Improvements in Spoon Buckets for Dredging and other similar purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 13th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 8th Jan., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spoon Buckets for Dredging and other similar
purposes.
I, WILLIAM SWALES, of Shoreham, Sussex, Contractor, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the construction of a bucket of flexible chain
mail or of metal or other suitable material & which shall be capable of discharging
spoil without being canted or turned over as is usual with ordinary Buckets of
this class & is fitted with a hinged door forming the bottom & closed with a catch
capable of being released by hand or automatically so that when the bucket con-
taining the spoil is hoisted up the door allows of its being discharged when
required. The hauling line or chain being secured to the bottom or door of the
bucket which retains the spoil in the same when dredging, the catch being princi-
pally to take the weight of the bottom door & hauling chain while the bucket is
being lowered to take a cut. I will now proceed to describe one way of carrying
my invention into effect. I make the upper part of the bucket preferably of a
circular ring or band to which is attached a pole in the usual way & this ring is
fitted with a swinging bridle having a hole about its centre through which the
hauling line or chain passes & secured to the ring or band on either side. The
body of the bucket is constructed of chain mail & suitably secured to the upper &
lower rings of the bucket. The lower end of the bucket consists of another ring
having a door hinged to open outwards & having an eye or other arrangement on.
its inner side to which the hauling line or chain is made fast & this ring is fitted.
with a suitable catch of sufficient strength to hold the bottom closed when the
bucket is empty & this may be released by a trip line or other device. The haul-
ing line or chain is fitted with a stop underneath the bridle on the upper ring at.
such distance from the bottom that when the bucket is being hauled in the strain.
The chain being
is taken by the bridle & at the same time keeping the door shut.
free to pass through the bridle in the reverse direction. The action is as follows.
The bucket having been lowered to take a cut in the usual manner it is then hauled
along & brought up to the point for discharging. The hauling line or chain is
then slacked out & the door opens by the weight of the spoil in the bucket as soon
as the catch is opened the body of the bucket although preferably of chain mail
may be of any suitable flexible material. By means of this invention I effect great
saving of time & cost in dredging opperations of this nature as also a great gain
in efficiency over the usual leather or canvas buckets having no lower opening.
Dated this 20th day of February 1897.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spoon Buckets for Dredging and other similar
purposes.
I, WILLIAM SWALES, Shoreham, Sussex, Contractor, 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 for its object the construction of a Bucket of flexible chain
mail or of metal or other suitable material & which shall be capable of discharging
spoil without being canted or turned over as is usual with ordinary buckets of this
class & is fitted with a hinged door forming the bottom & closed with a catch
capable of being released either by hand or automatically so that when the bucket
containing the spoil is hoisted up the door allows of its being discharged where
required. The hauling line or chain being secured to the bottom or door of the
bucket which retains the spoil in the same when dredging, the catch being prin-
cipally to take the weight of the door & chain while the bucket is being lowered to
take a cut. I will now proceed to shew one way of carrying my invention into
effect.
I make the upper part of the bucket preferably a circular ring or band to which
is attached a pole in the usual way. This ring is fitted with a swinging bridle
having a hole about its centre through which the hauling line or chain passes &
secured to the band or either side. The body of the bucket is of chain mail suit-
.ably secured to the upper & lower rings. The lower end of the bucket consists
of another ring having a door hinged to open outwards & having an eye or other
arrangement on its inner side to which the hauling line or chain is made fast &
closed when the bucket is empty & this may be released by a trip line or other
this ring is fitted with a suitable catch of sufficient strength to hold the bottom
device. The hauling line or chain is fitted with a stop underneath the bridle on
the upper ring at such distance from the bottom that when the bucket is being
hauled in the strain of the same shall be taken by the bridle & at the same time
keeping the door shut. The chain being free to pass through the bridle in the
reverse direction. In order that my invention may be the more fully understood
& carried into effect I will describe the drawing hereunto annexed. Fig. 1 shews.
side elevation of the bucket the lower ring being partly in section. A is the
top ring to which the pole E is attached. B is the lower ring to which is hinged
the bottom or door D. F is the bridle hinged to the upper band & through which
the hauling line or chain H passes G is an eye on the door to which is secured the
hauling line. I is the stop on the hauling line H. J is the catch for holding the
door D in position C is the body of the bucket consisting of linked chain mail or
other suitable flexible material. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the bucket.
lettering of the various parts being the same as in Fig. 1.
The
Having now particularly described the nature of my said invention & in what
manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:-
1: The use of a bucket for dredging & other similar purposes having a door at
its lower end to allow of the spoil being discharged without tipping. The body
of such bucket being of chain mail or other suitable flexible material.
2. The general combination of parts for the uses & purposes substantially as
herein described.
101
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