Improvements in Excavating Machinery.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 7th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 4th May, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Excavating Machinery.
I, HENRY JAMES COLES of 89 Summer Street Southwark in the County of
London Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to that class of excavators in which the excavating bucket
is worked by a chain from the jib of a crane or other suitable machine and has
attached to the bucket one or more arms by which its position is regulated with
reference to a point or pivot fitted on the jib or other suitable part of the machine
by which it is worked and consists of an improved method of causing the bucket to
advance towards or retire from the face to be worked or excavated.
To perform this I employ a cylinder fitted with a piston and piston rod the rod
being provided with a rack arranged to engage with a spur wheel fitted on a shaft
carried on the jib and actuating pinions gearing in racks attached to the arms of
the excavating bucket the whole being so arranged that when the piston is caused
to move backwards or forwards in the cylinder the excavating bucket will advance
towards or retire from the face of the excavation.
The racks on the arms may be made longer than required for the range given by
one complete stroke of the piston and the gearing so arranged that it may be
disengaged to allow the excavating bucket to be advanced or retired without the
piston and the rack attached to it being moved and when adjusted to the required
length the gearing may be again engaged so that the piston and its attachments
may again actuate the excavating bucket within their range of action.
Any suitable controlling valve may be employed for admitting the steam.or
other fluid actuating the piston and the connections with the cylinder so made
that it may rise and fall with the jib.
Dated this 11th dor of Lune 1001
HENRY JAMES COLES.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Excavating Machinery.
1, HENRY JAMES COLES of 89 Sumner Street Southwark in the County of
London, Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
Improvements in excavating machinery and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to that class of excavators in which the excavating bucket
is worked by a chain from the jib head of a crane or other suitable machine and to
which bucket is attached one or more arins by which its position is regulated with
reference to a point on the jib or other suitable part of the machine by which it is
worked and consists of an improved method of causing the excavating bucket to
advance towards or retire from the face to be worked or excavated.
To effect this I employ a cylinder fitted with a piston and piston rod or rods, the
latter when one piston rod only is used having a rack formed in a prolongation of
it or attached or fitted to it in any suitable manner. This rack is made to engage
with a spur wheel or pinion fitted on a shaft or spindle supported either by the jib
D

page_text: or by framing attached thereto this spur wheel in turn being made to actuate one
or more spur wheels or pinions working in a rack or racks ficted on the arm or
arms of the excavating bucket the whole being arranged in such a manner that
when the piston is caused to move backwards or forwards in the cylinder the
excavating bucket will advance towards or retire from the face of the excavation.
The piston rod may be fitted with double racks or two piston rods may each be
fitted with a rack and the bucket arm or arms with a single rack.
The rack or racks on the armis may be made longer than required for the range
given by the full stroke of the piston rod and the gearing arranged in such a
manner that it may be disengaged to allow the excavating bucket to be advanced
or retired without the piston and rack attached to it being moved and when the
bucket has been adjusted to the required position or distance the gearing may be
again engaged so that the piston and its attachments may again actuate the
excavating bucket within their range of action.
The cylinder employed in this arrangement may be either fitted to the jib as
shewn in the drawing herewith or attached to the body of the crane, in the latter
case preferably by a pivot having its axis directly in the line of the axis on which
the jib rises and falls.
Any suitable controlling valve may be employed for admitting the steam or
other fluid actuating the piston into either end of the cylinder and the connections
with the cylinder made in such a manner that it may rise and fall with the jib.
The wheels and pinions worked by or working the rack or racks may be of any
suitable proportions according to the power of the cylinder and the pressure with
which it is desired to force the excavating bucket forward.
The rack on the piston rod as shewn in the drawings herewith is supported by a
guide attached to the cylinder but a roller or other suitable means may be
employed to keep the rack in its proper line of action.
To more fully explain the nature of my invention it is illustrated by a sheet of
drawings in which Fig. 1 shews the side elevation of the jib and gearing with part
of the jib removed in order that the mechanism for regulating the advance or
withdrawal of the bucket may be seen more clearly Fig. 2 is a plan of the.
arrangement.
In Fig. 1 JJ is the jib of the crane or excavating machine and A A A¹ A¹ one
bucket arm which is shewn broken the part A' A' being the continuation of the
parts A A when brought together. In this fig. (1) B is the excavating bucket
worked by the chain C which passes over the jib head sheave from the barrel on
the crane D is the steam cylinder fitted with a piston to which is attached the
piston rod E having the rack H H formed on it or attached to it G is the spur
wheel or pinion into which the rack H H works and L is one of the pinions
engaging with one of the racks M on one of the bucket arms A A A¹ A'.
In Fig. 2 the same letters shew the same parts but both the racks M M and
both the pinions L L ȧre shewn and the centre wheel or pinion G is beneath the
rack H H.
:
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
The combination of a cylinder and piston actuated by steam or other fluid
pressure fitted with one or more piston rods having one or more racks formed in or
fitted to it or them and actuating gearing working into one or more racks attached
to or tormed on the arm or arms of an excavator bucket substantially in the
manner and for the purposes herein described.
Dated this 7th day of March 1895.