Improvements in Bags, Baskets, or Receptacles for Loading, Trans- porting, Packing, or Storing Coal, Grain, and other Materials.
Year: 1899

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bags, Baskets, or Receptacles for Loading, Trans-
porting, Packing, or Storing Coal, Grain, and other Materials.
.
I, JOHN S. SCULLY, of Fifth Avenue and Union Streets, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania,
United States of America, Banker, 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 consists of an improved basket, bag or receptacle for packing
and transporting coal, grain or other minerals or material and it is particularly
adapted to be used in loading coal in large quantities to and from vessels and
for packing and storing it therein, reference being had to the accompanying
drawing forming part of this specification in which
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a number of bags in the operation of
loading.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my improved coal bag in position for filling.
Figure 3 is a similar view showing the bag filled and closed at the top.
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 but inverted illustrating the method of
discharging or emptying the bag.
Figure 5 is a detail sectional view illustrating the method of constructing
the bottom.
Figure 6 is a similar view illustrating the modified construction.
Figure 7 is a detail sectional view illustrating a construction wherein the
upper wires are looped at the top, and an inner auxiliary covering 11 is employed.
The main body portion of the bag consists of a surrounding, preferably
cylindrical shell 2 made of woven wire netting or other suitable flexible material,
the lower portion of which is closed, either by weaving the wire continuously
around so as to form a bottom, or by joining the sides to and incorporating them
with the circular reinforcing base 3 in any suitable manner.
It is obvious that other forms may be employed instead of the circular, as for
instance a square box, or the sides may if desired be rigid with flexible securing
devices at the top, and within the scope of my invention I may employ any
suitable fabric as canvas, jute, sacking etc.
It is desirable to employ the reinforcing base and to make it of a substantial
and durable material, as wood, plate iron or steel, as the entire weight of the
contents of the bag are sustained upon such bottom by means of the central
sustaining support 4 which may be a rod, cable, chain or rope as desired. This
central support passes through the bottom at its centre and is firmly and securely
incorporated with it in any convenient manner so as to be firmly attached and
secure against removal in either direction. This may be accomplished in the
case of a cable by making knots 5 at each side of the bottom.
In Figure 6 I have shown a concave bottom 3' which may be used with
good results and also supplemental washer 6, to the periphery of which the wires
of the bag may be secured. Fig. 7 shows the top portion of a closed bag an inner
auxiliary covering of canvas or the like being arranged underneath the end
cords 8 to prevent any escape of the contents through these cords.

page_text: The central support 4 as will be seen, projects somewhat above the top of the
bag and also for a short distance downwardly below the base, and each extremity
is furnished with an eye or loop 7 by which the bag may be suspended upon a
hook while loading or in lifting by a frame, in either the loaded or the inverted
position. The upper edge of the bag is furnished with a series of free extremities 8
each terminating in an eye 9 (through which is drawn a tying cord or wire 10,
by which the upper end of the bag is securely closed so as to prevent exit of
its contents by drawing the wire extremities tightly and closely around the
central support and securing them as in Figure 3.
Other means of securing the top may be employed, if desired, the object being
not only to close the top of the receptacle but to firmly attach such top to the
central support as for instance by wrapping, thus centralizing the load and
ensuring equilibrium.
Figs. 8 & 9 show a bag provided with a hinged top the two parts of which are
adapted to close about the support 4 and be secured by a sleeve or ring sliding
thereon.
When the bag is filled with coal and thus closed the contents may be readily
lifted by a crane hook and deposited in any desired location. If it is desired
to discharge the contents at such point the crane hook is inserted through the
eye at the bottom of the bag and the bottom is raised when the contents will
burst open the retaining wire 10 or it may be previously cut when the bag may
be lifted away from the coal and removed.
The advantages of my invention will be appreciated by those consuming or
transporting coal in large quantities as for instance on sea going vessels, where
the coal may be loaded into the hold in an expeditious manner and securely
packed and retained in position if desired by lashing the receptacle down, thus
ensuring against listing. Also when loaded upon an open deck it is not liable
to be washed overboard by the sea, and in case of sunken vessels, the coal may
be easily and entirely recovered, in the original packages. My improved bag
is also well adapted to transporting grain, as it permits ventilation and prevents
heating thereof and the access of rats, mice and vermin thereto. When used
for this purpose the bag will be made of fine mesh wire or other suitable material.
The wire netting should be of sufficient strength and of such a size of mesh
as to ensure against breaking or loss although the lateral pressure exerted will
not be proportionately great, and the entire strain will fall upon the bottom and
be carried by the central support. These parts are preferably galvanized, and
when properly made the bags will withstand considerable rough treatment, and
may be used a number of times.
Owing however to their cheapness of construction the bags may be dispensed
with or thrown overboard when empty.
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. A bag or receptacle for coal, grain and other materials comprising a central
sustaining member projecting above the upper portion of the body of the bag,
and a surrounding body portion having its bottom secured to said central member
and extending upwardly and provided with means at its upper end whereby it
may be gathered in and secured closely around the central sustaining member
to form a top which will prevent exit of the contents of the bag at such point
during transportation.
2. A bag or receptacle for coal, grain and other materials comprising a central
sustaining member projecting above the upper portion of the body of the bag,
and a surrounding body portion formed of flexible material having its bottom
secured to said central member and extending upwardly and provided with
means at its upper end whereby it may be gathered in and secured closely around
the central sustaining member to form a top which will prevent exit of the
contents of the bag at such point during transportation,

page_text: 3. A bag or receptacle for coal, grain and other materials, comprising a central
sustaining member projecting above the upper portion of the body of the bag
and having a loop at its upper end, and a surrounding body portion having its
bottom secured to said central sustaining member and extending upwardly and
provided with means at its upper end whereby it may be gathered in and closely
secured around the central sustaining member to form a top which will prevent
exit of the contents of the bag at such point during transportation.
4. A bag or receptacle for coal, grain and other materials comprising a central
sustaining member projecting above the top of the body of the bag and having a
loop at its upper end a surrounding body portion having its bottom secured to said
central sustaining member and extending upwardly and provided with means
for securing it at the top around the central member to prevent exit of the
contents of the bag at such point during transportation and means at the bottom
of the bag whereby it may be sustained in an inverted position.
a
5. A bag or receptacle for coal, grain and other materials, comprising a central
sustaining member projecting above the top of the body of the bag and having
loop at its upper end a surrounding body portion having its bottom secured to said
central sustaining member and extending upwardly and provided with means
for securing it at the top around the central sustaining member to prevent exit
of the contents of the. bag at such point during transportation and a member
extending downwardly from the bottom of the bag and provided with a loop.
6. A bag or receptacle for coal, grain and other materials, having a circular
base, an upwardly extending cylindrical body portion of wire netting secured to
the base, a central sustaining member secured to the base at the centre, extend-
ing downwardly from the base and upwardly above the top of the bag and pro-
vided at each end with a loop and means for securing together the body portion
at the top closely around the central sustaining member to prevent exit of the
contents of the bag at such point during transportation.
7. A bag or receptacle for coal grain and other materials comprising a central
sustaining member projecting above the top of the body of the bag and having
a loop at its upper end: a surrounding body portion having its bottom secured
to said central sustaining member and extending upwardly and provided with a
series of loops or eyes at its end, a cord or wire passing through said loops
whereby the top of the body portion may be gathered in and secured around
the central sustaining member to prevent exit of the contents of the bag at
such point during transportation and a member extending downwardly from the
bottom of the bag and provided with a loop.
Dated this 13th day of November 1899.
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.