Improvements connected with the Weighing of Packages or Goods Delivered from Ships, and under analogous Conditions, and in Weighing Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 11th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 6th Mar., 1897
Improvements connected with the Weighing of Packages or Goods
Delivered from Ships, and under analogous Conditions, and in
Weighing Apparatus.
I, ELIJAH BANKS, of 28 Berkeley Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Superintendent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has chiefly reference to the weighing of goods such as bales or
packages, as they are delivered from a ship onto a quay or like point of delivery,
or in delivering similar goods under analogous conditions; and it also has reference
to weighing machines employed therein.
For convenience the invention will be described as applied to the weighing of
bale goods as delivered from a ship's hold onto a quay or similar landing, and
wherein the weighing machine employed is of the "platform" type, mounted on
wheels, and used in and about docks and quays for these purposes, it being assumed
that the ship is alongside the quay. In this case, the weighing machine is placed
some small distance from the side of the ship, and there is provided between the
ship's side and the platform of the weighing machine, a stage or false flooring,
the surface of which is made practically flush and even with that of the machine
platform; and on the side of the weighing machine away from the ship, there is
another portion of staging or flooring, and an inclined plane road or way running
from such flooring to the level of the quay or other floor, while in connection
with the first named stage or flooring between the ship and the weighing machine
platform, there is a second inclined plane road or way. The first inclined plane
serves as a way for wheeling the goods down from off the weighing machine or
staging to the ground level, and the second serves as the way to run the trucks
back from the ground level onto the staging.
In action, the bales are first delivered from the ship onto a bale in a lying
position, and from here they are taken and placed on the hand trucks. On these
hand trucks they are wheeled along the staging to the platform of the weighing
machine, to be weighed; and on this platform there is provided a support, such as
an arm or arms standing on legs or equivalently mounted on such platform, on
which the handle end of the hand truck is rested when the goods are being weighed,
so that this part of the truck is kept up, and therefore after weighing, can be taken
by the wheeler from this position and run directly off the weighing machine
without having to lift the bale: thereby saving labour and time. This support or
rest may be adapted to engage with a part of the hand truck, say the legs, or other
part, and hold it, in order that it should not slip or move after being placed in
position. After weighing, the bale is run from the machine platform down the
incline staging onto the floor of the warehouse or other part, to the point desired.
After it is discharged, the band truck is run back up the second inclined plane way
on to the receiving staging.
In this method of weighing it will be seen that the hand truck is weighed with
the bale, and this is done to avoid waste of time and labour in taking the bale ou
and off the hand truck. The weight of the hand trucks all being the same, it is

page_text: only necessary to make a permanent allowance for them, in the weighing of each
bale.
In the case of weighing goods delivered from vessels or under like conditions
where the weighing machine is of the ordinary scale beam type, I provide a special
construction of the weighing pan or platform on which the goods are weighed, by
which a bale on its truck can be run onto and held thereon and weighed with the
handles of the truck standing up off the ground. The construction consists in
providing shallow projecting ribs or like provisions on the weighing scale pan or
platform, by which when the hand truck with the bale is run on to it, will hold
the wheels of the truck between them, whilst the front lower edge of the bale will
rest on or near the edge of the pan or platform; and here also, in some cases,
similar projectious or provisions are employed for holding the wheels, are used,
between which the edge of the bale rests. The projections or provisions are of
such a height, and so formed, that they enable the truck to be readily wheeled
over them in wheeling the goods or bale onto the scale, but sufficiently deep, and
of such a form that they hold the truck wheels when they run on to the scale.
By weighing bales or packages on trucks, and in the position and manner
specified, they can be quickly placed on the weighing machine, and after weighing,
the truck and package can be directly run off without lifting it, and it enables the
weighing of such goods to be rapidly performed and with less labour than usually
employed. And by this invention, the number of bales or packages which can be
delivered and weighed is considerably greater than can be done when using the
ordinary methods of and apparatus for weighing such goods, as delivered from
ships' holds, and under like conditions.
Dated this 10th den of Mount 1000
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15 Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.
Improvements connected with the Weighing of Packages or Goods
Delivered from Ships, and under analogous Conditions, and in
Weighing Apparatus.
I, ELIJAH BANKS of 28 Berkley Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Superintendent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention has chiefly reference to the weighing of goods, such as bales or
packages, as they are delivered from a ship onto a quay or like point of delivery,
or in delivering similar goods under analogous conditions; and it also has reference
to weighing machines employed therein.
For convenience, the invention will be described as applied to the weighing of
bale goods, as delivered from a ship's hold onto a quay or similar landing, and
wherein the weighing machine employed is of the "platform" type, mounted on
wheels, and used in and about docks and quays for these purposes, it being assumed
that the ship is alongside the quay. In this case, the weighing machine is placed
some small distance from the side of the ship, and there is provided, between the
ship's side and the platform of the weighing machine, a stage or false flooring,
the surface of which is made practically flush and even with that of the machine
platform; and on the side of the weighing machine away from the ship, there is
another portion of staging or flooring, and au inclined plane, road or way running

page_text: from such flooring to the level of the quay or other floor, while in connection with
the first named stage or flooring between the ship and the weighing machine plat-
form, there is a second inclined plane road or way. The first inclined plane serves
as a way for wheeling the goods down from off the weighing machine or staging
to the ground level, and the second serves as the way to run the trucks back from
the ground level into the staging.
In action, the bales are first delivered from the ship onto a bale in a lying
position, where they are taken and placed on the band trucks. On these hand
trucks they are wheeled along the staging to the platform of the weighing machine,
to be weighed; and on this platform there is provided a support, such as an arm
or arins standing on legs or equivalently mounted on such platform, on which the
handle end of the hand truck is rested when the goods are being weighed, so that
this part of the truck is kept up, aud therefore, after weighing, can be taken by
the wheeler from this position, and run directly off the weighing machine without
having to lift the bale: thereby saving labour and time. This support or rest
may be adapted to engage with a part of the hand truck, say the legs, or other
part, and hold it, in order that it should not slip or move after being placed in
position. After weighing, the bale is run from the machine platform down the
incline staging onto the floor of the warehouse or other part, to the point desired.
After it is discharged, the hand truck is run back up the second inclined plane
way on to the receiving staging.
In this method of weighing it will be seen that the hand truck is weighed with
the bale, and this is done to avoid waste of time and labour in taking the bale on
and off the hand truck. The weight of the hand trucks all being the same, it is
only necessary to make a permanent allowance for them, in the weighing of
each bale.
In the case of weighing goods, delivered from vessels or under like conditions,
where the weighing machine is of the ordinary scale beam type, I provide a special
construction of the weighing pan or platform on which the goods are weighed, by
which a bale on its truck can be run onto and held thereon and weighed, with
the handles of the truck standing up off the ground.
By weighing bales or packages on trucks, and in the position and manner
specified, they can be quickly placed on the weighing machine, and after weighing,
the truck and package can be directly run off without lifting it, and it enables the
weighing of such goods to be rapidly performed and with less labour than usually
employed. And by this invention, the number of bales or packages which can be
delivered and weighed is considerably greater than can be done when using the
ordinary methods of and apparatus for weighing such goods, as delivered from
ships' holds, and under like conditions.
The drawings hereto annexed shew the invention, the nature of which is above
described; Figure 1 being a perspective view and Figure 2 a plan, illustrating
the invention; and Figure 3 a view shewing a truck supporting arm used in
connection with a beam weighing machine.
Referring in the first instance to Figures 1 and 2, a is the platform weighing
machine of the ordinary kind, mounted upon wheels, and used about dock quays,
the upper plate al of which is the platform proper, and on which the goods are
wheeled and weighed. b represents the side of a ship from which goods are to be
discharged and weighed. c is a staging or false flooring upon the quay ground,
it being of equal beight and level with the upper surface of the weighing machine a,
and extending between the ship's side, and the weighing machine a, which is placed
laterally across the end of the staging or floor c. d is a second floor or stage
on the opposite side of the machine a to c, and e is an inclined plane, road, or way,
extending between the surface of d, down to the ground level of the quay. fis
another inclined road or way extending between the surface of c, at one side, and
the quay floor or ground. is an ordinary hand truck, such as is commonly used
for handling bales of cotton; and iis an arm or support on which the front end
of the hand truck is supported when being weighed.

page_text: In operation, in weighing bales of cotton as they are discharged from a ship,
and delivered onto the dock quay, the bales, as they come out of the ship, are
lowered onto the raised floor c, placed upon the trucks, as h, and then run by the
labourers along the raised floor c from the ship's side onto the platform of the
weighing machine a. The truck, with its load, is placed in position on the plat-
form, with the front end elevated, and supported by the support i, as shewn. Then,
when they are weighed, the labourer again takes hold of the handles of the truck,
and, turning it into line with the second floor d, runs it off the platform of the
weighing machine onto d, and thence down the inclined roadway e onto the ground
or floor of the quay, from whence it is taken to the desired point of delivery.
Having discharged the bale from the truck, the truck is brought back up the
inclined road or way fonto the raised floor c direct, and to the ship's side, to be
again loaded, and worked in the manner before described. By this arrangement
of weighing machinery and parts connected therewith, goods are very quickly and
easily run from the ship's side to the weighing machine, and thence to the quay
floor, and then returned for reloading to the ship's side; and also, by being
supported upon the weighing machine, as described, the labour connected with the
operation is comparatively light, and the whole process of weighing and discharging
from the ship's side to a quay is reduced, rendering it possible to discharge and
weigh out ship's cargoes in less time than is ordinarily occupied, and so, propor-
tionately, saving the expense.
In the particular form of truck supporting device, shewn in Figure 3, the
support consists of three legs k, k, k, which are bolted or rivetted to the scale
1 of the beam weighing machine. The upper end of the support consists of
a pin m, projecting from the head 2 of the support, and having upon its outer end,
a head m'. This pin m extends through the ordinary loop leg n of the hand
truck o, the leg being placed over the pin after the truck has been run onto the
scale pan l.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The herein described improved combination and arrangement of parts, con-
nected with the weighing of packages or goods delivered from ships, and under
analogous conditions, consisting of a platform weighing machine, raised or false
flooring between the ship and such weighing machine, and inclined ways or road-
ways, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purpose described,
and as shewn in the drawings hereto annexed.
2. The particular construction and form of truck support, fixed upon the scale
pan of a beam weighing machine, as set forth with reference to and shewn in
Figure 3 of the drawings.
Dated this 10th day of December 1896.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15 Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.