Improvements in the Machinery and Appliances of Steam Ships and other Vessels for Loading, Discharging, and Working the same.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 21st Nov., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Machinery and Appliances of Steam Ships and
other Vessels for Loading, Discharging, and Working the same.
We, GEORGE BURTON HUNTER of Wallsend in the County of Northumberland,
Shipbuilder and EDWIN WILLIAM DE RUSETT of Warden House, Tynemouth in
the same County, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to simplify and render more efficient the machinery
and appliances usually employed in steam ships and other vessels for loading,
discharging and working the same.
For the purpose of our invention we fit one or more shafts extended as far fore
and aft of the vessel as may be necessary. On this shaft or shafts are barrels or
drums so placed that they may wind or unwind the chains or ropes used in con-
junction with derricks, jibs, or other usual appliances for working say the cargo or
other weights, such barrels or drums being arranged by preference to run loose on
their shafts to which they may be connected for heaving or warping &c. by suitable
cone or other friction clutches and then held in any required position by a suitable
brake or brakes when no longer held by the clutch or clutches. Barrels or drums
are also placed on the shaft for warping and general hauling and other purposes.
By a similar or other suitable arrangement the derricks or jibs may be slewed
but in this instance probably the coned clutch would be sufficient for brake.
power also.
Barrels with their gear may be multiplied to any required extent according to the
work required to be done..
Sometimes the shafting is rotated at the speed required for direct hauling and its
other functions, or at a higher or lower speed when it would be geared down or up,
as required. One engine will generally prove sufficient for the purpose of turning
one shaft, but two or more may be employed.
Universal joints suitably placed will allow the shafting to accommodate itself to
the sheer of the vessel but when the sheer is insignificant the line of shafting may
be preserved by adjusting the bearings on carriages of varying heights. Where the
deck levels vary. much as for instance, where there is a bridge deck or similar
erection over which the shafting may have to pass, we may resort to gearing, chains
or other known means for transmitting the power.
We lay rails on the deck or platform, or on the deck, platform and hatch coamings
as circumstances may require for the ready transport of portable cranes or winches.
These rails may traverse the length of the deck and be returned at the ends to form
a circuit.
Sometimes we make the shafting square and cause the machinery (such as cranes)
to traverse it bearing on the aforesaid rails so that one or more hatches may be
worked or other objects performed by one machine or appliance. Or we obtain
similar results by keying on the shafting cog wheels at suitable intervals into
which may gear a cog wheel placed on the platform or frame of the travelling crane
or machine. By this arrangement one shaft and cog wheel may work the cranes in
pairs one being placed on each side of the said shaft and cog wheel. This will be
convenient when side hatches have to be worked simultaneously. Any number of
such cog wheels may be attached to the same shaft to which the crane or cranes or
winches may be transported and coupled or connected. These cranes or winches
would be moved from place to place by any suitable means and held there say by

page_text: clips clutching the shaft between raised collars, in addition if need be to appliances
for gripping the rails or other suitable part of the structure.
By extending such shafting the windlass, capstans and other of the ship's gear
may be operated upon. When used for steering the vessel the shafting would be
connected to the steering engine and be arranged to gear into a toothed quadrant or
a scroll or worm wheel or other means of turning the rudder, or a barrel can be used
with rope or chain connection to a quadrant or tiller.
To relieve the shock on the rudder head when struck by the sea we prefer to
introduce spring buffers which retain the scroll or other wheel used to transmit the
power, in or about a central position in relation to the quadrant, but allow it to yield
when the rudder is subjected to heavy or sudden strains. The scroll wheel will be
keyed on the shaft to allow of the designed freedom but caused to turn with the
shaft.
Having described the general features of our invention we will now describe
special forms of cranes which traverse on rails and work in conjunction with such
line or lines of shafting as are hereinbefore described.
As it will sometimes be of advantage to house portable cranes fitted on exposed
parts of a ship's deck and as it is difficult to provide housing space for portable
cranes having jibs of considerable length and outreach we arrange the outer
supports of the crane so that one or more may be jointed or lifted or slewed round
horizontally in line with the jib when lowered and so take up less width. To do
this we may introduce a third rail or guide above one of the rails on deck or on the
hatch coaming, and against which part of the crane bears, this third rail supporting
the crane at the time the outer support is removed, slewed or folded. Or we
arrange the crane platform with a rigid narrow base keeping the wheels pretty close
together and, by preference fitted as casters, when we stay up the crane post by
gripping the rails or by stays secured to the vessel and so resist the capsizing
tendency of unbalanced weights at the end of the jib which the narrow base of
the crane would be unable to resist.
We prefer to fit the crane post near the vessel's side and to arrange the jib so
that it may be lowered or raised to vary the outreach and to stretch across the
deck to work a hatch on the opposite side when side hatches are fitted. Or we
make the jib of ^ form and hinge it so that it may vibrate or oscillate instead of
swing round a centre and so convey weights slung as it were between the
Ʌ legs.
All these operations may be performed by ropes, chains or gearing worked off the
cogged wheel and shafting before described and fitted in the crane bed having
barrels with friction clutches and brakes which are on a shaft which gears into the
cog wheels on the primary motion shaft or through which the primary motion shaft
passes if of square section. We prefer to slew the crane jib by the use of two
mitre friction wheels facing each other and keyed to the shaft in the crane bed.
These will also impart a reverse motion to any mitre wheel geared alternately into
one or the other. We sometimes use endless chains or ropes instead of, or in con-
junction with, the primary shafting, to transmit the power to the various appliances
before described.
In the event of square shafting and sliding gear not being employed we do not
confine ourselves to a cog wheel on the circular shafting for communicating the
power from the primary motion shaft to the cranes, as a chain, belt or the like may be
used, but we think the cog wheel the most convenient and inexpensive. The primary
shafting may be placed at any convenient position in the vessel, but we prefer its
being either near the centre if wing or side hatches are employed, or to run by the
side of the hatch if central hatches are used.
Dated this 19th day of February 1899
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Machinery and Appliances of Steam Ships and
other Vessels for Loading, Discharging, and Working the same.
We, GEORGE BURTON HUNTER of Wallsend, in the County of Northumberland,
Shipbuilder and EDWIN WILLIAM DE RUSETT of Warden House, Tynemouth, in
the same County, Civil 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 this invention is to simplify and render more efficient the machinery
and appliances usually employed in steam ships and other vessels for loading,
discharging and working the same.
The nature of our invention and the manner in which we carry it into effect will
be fully understood on reference to the accompanying sheets of illustrative drawings
and the description hereinafter contained.
Figure A is a profile or side view and Figure B a plan of a ship fitted with some
of our improved machinery and appliances. In these figures 1 represents an engine,
2 a driving shaft with winding barrels 3, for derricks, and 4 is the steering gear.
Figures C and D are respectively an elevation and a plan on a larger scale of
one of the winding barrels 3 with foot brake 5 friction clutch and handle 6 erected
on standards 7 and sole plate 8; this construction is specially adapted for light
loads as in colliers and grain carriers.
Figures E and F are respectively an elevation and a plan of warping capstan 9ª
fitted on standards 7.
Figures G and H are respectively an elevation and a plan of a winding barrel 3
driven by spur gearing 10 and 11 off the shaft 2.
Figures I and J are respectively an elevation and a plan of a clip 12 fitting
between raised collars 13 13 to assist in holding cranes to the shaft 2.
Figure K is a side elevation of one of two steam cranes which are worked off the
shaft 2 in pairs by spur wheels 14 keyed on the said shaft and gearing with spur
wheels 15 keyed on the shaft 16 on the crane carriages 17. The shaft 16 is geared
to the shaft 18 carried up through the centre of the crane post 19 (see Figures L
and M) and which by suitable gearing drives the hoisting barrel 21.
Figure L is an elevation of the crane post 19 and carriage 17 and showing the
gearing shafts and the slewing wheel 24.
Figures M and N are views on a larger scale of the head of the crane post and
showing the connection of this post to the top rail supported say by a gangway 40ª.
Figures O and P are respectively a side and an end elevation of a crane driven
off the square shaft 25 by a bevel wheel 26 carried in the bearing 27 fixed to the
crane carriage 17, the said wheel 26 gearing into a wheel on the shaft 18 for driving
the gear on the crane in the manner above explained.
Figures Q and R are respectively a side and an end elevation of a fixed crane,
the mast 28 of which consists of two bars fixed at top to the gangway and at bottom
to the deck and with the jib socket 29 fixed between them for carrying the jib 30.
The jib is lowered and raised by means of a jib barrel 31 driven off the main
shaft 2 by reversing mitre gear 32 and worm and wheel 33 and 34. The clutch for
this gear and also for the hoisting barrel 3 and brake lever is worked in this
instance from the gangway 40°. The hoisting is effected by the barrel 3 on the
main shaft 2 (see Figures C and D).
Figures S and T are respectively an elevation and plan of the steering gear with
worm 35 fitted with spring buffers 36 and gearing into the quadrant 4.
Figures U, V and Z are respectively a side elevation and end elevation and a
plan of cranes with double or A-legs and gear for hoisting and also for raising and
lowering the jib as already described.
Figure W represents on a larger scale a modified form of the gearing shown in

page_text: Figure 2. In these figures the hoisting barrel 3 is driven by spur gearing 50
and 51 off the main shaft 2. The pinion 50 has clutch prongs (or there might
be a cone or expanding clutch for friction) cast on it, and it is thrown out of and
into gear by a clutch and controlled by the brake 5. The barrel 3ª for raising
and lowering the jib is driven off the main shaft 2 by mitre or bevel wheels 43, 44
and 45 reversed by the clutch 6 and by the driving shaft 52 which has a worm 53
gearing into the worm wheel 54. Or the wheels 43, 44, and 45 may be without
teeth and simply impart motion to the jib barrel by frictional contact, in which
case the wheels 43 and 45 will be pressed against the wheel 44 by means of a lever
or other suitable appliance when it is required to give motion for raising or lowering
the jib.
Having referred to the various figures of the drawings we will proceed to further
describe our invention.
For the purpose of our invention we fit one or more shafts such as that marked 2
in the figures carried as far fore and aft of the vessel as may be necessary. On
this shaft or shafts are barrels or drums 3 so placed that they may wind or unwind
the chains or ropes used in conjunction with derricks, jibs or other usual appliances
for working say the cargo or other weights, such barrels or drums being arranged
by preference to run loose on their shafts to which they may be connected for
heaving by means of the barrels 3 or warping by means of the warping ends 9 or
capstan 9 or for other work required on board, the connection between the shaft 2
and the barrels or drums being effected by suitable cone clutches such as 6 or by
other friction or prong clutches the barrels or drums being held in any required
position by a suitable brake or brakes such as 5 when no longer held by the clutch
or clutches. Barrels or drums are also placed on the shaft for general hauling and
other purposes.
.
By a similar or other suitable arrangement of warping ends 9 the derricks or jibs
may be slewed, but in this instance probably a coned clutch such as 6 would be
sufficient for brake
power also.
Barrels with their gear may be multiplied to any required extent according to
the work required to be done.
Sometimes as in Figures C and D the shafting is rotated at the speed required
for direct hauling and its other functions, and sometimes at a higher or lower speed
(see Figures G and H) when it would be geared down or up as required. One
engine 1 will generally prove sufficient for the purpose of turning one shaft 2 but
two or more may be employed.
Universal joints suitably placed will allow the shafting to accommodate itself to
the sheer of the vessel, but when the sheer is insignificant the line of shafting may
be preserved by adjusting the bearings on carriages for varying heights. Where
the deck levels vary much, as for instance where there is a bridge deck or similar
erection over which the shafting may have to pass, we may resort to gearing, chains
or other known means for transmitting the power.
We lay rails 41 on the deck or platform 41" or on the deck platform and batch
coamings as circumstances may require for the ready transport of portable cranes
or winches. These rails may traverse the length of the deck and be returned at
the ends to form a circuit.
Sometimes as shown in Figures O and P we make the shafting 25 square and
cause the machinery (such as cranes) to traverse it bearing on the aforesaid rails 41
so that a number of hatches may be worked or other objects performed by one
machine or appliance. Or we obtain similar results by keying on the shafting 2
cog wheels 14 at suitable intervals into which may gear a cog wheel 15 (sce
Figure K) placed on the platform or frame of the travelling cranes or machines.
By this arrangement one shaft and cog wheel may work the cranes in pairs, one
being placed on each side of the said shaft and cog wheel. This will be convenient
when side hatches have to be worked simultaneously. Any number of such cog
wheels may be attached to the same shaft to which the crane or cranes or winches
may be transported and coupled or connected. These cranes or winches would be

page_text: moved from place to place by any suitable means and held there say by clips 12
Figures I and J clutching the shaft between raised collars 13, 13, in addition if
need be to appliances, such as shown at 37, Figure P, for gripping the rails or
other suitable part of the structure.
By extending such shafting-see Figure B-the windlass 42, capstans 9a
(Figures B, E and F) and other of the ship's gear may be operated on.
When
used for steering the vessel the shafting would be connected to the steering engine
and be arranged to gear by means of a scroll or worm wheel 35 into a toothed
quadrant 4 Figures B, S and T, or other means of turning the rudder may be
employed; for example a barrel can be used with rope or chain connection to a
quadrant or tiller.
To relieve the shock on the rudder head when struck by the sea we place upon
the shaft spring buffers 36 as shown in Figures S and T, which retain the scroll or
other wheel 35 used to transmit the power in or about a central position in relation
to the quadrant 4 but allow it to yield and move longitudinally on or with the
shaft when the rudder is subjected to heavy or sudden strains. The scroll wheel 35
may be keyed on the shaft by one or more long feathers 38, Figure S to allow of
the designed freedom on the shaft longitudinally but to cause it to turn with the
shaft, or it may be fixed to the shaft in which case the shaft will be free to slide
longitudinally in its bearings.
Having described the general features of our invention we will now describe
special forms of cranes which traverse on rails and work in conjunction with such
line or lines of shafting as are hereinbefore described.
As it will sometimes be of advantage to house portable cranes fitted on exposed
parts of a ship's deck and as it is difficult to provide housing space for portable
cranes having jibs of considerable length and outreach we arrange the outer
supports of the crane so that one or more may be jointed or lifted or slewed
round horizontally in line with the jib when lowered and so take up less width.
To do this we may introduce a third rail or guide 40 Figures K M and N above
one of the rails on deck or on the hatch coaming or gangway and against which a
part of the crane bears, this third rail 40 supporting the crane at the time the
outer support 39 is removed, slewed or folded. Or we arrange the crane plat-
form 17, Figures L and K with a rigid narrow base, keeping the wheels 22 pretty
close together and by preference fitted as casters, when we stay up the crane post
by gripping the rails as shown at 37, Figure P, or by stays 39 Figures L, K
and Q secured to the vessel and so resist the capsizing tendency of unbalanced
weights at the end of the jib which the narrow base of the crane would be unable
to resist.
We prefer to fit the crane post near the vessel's side and to arrange the jib so
that it may be lowered or raised, see Figure Q to vary the outreach and to stretch
across the deck to work a hatch on the opposite side, when side hatches are fitted.
Or we make the jib of A-form as seen in Figures A, B U and V and hinge it so
that it may vibrate or oscillate instead of swing round a centre and so convey
weights slung as it were between the legs.
gear
Sometimes we joint the feet of the swinging A-shaped jib or derrick at or about
the centre of the width of the hatches so that it may vibrate to discharge or take
in from either side of the vessel as indicated in Figures A and B, or we joint it
near one side of the hatch when it is advisable to reduce the strain on the for
raising the derrick or give the derrick more outreach over the vessel's side as in
wide steamers; or we fit the derricks in pairs as shown in Figures U and V so
that one can be hoisting and the other lowering. We do not confine ourselves to
placing the A-legs on one centre or exactly at the centre of the hatch. It is
preferred that these derricks be attached to one another at or near their heads
either by a fixed or adjustable length of rod, chain or other material, so that one
may assist in supporting the other as seen in Figures U and V and so reduce the
acuteness of the angle and hence the strain of the line or chain used for raising the
derricks from the inclined to the vertical position or vice-versa.

page_text: These derricks may be worked by independent steam or other suitable gear.
They are specially valuable in discharging or loading very wide steamers and
those having no masts or gear from which the usual swinging derricks can be
supported. Each hatch may be fitted with a derrick or the derricks may be portable
and serve for one or more hatches.
The appliances for lifting the weight and raising or lowering the A legs are
shown more in detail in Figure W for light lifts, but where heavy lifts have to be
arranged for we use intermediate gear, say like that shown in Figures G and H,
V and Z so as to reduce the speed of the hoisting barrel 3 and also of the jib barrels 3ª.
Where legs are fitted as in Figures A, B, U and V we arrange the jib
barrels 3 with reversing gear 43, 44 45 and clutch 6 and make the barrels 3ª taper
with spiral grooves for chain or rope and with brake 5, say in the centre, so that
the jib lines may be paid out or taken in as the jib legs vibrate without any or
practically any slack occurring, and so avoid jerking of the A legs when working.
The arrangement of A legs seen in Figures A and B and of the gear seen in
Figure W is for light lifts as already mentioned; and the balanced legs shown in
Figures U and V are for heavy lifts capable of discharging at each or either side
of the vessel, the barrels 3 and 3ª having intermediate gearing to reduce the
speed of their rotation. We sometimes work the barrel 3 from the shaft 2 as
in Figure W and mount the barrel 3ª on a secondary shaft with gearing as in
Figure Z.
All the above operations may be performed by ropes, chains or gearing worked
off the cogged wheel and shatting before described and fitted in the crane bed
having barrels with friction clutches and brakes which are on a shaft which gears
into the cog wheels on the primary motion shaft or through which the primary
motion shaft passes when of square section. We prefer to slew the crane jib by
the use of mitre or bevelled toothed or friction wheels facing each other and keyed
to the shaft in the crane bed. These will also impart a reverse motion to any
mitre or toothed wheel geared alternately into one or the other. We sometimes
use endless chains or ropes instead of, or in conjunction with, the primary shafting,
to transmit the power to the various appliances before described.
In the event of square shafting and sliding gear not being employed we do not
confine ourselves to a cog wheel on the circular shafting for communicating the
power from the primary motion shaft to the cranes, as a chain, belt or the like may
be used, but we think the cog wheel the most convenient and inexpensive. The
primary shafting may be placed at any convenient position in the vessel, but we
prefer its being either near the centre if wing or side hatches are employed, or to
run by the side of the hatch if central hatches are used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim in respect of the machinery and appliances of steam ships and other vessels
for loading, discharging and working the same is :-
1. The combination substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in
Figures and P, with rails upon which a travelling crane or other travelling
appliance is mounted, of a square rotating shaft from which the crane or appliance
is worked by gearing such as described, the crane or appliance being capable of
traversing the said shaft so that a number of hatches may be worked or other
objects performed by one crane or appliance as set forth.
2. The combination substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in
Figures K and L with rails upon which travelling cranes or other travelling
appliances are mounted of a rotating shaft carrying cog wheels or equivalent
devices at suitable intervals and of cog wheels or equivalent devices on the
travelling cranes or other appliances, so that one shaft and cog wheel or equivalent
device on such shaft may work the cranes or other appliances in pairs, one crane
being placed on each side of the said shaft and cog wheel or equivalent device, as
set forth.

page_text: 3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in
Figures K, L, M and N with rails upon which a travelling crane is mounted, of an
overhead rail or guide on a fixed gangway, or on the deck or the hatch coaming
against which rail or guide a part of the crane bears, as and for the purpose set
forth.
4. The arrangement substantially as shown in Figures Q and R of a fixed crane
supported partly by stays and partly by a fixed gangway and worked off the said
gangway as set forth.
5. Constructing the jib of cranes in the form of a ^ and hinging it so that it
may oscillate or vibrate and so convey weights slung as it were between the legs of
the as set forth.
6. The combination with a crane jib of form as referred to in Claim 5 of
gearing for causing same to oscillate, the said gearing being constructed substan-
tially as shown in Figures W and Z and hereinbefore described.
7. The construction of steering gear with a worm wheel or scroll movable
longitudinally on or with its shaft in combination with spring buffers on the
shaft to relieve sudden shocks as hereinbefore described and shown in Figures S
and T.
Dated this 21st day of November 1892.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.