attached; E, crank pin
of hydraulic cylinders; F, F, detent bolts; G, G, wedge motion for
releasing detent bolts; H, H, hydraulic cylinders.
Fig. 1 is a general elevation of the complete apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Andrew Betts Brown in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th June 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
BETTS BROWN, of 80, Cannon Street, London, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
.WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Andrew Betts Brown, Her
special licence that I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Andrew Betts
Brown, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC ENGINES FOR DISCHARGING SHIPS' CARGO, PARTS OF
WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of illustrative Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked
'thereon, that is to sav':-
·
'thereon, that is to say':-
This Invention has for its object improvements in hydraulic engines
for discharging ships' cargo, parts of which are also applicable for other
purposes.
My said Invention consists of two winding barrels mounted on separate
shafts, which run in bearings set in four suitable frames, these frames
being securely fastened to a foundation plate. The winding barrels run
loose on this shaft, but can be connected to and made one with it by any
suitable clutch. The winding barrels are fitted in the usual way with
friction brakes and straps for lowering heavy bodies. Between the two
inner frames and on the ends of each barrel shaft is keyed or otherwise
⚫securely fastened an excentric. A strap works on each of these excentrics
having a large boss formed at its periphery. Each boss is bored out to
receive a crank pin, which passes through and connects both excentric
straps rigidly together in the form of a double crank. The object of
these straps is that a variable stroke or throw may be obtained by
shifting the straps round the excentrics fixed to the barrel shafts. The
straps have a series of holes bored from the inside, into which a spring detent
bolt slides from a recess in the excentrics. The bolt is actuated by a wedge
with collar and levers, so that it may be withdrawn while the shaft revolves.
In order to put in motion the winding barrels two or more hydraulic
cylinders, by preference oscillating, are set to work between the inner
frames, and their rods lay hold of the crank pin already described as
'fixed in the excentric strap bosses. These cylinders may be either single
or double acting, and have the usual slide valves for the admission of
water at a high pressure, which may be obtained by any suitable means.
In this way different powers may be had for hoisting or other purposes,
without the intervention of gearing. This engine or apparatus I place
“in a convenient position at the side, back, or front of the hatchway of a
' vessel, and a chain, having one end attached to the winding barrel,
passes over a pulley suspended to a jib. This jib hangs from the mast

page_text: or other convenient means of support in such a manner as to enable the
chain to plumb the centre of the hatchway. When the hydraulic
cylinders begin to work they hoist up the chain, winding it round the
barrels. Several chains may be used, one on each barrel, with a cor-
responding number of pulleys suspended from the jib. Hydraulic
engines constructed as above, with a crank of variable stroke, are
applicable to machinery for boring, turning, and other purposes where
the work to be done is of a variable nature.
engines constructed as above, with a crank of variable stroke, are
applicable to machinery for boring, turning, and other purposes where
the work to be done is of a variable nature.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will now
proceed more fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing the general arrangement of a
hydraulic engine for discharging cargo or raising heavy bodies. A, A,
are the winding barrels mounted on separate shafts B, B, which run in
suitable bearings C, C, mounted on frames and foundation plate D.
These winding barrels run loose upon their shafts B, B, but may be each
connected and made one with them by the four jaw clutch E, E. They
are also provided with an ordinary brake and friction strap F, F, so that
when the clutch is withdrawn the load can be lowered by the said brake.
On the outer ends of the shafts are keyed on warping ends or barrels G, G,
which always revolve with the engines and shaft; H, H, are two hydraulic
cylinders of the well known double acting description; they are fitted
with pistons and rods I, I, the rods being of such diameter as to give
one-half the area of the cylinder. These rods, terminate in a crank
bearing J, J, which lays hold of a crank K. This crank with shifting
stroke arrangement is shown in detail in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6.
•
In Fig. 5 L is the crank-pin, which is securely fastened and made one
with the eccentric straps M, M, such straps working on eccentric
discs N, N, which are keyed on securely to the winding barrel shaft O.
In these discs detent bolts P, P, are pressed outwards by springs, so that
they engage a series of holes or notches in the straps Q, Q, Q, Q. The
wedges R, R, are worked by sliding collars and levers, and are used to
withdraw the detent bolts P, P, when the straps with crank pin are free
to revolve on the eccentric discs, which have their centres at some
distance from that of the shaft O, and therefore as the crank pin

page_text: approaches the centre O the throw or stroke of the crank is accordingly
shortened.
Figs. 3 and 4 show another method of arranging the variable crank.
The pin L is here made fast to both eccentric discs N, N, which revolve
in the straps M, M, keyed fast to the barrel shafts O, O. The shafts are
bored up. sufficiently far to receive a detent bolt P, which is forced into a
series of holes in the disc Q, Q, Q, Q, by a spring. The detent bolts are
withdrawn by sliding collars and levers, the collars being connected with
the bolts by cutters passing through slot holes in the shafts. When the
bolts are withdrawn the discs are free to revolve in the eccentric straps,
but by allowing the bolts to enter the holes the discs become locked,
and the crank pin set to any desired throw.
Fig. 7 shows another method of changing the throw of the crank-pin.
A square threaded screw A is placed in each crank arm, and engages
the end of the crank pin. The screws are connected by the toothed
wheels B, B, and the pinion O. A handle on the pinion shaft thus turns
both screws simultaneously, and causes the crank-pin to approach or
recede from the shaft accordingly as it is desired to shorten or lengthen
the stroke. The toothed wheels are unshipped when the engine is
working.
The valves which I prefer to use are shown in section in Figs. 9 and
10. A trunnion A is fixed to each main cylinder of the hydraulic
engine. In this trunnion two ports or passages are formed, B leading
into the cylinder, and O leading to the pipe D. The trunnion is
enclosed by a casing E, having on one side a chamber F, into which a
valve G fits, the face of the valve bearing on the port face of the
trunnion.
The casing and chamber are kept watertight by cup leathers, as
shown, and the part of the valve passing into the chamber is propor-
tioned so that the valve is equilibriated, and a spring is placed on the
back to ensure keeping it on its face. Pressure is admitted to the casing
through the pipe H., while the pipe D puts the interior of the valve in
communication with the exhaust. The oscillation of the trunnion
alternately admits and exhausts the water through the port B. The
motion of the hydraulic engine may be reversed by changing H into the
exhaust pipe and D into the pressure pipe. For this purpose I use a slide

page_text: valve Fig. 11. The pipes A and B are respectively connected with the
pipes H and D in Figs. 9 and 10. Pressure is admitted to the casing
through the pipe D, and the exhaust is taken off through the port E.
By moving the slide valve F, A may be made a pressure pipe and B
exhaust, or vice versa.
The trunnion valve, Figs. 9 and 10, only admits water to one end of
the cylinder, the annular space round the piston rod being in constant
communication with the pressure through a trunnion and pipe. When
the reversing arrangement is used this pipe is taken from the valve casing
Fig. 11.
When it is desired to lower the load with the water I use an additional
slide valve Fig. 12. The pressure enters by the pipe G, and passes
through the port H to the reversing slide valve. By moving the slide
valve K so that the port H is in communication with the exhaust port L
the hydraulic engine is free to turn, and the load may thus be lowered;
this arrangement is already well known. When the hydraulic engine is
made to reverse, the arrangement for changing the throw of the crank
pin may be much simplified, the levers and sliding collars being
dispensed with.
Referring again to Figs. 5 and 6, I make the holes or notches Q, Q, Q. Q,
in the straps inclined, and when the engine is reversed the detent bolts
are driven back in the manner of a ratchet. When the pin has been
brought round to the position giving the required throw, the engines
may be reversed again, when the detent bolts coming in contact with the
radial face of the ratchet the discs are carried round in the direction
required for raising a load.
It will be evident my improved variable cranks may be applied for the
purposes of boring and turning where the articles to be operated on are
of different diameters, and consequently require the expenditure of
variable speeds and power. It will also be evident that the variable
cranks may be applied for hoisting and lowering bodies generally, and
for other purposes where the work is of a variable character.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and referred
to several suitable modifications whereby the same may be carried into
‹ effect. I claim.—

page_text: Fust. The variaDie cranks for nyuraune engines, supany as
herein described.
Second. The combination of hydraulic mechanism with winding barrels
and warping ends, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Eleventh day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
In the presence of
JAMES JOHNSON,
Clerk to J. T. King,
ANDREW BETTS BROWN. (L.S.)
Solicitor of Patents,
Liverpool.