Improvements in Sand Suction Dredgers.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 11tn Mar., 1997-Accepted, 1st May, 1997
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sand Suction Dredgers.
I, ANDREW BROWN, of London Works, Renfrew, in the County of Renfrew,
Engineer and Shipbuilder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to that class of dredging vessel adapted to remove sand
and similar material by means of suction, and the main features of the said invention
consist in constructing the suction pipe, or pipes of the said vessels in such manner
as to minimize the risk of breakage to them when at work, and enable them to be
taken inboard, when desired, thus leaving the sides of the vessel free from all
obstruction.
To minimize the risk of breakage, I construct the upper ends of the said pipes
with a series of bends and swivels, which allow of a perfectly free movement in any
direction horizontally and perpendicularly.
To further improve the working of the said pipes, I arrange a hydraulic, or
other cushion, so constructed as to be capable of holding them in position, and so
arranged that any desired degree of resistance can be maintained against
the pipes.
To take the pipes inboard, I rest the whole of their upper ends, together with
their joints and swivels, on rails, so that by hydraulic, or other appliances, the
whole structure can be drawn inboard sufficiently far to leave the side of the
vessel clear of any projection, or obstruction.
Dated this 14th dor of Avant 1806
AMBROSE MYALL,
2 Lancaster Place, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sand Suction Dredgers.
I, ANDREW BROWN, of London Works, Renfrew, in the County of Renfrew,
Engineer and Shipbuilder, 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 :--
My invention relates to that class of dredging vessel adapted to remove sand and
similar material by means of suction, and the main features of the said invention
consist in constructing the suction pipe, or pipes of the said vessels, in such manner
as to minimise the risk of breakage to them when at work, and enable them to be
taken inboard when desired, thus leaving the sides of the vessel free from all
obstruction.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings, which forms part of this specification,
and in which similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout,
Fig. 1 is an athwartship elevation, partly in section, and
Fig. 2 is a plan of an arrangement of apparatus constructed in accordance with
my invention.

page_text: A, A', A' are three separate lengths or beuds of pipe, forming the upper portion
of the suction pipe. B is a carriage upon which the said pipes, or bends A, 'A', A³
are supported.
C¹, C, C, C are rails or guides secured to the vessel, a portion of which is shewn
in cross-section at C. On these rails, or guides, the carriage B slides, or rolls in
an athwartship direction, and the said carriage may be held thereon in any required
position.
The apparatus is shewn in the drawings, in position ready for pumping
operations.
The pipe A, which rests upon the carriage B, also turns up in a vertical axis D
in the said carriage. It is further supported by the heel piece, or bracket E. which
rests and travels on a rail, or track E, forming part of, or affixed to the carriage B.
As shewn, the said rail. or track is an arc of a circle concentric with the axis D,
but it may, if desired, form a complete circle around and concentric with the said
axis, and the bracket E may also form a complete circle to give greater support to
the pipe A and its attachments.
The pipe, or bend A' turns on a horizontal axis at the end of the pipe A, and
stability of the joint is ensured by means of a ring G, free to revolve on the end
of A and secured to A' by bracket pieces, as shewn, or other suitable devices.
The pipe or bend A' turns upon a vertical axis at the end of the pipe A', and is
attached thereto in a similar manner to that described in connection with the
pipes A¹ and A.
The suction pipe H, is attached to the bend A2, and it will be seen that when
the said suction pipe is raised or lowered at its eud K, the bend A¹ turns on its
horizontal axis in the bend A; when it is moved horizontally in a lateral direction,
the bend A turns on its vertical axis in the bend A'; and when it is moved
in a fore and aft direction, the bends all turn about the vertical axis D on the
carriage B. As this last motion is the one which usually causes damage to
the suction pipe, I provide any suitable form of apparatus to act as a cushion,
or resistance against the movement of the pipe A about the axis D. Such
apparatus is not shewn in the drawings, but it may consist of an arrangement
of springs, or of hydraulic mechanism in conjunction with steam, or other elastic
pressure. When using the latter, I place one, or more hydraulic rams on the
carriage B, or on the vessel, as circumstances may require, and form a connection
to any suitable part of the pipes A, A', A' and H, or to any one of them, in
such manner that when the pipes move in a fore and aft direction, they shall
do so against a certain pressure or resistance, which shall be capable of variation
or regulation, but shall be of sufficient power to bring the pipes back to their
former, or to any required position, when the pipe H is relieved of its strain
at K. I also make use of the same, or similar appliances, or arrangements for
turning the pipes about the vertical axis D on the carriage B, far round enough
to permit of the whole of the bends and the pipe H being taken inboard within
the side of the vessel, thus leaving the said side free from any projection,
and protecting the said pipes from accidental injury, when not in use for
pumping.
I may also use the said same, or similar appliances, or arrangements for
effecting the athwartahip traverse of the carriage B on its rails C, C, C³, C+,
for the same purpose. When this traversing movement is to be performed, the
ring, or short pipe L is raised clear of the face of the stationary pipe M,
which communicates with the suction pump, and when in position for pumping
the ring L is lowered again on the face of M, and the adjacent surfaces are
so constructed as to make an air-tight joint.
As shewn in the drawing the sand joint L is provided with an internal screw
thread, and it is raised, or lowered by turning it round on the externally screwed
pipe N, but a vertical sliding motion may be employed, if preferred.
I do not confine myself to the position in which the bend A2 is shewn relatively
to the bend A', viz.: underneath it, as by turning the bend A' and the bend A³

page_text: with its pipe H on their respective axes in the bends A and A', the bend A² may
be turned up above the bend A', while the pipe H can be placed either fore or aft,
as required. Nor do I confine myself to the particular number of bends, or swivel
pipes herein shewn and described, as more than three may be employed, if found
desirable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a dredging vessel of the class described, the combination with the suction
pipe of the sand pump, of three or more bends or swivel pipes A, A', A', in the
manner and for the purposes substantially as herein set forth.
2. In a dredging vessel of the class described, the combination with the suction
pipe of the sand pump, of a suitable apparatus so constructed as to act as a cushion
or resistance against the fore and aft movement of the said pipe and also serving as
the means for moving the said pipe with its bends or swivels inboard and for
traversing the carriage B carrying the said bends and pipe on its rails, in the
manner and for the purposes substantially as herein set forth.
3. In a dredging vessel of the class described, the movable pipe L, forming an
air-tight communication or joint between the bend A and pipe M, substantially as
and for the purpose herein set forth.
4. In a dredging vessel of the class described, the carriage B, forming a
foundation for the bends A, A1, A2, and capable of lateral movement on the vessel,
and constructed in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein
set forth.
Dated this 11th day of March 1997
AMBROSE MYALL,
2 Lancaster Place, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.