Improved Means for Securing Tarpaulins and like Covers.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Securing Tarpaulins and like Covers.
We, JOHN WILSON SCOTT, of 17, Barrett Street, Stockton-on-Tees, in the County
of Durham, Foreman Shipwright, and WILLIAM KELSEY, of 120, Doncaster Road,
in the City and County of Newcastle-on-Tyne, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to means for securing tarpaulins and like covers and is
specially applicable for use on railway wagons and other movable or fixed recep-
tacles of a similar nature. Our object is to provide a simple and efficient appliance
whereby the fastening and unfastening of the cover can be effected in a more con-
venient manner than is possible by the usual system of ropes ring bolts, holed cover
edges and so forth.
The invention consists in permanently fixing on the wagon body or receptacle,
in suitable position, a series of appliances, each provided with a screw and clamping
member so disposed, that, on the operation of the screw, the clamping piece is
either moved towards the receptacle to secure the tarpaulin edge located there-
between, or away from it to effect the reverse purpose.
To this end, we fix to the receptacle a bolt adapted to prevent rotation in its
hole or seat. We enlarge the free end of this bolt and thereat provide a boss or
seat to receive a screw, and a projection or projections to support, in the inoperative
position, a clamping piece loosely carried by the said screw fitted with an actuating
part or handle.
The edge of the cover is arranged to overlap the wagon or receptacle side and
intervene between it and the clamping piece, which we make of such form and
dimensions as to adequately hold the cover between itself and the receptacle when
moved in that direction, on the operation of the screw, the reverse motion effect-
ing instant release.
In cases where the cover will not overlap the sides of the wagon or receptacle,
we connect thereto bars or supplementary sides whereon we fit the fastening
appliance above described, the tarpaulin being held between its clamping piece
and the said bar or side.
By the use of our improved means economy will result, as ropes are entirely
obviated, while the fastening and releasing of the cover will be performed with
great expedition and ease.
Datad this 25th day of than 1007
PRYOR & HARVEY.
Agents.

page_text: We, JOHN WILSON SCOTT, of 17, Barrett Street, Stockton-on-Tees, in the County
of Durham, Foreman Shipwright, and WILLIAM KELSEY, of 120, Doncaster Road,
in the City and County of Newcastle-on-Tyne, 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:―
Our invention relates to means for securing tarpaulins and like covers and is
specially applicable for use on railway wagons, and other movable or fixed recep-
tacles of a similar nature.
Our object is to provide a simple and efficient appliance whereby the fastening
and unfastening of the cover can be effected in a more convenient manner than
is possible by the usual systems.
The invention consists in permanently fixing on the wagon body or receptacle,
in suitable position, a series of appliances each provided with a screw and clamp-
ing member so disposed that on the operation of the screw the clamping piece is
either moved towards the receptacle to secure the tarpaulin edge located there-
between or away from it to effect the reverse purpose.
In the accompanying drawings, to which we will refer in full explanation of
our invention, two forms of it are delineated applied to different objects; Figs. 1,
2 and 3 are respectively a front elevation, a side elevation and a vertical central
section of the improved means fitted to a railway wagon and Figs. 4, 5 and.6 are
similar views showing their use on a ship's hatchway, only so much of the wagon
and hatchway being illustrated as will enable the mode of application being under-
stood.
Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, A designates a portion of one of the wagon
sides whereto a bolt B is fixed by a nut C and to prevent rotation in the hole or
seat it is formed with a square or like part D. The outer or free end of this bolt B
is enlarged to constitute a head E normally abutting on the side A and on it, at
one side, an internally screwed boss, seat or nut F is provided and at the other
projections G G. H is a screw supported by, and traversed in, the boss or nut F
from which it is hindered from being withdrawn by clinching its inner end, and,
as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the side A is recessed to receive both the boss 1 and
the inner end of the screw H. J is a handle connected to the screw H for operating
it. K is a clamping piece or plate loosely fitted over, and carried by, the screw H
and it will be seen that it is eccentrically arranged thereon and recessed at the
underside so that a shoulder L results for co-acting with the projections G G, the
objects of which are respectively to enable the plate K to readily assume its
inoperative position represented by Fig. 3 and support it from lateral collapse.
The bolt B, screw H and plate K with their accessories compose our improved
fastening appliance and there are as many of them fixed around the wagon at
suitable intervals apart and at a convenient distance from its top, as indicated in
Fig. 1, as may be requisite to adequately secure the tarpaulin or cover, and the
parts being in the positions shown in Fig. 3, the operation is as follows: -.
To secure the tarpaulin, marked by the letter M, it is drawn over the sides and
ends of the wagon until it intervenes between same and the plate K of each
appliance, then the screw H is traversed inwards by the handle J which simul-
taneously pushes the plate K towards the wagon body, the tarpaulin being thereby
tightly nipped between the two when the screwed H is screwed home as clearly
shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Thus the tarpaulin is effectually secured in position and
when it is desired to remove it the screw H is actuated to travel it outwards where-
upon the plate K immediately falls rearwards (thereby releasing the tarpaulin)

page_text: 5
ue to its eccentric. disposition, and takes up the position illustrated by Fig.
ith its back against the handle J and its shoulder L resting on the projections GG
hereby any tendency to swing laterally is entirely obviated and its maintenance
a the necessary attitude ensured for accomplishing expeditious, operation to secure
he tarpaulin; or cover. again.
i
J
.I'
"We will now describe Figs. 4, 5 and 6 from which it will be at once apparent
hat the difference between the arrangement illustrated by them and the previous
ne consists in the location of the screw for moving the clamping member or
late K. N is a portion of a ship's coaming to which the bolt B is fixed in the
manner aforesaid, that is by the nut C and square portion D. The enlarge-.
ment, E on the bolt B abutting against, the plate N is in this instance of a square
or similar contour but instead of being the termination of the bolt as before it is
The plate K
extended to form a circular, portion which is provided with a screw.
is carried by the enlargement E over which it is arranged eccentrically for the
reason already stated while the square formation of its seat obviates lateral dis-
placement, to further prevent which projections P P may be formed, as shown,
on the plate K so as to come against the coaming when the plate K falls thus pre-
venting it falling too far backwards or off the enlargement E when in the inoper-
ative position shown in Fig. 6. Upon the screw of the extension () a nut or
member Q, furnished with a corresponding screw, is adapted to be travelled to and
fro by, for example, a bar or key fitted into the hole in the lug R thereon and to.
stop it from working off, the end of the extension O is clinched. Appliances com-
posed as described are fixed around the hatchway in the same way as stated in
regard to the wagon, but as it is essential that the tarpaulin edge be gripped at
all points, we combine with them, to attain this end, a batten S of the usual form,
and as will be obvious, assuming the parts to be in the positions represented by
Fig. 6, the working is as follows:-
When the tarpaulin M is placed in proper position over the hatchway and the
member Qmoved towards same the plate K is thereby pushed inwards until it
finally nips the pre-inserted batten S and the tarpaulin M between itself and the
coaming plate N as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 while on operating the part Q in the
reverse direction the plate K falls backwards and the tarpaulin edge is freed, the
retention of the plate K in the position ready for the next operation being ensured.
as before described. In removing the tarpaulin M the battens S may be allowed
to remain and the several plates K moved to hold them against the hatchway con-
sequently saving them from becoming lost or damaged.
In both examples the lower portion of the plate K is shown slightly concave
with the object of procuring strength but it may be otherwise shaped if desire.]
and the gripping surface is or may be serrated or roughened to obtain efficient
holding power.
Though we prefer the arrangement described in reference to Figs 1, 2 and 3 for
adoption on wagons and the other on ships still both designs may be applied to
either if desired as well as to other receptacles in conjunction with a batten or not
as may be necessary.
In cases where the tarpaulin or cover will not sufficiently overlap the wagon or
receptacle required to be covered, we connect to the sides and ends thereof bars,
suitably shaped and spaced apart, to constitute supplementary sides and ends on
each of which we fit one of our improved appliances, the tarpaulin being fastened
between the clamping plate of same and the said bar.
By the use of the fastening means or appliances herein described ropes, ring
bolts, holed cover edges, wedges and so forth ordinarily employed are abolished
while economy in time and labour accrues since the fastening and unfastening are
rendered quick and easy of accomplishment.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
55 invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1
The improved means or appliance for securing tarpaulins and like cover

page_text: consisting of a screw and clamping member or plate constructed and adapted for
use substantially as set forth.
2. The combination of parts constituting the improved means or appliance for
securing tarpaulins and like covers arranged and operating substantially as herein
described and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the accompany-
ing drawings.