IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR LOADING OR UNLOADING SHIPS OR VESSELS AND CONVEYING CARGO THERETO OR THEREFROM
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Rennie, of Newry, Ireland, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR LOADING OR UNLOADING SHIPS
OR VESSELS AND CONVEYING CARGO THERETO OR THEREFROM."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Rennie at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd October 1879.
WILLIAM RENNIE, of Newry, Ireland.
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MEANS
FOR LOADING OR UNLOADING SHIPS OR VESSELS AND CONVEYING CARGO THERETO
OR THEREFROM,
"
My Invention relates chiefly to means for raising grain or other cargo from the
holds of vessels and delivering it into mills or warehouses, especially in cases where
the latter are situate at some distance from the water's edge; but the Invention is
also applicable to the conveyance of cargo from a distance to ships or vessels and
delivering the same therein.
In carrying out my Invention as applied, for example, to the loading of vessels, I
employ a frame of considerable height hinged at the bottom to a casting firmly
fixed in the masonry of the quay wall, so that by inclining it more or less the upper
end of the said frame may be brought directly over the hold of the vessel to be
discharged. To the upper end of the frame I make fast a strong wire rope which
extends from thence to the mill or warehouse, and entering a door or opening in
the wall of the latter, passes over a sheave in the interior, and carries at its extre-
mity a weight sufficient to maintain it taut and to raise the frame to any angle
that may be desired. For the purpose of lowering the frame into a suitable posi-
tion for the vessel to be discharged I use a winch fixed near its base, provided with
suitable tackle; when the frame has been adjusted to the right angle I hold it
firmly there by clamping the wire rope above the point where the weight is
attached to it.
On the wire rope so stretched I place a wheeled carriage or traveller, attached
to which is a hemp or other suitable rope, which being extended parallel to the
wire rope enters the warehouse by the same opening and is wound on to a barrel.
Motion may be imparted to the barrel when required by means of a shaft which is
driven by steam or other power, and which can be caused to actuate the barrel

page_text: when desired through the intervention of chains, a loose belt, and a pressure pulley.
The barrel is also provided with a pawl and ratchet wheel, and with a suitable
brake. The pressure pulley is applied by depressing the hand lever, and is at other
times kept out of action by a weight.
The tub for conveying the grain or other cargo is suspended from the traveller
by a hook fitted in a wrought iron frame containing a sheave, and having rigidly
attached to it wrought iron arms placed at a sufficient distance apart to admit the
carriage between them, the said arms having their upper ends formed as catches
adapted to take hold of a square pin or double stud fitted in and passing through
the carriage. The hemp rope first passes over a sheave in the carriage, and then
under another sheave to the point where it is made fast. Upon the casting forming
the end of the frame is hinged another double catch, the arms of which are at a
sufficient distance apart to admit the carriage between them, but which pass
between the latter and the arms. The catch secondly mentioned is formed with an
inclined side so that the stud before mentioned on coming in contact with it raises
it up, when it falls over the stud in the manner of a latch and retains the carriage
in position. The catch is also fitted with stops in order to prevent its rising or
falling beyond certain limits.
The apparatus is operated in the following manner :-The tub being lowered in
the bight of the hemp rope into the vessel's hold, the attendant in the warehouse is
signalled when it is full and ready for hoisting, upon which, bringing the pressure
pulley into action, he causes the hemp rope to be wound upon the barrel, at the
same time throwing the pawl into play to prevent any risk of accident. The tub
is thus hoisted and the inclined back of the catch formed on the end of the arms
comes in contact with the stud and is by it forced to the right so as to clear it.
Continuing to rise, a projecting piece on the arm throws catch secondly mentioned
off the stud. On being thus liberated the carriage owing to the pull of the rope
moves to the right and the catch on the arms drops on to the stud. The rope
continuing to be wound up, the carriage, with the tub suspended, now travels up
the incline of the wire rope till it enters the warehouse, where it is emptied and
then allowed to descend the incline again by gravity, the attendant governing its
velocity by means of the brake. On arriving at the bottom of the incline the stud
first takes the inclined side of the catch secondly mentioned raising it up. The
projection before mentioned then acts upon the catch on the arms and forces it from
the stud, the sheave, with the hook and tub attached, is then free to descend in the
bight of the rope as the latter continues to be unwound, by which means the tub
is lowered into the vessel's hold as before. At the same moment that the catch on
the arms is released from the stud the catch secondly mentioned drops on to it,
thereby preventing the retreat of the carriage, the action of the two sets of catches
being alternative, so that one always comes into action the moment the other is
released.
It is obvious that the apparatus above described is applicable to loading as well
as to unloading vessels.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Rennie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th April
1880.
WILLIAM RENNIE, of Newry, Ireland. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MEANS
FOR LOADING OR UNLOADING SHIPS OR VESSELS AND CONVEYING CARGO THERETO
OR THEREFROM.
"
My said Invention relates chiefly to means for raising grain or other cargo from
the holds of vessels and delivering it into mills or warehouses, especially in cases
where the latter are situate at soine distance from the water's edge; but the Inven-
tion is also applicable to the conveyance of cargo from a distance to ships or vessels,
and delivering the same therein.
In carrying out my said Invention as applied, for example, to the unloading of
ships or vessels, I employ apparatus constructed in the manner hereinafter described,
reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a side elevation representing a general
view of the complete apparatus; Figure 2 is a side elevation drawn to a larger
scale than Figure 1 of a carriage or traveller hereinafter referred to, and of parts
connected therewith, and Figure 3 is an end view of the same, corresponding to
Figure 2.
A is a strong frame of considerable height hinged at the bottom a to a casting B,
firmly fixed in the masonry of the quay wall C, so that by inclining it more or less
the upper end b of the said frame may be brought directly over the hold of the
vessel C' to be discharged. To the upper end 6 of the frame A. I make fast one
extremity of a strong wire rope D, which extends thence to the mill or warehouse E;
and entering a door or opening F in the wall of the latter, passes over a sheave G
in the interior, and carries at its other extremity a weight H sufficient to maintain
the wire rope D taut and to raise the frame A to any angle that may be desired.
For the purpose of lowering the frame A into a suitable position for the vessel to
be discharged I use a winch I, fixed near its base and provided with suitable
tackle c (see Figure 1). When the frame has been adjusted to the correct angle
I hold it firmly in that position by clamping the wire rope D above the point
where the weight H is attached to it..
On the wire rope so stretched I place a wheeled carriage or traveller K, attached
to which is a hemp or other suitable rope d, which being extended parallel to the
wire rope D enters the mill or warehouse E by the same door or opening F and is
wound on to a barrel e. Motion may be imparted to the barrel e by means of a
shaft f, which is driven by steam.or other power so as to constantly revolve in the
direction indicated by the arrow, and which is caused to actuate the barrel e when
desired through the intervention of a loose belt h passing over pulleys g, g, and a
pressure pulley . The barrel is also provided with a detent and ratchet wheel,
and with a suitable brake. The pressure pulley is applied by the act of
depressing the hand lever k, and is at other times kept out of action by a
weight l
The tub L for conveying the grain or other cargo is suspended from the
traveller K, as shewn in Figure 1, and more in detail in Figures 2 and 3, by a
hook fitted in a wrought iron frame containing a sheave m, and having rigidly
attached to it wrought iron arms n, placed at a sufficient distance apart to admit
the carriage R between them, the said arms having their upper ends formed as
catches o, adapted to take hold of a square pin or double stud p fitted in and
passing through the carriage K. It will be seen that the rope d first passes over a
sheave q in the carriage K, and then under the sheave m to the point r where it
is made fast. Upon the casting s, forming the end of the frame A, is hinged
another double catch t, the arms of which are at a sufficient distance apart to admit

page_text: the carriage K between them, but which pass between the latter and the arms n.
The catch t is formed with an inclined side t¹, so that the stud p on coming in
contact with it raises it, after which it falls over the stud in the manner of a latch
and retains the carriage K in the position shewn in Figure 2. Stops u are provided
in order to prevent the catch from rising or falling beyond certain limits.
The apparatus is operated in the following manner-Assuming the carriage K to
be in the position indicated by full lines in the Drawing, with the catch t engaging
with the stud p of the carriage so as to retain the latter in position, the tub Lis
lowered in the bight of the rope d into the vessel's hold, and the attendant in the
warehouse is signalled when it is full and ready for hoisting, upon which, bringing
the pressure pulley i into action, he causes the rope d to be wound upon the
barrel e, the detent being at the same time brought into gear in order to prevent
any risk of accident. The tub L is thus hoisted to the position of the hook ",
shewn in Figure 2, at which point it will be seen the inclined back o' of the catch o,
formed on the end of the arms n, comes in contact with the stud p, and is by it
forced to the right so as to clear it. Continuing to rise a projecting piece o², on
the arm n, engages with the catch t at the notch t³, and throws it off the stud p.
On being thus liberated the carriage K, owing to the pull of the rope d on the
sheave q, moves to the right and the catch o drops on to the stud p, as shewn in
dotted lines in Figure 2. The rope d continuing to be wound up, the carriage
with the tub suspended now travels up the incline of the wire rope D, until it
enters the warehouse, where it is emptied, and it is then allowed to descend the
incline again by gravity, the attendant governing its velocity by means of the
brake. On arriving at the bottom of the incline the stud p first acts upon the
inclined side t¹ of the catch t, thus raising it. The projection o2 then engages with
the catch t at the notch t², and being by it forced back the catch o is released from
the stud p and falls into the position shewn in Figure 2, thus leaving the sheave m
with the hook and tub L attached free to descend in the bight of the rope as
the latter continues to be unwound, by which means the tub L is lowered into the
vessel's hold as before. At the same moment that the catch o is released from the
stud p the catch t drops on to it (as shewn by full lines in Figure 2), thereby
preventing the retreat of the carriage K. The action of the catches o and t is
strictly alternative, one always coming into action the moment the other is
released.
It is obvious that the apparatus above described is applicable to loading as well
as to unloading vessels.
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 to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,―
The apparatus or means herein set forth for automatically converting a vertical
motion into an inclined motion or an inclined motion into a vertical motion of the
matters to be conveyed, the whole resulting from the simple and continuous
winding or unwinding of a rope under the control of an attendant, substantially as
and for the purposes herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Rennie, have to this my Specifi-
cation set my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM RENNIE. (L.S.)