IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR EXCAVATING EARTH
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Fredrick Sang Architect of 30 King Street
Cheapside London for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
EXCAVATING EARTH"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Fredrick Sang at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd October 1882.
JOHN FREDRICK SANG Architect. of 30 King Street Cheapside. London. E.C.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR EXCAVATING EARTH."
My invention has for its object improvements in Machinery for cutting and
excavating earth in the process of making Dock basins cutting foundations or
canals and for other like purposes in a more expeditious manner than heretofore.
In carrying out my invention I arrange one or any number of spades or cutters
at the bottom ends of bars of Iron fitted with racks on their lengths, the whole
being secured on a frame, the spades are forced into the earth to be excavated, by
pinions working into the racks, the pinions being keyed on to a shaft which may
be driven by a steam Engine or other suitable motive power; the racks are guided
in their downward and upward stroke by means of rollers attached to a guide
frame. The earth sliced off by the spades falls into buckets arranged upon an
elevator (similar to a Dredger which is also driven by steam or other suitable
power) which conveys the earth to the surface and delivers it either into trucks or
upon a moveable platform or otherwise.
The steam Engine, the guide frame and spades are all attached to or arranged
on a platform running on rails (upon a second platform or trolley) transversely.
across the trench being cut. The second trolley or platform is arranged on wheels
and runs on rails longitudinally with the trench, so that the whole can be readily...
advanced or retired as the earth is cut away and excavated. It will be obvious
that the machinery may be arranged in the most convenient position on the
platform or trolley to suit the work to be done.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said John Fredrick Sang in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd May 1883.
JOHN FREDRICK SANG Architect of 30 King Street Cheapside London
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR EXCAVATING EARTH
"
My said invention has for its object improvements in machinery for cutting and
excavating earth in the process of making dock basins, cutting foundations or canals
and for other like purposes in a more expeditious manner than heretofore. In
carrying out my invention I arrange one or any number of longitudinally recipro-
cating spades or cutters in a sliding, frame fitted with, racks screws or other
suitable contrivances for imparting a longitudinal reciprocating motion thereto
such frame working in. a fixed standard or guide frame placed vertically hori-
zontally or at any desired angle and mounted on a travelling platform running on
rails upon a second platform or trolley transversely across the trench being cut.
The second platform or trolley is mounted on wheels and runs along rails laid
longitudinally along each side of the trench so that the excavator can be readily
advanced to its work or retired or moved laterally across the trench as the earth is
cut away and excavated. The spades may be forced into the earth to be excavated
by pinions working into the racks the pinions being keyed onto a shaft which may
be driven by a steam engine or other suitable motive power either mounted on the
travelling platform or otherwise situate. The earth sliced off by the spades falls
into the buckets or troughs of an adjustable elevator capable of being raised or
lowered in a separate guide frame also mounted on the before mentioned travelling
platform and driven by steam or other power the said elevator being raised when
required out of the way of the cross timbers by a winch or otherwise so as not to
interfere with the forward or backward traverse of the machine along, the trench.
It will be obvious that the excavating and discharging apparatus or elevator may
be arranged in any convenient position on the platform or trolley to suit the work
to be accomplished.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the explanatory sheet of drawings hereunto annexed the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in both the figures.
Figure 1 of my drawings is a side elevation of my improved excavating machine
with elevator complete partly in section. Figure 2 is a corresponding front view
of the same with the elevator or delivering apparatus removed.
a is the traversing platform carrying the excavating and delivering apparatus
and running on rails b placed transversely to the trench on the second platform o
which runs along rails d laid longitudinally with the trench. e is the fixed guide
frame (vertical or at an angle) on the platform a. f is a frame sliding therein and
carrying the spades g. h are racks secured longitudinally to this sliding frame
and the pinions for actuating the same mounted on the driving shaft k driven by
any suitable reversing gear from a steam engine or other motive power. 1 is the
elevator or endless chain of buckets or troughs mounted on pulleys k¹ and l' and
extending to the bottom of the trench for the purpose of receiving the loose earth
removed by the spades and delivering the same to the surface. The platform a
is free to be traversed across the trench in any well known manner for the
purpose of bringing the machine into a fresh line of cut, the platform is in like
manner moved lengthwise with the trench to impart the requisite forward
feed motion to the spades after each cut. The upper or actuating pair of pulleys k¹
of the elevator are keyed on a shaft m resting on bearings in standards mounted

page_text: on the platform a and driven by any suitable motive power. The lower or
carrier pulleys are mounted on a spindle working in bearings at the lower
ends of two parallel vertical sliding or adjustable frames n connected by cross
bars at the top and bottom and sliding in and steadied by the fixed upright
guide frame o also mounted on the platform a The spades are caused to
descend by the action of the pinions and racks to a given depth say about six
feet down the face of the excavation or trench slicing off the earth to a width of say
five feet and the machine is then moved laterally so as to take the next cut of five
feet after which the machine is advanced or fed forward for the next cut in the
same line and then moved laterally again back to its first po-ition; and so on but
this mode of operating may obviously be varied according to the nature of the work
to be carried on. Provision is made for extending the depth of cut by allowing
sufficient length of racks above the pinions. As the trench deepens the elevator
chains must be lengthened by the insertion of additional links and buckets or
troughs the adjustable sliding frames n being correspondingly lowered in the guide
frame o.
These sliding frames are open or slotted longitudinally so as to work
along each side of the actuating shaft m of the elevator. They should also be long
enough to allow of their being lowered as the trench deepens. In order to allow
the elevator to be lifted out of the way of the cross timbers when the machine is
being moved I connect the actuating shaft of the elevator with a rope or chain p
which passes round an overhead pulley at the top of the fixed guide frame o and
down to a windlass barrel q by which means I lift the said shaft (having previously
disconnected the driving gear) out of its bearings along with the elevator until the
latter has cleared the cross timbers. The shaft m with the elevator is then lowered
again and the driving gear having been coupled up is ready to resume its
operations. The excavating spades must also be lifted by their pinions and racks
when occasion requires so as to clear the cross timbers as described in reference to
the elevators. Suitable stops may be provided for preventing the dropping of the
frame f when elevated.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is :-
In an excavating machine the combination of a guide frame mounted on a double
travelling platform and carrying one or more longitudinally reciprocating cutters or
spades actuated by racks and pinions screws or equivalent mechanism driven by
steam or other power with an adjustable elevator for removing the earth as fast as
it is cut and delivering the same substantially as herein before described.
In witness whereof I the said John Fredrick Sang have hereunto set my
hand and seal this third day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.