Improvements in Sorting or Picking Belts.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov.. 1893
Complete Specification Left. 1st Aug., 1894-Accepted, 8th Sept., 1894
Improvements in Sorting or Picking Belts.
I, REGINALD HEBER SILCOCK, of King Street Wire Works, Warrington, in
the County of Lancaster, Wire Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
In 1883 I took out a Patent No. 1423 for sorting and picking belts for collieries.
Since that date I further slightly improved the invention by extending the trans-
verse wires and winding each round the previous or succeeding one at each end;
by this means a strong edge was formed on which the belt could travel. It is
found however that the life of the belt depends practically upon this edge, as it is
the first to wear out.
Now my present invention is designed to greatly strengthen and protect this
The invention consists
edge and thereby very greatly extend the life of the belt.
in protecting this edge by means of a wire coil, ferrule or shoe. The simplest plan
and the one which I have adopted in my experiments consists in coiling a piece of
stout wire such as the wire used for the meshes, round the wire edge. The belt
then runs on the wire coil which is gradually worn out instead of on the edging
wire. These wire coils can also be easily replaced if it were thought worth while.
Another plan consists in threading a ferrule on to the wire previous to bending it
round the next wire; the ferrule can be of stout tube cut in lengths. It is obvious
however that it could be simply formed of hoop or bar metal and bent round the
wire, and further it could be stamped out in such manner that the tread should
be of solid thick material, and fangs from this tread could go round the upper part
of the wire, the fangs being so laid as to prevent the shoe from turning round.
Where however a ferrule or a wire coil is used, it is desirable rather than otherwise
that they should turn round so that all sides can be worn alike, or when one side is
well worn it can be turned round and a fresh side exposed to wear.
D1 of October 1893
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sorting or Picking Belts.
I, REGINALD HEBER SILCOCK of King Street Wire Works, Warrington in
the County of Lancaster, Wire Manufacturer, do hereby declare the 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:-
In 1883, I obtained Letters Patent No. 1423 for sorting and picking belts for
collieries. Since that date, I further slightly improved the invention by extending
the transverse wires and winding each round the previous or succeeding one at each
end; by this means, a strong edge was formed on which the belt could travel. It
is found, however, that the life of the belt depends practically upon this edge, as it
is the first to wear out.
Now my present invention is designed to greatly strengthen and protect this
edge and thereby very greatly extend the life of the belt. The invention consists
in protecting this edge by means of a wire coil, ferrule or shoe. The simplest plan,

page_text: and the one which I have adopted in my experiments, consists in coiling a piece of
stout wire, such as the wire used for the meshes, round the wire edge. The belt
then runs on the wire coil which is gradually worn out, instead of on the edging
wire. These wire coils can also be easily replaced if it were ought worth
while.
Another plan consists in threading a ferrule on to the wire previous to bending
it round the next wire; the ferrule can be of stout iron or steel tube cut in lengths.
It is obvious, however, that it could be simply formed of hoop or bar metal and
bent round the wire, and further, it could be stamped out in such...anuer that the
tread should be of solid thick material, and fangs from this tread could go round
the upper part of the wire, the fangs being so laid as to prevent the shoe from
turning round. Where, however, a ferrule or a wire coil is used, it is desirable
rather than otherwise that they should turn round so that all sides can be worn
alike, or, when one side is well worn, it can be turned round and a fresh side
exposed to wear.
The drawing shows a portion of a belt made in accordance with my invention.
AA, are transverse wires turned round longitudinally at ends, and looped on the
succeeding one: B B, longitudinal wires coiled with three or f coils round one
of these transverse wires A, then similarly round the next, then pack again to the
first, making a similar coil, and so on, alternating with a similar wire, uniting, in
each instance, one of these two transverse wires with the next passing backwards
and forwards above and below the plane of the transverse wires. C are sheet
metal strips passing between the longitudinal wires B above and those below and
hooked on to the end ones: D, ferrules formed in this case of wire coils.
My invention is equally applicable to the open belts in which metal strips C are
.omitted and the wires cross, and to almost all other forms of wire belting.
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
claim is :-
In combination with a sorting or picking belt substantially of the nature
-described, a series of shoes, ferrules or coils protecting the edges of the belt
-substantially as described.
Dated this 31st day of July 1994
Dated this 31st day of July 1804
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, and London,
Patent Agents.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, and London,
Patent Agents.