Trucks Used in Collieries and other Workings.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 30th Mar., 1889
Trucks Used in Collieries and other Workings.
We, ISAIAH LEWIS, Decorator and JOHN HUNTER, Fitter, both of Abercanaid,
Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, South Wales, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This our invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in mechanism for
tipping and emptying trucks such as those commonly used in collieries, wharfs, and
similiar places, and which invention has for its object to lessen the amount of labour at
present expended, thereby diminishing the working expenses; also, when used in
collieries, to minimise the breakage of the coal, thus reducing the amount of waste,
known as slack.
Said invention consists essentially of a cage or frame constructed of four or more
vertical posts, having horizontal tie-pieces.
Suitably fitted to two opposite sides of the cage or frame are the screens or shutes
for screening the large and small coal respectively.
Centrally situated near the bottom of the cage or frame is a steam cylinder having a
piston and piston rod which supports the tipping plate. Said tipping plate is provided
upon its surface with rails upon which the trucks run, also protectors or guards which
pass over the wheels and provent the truck from falling off the rails when the tipping
plate is tipped.
Upon one of the horizontal tie-pieces of the frame or cage are two catches by means
of which the tipping-plate is tilted to right or left as desired.
When in action, the trucks run down an incline to the tipping plate, in doing which
a lever is depressed, and the steam is caused to enter the steam cylinder. The piston
now rises, carrying with it the tipping plate and truck, both of which are tilted by
reason of the catches aforesaid, and the coal or other contents of the truck are thus
deposited in the screens at the sides of the cage or frame. The truck empty, now
rights itself, and is carried to the top of the frame by the piston, where it is allowed to
run down an incline to the pit or other works to be refilled.
Din 15th day of May 1888

page_text: Improved Mechanism for Tipping and Emptying Coal and other
Trucks Used in Collieries and other Workings.
We, ISAIAH LEWIS, Decorator, and JOHN HUNTER, Fitter, both of Abercanaid,
Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, South Wales, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This our said invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in mechanism
for tipping and emptying trucks, such as those commonly used in collieries, wharves,
and similar places. Said invention has for its object to lessen the amount of labour
at present expended, thereby diminishing the working expenses; also when used in
collieries, to minimise the breakage of coal, and thus reduce the amount of waste.
In the drawings hereunto annexed, in which like letters of reference refer to similar
parts throughout, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of our improved tipping apparatus. Fig. 2
is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of that part hereinafter referred to as
the catches.
The mechanism comprising our invention is contained within a frame A, preferably
built of wood, but which may also be constructed of iron etc. In the lower part of the
frame A is a steam or other cylinder B, fitted with a piston B' and piston rod b, which
is suitably secured at to a table C. Said table is adapted to run in guides A¹,
which are constructed of metal and are secured to the four uprights a¹.
Pivoted at c
to the sides of the table is the tipping plate D, to which is secured protectors or
guards D, the lower parts of which serve as rails for the wheels of the trucks E,
which, when they run upon the tipping plate, the forward wheels enter the curved
portion d, and the trucks E are retained in place when tipping, by the portions
d of the guards D¹. Secured to the pivot e at one side of the tipping plate is
a piece of sheet metal F, the parts of which are bent outwards as shown more clearly
in Fig. 3. The catches are fitted in a cross support G, which catches consist of two
rods g. g', having rounded collars G₁ and pivoted at to a cross lever H, centrally
pivoted at h¹ to a projection upon the metal piece H¹. The rod g' is longer than the
rod g and is pivoted at j to the weighted lever J pivoted at jl to the bracket J¹.
Secured between the uprights a¹ are the shutes K to which at k is hinged a flap or
swinging shute K¹. Said swinging shute is secured to the hinge-rod k¹ which carries
the weight 1. This shute K prevents coal or other material being tipped down the
shutes K, from falling within the frame. The screens are movably secured at l¹ and
are balanced in any required position by weights M, depending from one end of cords
or chains m¹ which run over pulleys m pivoted the uprights M'. Mounted upon a rod N,
supported in bracket bearings n, is a lever N¹. To the rod N is also secured the
lever O to the extremity of which is pivoted the rod O', which enters the upper cover
of the cylinder preferably through a stuffed gland. At the lower part of the frame A
is any suitable valve, but the one we have shown consists of a pipe or tube P, having
branch pipes P¹¹, the latter being connected to the interior of the cylinder B by a
-pipe p.
The pipe:P has fitted in it a piston Q suitably secured to the rod q, pivoted at
g to the lever. The pipe plis fitted with a cock Q1 by means of which waste water
may be drawn from the cylinder B...

page_text: The manner in which our improved tipping apparatus is operated is as follows:
The trucks E run down an incline R from the mouth of the pit or other working,
and run into the guards D¹ upon the tipping plate D, which when at rest, is level with
the incline R. The lever N¹is then pushed forward until the piston takes the
lowest position (as shown by dotted lines) and steam entering by pipe P¹ will
enter the cylinder B through pipes p, p, and steadily raise the piston B', table C, tipping
plate D, and truck E. During the ascent, one of the catches y g' will catch the piece
of metal F at f and cause the tipping plate to tip the contents of the truck into the
shutes K and screens L. It will be understood by reference to Fig. 3. that the
outwardly bent portion of the plate F bears against one of the collars G and during
the action of tipping forces the catch back, and its corresponding catch forward. The
weight at end of lever J will now overbalance the centre j and retain the catches
in this latter position. During the second ascent of the tipping plate, it will tip
to the other side, and so on alternately. By reason of the weight S, the tipping
plate when it has passed the catches will right itself and be steadied by the point T
of weighted arm T, pivoted at t and be carried up until it is level with the
incline R', when the empty truck E coming in contact with the inclined
pieces of metal S', is pushed forward, and returns down the incline R¹ to the
pit mouth or other working. At this point, the piston B' comes into contact with the
rod O' which is raised and lifts the piston Q which cuts off the supply of steam through
pipe P and allows the steam from the cylinder to escape at the open end of pipe P.
The piston B table C and tipping plate D, will now steadily descend ready to receive
another full truck. During the ascent and descent of the piston, it will be found that
the table C will come into contact with the balanced shute K', but as it is hinged at k,
and balanced by the weight l, it will give way and allow the table to pass it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
In combination, the framework A, the cylinder B supported in the lower part of
framework A, the table C supported and adapted to be raised by a piston and piston
rod fitted in the cylinder B, the tipping plate pivoted to the table, the plate F adapted
to catch on the catches, and to tip the tipping plate, the guards Di secured to the
tipping plate D, the weighted arm T pivoted at t, the catches constructed as described,
the lever N mounted upon the shaft N, the lever O carrying the rod O' adapted to
enter the cylinder B, the valve adapted to admit and automatically release steam to and
from cylinder B by means of rod q levers N', 0, and rod 0', the shutes K having
hinged parts K, the screens L pivoted or hinged to frame A and balanced by weights M,
and the pieces of metal S₁ adapted to give impulse to the trucks, all substantially
as and for the purposes hercin before set forth.
Dated this 15th day of February 1889.