IMPROVED APPARATUS TO FACILITATE THE UNLOADING AND DELIVERY OF COAL, STONE, AND OTHER ARTICLES FROM SHIPS, BARGES, AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Hugh Greaves at the Office of
. the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd November
1866.
I, HUGH GREAVES, of Abingdon Street, in the City of Westminster, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS TO FACILITATE THE UNLOADING AND
DELIVERY OF COAL, STONE, AND OTHER ARTICLES FROM SHIPS, BARGES, AND OTHER
VESSELS," to be as follows:-
I employ barges or other vessels each having in the bottom thereof an
aperture or apertures capable of being opened and closed, and so constructed
that when the aperture or apertures are opened the coal or other article to be
unloaded may fall out, I have also at the delivery station a lighter furnished
with a valve or valves, which being opened the water enters the lighter so as
to cause the same to sink to the bottom of the river, canal, or other body of
water in which it is situated. To unload the barges or vessels containing the
coal, stone, or other article I bring the same over the said lighter which has
been previously sunk to the bottom, and I open the aperture or apertures above
mentioned so as to allow the coal or other article which is to be unloaded to
fall through the water into the lighter; I then remove from over the lighter
the barge or other vessel, and when the tide has receded and the water has

page_text: escaped from the interior of the lighter its valve is closed, and when the tide
rises the lighter is floated and afterwards brought to its destination. In place
of the lighter above mentioned I can use at the delivery station a platform
made of iron or other suitable material having its under surface constructed
at an angle with the upper surface, and this platform, when the material to be
unloaded has been deposited upon it from the barge or other vessel (brought
into position above it) is drawn by steam or other power up an inclined plane
so that its upper surface shall be level with or above the surface of an
embankment in order that the coal or other article to be unloaded may be
transferred to bags, carts, or other receptacles for conveying it away. To
facilitate the movement of the platform on the inclined plane; wheels or rollers
may be attached either to the under part of the platform or to the inclined
plane itself. Instead of the last-mentioned arrangement I can use a platform
which may rest on and be attached to girders, the inner ends of which are
hinged to the embankment, and the outer ends rest on a dummy which is sunk
and raised by means similar to those used for sinking and raising the lighter
above mentioned. The dummy having been sunk to the bottom the barge or
other vessel containing the coal or other article to be unloaded is brought over
the platform, which lies upon or over the dummy, and the coal or other article
to be unloaded is allowed to fall on the platform. The valve in the dummy
being closed, the tide raises the dummy and platform, and struts having been
placed under the moveable ends of the girders so as to support them the
dummy may be withdrawn and used for other purposes without waiting for the
unloading of the platform. If it is not considered desirable to wait for the tide
to lift the dummy it may be made to float and raise the platform by pumping
the water out. In some cases I would drive a number of piles into the bed
of the river, canal, or other body of water at the delivery station so arranged
and constructed that a barge or other vessel containing the material to be
unloaded if brought over the same at high water would rest thereon and be
securely supported in position thereby when the tide had receded, or when
the water had been withdrawn; platforms, carts, railway wagons, or other
receptacles might be then brought under the barge or vessel, and receive
therefrom the coal or other article to be unloaded.