Improved Means and Apparatus for Disturbing Silt and Light Mud from the Beds of Rivers, Harbour Bars, and other places for Distribution of said Debris over a Large Area by Tidal Action.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 11th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Apparatus for Disturbing Silt and Light Mud
from the Beds of Rivers, Harbour Bars, and other places for
Distribution of said Debris over a Large Area by Tidal Action.
We, FREDERICK MARTEN HALE and THE SPHINCTER GRIP ARMOURED
HOSE COMPANY LIMITED, of 9 Moorfields, City of London, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The essential characteristics of this invention may be enumerated as follows:-
We use as an essential structural element, a single, or double steel tube having a
rack or toothed face, into which there works a toothed pinion. This tube can be
lowered or raised preferably through a well in a barge by the turning or rotation
of the toothed gear which has a brake clutch, or ratchet arrangement to enable it
to be fixed at any point in its elevation or descensional movement.
The standard iron or steel frame carrying the gearing, is pivotted in such a way
that the steel tube (or tubes) can be lowered on deck, so that the dredger vessel
or barge can pass under bridges traversing navigable waters.
We provide a traversing gear arrangement, so that the tube can be lowered close
to the vessel-port or starboard sides-in order that the motion of the hydraulic
or pneumatic erroding apparatus may be made both a forward and a traversing
one. The pumps are connected to the tube by flexible hose allowing both
lateral, traverse, swinging, vertical, and descensional movement of the tube, or
tubes.
When we desire to use water as well as air pressure, we employ two tubes placed
back to back and connected at their upper termination to the air and water com-
pressors by flexible connecting hose.
Instead of the screw traversing gear, we may employ hydraulic cylinders, the
reciprocatory motion of which moves the tube standard from one side of the vessel
to the other.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said F. M. Hale and
The Sphincter Grip Armoured Hose Company, Limited.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Apparatus for Disturbing Silt and Light Mud
from the Beds of Rivers, Harbour Bars, and other places for
Distribution of said Debris over a Large Area by Tidal Action.
We, FREDERICK MARTEN HALE, and THE SPHINCTER GRIP ARMOURED
HOSE COMPANY LIMITED, of 9 Moorfields, City of London, Engineers, 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:—
The essential characteristics of this invention may be enumerated as follows ;-
We use as an essential structural element a single or double steel tube, having a
rack or toothed face, into which there works a toothed pinion.
This tube can be lowered or raised preferably through a well in a barge by the
turning or rotation of the toothed gear which has a brake clutch or ratchet

page_text: arrangement to enable it to be fixed at any point in its elevation or descensional
movement.
The standard iron or steel frame carrying the gearing is pivotted in such a way
that the steel tube (or tubes) can be lowered on deck, so that the dredger vessel
or barge can pass under bridges traversing navigable waters.
We provide a traversing gear arrangement so that the tube can be lowered close
to the vessel port or starboard sides-in order that the motion of the hydraulic
or pneumatic erroding apparatus may be made both a forward and a traversing one.
The pumps are connected to the tube by flexible hose allowing both lateral, traverse,
swinging, vertical, and descensional movement of the tube or tubes.
Our invention has the following salient amongst other minor advantages
First. It permits the application of the powerful and penetrative water jets in
more contracted and difficultly accessible areas or positions, for instance the jets
may be brought close to the edge of quay or deck walls.
Secondly. The arrangement is simple and is not so liable to become seriously
damaged.
Referring to the sheet of drawings,
Figure 1 is a transverse section showing one view of the arrangement con-
stituting my invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section.
Figure 3 is an end view, and Figures 4 and 5 sectional details of the tubes.
The letters of reference cover the whole of the figures.
A is a steel tube having a face rack B, into which works a pinion C, the tube
slides in a guide D which is supported by a frame or standard E.
This standard E slides in guides F and on a face plate G which traverses the
water-hold H of vessel.
The vertical motion of the steel tube A is effected by the turning of the crank
handles K, which work the pinion C and this lowers or raises the tube according to
the direction of the motion of the handles.
When it is desired to lower the tube on to the deck the tube is raised to the full
height, and the upper part of standard, or frame E having the guide D which is
pivotted or hinged is turned bodily over and with it the tube A.
The lower part of frame which slides in the guide plates has traversing it a
screwed shaft 1, the revolution of which moves the standard on one side or the
other of the vessel, thus allowing the tube to be brought close up to the side of
the vessel.
The direction of the motion of the screwed shaft I one way or the other, controls
the movement of the tube frame.
The water pressure supply is connected to the upper end of the steel tube or
tubes by means of a flexible hose J of the armoured type.
The lower end of tube is either terminated with the eduction nozzle X, or it
may be connected up to a nozzle carriage L by means of a flexible hose con-
nection M.
When we desire to use water as well as air pressure, we empty the arrangement
shown in detail Figure 5, and employ two tubes placed back to back and connected
at their upper termination to the air and water compressors by flexible connecting
hose.
Instead of the screw traversing gear shown, we may employ hydraulic cylinders,
the reciprocatory motion of which moves the tube standard from one side of the
vessel to the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The means or appliances hereinbefore described and as shown in the annexed
drawings for disturbing silt and light mud from the beds of rivers, harbour bars,
and other places for distribution of said debris over a large area by tidal action.

page_text: 2. The adjustment, such as lowering, raising, traversing, and stowing apparatus
from inboard a vessel, as set forth when employed for disturbing silt and light
mud from the beds of rivers, harbour bars, and other places for distribution of
said debris over a large area by tidal action.
The 11th day of December 1891
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Frederick Marten Hale and
The Sphincter Grip Armoured Hose Company, Limited.