Year: 1886

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication from
Gottlob Warttinger, Engineer and Samuel Gustav Rosenberg, Architect both of
Berlin in the German Empire) and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to improvements in loading or unloading apparatus
with an automatic dumping device and serves to draw loose material like earth,
sand coal gravel and the like up an inclined tramway in small trolleys. The
apparatus can be used in connection with sinking a pit deepening water-courses
unloading barges and the like, and is adjustable both as regards the length and
the degree of the incline. The trolleys are loaded at the foot of the incline and
pass an automatic counting mechanism in being drawn up and are automatically
dumped at the top or head of the apparatus which may be worked by band horse
or other power.
On sheet 2 of the drawings:-
Figure 3 represents an apparatus driven by hand ready fixed for working on
land in side elevation.
Figure 4 is a front elevation and
Figure 6 is a plan of the same while
Figure 5 represents the apparatus shut up and ready for removal from one place
to another.
Figure 7 is a section of the head or automatic dumping device of the apparatus
on a larger scale and,
Figure 8 represents a trolley in almost perpendicular position.
On sheet 1 of the drawings an apparatus is represented for the working on the
water and driven by hand and
Figure 1 is a side elevation and
Figure 2 a front elevation.

page_text: Although in this specification only one tramway is mentioned it is obvious that
two or more may be used parallell with each other.
The apparatus consists essentially of a frame constructed of wood or iron,
carrying one or more tramways forming an adjustable inclined plane, further the
apparatus is provided with a hoisting mechanism. On each tramway runs a trolley.
The form of the frame depends on whether the apparatus.is to be used on land or
on water. If the apparatus is to be used on water it is placed on a barge or pontoon
and consists of the cross-sleepers a the longitudinal sleepers b, the uprights c, the
stays d the supports e for the hoisting mechanism the supports f and the ties g.
The tramways are formed by the adjustable beams h which are fastened to the
uprights by bolts and are held by ropes and iron rods the beams h are also braced
together at suitable distances.
On the highest point of the tramway it slopes towards the front and the beams
are pivoted at this point to the sloping portion of the tramway and the whole is
adjustable in consequence. The height of the head over the level of the ground
is generally so arranged that railway trucks or other vehicles can easily stand
under it to be loaded.
For the transport of the apparatus from one place to another on land it is
constructed in such a manner that it can be folded up in form of a wagon (Fig. 5
sheet 2). For this purpose the different parts are hinged together and the bolts
loosely inserted into their holes. To fold the apparatus up and bring it into the
position as represented in Figure 5; the connecting chains are taken off the levers E
and the latter are removed, after this the stays d are removed by removing the
bolts connecting the stays & with the upright and the whole apparatus is now only
held by the bolts F (Figure 3 sheet 2) which connect the ties g with the supports e
of the hoisting apparatus. Before the bolts F are withdrawn the ropes on the
drums of the hoisting mechanism are fastened to the head of the apparatus.
When the bolts F are now withdrawn and apparatus pushed towards the front it
will readily fold up and the wheels which were held up before, will touch the
ground. The weight of the apparatus rests now on the wheels through the
drum shaft.
The wheels which up to now were rigidly fastened to the shaft or axle and used
as fly wheels are now converted for the transport of the apparatus. For this
purpose the nuts are screwed off the axle and the boxes which formed a rigid
connection between the wheels and the axle are reversed, thus the wheels are
disconnected from the axle and can be used for the transport of the apparatus.
The fixing and righting of the apparatus is done by turning the ropes round
the drums and so lifting the head and then the different parts are fastened in the
reverse order adopted for the unfastening.
The transport on the water is done by the barge or pontoon on which the
apparatus stands and in case low bridges have to be passed the top of the apparatus
is so constructed that it can be taken off.
The barge or pontoon is fastened during the working of the apparatus by square
piles passing through watertight boxes in the barge or pontoon to the ground, into
which they are driven by a toothed rack with which the piles are provided and a
toothed gear. For the purpose of allowing the tramway to give to the swaying
of ships to be unloaded the supports h of the tramways are fastened to each
other by bolts so loosely that the tramway can give without interfering with its
stability.
A rope w on each side of the tramway starting from the drum and passing
over the sheaves m and fastened to the sleeper or crossbeam n supporting g and h
serves to support the tramway. The sheave m is carried on the upright o resting
on sleeper p.
1
If a tramway has to be lengthened downwards any number of supports h can
be joined by bolts and the foot of the lengthened tramway either rests on the

page_text: If between the apparatus and the dumping point of the trolleys a footpath or
carriage way is to be left free the ties g are pushed forward and with the latter
the head of the apparatus so that the trolleys can be dumped at the required
point.
If the tramway is to be lengthened to any extent or if it is to descend almost
perpendicularly in unloading a ship for instance that lies close against a perpen-
dicular quay ropes are provided wound round the drums s which ropes are placed
on the cross beams n and are fastened to the foot of the tramway. Across these
ropes are placed the sleepers which support the tramway lines.
Figure 8 represents the meeting point of such almost perpendicular tramway
with the one of the frame of the apparatus. In this instance a safety rail is
provided at about the height of the diameter of the trolley wheels to prevent an
upsetting of the trolleys sideways.
At the head the highest point and at all bends of the apparatus sheaves or guide
pulleys t'are provided on which run the ropes when the trolleys are being hoisted
or lowered.
The trolleys are hoisted in the following manner: When the handle D is turned
the direct spur gear as shown on the floating apparatus, or the pitch wheel and
chain gear as shewn in the apparatus on land will rotate the shaft carrying the
rope drum A and the rope B is either wound into or off the drum A.
When the drum A is revolved and the rope B is wound upon it the trolley is
hoisted and when the latter has arrived at the highest point of the tramway the
claw levers y y will clutch the rod y¹ of the trolley. By the movement of the
trolley the levers y y are turned round their pivot z until the trolley has reached
the forward sloping part of the tramway. At this point the levers y y will lift
the rear part of the trolley-box and the weight of the whole will be supported
by the front axle and the levers y y and the load will be dumped automatically.
An adjusting mechanism v is provided to adjust the levers y y so that the always
will engage properly with the shaft y¹ of the trolleys.
If the trolley box has a front side, this is lifted up automatically while the load
is being dumped.
On the opposite side of the rope drum A a brake mechanism is provided and
rigidly fixed on the rope drum. When the trolley is to be returned, by pressing
on the plate E of the lever e¹ the lever y y will be drawn back and the brake
taken off by a suitable mechanism; or as the clutches of the levers y y still hold
the rod y of the trolley the latter can be drawn back onto the inclined tramway
by a chain and lever fastened to the pivot shaft of the levers y y. After this the
trolley will run down the tramway because of its own weight. By the brake
mechanism the trolley can be stopped at any point of its travel without running
down the incline by its own weight.
To have control over the quantity loaded or unloaded an automatic counting
mechanism is provided showing how often the trolley as ascended the inclined
plane, and consisting of a pin which strikes against the trolley on its upward
journey and turns a counting mechanism one unit, while during its downward
journey the trolley merely presses the pin down without turning the counter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is,
1. The means for loading or unloading consisting of an inclined tramway
adjustable in its height and length and ending in a peculiar formed head for the
automatic dumping of the trolleys, up which tramway trolleys are drawn up by
a suitable hoisting mechanism and returned on the same tramway, substantially
as specified.
2. In an apparatus such as described for loading or unloading an arrangement
to fold the frame of the apparatus up into the form of a two wheeled vehicle for
the purpose of rendering the apparatus portable, substantially as specified.

page_text: -
3. In an apparatus for loading or unloading the application, of tramways
adjustable in their height and length for the purpose of carrying small trolleys,
substantially as specified.
4. In an apparatus for loading or unloading the levers y y which turn round
with their shaft and clutch the rod y¹ on the rear part of the trolley in com-
bination with the head i and the levers e¹ for the purpose of dumping the trolley
automatically and to return the trolley to the inclined tramway substantially as
specified.
5. In an apparatus for loading or unloading the combination with the apparatus
mounted on a suitable barge, pontoon or other vessel, of piles which are driven
into the ground by a rack and spur gear for the purpose of fastening the vessel to
the ground substantially as specified..