IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM TRAVELLING CRANES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Rogcr, of Stockton-on-Tees, in the County
of Durham, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
TRAVELLING CRANES."
Sealed the 11th January 1867, and dated the 13th July 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Roger at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th July 1866.
I, ROBERT ROGER, of Stockton-on-Tees, in the County of Durham, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM TRAVELLING CRANES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in constructing the central posts or spindles 1ound
which cranes revolve (of whatever material they may be made) hollow, and if
the motive power is to be obtained from tho engine or engines of the crane
above, the power is conveyed to the lower or travelling part of the crane
through the hollow spindle by means of a shaft driven above, as may be most
convenient, and applied to driving the travelling wheels in any manner found
most suitable.
In cases where a separate engine or engines is or are employed on the
travelling part of the crane as the motive power for causing it to travel, I
convey the steam for diving the engine or engines from the boiler or boilers of

page_text: the crane through the hollow spindle to the cylinder or cylinders below in any
convenient manner, the steam passing from the boiler to the top of the spindle
by means of a pipe and valves connected by a gland, the steam passes from
the bottom of the hollow spindle to the cylinder or cylinders underneath; or I
pass it by an independent pipe through the hollow or aperture of the spindle. 5
By passing the motive power, either by a shaft or by steam, through the central
spindle of the crane, as before described, the action of the crane is equal in
all its points round the said spindle, and the crane will travel with or without
its load in any position round that centre.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Roger in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
January 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
ROGER, of Stockton-on-Tees, in the County of Durham, Engineer, sond
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Loid
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Ler heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Robert Roger, ler special licence that I, the said Robert Rogel, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert
Roger, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time, and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Gicat Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
TRAVELLING CRANES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Robert Roger, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Roger, 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

page_text: thereof, NC DOING
to say:-
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My Invention consists in constructing the central posts or spindles round
which cranes revolve (of whatever material they may be made) hollow, and
in conveying through this post the motive power for causing the crane to
travel. If the motive power is to be obtained from the engine or engines of
the crane above, the power is conveyed to the lower or travelling part of the
ciane through the hollow spindle by means of a shaft driven above, as may be
most convenient, and applied to driving the travelling wheels in any manner
found most suitable.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a plan, and Figure 2 a longi-
tudinal section of a steam travelling crane constructed according to my
Invention as just described. The details of the lifting and some of the
ordinary working parts of the engines and crane are omitted.
A is the crank shaft of the crane engine or engines; B, B, are bevil wheels
for transmitting power to the upright shaft C; the bevil wheel on the engine
crank shaft runs loosely, and is connected and disconnected by a function or
other clutch; C is an upright shaft, and D is a pinion thereon in gear with
a wheel E on a central upright shaft F passing through the centre of the
spindle of the crane and having on its lower extremity a worm G; H is a
worm wheel diven by the worm G; the wheel II is loose on the horizontal
shaft I, but is connected and disconnected by a strong born or other clutch P
to enable the crane to be drawn with less resistance by horse or other power;
K, K, are two chain wheels, endless chains N, N, from which pass over and
dive chain wheels L, L, on each of the axles of the travelling wheels M, M,
of the crane; 0, 0, is the central spindle or post of the crane, which is con-
structed hollow, and is by preference of forged iron.
When the crank shaft A is put in motion by the engine, with the friction
clutch attached to the bevil wheel, the crane will travel on the rails in one
direction; in order to travel in the opposite direction the engine is reversed,
or another bevil wheel is applied on the crank shaft and attached and detached
by a friction or other clutch, as in the ordinary mode of reversing by bevil
wheels, in which case the engine need not be reversed. Although this mode
substituted for the
is adopted by preference other forms of gearing may be
worm and bevil gearing, or shafts and gearing may be substituted for the
chain and chain wheels.
In cases where a separate engine or engines is or are employed on the
travelling part of the crane as the motive power for causing it to travel, I
convey the steam for driving the engine or engines from the boiler or boilers

page_text: of the crane through the hollow spindle O to the cylinder or cylinders below
in any convenient manner, using the hollow spindle as a steam pipe, and the
steam passes from the boiler to the top of the spindle O by means of a pipe
and valves connected by a gland, to allow the crane to be turned round in every
direction; the steam passes from the bottom of the hollow spindle to the
cylinder or cylinders underneath; or I pass the steam by an independent
pipe through the hollow or aperture of the spindle O, and I make the hollow
sufficiently large to allow the exhaust steam to pass up through the annular
space round the steam pipe; a gland is also used in this case. By passing
the motive power, either by a shaft or by steam, through the central spindle
of the crane, as before described, the action of the crane is equal in all its
points round the said spindle, and the crane will travel with or without its
load in any position round that centre.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, constructing
steam travelling cranes which are caused to travel by motivo power conveyed
by a shaft or by steam through the central post or spindle, which is made
hollow for the purpose, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Roger, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of January, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-seven.