IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC CRANES FOR SHIPS to be as follows, that is to say
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ANDREW BETTS BROWN, of Rosebank Iron Works, Edinburgh, in the County
of Mid Lothian, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC CRANES FOR SHIPS
to be as
follows, that is to say :-
"
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction of hydraulic
cranes specially designed for being fitted and used on shipboard.
In carrying out my Invention the jib is made to consist in part of an hydraulic
cylinder the ram or piston-rod of which is fitted with one or more tackle pulleys,
whilst one or more other tackle pulleys are fitted outside of the bottom or inner
end of the cylinder. The hoisting chain is passed in loops or folds round the tackle
pulleys and is drawn in or let out accordingly as the ram or piston is moved
outwards or inwards. The jib is jointed by a forked bottom end to a block fitted so
as to be turnable about a vertical axis in a bracket fixed to the ship's mast. The
water or liquid for working the jib cylinder is led into the block by a pipe entered
through a stuffing box in the axis of the block, a branch pipe from the block
leading it through a stuffing box at the fork joint of the jib into a passage
communicating with the jib cylinder.
The jib is made to swing by means of a helical bar or mandril working in a
counterpart internal helix in the block to which the jib is jointed or in a separate
block adjustably fixed thereto. This helical bar or mandril is part of or fixed to
the ram or piston-rod of an hydraulic cylinder fixed to the mast such ram or piston-
rod being prevented from turning by a suitable guide.
The outer end of the jib may be connected by rods to the mast, I however prefer
to support it by a chain passing round a pulley held in a bracket fixed to the mast,
down to and round a tackle pulley fitted to the upper end of the rod or ram of an
hydraulic cylinder fixed to the mast, the chain passing upwards again to a fixed
point. This arrangement allows of the jib being raised by bydraulic power; and the
cylinder may be the same one which is used to swing the jib, when the operations
for which the crane is constructed are such that the swinging of the jib can take
place whilst it is being raised or lowered.
Dated this torunter St
JDL 1001
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: I, ANDREW BETTS BROWN, of Rosebank Iron Works, Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Engineer, 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, that is to say :—
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction of hydraulic
cranes specially designed for being fitted and used on shipboard.
In carrying out my Invention the jib is made to consist in part of an hydraulic
cylinder the ram or piston-rod of which is fitted with one or more tackle, pulleys,
whilst one or more other tackle pulleys are fitted outside of the bottom or inner
end of the cylinder. The hoisting chain is passed in loops or folds round the tackle
pulleys and is drawn in or let out accordingly as the ram or piston is moved
outwards or inwards. The jib is jointed by a forked bottom end to a block fitted
so as to be turnable about a vertical or nearly vertical axis in a bracket fixed to the
ship's mast. The water or liquid for working the jib cylinder is led to it by piping
and stuffing boxes arranged to allow of the movements of the jib.
The jib is made to swing by means of a helical bar or mandril working in a
counterpart internal helix, in a block, the helical bar or the block being fixed or
connected to the ram or piston rod of an hydraulic cylinder fixed to the mast, such
ram or piston rod being prevented from turning by a suitable guide.
The outer end of the jib may be connected by rods to the mast, I however, prefer
to support it by a chain passing round a pulley held in a bracet fixed to the mast
down to and round a tackle pulley fitted to the upper end of the rod or ram of an
hydraulic cylinder fixed to the mast, the chain passing upwards again to a fixed
point. This arrangement allows of the jib being raised by hydraulic power; and
the cylinder may be the same one which is used to swing the jib, when the
operations for which the crane is constructed are such that the swinging of the jib
can take place whilst it is being raised or lowered.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append three sheets of explanatory
drawings to be hereinafter referred to and representing my improved apparatus.
Figure, 1, on sheet, 1, of the accompanying drawings is a front elevation of the
apparatus fixed to a ship's mast but with the jib removed. Figure, 2, is a side
elevation corresponding to figure, 1, and also showing the lower part of the jib;
whilst figure, 3, shows the outer end of the jib. Figure, 4, on sheet, 2, is a side
elevation like figure, 2, but with some parts modified. Figure, 5, is, a view of the
lower part of the jib corresponding to either figure, 2, or figure, 4, the jib being the
same in both these figures. Figure, 6, on sheet, 3, is a side elevation of a portion
of a steamship showing the crane as fitted on board. In these drawings the same
reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are
repeated.
The jib of the crane is constructed with two beams or girders, 10, of I section,
having fixed between them near their lower ends an hydraulic cylinder, 11, the
ram, 12, of which passes through a stuffing box at its outer end. On the end of the

page_text: ram, 12, there is formed or fixed a block, 13, having sliding parts to move on
the girders, 10, as guides, and fitted with three tackle pulleys, 14. Another
block, 15, fixed upon or forming the bottom end of the cylinder is fitted with three
tackle pulleys, 16, and the hoisting chain is passed in loops or folds round the two
sets of pulleys, 14, one end of the chain being fixed and the other end passing round
the pulley, 17, at the outer end of the jib. The jib is jointed by its bottom end,
which is forked, upon studs, 18, fixed in a block, 19, fitted in a bearing, 20, so as
to be turnable about an axis parallel to the mast, 21, which is slightly inclined or
raked, the bearing, 20, being formed in a bracket forming part of a frame
casting, 22, fixed upon the mast. The water or liquid for working the cylinder, 11}
is led into the block, 19, by a pipe, 23, entered through a stuffing box, 24, in the
axis of the block; and a pipe fixed in the block is provided with a stuffing box, 25,
arranged in the axis of the studs, 18, on which the jib is centered, and has entered
into it a bent pipe, 26, which communicates with the bottom end of the cylinder, 11.
The passage of the water to and from the jib cylinder is thus rendered quite
independent of the swinging and up-and-down movements of the jib.
The swivelling or turning block, 19, has fixed to it a helical bar, 27, made with a
journal at its upper end to enter a bearing in an upper bracket formed on the
frame casting, 22, and this helical bar can work in a helically formed eye or hole
formed in a block, 28, arranged to move in a guide, 29, formed for it on the frame
casting, 22. The hollow helical block, 28, has fixed to it two rods or bars, 30,
which are at their upper ends fixed to the crosshead, 31, of the ram, 32, of an
hydraulic cylinder, 33, fixed to the upper bracket of the frame casting, 22. This
cylinder, 33, is fitted with a piston having its entire bottom area subjected to the.
water under pressure when admitted through a valve in a valve box, 34, whilst a
comparatively small annular area on its upper side is constantly subjected to the
water pressure which acts to move the piston downwards whenever the valve at, 34,
is opened to the exhaust. The valve is worked by a modification of my well-
known mechanism applied to starting engines, the action of a lever, 35, in opening
the valve being reversed or neutralised on the desired extent of movement of the
piston being attained by the action of the block, 28, (which moves with the piston)
on a helical rod, 36, connected to the valve spindle, which is made with a screw
thread tapped through the valve or through a small block which moves the valve,
so that the turning of the rod, 36, by the action of the block, 28, screws the valve
up or down as the case may be in a direction opposite to that in which it has been
directly moved by the lever, 35. The hydraulic cylinder may if preferred be fitted
with a valve or valves controlling both ends.
Besides acting on the helical bar, 27, so as to slue the jib the hydraulic cylinder
is arranged to simultaneously raise or lower the outer end of the jib. For this
purpose, chains, 37, fixed to the ram crosshead, 31, are passed round guide
pulleys, 38, and up to tackle pulleys, 39, (figure, 6,) attached to the upper part of
the mast, 21, whence a chain, 40, is connected to the outer end of the jib. The
helical sluing bar, 27, and other parts are arranged so that when the jib swings or
slues inwards its outer end is raised, and this arrangement is specially convenient
when the hatchway is near the mast to which the crane is fixed. When the jib is
to be lowered into a horizontal position, a chain from a tackle pulley at the upper
part of the mast is passed round a pulley, 41, provided at the outer end of the jib
for the purpose, and the lowering is effected by means of such chain.
In the modification shown in figure, 4, the helical bar, 27, is formed as a
continuation, of the ram, 32, of the hydraulic cylinder, 33, fixed to the mast, 21 ;'
whilst the helical eye or hole through which it works is formed in a block, 49,
having the jib directly jointed upon studs, 18, fixed in it. The ram, 32, is prevented
from turning by being made of a non-circular section as shown at the side of
figure, 4. The block, 49, is fitted into a bearing in a bracket, 50, fixed to the
mast, 21, and antifriction rollers, 51, are introduced between the top of the bracket
and the enlarged head of the block. The water or liquid for working the jib
cylinder, 11, is led through a pipe, 52, fixed to the turning block, 49, and having its

page_text: lower end entered into a stuffing box, 53, situated in the axis of the block.
A passage formed in the turning block, 49, connects the pipe, 52, with a pipe
passing out through one of the joint studs, 18, and entered into a pipe, 26, connected
to the hydraulic cylinder, 11.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The improved combination of parts forming a ship's bydraulic crane and
consisting of a bracket or frame casting fixed to the mast, a jib jointed to such
frame casting so that it can slue or swivel and be raised or lowered, an hydraulic
cylinder forming part of the jib and acting on the hoisting chain,.and an hydraulic
cylinder arranged to make the jib slue or swivel, all substantially as herein before
described.
2. In a ship's crane, the hydraulic cylinder for working the hoisting chain made
part of a jib arranged so that it can both slue or swivel and be raised or lowered,
and fitted with jointed pipes for the water working in the cylinder, the parts being
arranged and operating substantially as herein before described.
3. The combination of the helical bar or mandril and its counterpart block,
together with the actuating hydraulic cylinder for effecting the sluing or swivelling
movement of the jib, substantially as herein before described.
4.—The arranging of the bydraulic cylinder which produces the sluing or
swivelling of the jib so as at the same time to raise or lower the outer end of the
jib substantially as herein before described.
5. The improved combination consisting of the jib with the hydraulic cylinder
forming part of it and with an bydraulic cylinder for raising or lowering the jib,
the whole being carried by a frame casting fixed on the ship's mast substantially as
herein before described.
6. In a ship's crane, the hydraulic cylinder for working the hoisting chain made
part of a jib arranged to slue or swivel by the action of an hydraulic cylinder fixed
to the ship's mast substantially as herein before described.
Dated this twenty-fourth day of September 1885.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.