IMPROVEMENTS IN, MACHINERY FOR DIGGING, EXCAVATING, AND REMOVING EARTH, GRAVEL, AND SUCH LIKE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Wright, of 42, Bridge Street, Blackfriars,
City of London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN,
MACHINERY FOR DIGGING, EXCAVATING, AND REMOVING EARTH, GRAVEL, AND
SUCH LIKE SUBSTANCES."-A communication from abroad by Messrs.
Couvreux and Combe, of 333, Rue St. Martin, Paris, in the Empire of
France.
Sealed the 7th November 1862, and dated the 15th May 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Wright at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th May
1862.
I, JAMES WRIGHT, of 42, Bridge Street, Blackfriars, City of London,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DIGGING, EXCAVATING, AND REMOVING EARTH,.
GRAVEL, AND SUCH LIKE SUBSTANCES," a communication, to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of an improved form of excavator worked by steam
or air, and which is capable of being moved on rails near the ground to be
excavated, and which removes the dirt, stones, gravel, and such like matters to
any distance that may be required. I place on a suitable frame, mounted on
wheels a boiler and engine. This engine drives a toothed wheel, which gives
motion to another similar wheel on whose axle is a square frame, over which
passes an endless chain of links, carrying a series of buckets or scoops. Each
bucket or scoop is preceded by a coulter or knife for penetrating and loosening.

page_text: the earth or soil, which is then scraped up by the scoop or bucket. The
endless chain carrying these buckets is kept at the required tension by a pole,
which can be raised or lowered by means of cords and pullies on the frame of
the machine. On the axle of the first-mentioned toothed wheel is an endless
band passing round a drum, and kept tight by a tension pole or rod similar to
the one before named; this pole may be of any length, and can be raised or
lowered as wished. The action is as follows:-Motion being given to the
toothed wheel carrying the square on which is the endless chain of buckets,
these are lowered to the required depth, and sink by their own weight into the
ground; these buckets are open on the side next the chain, and when in
action are kept close against it, but when they come over the pulley they
turn over by their own weight, and discharge their contents on the endless
table before mentioned, which removes it to a truck. This machine can be
moved in any direction on rails, and when placed on a boat it serves as a
dredging machine, with the advantage of raising the mud without disturbing
the bottom.
2
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Wright in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
November 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WRIGHT, of 42, Bridge Street, Blackfriars, City of London, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Wright, Her special licence that I, the said James Wright, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Wright, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make; use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY, FOR DIGGING, EXCAVATING, AND REMOVING EARTH, GRAVEL, AND BUCH
LIKE SUBSTANCES," a communication to him from abroad by Messrs. Couvreux
and Combe, of 333, Rue St. Martin, Paris, in the Empire of France, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Wright, my executors
.

page_text: or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal. Patent Office within six calendar.
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW.YE, that I, the said James Wright, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My Invention consists in an improved form of excavator to be worked
by steam or air and which is capable of being. moved on rails near the
ground to be excavated and which removes the dirt, stones, gravel,
and such like matters to any distance that may be required, I place on a
suitable frame and mounted on wheels a boiler and engine. This engine
drives a toothed wheel which gives motion to another similar wheel on
whose axle is a square frame over which passes an endless chain of links
carrying a series of buckets or scoops. Each bucket or scoop is preceeded
by a coulter or knife for penetrating and loosening the earth or soil, which
is then scraped up by the scoop or bucket. The endless chain carrying
these buckets is kept at the required tension by a pole which can be raised
or lowered by means of cords and pullies on the frame of the machine. On
the axle of the first mentioned toothed wheel is an endless band passing
round and kept tight by a tension pole or rod similar to the one before-
named, this pole may be of any length and can be raised or lowered as
wished. The action is as follows:-Motion being given to the toothed wheel
carrying the square on which is the endless chain of buckets, these are
lowered to the required depth and sink. by their own weight into the.
ground, these buckets are open' on the side next the chain and when in action
are kept close against it, but when they come over the pulley they turn over
by their own weight and discharge their contents on the endless table. :before
mentioned which removes it into a truck. This machine can be moved in
any direction on rails-and when placed on--a boat. it serves as a dredging
machine with the advantage of raising the mud without disturbing the
bottom:..
In order more clearly to illustrate the above description, I have to this
Specification appended the accompanying. Drawings, which are intended
to shew the best manner of carrying out my. Invention, modifications of which
however can be made to suit peculiar circumstances.

page_text: Figs. 1 & 2 are side elevations of my excavator in different positions.
Figs. 3 & 4 are views on a larger scale of the buckets or scoops and the
inode of actuating them. Similar letters refer to the same or similar parts in
the different Figures.
The whole machine, it will be seen, is supported on a strong timber
frame which moves on wheels A, A, rolling on the rails B, B, these
wheels are moved by the wheels C, and the endless chain D, D, through
the action of the winch handle D, and of course can be moved either
backwards or forwards. A steam cylinder E is fixed to this frame which
gives motion to the bevel wheel F which gears into the wheel C, which moves
the pinion d which pinion turns the large wheel G on whose axle .are the
wheels H, H, the endless table or band I, formed of long flat links and
narrow pieces of wood or iron encircles these wheels; this chain or table is
extended by the platform J which rests on the axle of the wheel G at the
extremity of which are two pullies L, L, round which the table passes,
which by this movement deposits the earth, gravel, and such like in the wagon
placed to receive it. This table is raised or lowered by means of an
upright 6, at the end of which is a double hook to which a chain from
the platform J is attached. This table is supported throughout its length
by means of pullies the number of which will of course vary with the
length of the table. The wheel G in giving motion to the table turns the
wheel Ofixed on the axle o¹, which axle carries the rectangular frames or
cams P, P, (see Figures 3 & 4, more particularly) each of whose sides
are equal to the length of the links R, Q, these drag along with their
movement the chain formed by these links to which are attached the iron
buckets or scoops S; the number of these buckets or scoops is fixed or
determined by the depth of the excavation. The buckets or scoops and the
links are placed on the slings or stretchers T, U, which are supported
The
by means of the rectangular cams, and the pullies t, t, and t, t.
buckets or scoops are only formed with three sides and discharge their
whole contents on the table through the side which presses against the
links of the endless chain. In front of each scoop is fixed a knife f, which
has the effect of a ploughshare in cutting the earth, which being thus loosened
is easily removed by the buckets or scoops. When it is wished to throw the
machine out of action the pinion c¹ is thrown into gear with the wheel o by
means of the lever d, this causes a roller fixed on the axle to revolve and coil

page_text: the rope round it, thus raising the slings or stretchers and with them the
system of buckets or scoops.
Having now described our Invention and how the same is carried into effect
I wish it understood that what I claim and wish secured by the before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the construction, general arrangements, and use of
an excavating machine as herein described and more fully illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
2nd, the means of removing earth by cutting it after the manner of a
ploughshare.
3rd, the means of carrying away and loading the excavated matter into
wagons or wherever it is requisite or convenient to discharge it.
4th, the method of and means for excavating laterally as in trenching.
5th, also removing the mud in rivers in a different and improved way
to the dredging machines as I do not by my method disturb the slimy or
muddy matters.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Wright, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-two.
JAMES WRIGHT. (L.S.)