Improvements in and relating to a System or Plant Comprising the Necessary Apparatus for Loading and Unloading Vessels and Cars of Coal, Grain, Sand, and other like Materials or Substances.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1889-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to a System or Plant Comprising
the Necessary Apparatus for Loading and Unloading Vessels
and Cars of Coal, Grain, Sand, and other like Materials or
Substances.
We, THOMAS MCBRIDE, of Number 2312, Lombard Street, in the City and County.
of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, one of the United States of America, Coal
Dealer, and EBENEZER FISHER, of Kincarden, Province of Ontario, Dominion of
Canada, Engineer, 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:-
Our invention relates to an improved plant in which a series of devices are used
for loading and unloading vessels and cars, of coal, grain, sand, etc., and transferring
the same to or from the place of storage.
The plant forming the subject matter of this application, consists of an excavating
bucket or scoop: a derrick by which the excavating bucket is raised and lowered,
said derrick being operated or swung around from side to side by means of a steam
actuated piston; a hopper in which the coal or other material is deposited; a con-
veying trough communicating with said hopper; and an endless conveyor, by which
the material to be moved is carried to the place of storage.
Referring to the accompanying Drawings:
Figure 1, is a view in perspective of our improved plant.
Figure 2, is a partial view of the derrick and devices for operating the same.
Figure 3, is a modification of the devices shown in Figure 2.
Figure 4, is a sectional view of the devices used for the stopping or arresting the
travel of the derrick.
..
Figure 5, is a side view of an expansible wheel which we use in connection with
our conveying rope.
Figure 6, is a sectional edge view of the expansible wheel.
A, indicates the excavating bucket or scoop, which is by preference of the con-
struction shown, described and claimed in an application filed by us of even date
herewith, said excavating bucket or scoop being operated by the boom, B, on the
mast, C.
The mast, C, is properly secured at its base and held in a vertical position by
suitable guy ropes or rods, in a manner well known to this class of devices.
The boom, B, is provided with metallic eye-plates, D, and, E, adapted to fit over
the bar or rod, F, which is firmly secured to the lower portion of the mast, an eye-
bolt, G, being passed over the rod, F, and firmly secured to the mast, and on which
the boom is supported at its lower end, the upper portion of said boom being con-
nected to the top of the mast by means of ropes or iron rods in the usual manner.
G, is a cylinder, pivoted between the two jaws, H, of the hanger or rod, I, so as
to have a motion in a vertical plane, the upper end of said rod or hanger being
passed up through a suitable opening in a supporting beam, K, as shown in Figure 2,
in such a manner that the cylinder can be moved around in a horizontal plane, as well
as in a vertical direction.
The cylinder, G, is provided with a piston rod, L, and the usual piston-head
working within said cylinder, and also with a steam, water or compressed air supply
pipe, M, which enters both ends of the cylinder, the steam, water, or compressed air
being supplied to the central portion of the pipe, M, through the pipe, N, from any
suitable source of power.
The pipes; M, and, N; at their point of union are provided with a three-way cock
which is operated by the lever, O, said lever being connected to the bar, P, and
operating rod, R, which is within easy reach of the cperator, so that the steam or other

page_text: motive power can be admitted at either end of the cylinder to force the piston in the
direction desired.
It will be understood that the cylinder is provided with the usual exhaust ports and
other parts necessary for its complete working.
The outer end of the piston rod, I, is formed into a rack, S, the teeth of which
engage with a segmental rack, T, secured to the boom, B.
The end of the piston of which the rack is formed, is held in engagement
with the segmental rack, T, on the boom by means of the rod, U, the upper end
of said rod being provided with a grooved friction wheel, V, to receive and support
the piston.
In Figure 3, we have shown a modification, in which the outer end of the piston
rod, L, is secured to the boom by means of the eye-bolt, W, the outer end of the
piston being bifurcated to fit over the eye-bolt, W, and provided with holes to receive
the bolt, a, which holds these parts together.
In order that the derrick may be under the full control of the operator at all times,
we provide a brake for arresting it at any desired point, and the devices forming the
brake are as follows:
B', is a curved bar of iron pivotally secured at one end to the boom, B, as shown
at, b, Figure 2, the other end of the curved bar being passed through a bracket, (",
secured to the supporting beam, K, and through a slot, d, formed in said beam, as
shown more plainly in Figure 4.
The object of making the bar, B', curved, is to allow it to conform to the curve
described by the boom in its swinging motion and so it will not bite or impinge on
the sides of the slots which guide it.
D', is a set screw seated in the top of the bracket,.C", and to the lower end of said
set screw is attached a brake block, f, of wood or other suitable material.
E', is a lever pivoted at one end to the bar, K.
G¹, is a snubbing bar secured to the lever, E', and passes up through the eye-bolt, g,
the upper end of said snubbing bar being provided with a large flat head, h, as shown
in Figure 4.
and
To the outer or free end of the lever, E¹, is secured a rod, H³, which
passes up
is connected with a treadle (not shown) in the operator's room, so that when the outer
or free end of the lever, E¹, is raised, the head, 7, of the snubbing bar, G³, will force
the bar, B₁, against the brake block, f, and stop the derrick, or decrease its motion to
any desired extent.
When the excavator bucket has been loaded, raised to the proper height and swung
around by the derrick just described, the contents are deposited in the bin, D', from
whence it finds its way by gravity into the trough, K', from whence it is taken by the
endless carrier, L', to the place of deposit.
The endless carrier consists of a wire-rope or cable on which are strung a series of
discs or plates, M', for conveying the material through the tube or trough, K',
said discs being provided with sleeves, N¹, for engagement with the arms of the
.driving wheel, O¹.
The novel features of said driving wheel will be more fully described hereinafter.
The sleeves, N¹, of the carrier are firmly secured to the wire cable with Babbit
,Metal or, in any suitable manner and at intervals of every two or three feet.
The sleeves, N¹, are provided with a central rib, or annular projection, P, against
which the bifurcated arms of the driving wheel impinge, to draw or move the cable,
as will more fully hereinafter appear, in connection with the description of the driving
wheel.
M', are metallic discs or plates secured to the sleeves or hubs, N¹, the front
..sides of said dises or plates being made of an oval or convex form, so as to allow
the material being moved to more readily drop therefrom and also to allow them to
yield in case they come in contact with some heavier and more dense body.
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The driving wheel, S¹, is composed of an annular disc, T', and a central hub, V1, to
receive the shaft, W, the outer portion of the disc, T', being provided with grooves
or seats to receive the inner ends of the arms, A".
'J

page_text: The arms, A", are held in position on the disc, T', by means of the screw
bolts, B, which pass through the inner end of the arms, and through the slots formed
in the disc, T.
:
The extreme inner ends of the arms, A", are provided with an extension, C",
through which the screw bolts, D", are passed, the heads of the bolts being designed
to rest on the hub, V', the nuts, E, serving to adjust the arms further from, or toward
the axis of the driving wheel.
The outer ends of the arms, A", are bifurcated so as to engage with the projections
or ribs, P, on sleeve, N¹, so as to move the cable with its load.
The front edges of the outer ends of the arms, A", are bent or curved as shown
at, ✗, so as to allow the carrying discs, M¹, to pass around the wheel and
accommodate them to the curvature of the cable without coming in contact with
the arms, A".
The arms, A, are provided with projecting arms, E", which are also birfurcated to
engage the cable between the discs, M', the office or function of which is to cause
the cable to assume a circular form in passing around the wheel and thus prevent the
rope or cable from wearing or being broken by frequent bendings at the end of the
sleeves.
It will be noticed that the arms, A¹¹, are both removable and adjustable so that in
case that one or more of them should become worn out or broken, new ones can be
readily inserted in their place; and the object of making them adjustable is to
increase the diameter of the wheel to compensate for elongation or expansion of
the cable, whether it occurs from use, or from expansion caused by thermal changes
and in case the cable should contract by sudden change of temperature, the arms can
be readily adjusted so as to insure the perfect working of the cable.
The contents of the trough, K¹, may be deposited directly into the bins, F", or a
trough may be arranged at any angle to the trough, K', by which the endless
carrier, G, may deposit its load into a series of bins having spouts, H", through
which the material can be loaded into carts for conveyance to the place of usage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
First: A plant for the loading or unloading of vessels, or cars, of coal, grain,
sand, etc. consisting of an excavator, a steam actuated boom or derrick for swinging
the excavator, a hopper for receiving the contents of the excavator, a trough com-
municating with the hopper and an endless carrier working within the trough to
convey the material to the point of storage, as set forth.
Second: In a device for swinging derricks, a cylinder hung on pivots so as to
have a vertical movement, and supported by a bar adapted to turn in its support to
admit of a horizontal movement, in combination with a piston rod, and boom of the
derrick, as set forth.
Third In a device for swinging derricks, the cylinder, G, hung on pivots so as to
have a vertical movement, and supported by a bar adapted to turn in its support to
admit of a horizontal movement, in combination with the piston rod, and boom of the
derrick as set forth.
Fourth: In a device for swinging the booms of derricks, the boom, B, pivoted to
the mast, C, as described, the piston rod, L, connected to the boom, and a cylinder in
which the piston rod is moved by steam, water or compressed air, as set forth.
Fifth In devices for swinging the booms of derricks, an engine hung in pivoted
bearings, the piston rod of said engine being connected to the boom, in combination
with a brake or snubbing device, substantially such as described, whereby the derrick
is under the full control of the operator at all times, as set forth.
Sixth In a device of the character described, the curved bar, B', secured at one
end to the boom, B, the other end of said bar being passed through slots in the
hanger, C, and supporting bar, K, in combination with the brake block, f, lever, E¹,.
and snubbing bar, G', as set forth.

page_text: Seventh: A wheel for endless conveyors having adjustable bifurcated arms, said
arms being provided with bifurcated extensions to support the cable between the
carrying discs as it passes around said wheel, as set forth.
:
Eighth In a device for conveying coal, grain, etc. an endless wire cable pro-
vided with carrying discs or plates, said discs or plates being provided with ribbed
sleeves or hubs adapted to engage the bifurcated arms on the driving wheel, as set
forth.
Dated this 8th day of Ontation 1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents,