Improvements in Cranes or Hoisting Apparatus.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 5th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 6th Sept., 1890
· PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cranes or Hoisting Apparatus.
I, ANDREW BETTS BROWN, of Rosebank Iron Works, Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows, that is to say:
My said invention has for its object to combine parts of cranes or hoisting apparatus
in an improved manner, my improved apparatus being advantageously applicable
where steam of high pressure is available, as on steamships, for example.
In carrying out my invention I combine a steam cylinder for actuating the hoisting
chain or rope, with a smaller steam or hydraulic cylinder for slewing the jib of the
crane. Both cylinders are placed vertically and are partly supported by a bracket
attaching the larger cylinder to a deck house or other structure. In the larger cylinder
the steam acts on an annular piston having fixed to or formed in one piece with it a
hollow trunk which works through a stuffing box at the upper end of the cylinder.
The trunk works over an inner stationary piston fixed to the upper end of a tube
passing through a stuffing box in the annular or steam piston; and a rod passing up
through the tube controls a valve in the inner fixed piston. Water or other liquid is
maintained under a suitable pressure in the trunk, and when steam is admitted under
the annular piston it forces up that piston and the trunk, but only at a suitable
regulated speed, as the water in the trunk has to pass from the under side to the upper
side of the inner stationary piston and can do so only at a speed controlled by the
valve opening. To allow of the descent of the trunk and steam piston the valve in
the inner stationary piston is opened by means of its rod when moved by a special
hand lever.
The movement of the steam piston is transmitted by means of tackle pulleys
which multiply the extent of movement in the usual way to the hoisting chain or
горе.
The jib is attached to a vertical swivelling pillar having fixed on its lower end a
spurwheel with which there gears a pinion on a vertical shaft. This shaft is made with
a helical or screw part of long pitch on which there fits an internally screwed block
working in a vertical guide and moved by means of two rods fixed to the piston of the
smaller cylinder. The vertical movement of the screwed block causes rotation of
the helical shaft, and its pinion acting on the spurwheel of the crane pillar slews the
jib as required. If preferred the jib may be fitted to slew upon a fixed post which
may extend down below the deck and which may have the steam supply pipe passing
through it.
Dated this Fourth day of November 1889.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cranes or Hoisting Apparatus.
I, ANDREW BETTS BROWN, of Rosebank Iron Works, Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, that is to say:
My said invention has for its object to combine parts of cranes or hoisting apparatus
in an improved manner, my improved apparatus being advantageously applicable
where steam of high pressure is available, as on steamships for example.
In carrying out my invention I combine a steam cylinder for actuating the hoisting
Price Sd 1

page_text: chain or rope with a smaller steam or hydraulic cylinder for slewing the jib of the
crane. Both cylinders are placed vertically and, in one modification, are partly
supported by a bracket attaching the larger cylinder to a deck house or other
structure: The motion which the steam tends to produce when admitted into the
large cylinder is controlled and regulated by means of water in an inner cylinder
formed as a trunk to and moving with the steam piston, the water in such inner
cylinder having to pass from one side to the other of a fixed piston through a small
passage. In one modification the jib is attached to a vertical swivelling pillar having
fixed on its lower end a spurwheel which gears with a pinion turned by means of the
smaller cylinder. If preferred the jib may be fitted to slew upon a fixed post which
may extend down below the deck, and which may have the steain supply pipe passing
through it.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood I hereunto append two sheets of explanatory drawings to be
hereinafter referred to and showing by way of example one modification of my improved
apparatus.
Figure, 1, on sheet, 1, of the drawings is a side elevation of the motor parts of a
crane,
Figure, 2, on sheet, 2, being a corresponding plan, whilst
Figure, 3, is a vertical section of the principal cylinder.
In these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
In the
In the apparatus shown in the drawings a stationary vertical cylinder, 6, is employed
for actuating the hoisting chain or rope, 7, (indicated by peculiarly dotted lines) this
cylinder being fixed by a bracket, 8, to a deck house, 9; or it might be to any other
convenient structure, and being also partly supported by a small pillar, 10.
cylinder, 6, the steam acts on the under side of a piston, 11, which has fixed to or
formed in one piece with it a hollow trunk, 12, which works through a stuffing box, 13,
at the upper end of the cylinder, 6, the top of the trunk being closed. The trunk, 12,
works over an inner stationary piston, 14, fixed to the upper end of the tube, 15,
passing through a stuffing box in the steam piston, 11; and a rod, 16, passing up
through the tube, 15, controls a valve, 17, in the inner fixed piston, 14.
Water or
other liquid is maintained under a suitable pressure in the trunk, 12; and when steam
is admitted under the piston, 11, it forces up that pistón and the trunk, 12, but only at
a suitable regulated speed, as the water in the trunk has to pass from the under side
to the upper side of the inner stationary piston, 14, and do so only at a speed controlled
by the extent of opening given to the valve, 17.. To allow of the descent of the
trunk, 12, and steain piston, 11, when the steam is exhausted the valve, 17, in the
inner stationary piston, 14, is opened by means of its rod, 16, which passes out through
a stuffing box at the bottom of the main cylinder, 6, and is by preference connected
by one or more levers and rods to a hand lever placed near the ship's hatchway or in
whatever position may be found best for controlling the action of the crane. The
annular space above the steam piston, 11, and between the trunk, 12, and the cylinder
is by preference put in communication with a condenser, by a small pipe connected to
the top of the cylinder, 6, but not shown. The interior of the tube, 15, is by a lateral
passage at its bottom end and an external branch pipe, put in communication with an
accumulator or other supplier of water under pressure to allow of the ingress and
egress of the small quantity of water corresponding to the displacement of the tube
when within the trunk, 12.
The movement of the steam piston, 11, is transmitted by means of tackle
pulleys, 18, 19, 20, which multiply the extent of movement in the usual way to the
hoisting chain or rope, 7.
The jib, 21, is attached to a vertical swivelling pillar, 22, having fixed at its lower
end a spurwheel, 23, with which there gears a pinion, 24, on a vertical shaft, 25. This
shaft is made with a belical or screw part, 26, of long pitch, on which there fits an
internally screwed block, 27, working in a vertical guide, 28, and moved by means of
two rods, 29, fixed to the piston of a smaller cylinder, 30, fixed to the larger

page_text: cylinder, 6. As shown in the drawings this smaller cylinder, 30, is arranged to be
worked by steam, and there is used in connection with it an upper cylinder, 31,
containing water or other suitable liquid and having working in it a piston connected
by a rod, 32, to the piston of the lower cylinder, 30. A small passage is provided for
the passage of the water through the piston, or otherwise from one end to the other of
the upper cylinder; and the speed of the pistons is prevented from being too great
by the water having to pass through the small passage. The vertical movement of the
internally-screwed block, 27, causes rotation of the helical shaft, 26, 25, and its
pinion, 24, acting on the spurwheel, 23, of the crane pillar, 22, slews the jib, 21, as
required. Instead of slewing the jib by means of the helical shaft, 26, 25, pinion, 24,
and spurwheel, 23, an arrangement formerly used by me may be adopted if preferred;
this arrangement comprising an endless chain passing round a chain pulley in place
of the spurwheel, 23, and round guide pulleys placed so that a part of it
moved vertically by a block (27) worked by the cylinder, 30.
may be
When the jib is arranged to turn about a fixed pillar according to a modification
differing from that shown in the drawings but herein before referred to the
cylinders, 6, 30, and other parts may also be arranged to turn on the fixed pillar, and
so as to counterbalance more or less the weight of and on the jib, as in various
existing arrangements of crane.
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:-
1. The combination of parts constituting my improved cranes substantially as
bereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. The modified combinations in which the jib alone or jib and other parts are
arranged to turn upon a fixed pillar substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The improved combination of the larger steam cylinder with its steam piston and
inner hydraulic controlling cylinder or trunk, and with the internal fixed piston and
the valve mechanism thereof substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. The combination of parts for slewing the jib and comprising the vertically
moving internally screwed block, the helical shaft acted on by the block and the
pinion on the helical shaft gearing with the spurwheel fixed to the jib, substantially as
herein before described.
Dated this Second day of August 1890.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.