IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-FILLING AND SELF-DISCHARGING GRAPPLES, SKIPS OR BUCKETS AND IN APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING THE SAME
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Frederick Fuller of the firm of C A and A Fuller,
of Millwall in the County of Middlesex Dredging Contractors for an Invention
of IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-FILLING AND SELF-DISCHARGING GRAPPLES, SKIPS
OR BUCKETS AND IN APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING THE SAME
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Frederick Fuller at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th January 1883.
GEORGE FREDERICK FULLER, of the firm of G A and A Fuller of Millwall in the
County of Middlesex, Dredging Contractors IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-FILLING AND
SELF-DISCHARGING GRAPPLES, SKIPS OR BUCKETS AND IN APPARATUS FOR OPENING
AND CLOSING THE SAME
"
My Invention relates to an improved self filling and self discharging, Grapple
Skip or Bucket for Dredging, and for loading and discharging Mud, Grain or other
matters in bulk and to Apparatus for opening and closing the said Grapple Skip
or Bucket.
The objects of the Invention are:
First to construct a light and efficient Grapple Skip or Bucket of great strength
and durability at a low cost.
Second to provide improved apparatus and appliances applicable to Hand,
Steam, Hydraulic, or other power cranes, crabs, Winches or any kind of hoisting
Mechanism, for the expeditions opening and closing of the said Grapple, Skip or
Bucket.
The Grapple, Skip, or Bucket, is constructed of Semicircular, or other suitable
shape in halves, joined together at the centre by suitable joints or Hinges on which
the halves freely open and shut. The leverage for closing the said Grapple, Skip,
or Bucket is obtained by means of powerful cross-levers, connected by arms to a
cross-tree to which the main or Hoisting chain is attached. The opening of the
Grapple, Skip, or Bucket is effected by means of a sling-chain or rope, connected to
the extreme edges of the said Bucket and attached at its centre to the discharging
or opening Chain.

page_text: The Automatic working of the opening or discharging chain above referred to is
effected by a barrel which is of larger Diameter, or, driven at a greater speed than
the Main or Hoisting Barrel of the Crane or Hoisting Mechanism to which my
Invention is to be applied, and is driven by an Automatic Conical friction clutch.
This conical clutchi is adjusted by means of set screws, Lock Nuts or other
convenient means sufficiently tight to lift the weight of the discharging or opening
chain, after which it is quite Automatic in its Action. The method of working is
as follows:-
The two chains being attached to the Bucket as above described, the Bucket is
lowered down by the main or hoisting chain to within as few feet of the matter to
be lifted.
The brake is then applied to the barrel on which the opening or discharging
chain is wound whereby the motion of the opening chain is arrested and the
Bucket caused to open. The Bucket is then dropped onto the matter to be raised
and is then hoisted up by the Main or Hoisting Chain whereby the Bucket is
made to close and grasp the matters to be raised and convey the same to the
required place whereupon the Brake on the opening chain is again applied and the
Bucket made to open and discharge its contents.
It will be seen that by the foregoing explanation that when the Bucket is being
lowered down by the main or Hoisting chain, the opening or discharging chain is
working the friction clutch, which maintains sufficient tension on the opening
chain to ensure no more chain running off the Barrel than required.
.
If by any means more chain should be run off than is required the Barrel on
which the opening or discharging chain is wound being of larger diameter or driven
faster than the main or Hoisting Barrel, it will speedily take up the Surplus Chain
and the two chains will work up simultaneously. It will be obvious that the
friction clutch is always working, (more or less) according as the two Barrels vary
in size or speed, during the whole of the Hoisting operation.
In applying the Invention to Hydraulic or other Nechanism Cranes in which
the parts have no rotary motion, it is proposed to obtain the required motion
from the chain sheave; over or under which the main or Hoisting chain travels.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Frederick Fuller in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th July 1883.
GEORGE FREDERICK FULLER of the firm of G. A. and A. Fuller of Milwall in the
County of Middlesex, Dredging Contractors "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF FILLING AND
SELF DISCHARGING GRAPPLES, SKIPS, OR BUCKETS AND IN APPARATUS FOR OPENING
AND CLOSING THE SAME."
My Invention relates to an improved self filling and self discharging grapple
skip or bucket and to apparatus for opening and closing the same.
The objects of the Invention are:-(1) To construct a light and efficient grapple
skip or bucket of great strength and durability at a low cost. (2) To provide
improved apparatus and appliances applicable to hand, steam, hydraulio, or other
power cranes, crabs, winches, or any kind of hoisting mechanism for the expeditious
opening and closing of the said bucket.
The bucket is constructed of semicircular or other suitable shape in halves joined
together at the centre by suitable joints or hinges on which the halves freely open
and shut. The leverage for closing the said bucket is obtained by means of cross
levers connected by arms to a cross-tree to which the main or hoisting chain is
attached. The opening of the bucket is effected by means of a sling chain or rope
connected to the extreme edges of the said bucket and attached at its centre to the
discharging or opening chain.
The working of the opening or discharging chain above referred to is effected by
a barrel which is of larger diameter than, or which is so geared that it tends to run
at a greater speed than the main or hoisting barrel of the crane or hoisting
mechanism to which my Invention is to be applied, and is driven by an automatic
conical friction clutch. This conical clutch is adjusted by means of set screws,
lock nuts, or other convenient means sufficiently tight to just lift the weight of the
discharging or opening chain without putting such a strain on it as to open the
bucket. The method of working is as follows:-
The two chains being attached to the bucket as above described, it is lowered
down to within a few feet of the matter to be lifted. The brake is then applied to
the barrel on which the opening or discharging chain is wound whereby the motion
of the said chain is arrested and the bucket caused to open. The bucket is then
dropped onto the matter to be raised and is then hoisted up by the main or hoisting
chain whereby the bucket is made to close and grasp the matter to be raised and
convey it to the required place whereupon the hoisting chain is slackened and the
brake is at same time applied to the opening chains so as to cause the bucket
to open and discharge its contents. It will be seen that when the bucket is being
lowered down, the opening or discharging chain is making the friction clutch slip
which it does with sufficient friction to prevent no more chain running off the
barrel than is required. If however an excess of chain should happen to run off,
its barrel being of larger diameter or geared faster than the main or hoisting barrel
will speedily take up the slack of the chain and the two chains will be wound up
simultaneously. It will be obvious that the friction clutch is slipping (more or
less) during the whole of the hoisting operation.
In applying the Invention to Hydraulic cranes or other mechanism in which the
hoisting chain is not wound on a barrel, the opening chain barrel would be driven
in the same way from the chain sheave over or under which the main or hoisting
chain travels.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings represent in the open and closed
positions respectively, end views of a fat form of bucket suitable for raising soft

page_text: material. Figures 3 and 4 are similar views of a half round bucket suitable for
working hard or stiff material, and Figure 5 is a side view of the same bucket.
A A are the two parts of the bucket, and B B are pairs of cross levers fixed to the
ends thereof and pivoted together upon a spindle 6 which is the joint upon which
the parts A open and shut. CC are bent links connecting the ends of levers B to
a cross bar D. E is the hoisting chain attached to said cross bar D. F is the
opening or discharging chain and F F1 are sling chains attached to F and to the
outer and upper edges of the parts A of the bucket. The closing and opening of
the bucket may be effected by bringing the weight of the bucket upon the one or
other chain EF as will be readily understood by any suitable appliances in
connection with the hoisting mechanism. Figures 6 to 9 represent my improved
appliances for this purpose, Figure 6 being a part sectional view of the barrel and
its friction clutch for working the opening or discharging chain F. Figure 7 is a
side elevation showing the brake applied thereto. Figure 8 is a front elevation
showing the arrangement of the barrels and gearing, and Figure 9 is a side
elevation of a steam crane with the above mechanism applied. The barrel G upon
which chain F is wound is fast on its shaft and is driven from the shaft of the hoisting
barrel H by spur wheels I K. The wheel K is loose on the shaft of barrel G and
drives it through a friction clutch. L is the male part of the conical friction clutch,
and M the female part formed in the hub of wheel K. The male part L slides on
a feather on the shaft and is adjusted in the female part by set screws n in a
collar N keyed on the shaft. O is the brake wheel on the other end of barrel G.
P is the brake strap, and p p p the cranks and connections for working it from a
way shaft Q operated by a treadlo T.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is
1 The particular combination and arrangement of the cross levers, connecting
links and cross tree for opening and closing the halves of the bucket by means of
chains respectively attached to the cross tree and to the halves of the bucket,
substantially as herein described and shown in the drawings.
2nd The combination of mechanism consisting of a hoisting chain barrel, a barrel
for winding the discharging chain of such diameter or so geared as to tend to wind
up its chain faster than the hoisting chain is wound, a friction clutch and gear for
driving said barrel, and a brake for checking its motion at required times, for
operating self acting buckets or skips, substantially as herein shown and described.
In Witness whereof I the said George Frederick Fuller bave hereunto set
my hand and seal this twelfth day of July, A.D. 1883
GEORGE. F. FULLER. (L.S.)