IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE RECLA- MATION OF LOW OR SWAMPY LAND ADJACENT TO TIDAL WATER A com
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake of the Firm of Haseltine Lake
& Co. Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE RECLA-
MATION OF LOW OR SWAMPY LAND ADJACENT TO TIDAL WATER A com-
munication from abroad by George Howell of Philadelphia Pennsylvania
United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th January 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine Lake and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR USE IN THE RECLAMATION OF LOW OR SWAMPY LAND ADJACENT TO TIDAL
WATER" [A communication from abroad by George Howell of Philadelphia
Pennsylvania United States of America]
This Invention has relation to machinery or apparatus for use in, reclaiming, low
The said Invention
or swampy lands adjacent to sandy beaches of the ocean.
consists partly in the method or process of securing and applying the necessary
inaterial (sand or mud) for filling in such lands without injury to the beach where
the operation is carried on, and without the necessity of resorting to dumping or
It consists further in the
other artificial means of obtaining such material
peculiar construction of an excavating and distributing apparatus for carrying
such method into effect.
As is well known, there is lying adjacent to sandy beaches, much low and swampy
land which, if reclaimed by filling in, would be of great value. Owing to the great
expense and labor required by the ordinary method of carting and dumping, such
reclamation has hitherto been found impracticable except to a very limited and
almost insignificant extent. Objection too, has been found to exist to such method
on the ground of injury to the beach from which the material is taken.
In constructing the said apparatus or excavator I provide an endless travelling
apron or conveyer supported at either end on wheels on shafts in frames respectively,
and provided with scrapers. A support is secured in or upon the water or on the

page_text: beach below low water, by an anchor or equivalent means, and one of the shafts o
the wheels has bearings in a frame hinged so as to be vertically adjustable
according to the condition of the tides and to lower itself as the excavation
proceeds. I provide a frame consisting of two side standards with cross-pieces
secured by bolts to piles or stakes driven into the ground. There are bolts which
form pivots permitting the degree of inclination of the standards to be varied as
required; The frame carries the driving wheels to which power is applied as
hereinafter explained for moving the conveyer. Said conveyer consists of side
chains to which are connected scrapers one set of scrapers are inetal plates shaped,
in cross section of sufficient length to extend beyond or outside of the chains, to the
links of which they are secured by bolts. The other scrapers are flat plates of
only sufficient length to extend from one side chain to the other without lapping
or crossing either, being secured by bolts to brackets fastened to said chains.
The upper side of the conveyer moves downwardly and its lower side moves
upwardly from the water.
The operation of the excavating part of the apparatus is as follows;-the parts
being properly arranged, when the apron moves, the scrapers excavate sand or mud
from a point below high water, draw or push the same up over the beach, and
deliver it to a hopper from which it is discharged onto the tract of land by
distributing mechanism hereinafter described. As the water falls and rises, and the
excavation proceeds, the frame is adjusted, correspondingly so as always to cause
the scrapers to effect sufficient penetration of the beach to secure a due supply of
sand or mud. The material so withdrawn is replaced by natural agency, namely
the tides, so that it is not necessary on the one hand to provide a supply from the
excavator by dumping from dredges or by other artificial means, while on the
other hand, owing to this natural replacement, the beach is in no wise injured.
Where the beach has not sufficient natural inclination to cause the excavations to
be elevated sufficiently to permit their discharge at a suitable height, an artificial
incline may be provided, such incline consisting of a plank or other flooring
supported on posts or piles. At the upper extremity of this incline is formed an
opening, and on the under side of the incline, and surrounding this opening, is
attached the upper section of the hopper. The lower section of said hopper is secured
to the upper section by flange bolting whereby said lower section forms a swivel
and can be swung around to keep its discharge end constantly over the middle of
a distributing conveyer. Said distributing conveyer consists essentially of endless
chains travelling on wheels on shafts respectively. Said chains being connected by
scrapers.
One shaft is sustained in pivoted supports which are stayed by hinged
braces and said shaft receives motion from an engine mounted on a platform to
which said supports and braces are attached. A frame is mounted on rollers so
that it can be moved over the tract of land, transferring the distributing conveyer
to different parts of said tract or altering its radial position thereon with reference
to the excavating conveyer. The other shaft is mounted on the artus of a
"U" shaped frame which is centrally supported on a swivel post whose lower end
is swivelled on a base-board or foundation. This shaft, in addition to sprocket
wheels which engage with chains, carries also a toothed wheel which engages with
another toothed wheel on a shaft. On the inner end of this shaft is a bevel wheel
gearing with another bevel-wheel on a vertical shaft located directly over the
swivelled post. The vertical shaft carries on its upper end, another bevel-wheel
gearing with a similar wheel on the inner end of another shaft which carries, on
its outer end, a sprocket-wheel, from which proceeds to a wheel on a shaft, a chain.
By this arrangement of gearing the excavating conveyer is moved from the dis-
tributing conveyer, the latter receiving motion from the engine. It also permits the
distributor to be swung around from place to place on the tract to be reclaimed,
without disturbing the excavating apparatus or interfering with the operation of
either.

page_text: The operation of the excavating part of the apparatus is as follows:-The parts
being properly arranged as shown, when the apron inoves, the scrapers excavate sand
or mud from a point below high water, draw or push the same up over the beach and
deliver it into a hopper M from which it is discharged on to the tract of land C
by distributing mechanism hereinafter described. As the water falls and
rises, and the excavation proceeds, the frame F is adjusted correspondingly, so
as always to cause the scrapers to effect sufficient penetration of the beach
to secure a due supply of sand or mud. The material so withdrawn is
replaced by natural agency, namely the tides, so that it is not necessary
on the one hand to provide a supply for the excavator by dumping from dredges
or by other artificial means. While on the other hand owing to this natural
replacement, the beach is in nowise injured. Where the beach has not natural
inclination to cause the excavations to be elevated sufficiently to permit their
discharge at a suitable height, an artificial inclined plane may be provided. Such
inclined plane is shewn at L and consists of a plank or other flooring supported on
posts or piles l. At the upper extremity of this incline is formed an opening 2
and on the under side of the incline and surrounding this opening is attached the
upper section of the hopper M. The lower section of the said hopper is shewn
at M secured to the upper section M by flanges bolted as shown at m. The said
lower section forms a swivel and can be swung around to keep its discharge
end m' constantly over the middle of the distributing conveyor N. This distribu-
ting conveyor consists essentially of endless chains n travelling on wheels op on
the shafts O P respectively, the said chains being connected by scrapers . The
shaft is sustained in pivoted supports O' which are stayed by hinged braces o²
and the said shaft receives motion from an engine mounted on a platform or
frame Q to which the said supports and braces are attached. The frame Q₁ is
mounted on rollers so that it can be moved over the tract of land for transferring
the distributing conveyor to different parts of the said tract or altering its radial
position thereon with reference to the excavating conveyor. The shaft P is
mounted on the arms of a U-shaped frame R which is centrally supported on a post R¹
whose lower end is swivelled on a base board or foundation S. This shaft P in
addition to the sprocket-wheels p which engage with the chains n carries a toothed
wheel which engages with another toothed wheel on a shaft T. On the inner
end of this shaft T is a bevel wheel t¹ gearing with another bevel wheel u on a
vertical shaft U located directly over the swivelled post R'. The shaft U carries on
its upper end another bevel wheel u¹ gearing with a similar wheel on the inner
end of the shaft V, which carries on its outer end a sprocket-wheel v³ from which
proceeds, to a wheel g' on the shaft g', a chain W.
By this arrangement of gearing the excavating conveyor E is moved from the
distributing conveyor the latter receiving notion from the engine, it also permits
the distributor to be swung around from place to place on the tract to be
reclaimed, without disturbing the excavating apparatus or interfering with the
operation of either.
The operation of the distributor is substantially as follows:-The material
discharged from the hopper falls between the chains n upon the ground beneath,
and when it bas accumulated sufficiently will come within the reach and action of
the scrapers n' which are at the same time moving in the direction indicated by
the arrows y. The said scrapers push the mud along before them and distribute
the same over the ground from time to time as the filling-in of portions of the
tract sought to be reclaimed is effected, the conveyer N is moved so as to occupy a
different radial line from the post R' around which it swings. This is effected by
moving the platform Q in a circle or approximately in a circle having as its centre
the said post R₁ the frame R being swivelled thereon and therefore permitting the
shaft to always retain its parallelism with the shaft P, whatever may be the
position of the platform Q. The movement of the said platform may be accomplished
by any suitable means, preferably by the aid of rollers, on which the said platform
rests and is caused to roll by the aid of hand spikes. Any slack in the conveyor

page_text: caused by an inexact location of the platform Q1, or resulting from other cause, may
be taken up by adjusting the supports O' and their braces O².
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent and the manner of performning the same I wish it understood
that I claim.
First. The combination, with the endless apron or conveyor E, of an anchored
Support F carrying a pivoted adjustable frame F, all arranged to operate
substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth
Second. The combination of the excavating and lifting conveyor with the
distributing conveyor, an engine, and the intermediate gearing, substantially as set
forth and for the purposes specified.
Third. The combination with the excavating conveyor, the inclined plane, and
the distributing conveyor, of the swivelled hopper, substantially as shewn and
described and for the purposes specified
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand this Sixth day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)