AN IMPROVED ROTATIVE TRAVELLING CRANE
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Wright, of 12, Copthall Court, Throgmorton
Street, in the City of London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED ROTATIVE TRAVELLING CRANE."-A communication from abroad
by Alphonse Couvreux and Louis Combe, of 333, Rue St. Martin, Paris,
in the Empire of France.
Sealed the 18th February 1863, and dated the 80th September 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Wright at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
September 1862.
J, JAMES WRIGHT, of 12, Copthall Court, Throgmorton Street, in the City
of London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED ROTATIVE TRAVELLING CRANE," to be as follows:-
On a stand or framing of suitable weight and strength, I place an engine
and boiler, which, through a pinion on the main shaft, gives motion to a
large cog wheel fastened on the spindle of the drum on which is coiled the chain
passing from it to the extremity of the jib, and terminating in a hook or its
equivalent in the usual manner. A tie rod passes from the extremity of
the jib to the extreme rear of the machine by which means the weight
of the boiler engine and the machinery counterbalances the weight of the
substances or materials to be lifted. The whole apparatus turns on a
circular rail round a pivot supported on a frame. The operation is as
follows:-The chain is made fast to the substance or weight to be lifted, the
engine being put in motion coils the chain round the barrel or drum, thereby
hcisting the weight. When it has been raised high enough the crane is

page_text: turned round on the circular rail before-mentioned by means of a steam
cylinder mounted on the framing and connected by means of toothed gearing
with the axles of the wheels. When not in use the crane can be transported
from place to place by means of wheels which can be raised or lowered by
the action of a screw, and when not in use may be drawn up out of the way
of the circular rail.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Wright in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
March 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WRIGHT, of 12, Copthall Court, Throgmorton Street, in the City of London,
Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Wright, Her special licence that I, the said James Wright,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Wright, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED ROTATIVE TRAVELLING
CRANE," a communication to me from abroad by Alphonse Couvreux and
Louis Combe, of 333, Rue St. Martin, Paris, in the Empire of France, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Wright, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Wright, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-

page_text: On a stand or framing of suitable weight & strength I place an engine
and boiler, which, through a pinion on the main shaft gives motion to a
large cog wheel fastened on the spindle of the drum on which is coiled the
chain passing from it to the extremity of the jib, and terminating in a hook
or its equivalent in the usual manner. A tie rod passes from the extremity
of the jib to the extreme rear of the machine by which means the weight
of the boiler engine and the machinery counterbalances the weight of the
substances or materials to be lifted. The whole apparatus turns on a circular
rail round a pivot supported on a frame. The operation is as follows:-Tho
chain is made fast to the substance or weight to be lifted, the engine being
put in motion coils the chain round the barrel or drum, thereby hoisting the
weight. When it has been raised high enough the crane is turned round
on the circular rail before-mentioned by means of a steam cylinder mounted
on the framing and connected by means of toothed gearing with the axles
of the wheels. When not in use the crane can be transported from place
to place by means of wheels, which can be raised or lowered by the action
of a screw, and when not in use they may be drawn up out of the way of the
circular rail.
In order more clearly to illustrate the foregoing description, I have to this
Specification appended the accompanying Drawings, which are intended
to shew the best mode of carrying my Invention into practice, it being at
the same time well understood that I reserve to myself the right of modifying
any or all of the parts shewn to suit particular circumstances.
same.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my machine, and Figure 2 a plan of the
On a strong and suitable frame A composed of heavy pieces of timber
is mounted an arm or jib D which is made as long and at as great an inclina-
tion with the frame as possible. The frame A is carried and supported by a
carriage B, which moves along a rail by means of the wheels a', a', and also
by means of the wheel i, which moves on the circular rail. On the frame A
is also mounted a boiler F and a steam engine G, which through the crank C,
gives motion to the pinion H, which turns the large wheel K fixed on the
axle O on which is mounted the drum or roller I, on which is wound the
chain J, which passes round a series of pulleys in the usual manner, and is
connected with a trough or receiver L, by means of the links i, i, and a
hook pl. The arm or jib D is composed of two pieces of wood l, m, forming
an acute angle whose lower extremities are united by means of the cross
bar W, which rests on the frame A, and the pieces are also strengthened by

page_text: the cross pieces o, o', and p, p'. The whole machine is centred on a bolt
or pivot N, which carries a cross piece S, which passes under the rails of the
carriage B, thus obtaining a greater counterpoise to the weight to be lifted.
A small steam engine R on the frame A gives motion to a pinion c which is
connected by means of gearing with the wheel 1, which by means of the
adhesion of the wheel to the surface of the rail, turns the whole machine
round the centre N. Two other wheels one on each side of the wheel A,
serve to steady the machine. The action is as follows:-Supposing that the
machine is employed to lift a shell or trough filled with sand, coal, or other
substance from the interior of a barge or lighter, and after having raised the
desired quantity to a certain height it is wished to unload the same into or at
any particular place; to effect this I fix on the jib D a wooden arm M,
which pressing against the side of the shell or trough whilst it is being wound
up, obliges it to take the position shewn in the Drawing, and thus empty
its contents into a truck, as shewn on the left of the Drawing. The
wheels on each side of the wheel aro capable of being raised or depressed
by means of the screw W, acted upon by the bevel wheel X, and a small
fly wheel, so that in transport they can be drawn up out of the way at the
same time allowing the machino to rest on the wheels a¹, a².
Having now described my Invention, and the manner in which the same
is formed and acts, I wish it understood that what I claim and desire secured
to me by the before in part recited Letters Patent is, the construction
and use of a rotary crane turning on a circular rail, and acting after the
manner and as described in this Specification, and more fully illustrated in
the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Wright, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
JAMES WRIGHT. (L.S.)