Improvements in the Construction of Crane Trays and like Receptacles for Conveying Loose Materials.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1897-Accepted, 27th Nov., 1897
Improvements in the Construction of Crane Trays and like
Receptacles for Conveying Loose Materials.
:
I, ROBERT WILLIAM GOLDSBROUGH, of 2 Ayresome Road, Middlesbrough in the County
of York, Wharfinger, 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 :—
This Invention relates more particularly to the Trays which are suspended from the
Jibs of Wharf Cranes used in the loading or unloading of Pig Iron, Ores, Sand and
the like from or into vessels alongside.
As at present constructed the Trays are rectangular in shape having two sides and
a back, the front being open: at each top corner is an eyehole, two at the back and
two at the front: short chains with hooks engaged in the eyeholes are used to suspend
the Tray from the main chain of the crane.
The Tray, having been filled with material, is carried by the crane to some
suitable place such as the bottom of the hold of a vessel, a workman disengages
the two front chains by pulling out the hooks, and the crane lifts the Tray suspended
only by the two back hooks thus causing the contents to be discharged by sliding
out of the open front of the Tray, the Tray is lifted back again to the loading place,
refilled, and the operation repeated as often as necessary.
:
Now this Invention obviates the necessity of having a workman to release the two
front chains; and this is accomplished by substituting for the two front eyeholes,
inverted snugs or pockets, and having special hooks to fit them attached to the two
front chains when, under these conditions the loaded tray is lowered till it reaches
the bottom of the hold or other place, it remains there, and the Crane lowering a little
further, the chains are slackened, and the two front ones, by reason of the peculiar
construction of their hooks and the arrangement of the snugs or pockets, automatically
disengage from the Tray, their hooks falling away and clear of the snugs or pockets
so that when the Crane lifts, the Tray is only suspended by the two back chains
and is discharged as by present methods.
The attached Drawing will make this clearer.
Fig. 1. is the side view of a Tray suspended from the Crane chain a by the two front
chains b, b, and the two back chains c, c, d is the inverted snug or pocket, e the
special hook engaging therein, e¹ shews the position of the hook e after it has
disengaged, having naturally fallen towards the centre as well as downwards, thus
obviating the chance of catching in the snug or pocket d as the Tray is being lifted
again.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the Tray shewing the snugs d, d, and the hooks e, e, on
either side.
Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged views of the snugs or pockets d and hooks e which, as
well as the Trays themselves, may be made of Steel, wrought iron or other suitable

page_text: 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 :-
1st. The peculiar construction and arrangement of the snugs or pockets and hooks
whereby the front chains are caused to act in the manner herein before described.
2nd: The combination of the aforementioned peculiarly constructed and arranged
snugs or pockets and hooks with Crane Trays and like receptacles, whereby the
necessity of having a workman to disengage the two front chains is obviated.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1897.
ROBERT WILLIAM GOLDSBROUGH,
Applicant.
W. P. Thompson & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.