An Improved Portable Gangway for use on Piers, Quays, and other Places.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left. 25th Nov. 1838-Accented 21st Jan. 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Portable Gangway for use on Piers, Quays, and other
Places.
I, THOMAS MCFARLANE, Pier Master at Blairmore, Argyleshire, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a portable gangway for use on piers, quays and other
places for transporting passengers to vessels lying alongside.
In carrying out my invention I make the gangway of two principal parts one
of which is carried upon or made one with a frame or platform running upon
wheels or castors. This frame which stands upon the pierhead and which can be
moved about thereon, is preferably made with four uprights which may or may
not be braced together as desired. The uprights may be made of wood or of wood
and metal or of metal alone. In the latter case they may be constituted by tubes
or channel or other irons. The other principal part is hinged to the first part or
to the frame or platform in such a manner as to be capable of being raised or
lowered to any desired angle to suit the height of the vessel in the water. This
part is also provided with lowering chains or ropes which, if necessary, may be
made to wind upon a winch or drum or such like. This second part, which may
be counterbalanced by means of weights suspended from cords or chains or by
means of levers provided with weights, is preferably made so as to be extensible
and in order that this may be done it may be made in two or more parts which fit
or move telescopically on or upon one another.
The second principal part is made so as to move in upon the platform or frame
out of the way when not required and to facilitate this movement it may be
provided with pulleys, wheels or rollers which may or may not as desired run in
guides formed by channel irons.
If desired the second principal part may be so made as to be capable of being
pulled up into a vertical position out of the way.
The improved gangway whilst being perfectly safe for passengers when passing
from the pier to the vessel is not so liable to become damaged or broken as with
the gangways at present in use.
Dated this 04th dow of T1000
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Portable Gangway for use on Piers, Quays, and other
Places.
I, THOMAS MCFARLANE, Pier Master at Blairmore, Argyleshire, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
[Price 8d.1

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to a portable gangway for use on piers, quays and other
places for transporting passengers, etc., to vessels lying alongside.
In carrying out my invention I make the gangway of two principal parts one
of which consists of a frame or platform running upon wheels or castors. This
frame or platform which stands upon the pierhead and which can be moved about
thereon, is preferably made with four uprights which may or may not be braced
together as desired. The uprights may be made of wood or of wood and metal
or of metal alone. In the latter case they may be constituted by tubes or channel
or other irons. The other principal part or gangway proper is connected to the
frame or platform in such a manner as to be capable of being raised or lowered
to any desired angle to suit the height of the vessel in the water.
This part is
also provided with lowering chains or ropes which, if necessary, may be made to
wind upon a winch or drum or such like. This second part, which may be
counterbalanced by means of weights suspended from cords or chains or by means
of levers provided with weights, is preferably made so as to be extensible and in
order that this may be done it may be made in two or more sections or parts
which fit together or move telescopically on or upon one another.
The second principal part is made so as to move in upon the platform or frame
out of the way when not required and to facilitate this movement it may be
provided with pulleys, wheels or rollers which may or may not as desired run in
guides formed by channel irons.
If desired the second principal part may be so made as to be capable of being
pulled up into a vertical position out of the way.
The improved gangway whilst being perfectly safe for passengers when passing
from the pier to the vessel is not so liable to become damaged or broken as with
the gangways at present in use.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have here-
unto appended two explanatory sheets of drawings, whereon,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 a plan of the improved portable gangway.
Fig. 3 is a back end view of the gangway.
Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are detail views.
Fig. 8 is a view of the principal part or gangway proper provided with an
extension piece.
Referring to the drawings whereon the same reference numerals wherever
repeated indicate the same parts:―
1 is the platform of the apparatus which is constituted by longitudinal channel
irons 2, 2, properly secured and braced together by cross bars or ties upon which
planking 3 is laid. 4, 4, are flat metal rails extending from end to end of the
platform. The platform which is provided with swivelling ball castors 5 has four
angle iron or other suitable uprights 6, which are held in position by crossed
stays 7 at their upper ends and struts 8 extending upwards from the channel
irons 2.
9 is a carriage or extension which, as shown clearly in the enlarged plan and
end views Figs. 4 and 5, consists of two cross bars or axles 10 provided with loose
rollers 11 at their ends and connected together by distance pieces 12. These
axles 10 which may be of rectangular section throughout their lengths except at
the ends which carry the rollers 11, have rigidly secured to them two plates 13
carrying a hinge, pin or bar 14. The rollers 11, as will be seen, run in the
channels of the channel irons 2 and also, at their inner ends, on the rails 4 of
the platform. The gangway proper, 15, which will be hereinafter more particu-
larly referred to has eyes at its inner end by which it is hinge-jointed upon the
pin or bar 14 in the manner shown clearly at Figs. I and 2.
Carried underneath the planking 3 of the platform are two or more cross
shafts 16, indicated in dotted lines at Fig. 2, provided with rollers 17 which

page_text: project up through recesses in the planks, slightly above the general level of the
planking 3. On the outermost shaft 16 a chain wheel 18 is keyed from which an
endless chain 21 passes to and round a corresponding chain wheel 19 on the
shaft 20.
At one end of the shaft 20 a toothed pinion 22 is keyed whose teeth mesh with
the teeth of a gear wheel 23 driven by the pinion 24 whose spindle 25 carries a
small fly wheel 26 with handle 27. At the other end of the shaft 20 a chain
wheel 28 is secured round which a chain can be passed so as to gear with the
chain wheel 29 of the shaft 30 which latter carries a wheel 31 provided with a
series of holes through any one of which a bar or handle 31° can be passed. The
gearing 23, 24, is carried by the one upright 6 (Fig. 3) whilst the wheels 29, 31,
and shaft 30 are carried by the other upright 6 (Fig. 3).
Carried at the upper ends of the back uprights 6 is a cross shaft 32 having
two drums 33, 34, upon which the wire ropes 35 are wound. The shaft, together
with the drums, is rotated by means of the toothed gearing 36, 37, operated by
the chain 38 and chain wheel 39 carried by the shaft of the pinion 37. 40 is a
guard for the chain. If desired the chain 38 instead of hanging free may be
passed round a chain wheel 38ª (see dotted lines) provided with a handle and
carried by the strut 8 and an additional strengthening strut 8ª (indicated in
dotted lines).
The gangway proper 15 is made in two or more sections jointed together in the
manner shown at Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7, that is to say, the side beams 41, 41, of one
section are inserted in jaws 42 on the corresponding beams 41 of the next section
and then a hinge pin 43 is passed through holes in the ends of the beams (see
particularly the side and plan views Figs. 6 and 7). In order to make the joint
a perfectly rigid one, which is most essential, a space of rectangular shape is left
between the extreme front end of each entering beam and the extreme back end
of its corresponding jaw 42 and into this space a key or wedge pin 44 is dropped
or driven. When the keys 44 are withdrawn the hinged section (or sections) can
be turned upon the pins 43 as upon pivots.
To make continuous side rails when the sections are rigidly jointed together
and, at the same time, to permit of the sections being folded or turned up when-
ever desired without altering the rails in any way curved strips 45 of metal or
other suitable material are provided. These strips, as shown at Figs. 1, 2 and 8,
bridge the space (or spaces) between the sections. Each strip 45 is provided with
stop pins 48 and projections 49, and is, at each end, passed through staples 46
secured to the fixed side rails 47. The stop pins 48 and the projections 49 prevent
the strips working out of the staples 46. 50 are metal guide plates secured to the
side rails for the strips to work against. Two strips 51 are provided at the rear
end of the gangway and these strips which close or cover the opening left at the
end of the gangway (when it is lowered down to a considerable angle) between
the side rails and the uprights 6, are provided with lateral projections 52 which
catch against said uprights when the gangway is lowered. In other respects the
strips 51 are the same as the strips 45.
The raising and lowering guy ropes 35 pass from the upper ends of the front
uprights 6, to which they are firmly secured, through the sheaves 53 and back
over the pulleys 54 to the drums 33, 34.
55, 56, are hinged flaps at each end of the gangway 15. The flap 55 covers
the carriage 9. These flaps facilitate the passage of persons or cattle over the
gangway.
Whilst Figs. 1 and 2 show a gangway with two sections jointed together Fig. 8
shows one with three sections jointed together.
If desired a canvas cover may be fitted above the platform. This cover may
Lave rings at each side threaded on rails or bars 57 so as to be capable of being
reefed or folded up when desired. A permanent wood cover or canopy 58 may
be fitted over the mechanism at the rear of the platform as shown at Figs. 1 and 3.
60 Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 8 represents a pierhead or quay.

page_text: With this apparatus whenever it is desired to transfer passengers from, say, the
pier to a steamer lying alongside all that is necessary is to run the platform, on
its castors, over to the proper position and then to rotate the shaft 20, either by
means of the cog wheel gearing or the chain gear or both as found desirable, if
both gears are fitted on the structure, so as to actuate the endless chain 21 to one
link of which the carriage 9 is firmly secured by a locking bolt, indicated at 61
Fig. 4. The motion of the chain causes the carriage and the gangway 15 to run
out of the platform (the guy ropes being slackened) and over the side of the pier.
When the gangway is out far enough the chain actuating mechanism is stopped
and locked or held in position and then the guys 35 are manipulated so as to
lower (or raise) the gangway on to the steamer. When the passengers have been
transferred the gangway can be raised (or lowered) by the proper manipulation
of the guys to the level of the platform when the chain is set into action, in a
reverse direction to its previous motion, whereupon the gangway is drawn
telescope-wise into the frame of the platform. If so desired the gangway may be
allowed to remain in the out position after the steam boat has left the pier and
the arrangement is such that it can so remain with perfect safety.
Owing to the fact that the rollers 11 run in channel irons there is no danger
of the inner end of the gangway and its carriage rising up out of position when
a weight is placed on its outer end. The gangway, when drawn in on to the
platform, is supported, at its outer end, by the rollers 17 and these rollers
facilitate the movement of the gangway.
Of course when the chain wheel gear 28, 29, 31, is used alone the cog wheel
gear 22, 23, 25, would be thrown out of gear. By preference I fit only the chain
wheel gear on the apparatus as I find this generally sufficient although, as shown,
the two gears may be provided when more power is necessary. In this latter
case it requires two men to operate the gears, one for each gear.
The wheel 39 is revolved by pulling the chain 38, or if the wheel 38" is
provided by revolving said wheel and the chain passed round it.
As a rule I find the platform and its gear sufficiently heavy to counterbalance
the gangway, when in the out position with a fair load upon it, but should it be
so desired the platform may be weighted to an additional extent.
The gangway may be fitted on steamers if so desired and operated by power if
necessary.
In some cases wheel castors or swivelling wheels may be used instead of the
ball castors 5.
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
consider novel and desire to claim is :-
1. A portable gangway made in two principal parts one the gangway proper
and the other a platform or frame to which the gangway is movably connected
said gangway being capable of being run out from or drawn in upon the platform
by means of suitable mechanism, substantially as set forth.
2. An extensible gangway (15) made in sections which are jointed together and
can be rigidly locked to each other, substantially as herein before set forth.
3. A portable gangway having its parts constructed, arranged and combined
together, substantially as herein before described with reference to the drawings
annexed.
Dated this 24th dox of November 1898
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.