Year: 1888

page_text: hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
For Mining or other operations it is sometimes required to remove the loose layer
of earth or minerals which lies upon a bed of different material, in some cases the
earth or minerals are artificially spread upon a floor.
1 construct a traction engine with the gearing. suitably arranged for this purpose,
and to it I attach a scoop arranged for keeping its cutting edge at the desired depth.
As the engine moves forward the scoop digs into the earth or minerals which therefore
will partially fill the scoop.
Attached to the Engine I construct an Elevator which lifts the earth or minerals
out of the scoop and discharges them by the shoot or otherwise into a wagon or other
suitable receptical which travels with the Engine. If only a part of the earth or
minerals is required to be conveyed away I discharge them from the elevator
into a screen which divides the material delivering part into the wagon and part
elsewhere.
I also construct the machine without an elevator in which case 1 run the 'Engine
forward until the scoop is as full as desired. I then lift it mechanically and swing it
over to the spot at which I require to discharge it into the wagon or screen.
Claim. The construction of a traction Engine fitted with apparatus for lifting and
loading earth or minerals as herein described.

page_text: A Machine for Excavating and Loading Earth or Minerals.
THOMAS GIBSON MCLELLAND Engineer, Kimberley Cape Colony South Africa
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 :-
In mining or other operations it is sometimes required to remove the top layer of
earth or minerals which lies upon a bed of a different material. In some cases the
earth or minerals are artificially spread upon a floor.
I construct a Traction Engine with gearing suitably arranged for the purpose & to
it I attach a scoop with an arrangement for keeping its cutting edge at the desired
depth. As the Engine moves forward the scoop digs into the earth or minerals which
therefore will partially fill it.
Attached to the engine I construct an elevator which lifts the earth or minerals out
of the scoop and discharges them by shoot or otherwise into a wagon or other
suitable receptacle which travels with the engine.
In order more fully to describe my invention I will refer to the accompanying
drawing Sheets No. 1 and 3 A is a Traction Engine of one of the well known
patterns, with all the usual fittings and equipment, but with the following modifications.
The Bracket B is carried up higher than usual as shown so as to carry an additional
intermediate shaft C and also to help support the elevator. A spur pinion on the
crank shaft drives into a spur wheel on this second intermediate shaft C & a pinion
on shaft C drives on to a spur wheel on the ordinary intermediate shaft, which in the
usual way has a pinion keyed on to it, to drive the main spur wheel on the hind axle
thus propelling the engine. The speed of the engine is thus reduced inuch below the
usual speed. The shaft C is also lengthened & carried by a bracket D as shown, and
to the end of the shaft a bevil wheel is attached as shown. I also place the fore
wheels further back & construct them of a narrower gauge than usual so that they
will not foul the elevator.
E is the scoop, & F the elevator casing. This casing is of the shape shown con-
structed with thin iron plates at sides & bottom, & stayed where necessary. This
casing is carried by a bracket G attached to the smoke box, and by an angle iron H
attached to the boiler and by the Shoot I all in the manner as shown. This casing
carries 2 shafts J & K. On both these shafts 2 wheels are attached & these two
wheels carry two chains to which elevator buckets are attached as shown; the wheels
chains and buckets or lifters being of any ordinary pattern. L is a shaft carried by
bearings as shown, having at the lower end a bevil wheel gearing into the bevil
wheel on shaft C; & at the top a bevil wheel gearing into a bevil wheel on
shaft J.
Motion from the shaft C is therefore transmitted to shaft J causing the desired
motion of the elevator buckets.
The scoop E is constructed of 2 side plates with a bottom plate securely attached
to them, it is placed in the position as shown the side M standing out clear of the
track of the main road wheel, which follows the scoop. The scoop has bearings N

page_text: attached to each side of it, and the shaft K is prolonged through these, thus carrying
the scoop at these points, but allowing the front part to rise & fall. O is a renewable
cutting edge attached to the front of the scoop. P is a wheel which is carried on
an axle, which axle is attached to the side of the scoop E. The bottom of this wheel is set
on a level with the cutting edge O. Q is the solid floor or ground upon which the
machine works, & R is the earth or minerals that it is required to raise. The shoot I
is one of convenient shape to take a screen which I shall farther describe, but I also
construct this shoot of any convenient shape to lead the earth or minerals which have
been raised by the elevator into a truck. T is a truck which is drawn along by the
side of the engine.
The action of the machine is as follows:-the floor or ground line Q having been
cleared of any deposit between the points marked U and V and the deposit of earth
or minerals marked R which has to be raised lying on the floor from the point
marked U to any distance towards the direction W the engine is put in motion running
forward.
The wheel P running on the floor line keeps the cutting edge of the scoop
also on the floor line, and as this runs forward into the earth or minerals R it collects
the portion shown in dotted lines into the scoop, and as the earth or minerals gradually
slide into the scoop the Elevator Buckets lift them and discharge them into the shoot I
the earth or minerals then slide down the shoot I & fall into the truck T which is
drawn along at the side of the engine.
I employ a number of these trucks and as fast as one is filled I replace it with
another. regulate the speed of the engine and the capacity of the elevator and
scoop to suit the amount of earth or minerals to be raised. If only a part of the
earth or minerals is to be conveyed away I discharge then from the Elevator into a
screen which divides them, delivering part into a wagon & part elsewhere.
Referring again to the accompanying drawings No. 1. & 3. I represents a shoot or
casing inside which I place a revolving screen X. This revolving screen is of the
ordinary construction having a wrapper plate for a short distance round each end and
the centre part of the screen being covered with a perforated cover or mesh, having
holes of the desired size. The screen is driven by a bevil wheel attached to the screen
shaft & driven by a bevil wheel on the shaft L as shown.
Y is a shoot to convey the earth or minerals into the screen, and Z is a shoot to
convey away the earth or minerals which will not pass through the perforations in the
screen.
The action of the screen is as follows. The earth or minerals being raised by the
elevator fall into the shoot Y down which it slides into the screen X. That portion
which will pass through the mesh falls into the shoot I & slides down into the
truck T. That portion which is too large to pass through the mesh falls out of the
end of the screen into the shoot Z & falls on the ground clear of the truck.
According to my invention I also construct the machine without an elevator in
which case I run the engine forwards until the scoop is as full as desired. 1 then
lift the scoop mechanically & swing it over to the spot at which I wish to discharge
it into the wagon or screen. To explain clearly the manner in which I do this I will
refer to the accompanying drawing sheet No. 2. I construct a Traction Engine A¹
of one of the well known patterns with all fittings & equipment complete. To the
side of the boiler attach a crane B' having a hinged arm C hinged at D'. This
arm has an upward & downward motion being lifted & lowered from the crane B',
and the arm C & the crane B' have a swivelling motion so that they can both swing
round from the position V' to the position E. In lifting & swinging round this
crane I employ any suitable contrivance of the various known plans for lifting &
swinging round cranes & I supply the requisite power either from the Traction Engine
or from a small separate engine attached to the traction engine, & supplied with steam
from the traction engine boiler. The end of the arm (is forked & carries a scoop F¹.
This scoop has two trunnions G¹ by which it is attached to the arm C' as shown. The
scoop is closed in on the four sides, the front being left open & the back having a
hinged door H¹ held in position by any suitable catch. It is a stop secured to the side

page_text: of the scoop to prevent it turning over farther than required when it is lifted. A
wheel J is attached to the scoop as shown by means of an axle secured to the side of
the scoop, & the bottom of this wheel is placed on the level of the lower or cutting
edge of the scoop. I attach a chain K' to the scoop running over a pulley as shown,
& fit the engine with an ordinary contrivance for hauling in & letting out this
*chain.
L' is a truck of which I employ a number.
Mis the ground line or floor upon which the machine works & N¹ the layer of
earth or minerals which it is required to raise.
I arrange the position of the scoop so that the outer side O' stands clear of the
track of the hind wheel of the engine which follows it. I place a piece of metal U¹
under the scoop for the hind part to slide on. The scoop has a turning motion on its
trunnions and the trunnions are always kept in a line horizontal to the floor on which
the engine is working.
The action of the machine is as follows.
The ground or floor having been cleared of deposit between the points P¹ & Q',
& the deposit of earth or minerals to be raised extending from R' to any distance in
the directions S¹ & T¹ the scoop being lowered on to the ground line in the
position shown on drawing in full lines the engine is run forward. The wheel J¹
running on the ground line will keep the cutting edge of the scoop also on the ground
line & as the scoop runs forward it will gradually fill with the earth or minerals.
When as full as required the engine is stopped. The scoop is then lifted with the
crane which will by its own weight turn on the trunnions as it is lifted & assume the
position shown in dotted lines in front of the engine. The crane is then swung
round & the engine is run back until the scoop comes over the truck, the door is then
opened & the earth or minerals fall into the truck. The door is then closed, the crane
is swung round to the front of the engine & is also lowered, the chain K¹ being drawn
in so as to lower the scoop on to the ground in the position shown in full lines.-This
will have cleared the ground of the earth or mineral deposit from R¹ in the direction
of T¹ to an extent corresponding with the width of the scoop and for a distance
towards S corresponding to the distance the engine ran forward.
The engine then continues to be worked in the manner described, but on running
forward each time it is steered upon a fresh track so as to collect fresh material in the
scoop, which is emptied into fresh trucks.
If with this arrangement it is desired to deliver only part of the earth or minerals
into the truck, I place a slanting screen at the back of the engine having a shoot
under it, & I deliver the earth or minerals on to this screen, having run the engine
back so that the shoot under the screen stands over the truck; the earth or minerals
that pass the screen therefore fall into the truck & the remainder slides down the
screen & falls clear of the truck.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
¡claim is,
The construction of a Traction Engine fitted with apparatus for lifting and loading
'earth or minerals as herein described.