Year: 1885

page_text: I, ARTHUR WELLS ROBINSON, of The Harbour Commissioners' Office, Montreal,
Canada, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows,
that is to say:-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and arrange-
ment of dredger buckets and parts immediately connected therewith, and to render
the same more durable and less liable to derangement than such apparatus as
hitherto made.
In carrying out my Invention my buckets with the parts for linking them
together to form an endless chain are constructed so that the buckets may
be linked directly to each other without the intermediate links ordinarily used;
but some of my improvements are also applicable when such intermediate links
are used.
My improved bucket is formed according to one modification with a back having
a flat continuous surface to bear on the face of the polygonal tumbler; and at the
front end of this back three eyes are formed for the joint pin for connecting it to
the next bucket or link, one eye being at the middle and the two others at the
extreme sides. At the rear of the bucket back two broad joint eyes are formed to
fit in between the front eyes of the next bucket, or link; and these rear joint eyes
are formed in hollow projecting parts of the metal and are fitted with bushes in
which the joint pin can turn, the joint pins being fixed in the front eyes of the
buckets or links. Oil or other suitable lubricant is supplied to the hollow parts of
the rear eyes and finds its way to the wearing surfaces through holes in the bushes.
The bearing surface of the back is extended to the extreme outer parts of the
hollow projections in which the rear eyes are formed; and these parts project
beyond the ordinary face of the tumbler when on the tumbler, and then bear on
horns formed for the purpose and projecting from the face of the tumbler adjacent
to that face on which the back of the bucket or link mainly bears. The meeting
faces of the joint eyes are protected from sand or earth by rings enclosing a
suitable packing material which with the rings is placed in recessed parts formed

page_text: for them on the joint eyes, each recess being formed half in one eye and half in
the adjacent one and leaving inner projecting bosses which meet each other. The
protecting rings may consist of bands of spring steel which can be placed or
removed without difficulty. Instead of the joint eyes being arranged as herein-
before described there may be two or more eyes at either the front or back end of
the bucket or link with one or more broad eyes at the other end.
The faces of the tumblers have wood or other suitable non-metallic substance
fixed on them and comparatively thin plates of iron or steel are fixed upon the
outer surface of the wood or other substance; and in this way a slightly elastic
but durable bearing surface is obtained.

page_text: Improvements in and Connected with Dredger Buckets.
:
I, ARTHUR WELLS ROBINSON, of The Harbour Commissioners' Office, Montreal,
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, that is to say:-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and arrange-
ment of dredger buckets and parts immediately connected therewith, to increase
their capacity, and to render them stronger, more durable, and less liable to
derangement than such apparatus as hitherto made.
)
In carrying out my Invention my buckets with the parts for linking them
together to form an endless chain are constructed so that the buckets may be
linked directly to each other without the intermediate links ordinarily used;
but some of my improvements are also applicable when such intermediate links
are used.
On an accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings modifications of dredger
buckets are shown as made with my improvements. Figure, 1, is a diagram
showing part of a chain of buckets passing round the upper polygonal tumbler of
the dredging machinery. Figures, 2, to 5, are views of one modification of bucket,
figure, 2, being a front view, figure, 3, a top view, figure, 4, a longitudinal vertical
section, and figure, 5, an inverted plan or view of the bottom. Figure, 6, is a
longitudinal vertical section of a modified form of bucket; and figures, 7, and 8,
are enlarged sections, as at right angles to each other, and showing the joint details
and lubricating arrangements. In these drawings the same reference numerals are
used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
J
My improved bucket is made preferably in a single piece of cast steel, and as
shown in figures, 2 to 5, is formed with a back or bottom having a flat surface, 11,
to bear on the face, 12, of the polygonal tumbler, 13; and at the front end of this
back three eyes, 14, are formed for the joint pin, 15, for connecting one bucket to
the next bucket or link, one eye being at the middle and the two others at the
extreme sides. At the rear of the bucket back two broad joint eyes, 16, are formeḍ
to fit in between the front eyes, 14, of the next bucket or link; and these rear
joint eyes, 16, are formed in hollow projecting parts, 17, of the metal and are fitted
with bushes, 18, in which the joint pin, 15, can turn, the joint pins, 15, being fixed
in the front eyes, 14, of the bucket or link. Oil or other suitable lubricant is
supplied to the hollow parts, 17, of the rear eyes, 16, and finds its way to the
wearing surfaces of the joints through holes in the bushes, 18. In figures, 7, and 8,
the joint pin, 15, is shown as tubular or hollow, and its interior may be utilised
for holding lubricant, either in addition to the hollow parts, 17, or instead of those
parts, holes being made through the sides of the pin for the lubricant to pass
through to the wearing surfaces. The lubricant may be filled in at either end of

page_text: the joint pin, 15, the end being then closed with a screw plug, 19. An inlet and
screw plug, 20, is provided for filling the lubricant into the hollow part, 17, of
each eye, when arranged to hold a lubricant.
The flat bearing surface, 11, of the back or bottom of the bucket is extended to
the extreme outer parts of the hollow projections, 17, in which the rear eyes, 16,
are formed; and these parts project beyond the ordinary face, 12, of the tumbler, 13,
when on the tumbler, and then bear on horns, 21, formed for the purpose and
projecting from the face of the tumbler adjacent to that face, 12, on which the back
of the bucket mainly bears. With this construction the tumbler takes the strain
in a very direct manner, of each bucket as it comes up to it, and so as to avoid the
bending strain or leverage which in ordinary arrangements acts on the eyes of the
buckets or links when overhanging or projecting beyond a corner of the tumbler.
The meeting faces of the joint eyes, 14, 16, of the buckets are protected from
sand or earth in the manner shown in figure, 7. The front eyes, 14, are made with
bosses, 22, on their inner faces, and thin steel washers are placed between these
bosses and the faces of the rear eyes, 16; whilst round the outer bevilled parts of
the bosses, 22, there is placed a suitable packing material such as felt which may
be saturated with a lubricant, and which is held in place by an external protecting
ring or band, 23, of spring steel which can be placed or removed without difficulty.
The protection of the wearing surfaces of the joints and providing for their self-
lubrication, not only greatly increases their durability, but diminishes the power
required to drive the buckets by reducing the friction.
Instead of the joint eyes, 14, 16, being arranged as hereinbefore described, there
may be two or more eyes at either the front or back end of the bucket or link with
one or more broad eyes at the other end.
In the modification of my improved bucket shown in figures, 2 to 5, the Interior
of the bucket extends down to the back or bottom, 11, at the inner or rear part.
The back consists primarily of a single plate, 24, 11, cast in connection with the
other parts, and which forms by its rear portion, 11, a tumbler-bearing surface of
the full width of the bucket. From its bearing surface, 11, to the front or leading
end, the back-plate is inclined as shown in figure, 4. The bearing surface is
extended into the three joint eyes, 14, leaving recesses, 11a, as shown in figure, 5.
These recesses adapt the buckets to be driven by a horned tumbler as hereinbefore
described. This construction ensures a strong connection of the joint eyes without
unnecessary weight, whilst making the interior space between the front and rear
joint eyes as large as possible.
It will be seen that by coupling the buckets directly to each other the discharging
capacity is doubled as compared with buckets of similar size connected by links as
usual. The inclined back-plate, 24, also facilitates the discharge by casting the
contents of the bucket well over into the receiving shoot, the immediately.
preceding bucket serving to prevent any of the material falling back into the
water. It will further be seen that this construction enables the upper tumbler
and its shaft to be placed lower down or nearer the shoot than in ordinary arrange-
ments thus lessening the destructive action of the falling material and reducing
the length of bucket chain as well as the distance between its top and bottom
tumblers.
The part, 24, is made with ribs on its underside connecting it with the parts of
the bottom, 11, which extend to the front eyes, 14; and a middle rib, 25, is formed
in the interior of the bucket to give increased strength. In the modification shown
in figure, 6, the bottom or back, 11, is continued of its full breadth, to a part nearer
to the front joint eyes, 14, than in the other modification, and it is strengthened by
ribs on its inner side, these ribs and the spaces between them being covered by a
thin plate, 26, which forms a bottom to the interior of the bucket at that part.
The faces of the tumbler, 13, have wood, 27, or other suitable non-metallic
substance fixed on them, and wearing plates, 12, of iron or steel are fixed upon the
outer surface of the wood or other substance; and in this way a slightly elastic bat

page_text: durable bearing surface is obtained. One of these iron or steel plates is shown
in face view, at 28, under figure, 1.
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. The combination of dredger buckets together to form an endless chain
without intermediate links, the buckets being jointed to each other substantially
in the manner hereinbefore described.
2. The improved construction of dredger bucket substantially as hereinbefore
described, more particularly with reference to figures, 2, to 5, of the accompanying
drawings.
3. The improved construction of dredger bucket substantially as herein before
described with reference to figure, 6, of the accompanying drawings.
4. The constructing of the dredger buckets with recesses in their under surfaces
to adapt them for being driven by a horned tumbler substantially as hereinbefore
described.
5. The providing of the joints connecting dredger buckets with each other or
with intermediate links, with means for applying lubricants substantially in the
manner herein before described.
6. The applying of protective packings between the joint eyes of dredger
buckets substantially in the manner hereinbefore described with reference to
figure, 7, of the accompanying drawings.
7. The forming of the bearing surfaces of tumblers for working endless chains
of dredger buckets with outer plates of iron or steel fixed on wood or other suitable
non-metallic substance substantially as herein before described.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.