IMPROVEMENTS IN COAL SCUTTLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I JOAQUIM ANTONIO DE MACEDO of Headingley Leeds in the county of York
gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
COAL SCUTTLES to be as follows:-
In using the ordinary coal scuttle with lid and scoop it is necessary first to take
out the scoop from its place and then either with it or by applying the hand to
set up the lid while the coals are being removed It is then necessary either by
hand or more generally by applying the scoop to shut down the lid which often
falls with a bang causing an unpleasant noise and much wear and tear-Now the
object of my invention is to simplify the above operations and avoid the noise
and wear and tear by constructing a coal scuttle in such a manner that as soon as
the scoop is removed from its pocket the lid will at once open automatically and
as soon as the scoop is replaced the lid will close of itself almost noiselessly―This
object I accomplish by having the lid nearly counterbalanced by a weight A (see
accompanying drawing) inside the top of the scuttle. In the middle of this
weight is a small round bar B on which rests a weighted dog-leg-shaped lever C
whose fulcrum is at D and whose short arm forms a flap projecting down into the
pocket of the scoop-The lever C is so weighted that if the scoop be removed it is
just heavy enough to open the lid by pressing down the round bar B and so that
when the scoop is replaced its own weight (viz of the scoop) is sufficient to cause
the shutting down of the lid The length of the longer arm of the lever C is such
that it can open the lid to an angle of about 80° with the horizon, but not so far
that it will not close again by its own weight when released.
As the lever C is not connected with the bar B, but merely rests upon it, the lid
may be opened by hand or otherwise and will remain up without taking out the
scoop This arrangement is adopted to provide for the case of a person who wishes
to use the tongs instead of the scoop or of an ignorant person accustomed to the
ordinary coal scuttle who will not damage the mechanism by lifting up the lid.
Dated this first day of January one thousand eight hundred and eighty
four

page_text: I JOAQUIM ANTONIO DE MACEDO of Headingley in the Borough of Leeds in the
County of York gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IN COAL SCUTTLES and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
IMPROVEMENTS
The coal scuttle is made as shewn in the annexed drawing the object being to
make it so that on withdrawing the scoop from its pocket the lid will open and on
replacing the scoop the lid will close thereby saving time and trouble and so that
the lid being unconnected with the actuating mechanism the former may be set up
while the scoop remains in its place.
Fig. 1 (sec annexed drawing numbered 316/84 represents the scuttle with the
scoop removed and the lid open-Fig 2 represents the scuttle with the scoop in
the pocket and the lid closed.
A is a dog-leg-shaped lever working on the fulcrum B and terminating at one
end in a flap P which projects into the pocket C (which is open at the bottom so
as not to get choked with coal dust) and at the other end resting on a small bar D,
(a section of which is seen in the drawing) which is itself fixed to a weight E
connected with and almost counterbalancing the lid F.
On the lever A is a weight G just sufficiently heavy to depress the bar DJ is
a ceiling to prevent the coal from coming in contact with the mechanism.
Now when the scoop H is removed from the pocket C the weight G presses down
the bar D and raises the lid F. and on replacing the scoop in the pocket the flap P
is pressed back by it and lifts the weight G and allows the lid to close.
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 the general arrangement and combination of parts by which while the
lid of the scuttle is unconnected with the actuating mechanism nevertheless on
removing the scoop from its pocket the lid will be opened by the attraction of
gravitation and on replacing the scoop the lid will be closed also by the attraction
of gravitation.
Dated this twanty fifth day of Senterber 1884