IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE STEAM CRANES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Russell, of Motherwell, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE
STEAM CRANES."
Sealed the 28th May 1880, and dated the 1st December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Russell at the Offico
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st December 1879.
GEORGE RUSSELL, of Motherwell, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE STEAM CRANES."
This Invention relates to special improvements in the construction of portable
steam cranes, and to the combination of the parts thereof, which are designed to
give increased strength, stability, efficiency, and convenience in working.
In carrying out this Invention, according to one improvement or modification,
the carriage is constructed of plates and angles of malleable iron. On the carriage
top is rivetted or bolted a strong plate lying horizontally, and also a similar plate
on the bottom. These two plates are parallel to each other, and have each a ring of
cast iron or other metal bolted or rivetted at or near their centre, and these rings
are bored accurately so that the main or central post of the crane fits into them.
These plates and rings are substituted for the cast iron soleplate generally used
hitherto in order to give a stronger connection between the central post and the
carriage than is obtained with an intervening soleplate, and, further, to obtain some
degree of elasticity in case of the carriage wheels resting or travelling on irregular
rails or other surfaces.
By a second improvement the ash box is combined with a heavy weight so as to
help to balance the load being lifted by the crane, or it may be combined with and
form part of a water tank. The space for ashes is in shape an inverted cone
tapering downwards and terminating in a hole at the bottom with a door for
closing it. On opening the door the ash box empties itself, the ashes falling out
by gravity.
By another improvement the tank for containing the feed water is, by preference,
cylindrical in shape, and is placed on the top of a vertical boiler. It may have a
passage through it to form, in whole or in part, the funnel. It thus serves as a
cover for the top of the boiler-to prevent loss of heat by radiation or rain, and the
feed water is heated by the waste heat escaping from the boiler.
By a further improvement the cross girder at the top of the central post for
joining the two side frames which carry the engines and other gearing is formed of
a broad plate of malleable iron, so as to protect the engines and other working
parts below it from the chains above in case they should become broken or hang
Loose.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters ratent nied by
the said George Russell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th May
1880.
GEORGE RUSSELL, of Motherwell, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE STEAM CRANES."
E
My said Invention relates to special improvements in the constuction of portable
steam cranes, and to the combination of the parts thereof, which are designed to
give increased strength, stability, efficiency, and convenience in working.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing the same,
may be properly understood I have hereunto appended a Sheet of explanatory
Drawings representing one modification or arrangement of a portable steam crane
constructed in accordance with my improvements which I shall now proceed to
describe. In these Drawings the same reference letters are used to mark the same
or like parts where they are shown.
Figure 1, on this Sheet of Drawings, is side elevation of the improved crane;
Figure 2 is a vertical section at right angles to Figure 1, taken through the centre
of the carriage at A2, A3; Figure 3 is a vertical section of the boiler, showing the
improved balance weight, ash-box, and water tank; and Figures 4 and 5 are
detached plan views of the water tank and weighted ash-box respectively; whilst
Figure 6 is a plan of the top cross girder D of the crane detached. In this modifi-
cation of the improved crane the carriage is, by one improvement, constructed of
vertical plates A and angles a of malleable iron or steel formed into a rectangular
framing A with projecting open ends, which however may be made square, circular,
or of other suitable shape in plan, and supported on wheels B so as to be traversed
on rails B'. On the carriage top is rivetted or bolted a strong plate A¹ lying
horizontally, and a similar plate A" is also fitted on the bottom. These two
plates A¹, A", are parallel to each other, and have each a ring or annular sole
plate A and A³ of cast iron, or other metal, bolted, rivetted, or otherwise attached,
usually at or near their centre; but they may be close to one side, and these
rings A2, A3, are bored accurately so that the main or central post C of the crane
fits into them.
These plates A¹, A", and rings A2, A3, are substituted for the cast iron sole plate
generally used hitherto in order to give a stronger connection between the central
post C and the carriage than is obtained with an intervening sole plate, and further
to obtain some degree of elasticity in case of the carriage wheels B resting or
travelling on irregular rails or other surfaces.
By a further improvement the cross girder D at the top of the central post C for
joining the two side frames or standards E which carry the engines F and boiler G
(at their back end) and the actuating gearing is formed of a broad plate D of
malleable iron or steel bolted to the frame E so as to protect the engines F and
shafting and other working parts below it from the chains above in case they
should become broken or hang loose, and this top girder D has also fixed to it a
strong ring or collar D₁ which forms the requisite bearing for the upper end of the
crane post C.
By another improvement of my said Invention the boiler G is fitted with a novel
construction of ash box H which forms or is combined with a heavy weight H¹
bolted to the lower back end E¹ of the side standards E so as to help to balance the
load being lifted by the crane. This weight H', although shown in one piece, may
be made in two or more pieces, especially for large cranes for convenience of trans-
port, or it might be combined with and form part of a tank, to contain water or
ballast, as shown by the dotted lines H" in Figure 3. The space for the ashes is
in shape an inverted cone H tapering downwards and terminating in an opening H
at the bottom with a hinged or sliding door for closing it. On opening the door /

page_text: the ash box H empties itself, the ashes falling out by gravitation. By another
improvement the tank I for containing the feed water is by preference made
cylindrical in shape and is placed on the top of the vertical boiler G. This tank I
is fixed to the boiler G by angle iron rings i rivetted to each other, and the bottom
of the tank is formed to leave a space I' between the boiler and tank in which the
waste products of combustion may be allowed to circulate and then escape through
a central tube G₁ fitted in the tank which forms in whole or in part the funnel G¹.
The tank I thus serves as a cover for the top of the boiler G to prevent loss of heat
by radiation or rain, and the feed water is heated by the waste heat escaping from
the boiler G and furnace G₁. The water tank I being thus placed on the boiler at
the back of the crane also acts as a balance weight, and more free space is left in
front (where the water tank is usually placed) for the working gearing and
mechanism. The engines, hoisting gear, and devices or fittings for slewing and
traversing the improved crane, as shown in the Drawings, being similar to those
well known as applied to cranes heretofore in general use, need no special
description.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details herein described or delineated, but what I believe
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by
tl hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,―
.
First. The general construction and arrangement of the parts of a portable steam
crane, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the accom-
panying Drawings.
Second. The construction and use in a portable steam crane of a malleable iron
or steel carriage or fruining A, A, A, and fittings A2, A3, substantially as and for
the purposes herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
Third. The construction and use in a portable steam crane of the upper cross
girder or plate D, D¹, formned of malleable iron or steel, substantially as herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, and for the
purposes herein set forth.
•
Fourth. The application and use for the boiler of a portable steam crane of a
self-emptying ash box H, preferably formed in combination with a balance weight H¹,
or ballasted tank H, substantially as herein described and shown in the accom-
panying Drawings, and for the purposes herein set forth.
Fifth. The construction and fitting of the water tank I over the boiler of a
portable steam crane, substantially as herein described and shown in the accom-
panying Drawings, and for the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Russell, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty first day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, C.E.,
of W. R. M. Thomson & Co.,
Patent Agents,
Glasgow.
GEO. RUSSELL. (L.S.)