IMPROVEMENTS IN SHOOTS APPLICABLE MORE ESPECIALLY FOR LOADING COAL, ORE, GRAIN AND SUCH LIKE MATERIALS INTO THE HOLDS OF VESSELS."
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Wilkinson Snowden of West Hartlepool in the
County of Durham Engineer for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN SHOOTS
APPLICABLE MORE ESPECIALLY FOR LOADING COAL, ORE, GRAIN AND SUCH
LIKE MATERIALS INTO THE HOLDS OF VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Wilkinson Snowden
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th December 1882.,
SAMUEL WILKINSON SNOWDEN of West Hartlepool in the County of Durham
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHOOTS APPLICABLE MORE ESPECIALLY FOR LOADING
COAL, ORE, GRAIN AND SUCH LIKE MATERIALS INTO THE HOLDS OF VESSELS
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in shoots applicable more
especially for loading coal, ore, grain and such like materials into the holds of
vessels.
For this purpose I hinge the upper ends of one, two, or more troughs or shoots
to a block or table which may either be supported by legs or standards or be
suspended over the hatchway of a vessel. The block or table carries above it a
hopper into which coal or other material is received and guided on to the troughs
or shoots. Each trough or shoot is made telescopic so that it may be drawn out to
the length required. The lower portion of each shoot is held up by a chain passing
to a barrel carried by the upper end of the upper portion of the shoot-the barrel
has upon it a worm wheel which can be turned by a screw gearing with it so that
by turning the screw the barrel can be made to wind up more or less of the chain
and the shoot can so be brought to the length required.
Usually I employ two troughs or shoots hinged to opposite sides of the block
which carries the hopper. I connect the lower part of the upper divisions of each
of the two troughs by links to a nut through which is screwed a screw rod. The
screw rod projects downwards from the centre of the table or block and when the
screw is turned the nut will travel upwards or downwards along the screw.

page_text: When the nut is at the lower end of the screw the links jointed to its opposite
sides are horizontal or nearly so and the troughs or shoots held in positions
inclining outwards away from one another.
When the nut is moved upwards the links are carried into an inclined position
approaching the vertical this draws together the lower ends of the two shoots
until the shoots both hang down vertically or nearly so-when the shoots are so
closed together they may be lowered through the hatchway of a vessel or other
opening and when so lowered may then be opened out away from one another so
as to bring them to the angle required. When the apparatus is done with, the
troughs or shoots are again closed together and can then be drawn up through the
hatchway or opening.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patont filed
by the said Samuel Wilkinson Snowden in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th June 1883.
SAMUEL WILKINSON SNOWDEN of West Hartlepool in the County of Durham
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHOOTS APPLICABLE MORE ESPECIALLY FOR LOADING
COAL, ORE, GRAIN AND SUCH LIKE MATERIALS INTO THE HOLDS OF VESSELS
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in shoots applicable more
especially for loading coal, ore, grain and such like materials into the holds of
vessels.
For this purpose I hinge the upper ends of one, two, or more troughs or shoots
to a block or table which may either be supported by legs or standards or be
suspended over the hatchway of a vessel. The block or table carries above it a
hopper into which coal or other material is received and guided on to the troughs
or shoots. Each trough or shoot is made telescopic so that it may be drawn out to
the length required. The lower portion of each shoot is held up by a chain
passing to a barrel carried by the upper end of the upper portion of the shoot-the
barrel has upon it a worm wheel which can be turned by a screw gearing with it
so that by turning the screw the barrel can be made to wind up more or less of the
chain and the shoot can so be brought to the length required.
Usually I employ two troughs or shoots hinged to opposite sides of the block
which carries the hopper.-I connect the lower part of the upper divisions of each
of the two troughs by links to a nut through which is screwed a screw rod. The
screw rod projects downwards from the centre of the table or block and when the
screw is turned the nut will travel upwards or downwards along the screw.
When the nut is at the lower end of the screw the links jointed to its opposite
sides are horizontal or nearly so and the troughs or shoots held in positions
inclining outwards away from one another.
When the nut is moved upwards the links are carried into an inclined position
approaching the vertical-this draws together the lower ends of the two shoots
until the shoots both hang down vertically or nearly so, when the shoots are so
closed together they may be lowered through the hatchway of a vessel or other
opening and when so lowered may then be opened out away from one another so
as to being them to the angle required. When the apparatus is done with, the
troughs or shoots are again closed together and can then be drawn up through the
hatchway or opening.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 is a plan of a loading shoot constructed
according to my invention Figure 3 is a transverse section through one of the
telescopic shoots.
a, a, is the block or table, as represented in the drawings it is supported by iron
bearers resting upon the combing of the hatchway, but it might be suspended or
supported by legs. b, b, are the upper lengths of two telescopic shoots jointed to
the block or table at b1, b. c, c, are the lower lengths of the shoots, they are able to
slide upon
the upper lengths and are guided in the manner indicated in Figure 3.
The shoots shown in the drawings are rectangular in section but the section may
also conveniently be U form and the upper edge of the upper length of the trough

page_text: may form a guide rail upon which rollers run sustaining the lower length of the
trough. dd are chains passing from the parts c, of the shoots to barrels e, e, which
are carried in bearings upon the under side of the upper lengths b, b. e¹ e¹ are
worm wheels upon the axes of the barrels, and f,f, are worms in gear therewith.
These worms are upon axes mounted upon the parts b, b, and there are chain
wheels upon the same axes which receive the hand chains f¹, f¹, provided for the
purpose of raising and lowering the parts c, c.
The upper parts bb of the shoots have links g, g, jointed to them and these links
are connected with a nut h, upon a screw i. The upper end of the screw is carried
by the table or block a, and its lower end can be supported by stays which
however are not represented in the drawings. ¹, is a worm wheel upon the upper
end of the screw, a worm upon an horizontal axis carried by the table or block
engages with it and by turning this axis by means of the chain wheel and chain j,
the nut can be traversed upon the screw. When the nut is raised to the
upper end of the screw the shoots will fall together until they are nearly parallel
and the apparatus can then be lifted out of the hold or lowered into it as the case
may be.
k, is a hopper to receive the material to be loaded into the ship and direct it on
to the table and into the shoots; I make this hopper in two parts and attach each
part to the upper length. b, of one of the shoots.
Figure 4 shows a modification of the gear for supporting the shoots.
By the use of this apparatus the cost of trimming in loading is greatly reduced
and the loading is accelerated. When it is employed in loading coal the apparatus
also serves to prevent breakage of the coal.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same I would have it understood that I claim:-
First. The combination in loading apparatus of the block or table and jointed
shoots capable of being brought together to allow of the shoots being introduced
into the hold and then inclined to lead the cargo from the hatchway substantially
as described.
Second. The construction of loading apparatus with telescopic shoots capable of
being lowered into the hold and then led and extended fore and aft substantially
as described.
Third. My improved shoots for loading coal ore grain and such like materials
into the holds of vessels substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said Samuel Wilkinson Snowden have hereunto set
my hand and seal this twenty fifth day of June in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
SAMUEL WILKINSON SNOWDEN,
(L.S.)