Improvements in Cranes and Apparatus for Hoisting, Loading, ' and Unloading Fuel, Grain, and other Materials and Substances into and out of Vessels, Barges, Bunkers, and Steamers
Year: 1884

page_text: Improvements in Cranes and Apparatus for Hoisting, Loading,
'
and Unloading Fuel, Grain, and other Materials and
Substances into and out of Vessels, Barges, Bunkers, and
Steamers
I FRANCIS SERVICE of Number One Pond Row Ebbw Vale in the County of
Monmouth Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CRANES AND APPARATUS FOR HOISTING LOADING AND UNLOADING
FUEL, GRAIN, AND OTHER MATERIALS AND SUBSTANCES INTO AND OUT OF
VESSELS, BARGES, BUNKERS, AND STEAMERS and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
By this Invention as shewn on Figure N° 1 it is intended to fix a column or
columns in or to a boat, barge, lighter, vessel or steamer on water or attached to
a building, truck or other places on land whereby cranes of a special design are
required and are secured to a loose deep collar with bracket allowing the cranes to
jib round or rotate freely in a whole or semi-circle also to slide up and down the
column by means of a chain or rope attached to a drum revolved by a worm and
wheel so that the cranes may be adjusted to any convenient height suitable for
loading or unloading. A spindle connected to the top and bottom of the column
for jibbing or rotating the cranes by means of connecting wrought iron straps to
a bell crank which slides upon a spindle up and down as the crane is adjusted to
position. At the bottom of the spindle is also fitted a lever worked by motive or
manual power to jib or rotate the cranes one right and other left, lowering the
full box into the vessel and the empty one into the lighter for refilling.
The winding rope or chain passes over pulleys at the extreme end of the crane
and then passing down through the centre of the crane first thereby allowing the
crane to rotate at will, then down to the drum which is so constructed as to admit
of a balance rope or chain securing one end to the drum then passing to the top
of the column over a sheaf then down by the rotating spindle to the bottom of the
column and secured to balance weights thereby considerably reducing the motive
power usually required to raise the material and boxes to the necessary height for
loading when one box is in the lighter loading and the other one in the vessel
discharging. The weights are then at the top of the column and the rope attached
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page_text: to the weights being secured to the drum in the opposite direction when the
materials and boxes are hoisted out of the vessel and lighter the weights are then
brought to the bottom of the column and thus balance the load then being hoisted
up to the necessary height. The load of material is then lowered by a brake
attached to the winding, drum and when the boxes are lowered the weight then
rises to the top of the column, the weights so balance the load that it only requires
very alight power to do the necessary hoisting.
When the cranes are not in use they are lowered to the foot of the column and
placed longitudinally or side by side if necessary and stowed so as not to endanger
any vessel passing.
The loading boxes are so constructed that. two sides are hinged. They are
secured with cross bar bent down at sides attached to four lever catches when
lowered upon the resting place the cross bar drops immediately releasing the levers,
hooking the two side flaps causing them to fall sideways to allow the materials to
be disengaged by hand or tool as necessary these boxes would only be required
for materials not to be broken up and are designed specially for that purpose.
For loading coal and similar substances ordinary boxes or tubs are used with cross
bars connected to centre spindle with catch to allow their contents to be discharged
immediately it is turned over.
The arrangement as shewn on Figure N° 2. consists of a column or columns
fixed as described in Figure N° 1 arrangement with two cheeks secured to the
deep loose collar which slides up and down the column as required.
Each crane or arm secured to the cheeks with a strong pin allowing them to
rotate freely on same. Each crane when moving describes a semicircle perpen-
dicularly in a more contracted space than N° 1 Figure.
The double hoist will raise and deposit into or out of a space about 8 feet square
affording a most material advantage to ships and steamers where space for loading
or bunkering is contracted and leaves no room for ordinary cranes swinging round
horizontally.
There is a small swinging crane or lever fitted with hollow spindle to reach
large one projecting three feet more or less to allow the box and contents to pass
by when in a perpendicular line. When the beam lowers to its position it rests
upon a bracket. To bring it into position I use a balance weight attached to the
rotating drums. When in position a spring presses out a catch to prevent the
beams from returning which they otherwise would do when relieved of the load
in consequence of the action of the balance weight. I use drums for winding
and brakes for lowering as in N° 1 arrangement. The hollow spindle in Figure
N° 2 allows the rope or chain marked N to pass through its centre and allows
free action to cranes moving upon their axes and moved by worm and wheel or
rack motion, the wheel also secured to the hollow spindle when wound up
perpendicularly gears into a rack and rotates small crane D and turns it right or
left as required for lowering its contents. There are four additional rotating
drums with two brakes worked by same or separate motive power. Each drum
has a disc face to fit each other with holes so as to be bolted together when brought
into position for working. The ropes or chains used for 'giving motion to the
cranes are secured to the drums reversely and as the one slacks out the other draws
up to counteract the part secured to the disc in the centre of the crane and which
I use to cause the semicircular action. These cranes may if necessary be worked
or moved upon their axes by wheels rack or other motion as shewn on Figure
N° 2. The Figure N° 3 shews an arrangement whereby a vessel may be loaded
or unloaded or steamer bunkered or loaded or unloaded from or to a boat, barge, &c.
to which the machinary is fixed, or by placing the floating apparatus between two
vessels or steamers barges &°. The one may be loaded or bunkered from the other.
The apparatus may also be fixed on board a vessel steamer & for loading or
discharging in general her freight ballast & or may be fixed to smaller vessels,
steamers, barges rafts or pontoons &° for loading or discharging larger vessels in
rivers or channels not being admitted into docks.

page_text: Also for use on land as shewn on Figure N° 1. and 2. The arrangement is fixed
to a face plate which slides up or down the column or columns to its necessary
height for loading &°. The cranes are constructed each with one main crane jib
or lever with a small one swinging this working loose as shewn on Figure N° 2.
It is also suitable to load a vessel steamer barge & from or to the one carrying
the machinary as shewn on Figure N° 3. This is to convey a quantity of material
alongside the intended vessel or steamer & and commence loading while other
lighters acting as feeders arrive with the material. The machinery immediately
commences to discharge them and when empty they return and reload. The
machinery again commence loading out of its own carrier which is a considerable
save in time of changing lighters &°. These will also load into or discharge from
a small hatchway as on Figure No. 2. It also has a balancing capacity as shown
on Figures N° 1 and 2 reducing power considerable in hoisting. It has one set
of drums and brakes for hoisting and lowering. It also conveys its load a semi-
circle perpendicularly or horizontally as required. It has levers and spindles
attached to the large lever or beam which presses the small crane and turns it to
the right or to the left side as required when hoisted to its perpendicular with box.
These cranes may if necessary be worked or moved upon their axes by wheels
rack or other motion.

page_text: X. Cross bar to loading boxes I to which catches Y secured thereto as shewn on
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 3*.
Y. Catches holding side flaps or doors of loading boxes I. .
Z. Resting place or carriage in hold of vessel & as shewn on Figure 3* for
conveying material and boxes J fore and aft the vessel and running upon a
temporary or portable railway laid before commence loading upon the bottom of
vessel and raised as required at different stages of loading and placed upon the
cargo continuing to convey fore and aft until loading completed.
1. 2. 3. 4. Weights for balancing cranes or levers C moving a semicircle
perpendicularly.
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 two crane jibs, hinged to, but on opposite sides of a
sliding collar (adjustable on a column) and capable of swinging action horizontally;
the hoisting chain or rope of each jib moving in the same direction simultaneously
all as hereinbefore described and arranged substantially as shown in the annexed
Drawings.
2ndly In connection with two separately hung crane jibs in which the two
hoisting chains or ropes are moved in the same direction simultaneously, the
appliances by which said crane jibs can be swung round and governed and the
weight of the load counterbalanced or nearly so all as described and substantially
as shown at Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings.
3rdly The arrangement of coupled crane jibs with wing jibs thereon and the
method by which they and the hoisting chains or ropes can be operated as described
and substantially as shown at Figure 2 of the annexed Drawings for the purpose
set forth.
4thly The combination of two swinging crane jibs capable of moving at right
angles to their supporting axle on which they have vertical swinging action and
adjustable as to height and with or without wing jibs all as herein described and
shown at Figure 3 for the purpose set forth.
5thly The employment of two distinct crane jibs having alternate motions from
different axles on separate supports but combined or arranged in connection
with a coupled hoisting gear as described and substantially as shown at Figure 3A
of the annexed Drawings.