Improvements in Apparatus for Elevating or Transferring Grain or other Materials.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 7th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Elevating or Transferring Grain or
other Materials.
We, WILLIAM BECKET-HILL of 103 Leadenhall Street, in the City of
London, Gentleman, and JOSEPH FELL REDMAN of Gallions, Royal Albert
Dock, in the County of Kent, Superintendent Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide a convenient and efficient apparatus by
means of which materials can be elevated or transferred from one place to another with
great facility and rapidity. The said apparatus is especially adapted for unloading
grain from vessels, but it can also be used for elevating, or transferring, other
matters. We will presume for the purpose of description, that the apparatus is to
be used for elevating grain from the hold of a vessel from which description the
application of the invention to other analogous purposes will also be understood.
According to this invention the apparatus includes two chambers, a pipe or
passage communicating from the hold of the vessel to the upper of these
chambers. An exhausting device, preferably a steam exhauster, is provided in
connection with this upper chamber for drawing air therefrom and causing the
grain to be drawn up thereinto, the inlet to the pipe or passage, in which the
exhausting device is situated being guarded by a reticulated or perforated shielding
arrangement, to prevent the grain from being drawn by the exhaust from the said
chamber. The upper chamber communicates with the lower chamber by an
opening capable of being closed by a valve. A bye-pass, provided with a
three-way cock gives communication between the two chambers, so that when
the aforesaid valve between the chambers is open, and the three-way cock is in
position to put the bye-pass in communication with both chambers, air is also
withdrawn from the lower chamber, and grain falls thereinto from the upper
chamber. When the three-way cock is put into a position such that communication
through the bye-pass with the upper chamber is cut off and communication between
the outer air and the lower chamber is established and the valve between the
chambers is closed, grain can be withdrawn from the lower chamber by opening
an outlet, or outlets, therefrom. The valve between the chambers and the three-way
cock may be operated by the same lever or device. When the lower chamber is
to again receive grain from the upper chamber the valve is opened and the three-
way cock is moved so that communication between the two chambers through the
bye-pass is established and then grain enters the lower chamber and can be after-
wards removed by closing the valve and reversing the three-way cock as before
described. The exhausting device preferably consists of an annulus or hollow
ring, to the interior of which steam can be admitted, it passing therefrom through
a slit presented away from the chambers, the inner part of the annulus or hollow
ring, being preferably screwed into the outer part, so that it can be removed when
required (for instance to allow of the area of the slit being altered) and replaced
with facility. A central piece which may be double coned is preferably place in
the axis of the exhauster in, or near to, the annulus, or hollow ring, to give a
better exhausting effect.
D1
L 1
2
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100-
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: GUMI LIESI MULTIVATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Elevating or Transferring Grain or
other Materials.
We, WILLIAM BECKET-HILL, of 103 Leadenhall Street, in the City of
London, Gentleman and JOSEPH FELL REDMAN, of Gallions Royal Albert Dock
in the County of Kent, Superintendent Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object to provide a convenient, and efficient, apparatus
by means of which materials can be elevated, or transferred, from one place to
another with great facility and rapidity. The said apparatus is especially adapted
for unloading grain from vessels, but it can also be used for elevating, or transferring,
other matters. We will presume, for the purpose of description that the apparatus
is to be used for elevating grain from the hold of a vessel from which description
the application of the invention to other analogous purposes will also be
understood.
According to this invention the apparatus includes two chambers, a pipe or
passage, communicating from the hold of the vessel to the upper of these chambers.
An exhausting device, preferably a steam exhauster, is provided in connection
with this upper chamber for drawing air therefrom and causing the grain to be
drawn up thereinto, the inlet to the pipe or passage, in which the exhausting device
is situated being guarded by a reticulated, or perforated shielding arrangement,
to prevent the grain from being drawn by the exhaust from the said chamber.
The upper chamber communicates with the lower chamber by an opening, capable
of being closed by a valve. A bye-pass provided with a three-way cock gives
communication between the two chambers, so that when the aforesaid valve,
between the chambers, is open, and the three-way cock is in position to put the
bye-pass in communication with both chambers, air is also withdrawn from the
lower chamber, and grain falls thereinto from the upper chamber. When
the three-way cock is put into a position such that communication through the
by e-pass with the upper chamber is cut off, and communication between the outer
air and the lower chamber is established, and the valve between the chambers is
closed, grain can be withdrawn from the lower chamber by opening an outlet, or
outlets, therefrom. The valve between the chambers and the three-way cock may
be operated by the same lever, or device. When the lower chamber is to again
receive grain from the upper chamber the valve is opened, and the three-way
cock is moved so that communication between the two chambers through the bye-
pass is established and then grain enters the lower chamber and can be afterwards
removed by closing the valve and reversing the three-way cock as before described.
The exhausting device preferably consists of an annulus, or hollow ring, to the
interior of which steam can be admitted, it passing therefrom through a slit
presented away from the chambers, the inner part of the annulus, or hollow ring,
being preferably screwed into the outer part so that it can be removed when
required (for instance to allow of the area of the slit being altered) and replaced
with facility. A central piece which may be double coned is preferably placed in
the axis of the exhauster in, or near to, the annulus, or hollow ring, to give a
better exhausting effect.
We will describe with reference to the accompanying drawings an arrangement
of apparatus constructed according to our invention.
Figures 1 and 2 are sectional elevations at right angles to each other of the
apparatus, and
Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 1.2 Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the exhausting device we prefer to employ.

page_text: Ine apparatus is shewn as applied for use in elevating grain from the hold of
ship, A being the hatchway of the hold and B a vessel, or chamber mounted on
ressels, or a frame C in close proximity to the hatchway. The chamber B is
divided in the interior, by a partition D, into two compartments E E2. Connected
to the chamber B, and communicating with the upper compartment E is a pipe F
which extends down through the hatchway A into the hold of the ship, its lower
end being embedded in the grain a to be elevated. Cominunicating with the said
upper compartiment by a pipe G, is an air exhausting device (preferably a steam
exhauster) which when in action exhausts air from the said compartment and
creates a partial vacuum therein and also in the pipe F, so that the grain is drawn
up from the hold through the pipe F into the compartment E, and to prevent the
grain from being drawn by the exhauster into the pipe G, there is fitted in front of
the entrance to the said pipe a screen 6 of reticulated material, by which the grain
is arrested and caused to fall into the compartment E.
In the partition D is an opening d closable by a sliding valve or shutter H
connected to a lever I centred at i, by means of which lever the sliding valve or
shutter can be operated to open and close the opening as required. K is a
bye-pass pipe communicating with the compartments E E2 at k and with the
atmosphere by a branch. This bye-pass pipe is provided with a three-way
cock L the lever on the plug of which, is connected by a link 7 with the lever I so
that when the lever L is operated to open the passage & through the partition D
the plug of the three-way cock L will be simultaneously moved so as to establish
a communication through the bye-pass pipe between the compartments E E² and
close the communication with the atmosphere; and when the lever I is moved so
as to close the passage d through the partition D, the plug of the cock L will at
the same time cut off the communication between the compartments E and E² and
open a communication between the lower compartment E2 and the atmosphere.
When the upper compartment E has been sufficiently charged with grain by the
action of the exhausting device the lever I is moved so as to open the passage
through the partition D the cock L at the same time opening a communication by
the bye-pass between the compartments E E whereupon air will be drawn by the
exhauster from both compartments and the grain will pass from the upper
compartment E through the opening d into the lower compartment E2. The
lever I is then moved so as to close the opening d in the partition D the
communication through the bye-pass between the compartments E E² being at
the same time closed and communication opened between the lower compartment E²
and the atmosphere through the cock L and the branch k³. The upper compart-
ment E will then be recharged with grain in the manner described and, while it is
being charged, the grain in the lower compartment E' can be discharged through
openings M in the lower part of the said compartment E2 into sacks, or other
receptacles, the said openings being provided with cut off valves or slides N to
regulate the discharge as required. The process of discharging the grain from the
hold of the ship can thus be carried on continuously. The compartments E E²
may be provided with glazed spy-holes P through which can be seen the quantity
of grain in the said compartments.
The exhausting device which we prefer to employ is illustrated by Figure 4 and
consists of a hollow ring or annulus R to the interior of which steam can be
admitted through a branch pipe or passage S in communication with a steam supply
the said steam passing from the interior of the hollow ring through an annular
slot presented away from the compartment from which the air is to be exhausted
and which is connected, by the pipe or passage G Figure 1, with the chamber T
containing the said Lollow ring or annulus. This hollow ring or annulus is
preferably made in two parts screwed together so that they can be separated
and replaced with facility and the discharge area of the slot be regulated as
required. The exterior surfaces of the hollow ring or annulus R are coned in
opposite directions and the interior of the chamber Tis double coned to correspond.
Connected to one end of the chamber T is a conical dispersing tube or chamber U

page_text: in the interior of which, and arranged longitudinally therein, is a double conical
piece V one end of which is situated in the annulus R and the opposite end extends
some distance into the dispersing tube or chamber U. Steam being admitted to the
interior of the hollow ring R by the branch S the said steam passes with considerable
force through the annular slot r and produces a powerful exhausting effect whereby
the air is rapidly exhausted from the compartiment E and pipe F as herein before
described, the double coned piece V considerably increasing the exhausting effect.
Although we have described the apparatus as applied for elevating grain from
the hold of a ship it is obviously applicable for elevating or transferring, grain
small coal, or other material, from one place to another, other than from the hold of
a ship into receptacles.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. In apparatus for elevating or transferring from one place to another, grain,
small coal, or other similar material, the combination of two chambers or
compartments communicating with each other by an opening, or passage, fitted
with a shutter, or valve, by which the said opening, or passage, can be opened and
closed as required, a bye-pass pipe, or passage, connecting the two compartments
and fitted with a cock, or valve, and means for operating the said cock or valve
simultaneously with the shutter or valve, which opens and closes the passage for
the material from one compartment to the other compartment; a pipe or passage
communicating with one of the compartments and with the place from which the
material is to be elevated, or removed; and an air exhausting device communicating
with the said compartment, the whole being arranged to operate substantially as
hereinbetore described.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting pneumatic apparatus
for elevating or transferring from one place to another place, grain, small coal, and
other like material substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by
Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the exhausting device
substantially as herein before described and illustrated by Figure 4 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 7th day of November 1805
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.