in the Holds of Ships.
Year: 1886

page_text: in the Holds of Ships.
Í, WILLIAM LEWIS TURNER, of 27, Park Place, Cardiff, in the County of
Glamorgan, Engineer, 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 :—
My invention relates to an improved apparatus for facilitating the loading of
coal into the holds of ships, and at the same time trimming it as it falls, and as it
will fall down my apparatus less precipitately than when loaded into the hold
according to the methods now in use, the breakage incidental to this part of the
coal business will necessarily be considerably diminished.
In carrying my invention into effect, I provide a quadrilateral slope capable of
contraction or expansion to or from its vertical axis by means of a chain to be
drawn in or let out. This slope is suspended down a hatchway, e.g. from a crane.
The coal is then shot on to it, and then slides away from the vertical axis of the
apparatus down each of the four slopes.
:
The size of the apparatus may be varied to meet the. requirements' of special
circumstances and it may be made with more than four slopes, and this may be
furnished with continuations, all the members of this type of my invention being
adjustable by means of chains as above described.
It is evident that the use of my invention will dispense with the usual wheeling
and carrying the coal into the corners of the hold.
In order that my invention and the means by which the same is to be carried
into effect may be thoroughly understood, I will proceed to describe the same in
detail, referring in so doing to the accompanying drawings which are to be taken
as part of this specification and read therewith, and in which like parts are marked
throughout with the same referénce letter.
Fig. 1 is a plan of my improved apparatus (omitting the suspension chains)
opened out for use.
Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation taken on the line A B of the former figure.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are, respectively, plan, sectional side elevation, and side elevation
of the apparatus closed as it would be for either letting it down or hauling it up
through the hatch way.

page_text: D, D are iron or steel plates cut to approximately the shape of a right-angle
triangle, and hinged in pairs along their adjacent and hypotheneuse edges, as
shewn at d, d.
One end edge d¹ of each duplex plate overlaps the next plate D, when the
apparatus is extended as it is shewn to be in Fig. 1.
The corners of the plates D are thus assembled round a common centre C, where
they are fitted with catches E pivotting on brackets F.
G is a guard to prevent the impact of the falling coal damaging the apparatus.
Instead of the plates D, D being hinged together in pairs as above described,
there may be only four plates approximately rectangular in plan, and bent along a
diagonal line.
.
H, H are struts swivelled to the underside of the single, or duplex, plates D,
their other ends making flexible connection with the bottom end of a rod I which
is a continuation of the suspension chain from the crane.
J, J are chains by which the apparatus hung down the hatchway from the
coamings, the suspension chain from the crane being slackened so that the combined
weight of the plates D and the rods H will cause the collapsible-i.e., lower part
of the apparatus,-to fold up small enough to pass through the hatchway.
When this has been done, the crane chain is tightened, and the plates D are
spread out as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are detail drawings illustrating the catches and collars on the
central rod I, and shew the movement of the catches when the apparatus is being
opened out, i.e., made to assume the position shewn in Fig. 2, the object of the
catches being to prevent the apparatus collapsing again.
Fig. 6 shews the relative position when the bar I first engages with the catch.
Fig. 7 shews the relative position after the bar I has been hauled up for a short
distance.
Fig. 8 shews the collar engaging with the catches, the bar I having been hauled
up farther.
If the bar I is then let go, it cannot pass down again because the lower collar is
not thin enough to allow the sides to swing down again, and it cannot slip down
because the top collar prevents it.
On hauling the bar I farther up still, the lower collar is lifted and the sides of
the catch fall down in the position indicated in Fig. 6, allowing the central bar to
be lowered down and the apparatus to be closed.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 refer to the movements of a catch employed for keeping the
apparatus closed to enable it to be drawn through the hatchway.
Fig. 9 refers to the position the sides of the catch occupy when, the central
bar being lowered, the apparatus is closed up, and the central bar first engages
with them.
Fig. 9 shews the position occupied after having lowered the central bar a little
more, and hauled it up again. The sides of the catch now jam against the lower
collar, and prevent the central bar passing up, enabling the apparatus to be lifted
out of the hold.
Fig. 10 shews the position after the apparatus has been lowered into the hold of
the vessel, and it is desired to open it out for work. The central bar has now been
lowered until the catch is in its normal position, and then hauled up again. It is
now engaged by the upper collar, and on still hauling on the central bar, it passes
into the position indicated in Fig. 11.
On further hauling the central bar up, the lower collar passes up past the sides
of the catches, and they fall into their normal position.
Fig. 12 is a plan of the catch in position of Fig. 8, it being in position to
prevent the apparatus closing.
Fig. 13 is a plan of the central catch and struts.H.
Fig. 14 is a section of the apparatus shewing it at work delivering coal into the
hold of a vessel.

page_text: Fig. 15 is a plan of a modified form of my apparatus, according to which the six.
sides K, K of an apparatus constructed as above described, are supplemented by
the addition of continuations L, L, L.
Fig. 16 is a perspective view shewing this modification of my invention at work
in the hold of a vessel.
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,
1. The combination of single or duplex plates D with chains for the purpose of
suspending them from the hatchway coaming, substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination of plates D with a guard and suspending chains, substantially
as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. The combination of plates D with struts H, central rod I, and suspension
chains, substantially as above described and illustrated, the whole producing &
collapsible and expanding apparatus for loading and trimming coals.
4. The combination of catches, collars, and central rod I, substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
5. The central guard G over the plates D for the purpose of protecting them,
substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 10th day of Mouch 1000
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicant.