IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH DREDGING APPARATUS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Julius Ball, of 51, Torrington Square, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
CONNECTED WITH DREDGING APPARATUS."
Sealed the 3rd September 1878, and dated the 12th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Julius Ball at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th March 1878.
CHARLES JULIUS BALL, of 51, Torrington Square, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH DREDGING APPARATUS."
This Invention relates to improvements connected with dredging apparatus, and
consists, firstly, in arrangements of apparatus for the purpose of avoiding or
preventing the deleterious effects resulting from the presence of the dredged
material between the metallic working parts of the machinery employed in certain
dredgers, other than the ordinary bucket dredgers, for raising and disposing of
'spoil."
One method of carrying my Invention into practical effect is as follows:-I
provide a soft non-metallic part, easily renewable, to take the wear, thus placing
the essential metallic part of the mechanism beyond the destructive action of the
grit and stones which exist in and generally form the dredged material. This will
be particularly, though not exclusively, applicable to those dredgers in which centri-
fugal or rotary pumps are employed.
In practice I either place a thick pad of india-rubber or other suitable material
upon each side of the shell of the pump, or I replace the outside parts of those
metallic blades of the fan that are running close against the shell of the pump by
easily renewable pads of india-rubber or other suitable material.
Another and more advantageous method of effecting the object of my Invention
is to prevent the arrival or passage of the dredged material through the working
parts, whose duty it is to impart motion to the volume of dredged material.. This
I may effect by the employment of a pipe of suitable width, either flexible or
not, through which the spoil may be caused to pass in either of the following
manners:
Firstly. The pipe being immersed in the water with its extremity resting on the

page_text: bottom, I may force into it at a convenient depth a current of compressed air or
other gas, so as to destroy the equilibrium between the outside water and the water
within the pipe, producing an upward current in the pipe, which draws with it the
material to be dredged.
Secondly. Instead of air I may inject at any part of the dredging pipe a current
of water under a suitable pressure, which, losing its vis viva in mixing itself
with the water in the pipe, will communicate its energy to the whole bulk and give
it an ascending motion.
Or, Thirdly. By giving to the upper portion of the pipe a spiral or helical shape,
employing a stuffing box to render it free of the fixed. or proper dredging pipe, and
giving to the said spiral a rotary motion in the direction which will create a vacuum
in the dredging pipe, I produce the required suction, and pass the dredged matter
simply through a pipe instead of through mechanical appliances, as pumps and
other similar machinery. I may, if preferred, utilise the current by building the
spiral in such a way that it forms a floating water wheel.
The advantage of these three methods I have indicated is derived in each case
from the same principle, which is to impel by mechanical power the "spoil" without
passing it through or bringing it in contact with the power-giving machinery.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Julius Ball in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th 2
September 1878.
CHARLES JULIUS BALL, of 51, Torrington Square, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH DREDGING APPARATUS.”
This Invention relates to improvements connected with dredging apparatus, and
consists in arrangement of apparatus for the purpose of avoiding or preventing 2
the deleterious effects resulting from the presence of the dredged material between
the metallic working parts of the machinery employed in certain dredgers, other
than the ordinary bucket dredgers, for raising and disposing of "spoil."
In carrying my Invention into effect I provide a soft non-metallic part, casily.
renewable, to take the wear, thus placing the essential metallic part of the mechanism
beyond the destructive action of the grit and stones which exist in and generally
form the dredged material. This will be particularly, though not exclusively,
applicable to those dredgers in which centrifugal or rotary pumps are employed.
In practice I either place a thick pad of india-rubber or other suitable material
upon each side of the shell of the pump, or I replace the outside parts of those
metallic blades of the fan that are running close against the shell of the pump by
easily renewable pads of india-rubber or other suitable material; or, if preferred,
both the blades of the fan and the internal face of the pump "shell" may be covered
with the india-rubber or other suitable material.
The Invention will be clearly understood by reference to the annexed Drawings,
in which Figure 1 shows the fan; Figure 2, the pump case in vertical section; and
Figure 3, a similar view of the pump case with the fan in position.

page_text: In Figure 1, A, B, C, are the three arms of the fan; D represents the rubber,
which on the arm A is in one piece, while on the arms B, C, it is in segments, the
latter plan being preferred, as it offers facilities for renewing any portion that may
become worn. The rubber is held in its place by a plate or shield of metal E or
other suitable material; bolts F pass through the metal (or other) shield, the india-
rubber, and the arm, and thus bind the whole securely together.
In Figure 2 the rubber D is shown attached to the side of the pump case by
bolts G, the heads of the said bolts being recessed into the rubber to prevent their
contact with the fan. A plug of india-rubber H protects the bolt head and
preserves the continuity of the rubber surface.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the pump case with the fan in place, showing the
position the parts occupy relatively to each other. It will be seen that in this
Figure the rubber block D projects slightly on each side of the arms of the fan, this
being found preferable in practice.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my improvements connected
with dredging apparatus, fitting a shield of rubber or other suitable material upon
the fan blades of rotary pumps or upon the internal face of the pump case, or upon
both, as herein-before described, and substantially as shown in the annexed
Drawings, for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Julius Ball, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of September, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-eight.
CHAS. JULIUS BALL. (L.S.)