IMPROVEMENTS IN COAL SCUTTLES to be as follows:-
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM ROBERT SELKIRK of Dashwood House, New Broad Street in the
City of London Manufacturer's Agent do hereby declare the nature of said invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COAL SCUTTLES to be as follows:-
"
This invention is particularly applicable to the usual wooden coal scuttles with
loose iron lining and with slanting front lid, and the object of the invention is to
provide means whereby the lid opens by the action of removing the scoop from its
place or pocket on the scuttle, and closes by the action of inserting the scoop into
its pocket. For this purpose I make the lining somewhat smaller than the wooden
shell so as to leave intermediate space or spaces between it and the wooden shell.
In this space or spaces I arrange the gear for working the lid. The weight of the
lid is counterbalanced by a weight or weights or spring or springs attached or
connected to one or both sides of the lid. In connection with the scoop I provide
a sliding part working in a slot in the wooden shell and which is depressed by the
scoop and which rises in its slot when the scoop is withdrawn. The lid is mounted
on lateral pivots which may work in slots so that the lid can drop and slide back
under the top of the shell when raised to the horizontal position. The lid is worked
from the aforesaid sliding part by suitable rod cord or chain and lever gear.
1001

page_text: "
I WILLIAM ROBERT SELKIRK of Dashwood House, New Broad Street in the
City of London, Manufacturer's Agent do hereby declare the nature of said invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COAL SCUTTLES and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention is particularly applicable to the usual wooden coal scuttles with
loose iron lining and with front lid slanting in a straight or curved direction but
the invention is also applicable to iron scuttles and the object of the invention
is to provide means whereby the lid opens by the action of removing the scoop
from its place or pocket on the scuttle, and closes by the action of inserting the
scoop into its place.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a sectional end view of a coal scuttle
with slanting curved lid constructed according to my invention, and Figure 2 a
plan section. The lid is shown up or open and the scoop hence removed from its
pocket. The dotted lines show the lid closed and the working gear in the
corresponding position.
"
A is the shell or body of the scuttle, and B the interior iron lining which is
shown in dotted lines, and which is made somewhat smaller than the shell or
body A and confined between the lugs A' fixed to the shell A so as to leave
intermediate spaces at the two sides and at the back between it and the shell A.
In these spaces I arrange the gear for working the lid A. This latter is mounted
on the end of the long arm of a bell crank lever C at each side, each lever C
being mounted on a fulcrum pin or screw C¹ on which it can turn. D is a lever
turning on a spindle D' which as shown may be held in place by a
" centre or
screw D at each end. Each lever D is provided with a weight E for counter-
balancing the weight of the lid A', the levers C and D being connected by the
links or rods F. Instead of the weights E I may use one or more springs, or I may
use partly weights and partly springs for counterbalancing. On the spindle D¹ is
mounted a lever H which can work or slide in a slot in the back of the wooden
shell A. and which is depressed by the scoop and which rises in its slot when the
scoop is withdrawn from its pocket I.
Figure 3 is a sectional end view of a coal scuttle with straight slanting lid A,
the latter in the closed position and the scoop K inserted in its pocket. The parts
of the working gear are similar to those already described viz the bellcrank lever C
working round the fulcrum C¹ in each lateral space between shell and lining, the
link F, the lever D with weight E, the fulcrum spindle D¹ and the lever H. The
roller G one on each side forms as it were a fulcrum or abutment for the lid A' to
swing around while its upper end drops and its other end is raised or opened, and
to slide on when, in the raised position, it is pulled into and under the top of the
shell A above the lining B. Or the lid A' might be fitted with pivots or rollers
such as G and slots formed in the sides of the shell for them to work in.
Figures 4 and 5 are sectional elevations of a modified arrangement of coal scuttle
with straight slanting lid, Figure 4 showing it in the closed and Figure 5 in the

page_text: opened position. The lid A' is jointed near its upper end to a lever C which at its
lower end is provided with a slot working on a fulcrum pin C. The lever C is by
a link F connected to the lever D which is fixed on the spindle D' to which latter
are also fixed the lever part H and counterweight E. On the spindle D¹ is
mounted a loose sleeve which carries a lever H* and a lever D* the other slotted
end of which is jointed to the lower slotted end of a link or rod F× the upper end
of which is jointed to the lid A. Both the lever C and the link F* are connected
to a casting A* fixed on the lid and acting as a counterbalance weight. G is a
roller on each side for the lid to tip over and to slide on. The pins whereby the
lever C is jointed to the casting A* are fitted with bowls or rollers C* which can
work each in a slot A** or between guides.
The action is as follows:-On withdrawing the scoop the weight Ex will drop
and the lever H* rise in the slot in the back of the scuttle; the lever D* will at
the same time drop correspondingly until it comes against the stop S. By this
action the joint pin at lower end of lever D* will when it reaches the bottom of
the slot in the lower end of the link F* raise the door A' into a nearly horizontal
position while canting on the rollers C× as a fulcrum; the rollers C* can travel in
the slots A** as stated. The door being thus raised a weight E fixed on the
rocking shaft D¹ will cause the lever H to rise in the slot in the back of the scuttle,
and the lever D through the connecting link F will act on the lever C and cause
the door to slide back on the rollers G, the rollers C* working in the slots A**.
The dotted lines in Fig. 4 show an intermediate position.
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
In a coal scuttle or vase the part H or parts H and H* mounted on a spindle and
acted upon by the scoop so as to close the lid when the scoop is inserted into its
pocket, such part H or parts H and H* being connected to the lid and weights or
springs or both in such manner and substantially as described and shown that the
lid is opened and slided in under the top of the shell when the scoop is withdrawn
from its pocket.