Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Elevating Grain, Small Coal, or other material.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 21th Apr., 1893—Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Elevating Grain, Small
Coal, or other material.
We WILLIAM BECKET-HILL. of 103 Leadenhall Street, in the City of London
Gentleman and JOSEPH FELL REDMAN of 155 Osborne Road, Forest Gate,
East Ham in the County of Essex Superintendent Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to means or apparatus whereby grain small coal or other
material is elevated by means of a vacuum or partial vacuum and has for its object
to provide means or apparatus by which such vacuum can be more efficiently
obtained and its effect better utilized than hitherto. According to this invention
the vacuum or partial vacuum is obtained by condensing steam so as to withdraw
the air from a vessel, or chamber when the material (we will presume it to be grain)
passes up through a pipe or passage communicating with the said vessel or chamber
which pipe or passage is to so constructed or provided with an arrangement that a
vortex is obtained which causes the air and grain to pass into it tangentially or in
other way so that it takes a helical course as it passes up through the pipe or
passage. By closing the communication between the exhauster and the elevating
tube or passage the grain will run or can be discharged from the vessel or chamber.
A convenient way of carrying out the invention is to arrange the said vessels, or
chambers in pairs with an elevating pipe or passage having branches leading into
each vessel or chamber with a valve arranged at the junction of the clevating pipe
or passage with the branches and to provide a vacuum pipe or passage having
branches leading into each vessel or chamber with a valve at the junction between
the said pipe or passage with its branches. These valves are so arranged that by
turning them the vacuum pipe or passage and the elevating pipe or passage can be
alternately placed in communication with each vessel or chamber. The vacuum or
partial vacuum can be created by means of an ejector or injector-condenser which
is in connection with a supply of steam either waste steam from winches or other
source or live steam or both the condensation being effected by water or other
cooling agent led or drawn into the condenser. The vortex in the elevating pipe
or passage can be obtained by providing the lower end of the said pipe or passage
with openings or inlet passages so disposed as to cause the air and grain to pass
thereinto in a tangential direction. These openings can be made adjustable so as
to regulate the available inlets for air and grain. A convenient arrangement when
the apparatus is applied to the elevation of grain from the hold of a ship is to
provide any suitable number of pairs of vessels or chambers at or above the deck
level with an elevating pipe and vacuum pipe in connection therewith by branches
as described and to provide a steam pipe or steam pipes which may lead from any
source of steam supply say one from a source of supply of waste steam and one
from a source of supply of live steam so that they can either or both be used as
desired. This steam pipe is or these steam pipes are put in communication with
the vacuum pipe or passage and the ejector or injector condenser used in connection
therewith which pipe or passage may terminate in a nozzle led into the water
outside the ship so that a stream or streams of condensing water passes or pass
through and condense the steam and so create a vacuum strong enough to cause
the air and grain to enter the elevating pipe or passage in a vortex as described
and pass up into that vessel or chamber which by the valves has been placed in
communication with the said pipes or passages. In the said vessels or chambers a
perforated division plate between the openings of the said pipes or passages
prevents the grain from passing into the vacuum pipe or passage.
A nou return

page_text: valve is fitted to the said vacuum pipe or passage. Each vessel or chamber is
provided with an outlet flap or valve which closes when the vacuum is on.
When
the valves are reversed the other chamber or vessel is caused to be filled with
grain as described the vessel or chamber previously filled being shut off from the
pipes or passages so that the grain can be discharged from the said vessel or
chamber through the said outlet Hap or valve.
Dated this 27th day of July 1892
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Elevating Grain, Small
Coal, or other material.
We WILLIAM BECKET-HILL of 103 Leadenhall Street in the City of London
Gentleman and JOSEPH FELL REDMAN of 155 Osborne Road Forest Gate East
Ham in the County of Essex 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:--
run,
This invention relates to means or apparatus whereby grain, small coal, or other
material is elevated by means of a vacuum, or partial vacuum, and has for its
object to provide means, or apparatus, by which such vacuum can be more
efficiently obtained, and its effect better utilized than hitherto. According to this
invention the vacuum or partial vacuum, is obtained by condensing steam so as to
withdraw the air from a vessel, or chamber, when the material, (we will
presume it
to be grain), passes up through a pipe, or passage, communicating with the said
vessel, or chamber, which pipe, or passage, is so constructed, or provided with an
arrangement that a vortex is obtained which causes the air and grain to pass into
it tangentially, or in other way, so that it takes a helical course, as it passes
up through the pipe, or passage. By closing the communication between the
exhauster and the elevating tube, or passage, and admitting air the grain will
or can be discharged, from the vessel, or chamber. A convenient way of carrying
out the invention is to arrange the said vessels, or chambers, in pairs with an
elevating pipe, or passage, having branches leading into each vessel or chamber
with a valve arranged at the junction of the elevating pipe, or passage, with the
branches, and to provide a vacuum pipe, or passage, having branches leading into
cach vessel, or chamber, with a valve at the junction between the said pipe, or
passage, with its branches. These valves are so arranged that by turning them the
vacuum pipe, or passage, and the elevating pipe, or passage, can be alternately
placed in communication with each vessel or chamber. The vacuum, or partial
vacuum, can be created, by means of an ejector, which is in connection with a
supply of steam, either waste steam from winches, or other source, or live steam,
or both, the condensation of the steam (when it is required to be condensed) being
effected by water, or other cooling agent, led, or drawn into the condenser, or the
steam may be discharged into the water in which the ship containing the material
to be clevated is floating. The vortex in the elevating pipe, or passage, can be
obtained by providing the lower end of the said pipe, or passage, with openings,
or inlet passages, so disposed as to cause the air and grain to pass thereinto in a
tangential direction. These openings, can be made adjustable so as to regulate the
available inlets for air and grain. A convenient arrangement, when the apparatus
is applied to the elevation of grain from the hold of a ship, is to provide any
suitable number of pairs of vessels, or chambers, at, or above, the deck level, with
an elevating pipe and vacuum pipe in connection therewith by branches as described,
and to provide a steam pipe, or steam pipes, which may lead from any source of
steam supply say one from a source of supply of waste steam and one from a source
of supply of live steam, so that they can either, or both, be used as desired. This

page_text: steam pipe is, or these steam pipes are put in communication with the vacuum pipe,
or passage, and the ejector, or injector, condenser used in connection therewith,
which pipe, or passage, may terminate in a nozzle led into the water outside the
ship so that a stream, or streams, of condensing water, passes or pass through and
condense the steam and so create a vacuum strong enough to cause the air and
grain to enter the elevating pipe, or passage, in a vortex as described, and pass up
into that vessel, or chamber, which, by the valves, has been placed in communi-
cation with the said pipes, or passages. In the said vessels, or chambers, a
perforated division plate between the openings of the said pipes, or passages,
prevents the grain from passing into the vacuum pipe, or passage. A non-return
valve is fitted to the said vacuum pipe, or passage. Each vessel, or chamber, is
provided with an outlet flap, or valve, which closes when the vacuum is on. When
the valves are reversed the other chamber, or vessel, is caused to be filled with
grain, as described, the vessel, or chamber, previously filled being shut off from
the pipes, or passages and air admitted so that the grain can be discharged from
the said vessel, or chamber, through the said outlet Hap, or valve.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings are elevations at right angles to
each other of apparatus constructed according to our invention as applied to the
elevation of grain or small coal or the like from the hold of a ship.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a modified arrangement of apparatus and
Figure 4 is a sectional plan of the same.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of a modified construction of the vessel or
chamber for the grain or the like and
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the apparatus as applied for
supplying the coal bunkers of ships with coal.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, 1. 1* are two vessels or chambers arranged on the
deck of the ship over the hatch of the hold containing the material to be elevated
and which we will assume to be grain. 2 is a suction pipe connected to the
chambers 1, 1x and extending into the material to be elevated.
The pipe 2
communicates by branches 3, 3x with the chambers 1, 1x a valve 4 being provided
at the junction of these branches by means of which valve each chamber may be
alternately brought into communication with the pipe 2.
Communicating by branches 5, 5* with the upper part of each of the vessels or
chambers 1, 1 is a pipe 6 provided with a non-return valve at 7 and a vacuum
gauge at 8.
At the junction of the branches 5, 5* is a valve 9 by which the
pipe 6 may be caused to communicate with either the chamber 1 or 1* as required.
A partial vacuum may be created in the pipe 6 and the chamber 1 or 1x with
which it is in communication, by admitting steam into the pipe 6 through a pipe 10
in connection therewith, which steam may be the exhaust from steam winches or
from any other source. The pipe 10 is provided with a valve 11 to regulate the
admission of steam as required. If the steam admitted to the pipe 6 is to be
condensed the said pipe may be partly flexible and the end thereof may be inserted
into any suitable condensing device or as shown in the drawing it may be
connected to a nozzle or nozzles 12 which dip into the water in which the ship
containing the material to be elevated floats. Instead of exhaust steam or in
combination therewith live steam may be admitted to the pipe 6 by a pipe 13 to
produce an ejector action, the pipe 13 having a valve 14 by which the supply of live
steam may be regulated as required.
The ejector action set up in the pipe 6 causes the grain to rise in the pipe 2 and
through the valve 4 into the chamber or vessel 1 or 1 as the case may be.
In each of the chambers 1, 1* above the branches 3, 3x is a screen 14, 14* to
prevent the grain drawn into the chambers from entering the pipe 6. The lower
end of the pipe 2 may be embedded in the material to be elevated and is provided
with passages leading to the interior of the pipe arranged tangentially, through
which passages grain and air enter the pipe and produce a vortex therein which
causes the grain to rise in a spiral course and in a loose or separated condition.
When one of the chambers or vessels 1 or 1* is filled with the grain the position

page_text: of the valves 4 and 9 are reversed so as to close the communication between the
full chamber and the pipes 2 and 6 and open the communication between the
empty chamber and the said pipes. The grain then passes through the pipe 2
into the empty chamber and while this chamber is being filled the grain from the
other chamber may be discharged through the outlet 15, 15 by raising the
weighted valve or shutter 16, 16* into any suitable receptacle. In order to
facilitate the discharge of the grain from the chambers each chamber is provided
above the screens 14, 14x with an opening for air fitted with a valve which
may be opened and closed simultaneously with the movements of the valves 4
and 9 so as to open and admit air above the grain to the vessel when the
grain is to be discharged therefrom and to close when the vessels are to be filled
with grain.
The pipe 2 may be made in parts fitted to slide telescopically one within
another as shewn in the arrangement illustrated by Figures and 4 the lower
end of the said pipe resting on or just below the surface of the grain. Across
the open end of the pipe where the grain enters are bars 17 which serve to
prevent the end of the pipe sinking in the grain and also to separate the grain
as it enters the pipe and facilitate the entrance of air with the grain.
The principal supply of air to the interior of the pipe is by supplementary
air tubes or passages 18 opening to the interior of the pipe just above the open
end thereof where the grain enters.
The mouths or entrances to these supple-
mentary air pipes or passages are above the surface of the grain. These pipes
or passages are arranged so as to cause the air to enter the pipe 2 tangentially
and thereby produce a vortex in the pipe which will cause the grain to ascend
the pipe in a spiral course and in a loose or divided condition as before described.
In the arrangement illustrated by Figures 3 and 4 the upper end of the pipe 2
is connected to or enters a box or chamber 19 provided with passages 3, 3x com-
municating respectively with the chambers or vessels 1, 1x and fitted with a plug
valve 4, by means of which the communication between the pipe 2 and either of
the chambers may be opened and closed as required. The chambers 1, 1* are
connected by passages 5, 5x with the pipe 6 each of these passages having a
valve 9, 9 by means of which either chamber or vessel 1 or 1× as required may
be made to communicate with the pipe 6. The spindles of the valves 4 and 9, 9×
may be connected together by rods 20 so as to be operated simultaneously by
a single handle 21.
To the outer end of the pipe 6 is fitted a Siemens blower or ejector 23 the
inner end of which projects inside the pipe 6 and has openings 24 therein
through which air from the interior of the pipe 6 enters and passes through
the blower or ejector into the atmosphere. Connected to the blower at the rear
of the openings 24 is a pipe 25 through which live steam is caused to enter
and pass through the blower in the form of an annular jet with such force as
to draw the air out of and create a partial vacuum in the pipe 6 and the
chamber or vessel 1 or 1* in communication therewith thereby causing the grain
to ascend the pipe 2 into the said chamber or vessel the said grain being
prevented from entering the pipe 6 by the screens at 14, 14*. The lower ends
of the chambers 1, 1× are hopper shaped or inclined towards an outlet 26 fitted
with a slide or valve 16. When a chamber or vessel (1 or 1×) is sufficiently
charged with grain the valves 4 and 9, 9x are reversed in position by means
of the handle 21 and the discharge slide 16 in the bottom of the chamber is
then moved out so as to open the passage through the bottom, air being also
admitted to the upper part of the chamber or vessel as hereinbefore described,
whereupon the grain will pass through the opening at 16 into a sack or other
receptacle placed in position to receive it. While the grain is being discharged
from one of the chambers or vessels (1, 1×) the other chamber or vessel is
being filled as before described so that the process of elevation of the grain may
be carried on continuously until the whole of the grain is raised. As the bulk
of grain to be elevated reduces, the pipe 2 which is free to slide telescopically

page_text: elongates so that the lower end thereof sinks with the grain and remains on or just
below the surface as herein before described.
Instead of employing two chambers or vessels 1, 1× as hereinbefore described
one chamber or vessel only may be employed provided as shewn in Figure 5 with
Haps 28 hinged to two opposite sides of the interior of the said vessel or chamber
which flaps in their normal position lie against the sides to which they are hinged.
The pipe 6 is in communication with the upper part of the chamber or vessel and
when steam is admitted to the pipe and the blower action takes place as herein-
before described the flaps 28 are caused to rise until their lower edges meet, which
edges are provided with india rubber packing so as to form an air tight joint and
thereby form two distinct compartments 1 and 1*. The grain then enters the
upper compartment 1 and when this compartment is full the weight of the grain is
sufficient to cause the flaps 28 to open and allow the grain to fall into the com-
partment below from which it may be discharged through the opening 16 into a
sack or other receptacle. The flaps again close and the grain enters the upper
compartment as before and these operations are repeated the elevation of the grain
being continuous as before.
In applying the invention to the charging of coal bunkers with coal there is
fitted to the coaling batch of the ship a box or chamber 1 (Fig. 6) provided with a
strong screen 14 above which is connected the vacuum pipe 6 the suction pipe 2
being connected to the opposite side of the chamber and below the said screen.
The outer end of the suction pipe 2 is embedded in the coal contained in the barge
or vessel from which it is to be elevated and a blower action is produced in the
pipe 6 in the manner hereinbefore described which after exhausting the air from
the bunkers, which are practically air or dust proof will cause the coal to be drawn
from the barge through the pipe 2 into the chamber 1 and coming against the
screen 14 will be prevented from entering the pipe 6 and will fall from the chamber
through the hatch into the bunkers below until the whole of the coal is discharged
from the barge or until the bunkers are sufficiently charged. At the back of the
screen 14 is a finer screen 14* to prevent dust or small coal from being drawn into
the pipe 6.
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 :-
1st. In combination with apparatus for elevating grain small coal or other
material means for creating a vacuum or partial vacuum or inducing
a current of
air by means of steam admitted to a pipe or passage in connection with a chamber
so as to draw the grain or other material up a pipe or passage into the chamber
substantially as herein before described.
2nd. In apparatus for elevating grain small coal or other material means for
introducing air to the interior of the elevating pipe or passage so as to produce a
vortex in the pipe or passage and cause the materials to ascend in such a manner
as to prevent the clogging of the materials in the pipe or passage substantially as
hereinbefore described.
3rd. In apparatus for elevating grain small coal or other materials the com-
bination with an elevating pipe or passage in connection with a device for inducing
an air current by suction of a box or chamber having a screen against which the
material elevated comes into contact in such manner as to be directed thereby from
the said box or chamber into the place where it is to be deposited substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.
4th. The combination with apparatus such as is claimed by the preceding
claiming clauses one and two of a tube or passage leading from the place where the
materials are situated to the place where they are to be discharged and terminating
in separate outlets capable of being placed in communication with different
chambers and means for causing the deposit in and discharge from either chamber
as required all substantially as hereinbefore described.

page_text: 5th. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the apparatus or
means for elevating grain small coal or other materials substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
6th. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the apparatus or
means for elevating grain small coal or other material substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of Anuil 1802