Improvements in Coal-conveyers.
Year: 1891

page_text: being date of first Foreign Application (in 16th May, 1891
United States of America),
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 15th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 15th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1892
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 15th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 15th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 19th Mar.,
1892
Improvements in Coal-conveyers.
i, THEODORE HARDING LEWIS, of 771 Saratoga Street, East Boston, in the
County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the saine is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This is a machine or apparatus for conveying coal from the hold of a vessel
to a suitable receptacle on the shore; and it relates particularly to that class
of conveyers in which the coal is lifted and removed from the vessel to the shore
by means of buckets moved by endless chains. It is found in practice that the
coal-conveyers now in use dig or burrow in the coal in one spot in the hold on
a line with the hatchway, but leave large masses of coal untouched at the sides
or wings.
The principal object of my improvement is to provide a conveyer which will
take the coal from all parts of the hoid, even next the sides, instead of merely
digging a hole in a single spot. I accomplish this object by means of the
improved apparatus below described, in which I show three conveyers, one, the
main conveyer, being jointed and the other two auxiliary conveyers being
pivotally and otherwise adjustable, all as below described, and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, in which-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my machine or apparatus, the hold of the vessel
being shown in vertical section.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, a small portion being broken out to show
the pivotal construction of the frame of the auxiliary conveyers.
.
Fig. 3 is a section taken on line, Fig. 4.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 3, Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line <,
Fig.
•
4.
Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on line 0, Fig. 4.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A represents the hold of a vessel which is being unloaded, and a is the coal lying
in the hold and being conveyed to a suitable receptacle on shore.
B represents a wharf or landing.
C is the frame-work for supporting the apparatus, constructed in any suitable
manner and resting on the wharf B.
DD are the two portions of the jointed frame of the main or central conveyer.
The upper portion D is pivotally connected with the lower portion D' by the pivot
or bolt e, (see Figs. 3, 4, and 5,) the two parts being kept in line and sufficiently
rigid by means of the extensions or tongues D" at the lower end of the portion D
and the grooves or bifurcations D at the upper end of the portion D'. Suitable
nuts 66 keep the parts in position, but allow them to swing freely relatively on the

page_text: bolt e.
Each of the sides constituting the portions D D' of this conveyer is made
with two inwardly-extending longitudinal Hanges d d', Fig. 6, formed at right
angles with the sides. The upper (outer) surface of the flanged and the upper
(inner) surface of the flange d' constitute tracks for the rollers or wheels E on the
shafts E. These shafts have their bearings in and are connected by links, which
form the endless chains F, said chains being actuated by ordinary sprocket-wheels
(broken lines E, Fig. 1) within the conveyer at the upper end, fast on the shaft,
supported by the frame, and which has rigid with it a pulley, Fig. 2, actuated
by the belt, which communicates with the power. Swinging freely on the
shafts E are the buckets H, constructed substantially as usual.
It will readily be seen that by means of this jointed conveyer, which can be
swung back and forth in the hold, a greater quantity of coal can be reached than
by a rigid conveyer, which can only reach a single point.
In order that the coal at the extreme sides or wings of the hold may be reached,
I provide an auxiliary pair of conveyers, as follows: These conveyers consist,
essentially, of the frames 1P, the endless chains JJ, provided with the
rollers K K', which roll on the edges of the frames, and the buckets LL
carried by the spindles of the rollers. Near the upper ends of the frames are
the shafts gg', which are actuated, as usual, by ordinary sprocket-wheels. (Sec
broken lines h', Fig. 2.) The shafts y g' are supported by the hangers m and
brace-rods n, secured to said hangers, and the hangers are secured at their upper
ends to a cross-piece o, which, with the hangers, constitutes a frame. This frame
is suspended from the vertical bolt L, Fig. 2, and is free to rotate horizontally
thereon, and the bolt has an eye or hook L', which catches over the horizontal
pin M, which is supported in the hanger or vertical bar N, whose upper end is
loosely hung by means of a strap N₁, on a rod N, (see Fig. I and broken lines in
Fig. 2) supported by the frame P. The rear end of this frame is hinged at P" to
the main frame C, and its forward end is supported by the rope or chain R, which
passes over a pulley in the upper end of the frame C and thence down to a
drum, provided with an ordinary ratchet and crank ". By operating the
crank the frame P is swung up and down, the hanger N preserving a vertical
position. Thus by grasping the handles the conveyers may be swung by means
of the strap N' or turned by means of the pivot L or spread apart, as desired.
The shafts g', on which are fixed the sprocket-wheels which operate the endless
chains JJ, carrying the buckets K K, are actuated by the gear-wheels S S',
which are fast on said shafts gg. The gear-wheel S is engaged by the gear-
wheel S, and on the same shaft is fixed.a pulley S", connected by a band T with
the pulley U, fast on the shaft P, supported by the swinging frame P. Fast on
this same shaft is the pulley U₁, Fig. 2, which is connected by the band T with a
pulley on the shaft W, supported by the main frame. A pulley T on the
shaft W is connected by a band U with a pulley on the shaft W, and the
pulley Yon said shaft W is connected by a band V with the power. Thus it will
be seen that by communicating motion to the bands and V the buckets of all
the conveyers are set in motion, and while the main conveyer inay be swung
back and forth by means of its joint the auxiliary conveyers may be rotated.
swing, and spread apart, so that all portions of the hold can be reached by the
conveyers.
7
The coal raised by the auxiliary conveyers is dropped into the buckets of the
main conveyer, and the coal in the buckets of the main conveyer is dropped into a
chute or inclined flume C', supported by the frame in any desired manner.
".
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In a coal-conveying apparatus, the combination of a jointed conveyer supported
by the main portion of the frame, a pair of adjustable auxiliary conveyers arranged

page_text: to be rotated, swung, and spread apart at their lower ends, and a frame hinged to
the main frame for supporting said auxiliary conveyers, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 15th day of December 1891.
F. W. BARKER,
Applicant's Agent.