IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR TRANSHIPPING AND DISCHARGING GRAIN AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND FOR WEIGHING, SCREEN- ING, AND FANNING SUCH GRAIN AND SUBSTANCES DURING SUCH TRANSHIPMENT AND DISCHARGE
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Spence, of the Firm of Messrs. Richardson,
Spence, & Co., of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Mer-
chants, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR TRANSHIPPING
AND DISCHARGING GRAIN AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND FOR WEIGHING, SCREEN-
ING, AND FANNING SUCH GRAIN AND SUBSTANCES DURING SUCH TRANSHIPMENT
AND DISCHARGE." - Partly a communication from abroad by Thomas
Richardson, of the City and State of New York, one of the United
States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Spence at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st February 1862.
I, JAMES SPENCE, of the Firm of Messrs. Richardson, Spence, & Co., of
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Merchants, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR TRANSHIPPING AND
DISCHARGING GRAIN AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND FOR WEIGHING, SCREENING, AND
FANNING SUCH GRAIN AND SUBSTANCES DURING SUCH TRANSHIPMENT AND DISCHARGE,"
to be as follows (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists of a suitable vessel provided with a screw or other
propeller, actuated by a steam or other motive power engine for the purpose
of moving the vessel about in a river or dock, the engine being so arranged

page_text: that it can be disconnected from the propeller of the vessel, and applied to work
a set of elevator buckets attached to endless bands or chains working over
pulleys mounted in a suitable framework, which is capable of being placed
vertically or at any required angle, and is so mounted that it may be elevated
or lowered down the required distance to enable the lower end thereof to be
introduced through a hatchway into the hold of the vessel to be discharged.
The upper end of the elevator frame is supported upon a suitable framework
or tower built on the centre of the vessel, and is fitted to slide rods or between
cheek plates, or in any other convenient manner which will admit of the
elevator frame being raised or lowered the required distance, which may be
done by tackle, screw, or any other convenient mechanical arrangement. The
elevator frame is so mounted that it is capable of being turned outward from
the stationary supporting framework or tower to any angle that may be
required to reach the hold of the vessel to be discharged.
By the foregoing arrangement for suspending the elevator frame the top
thereof can only be moved up and down in a vertical direction, so that at all
times the elevator frame when suspended in that way must enter the hold of
the vessel to be discharged in an angular direction; this in some cases, where
large vessels are to be discharged, may be found inconvenient, to obviate which
if preferred, the top of the elevator frame may be jointed to the outer end of
an arm or crutch, which is jointed at its lower or inner end to the stationary
framework or tower of floating apparatus, containing the motive power, and
suspending the outer end of the jointed arm and the elevator frame by chains,
ropes, or rods, extending from the upper part of the fixed elevated framework
or tower, so that the elevator frame may be raised or lowered in a vertical
direction, and at the same time admit of the elevator frame being turned
outwards to any angle that may be required. In some cases it would perhaps
be found desirable to suspend the elevator frame to an horizontal sliding
boom support, which could be projected from the tower or stationary frame-
work to the required distance; or a fixed projecting framework may be used to
suspend the elevator frame, and which would admit of the elevator frame being
passed out or in the required distance. In that case a mechanical arrange-
ment is applied to elevate or lower the elevator frame to suit the exigencies of
the case. The elevators may be worked by a driving strap or gear in any
convenient way, the power being derived from the steam engine of the vessel
from the stream or other source of power.
The elevator frame is made sufficiently, long to carry up the grain, being
transhipped sufficiently high to admit of its being discharged, and falling into
a spout, which conveys it to a receiving hopper immediately above the

page_text: weighing scales, into which it runs upon opening a slide in the bottom of the
hopper. The grain is then discharged from the scale into a second spout,
which conveys it to a second supply hopper, from which it is fed into the
screens and operated upon by the blast in the usual way, after which the grain
passes into a discharge spout and falls into the hold of the receiving vessel,
which is on the opposite side of the floating elevator apparatus from the vessel
from which it was received.
The weighing or the screening or the fanning of the grain or other
substances may be partially or entirely dispensed with if not required, in which
case the grain or other substance being transhipped is merely lifted up by the
elevators, and discharged into an oblique spout, which conveys it to the hold
of the receiving vessel.
It will be obvious to all that this Invention is equally applicable for the
purpose of discharging grain and other substances in bulk from navigable
vessels into warehouses or other depots, and also to the weighing and treatment
of grain or other substances during transit from the ship to depositing it in the
warehouse or other depot, the only difference being that the floating support
upon which the apparatus is constructed may be dispensed with if the apparatus
is constructed in connexion or in close proximity to the warehouse or other
depot.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Spence in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st August 1862.
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
SPENCE, of the Firm of Messieurs Richardson, Spencé, and Company, of
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Merchants, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her-most-Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Spence, Her special licence that I, the said James Spence, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Spence, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel

page_text: Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR TRAN-
SHIPPING AND DISCHARGING GRAIN AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND FOR WEIGHING,
SCREENING, AND FANNING SUCH GRAIN AND SUBSTANCES DURING SUCH TRANSHIPMENT
AND DISCHARGE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Spence, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
-to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
.said Letters Patent.
1 NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Spence, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
(that is to say)—
:
.
'This
my said Invention consists of a suitable vessel provided with a screw
or other propeller, actuated by a steam or other motive-power engine, for the
purpose of moving the vessel about in a river or dock. The engine I so
arrange that it can be disconnected from the propeller of the vessel, and
applied to work a set of elevator buckets attached to endless bands or chains
working over pulleys mounted in a suitable framework, which is capable of
being placed vertically or at any required angle, and which I so mount that it
may be elevated or lowered down the required distance to enable the lower
end thereof to be introduced through a hatchway into the hold of the vessel to
be discharged. The upper end of the elevator frame I support upon a suitable
framework or tower built on the centre of the vessel, and I fit it to slide rods
or between cheek plates, or in any other convenient manner which will admit
of the elevator frame being raised or lowered the required distance, which may
be done by tackle, screw, or any other convenient mechanical arrangement.
The elevator frame I so mount that it is capable of being turned outward
from the stationary supporting framework or tower to any angle that may be
required to reach the hold of the. vessel to be discharged.
By the foregoing arrangement for suspending the elevator frame the top
thereof can only be moved up and down in a vertical direction, so that at all
times the elevator frame when suspended in that way must enter the hold of
the vessel to be discharged in an angular direction. This in some cases where
large vessels are to be discharged may be found inconvenient, to obviate which
I prefer that the top of the elevator frame may be jointed to the outer end of
an arm or crutch, which is jointed at its lower or inner end to the stationary
framework or tower of floating apparatus containing the motive power, and

page_text: suspending the outer end of the jointed arm and the elevator frame by chains,
ropes, or rods extending from the upper part of the fixed elevated framework
or tower, so that the elevator frame may be raised and lowered in a vertical
direction, and at the same time admit of the elevator frame being turned
outwards to any angle that may be required. In some cases it would perhaps
be found desirable to suspend the elevator frame to an horizontal sliding boom
support, which could be projected from the tower or stationary framework to
the required distance, or a fixed projecting framework may be used to suspen:l
the elevator frame, and which would admit of the elevator frame being passed
out or in the required distance; in that case a suitable mechanical arrange
ment is applied to elevate or lower the elevator frame to suit the exigencies of
the case.
The elevators may be worked by a driving strap or gear in any
convenient way, the power being derived from the steam engine of the vessel
from the stream in which the vessel is lying, or other source of power.
The elevator frame I make sufficiently long to carry up the grain being
transhipped sufficiently high to admit of its being discharged, and falling into
a spout, which conveys it into a receiving hopper immediately above the
weighing scales, into which it runs on opening a slide in the bottom of the
hopper. The grain is then discharged from the scale into a second spout,
which conveys it to a second supply hopper, from which it is fed into the
screens, and operated upon by the blast in the usual way, after which the grain
passes into a discharge spout, and falls into the hold of the receiving vessel
which is on the opposite side of the floating elevator apparatus from the vessel
from which it was received.
'
The weighing or the screening or the fanning of tho grain or other
substances may partially or entirely be dispensed with if not required, in which
case the grain or other substance being transhipped is merely lifted up by the
elevators, and discharged into an oblique spout which discharges it into the
hold of the receiving vessel..
It will be obvious to all that this Invention is equally applicable for the
purpose of discharging grain and other substances in bulk from navigable
vessels into warehouses or other depots, and also to the weighing and treat-
ment of grain or other substances during transit from the ship to depositing
the same in the warehouse or other depot, the only difference being that the
floating support upon which the apparatus is constructed may be dispensed
with if the apparatus is constructed in connection or in close proximity to the
warehouse or other depot.
That this my said Invention may be the more readily seen and understood,
I have hereunto, annexed Drawings in partial illustration of one mode of

page_text: applying the Invention to a barge, and another showing its adaptation to a
warehouse; like letters and figures marked thereon are used to denot similar
parts.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a barge, upon which is erected a tower
or framework for carrying the elevator machinery, hoppers, conveyance spouts,
weighing, fanning, and other apparatus, also showing section of a vessel
from which the grain or other substance in bulk is discharged into the
lighter or other vessel which is on the opposite side of the tower barge;
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of a warehouse fitted with my improved
discharging apparatus, and the appurtenances connected therewith, and showing
the discharging apparatus introduced into the hold of a vessel; and Figure 3
is a partial sectional elevation of the warehouse, showing the discharging
apparatus housed.
A, barge carrying tower, containing B, steam boiler, and carrying C, tower
or framework, containing steam engine for working the elevators and
conveyors, and fans, also the screw propeller of the barge; D, elevator frame,
mounted on the end of E, a jib, the inner end of which works within F, guide
frame; G, endless band, which works over h, first driving pulley, which is
actuated from the steam engine; h1, h2, h³, h, intermediate pulleys; i, endless
driving band, working over h³; and j, driving pulley, over which the dis-
charging elevators travel; K, tackle for elevating or depressing discharging
elevator frame; L, spout in which is enclosed a set of elevators attached to an
endless band, as is well understood; M, discharge or delivery spouts; N,
receiving hopper; 0, weighing or measuring apparatus; P, fan or screening
machine; Q, dotted lines, showing the position for the discharge spout to be
placed when the substances being transhipped are not required to be weighed
or operated upon; R, first receiving hopper, into which the grain or other
substances is deposited, and from which it is taken by the elevators enclosed
in the spout L, when it is discharged into the oblique delivery spout, into
the second hopper N, from which it falls into the measuring or weighing s
apparatus, or into the fanning or screening apparatus, from which it is delivered
into a navigable vessel, or deposited in the warehouse.
Figure 4, is a sectional sketch of an improved measuring or weighing self-
acting apparatus.
S, scale beam, with forked end for carrying T, scale or measuring box,
which is formed round, square, or any other convenient shape, is mounted on
pivots, and divided into two equal parts by U, a diagonal diaphragm. The
scale T' turns on its pivots on being depressed, a bolt actuated by a cam or
other convenient mechanical arrangement being used to keep it in position

page_text: until it has received the required weight or measure; the two compartments
being filled alternately.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, and how I believe the same may be best carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise
details or relative dimensions, as it will be readily seen that the same may be
considerably varied without departing from the Invention; but what I do
claim is,
First, the peculiar arrangement for elevating or depressing and placing at
the required angle the frame carrying the discharging elevators, and for
housing the same.
And, lastly, the general arrangement and combination of the various parts
of the apparatus, substantially and in the manner and for the purposes herein-
before described and set forth, or any mer modification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Spence, have hereunto set my
hand and affixed my seal, this Twentieth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
JAMES (L.s.) SPENCE.