Improved Oyster and Clam Rake or Dredge.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Oyster and Clam Rake or Dredge.
We, HENRY RISLEY HILTONx, of No. 79 Clifton Place, Jersey City, New
Jersey, Merchant, and JAMES EDWARD WILSON, of No. 435 West 42nd Street,
New York City, New York, United States of America, Machinist, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to he
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
Our invention belongs to the class of dredging and excavating devices which
employs a series of rakes or scoops attached to one or more endless chains which
are stretched around sprocket-wheels rotated by any suitable power.
Our invention relates to a provision to enable the gathering and raising from
ocean-beds or water-bottoms of any substance lying thereupon or embedded therein,
the provision being more particularly intended for the gathering of clams and
oysters.
،،
Our invention can also be utilized for scarifying or cultivating" such bed-
surface preparatory to the planting of oysters or other shell-fish therein.
Referring to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this Specification,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying a simple form of our
invention ;
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same, the endless chains and their attached
rakes being omitted;
Figure 3 is an inside view of one of the rake-deflecting cams;
Figure 4 is a front view of one of the rakes and portions of the carrying chains;
Figure 5 is a side view of the rake-tooth;
Figure 6 is a top view of the same;
Figure 7 is a side view showing foot and coulter attachments ;
Figure 8 is a front view of said coulter and foot ;
Figure 9 represents a modification of the cam-adjusting and locking mechanism;
Figure 10 shows by side elevation a form of our dredge slightly differing from
that shown in Figure 1;
Figure 11 is a front elevation of the "boot" of such dredge omitting the rakes;
Figure 12 is a top view of a rake;
Figure 13 is an inner side view of one of the rakes in its socket together with a
portion of one of the endless chains;
Figure 14 is a top view of the same;
Figure 15 represents the rake in an up-tipped position.
W may represent a scow or other water craft.
A; A is the frame of the machine shown as constructed of ordinary water-
piping, braced with rods and supporting at its ends and at an intermediate point,
shafts a, al, all, the last named preferably non-rotative. On this shaft the revolving
parts are sleeved. The intermediate shaft a' also serves as the axis of a hinge for
the purpose hereinafter explained.
b, b, bu are sprocket wheels.
B, B¹ are endless chains or belts of which the chains B carry a series of
forwardly pointing or directed rakes, scoops or combs C by means of sockets or
ears c attached to the links of said chains. These sockets constitute bearings for
the rake-trunnions c¹.
el represents a grated back which while permitting escape of mud and water,
servés to retain the oysters or other matter which it is desired to elevate.
Sleeved upon a shaft a" are side cams D' connected by the sleeve D. The
office of these cams is to control the position to be assumed by the rakes while

page_text: passing around the lower sprocket wheels being drawn by the endless chain to
which they are journaled. By reference to Figures 4, 5, 6, 13, 14, and 15 it will
be seen that the trunnions c' form the axes about which each rake is at liberty to
vibrate upward in said sockets, but is prevented from depression below a horizontal
position in its loaded and ascending condition by stops or lugs c" on the sockets
against which the rake-arms fare brought to rest.
In order to secure the desired vibration, each rake has two arms that terminate
with inwardly extending lugs g, which occupy eccentric grooves d in the cams D
and thus serve to direct the rake points so as to first secure the proper penetration
of the sea-bed and then to emerge from the bed in the horizontal position best
adapted to retain and carry up the load or "take" thus collected-see Figures !
and 3.
To enable the person in charge to adjust the cams D' for a greater or less rake
penetration while the "boot" is submerged, we provide the following means-H is
a shaft supported in bearings in the plane of shafts a', a", and carrying at its lower
end bevel pinion which engages with bevel gear which is rigidly attached to
the shaft a carrying sleeve D. The shaft H carries at its upper end a like bevel
pinion i, which engages in a cogged segment j, that can be made fast to the frame
by means of an arin k, which carries a nutted bolt l, that traverses a slotted plate m,
upon the frame.
The shaft a and its attached sprocket wheels bare driven by any suitable means
such as chain or belt connection Z either with a hand winch (Figure 1) or with
a steam engine X' (Figure 10) which may be the engine which is employed to
propel the scow W through the instrumentality of any suitable propeller O, the
scow being kept head on by a rudder Q.
In the form above described the contents of the rakes may be removed by an
instrument in the hands of an attendant as shown in Figure 1.
The above described form or type of our invention is susceptible of various
modifications, for example: There may (see Figure 10) be a forward extension T
of the frame which carries the shaft a that does duty as the hinge between the
main parts of the frame; associated with this are two additional shafts all, A,
which carry
"idle" sprocket wheels 6, 6, indentations in the periphery of
the sprocket wheel I, permit the passage of the rake sockets in the manner shown.
By this arrangement the rake chains as they reach the point of discharge, are
deflected forward and downward as shown in Figure 10, so as to dump or discharge
the "take on to a suitable chute w, which conducts the matter into the scow.
"
A. crane U furnished with suitable tackle Y enables the person in charge to
suspend the machine at any desired height or position.
In some cases an adjustable foot or drag R (having preferably the transversely
concave sole ) may be employed to limit the penetration of the rakes. Both
foot and a coulter to be hereinafter described may be attached to and adjusted
simultaneous with the gearing has shown in Figure 7, or as shown in Figure 10;
said foot may depend from an arm . that vibrates loosely about shaft a and be
forced and held downward by a rod whose upper end bears against a nut q, on a
screw upon shaft H.
S (Figure 7) shows a coulter (also adjustable) which may be associated with
such foot.
, Figure 9 shows a worm-movement for use instead of the parts i, j, k, l, m.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-—
It being placed in position as shown in Figure 1, the lower or boot end resting
upon the surface of water-bottom sufficient weight having been attached to it to
resist the thrust of the rakes, the upper or boot end being attached to a suitable frame
on said boat or float, the outboard or hinged portion being supported by suitable
rigging Y, power is applied by means of an hand-winch, a steam-engine crank-shaft
or other convenient rotary motion to sprocket wheel E, thence via endless chain
or belt B in the direction indicated by arrows and through shaft a¹ to the endless
chain or belts 13' carrying rakes or combs c, c. As the rakes approach cams D¹, D',

page_text: the lugs y, enter the cain-grooves thus converging or diverging the points as may be
most desirable. Straight line O' represents the bed-surface upon which the boot
rests. Dotted lines represent the depth below said surface to which it is desired
the rake-teeth shall penetrate. Should it be desirable to thrust the blades or teeth
of the rakes to a greater or less distance below the surface it is accomplished by
adjustment of cams D' as explained above. The position of the cam grooves in
relation to the centre of rotation of the rakes is such that the rake teeth assume
nearly a horizontal position as they pass the lower centre and remain in that position
through the remainder of their revolution about the sprocket-wheels.
teeth are thus caused to penetrate the ground and by thus remaining in such
relative position, whatever they have gathered is elevated and delivered above
the surface of the water. Clams lie a few inches under the surface; oysters on the
surface, roots of vegetables penetrate below the surface, much refuse is often on the
surface and by means of the adjustment above described the "take" of the rakes
is at all times under the control of the operator.
Said
A forward movement of the float as indicated by arrow carries forward the,
machine which being weighted at the bottom will always preserve about the same
relative position. It being hinged rise or fall of the tide, waves or greater or less
depth of water within certain limits is provided for. The main frame may be
made extensible and by lengthening or shortening the same as well as the chains or
belts as great range of depth be provided for as may be desirable.
For use on mud-bottom when the boot-end would be liable to sink too deep it is
proposed to attach a shoe or foot R to the frame extending to the rear of the boot
which, dragging on the bed and covering a large surface, shall prevent deeper
penetration than is desired.
It may be found desirable in some cases to also attach to the lower end of the
frame suitable blades preferably in the form of revolving disks or coulters S which
shall be extended ahead of the general movement of the machine to cut the ground
to depth being worked the same as is used on turf-ploughs.
The said shoe R and coulters S are preferably arranged and connected to the
foot-frame in the manner shown in Figures 7 and 8, or as in Figures 10 and 11.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :
1. The combination with a self propelled scow, of a rotary submarine rake or
dredge having the frames substantially as shown and described, with endless chains
armed with tines which engage the water bed in the direction of travel of the
scow, constructed and operated substantially as set forth.
2. The combination of the hinged frame A A' with a rotary dredge or elevator
in which the positions of the buckets rakes or combs are controlled by the cam or
cams D within the boot of same, substantially as described.
3. In a rotary dredge or elevator the combination of the hinged frame A, A¹, the
endless elevator having teeth adjustable in pitch or angular presentation, with the
adjustable cam or cams, substantially as described.
4. In a rotary dredge or elevator, the combination with a scow of the hinged
frame A A', the endless chain or belts B armed with tines, rakes or combs c,
pointed in direction of travel of the scow, and the adjustable cam or cams B¹,
substantially as described.
5. In a rotary dredge or elevator the combination of hinged frame A A', endless
chain or belts B, the forwardly directed rakes or combs C, cam or cams D D¹
operating gears, and h¹, shaft H, pinion and segment j, substantially for the
purpose as described.
6. In a submarine dredge or elevator the combination of the frame A A', endless
chain or belt B, forwardly directed rakes, teeth or combs C, with the arms and the
stops c, substantially as described.
7. In a submarine dredge or rake, the combination of the frame a, a', the

page_text: endless revolving chains armed with tines, with the foot or drag attached to the
lower end of the frame, for the purposes set forth.
8. In the submarine dredge or rake, the combination with a scow, the frame A A'
rotatable endless chains armed with tines, and the cutting disks or coulters, substan-
tially as described.
9. In a submarine dredge, the combination with a supporting and dragging scow
provided with frame A A' and belt B of the boot or outer hinged frame having
the forward and downward projection T in combination with the rake bearing
chains B the driving sprocket wheel, and the idlers," substantially as
described.
10. In a submarine dredge having the supporting and dragging scow, the
combination of the frame A A' belt B, endless elevator B₁ having forwardly
directed teeth or tines C, shaft all, loosely vibrating arm a, rod p, nut q, and screw
threaded shaft H, .
11. In an oyster dredge, the combination of the frame A A', belt B, endless
chains B having the forwardly directed teeth or tines C, the attached sockets c
having stops or lugs e, and the vibratable rakes having arms j.
12. The combination with the oyster dredge, substantially as hereinbefore shown,
of the boot and the foot R having transversely concave sole r.
Dated this 19th October 1892.
F. W. BARKER.
Applicants' Agent.