Improvements in the Mode of or Means for Delivering Coal into Wagons, Ships' Holds, or other Receivers, such Method Means being also Applicable for the Delivery of other Materials from a Higher to a Lower Level so as to Lessen or Prevent the Breakage of such Materials.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 12th Apr.,
1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
or
Improvements in the Mode of or Means for Delivering Coal into
Wagons, Ships' Holds, or other Receivers, such Method
Means being also Applicable for the Delivery of other Materials
from a Higher to a Lower Level so as to Lessen or Prevent the
Breakage of such Materials.
I MARSHALL NICHOLSON of Middleton near Leeds in the County of York
Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my Luvention is more especially to provide means for delivering coal
from the screens on a pit bank into railway wagons, in such a manner that the coal is
not broken or at least by far not so much broken up as by present methods. I shall
therefore describe my Invention as applied to such a purpose, but it will be evident
from the following description that the same is also more or less applicable for
delivering coal into the holds of ships or other receivers, and also to the delivery of
other materials from a higher to a lower level, so as to prevent or materially reduce
the amount of breakage or the production of smalls, where such materials are of a
nature that they readily break up if allowed to fall any distance.
In the ordinary method of delivering coals from the screens on a pit bank into
railway wagons, when fixed or even hinged spouts or shoots are used; there is
always a considerable drop (usually 6 to 8 ft.) from the end of the spout or shoot
to the bottom of the wagon, which especially in the case of tender coals results
in breaking up the coal and producing a large amount of "small" coal and dust.
My Invention consists in the use of a spiral or helical shoot of such a pitch or
inclination, that the coal slides down it with facility, but not so rapidly as to cause it
to break during its descent, or when stopped on reaching the bottom of the wagon, or
on reaching the level to which the wagon has been already filled. The mean inclina-
tion of the shoot is therefore made slightly greater than the angle of friction for coal
sliding over the material of which the shoot is formed, (usually sheet iron). The shoot
is placed so as to be close to the edge of the screen, or of a short spout or shoot
attached to the delivery end of the screen, and the shoot is of sufficient length to
reach at least from the edge of the screen, (or of the attached shoot), to the
bottom of the wagon, so that there is no drop (beyond the height of the sides of
the spiral shoot) either as the coal enters the spiral or helical shoot, or as it
leaves the lower end of the same. As the wagon is gradually filled, the bottom end
of the shoot should be raised so as to remain constantly level with the top of the coal.
I therefore provide means for raising the shoot as a whole, and to enable this to be
easily done, I balance the weight of the shoot, preferably by attaching it to a rope or
ropes (or chain or chains) passing round a pulley or pulleys and having a balance
weight or weights attached at the other end or ends. To still further facilitate the
raising and lowering of the shoot, I may connect it to a set of Weston's differential
blocks or other suitable mechanism.
It will be evident that if the spiral shoot be raised without rotation, and if the
delivery edge of the screen or screen shoot is level with the edge of the spiral
shoot at the point in contact or close to the same, say when the bottom of the
spiral shoot is resting on the bottom of the wagon, then the raising of the spiral
shoot will lift the edge of the same at the point above mentioned, above the delivery
edge of the screen or screen shoot, and the coal must fall through a distance equal to
If
the pitch of the spiral shoot less the amount by which the shoot has been raised.
however the spiral shoot be rotated through an arc, which bears to a complete circle
the same ratio that the amount by which the shoot has been raised bears to the pitch

page_text: of the shoot, then the adjoining edges of the screen or screen shoot and of the spiral
shoot will always remain at the same level. For example if the pitch of the shoot is
3 ft. and the shoot is raised or lowered 1 foot, then the spiral shoot ought to be
rotated through one third of 360 degrees i.e. 120 degrees in one direction or the
other.
Now in order that this rate of rotation may be automatically performed, I support
the shoot by a central vertical rod, preferably square in section, and twisted so as to
form a sort of Archimedean screw or rifle having the same pitch as the spiral shoot,
and I pass this rod through a fixed nut or guide of corresponding section and pitch.
As the shoot is raised, this rod passing through the fixed nut causes the shoot to
rotate the above described corresponding and requisite amount. It will be evident,
that the rod may be of hexagonal or other section, the fixed nut being made to
correspond. Or 1 may use a round rod having a rifle groove or screw thread (or
grooves or threads) of the same pitch as the spiral shoot cut thereon, and in place of a
nut I may then use a cylindrical guide provided with a correspondingly pitched or
twisted key or feather, (or keys or feathers).
The above arrangement is not essentially altered if the central vertical screw or
rifle rod is permanently fixed in position and arranged to pass through a corre-
sponding guide or nut attached centrally to the upper end of the shoot. In the first
arrangement as the supporting rod rotates with the spiral shoot, it is necessary to
connect this rod to the balance ropes or chains by a swivel attachment. In the second
arrangement, the shoot is supported directly from the balance ropes or chains, which
are attached to a swivel arrangement fitted preferably on the outside of the guide or
nut. The swivel arrangement is preferably fitted with live rollers or similar anti-
friction mechanism to obviate or lessen any tendency of the supporting chains to
twisting.
I may also effect the rotation of the shoot automatically by means of suitable
gearing. For example a vertical rack suitably attached to or raised by the spiral
shoot, is arranged to gear with a toothed wheel on a horizontal shaft, provided with a
bevel wheel gearing into a second bevel wheel capable of rotating between fixed
bearings and having a square hole; (or circular hole with key or sliding feather),
through which hole the supporting rod of corresponding section passes. Such an
arrangement with wheels of suitable diameters and pitch of teeth, would automatically
impart the proper rate of rotation as the shoot is raised or lowered.
The spiral shoot is made hollow or dish shaped in cross section, or may be provided
with an edge or edges, to prevent the coal being thrown off by centrifugal force as it
descends the shoot. Also the pitch or inclination of the shoot at its lower end may
be made less than the average pitch, so as to check gradually the speed of the
descending material just as it leaves the shoot. Also to prevent the coal being thrown
out from the shoot, where sides are not provided, but more especially to steady or
guide the shoot, I surround it with a cylindrical casing, the lower end of which is
sufficiently high to clear the loaded wagons, the upper part having a side opening to
the screen delivery shoot. The casing is preferably fixed, or it may be arranged so
that it can be raised or lowered within certain limits, and its length should be at
least slightly greater than the pitch of the spiral shoot.
Dated this 11th day of May 1889.
J. CLARK JEFFERSON, A.R.S.M., Wh. Sc.,
2, East Parade, Leeds, Agent for Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
or
Improvements in the Mode of or Means for Delivering Coal into
Wagons, Ships' Holds, or other Receivers, such Method
Means being also Applicable for the Delivery of other Materials
from a Higher to a Lower Level so as to Lessen or Prevent the
Breakage of such Materials.
I MARSHALL NICHOLSON of Middleton near Leeds in the County of York, Mining
Engineer, 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 :-
The object of my Invention is more especially to provide means for delivering
coal from the screens on a pit bank into railway wagons in such a manner that the
coal is not broken or at least by far not so much broken up as by present methods.
I shall therefor describe my Invention as applied to such a purpose, but it will be
evident from the following description that the same is also more or less applicable
for delivering coal into the holds of ships or other receivers, and also to the delivery
of other materials from a higher to a lower level; so as to prevent or materially reduce
the amount of breakage or the production of "smalls" where such materials are of a
nature that they readily break up if allowed to fall any distance.
In the ordinary method of delivering coals from the screens on a pit bank into
railway wagons, when fixed or even hinged spouts or shoots are used, there is always
a considerable drop (usually 6 or 8 feet) from the end of the screen or spout to the
bottom of the wagon, which especially in the case of tender coals results in breaking
up the coal and produces a large amount of "small" coal and dust.
My Invention consists in the use of a spiral or helical shoot of such a pitch or
inclination that the coal slides down it with facility but not so rapidly so as to cause
the breaking of the coal during its descent, or when stopped on reaching the bottom
of the wagon, or on reaching the level to which the wagon may have been filled. The
average inclination of the shoot is therefor made slightly greater than the angle of
friction for coal sliding over the material of which the shoot is made (usually sheet
iron). The shoot is placed so as to be close to the edge of the screen, or if a short
spout or shoot is attached to the delivery end of the screen close to the free end of
such spout or shoot, and the spiral or helical shoot is made of sufficient length to reach
at least from the edge of the screen (or of the attached shoot) to the bottom of the
wagon in order that there may be no drop (beyond the height of the sides of the spiral
shoot) either as the coal enters the spiral shoot or as it leaves the lower end of the same.
As the wagon is gradually filled, the bottom end of the shoot should be raised so as to
remain on a level with the top of the coal. I therefor provide means for raising the
shoot as a whole, and to enable this to be easily done I balance the weight of the
shoot, preferably by attaching it to a rope or ropes (or chain or chains) passing round
a pulley or pulleys and having a balance weight or weights attached at the other end
or ends. To still further facilitate the raising and lowering of the shoot, I may connect
it to a set of Weston's differential blocks, or other suitable mechanism.
It will be evident that if the spiral shoot be raised without rotation and if the
delivery edge of the screen or attached spout is level with the edge of the spiral shoot
at the point in contact or close to the same, say when the bottom of the spiral shoot is
close to the bottom of the wagon then the raising of the spiral shoot will lift the eige
of the same at the point above mentioned above the delivery edge of the screen or
attached spout, and the coal must fall through a distance equal to the pitch of the
spiral shoot less the amount by which the shoot has been raised. If however the spiral
shoot be rotated through an arc, which bears to a complete circle the same ratio that
the amount by which the shoot has been raised bears to the pitch of the shoot, then
the adjoining edges of the screen or screen spout and of the spiral shoot will always
remain at the same level. For example, if the pitch of the shoot is 3 feet and the
shoot is raised or lowered 1 foot, then the spiral shoot ought to be rotated through

page_text: .
one third of 360 degrees, i.e. through an arc of 120 degrees in one direction or the
other.
Now in order that such rotation may he properly and automatically performed, I
support the shoot by a central vertical rod, preferably square in section, and twisted
so as to form a spiral or Archimedian screw or rifle having the same pitch as the
spiral shoot, and I pass this rod through a fixed nut or guide of corresponding section
and pitch. As the shoot is raised, this rod passing through the fixed nut causes the
shoot to rotate the above described corresponding and requisite amount. It will be
evident that the rod may be of hexagonal or other section the fixed nut being made to
correspond. Or I may use a round rod having a rifle groove or screw thread (or
grooves or threads) of the same pitch as the spiral shoot cut thereon, and in place of
a nut I may then use a cylindrical guide provided with a correspondingly pitched or
twisted key or feather (or keys or feathers).
In
The above arrangement is not essentially altered if the central vertical screw or
rifle rod is permanently fixed in position and arranged to pass through a corre-
sponding guide or nut attached centrally to the upper end of the shoot. In the
first arrangement as the supporting rod rotates with the spiral shoot, it is necessary
to connect this rod to the balance ropes or chains by a swivel attachment.
the second arrangement the shoot is supported directly from the balance ropes or
chains which are attached to a swivel arrangement fitted preferably on the outside
of the guide or nut. The swivel arrangement may in both cases be fitted with live
rollers or similar anti-friction device to obviate or lessen any tendency of the supporting
chains to twist.
I may also effect the rotation of the spiral shoot automatically by means of suitable
gearing. For example a vertical rack, suitably attached to or raised by the spiral
shoot, is arranged to gear with a toothed wheel on a horizontal shaft, provided with a
bevel wheel, gearing into a second bevel wheel, capable of rotating between fixed
bearings, and having a square hole, (or of other section), through which hole the
supporting rod of corresponding section passes. Such an arrangement with wheels of
suitable diameter would automatically impart the proper rate of rotation as the shoot
is raised or lowered.
The spiral shoot is made hollow or dish shaped in cross section, or may be provided
with an edge or edges to prevent the coal heing thrown off by centrifugal force as it
descends the shoot. Also the pitch or inclination of the shoot at its lower end may be
made less than the average pitch, so as gradually to check the speed of the descending
material just as it leaves the shoot. In this case the pitch of the supporting rod must
be correspondingly adjusted.
To prevent the coal being prematurely thrown off over the edges of the shoot, but
more especially to steady or guide the shoot, I surround it over a portion of its length
by a cylindrical casing, conveniently supported from the floor of the screening shed.
The lower end of this casing must be sufficiently high to clear the tops of the loaded
wagons. The upper part of the casing is provided with a side opening close to the
free end of the delivery spout. The total length of the casing ought to be at least
slightly greater than the pitch of the spiral shoot; and in some cases this casing may
be so arranged that it can be raised and lowered within certain limits.
And in order that my Invention and the manner in which the same may be
performed, may be more clearly understood, I have annexed hereto the accompanying
drawings, of which Fig. 1 is a sectional clevation, and Fig. 2 a front elevation at
right angles to Fig. 1, of my Invention as it may be applied to the delivery of coal
from the pit head screens to the coal (railway) wagons.
a is a travelling screen, which delivers the coal to the inclined screen or spout b.
c is the helical or spiral shoot formed round and attached to the central cylinder d,
both formed of sheet iron or steel. f is the surrounding cylindrical casing, in which
a side opening is left at the upper end, through which opening the delivery edge of
the spout b slightly projects. e is the body of the coal wagon. g is the spiral rod
passing through the fixed guide or nut h. ii are the balance ropes, attached at.
their one ends to the swivel arrangement j, (which connects them to the upper end

page_text: s is
of the spirally twisted rod g,) and having their other ends fastened to the balance
weight . are pulleys for supporting and guiding the balance ropes i i. m is
the actuating rope connected at one end to the swivel j, and at the other end to the
barrel n.
o is a guide or support pulley for carrying the rope m. p and q are
respectively hand and gear wheels for actuating the shaft carrying the barrel n.
a pawl or catch for holding the gear wheels fixed in any desired position.
For the sake of clearness, the casing is shewn in section in Fig. 2.
The following is the mode of operating my Invention or apparatus. When the
empty coal wagon has been brought under the casing, the pawls is moved out
of gear with the wheel q, which is then rotated by means of the hand wheel p.
This motion uncoils the rope m from the barrel n, and allows the spiral shoot c
and its attachments, (which together are slightly heavier than the balance weight k,)
to descend, raising the balance weight, until the lower edge of the spiral shoot is
slightly above the bottom of the coal wagon. The pawls is then thrown into
gear and holds the spiral shoot in this new position. The coals are then allowed
to slide down the inclined spout or screen on to the upper end of the spiral
shoot lig down which they slide to the bottom of the wagon. The coal is moved
sideways from the bottom of the shoot by the attendant or "dressor" in the wagon.
When this end of the wagon has been filled round, up to the level of the bottom
edge of the spiral shoot, the pawls is again released and the shoot c raised a
suitable height by means of the hand wheel p and the mechanism above described.
The pawls is then again placed in gear with the wheel q to retain the spiral shoot
in this new position. Since the supporting rod y has the same pitch as the spiral
shoot and passes through a fixed nut h, the raising of the spiral shoot c and the
rod g imparts a corresponding rotation as previously described to the shoot c. In
consequence of this rotation the outer edge of the spiral shoot retains throughout
this motion the same relative position to the edge of the spout. b, so that a vertical
section of the spiral shoot in proximity and through the centre line of the spout b
remains the same, whatever may be the position to which the spiral shoot has been
raised or lowered. From this it is evident, that the drop of the coal from the edge
of the inclined spout on to the spiral shoot always remains the same, and this may be
adjusted in the first instance to the minimum amount of the height of the sides of
the spiral shoot plus the necesary clearance between the edge of the spiral shoot
and that of the inclined spont.
C
It will be evident that the above arrangement is not essentially altered, if the
spiral rod is permanently fixed in position, and the nut or guide / be fixed to
the upper end of the central cylinder d, and also the balance ropes ii and the actuating
rope m be attached by a swivel arrangement to the upper end of the central cylinder d.
The raising and lowering of the spiral shoot c will in this case be accompanied by
exactly the same motion of rotation as previously described.
It will also be evident that I may impart exactly the same rotation to the spiral shoot
during its rise and fall by the arrangement next described, reference being had in the
description to Figs. 1 and 2 for the sake of clearness.
The rod g is made straight, not spiral or twisted. The fixed guide or nut is
replaced by a bevel wheel, prevented from moving vertically by fixed bearings,
one above and the other below it. This bevel wheel is provided with a central hole
of the same cross section as the vertical rod which passes through it. A short hori-
zontal shaft is provided, having at one end a bevel wheel gearing into the aforesaid
bevel wheel, and provided at the other end with an ordinary toothed or gear wheel.
This latter is arranged to gear with a vertical rack attached to and raised and lowered
by the balance weight or the balance ropes ii. The size of the gear wheel will
depend on the diameter of the bevel wheel forming the guide for the vertical rod, and
the pitch of the spiral shoot. Thus if both bevel wheels are of the same size, the
circumference of the toothed wheel gearing into the rack, should be equal to the pitch
of the spiral shoot. In all cases the sizes of the wheels should be so proportioned,
that the rise or fall of the shoot through an amount equal to the pitch of the shoot
causes one complete rotation of the bevel wheel forming the nut for the vertical rod.

page_text: It will be understood that the vertical rod is attached to the upper end of the vertical
cylinder d, or is supported capable of rotation and passes through a second nut in
the upper end of the said cylinder d.
Iain well aware that spiral shoots have previously been arranged capable of simul-
taneous vertical, and rotary movements, and I do not claim generally the combination of
these two movements; and although I have described my invention more particularly
as applied to the loading of railway coal wagons from the pit bank, it will be evident
that it is also applicable to the delivery of other articles or substances from a higher
to a lower level.
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 :-
--
10. The means or mechanism for imparting a rotary motion to spiral shoots
simultaneously with a vertical motion of the same consisting of:-
a.) The vertical rod g twisted spirally or helically (or formed with a spiral or
helical groove or grooves) having the same pitch as the spiral shoot and
attached to the upper end of said shoot and passing through a fixed nut or
guide h.
b.) The vertical rod g twisted spirally or helically (or formed with a spiral or helical
groove or grooves) having the same pitch as the spiral shoot, fixed capable
neither of vertical nor rotary movement, and arranged to pass through a guide
or nut attached to the upper end of the spiral shoot.
c.) The combination of a straight (i.e. not twisted) vertical rod with a nut or
guide not vertically moveable but automatically rotable or rotated by the rise or
fall of the spiral shoot.
20. In combination with the subject matter of claim 1°, the means for balancing
and raising or lowering the spiral shoot c consisting of the swivel arrangement,
balanco ropes and weight, and actuating rope and gear substantially as herein set
forth.
30. In combination with the subject matter of claim 1°c the means for automati-
cally rotating the nut or guide, consisting of the shaft and bevel and gear wheels
and rack substantially as herein set forth.
4°. The outer casing f either fixed or capable of a limited vertical movement in
combination with the subject matter of claim 1°.
Dated this 11th day of February 1890.
J. CLARK JEFFERSON, A.R.S.M.,
2, East Parade, Leeds, Agent for Applicant