An Improved Moveable Guide for Derrick Chains.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 19th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 26th Jan., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Moveable Guide for Derrick Chains.
I WILLIAM ANDREWS of 14 Williamsgate Street Galway, Ireland Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
or
any
My invention has for its object the landing of cargo from holds of vessels to quay
other place alongside, without moving the derrick. The advantage which
I claim, is that cargo can be lifted out of holds of vessels, and put over the side,
without the labour of hauling both derrick and weight around.
It is a stationary upright shaft (No. 1) made so as it can be fastened to the
combings of the hatch or any other convenient place. It may be any shape, square
iron preferable.
A horizontal shaft (No. 2) made so as it can move around the upright shaft, one
end of this shaft is turned, so as the pulley (No. 3) will revolve on it, on the other
end is a quadrant (No. 4), near the centre of the shaft is a boss (No. 5) with a
square eye, which fits over the upright shaft, and can be made stationary at any
height by a set-screw. The shaft can revolve on this boss.
From the top outside edge of pulley parallel with the shaft, and extending long
enough to clear the vessel's side, are two guides (No. 6) made of light iron and kept
in position with collars having short arms on them.
When lifting cargo from hold of vessel, the horizontal shaft is placed in position
so as the pulley will be over the hold, the shaft is kept in that position by a catch
which works on the opposite end of shaft from the pulley this catch drops into a
notch which is in a quadrant (No. 7) this quadrant is stationary on the upright
shaft.
The derrick is placed in position, with the top end perpendicular to the outside of
vessel or where it is intended to land the cargo, and made fast there. The chain
from the derrick leads over the pulley into the hold. When the weight is lifted
the required height, so as it will clear the bulworks the catch is lifted and allows
the shaft to turn, the chain leaves the pulley and slides along the guide untill it is
perpendicular with the point of the derrick. To counteract the strain that is on
the horizontal shaft a weight or spring is attached to the quadrant (No. 4) which
lifts when the shaft moves, when the shaft is around far enough, the catch drops
into another notch which keeps the shaft stationary untill the weight is off it, then
by lifting up the catch, the weight or spring brings the shaft, pulley & chain over
the hold ready for another lift.
Dated this 3rd dor of Max 1894.
WILLIAM ANDREWS,
An Improved Moveable Guide for Derrick Chains.
I, WILLIAM ANDREWS, of 14, Williamsgate Street, Galway, Ireland, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention and in what matiner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for raising and lowering

page_text: goods, etc., and is more particularly applicable to the transfer of cargo from a vessel's
hold to the quay alongside, or vice versa, and it consists of an appliance or guide
adapted to be used in conjunction with the apparatus now employed for this and
like purposes.
The function of a guide constructed according to this invention is to so lead the
lifting chain that the weight being raised will rise vertically through the hatchway
until it has reached the height necessary for it to clear the bulwarks or quay, the
derrick being normally swung so as to incline outwards and over the quay. When
the weight has been raised to the requisite height the guide is released and is caused
to revolve by the pressure of the hoisting chain upon it and swings outboard until
the hoisting chain and weight hang vertically, or nearly so, from the derrick head
to the cart or spot where it is desired to lower the weight. When the weight
has been discharged the guide returns the chain in-board when it again hangs
vertically over the hatchway ready for another lift.
In the following Specification and in the drawings illustrative thereof, my inven-
tion has been described and shewn as applied to an ordinary vessel's derrick, but it
will be understood that the guide is equally applicable to other derricks, such as
those employed on quays and in quarries, railway yards, and other places.
Figure 1 is an elevation and Figure 2 is a plan of a guide for derrick chains
according to this invention.
Figures 3 and 4 shew the application of the guide to a vessel's derrick.
a is a horizontal arm, which is free to revolve upon a bush b on the upright.
The upright c is suitably stepped upon the deck of the vessel or hatch-combing and
stayed to the bulwarks or other part. The central eye of the bush b is made square
so as to correspond with the section of the upright, aud the bush is tightened upon
the upright at any desired height by means of the set-screw b'. The arm a comprises
three sections, namely the bracket al, elbow a³, and chain guides a³. The con-
nection between the bracket and elbow consists of a socket a and cotter, which
allows of the elbow being turned round as shewn in dotted lines in Fig. 2, when it
is desired to work cargo to the other side of the vessel. At the inner end of the
guides a³ is the roller a, over which the hoisting chain passes while the weight is
being lifted through the hatchway, and a spring buffer as is provided at the outward
end of the guides to receive the chain when the weight swings outboard. A stay d
connects the arm a with a toothed rack e which is free to revolve upon a bush e¹ on
the upright. Gearing with the rack e is a pinion f, carried by a shaft g and
bracket h, the latter being a fixture upon the upright. The pinion f is controlled
and operated by means of a hand-wheel i and grooved wheel j. A brake k pivotted
upon the rod 7 serves to restrain the wheel i, whilst the wheel j is operated by a
chain and weight m.
The operation of the guide is as follows, reference being made to Figs. 3 & 4,
of the drawings.
The derrick A is swung outboard so that its pulley is directly or nearly over the
spot where the goods are to be lowered, and is retained in that position. The lifting
chain B leads from the derrick head over the roller a into the hold. The arm a
projects inboard so that the roller a³ remains over the hatchway until the weight C
is raised to the position shewn in Figure 3, the guide being held in this position by
the action of the brake k upon the hand-wheel i. The brake k is then taken off
the wheel and the pressure of the lifting chain causes the arm a, and with it the
rack e, to revolve upon the upright c until the arm a assumes the position shewn in
Figure 4. The lifting chain B has meanwhile left the roller a and travelled
between the guides a³ to the buffer us and now hangs perpendicularly from the
derrick head and over the cart D or other spot, onto which the weight is then
lowered. During the outward swing of the guide the counter-weight m has been
raised by the wheel j and now re-acts upon the wheel and pinion f so as to revólve
the rack e and thus cause the guide to return to its inboard position and bring the
lifting chain along with it, so that the latter once more passes over the roller a³
and hangs perpendicularly through the hatchway ready for another lift.

page_text: The handwheel i is available for assisting or retarding the action of the guide, at
the will of the operator. Instead of the brake k being used for the purpose of
holding the guide in any desired position, a pawl may be substituted which gears
with the rack e.
In place of the counter-weight m there may be used a spring, or the weight m
and chain may be arranged in " cataract form in some cases.
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
A guide for derrick chains, comprising a horizontal arm a, upright c, stay d,
rack e, pinion f, wheels i, j, brake k, and counter-weight m, arranged, combined and
operating substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 18th day of December 1894.
J. A. COUBROUGH,
10, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool, Agent for the Applicant.