Improvements in Conveying Apparatus Chiefly Designed for the Trans-shipment of Coal and other Supplies.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 3rd May, 1899-Accepted, 15th July, 1899
[Communicated from abroad by THOMAS SPENCER MILLER, of South Orange, Essex
County, New Jersey, United States of America.]
Improvements in Conveying Apparatus Chiefly Designed for the
Trans-shipment of Coal and other Supplies.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to conveying apparatus and has for its object primarily the
transfer of goods and particularly coal, ammunition and supplies between vessels at
sea or between a vessel and the land.
A
In applying my invention to the loading of a battleship from a collier the
arrangement comprises an upright on the collier, an upright on the battleship, a
fixed cable or trackway extending between the masts of the collier and the upright on
the collier upon which cable travels a tension carriage supporting the sheave.
tension rope is provided, one end of which is fixed to the carriage and which passes
over a sheave and is fastened at its opposite end to the drum of the rope-drum-engine
which drum acts as a take-up maintaining the said rope under substantially a
constant tension. The carrying rope is wrapped around the druin of rope-drum-
engine located on the deck of the collier and extends thence upward and around a
sheave attached at an elevation to the upright thence around the tension sheave
mounted upon the tension-sheave-supporting-carriage; thence horizontally over
another sheave at an elevation on the upright; thence around the sheave supported
at an elevation on the upright of the battleship; thence back again over a sheave
supported at an elevation on the upright of the collier; thence downward to its
already mentioned coil around the druin of the rope-drum-engine. The carrying rope
may either be endless or have its ends fastened to the drum. In going and coming
to and from the battleship, the carrying rope engages with the load-supporting
carriage. The upper portion of the rope acts as a track for the wheels of said
carriage to run on. The lower portion of the carrying rope in passing through the
carriage makes a yielding connection with the carriage, which connection is
sufficiently positive to cause the said carriage under normal conditions to travel to
or from the battleship, but is not so positive as to prevent the lower portion of the
carrying rope from slipping through the carriage upon the travel of the carriage
being arrested or abnormally opposed, or upon the travel of the rope being
abnormally accelerated. A mechanism by which this may be accomplished will be
hereafter more particularly described.
A tow-line connects the stern of the battleship with the bow of the collier. The
load-conveying carriage consists of the side plates carrying between them the axles
for aforesaid wheels as well as the timber and a clutch consisting of a pivoted arm
which is pressed toward the timber by a spring. The carrying rope is clutched
between the timber and the arm. Ordinary friction may be relied upon for making
this clutch sufficiently positive; or, if preferred, buttons may be mounted at intervals

page_text: upon the rope and the clutching surfaces of the timber and the arm may be
sufficiently hollow at one point to receive and hold the button at that point more
positively than would the clutch acting upon the rope without the button. The hook
for supporting the load projects from the two friction plates which are pivoted on a
stud, one on the outside of each side plate. A link is pivotally suspended from the
frame so that when hanging vertically this link closes the mouth of the hook. A stop on
the frame prevents the hook from swinging forward although it is free to swing back-
ward. A second stop on the frame prevents the hook from swinging upward but the hook
may, when not otherwise held, swing downward until its rearward projections strike
against other stops. The projections or tail of the hook are heavier than the hook so that
their weight overbalances that of the said hook and holds the hook normally in its
upward position, when the hook is not loaded. When the hook is carrying a load, it
is held in its horizontal position by a latch which may consist of the arms suspended
by a stud on opposite sides of the carriage frame. When these arms are in the
vertical position obviously no load on the hook can remove it out of its carrying
position; but when the arms are moved to one side a load on the hook will cause it
to swing downward into the lower position so as to drop its load.
For the purpose of
producing this movement of the arms a stud extending between them is connected
with the forward end of a rod carrying on its opposite end a buffer the said rod
.being free to reciprocate in hearings on the carriage. The buffer and the arms are
yieldingly held forward by the spring. When, however, as the carriage moves
forward, the buffer strikes a stationary object, it is forced backward thus forcing the
arms also backward and permitting the hook to drop so as to deposit its load. As
soon, however, as the hook is relieved from its load, the weight of the tail or projec-
tions automatically raises the hook into its normal position where it is held by the
return of the arms to their normal position under the influence of the spring.
Although the loop supporting the load may pass into the mouth of the hook by
swinging the link backward, yet after it has once passed into the mouth of the hook
it cannot escape therefrom because the link will drop down in front of it and cannot
be moved forward in consequence of the presence of the link stop. Therefore, when
the hook once engages the load, the load cannot escape therefrom until it is dropped
by the descent of the hook.
I will next describe the mechanism whereby the load is hoisted to position for
engagement with the hook of the load carriage. A boom consisting of side pieces,
cross pieces and guide-rods is held in an inclined position on the deck of the collier
by a tie-rod in such location that the guide-rods are substantially parallel with the
vertical plane in which the carrying rope lies; said plane being substantially midway
between said guide-rods. The load (for example, coal) is contained in a bag provided
with loops so as to be adapted to hang on a carrier. This carrier may consist of a
single piece of metal of loop shape having eyes at opposite sides with U-shaped
portions above and below. The two ends overlap each other at some portion so as to
permit the loops to be passed into and out of the carrier. Lifting hooks are adapted
to engage with the eyes the said hooks being suspended by hangers, provided with
wheels, to run on the guide-rods and with eyes, for securing the end of the two hoist
ropes both extending from the rope-drun over sheaves to the said eyes. When the
carrier with its load has been hoisted to the top of the guide-rods, the top of the
U-shaped portion will strike against the carrying rope. Then the carriage will
advance and the inclined surface of the carriage hook coming in contact with the top
will tilt the carrier on the lifting hooks so as to permit the hook to advance into the
carrier and then permit the further forward movement of the hook to take the carrier
clear of the lifting hooks. If the load be hoisted before the carriage has returned from
a trip to the battleship, the carriage may, by reason of its inclined surface pass the
hoist carrier since the top portion of the carrier will be tilted backward sufficiently to
enable the carriage hook to pass over it.
The automatic delivery of the load upon its arrival at the battle-ship may be
accomplished as follows:

page_text: Upon the block of the sheave on the said battleship is mounted a buffer in line to
be struck by the load carriage buffer. The collision between these two buffers unlatches
the carriage hook and permits it, as already described, to drop its load. An inclined
apron is so located as to catch the load as it drops and guide it where required on the
battle-ship. Obviously, instead of the buffers and the unlatching mechanism
described, an unlatched mechanism might be so constructed that it would be operated
by a finger extending into its path before reaching the block of sheave so as to afford
greater range of motion for the carriage beyond the unlatching point than is afforded
by the spring. Or, in connection with the spring the cushioning effect might be
accomplished by an air-check.
In some cases the carrying rope constitutes the means of support as well as the
means of traction while in other cases the carrying rope performs the traction function
and the supporting function is thrown upon an additional rope stretched between the
sheave on the ship being loaded and the sheave of the tension carriage so that the
tension rope acts at the same time as a take-up for the carrying and supporting ropes.
In this case, the wheels journalled on the load carriage run on the additional or
supporting rope.
In another arrangement I add to the construction above described a hoisting rope
which extends from the hoisting drumm on the deck of the collier upward and over
a sheave mounted at an elevation on the collier; thence around a sheave on the same
block with the sheave of the tension carriage; thence over a sheave journalled on
the load carriage; thence under a full-block-sheave; thence over a sheave journalled
or load carriage and thence to the block of sheave on the battleship where it is
made fast. Therefore, with this arrangement the tension rope serves as a take-up
for the carrying rope, the supporting rope and the hoisting rope.
Another method of maintaining the requisite tension on the carrying rope would
dispense with the compensating engine. The tension rope may be secured to any
object towed behind the collier-for example another boat a sea anchor, or in fact a
fixed anchor. The speed at which the engines of the towing ship runs will serve to
regulate the tension on the carrying rope or supporting rope.
In some cases I employ a compensating engine to which is attached the rear end
of the cable for the purpose of maintaining at all times the requisite tension to keep
the cable in an elevated position between the collier and the ship. This tension may
obviously vary anywhere between the energy necessary to maintain the cable between
the ships at a proper elevation and the tensile strength of the cable. In other cases
the compensating engine is dispensed with and the requisite tension is obtained and
maintained by means external to the collier. Several means for this purpose may be
employed such as a ship moving on the surface of the water, and in this case the
tension may
be adjusted by working the engines of the said vessel either to
increase or reduce it. This vessel may be any ordinary vessel, with or without
motive power, or it may be if preferred, a vessel especially designed and constructed
for the purpose. I may also employ sea anchors attached to the rear end of the
cable to maintain the desired tension which anchors are provided with buoys and
lines for hauling them in. In using these the tension may be varied by increasing
or diminishing the number or size of the anchors or by changing the speed of towing.
Instead of movable objects a fixed object may be employed in those cases where
the warship may remain at rest while the coaling operation is being conducted.
In the above cases the cable is made of two parts, to wit: a tension and a conveying
or carrying cable, but a single continuous cable might be used. The endless or
conveying cable passes from the conveying engine around a sheave, then around
a sheave on the battleship and then back to the drum. Since this cable passes around
the moving sheave on the battleship at one end and the sheaves on the moving
tension carriage at the other end without passing intermediate fixed sheaves, the
result is that increasing or diminishing the distance between the collier and warship
does not cause any relative movement of either branch of this cable, or in other
words, does not cause any movement of the cable rope around the sheave on the
warship. Furthermore, the tension carriage moves through only one-half the distance

page_text: through which the said sheave moves in compensating for the varying distances
between the ships.
I may employ a single load carriage or a series of hangers provided with hooks
below and grip bends above which grip the cable. When these hangers are employed
the conveying rope may have a continuous motion in one direction, the hangers being
removed automatically or by hand and, after the load is discharged replaced on the
opposite side of the sheave. Any suitable carriage or hanger may be employed, such
as those described, and with these the motion of the cable may be continuous in one
direction provided the operation of sending the carriages in one direction be arrested
long enough to permit the empty carriages to be returned in the opposite
direction.
Instead of using a conveying engine on the collier, a single cable from the warship
over the collier and to the drag may be employed on which the load may be transferred
to the warship by gravity alone, by suitably adjusting the elevations at the discharging
and receiving ends of the cable.
I do not wish to limit myself to the particular construction described, nor to the
mode of operation specified, for it can readily be seen, that the rope or cable arranged
endless may be propelled continuously in one direction, in which event the loads
would be suspended by a wheeled vehicle to one or both of the strands of the rope
and thereby propelled across the intervening space between ships. On arrival at the
warship end or terminal the trucks would be taken off, either automatically or by
hand; such trucks, or wheeled vehicles could also be made much simpler and cheaper
than the carriages shown in the accompanying drawing. One form would employ a
single sheave wheel to roll on one of the strands, and a simple grip connection with
the other strand, or it may be still further modified by carrying loads in the strand
going to the battleship and returning the light trucks on the returning strand. Such
trucks in such an event need not have any wheels at all, but may be a simple form of
grip, whereby the bag is hooked onto the cable and is held from slipping by any
means whatsoever.
The carriage may also be modified by reducing the number of wheels and also
by arranging the wheels to run on the lower strand and the gripping mechanism
arranged to engage with the upper strand.
Furthermore the structure in the front portion of the collier may be entirely
omitted and the ropes suspended or supported by sheaves located on the foremast.
The elevating device, also, may be inclined so as to have its base in the hold of the
vessel, and inclined from there towards the fore-mast, so that the loads may be
elevated from below the deck and delivered directly to be carried by the main
cable.
Dated this 3rd day of August 1898.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Conveying Apparatus Chiefly Designed for the
and other Supplies.
Trans-shipment of
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the

page_text: nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to conveying apparatus and has for its object primarily the
transfer of goods and particularly coal, ammunition and supplies between vessels at
sea or between a vessel and the land.
In the accompanying drawings my invention is shown as applied to conveying coal
from a collier to a battle ship at sea.
Figure 1 shows the collier and a portion of the battleship with the conveying
apparatus; a section of the conveying ropes and tow lines being omitted.
Figure 2 represents a portion of the same but with the two vessels carried further
apart by the motion of the waves.
Figure 3 shows in detail the apparatus employed for hoisting the load on the
collier and starting its conveyance to the battleship.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are details of the apparatus for hoisting the load on the
collier.
Figures 7 and 8 are details of the means for receiving the load on the battleship;
the same being shown in two positions.
Figures 9 to 14 inclusive are details of the load conveying carriage which is
numbered 13 in Figures 1 and 2.
Figures 15, 16 and 17 are diagrams of the rope courses.
Figures 18 and 19 are side elevations of modified apparatus for coaling ships at
sea, and Figures 20 and 21 are detail views of the same.
* 1 is the collier; 2, the battleship, 3 and 4 the masts of the collier; 5, an upright
on the collier; an upright on the battleship; 7, a fixed cable or trackway extending
between the mnasts 3, 4 and the upright upon which cable travels a carriage 8
supporting the sheave 9. 10 is a rope, one end of which is fixed to the carriage 8
and which passes over the sheave 11 and is fastened at its opposite end to the drum
of the rope-drum-engine 12, which drum acts as a take-up maintaining the rope 10
under substantially a constant tension. 14 is a rope that is wrapped around the drum
of rope-drum-engine 15 located on the deck of the collier and extends thence upward
and around the sheave 16 attached at an elevation to the upright 5; thence around
the tension sheave 9 mounted upon the tension-sheave-supporting-carriage 8; thence
horizontally over the sheave 17 at an elevation on the upright; thence around the
sheave 18 supported at an elevation on the upright 6 of the battleship; thence back
again over the sheave 19 supported at an elevation on the upright 5; thence down-
ward to its already mentioned coil around the drum of the rope-drum-engine 15.
The rope 14 may either be endless or have its ends fastened to the drum. In going
and coming to and from the battleship, the rope 14 engages with the load-supporting
carriage 13. The upper portion of the rope acts as a track for the wheels 20, 21
and 22 to run on. The lower portion of the rope 14 in passing through the
carriage 13 makes a yielding connection with the carriage, which connection is
sufficiently positive to cause the said carriage under normal conditions to travel to or
from the battleship, but is not so positive as to prevent the lower portion of the
rope 14 from slipping through the carriage upon the travel of the carriage being
arrested or abnormally opposed, or upon the travel of the rope 14 being abnormally
accelerated. A mechanism by which this may be accomplished will be hereafter
more particularly described.
23 is a tow-line connecting the stern of the battle-ship with the bow of the collier.
The load-carrying carriage 13 consists of the side plates 24 and 25 carrying between
them the axles for the wheels 20, 21 and 22; also the timber 26; also a clutch con-
sisting of the arm 27 pivoted at 28 and pressed toward the timber 26 by the spring 29.
The rope 14 is clutched between the timber 26 and the arm 27. Ordinary friction may be
relied upon for making this clutch sufficiently positive; or, if preferred, buttons as 30
may be mounted at intervals upon the rope 14 and the clutching surfaces of the
timber 26 and the arm 27 may, as shown in Figure 10, be sufficiently hollow at one
point to receive and hold the button at that point more positively than would the

page_text: clutch acting upon the rope without the button. 31 is the hook for supporting the
load. This hook projects from the two friction plates 32 and 33 which are pivoted on
the stud 34, one on the outside of plate 24 and the other on the outside of plate 25.
35, 36 and 37 are the side pieces and cross piece of a link pivotally suspended from
the frame so that when hanging vertically this link closes the mouth of the book 3.
38 is a stop on the frame whereby the link is prevented from swinging forward
although it is free to swing backward. 39 is a stop on the frame whereby the hook
is prevented from swinging upward beyond the position shown in Figure 9, but the
hook may, when not otherwise held, swing downward until its rearward projections 32
The pro-
and 33 strike against the stops 41, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 9.
jections 32 and 33 are heavier than the hook 31 so that their weight overbalances
that of the hook 31 and holds the hook normally in its upward position, as shown in
full lines in Figure 9 when the hook is not loaded. When the hook is carrying a load,
it is held in its horizontal position by a latch which may consist of the arm 42 and 43
suspended by the stud 44 on opposite sides of the carriage frame. When these
arms 42 and 43 are in the vertical position shown in full lines in Figure 9, obviously
no load on the hook can move it out of its carrying position; but when the arms 42
and 43 are moved into the position shown in dotted lines, a load on the hook will
cause it to swing downward into the position shown in dotted lines so as to drop
its load. For the purpose of producing this movement of the arms 42 and 43, a
stud 84 extending between them is connected with the forward end of a rod 45
carrying on its opposite end a buffer 46 and free to reciprocate in bearings 47 and 48
on the carriage. The buffer 46 and the arms 42 and 43 are yieldingly held forward
by the spring 49. When, however, as the carriage moves forward, the buffer strikes
a stationary object, it is forced backward into the position shown in dotted lines in
Figure 9 thus forcing the arms 42 and 43 also backward and permitting the hook to
drop so as to deposit its load. As soon, however, as the hook is relieved from its load,
the weight of the projections 32 and 33 automatically raises the hook into its normal
position where it is held by the return of the arins 42 and 43 to their normal position
under the influence of the spring 49. Although the loop supporting the load may
pass into the mouth of the hook by swinging the link 35, 36 backward, yet. after
it has once passed into the mouth of the hook it cannot escape therefrom because the
link 35, 36 will drop down in front of it and cannot be moved forward in consequence
of the presence of the stop 38. Therefore, when the hook once engages the load,
the load cannot escape therefrom until it is dropped by the descent of the hook into
the dotted line position of Figure 9.
I will next describe the mechanism whereby the load is hoisted to a position for
A boom
engagement with the hook 31 of the load carriage see Figures 4, 5 and 6.
consisting of the side pieces 44, 45, cross pieces 46 and 47 and guide-rods 48, 49 is
held in an inclined position on the deck of the collier by a tie-rod 50 in such location
that the guide-rods 48 and 49 are substantially parallel with the vertical plane in
which the rope 14 lies; said plane being substantially midway between said guide-
rods 48, 49. The load (for example, coal) is contained in a bag 51 provided with
loops 52 so as to be adapted to hang on the carrier 53 see Figure 5. This carrier
may consist of a single piece of metal of the form shown having eyes 54 and 55
at opposite sides with U-shaped portions above and below." The two ends 56 and 57
overlap each other at some portion so as to permit the loops 52 to be passed into
and out of the carrier. 58 and 59 are hooks adapted to engage with the
eyes 54 and 55, respectively. These hooks are suspended by hangers 60, 61,
respectively, provided with wheels 62, 63, to run on the guide-rods 48 and 49 and
with the eyes 64, '65 for securing the end of the two hoist ropes 66 and 67 both
extending from the rope-drum 68 over sheaves 69 and 70, respectively, to the said
eyes. When the hoist carrier 53 with its load has been hoisted to the top of the
guide-rods 48, 49, the top of the U-shaped portion 71 will strike against the rope 14.
Then the carriage 13 will advance and the inclined surface 13 coming in contact
with the top 71 will tilt the carrier 53 on the hooks 48, 59 so as to permit the hook

page_text: 31 to advance into the carrier 53 and then permit the further forward movement of;
the hook 31-to take the carrier 53 clear of the hooks 58 and 59. If the load be
hoisted before the carriage 13 has returned from a trip to the battle-ship, the,
carriage 13 may, by reason of its inclined surface 13b, pass the hoist carrier 53 since.
the portion 71 will be tilted backward sufficiently to enable the hook. 31 to pass
over it.
The automatic delivery of the load upon its arrival at the battle-ship may be.
accomplished as follows:
Upon the block of the sheave 18 is mounted a buffer 72 in line to be struck by the
load carriage buffer 46. The collision between these two buffers 72, and 46 unlatches
the hook 31 and permits it, as already described, to drop its load as indicated in
Figure 8. An inclined apron 73 is so located as to catch the load as it drops and
guide it where required on the battle-ship. Obviously, instead of the buffers
46 and 72 and the unlatching mechanism described, an unlatched mechanism might,
be so constructed that it would be operated by a finger extending into its path..
before reaching the block of sheave 18 so as to afford greater range of motion for the
carriage beyond the unlatching point than is afforded by the spring 49. Or, in
connection with the spring 49 the cushioning effect might be accomplished by an:
air-check.
.
In Figure 15 the courses of the ropes 14 and 10 are shown the same as in Figure 1;
the rope 14 constituting the means of support as well as the means of traction. In.
Figure 16, the rope 14 performs the traction function and the supporting function is,
thrown upon an additional rope 74 stretched between the block of sheave 18 and the,
block of sheave 9 so that the rope 10 acts at the same time as a take-up for the.
ropes 14 and 74.
In this case, the wheels 75 and 76 journalled on the load carriage 13,
runs on the rope 74.
In Figure 17, there is added to the construction shown in Figure 16, a hoisting
rope 82 which extends from the hoisting drum 77 on the deck of the collier upward
and over the sheave 78 mounted at an elevation on the collier; thence around a
sheave on the same block with sheave 9; thence over a sheave 79 journalled on the
load carriage 13%; thence under a fall-block-sheave 80%; thence over a sheave 81
journalled on load carriage 13 and thence to the block of sheave 18 where it is made:
fast. Therefore, with the arrangement shown in Figure 17, the rope 10 serves as a
take-up for the traction rope 14, the supporting rope 74 and the hoisting rope 82.
Another method of maintaining the requisite tension on the carrying cables 14 or 74,
would dispense with the compensating engine 12. The tension cable 10 may be
secured to any object towed behind the collier-for example another boat, a sea.
anchor, or in fact a fixed anchor. The speed at which the engines of the towing
ship run will serve to regulate the tension on the carrying rope 14 or supporting.
rope 74.
Or the tension may be increased or reduced by the number of sea anchors
employed.
In Figures 1 to 17 I have shown a compensating engine to which is attached the
rear end of the cable for the purpose of maintaining at all times the requisite tension
to keep the cable in an elevated position between the collier and the ship. This
tension may obviously vary anywhere between the energy necessary to maintain the
cable between the ships at a proper elevation and the tensile strength of the cable..
In Figures 18 to 21 the compensating engine is dispensed with and the requisite
tension is obtained and maintained by means external to the collier. Several means
for this purpose may be employed. In Figure 18 the means is a ship moving on the:
surface of the water, and in this case the tension may be adjusted by working the
engines of the said ship 82 either to increase or reduce it. This vessel may be any,
ordinary vessel, with or without motive power, or it may be, if preferred, a vessel
especially designed and constructed for the purpose. In Figure 19 I have shown sea
anchors 83 attached to the rear end of the cable to maintain the desired tension.
are the buoys of such anchors and 84 the lines for hauling them in. In using these
87
:
}

page_text: the tension may be varied by increasing or diminishing the number or size of the
anchors or by changing the speed of towing. Instead of movable objects a fixed
object may be employed in those cases where the warship may remain at rest while
the coaling operation is being conducted. In these figures I have shown the cable
made of two parts, to wit: a tension cable 10 and a conveying or carrying cable 14,
but a single continuous cable might be used. Figure 20 shows the manner in which
the endless or conveying cable is led about the sheaves. 15 is the conveying engine
from which the cable passes around a sheave 9, then 18, then 91, then back to the
drum. 8 is the tension carriage. Since this cable passes around the moving
sheave 18 at one end and the sheaves on the moving tension carriage at the other end
without passing intermediate fixed sheaves, the result is that increasing or diminish-
ing the distance between the collier and warship does not cause any relative move-
ment of either branch of this cable, or in other words, does not cause any movement
of the cable rope around the sheave 18 on the warship. Furthermore, the tension
carriage moves through only one-half the distance through which the said sheave 18
moves in compensating for the varying distances between the ships.
In Figure 1 I have shown a single load carriage 13, while in Figure 19 I have
shown a series of hangers 86 shown in detail in Figure 21, in which 14 is one of the
branches of the conveying cable and 86 a hanger provided with a hook below and a
grip bend above which grips the cable. When these hangers are employed the
conveying rope may have a continuous motion in one direction, the hangers being
removed automatically or by hand and, after the load is discharged, replaced on the
opposite side of the sheave. Any suitable carriage or hanger may be employed, such
as those described in Figures 1 to 17, and with these the motion of the cable may
be continuous in one direction provided the operation of sending the carriages in one
direction be arrested long enough to permit the empty carriages to be returned in
the opposite direction.
23 is a towline connecting ships 1 and 2, and 85 is a towline connecting ships 82
and 1.
Instead of using a conveying engine 15 on the collier, a single cable from the
warship over the collier and to the drag may be employed on which the load may be
transferred to the warship by gravity alone, by suitably adjusting the elevations at
the discharging and receiving ends of the cable.
I do not wish to limit myself to the particular construction shown, nor to the mode of
operation specified, for it can readily be seen, that the rope or cable arranged endless
may be propelled continuously in one direction, in which event the loads would be
suspended by a wheeled vehicle to one or both of the strands of the rope and thereby
propelled across the intervening space between ships. On arrival at the warship end
or terminal, the trucks would be taken off, either antomatically or by hand; such
trucks, or wheeled vehicles could also be made much simpler and cheaper than the
carriage shown in the accompanying drawing. One form would employ a single
sheave wheel to roll on one of the strands, and a simple grip connection
with the other strand, or it may be still further modified by carrying
loads on the strand going to the battleship and returning the light trucks on the
returning strand. Such trucks in such an event need not have any wheels at all, but
may be a simple form of grip, whereby the bag is hooked onto the cable and is held
from slipping by any means whatsoever.
The carriage as shown in the accompanying drawing may also be modified by
reducing the number of wheels and also by arranging the wheels to run on the lower
strand and the gripping mechanism arranged to engage with the upper strand.
Furthermore the structure shown in the front portion of the collier may be
entirely omitted and the ropes suspended or supported by sheaves located in the
foremast. The elevating device, also, may be inclined so as to have its base in the
hold of the vessel, and inclined from there towards the foremast, so that the loads
may be elevated from below the deck and delivered directly to be carried by the
main cable.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, 1 declare that what I claim is :-
1. In combination, a boat, an elevated support thereon, a traction-rope extending
to said support from another support located off of said boat and back again, a load
carriage forming a yielding traction engagement with said rope and means for
driving said rope, substantially as described.
2. In combination, a boat, an elevated support thereon, a rope extending to said
support from another support located off of said boat and back again, a load carriage
containing a running connection with one branch of said rope and a yielding
traction engagement with the other branch thereof, and means for driving said rope,
substantially as described.
3. In combination, a boat, an elevated support thereon, a traction-rope extending
to said support from another support located off of said boat and back again, a load-
carriage forming a yielding traction engagement with said rope, a trackway rope for
said carriage and means whereby the slack of both said ropes due to the motions of
said boat is taken up, substantially as described.
4. In combination, a boat, an elevated support thereon, a traction-rope extending
to said support from another support located off of said boat and back again, a load
carriage forming a yielding traction engagement with said rope, a fall rope extending
to said carriage and means whereby the slack of both said ropes due to the motions
of said boat is taken up, substantially as described.
5. In a conveying apparatus, in combination, a load carriage, a traction-rope and
mechanism whereby a yielding traction engagement is made between said carriage
and said rope, substantially as described.
6. In a conveying apparatus, in combination, a load carriage, a traction-rope, an
enlargement on said rope and mechanism whereby a yielding traction engagement is
made by said carriage, substantially as described.
7. In combination, a boat, an elevated support thereon, a rope extending from said
support to another support located off of the boat, a load carriage travelling to and
from said boat on said rope, a load supporting hook on said carriage, a latch whereby
said hook is held in supporting position and a shoulder on said boat whereby said
latch is tripped, substantially as described.
8. In combination, two boats 1 and 2, a rope extended from an elevated support
on boat 2 over a sheave secured to the foremast of boat 1, a load carriage travelling
on said rope and means on said boat 1 connected with said rope back of the foremast
whereby the slack of said rope is taken up, substantially as described.
9. In combination, two boats 1 and 2, a traction-rope extending from a drum over
an elevated sheave on boat 1 to and around an elevated sheave on boat 2, thence
back again to a load carriage and thence over an elevated sheave on boat 1 to said drum,
a take-up sheave engaging with said rope and means on said boat 1 connected with
said take-up sheave whereby the position of the same is automatically controlled,
substantially as described.
10. In combination, two boats 1 and 2, a conveyor carriage running between said
boats, an elevator carriage on boat 1 and means whereby said carriages are supported
and operated, whereby the load is held in such position by the elevator carriage as
to be taken by the conveyor carriage in passing, substantially as described.
11. In a conveying apparatus carriage, in combination, a pivoted load supporting-
prong, a counterweight whereby the same is held normally raised, when unloaded,
and a latch whereby the same is held raised when loaded, substantially as
described.
12. In combination, two boats 1 and 2, a traction-rope extending from the load
carriage around an elevated sheave on boat 2, thence over a sheave on the foremast
of boat 1, thence around a movable pulley to a rope drum and a take-up-rope
extending from said movable pulley over a sheave on another mast of boat 1, sub-
stantially as described.

page_text: 13. As a take-up device for the ropes of a conveying apparatus between two boats,
a movable pulley between the two masts of one of said boats connected by a rope
extending over a sheave on one of said masts with take-up-actuating mechanism,
substantially as described.
14. In combination, a plurality of boats, a cable connecting said boats, a load
carriage travelling on the cable, and means external to said boats for maintaining a
normal elevation of said load carriage.
15. In combination, a plurality of boats, a cable connecting said boats, a load
carriage travelling on the cable, and means for maintaining a normal elevation of
said load carriage during its passage, which means consist of an object moving
through water whereby the resistance of the water to its movement is applied in
opposition to the strain on the cable.
16. In a conveying apparatus, the combination of an endless conveying cable,
a sheave at the discharging end thereof, movable sheaves at the receiving end
around which both branches of the cable pass and by means of which suitable
tension is maintained while the distance between the sheaves at the opposite ends is
varied.
17. In a conveying apparatus, a towing boat, a towed boat, a towline connecting
the two, a carrying cable extending from the towing boat over the towed boat and
secured to an object external to said towed boat.
18. In a conveying apparatus, a towing boat, a towed boat, a towing cable
connecting the two, a conveying cable extending from the towing boat to an object
external to the towed boat, and a towing cable connecting said object with said towed
boat.
19. In conveying apparatus, an endless conveying cable, means for propelling the
same, a load carriage supported thereby both branches of said cable passing about
pulleys, and ineans for constantly subjecting said pulleys to a suitable tension to
maintain the carriage in an elevated position.
20. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull rope, a transit rope, a load
support moved thereby, an actuator for said transit rope and a tension device acting
upon said transit rope, substantially as described.
21. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull rope, a transit rope, a load
support supported and moved thereby, an actuator of said transit rope and a tension,
device acting upon said transit rope, substantially as described.
22. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull rope, a transit rope,
a load support moved thereby, an actuator of said transit rope and a tension
device by which and said actuator the transit rope is held taut, substantially as
described.
23. In combination a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull rope, a transit rope ex-
tending from one boat to the other and back again, a load support moved by said
transit rope, an actuator of said transit rope and a tension device acting upon said
transit rope, substantially as described.
24. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull rope a transit rope ex-
tending from one boat to the other and back again, a load carriage running upon one
branch of said transit rope and moved by the other branch thereof, an actuator of
said transit rope and a tension device acting upon said transit rope, substantially as
described.
25. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull rope, a transit rope, a load
carrier moved thereby and means for maintaining a normal elevation of said transit
rope during transit consisting of a tension device in which the resistance of a fluid is
opposed to the strain of said transit rope, substantially as described.
26. In combination, two relatively moving supports, a transit rope extending from
one support to the other and back again, a load carriage having a yielding traction
engagement with one branch of said rope and a running engagement with the other
branch thereof and a transit-rope-actuator, substantially as described.
27. In combination, a boat, an elevated support thereon, a rope extending from said
support to another support located off of said boat, a load carriage travelling to and

page_text: from said boat on said rope and means for maintaining a normal elevation of said
load carriage during its excursions, which means consists of mechanism whereby the
yielding power of a fluid under compression is applied in opposition to the strain on
said rope, substantially as described.
D
1
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.