IMPROVEMENTS IN DUMPING BOATS OR Scows
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton of the Office for Patents
66 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Civil. Engineer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DUMPING BOATS OR Scows." Communicated
to him from abroad by the Barney Dumping Boat Company (Incorporated)
of Bergen Point in the State of New Jersey United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th August 1883.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lanc in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN DUMPING BOATS OR
Scows." [Communicated to him from abroad by the Barney Dumping Boat
Company (Incorporated) of Bergen Point in the State of New Jersey United
States of America]
The invention relates to a dumping Boat or Scow which is composed of two
floats or pontoons hinged at their upper and outer longitudinal edges to platforms
or deck portions so that they may be brought together to receive the load and so
that, when released, they will swing downwards and outwards to dump the load
between them and afford a clear opening from end to end of the boat or scow,
whereby provision is afforded for freeing the boat or scow from any light and
floating matter or debris by simply towing it for a short distance with the floats
or pontoons open or in the position which they assume when allowed to swing
outwards.
The present invention consists in the means employed for holding the floats or
pontoons together to receive and carry the load; also in the means for controlling
or retarding their opening movement which is apt to be too rapid because of the
great weight of the load and the momentum acquired in opening; and further in
the means for holding them in their outermost position after the load is dumped
and while the boat or scow is being towed ahead so that the water can have a clear
passage between the floats or pontoons.

page_text: After the load is dumped the buoyancy of the floats or pontoons will cause
them to return or move towards each other and come together, but if desired a
windlass upon the platform or deck portion may be employed to aid in bringing
them together.
The boat or scow is formed of two floats or pontoons which may be constructed
in any suitable manner.
At or near each end of the boat or scow is a platform or deck portion, and
intermediately between the ends is a third platform or deck portion.
The floats or pontoons are secured or hinged to the platforins or deck portions in
any convenient manner so that they may swing freely downwards and outwards
when released.
Near cach end, the two floats or pontoons are provided with sectors which are
geared together and cause the floats or pontoons to move in unison towards and
from each other. The sectors are provided on their sides with studs or projections,
and as the floats or pontoons reach the end of their outward movement the
projections strike upon stops made of india rubber springs or other elastic or spring
material and which form cushions for checking the movement of the floats or
portions.
In each platform or deck portion is a slideway extending transversely to the
boat or scow, and in such slideway is arranged a pair of sliding bars which are
|_ parallel with each other. The bars are connected with the two floats or pontoons
by rods so that when the floats or pontoons swing outwards the bars will be moved
or slid through the rods in opposite directions and if said bars are locked or held
against movement the floats or pontoons-cannot-swing-on-their-hinges-cither.
towards or from eath other.
Adjacent to each pair of bars is a vertical shaft carrying at its lower end a cam
which is arranged in an open yoke or shoe so that it presses against one of said
bars when the shaft is rotated.
On the opposite side of the bars is a beam or wall against which one of said bars
is pressed, and by the joint action of the cam and the beam the bars are clamped
securely together and are held against movement one upon the other.
Upon their adjacent faces the bars may have shoulders which engage with each
other when the floats or pontoons are closed or brought together, and the bars are
pressed together or clamped and by this means the floats or pontoons are held
against swinging outwards in a very secure manner.
A shaft extending longitudinally of the boat or scow and provided with a hand
wheel carries bevel pinions or wheels which engage with similar pinions on the
cam shaft and effect the turning of the latter to clamp all the bars together
simultaneously and simultaneously release them.
It is desirable that the floats or pontoons should be prevented from swinging
outwards too rapidly, and this is effected by not entirely releasing the sliding bars
but by pressing them together with such force as to create considerable friction by
their movement, which will of course retard or regulate the swinging movement of
the floats or pontoons.
When the floats or pontoons reach the end of their outward movement the shaft
is turned so as to clamp all the pairs of bars.
The pairs of sliding bars form a very simple and effective means for holding or
locking the floats or pontoons together or apart, and for regulating or controlling
the swinging movements of the floats or pontoons. In order to prevent the
longitudinal movement of either float or pontoon independently of the other in case
of collision or striking a dock or other obstacle one float may be provided with a
lug which fits between lugs on the other float.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Edward Newton in the Patent Office on the 11th February
.
1884.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents N° 66 Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex Civil Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN DUMPING BOATS OR
Scows" a communication to me from abroad by The Barney Dumping Boat
Company (Incorporated) of Bergen Point in the State of New Jersey United
States of America
The Invention relates to a Dumping Boat or Scow which is composed of two
floats or pontoons hinged at their upper and outer longitudinal edges to platforms
or deck portions so that they may be brought together to receive the load and so
that when released they will swing downwards and outwards to dump the load
between them and afford a clear opening from end to end of the Boat or scow
whereby provision is afforded for freeing the boat or scow from any light and
floating matter or debris by simpling towing it for a short distance with the
floats or pontoons open or in the position which they assume when allowed to swing
outwards.
The present Invention consists in the means employed for holding the floats or
pontoons together to receive and carry the load also in the means for controlling or
retarding their opening movement which is apt to be too rapid because of the great
weight of the load and the momentain acquired in opening and further in the means
for holding them in their outermost position after the load is dumped and while
the Boat or scow is being towed ahead so that the water can have a clear passage
between the floats or pontoons.
After the load is dumped the buoyancy of the floats or pontoons will cause
them to return or move towards each other and come together but if desired a
windlass upon the platform or deck portion may be employed to aid in bringing
them together.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig 1 represents a plan of a Boat or Scow
embodying the Invention Fig 2 represents the transverse section of the Boat or
Scow upon the dotted line xx Fig 1. Fig 3 represents a similar section upon the
dotted line y y Fig 1 and Fig 4 represents a transverse section and Fig 5 represents
a horizontal section of certain parts upon a larger scale.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.
A A' designate the two floats or pontoons which together form the Scow or boat
and which may be constructed in any suitable manner to secure the desired strength
and buoyancy.
At or near each end of the Boat or Scow is a Platform or deck portion B and
intermediately between the ends is a third platform or deck portion B¹
The floats or pontoons are secured or hinged to the Platforms or deck-portions
B B' by hinges or pivots a along their upper and outer longitudinal edges so that
they may swing freely downwards and outwards when released and the upper and
load supporting surfaces of the floats or pontoons are inclined downwards and
inwards towards each other at an angle of about forty five degrees (45°) or
thereabouts as clearly shewn in Figures 2 and 3.
Near each end the two floats or pontoons A A' are provided with sectors C
which are geared together and cause the floats or pontoons to move in unison
towards and from each other The sectors are provided on their sides with studs
or projections b and as the floats or pontoons reach the end of their outward
movement the projections strike upon stops c made of India rubber springs or other
elastic or spring material and which form cushions for checking the movement of
the floats or pontoons.

page_text: .
In each Platform or deck portion B. B¹ is a slideway B* extending transversely
to the Boat or scow and in such slideway is arranged a pair of sliding bars D D¹
which are parallel with each other The bars D D¹ are connected with the two
floats or pontoons by rods as best shewn in Fig 2 the bar D being connected by a
rod E with the float or pontoon A and the bar D' being connected by a similar rod
E with the float or pontoon A'.
It will therefore be seen that when the floats or pontoons swing outwards the
bars D D' will be moved or slid through the rods E Ê¹ in opposite directions and if
said bars are locked or held against movement the floats or pontoons cannot swing
on their hinges either towards or from each other.
Adjacent to each pair of bars D D' is a vertical shaft F carrying at its lower end
a cam d and which said cam is arranged in an open yoke or shoe e which it presses
against-one of said bars when the shaft is rotated.
On the opposite side of the bars D D¹ from the shaft F is a beam or wall
against which one of said bars is pressed and by the joint action of the cam d and
the beam or resistance piece the bars are clamped securely together and are held
against movement one upon the other.
Upon their adjacent faces D D' may have shoulders g which engage with each.
other, as shewn best in Fig 5 when the floats or pontoons are closed or brought
together and the bars are pressed together or clamped and by this means the floats
or pontoons are held against swinging outwards in a very secure manner
G designates a shaft extending longitudinally of the boat or scow and provided.
with a hand wheel G' whereby it may be turned.
Upon the shaft G are bevil pinions or wheels-h which engage in similar pinions i
on the cam shaft F and effect the turning of the latter and by this means all the
pairs of bars D D' may be clamped together simultaneously and simultaneously
released.
When the boat is to receive its load the several pairs of bars D D' are clamped
together and the floats or pontoons are held together by them until it is desired to
damp. the load The shafts F are then turned to release the bars and the weight of
the load will cause the floats or pontoons to swing outwards or apart and the bars
of each pair will move or slide one upon another It is desirable that the floats or
pontoons should be prevented from swinging outwards too rapidly and this is
effected by not entirely releasing the sliding bars but by pressing them together
with such force as to create considerable friction by their movement which will of
course retard or regulate the swinging movement of the floats or pontoons.
When the floats or pontoons reach the end of their outward movement the
shaft G. is turned so as to clamp all the pairs of bars D D' and the floats or
pontoons are thus held apart while the Boat or scow is towed slightly ahead The
water now has a clear passage between the floats or pontoons and the towing
ahead of the Boat or scow leaves all the light floating garbage behind and washes
off the floats or pontoons any material which would otherwise stay upon them.
The sliding bars D D' are then released and the floats or pontoons are free to
swing inwards by their buoyancy or they may be brought close together and
secured by chains and a windlass or otherwise.
It will be seen that the pairs of sliding bars form a very simple and effective
means for holding or locking the floats or pontoons together or apart and for
regulating or controlling the swinging movements of the Boats or pontoons In
order to prevent the longitudinal movement of either float or pontoon inde-
pendently of the other in case of collision or striking a dock or other obstacle one
float may be provided with a lug which fits between lugs j on the other float
as clearly shewn in Fig 1.
Having thus described this Invention of Improvements in Dumping boats or
scows as communicated to me from abroad and explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect I wish it to be understood that what is claimed and desired to
be secured by Letters Patent is
First The combination with the two hinged floats or pontoons of the sliding bars

page_text: connected with said floats or pontoons and means for clamping said bars together
or against the walls of their slideway for the purpose of holding the floats or
pontoons and controlling their movements as herein described.
Second The combination with the two hinged floats or pontoons of the sliding
bars connected with them and provided with interlocking shoulders and means for
clamping said bars as herein described.
Third The combination with the two hinged floats or pontoons of two or more
pairs of sliding bars connected with them and means for clamping and releasing
the several pairs of bars simultaneously as and for the purpose herein described.
Fourth The combination with the two hinged floats or pontoons geared together
at their ends by intermeshing sectors of the sliding bars connected with said floats
or pontoons and means for clamping said bars as and for the purpose herein
described.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Edward Newton have hereunto set my
hand and seal this eleventh day of February in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.