Improved Apparatus for Loading Coal or other Minerals.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 13th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Loading Coal or other Minerals.
JOHN WARRINGTON of Rawdon near Leeds Colliery Proprietor and THOMAS
GILLOTT of Normanton Civil Engineer both in the County of York do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for loading coal or
other mineral into railway trucks, or navigable compartments constructed in
accordance with or similar to Patent No. 330 February 7th 1862 granted to
W. H. Bartholomew, or ordinary canal barges, so as to ensure the coal or other
mineral being deposited in the aforesaid vessels with a minimum amount of
breakage and consequent deterioration by reason of such breakage.
The coal or other mineral after being screened, picked, or otherwise treated, is
delivered by shoots, travelling bands or conveyors, to the loading apparatus which
forms the subject of this invention.
Two skips of suitable size are suspended at the end of a pair of swing crane jibs
or supported direct from travelling hydraulic cylinders into one of which skips the
coal or mineral is delivered whilst the contents of the other skip are being deposited
in the truck, compartment, or vessel. The approved form of skip has four straight
sides and a wedge-shaped bottom, the skip being divided vertically through the
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of the wedge-shaped bottom and hinged in the plane of the division at or
above the upper edge of the vertical sides; so that when slung from the hinges the
skip is closed by the weight of the two sections of which it is composed. The two
sections of the skip are joined by toggle levers which, when straightened, open out
the two sections of the skip and allow the coal or other mineral to fall gently
These toggle levers are fastened to a chain whilst lowering the skip so
that the tightening of the chain opens the two sections at any previously determined
point.
out.
Two hydraulic cylinders are supported at a suitable distance apart on a
traversing carriage, and chains actuated by the rams of the said cylinders passing
over one or more pulleys are secured to rods, to which rods the skips are suspended
by the hinges before described; or instead of chains for multiplying the movement
of the lifting rams, the skips may be attached direct to rains of longer stroke.
The two hydraulic cylinders are both in connection with one loaded ram or
accumulator, or the cylinders may have separate accumulators.
The action is as follows: The traversing carriage is moved so that one skip is
brought directly under the spout or conveyor to receive its charge of coal or other
mineral with as little fall as possible and after the skip is filled the traversing
carriage is moved so as to bring the full skip over that part of the vessel or truck
where the coal is to be deposited and at the same time move the other or empty
skip under the spout to be filled. Communication is then opened by a suitable
valve between the hydraulic cylinder supporting the loaded skip and the accumu-
lator before mentioned, which is weighted to the pressure required; allowing the
water or other fluid to escape from the cylinder and be discharged into the
accumulator raising the ram of the latter and lowering the loaded skip. When onc
skip is emptied the pressure water, stored in the accumulator by the descending
load of skip and mineral, is re-admitted into the hydraulic cylinder to raise the
empty skip before the skip is traversed under the spout to be again filled. During
the lowering and emptying of one skip the other skip is under the spout and being
filled so that the alternate filling, traversing, lowering, and emptying can proceed
continuously until the truck, compartment, or barge is filled.
In order to make the discharge of the skip take place at the desired point and so

page_text: avoid the breakage of the coal which would otherwise occur, a chain passed round
a barrel is fixed to the system of levers by which the skip is opened for discharging.
When the skip is raised there is a certain amount of slack chain between the barrel
and the toggle levers and an arm on the rod by which the skip is lowered moves by
means of a pawl and ratchet or similar device the discharging-chain barrel so as to
take up a small amount of the slack chain at each ascent or descent. When the
skip is lowered the discharging chain is pulled tight at a point preferably about
eighteen inches above the height at which it is desired to discharge the contents
of the skip and the two sections of the skip commence to open and are fully
open for discharging after a further movement of ten inches so that the skip ís
gradually emptied and any undue dropping or breakage of the coal or other
mineral thereby prevented.
It will also be evident that a railway truck or navigable compartment can be
filled without moving during the progress of loading and the distance of the point
of filling from the point of discharging may be capable of variation and this
distance is determined by the space between the two hydraulic cylinders on the
traversing carriage. The traversing carriage may be moved to and fro by manual
or other power.
When the distance between the points of loading and discharging the skips is
required to be varied frequently as in loading barges we prefer to place the lifting
and lowering cylinders on separate swing frames similar to those of ordinary cranes
but coupled together by a rod adjustable for the required distance between the
skips so as to swing simultaneously.
Instead of being actuated by a ratchet or self-acting mechanism by the descent
of the rams, the discharging chain may be adjusted by hand.
It will also be obvious that instead of the whole or part of the water being
discharged whilst lowering into the loaded accumulator, the exhaust water may be
run to waste and pressure water from other sources be employed to raise the empty
skip.
Dated this Fourteenth day of April One thousand eight hundred and ninety-
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Loading Coal or other Minerals.
JOHN WARRINGTON of Rawdon near Leeds Colliery Proprietor and THOMAS
GILLOTT of Normanton Engineer both in the County of York 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 has for its object improvements in apparatus for loading coal or
other minerals into railway trucks, or navigable compartments constructed
in accordance with or similar to Patent No. 330 A.D. 1862 granted to
W. H. Bartholomew, or ordinary barges; 50 as to ensure the coal or other
mineral being deposited in the aforesaid vessels with a minimum amount of
breakage and consequent deterioration by reason of such breakage.
The coal or other mineral after being screened, picked, or otherwise treated, is
delivered by shoots, travelling bands or conveyors, to the loading apparatus which
forms the subject of this invention.
The accompanying four sheets of drawings shew two modifications of this
apparatus; that shewn by Sheets 1 and 2 in elevation and plan respectively, being
the form preferred for loading railway trucks, and also for loading navigable
compartments carried on suitable bogies or carriages so as to run ou railways, these

page_text: compartments being drawn out of the water when empty and launched and floated
off the bogies when full by means of a railway slip-way.
Sheets 3 and 4 shew in elevation and plan respectively the form of the
apparatus when employed for loading barges or navigable compartments in the
water.
The same letters on each view refer to the same or analogous parts of the
apparatus.
Two skips S, and S. are suspended at the end of a pair of swinging frames C₁
and C, Sheets 3 and 4, or supported direct from travelling hydraulic
cylinders H, H, Sheets 1 and 2, into one of which skips S, the coal or other
mineral is delivered whilst the contents of the other skip S, are being deposited
in the truck, compartment V (Sheets 1 and 2), or barge V (Sheets 3 and 4).
The approved form of skip has four straight sides a and a wedge-shaped
bottom (Sheet 1), the skip being divided vertically through the apex of the
wedge-shaped bottom and hinged at 4 in the plane of the division at or above the
edges of the vertical sides so that when slung from the hinges h, the skip is closed
by the weight of the two sections of which it is composed. The two sections of
the skip are joined by toggle levers, which, when straightened, open out the
two sections of the skip as shewn by dotted lines on Sheet and allow the coal or
other mineral to fall gently out. These toggle levers 7, 1, are fastened to a chain t
so that the tightening of the chain, whilst lowering the skip S, (Sheet 1) opens
out the two sections at any previously determined point.
Referring to Sheets 1 and 2, two hydraulic cylinders H, and H, are supported
at suitable distances apart on a traversing carriage T and chains actuated by the
rams of the said cylinders passing over one or more pulleys p are secured to
rods to which rods the skips S, and S. are suspended by the hinges before
described; or instead of chains for multiplying the movement of the lifting rams
as shewn, the skips S, and S. may be attached direct to rams of longer stroke.
The two hydraulic cylinders H, and H₂ are both in connection with one loaded
ram or accumulator by means of pipes r controlled by valves and t, or each
cylinder may have separate accumulators.
The action is as follows: The traversing carriage T is moved so that one skip S
is brought directly under the spout B or conveyor B, to receive its charge of coal
or other mineral with as little fall as possible, and after the skip S, is filled the
traversing earringe T (Sheets 1 and 2) is moved so as to bring the full skip over
that part of the compartment V, or truck, where the coal is to be deposited
(which position is then that of the skip S.), and at the same time move the other
or empty skip under the spout B to be filled. Communication is then opened by a
suitable valve ""2
between the hydraulic cylinder supporting the loaded skip, and
the accumulator before mentioned which is weighted to the pressure required,
allowing the water or other fluid to escape from the cylinders He and be discharged
into the accumulator, raising the ram of the latter and lowering the loaded
skip S, into the position shewn by dotted lines on Sheet 1 at which point the
valve is closed. When one skip is emptied, the pressure water stored in the
accumulator by the descending load of skip and mineral is re-admitted into
the hydraulic cylinder to raise the empty skip before the skip is traversed under
the spout B to be again filled. During the lowering and emptying of one skip
such as S, the other skip S, is under the spout B and being filled; so that the
alternate filling, traversing, lowering, and emptying can proceed continuously until
the truck, compartment, or vessel V is filled.
In order to make the discharge of the skip take place at the desired point, and
so avoid the breakage of coal which would otherwise occur, chains, passed round
barrels T, T, are fixed to the systein of toggle levers by which the skips S, S,
are opened for discharging. When the skip S, is raised there is a certain amount
of the chain, hanging lack between the barrels T, and T, and the toggle
levers. A projection on the rod by which the skip is lowered moves a

page_text: lever and by means of ratchets and pawls, or similar devices, the discharging-
chain barrels T, and T. are turned so as to take up a small portion of the slack
chain, at each ascent or descent. When the skip is lowered, the discharging chain t
becomes tight at a point preferably about 18 inches above the height at which it
is desired to discharge the contents of the skip, and the two portions of the
skip S, commence to open, and are fully open for discharging after a further move-
ment of about 10 inches as shewn by dotted lines on Sheet 1; so that the skip is
gradually emptied, and any undue dropping or breakage of coal or other mineral
thereby prevented.
It will also be evident that a railway truck or navigation compartment (V,
Sheets 1 and 2) can be filled by the apparatus shewn without moving the truck or
compartment during the progress of loading and the distance of the point of filling
the skip S, from the point of discharging S., may be capable of variation and
this distance is determined by the space between the two hydraulic cylinders 11, H₂
on the travelling frame T.
The travelling carriage T may be moved to and fro by chains (Sheet 2) by
manual or other power. A suitable framework of rails and girders on which the
travelling frame T is supported and moved is shewn on Sheets 1 and 2 but the
arrangement of these supports would have to be adapted to the site on which
the apparatus is erected. The pipe e, Sheets 1 and 2, which communicates with
the loaded accumulators may be wholly or partially flexible or provided with
swivel joints to allow of the movement of the frame T whilst the accumulator
remains fixed.
When the distance between the points of loading and discharging the skips S
and S, is required to be varied frequently, as in loading barges, the modification of
this invention shewn by Sheets 3 and 4 is preferred in which the lifting and lowering
cylinders H, and H, are inverted and placed on two separate swing frames C,
and C, which frames revolve about the centres F, F, and are coupled together at
any desired distance by swivels and the bar so that the distance apart of
the skips is variable and they swing simultaneously on the frames C, and C. The
swinging of the frames C, and C, may be by hand or power. The winding of the
chains on the barrels T, and 1, is effected by the projection t, on the head of
the hydraulic ram moving during its descent the forked lever, by which the
ratchet and pawl are made to turn the barrel T, and take up a portion of the slack
chain t by which the discharge of the skip through the levers, and 1, is effected :
or instead of the self-acting arrangement for discharging, the winding up of the
discharging chain t₁ may be done by manual labour by the hand-wheels, (Sheets 3
and 4), which arrangement may also be employed on the traversing frame (Sheets 1
and 2).
The communication with the accumulator for the arrangement shewn by Sheets 3
and 4 is by means of a pipe through the upper centres F, and F2, the pipes e, and
valves v₁ and Ti all other parts having the same uses as those shewn by
Sheets 1 and 2, and before described, being denoted by the same letters on Sheets 3
and 4.
It will also be obvious that instead of the whole or part of the water being
discharged whilst lowering into the loaded accumulator, the exhaust water from
the cylinders H, and H, may be run to waste and pressure water from other sources
employed for raising the skips S, and S. after they are emptied or for making
good any water accidentally wasted or purposely run off after the valves or r
are closed.
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 is:
(1) For the purpose of loading coal or other mineral-, the application and
arrangement of a pair of balanced hydraulic rams working through the medium

page_text: of an accumulator, so that the work stored in lowering the mineral is available
for raising the empty skip, combined with the travelling frame as shewn on Sheets 1
and 2.
(2) For the purpose of loading coal or other minerals, the application and
arrangement of a pair of balanced hydraulic rams working through the medium of
an accumulator, so that the work stored in lowering the mineral is available for
raising the empty skip, combined with the pair of adjustable swinging frames as
shewn and described on Sheets and 4.
(3) The arrangement and application for the purpose hereinbefore described of
the automatic discharging and self-closing skips shewn by S, and S, and allied
parts on Sheets 1 and 3.
(4) The combination of the coupled balanced hydraulic rams and the automatic
discharging skips for the purposes described.
Dated this Twelfth day of August One thousand eight hundred and ninety-
JOHN WARRINGTON.
THOS. GILLOTT.