APPARATUS FOR LOADING SHIPS WITH PATENT FUEL
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Butler of 127 Bute Road, Cardiff, in the County
36°
of Glamorgan for an Invention of APPARATUS FOR LOADING SHIPS WITH
PATENT FUEL "
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Samuel Butler at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th March 1883.
SAMUEL BUTLER of 127 Bute Road, Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan
"APPARATUS FOR LOADING SHIPS WITH PATENT FUEL "
My Invention has principally for its object a rapid and simple means of loading
ships with blocks of patent fuel and consists in the use of improved apparatus
composed of an endless chain (chains) or band of metal, canvas, India rubber or
other suitable material passing over drums or pullies and provided with projections
or carriers for enabling it to convey or elevate the blocks of patent fuel to the
required height and discharge them into the ship
The drums or pullies are caused to rotate and motion communicated to the chain
(chains) or band at any required speed by steam, hydraulic, compressed air or
other motive power, or by manual labor
And in order that my said Invention may be well understood, I shall now
proceed particularly to describe the same, reference being made to the accompanying
sbeets of drawings, like letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in the
respective figures
Figure 1 sheet 1 is a side section of one form of my improved apparatus for
conveying or elevating the blocks of patent fuel
Figure 2 Sheet 1, a front view thereof, Figures 3, 4 and 5, Sheet 1, modifications
of parts of figures 1 and 2, and Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9, Sheet 2, various modes of
applying the apparatus for loading ships
In Figures 1 and 2 A represents an endless chain (or chains) of any desirable
length composed of short links a jointed together and passing round pitch chain
drums b. c. mounted on their axles between two side frames or cheeks d which may
be made of wood or other light material combining strength and rigidity-
Rotation is imparted to one of the drums b (or c) by a spur wheel e geared into
by pinion f (or otherwise) which is driven by the steam engine g as shewn-Or
any other description of motive power may be used for the purpose as before
mentioned
On the endless chain, (or chains) A at suitable distances apart the links a which
occur thereat are bent outwards at right angles so as to form projections or

page_text: carriers for holding the blocks of patent fuel to be conveyed or elevated (seen
more particularly to enlarged scale in figure 3)-These projections or carriers h on
the lifting face of the apparatus pass through slots formed in a screen or apron
which is made of sheet iron or other suitable material and is fixed between the
frames or cheeks d in proximity to the endless chain (or chains) A which it covers
and protects and is bent over and outwards from the upper drum b so as to direct
the blocks of patent fuel clear of the apparatus as bereafter more particularly
referred to
Figure 4 Sheet 1 shows a method of attaching projections or carriers h¹ to the
endless band a¹ when the latter is made of canvas, India rubber or analogous
material and Figure 5 sheet 1 represents a modified form of endless chain a² in
which the carriers h² are suspended therefrom for elevating soft blocks of fuel
requiring exceptionally careful handling
Figure 6 sheet 2 represents one mode of loading ships with blocks of patent
fuel from lighters or barges according to my invention In this arrangement the
apparatus A (Figures 1 to 5) is suspended from a derrick or otherwise over the
side of the ship B and the blocks of patent fuel being unloaded from the lighter
or barge C and placed onto the lower carriers h of the apparatus A are carried
upwards by the rotation of the endless chain (chains) or band and discharged over
the top drum b and apron i down a shoot or other arrangement D into the ship-
Or if desired the blocks may be removed from the endless chain (chains) or band
at any intermediate height as required-It may here be mentioned that the
apparatus A may be arranged and operated in any position or angle relative to
the ship and the endless chain (chains) or band be moved in either direction
Figure 7 shews a method of working the apparatus when the endless chain
(chains) or band is moved in the reverse direction in which case the blocks of patent
fuel will be forced up the inclined plane ¹ and discharged into the ship at the top
as shewn.
Figure 8 shews my improved apparatus mounted on a quay wall or wharf E in
which case it would be more convenient to apply the power to the bottom drum c,
the elevation of the blocks being effected from the land in a similar manner as
from a lighter C in figure 6
Or if desired the apparatus may be mounted in an independent boat or barge F
as shewn in figure 9, in which case also the power would be more advantageously
applied to the bottom drum c
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original and
therefore claim as my invention, is :—
1. The application and use of an endless chain (chains) or band, in combination
with projections or carriers and with drums rotated by any suitable motive power,
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings
2. The general construction and arrangements of apparatus substantially as and
for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings
In Witness Whereof I the said Samuel Butler have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Fifteenth day of March in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and eighty three