IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN CONVEYING RAISING OR PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Luther Earl Mansfield of Brooklyn New York in the
United States of America "but at present residing at 51 Avenue .de
l'Observatoire Paris in the Republic of France Engineer, for an Invention
of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN CONVEYING RAISING
OR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Luther Earl Mansfield at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th August 1882.
LUTHER EARL MANSFIELD of Brooklyn New York in the United States of
America but at present residing at 51. Avenue de l'Observatoire Paris in the
Republic of France Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN
CONVEYING, RAISING OR REMOVING, WEIGHING AND DELIVERING GRAIN OR OTHER
MATTERS."
The object of the invention is to afford means for conveying grain and other
materials from the holds of ships and other places and of weighing the same into
sacks or other receptacles in the desired quantities and of delivering the materials
on to a quay or other place or to other ships or vessels, either in the receptacles
into which the materials had been placed or otherwise as desired
The object of my invention is to give to the apparatus portability and render it
independent of the ships gear or apparatus excepting it may be the donkey or
hoisting or other power engines to work the apparatus forming the invention
and also to render the apparatus as nearly as may be automatic in its operation
and to economise manual labor whilst increasing the useful effect thereof.
I will now explain the operation of the apparatus employed.
The grain or other matters is elevated from the hold of a ship or other vessel
by means such as is known as an endless belt or band of leather, canvas iron
chains, or other suitable material or what is technically known as rubber belts,
with small cups or buckets attached at short intervals and working in a case

page_text: around pulleys., one at the upper and lower parts, or other well known forms of
elevating means can be employed.
I employ a framework of wood and iron or other suitable materials which is
applied over the hold, hatch or other part of the ship or other vessel where the
apparatus is to work. and is secured in a suitable manner at that part, this frame
work is so constructed that it can be taken apart for removal and put together
with but little loss of time on the ship or other vessel or otherwise and with
the employment of little manual labor and without interference necessarily with
the ships gear or parts.
Upon this frame is mounted the shafting and wheel work operating the various
parts necessary to effect the desired operation and these parts are operated by the
power from a suitable hoisting engine or other source of power.
The shaft receives its power from the engine by a pair of chain wheels or other
suitable means so constructed as to operate with the links of an articulating chain
or other suitable connection by which means power is communicated to it from the
engine by a corresponding wheel applied thereto.
This operating shaft communicates power to the main driving shaft by a pair
of bevel wheels or other suitable gearing and thence to the various other parts
employed to manipulate the grain by means of chain gearing or other suitable
means.
operate the elevator case within the before mentioned framework which is so
constructed as to receive the elevator and allows it to enter the grain or other
matters at the upper part of the hatch or other place and descend automatically
into the grain or other matter as the grain is being taken out by it until the
foot of the elevator has descended the required distance. This descent into
the hold or other place is effected without necessarily stopping the work of
discharging.
'
By these means facility is afforded for the discharging of a ship or other vessel
that is filled to the top of the last hatch without necessarily suspending discharge
until the complete removal has been effected.
I construct the elevating portion of the apparatus with capability of travelling
within the said framework for the whole or other desired portion of its length
by means of suitable hoisting or winding rope drums or similarly operating means
actuated by a hand crank or other suitable part and geared so that the elevator
can be easily manoeuvred by one man and from one of these drums or pullies
a hoisting rope or other suitable connection is carried over pullies fixed in a small
framework applied at the upper part of the main framework and this small
framework is employed to give height to the hoisting rope or connection attached
to the upper end of the elevator the other hoisting drum operates the rope attached
to the foot or lower part of the elevator and by these two hoisting drums the
elevator is hoisted into its working position and lowered to its work in the hold
of the ship or other place during working and between these two hoisting drums
is the shaft carrying the hand crank or operating part with two small spur or
such like pinions engaging the two large spur wheels on the hoisting drums, these
pinions are made to slip in and out of gear as may be desired so that one drum
may be worked at a time Each drum is provided with a ratchet and pall to
hold it when not engaged To control the elevator in its descent into the grain
or other matter during working I employ a friction wheel with suitable band and
lever to act on the friction wheel applied on the same shaft as the hand crank or
operating part. The drum carrying the rope controlling the elevator is then
engaged and the pall is disengaged so that the elevator becomes held by the
friction wheel and band so that whenever it is desired to lower the elevator in
working the operator has only to raise the end of the said lever and the elevator
will descend until the lever is released or it reaches the extent of traverse.
The driving gearing is so arranged as readily to admit of the lowering and

page_text: hoisting of the elevator in working and it is constructed as follows: on the shaft
at the upper end of the elevator carrying the larger driving pulley over which
the elevator belt works I apply a chain gearing wheel around this wheel passes
an endless driving chain or band thence it passes around a guide pulley at the
lower part of the elevator. On the said main driving shaft I apply the driving
chain wheel that engages one part of the chain by teeth on the wheel engaging
the chain between the side links so that this main chain gearing is engaged with
the driving chain irrespective of the height of the elevator and to prevent this
gear and chain from becoming disengaged, a suitable guide for the chain to work
in is provided affixed to the said frame at the working point of contact of the
chain and working chain gear wheel so that the wheel acts upon the straight
part of the chain as if it were a straight rack and it is held to its work by the
chain guides keeping the working side of this chain straight between the top and
bottom pulleys
This arrangement admits of the elevator being hoisted and lowered the whole
distance between the upper and lower chain wheel while the elevator is working
thereby economy of time is secured.
I employ scrapers or gathering apparatus to bring the grain or other matter to
the foot or other suitable part of the elevator in connection with the main frame-
work of the elevator operated by suitable winding drums or other suitable means
driven by power conveyed from the main shaft-These drums may be applied loose
on a shaft capable of revolving constantly and the drums when desired to act may
be engaged by friction means brought into operation by pulling a small hand rope
and released by the release of that rope.
To convey the matters raised by the elevating portion of the apparatus I employ
channels constructed as desired in short sections for portability and facility of
application and removal jointed to or retained in suitable relation to each other for
operation for the conveyance of grain or other matters in sacks or other receptacles
or otherwise as desired.
Each of these sections is formed to receive supports to carry wheels or pulleys to
carry the canvas or other suitable belts for conveying the matters and at each end
of these sections these belts are borne by rollers or druins actuated by chain gear
and each drum at the ends of the sections receives motion by another wheel on its
shaft from the like means on the preceding section whatever change of relative
position during working is effected. Rollers or shafts which may be hollow are
applied at intervals to support and retain the chain gear and the ac ing surfice of
the carrying band in its proper relation for correct operation. The operating
motion to the moving parts of these sections is derived from the main driving
shaft through chain gearing.
This construction of conveyer affords facility for its employment in various
situations in relation to the ship or vessel being discharged and adapted to the
height or depth of lift required and other variable circumstances.
The various sections are each adapted to serve the double purpose of carrying
sack and bulk grain when joined to each other by a short link so constructed and
arranged that the sections articulate around the centre of the shafts that carry the
drums so that when it is desired to carry sacks or such like receptacles the adjacent
ends of these sections may be relatively so articulated that all the sections will
carry in the same plane When it is desired to carry grain and such like materials
in the bulk state the ends of the sections drop one below the other so that the
material in passing from one section to the other falls.
For automatically weighing grain in sacks or such like receptacles or in bulk on
board ship for carrying thence onto the quay by the conveyer the hopper or
receiver is supported on suitable platform or other scales which rests on an arrange-
ment of parts connected with the main framework so as to be in connection with a
telescopic receiver so that the material may be let into the hopper or receiver to be

page_text: weighed into sacks or in bulk and from thence on to the conveyer. This hopper
or receiver I construct as a box, of any suitable material with two openings in the
bottom on opposite sides of a division, this box rests on and the openings come on
either side of a platform scales
Within this bottom is a double hopper supported in suitable bearings on an axis
of motion having two receptacles so arranged that when one is in position to
receive material the other is inclined for emptying and is so held respectively by a
suitable catch or locking means operated by lever or handle whilst when disengaged
the required movements of the hopper can be effected without interference with
the continuity of operation or loss of time.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Luther Earl Mansfield in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd February 1883.
LUTHER EARL MANSFIELD of Brooklyn New York in the United States of
America but at present residing at 51 Avenue de l'Observatoire Paris in the
Republic of France Engineer " IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN
CONVEYING RAISING OR REMOVING, WEIGHING AND DELIVERING GRAIN OR OTHER
MATTERS
My Invention has for its object the discharging of bulk cargoes of grain and such
like material from the holds of ships on to the quay either in sacks or in bulk and
at the same time automatically to weight the same as herein after described.
My invention consists first of a frame mounted over the hatch to be worked and
screwed to the hatch in any convenient manner and of any suitable material but
constructed in such a manner as to carry all the wheels and shafts that are to
operate all the various working parts that are to be employed in the entire
operation of manoeuvering the material to be discharged and to guide the elevator
case to descend into the hold of the ship that is to elevate the grain and material
therefrom and also to carry the double weighing hopper and weigh scales also the
tube that conducts the material from the elevator to the weigh hopper, and the
hoisting and lowering drums that are to hoist and lower the elevator case into and
out of the hold of the ship.
The elevator is of the ordinary type employed for such purposes having a closed
case with an endless belt and buckets attached thereon and working over two
pulleys but the manner of manoeuvering this elevator case is novel and new in that
by the present arrangement the elevator can begin at the top of a full hatch of
grain and continue working until it reaches the bottom of the ship.
2nd On the before mentioned frame is a peculiar arrangement of two winding
friction drums to be employed in connection with the aforesaid elevator for hauling
the materials in the hold of the ship to the foot of the elevator to be elevated
thereby saving much labour and expense.
3rd The double weighing and bagging hopper is, arranged to receive the material
direct from the elevator through a telescopic tube, so arranged that the largest of
the tubes is supported on the aforesaid frame and the smallest is made to be
adjusted to the mouth of the elevator by ropes and pulleys and the intermediate.
tubes slip one into the other and all slip into the large or bottom tube fixed in the
aforesaid frame. In the bottom of this large tube is arranged a slide or a throttle
valve for letting the grain into the hopper to be weighed, this valve may be
operated automatically or by hand. This double weighing hopper is provided
with a revolving double receptacle so urranged that while one portion is receiving
the material at one side the other side is at the same time discharging its contents
into a sack and vice versa whereby time is not lost in discharging.
4th The conveyer carries the sacks or bulk from the ship onto the quay and is
adapted to be placed in any desired position.
Having thus briefly stated the nature of my invention I will now proceed more
fully to describe in detail the construction and working of the apparatus by the aid
of the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of Figure 2 of the front of the
apparatus Figure 4 is a plan view of the deck of the ship and hatchway with the
apparatus mounted thereon, and two sections of conveyor extending out to
the quay and having a connection formed with the hoisting engine to work the
elevator Figure 5 indicates in a lower position the aforesaid frame shewing the
driving chains driving the winding drums conveyor and the elevator. Figure 6
is a plan view of Figure 5. Figure 7 shews 4 views of the automatic double
weighing hopper A. B. C. D. Figure 8 is a detail portion of two sections of the
conveyor shewing the manner of connecting one to the other and also the way
that one drives the other. Figure 9 shews a plan view of Figure 8. Figure 10 is
a transverse section of the driven end of the conveyer at b. Figure 8. Figure 11
is a section through a. a. Figure 9. Figure 12 shews the arrangement of the
double automatic weighing hopper on a platform on the quay and means for
conveying the grain, there to be weighed and sacked instead of on the deck of
the ship.
Figure 2 shews a section of a ship being discharged by the elevator according to
the first part of my invention. The before mentioned frame is mounted on the
hatchway and suitably screwed to the top of the hatch. a. a' is the top of the frames
d. d, d, d. are the posts. c. c. are the supports for the wheels and shafting and
guide for the elevator case. P. P' is the elevator case so constructed and arranged
that when it is placed within the aforesaid frame and the driving chain h¹. h, is
connected with the gear or chain wheel g as shewn at Figure 6 to work the chain
this chain, . . passes over a chain wheel made to fit in the links thereof and is
carried to the shaft carrying the pulley at the head of the elevator which drives
the belt carrying the buckets. The aforesaid endless chain passes around a pulley
at the bottom of the elevator employed to keep the two parts of the driving chain
tight and straight, that part of the chain which is acted upon by the chain wheel g.
Figure 6 is straight like a rack and is held in gear with the wheel, by a slide i, fixed
to the supporting piece c', in such a way that the chain passed through it straight
as shewn at i. this may be of any form that will hold the chain to the wheels while
working.
This arrangement affords facility for working continuously from top to bottom of
the deepest ship when the elevator is long enough.
A short or auxiliary elevator case x, x represented in Figures 2 and 3 may be
worked on the side of this main elevator P. P. in the case of an unusually deep
ship. No change is necessary in the construction of the elevator P. P'. as heretofore
described but only to fix two grooved sliding pieces to the side of elevator p. p¹.
⚫ and the same on the auxiliary so arranged that they will slide one into the other to
allow the elevator case x. x. to slide up and down on elevator case P. P'. at one side
and the wheel to work the elevator x. x. is worked by the same chain as described
for elevator p, p' the auxiliary elevator case x. x'. being lowered and hoisted by one
of the hoisting drums s. 8¹ Figure 2.
According to the second part of my Invention I arrange two winding friction
drums e, e. mounted on two pieces b. b. at the end to operate two s.rapers in the
hold of the ship for hauling the grain from long distances to the foot of the elevator,
these shovels or scrapers are guided by hand but the ropes on these friction drums
haul the grain to the elevator.
The drums e, el. are loose upon a continuously running shaft worked by the chain
wheel n and chain H (Figure 6) carrying the friction wheels which act upon the
drums c. e¹, one at each end so that by pulling a rope attached to the lever working
the friction gear it causes the drums to rotate and work the hauling ropes, and by
relaxing the hand rope the friction gear ceases to act upon these drums and ceases
to haul the scrapers or shovels.
According to the third part of my Invention I construct my telescope receiver or
tubes with the valve in the bottom or large receiving tube employed in connection

page_text: between the elevator and the double weighing hopper the large tube resting upon
the frame piece a. a. (shewn in Figures 2 and 3) and provided with valve v. and
hand lever o. (Figure 3) (This valve vis shewn as a slide valve but it may be a
throttle or revolving valve). This valve is operated by the hand lever o, the upper
portion of tube or receiver t. being made to slip into the other pieces of tube and is
held to the mouth of the elevator by ropes passing over pullies affixed to the
elevator as shewn at m, the number of tubes used depending upon the length of the
tubes and the elevator.
According to the fourth part of my invention Figure 7A is a sectional elevation
B is a transverse sectional elevation C is a front elevation and D is a side elevation
of the double weighing hopper.
The outer case a. a, of wood or other suitable material is mounted upon a weigh
scales and the material after being weighed passes out by opening d. d. into sacks
within this case is suspended the double receptacle on a shaft c. (the two receptacles
b. b' in part A) so poised upon the shaft c. that when the part b is filled and
liberated it revolves of its own weight and discharges its contents at d. and at the
same time the part 6 comes up into position to be filled by the telescope
receiver t¹. Figure 2 and this double receptacle has a valve at each end f. f. acting
automatically with the part e. e¹. e¹¹. el so that when one side falls to discharge
at b' the valve opens to allow the material to discharge and at the same time the
valve f in the part b. closes as it comes up; at c is the lever f by which the double
receptacle is operated by hand; E is the device by which it is held until the proper
weight is attained, the lever c. automatically effects its discharge when it contains
the desired weight, one end is attached to a lever with the scale and the other end
is attached to the pawl so that when the whole descends by the proper weight this
action causes the verticle lever c to lift the pawl and it then instantly descends to
discharge the contents just weighed into sacks or other receptacles, this double
weighing hopper is shewn in connection at work at D and A in Figures 2 and 3.
The fifth part of my invention relates to the construction or arrangement of the
conveyor and its adaptation to its various uses, Figure 1 will enable its various
positions in which it may be placed to be understood a. a. shews two sections
mounted upon adjustable trestles on a quay adapted to carry filled sacks from the
ship to the quay having the ends at their point of unison on a level for carrying
sacks but these may assume any relative angle with each other
Where the sections assume the relative form shewn by dotted lines all a¹¹ the
ends at the points of union are one below the other a form adapted to convey
materials in bulk.
In Figures 8. 9. 10. 11. are details for the better comprehension of its
construction.
Figure 10 shews a section through b in Figure 8. the driven end of the conveyor
a. b. shaft S; o the chain wheel by which it is driven from chain wheel in Figure 6
and chain i, i, and K, the tension bar which takes hold of each end of shaft S,
at a. b. in Figure 10 and of shaft in Figure 6 these tension bars permit the driven
end of the conveyor to be raised or lowered to the required position without
disarranging its working.
In Figure 11 c. d, is shown a transverse section through c. d. in Figure 9; the
shaft e, the chain teeth wheels f. f. employed to carry the chain h. h'. Figure 9 to
which the belt m. in Figure 11 is secured.
Figure 9 is a plan view of parts of conveyor sections the upper half d. d', d¹¹, shews
one half of the belt, the lower half is an exposed plan view shewing the general
construction of the sections. The drums d. d, over which the belts pass receive
a positive motion from the chain wheels e. e' on shaft s. in Figure 10 these chain
wheels have teeth to work into the chain so that the motion transmitted is
positive. The belts d. d. d. attached to the chains on each side of the conveyor
have a positive movement and are suspended from the chains on either side so that
they do not ride upon rollers as in ordinary cases, and thus give to the material a
smoother movement.

page_text: .
Figure 8 shews details of construction at the point of union, the links that
unite the sections at the point of articulation the chain wheels r. r¹. by which one
section gives motion to the other.
Figure 4 is a plan view of two sections at work for carrying sacks.
. Having thus described the nature of my invention and means which I adopt in
carrying the same into effect I would have it understood that what I claim is the
construction or arrangement of the supporting framework and the parts a b c. d
D 8. 8. tt Ug p. p¹ as shewn in Figures 2. 3. 4 also of the auxiliary elevator x. x¹.
shewn in dotted lines in Figures 2 and 3 substantially as described and shewn.
Secondly I claim the construction or arrangement of the double weighing recep-
tacle substantially as herein before described and shewn in Figure 7 (A. B. C. D).
Thirdly I claim The construction or arrangement of the friction drums in the
manner and for the purpose as herein before described.
.
Fourthly I claim the manner of driving and the way in which I employ the
chaiu h, to work the elevator case p. p¹. and the auxiliary elevator x. xl. as is herein
before described and shewn in detail in Figures 5 and 6 wherein the chain h. h¹.
passes through parts i. and g. as shewn in Figure 6 in a straight rack tike manner.
And fifthly I claim the peculiar construction or arrangement of the conveyor and
mode of driving it substantially as herein before described and shewn.
In witness whereof I the said Luther Earl Mansfield have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Thirteenth day of January One thousand eight hundred
and eighty three.
LUTHER. E. MANSFIELD (L.S.)