Improvements in the Construction and Equipment of Grain Lighters and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1893
COMIDDIE DI MOITIATION.
Improvements in the Construction and Equipment of Grain Lighters
and the like.
I, WILLIAM LITTLEJOHN PHILIP Engineer of Melksham in the County of
Wilts 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, which relates to the construction and equipment of grain
lighters, barges, or other floating vessels, has for its object to enable such craft
to be automatically trimmed, that is to say to facilitate the discharge of grain,
seed, or other cargo therefrom when shipped in bulk.
For this purpose the lighter or the like is provided with a longitudinal conveyor
(or conveyors) which receives the grain or other cargo as it falls through suitable
openings or shoots and conducts it to an elevator situated at a convenient part of
the lighter, by means of which the grain is conveyed and fed into a space or
compartment arranged in proximity to the elevator and from which the grain is
removed by the warehouse outside elevator or other means. When however it is
desired to fill the grain into sacks or other receiving vessels, I provide the before-
mentioned space or compartment with a suitably shaped portable hopper into
which the grain falls from the elevator instead of into the space or compartment.
From this hopper the grain is deposited into the sacks or other receiving vessels.
In order that my said invention may be more fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section and Figure 2 a cross section taken amidships
shewing my invention applied to a lighter.
The lighter is fitted internally with either a permanent or a removeable hopper-
shaped bottom H and is built or fitted with a trough or troughs T along its
longitudinal centre or on one side thereof, in either or all of which troughs is fitted
a band or other conveyor C which receives the grain or other cargo from
suitable openings or shoots in the floor of the lighter and conducts it to the
elevator E (Fig. 1) which raises and delivers it either into the compartment or
space S or into the portable hopper A that is adapted to fit in the said com-
partment or space S. This space or compartment is produced by the transverse
bulkhead B and permits of an elevator dipping into it when the cargo is to be
discharged on to the quay, or into a warehouse, or into other craft. This space or
compartment also gives room for sacking off or for discharging the cargo by means
of iron tubs, buckets, or the like. In the latter case as before stated the space or
compartment is provided with the portable hopper A which is situated at a
suitable height and receives the grain or other cargo from the elevator which it
discharges, through an opening at D, into the sacks or other receiving vessels.
The requisite power for driving may be derived from any suitable motor such
as a steam, gas, or oil engine situated on board the vessel.
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:
1. The construction and equipment of lighters, barges, or the like for the
conveyance of grain, seed, or other cargoes when shipped in bulk, substantially as
hamisha docauibed and shown he the annexed drawings

page_text: 2. In a lighter, barge, or the like for the conveyance of grain, seed or other
cargoes when shipped in bulk, the combination of a band or other conveyor such
as C, an elevator such as E, and a space or compartment such as S, all arranged
substantially in the manner herein before described and shewn and for the purpose
of enabling the cargo to be automatically fed to a warehouse-outside-elevator.
3. In a lighter barge or the like for the conveyance of grain, seed, or other
cargoes when shipped in bulk, the combination of a band or other conveyor such
as C, an elevator such as E, a space or compartment such as S and a portable
hopper such as A all arranged substantially as herein before described and shewn
and for the purpose of enabling the cargo to be filled into sacks or other vessels
used for containing same while being hoisted.
Dated the 16th day of October 1893.
MELLERSH-JACKSON,
WM.
75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.