IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH SELF FILLING AND SELF EMPTYING SKEPS OR BUCKETS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Allis, junior, of No. 9, Kent Terrace, Strattondale
Street, Isle of Dogs, in the County of Middlesex, Fitter, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH SELF FILLING AND SELF
EMPTYING SKEPS OR BUCKETS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION loft by the said George Allix, jr., at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th September 1881.
GEORGE ALLIX, junior, of No. 9, Kent Terrace, Strattondale Street, Isle of
Dogs, in the County of Middlesex, Fitter. “IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED
WITH SELF FILLING AND SELF EMPTYING SKEPS OR BUCKETS."
The object of this Invention is certain novel arrangements of parts of self filling
and self emptying skeps or buckets, and also to certain mechanism for taking in
and giving out the slack of a supplementary chain, which determines the distance
the bucket may travel for emptying purposes.
The two halves of the skep or bucket are connected at two upper outer
corners by straps to which is attached a cross bar, this serving for fixing an end of
a slack chain to, as hereafter mentioned.
Each half bucket has at or near its centre at the back a rigid bar, whose outer
end is provided with a hook, or the end is bent over for the reception of a staple or
link of a weighted and tumbling saddle, which a suspended from a second bar, this
being jointed to a tail piece or projection on the first mentioned bar, upon which
the second bar can rest when the two bars lie across the top of the two half
buckets, and the mouth open ready for scooping into the material which has to be
lifted.
"
The lift chain from the crane jib is passed through guide eyes and around
rollers in the weighted saddles, and the ends are connected to form a “bight'
between the two saddles for an equal lift of both half buckets.
The two bars of each move together in the lift when filled, and become
separated when the balf buckets open, and remain so while they are suspended

page_text: and empty the first mentioned bars alone, then resting horizontally ready when
the half buckets are lowered to take up a fresh charge; the lowering of
the chain then allowing the other bars and the saddles to descend, so that the
links may engage in the hooks for a fresh lift. The two bars then come together
by the chain pulling their outer ends towards each other, thereby closing the
mouth and scooping in the material.
The two bars of each half bucket can be secured together to act as one bar for
each, and then the motions of the hooks and the saddles are thrown out of action.
It is in this condition that the supplementary chain connected to the cross bar
serves as a skep suspension chain when the half buckets are to open, and while
they are open this chain is then run out to lower the bucket in its open state to
the material, ready for the main chain to be hauled up to lift the bucket, and
cause the mouth to close by the two outer ends of the bars being brought
together.
The suspension chain is carried by a drum which has an independent action in a
vertically grooved frame, the grooves being toothed for pinions on the drum to run
in. The drum is of large diameter, and in the descent of the chain the drum
rises up the grooves and gives off the necessary amount of chain according to the
descent of the bucket.
The chain can however be checked or stopped at any part of its travel by a
hand lever, the fulcrum of which is threaded and works on a threaded portion of a
cross bar to pinch a whelp wheel against a shoulder of the cross bar, the chain
passing over the whelp wheel. At whatever position of the bucket the stoppage
of travel of the chain causes the half buckets to open and discharge the contents,
and when the whelp wheel is released the drum which is always free runs down
and takes up any slack of the supplementary chain that' may occur.
"
.:

page_text: Figure 6 is an end view of Figure 5.
Figures 7 and 8 are details of Figure 5.
Figures 9, 10, and 11 illustrate another arrangement of the mechanism for
working the discharging chain, being an equivalent of that shown at Figure 5.
Figure 12 is a side elevation of the brake used to control the working of the
discharging chain.
Reference to the Drawings Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, it will be seen that the skep or
bucket consists of the two halves A, A, connected at the two upper outer
corners A, A, by the straps B, which are connected together by the cross bar C,
which latter serves for attaching a discharging chain D (shown in dotted lines) to
if required. The straps B and the cross bar C serve as a frame on which the
lalves A, A, are attached and free to move at A'. Each of the halves A, A, has at
or near its centre a rigidly attached bar E, E, cach bar being provided with a
hook or bent over end F, F; hinged to a tail piece at the root of the bars E aro
the loose bars G, the outer ends of which are provided with the sheaved shackles
or tumbling saddles H, which are used to link onto the hooks F, when the two
bars lay across the top of the half buckets A, A, and when such halves are in the
position ready for scooping the material, which has to be lifted, as shown at
Figure 1. The operation of lifting consists in the hooks F, F, gearing into the
tumbling saddles H, and thus connecting the rigid bars E, E, with the hinged
bars G, G. The lift chain from the crane, jib, or its equivalent, is passed through
the guide loops or eyes h and round the sheaves J in the tumbling saddles H, and
the ends of the chain K are connected to form a bight between the two
saddles H, H. The chain K is connected to the lifting chain of the crane, and is
of sufficient length to allow the opening and closing of the bucket A, and through
its endless nature ensures an equal lift to both halves of the bucket A, A. The
two bars E and G of cach half of the bucket A, A, move together in the lift when

page_text: 1
scooping in and filling the bucket, and when filled lifting the bucket, as shown at
Figure 2. To discharge the bucket A it is lowered and rested on the ground, or
equivalently supported. Upon the slacking of the chain K the tumbling saddles H
fall out of gear with the hooks F, and thereby upon again lifting the bucket by the
chain K the weight is taken by the hinged bars G only, and the halves of the
bucket open and the contents are discharged. The two bars E, E, then resting
horizontally ready when the bucket A is lowered to scoop in a fresh charge upon
the bars G, G, again coming into gear with the said bars E, E, and the chain K
again pulling the outer ends together and closing the bucket and scooping in the
material.
Under another arrangement of working the two bars E and G of each half of
the bucket A are secured together (to act as one bar) by a bolt, strap, or equivalent
device fixed at a, or other convenient position, and then the motions of the hooks
and saddles F, H, are thrown out of action. It is in this condition that the
supplementary or discharging chain D attached to the cross bar C is used. The
chain D serves to suspend the bucket A when open, such being its normal condition,
and the bucket A is lowered by the chain D into a position where it has to scoop
in the material, which is done by the chain K bringing the bars together, thus
closing the bucket and after closing lifting it. The discharging or suspension
chain D is carried to the device shown at Figures 5 and 6, or to the device shown
at Figures 9 and 10. In the device shown at Figures 5 and 6 the chain D is carried
by the drum M, which has an independent action in the vertically grooved
frame N, the side grooves of which are formed with the racks P, the teeth of which
receive the pinions Q on the drum M. The drum M is of large diameter, and in
the paying out or descent of the chain D the drum rises up, the grooves in the
frame N being rotated in its ascent by means of the pinions Q working in the
racks P, thus giving off the necessary amount of chain D to accomodate the descent
of the bucket A. The chain D can be checked or stopped at any required part of
its travel by a brake mechanism of any suitable nature, such as the mechanism
shown at Figure 12. In this case the chain D is led round the sheave R and the
chain wheel S, and is then led to tho crane jib. The chain wheel S is on the same
shaft as the strap friction disc T, and the apparatus is brought into action by the
handle U.
By the apparatus shown at Figures 5 and 6 in combination with such a brake
mechanism, the discharging chain D can be so controlled that its travel is arrested
at whatever position the working of the bucket requires, namely, by arresting the
chain D and lowering the chain K the half buckets open and discharge the contents,
and after scooping in a new charge, and upon the relifting of the full bucket by
'the chain K the drum M descends in the rack N, and in its descent rolls round it
the slack of the chain D caused by the lifting of the bucket..
In Figures 9, 10, and 11 an equivalent device to that shown at Figures 5 and 6
is represented. In this case the frame N is suspended from the bracket V slung
from a derrick, or equivalent position, and the chain P acts as a substitute for the
toothed rack P, the barrels Q being the equivalent of the pinions Q. It will be
understood that the paying out of the chain D revolves the barrel M, and theroby
rolls the chain P on the barrels Q in a contrary direction, thereby the barrel M is
being lifted while paying out the chain D, and is attaining a position to auto-
matically by its descent roll in the slack of the chain D when required.
The mechanism shown at Figures 5 and 6 and 9 and 10 is applicable for taking in
the slack of any chain, the weight of which is less than the weight of the drum Mand
its accessory moving parts, and the mechanism is particularly applicable for working
the opening or discharging chain of self acting grapple buckets, grabs, or forks,
such as those shown and described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to
W. D. and S. Priestman, No. 2196, A.D. 1877, and the mechanism may be used as
a substitute for the sheave and pulley mechanism described in such Specification.
Having now described my Invention and shown how the same may be put into
practical operation, I would have it clearly understood that my Invention is not

page_text: limited to the precise form and configuration of the devices shown in the Drawings,
so long as their essential features are retained, what I claim as my Invention and
secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,-
First. Effecting the closing, lifting, and opening of skeps, buckets, grabs, forks,
or like apparatus by means of rigid bars, such as E, hinged bars, such as G,
tumbling saddle, such as H, all constructed, mounted, and operating, and worked
by a chain, such as K, substantially as described and shown in Figures 1, 2, 3,
and 4 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
Second. The use for closing, raising, and discharging skeps, buckets, grabs, forks,
or like apparatus of the rigid bars E in combination with the hinged bars G and
the tumbling saddles H, arranged in manner such as berein set forth and illustrated
and operating for the purposes specified.
Third. Connecting the bars E and G together to act as one bar for each half of
the bucket, or equivalent apparatus, and suspending the bucket by the supple-
mentary chain D, the apparatus operating in the manuer herein set forth for the
purposes specified.
Fourth. Effecting the gathering in and paying out of the opening, discharging,
or supplementary chain of self acting skeps, buckets, grabs, forks, or equivalent
apparatus by means of a moving drum, which winds in the slack chain as the
drum gravitates and unwinds the chain when the same is in tension, substantially
as herein described.
Fifth. The mechanism herein described and shown at Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8,
for effecting the gathering in and paying out of the opening, discharging, or
supplementary chain of self acting skeps, buckets, grabs, forks, or equivalent
apparatus.
Sixth. The mechanism herein described and shown at Figures 9, 10, and 11,
for effecting the gathering in and paying out of the opening, discharging, or
supplementary chain of self acting skeps, buckets, grabs, forks, or equivalent
apparatus.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Allix, junior, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty second day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.