AN IMPROVED APPARATUS. FOR REMOVING WEEDS FROM CANALS, RIVERS, AND LAKES AFTER SUCH WEEDS HAVE BEEN CUT WITH A CHAIN, SCYTHE, OR. OTHER MACHINE OR IMPLEMENT. APPLICABLE. TO THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Hall at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st January 1862:
I, THOMAS HALL, of Odiham Wharf, Odiham, in the County of Hants, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS.
FOR REMOVING WEEDS FROM CANALS, RIVERS, AND LAKES AFTER SUCH WEEDS HAVE
BEEN CUT WITH A CHAIN, SCYTHE, OR. OTHER MACHINE OR IMPLEMENT. APPLICABLE.
TO THAT PURPOSE," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of a twin boat or two boats connected together by
suitable means leaving a channel or space between them, which channel is
partially covered with a deck for the convenience of the workmen, and
which boat I call the "main boat." To such main boat and in conjunction
therewith, I attach and use by the means and in manner herein-after
described another smaller boat, which I call the "outrigger boat." On
and above the deck of the main boat I erect suitable standards for
carrying a cog wheel and pinion geared thereto, the axle of which pinion
The cog
may be actuated by manual, steam, or other suitable power.
wheel is fitted to an axle, which axle carries two square iron or other wheels
or cams with an outside flange to each, and which cams revolve with the
axle. These two cams carry endless chains, having links a little longer than
the length of the square sides of the cams, so as to work easily. To these
chains are fitted stout wood planks or iron plates with bolts and nuts or other
suitable fastenings, whereby the chains are strutted out, and kept upon the
rims of the cams and between the flanges. A moveable frame is fitted to
carry the endless chains with their planks, which frame is so fitted as to have.

page_text: its upper end attached to or near to the axle of the cog wheel; this frame is
made of a suitable length for reaching the bottom of the canal. To the lower
end of this frame is fitted another pair of cams with an axle common to both
similar to the first-mentioned pair, the ends of the axle turning freely in
suitable bearings fitted to the frame; on the upper side of the frame suitable
wheels or rollers are fitted at intervals to carry the weight of the endless"
chains and lessen the friction. The endless chains with their boards being
stretched upon the frame and passing round the cams act in a manner
analogous to the endless bucket chains of common dredging machines, and
will be readily understood without more minutely describing their construc-
tion. To the outer side or face of every third or fourth board of such endless
chain I fit a rake or row of long iron prongs or forks perpendicular (or
nearly so) to such boards or planks and of a suitable form. This frame with
its cams, chains, boards, and rakes I call "the revolving rake." The lower
end of the revolving rake is raised and lowered by the usual means adopted
in common dredging machines. A vertical pivot is fitted on deck just abaft
the standards above mentioned, carrying one end of another revolving endless
chain fitted with cams, frame rollers, and boards similarly to the above, but
without any prongs or forks, and which I call the "revolving delivery chain."
This revolving delivery chain is of a suitable length to reach to and over-
hang the shore when the main boat is at the desired distance from the shore. A
vertical pivot capable of being raised and lowered is fitted on or in the out-
rigger boat amidship, which supports the revolving delivery chain at or nearly
midway between the main boat and the shore, when in action, or at any
other convenient point for the purpose, and suitable chains and struts are
attached to the two boats to keep them at the necessary distance from each
other. The main boat is wall-sided externally. Internally the twin boats
forming the main boat are also wall-sided, except near the head, where the
sides turn off at an angle, the stems being sharp and vertical. To the internal
sides of the bows of the main boat are fitted six or more sliding keels, the
lower edges of which when at work are allowed to rest on the bottom of the
canal, and which are so fitted as to be capable of being raised and lowered in
a vertical direction. To one end of the pinion axle on the main boat is fitted
a conical pulley or drum with several grooves for winding a rope or chain, as
herein-after described, or such pulley may be conveniently fitted elsewhere, as
required. The outrigger boat carries part of the weight of the revolving
delivery chain, and is so attached to it that the outrigger boat can be brought
alongside or astern of the main boat without detaching the revolving delivery
chain. The cams and axle at the end of the revolving delivery chain, which

page_text: is attached to and supported by the main boat are caused to revolve by
suitable gearing simultaneously with the cams of the revolving rake, but not
necessarily at the same speed.
The mode of action is as follows:-The weed-dredging machine is to be
drawn by horse or other power to the spot where the weeds are required to
be raised. For this purpose the sliding keels and the lower end of the
revolving rake are raised, so as to be quite clear of the bottom. The out-
rigger boat is pushed astern of the main boat in such a position that the
revolving delivery chain is in a fore-and-aft direction with respect to both
boats, the head of the outrigger boat being secured to the stern of the main
boat by suitable means.
When the machine has arrived where it is to be
operated the head of the outrigger boat is cast loose, and the latter is brought
alongside the main boat, and kept in such position by the means herein-before
mentioned, the whole being so placed at such a distance from and parallel or
nearly parallel to the shore, that the outer end of the revolving delivery chain
overhangs the shore, and crosses the outrigger boat at about right angles, the
support in the outrigger boat being sufficiently raised to prevent the revolving
delivery chain from resting on the shore; the sliding keels are lowered
so as to touch the bottom; the revolving rake is lowered, so that the
prongs nearly touch the bottom. The revolving delivery chain is put
into gear, motion is imparted to the pinion, which sets in motion the revolving
rake, the lower end of which works between the aftermost pair or pairs of
sliding keels and nearly touches such keels. The keels act so as to confine
the weeds, and tend slightly to compress them towards the revolving rake.
The revolving rake brings up the weeds from the bottom, carries them over
the upper axle and cams, and lets them drop on the inner end of the revolving
delivery chain, which latter carries the weeds to the shore, and as the outer or
shore end thereof revolves the weeds fall on the shore. One end of a suitable
rope or chain is carried ahead on shore and fixed to a stake, the other end
thereof being passed round the conical pulley before mentioned, by which (or
any other suitable) means the machine is hauled ahead at the required speed.
One or more of the crew is or are stationed at the bows to aid the entrance
of the weeds between the sliding keels.