US392989A

US392989A - Apparatus for constructing sewers

Info

Publication number: US392989A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1888-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 1905-11-20

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets Sheet 1.

- U. D. CLARK.

APPARATUS FOR GONSTRUOTING SEWER8.

N0. 392 9. v Patented Nov. 20,1888.

WITNESSES: I mv TOR 05 W M44:

BY A

I I A ATTORNEYS,

N PETERS. Phm-L'nm n mr. Wasmngicm D. C,

(No ModeL) 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 C. D. CLARK.

APPARATUSFOR GONSTRUGTING SEWBRS.

No. 392,989. Patented Nov. 20, 1888.

W'I'TNIIESSES M flak 88804848888 ATTORNEYS.

over a sewer in process of construction.

NITE

PATENT Fries.

APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING SEWERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,989, dated November 20, 1888.

Application filed January 6, 1888. Serial No. 260,009. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

. Be it known that 1, CHARLES D. CLARK, of Elmira, in the county of Ohemung, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Constructing Sewers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to the class of, apparatus in which the excavated earth is hoisted in buckets out of the trench and transported by carriers traveling on an elevated track and carrying the buckets in a suspended position to the place where the buckets are to be dumped.

The invention consists, first, in a novel construction of the aforesaid elevated track having two rails secured parallel side by side and suspended from suitable supports above the track; secondly, in a novel construction of the carrier traveling on the aforesaid track and provided with a hoisting-pulley and with a clutch for retaining the hoisting-cable in its raised position; thirdly, in the employment of atrack terminating in opposite directions from the excavation and means for moving the carriers on the said track to and from the excavation; and, fourthly, in novel devices for looking the bucket to the pivoted bail, so as to retain the bucket in its upright positionduring the period of raising and transporting the same, all as hereinafter more fully described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the earth hoisting and transporting apparatus arranged Fig. 2 is a side view of the bucket. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the traveling carrier. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section on line w m, Fig. 4;

and Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of the block by which the track-rails are supported and spliced.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspending parts.

the top of the trench. Upon the top of the trestles A A is secured a longitudinal beam, P, from which is suspended the elevated track T, which terminates in .opposite directions from the excavations. This track I form of two rails, R R, arranged parallel side by side and supported by blocks B at the ends of the rails and at other points, if necessary. The block B is formed with horizontal longitudinal ledges a a at opposite sides and with lugs b 12 between the ledges andperforated transversely in relation to the track, and the cen ter of the block is provided with a vertical eye, a, through which passes the rod 0, by which the block is suspended from the beam 1?. The rails R R ride edgewise'on the ledges a a, and are secured to opposite sides of the lugs b b by bolts passing through the rails and through the perforations of the lugs.

The carrier which travels on the aforesaid track I form of stout metallic suspenders D D D D, extending around the outer sides of the track-rails and above the same and having pivoted to their upper ends the grooved wheels F F F F, which are mounted on the track-rails. To the lower ends of the said suspenders are firmly secured the side plates, H H,between which are arranged the jaws e e, which are pivoted in a suspended position to the said plates, and are thus caused to fall by gravity into a closed position, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. In order to cause the jaws to act more quickly,suitable springs,m m, may be arranged to press against the backs of the jaws. A short distance above the plates H H are longitudinal straps j j, secured to the suspenders D D D D. These straps are bent toward each other at each end, so as to adapt them to receive between them either coupling straps or bars K K,by which to connect the carrier with companion carriers, as shown, or the draft-cables p p, by which to move the carrier on the track. Bolts passing transversely through the ends of the straps j j permit of the attachment of either the coupling-bars k or the cables p p. it represents a grooved pulley pivoted on the carrier-frame, between the suspenders D D D D thereof, and preferably to the straps j j, which receive from the cable 1) a draft in opposite direction from that in which the cable 73 is drawn in the operation of hoisting the bucket, said hoisting-cable running over the pulley h and having one end connected to a trave1er,V,mounted on the track T,and which in turn is connected by a draft-cable with a winding-drum,U,which is arranged at one end of the excavation or trench and operated either by steam or other suitable power. The opposite end of the hoistcable 6 passes from the pulley it down between the jaws e e and has affixed to it a stop, Z, of the form of a conical block having its apex upward, so as to allow it to enter between the aforesaid jaws from beneath and pry the same apart. The jaws close automatically and retain the stop Z in its raised position after it has passed with its base above the gripping or clutching ends of the jaws, as represented in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Thehoisting-cable is provided below the stop 1 with either an eye or hook,by which to connect it to the bucket N.

Between the jaws c e is a cam, f, pivoted to one of the side plates, H, and having its journal extending through said plate and a handlever, g, secured to the outer end of the j ournal to permit of turning the cam, and by the latter operation the jawse 6 can be pried apart to release the stop Z, and thus allow the bucket hung on the cabled to descend to the place where it is to be loaded. Upon arriving thereat the cable can be detached from the bucket and connected to another bucket previously loaded, and then by turning the winding-drum U the loaded bucket is raised until the stop Z rises above the jaws e c, and is clamped thereby, so as to retain the cable in its raised position. The loaded bucket is thus suspended from the carrier, and is in this position transported to the place where it is to be dumped. The means of moving the carrier on the track T consist of the draft-cables p 1), extended from the carrier in opposite directions and passing over the carrying-pulleys a a at opposite ends of the track, and secured to a winding-drum, W, at the same end at which the winding-drum U is located, and preferably driven by the same power. The cables 19 p are wound on the drum W in such directions that in winding up one cable the other is unwound, and thus by reversing the motion of the drum the earriers can be run back and forth on the track.

The bail L, by which the bucket is suspended from the hoist-cable 'i, is pivoted to opposite sides of the bucket a suitable distance below the point of equilibrium to cause, the bucket to turn automatically into an inverted position; and in order to retain the bucket in its upright position there is usually connected to one end of the bail L a latch engaging a catch on the side of the bucket; but this arrangement brings the latch so near to the pivot or fulcrum of the bail as to subject the latch to considerable strain in sustaining the loaded bucket in its upright position. To obviate this defect, I secure to the bucket a stationary bail, I, and pivot to the central portion of the bail L a latch, n, adapted to interlock with the stationary bail.

In order to further facilitate the dumping of the bucket, I employ two latches, n n, pivoted in reverse positions on the bail L and having their lower or gripping ends crossing each other and coupled together by a pin projecting from theside of one latch through a longitudinal slot in the other latch, so that in operating either latch the other is compelled to cooperate with it. The manipulating ends of the two latches extending toward opposite sides of the bucket renders the manipulation of said latches very convenient.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: There is usually a train of two or more carriers mounted on the track Tand double that number of buckets employed, so that one set of buckets can be loaded while the other set is being transported and dumped and returned tobe reloaded. While lowering the buckets to be loaded and raising theloaded buckets the draft cables are to remain dormant. After the loaded.

buckets are drawn up until thestops Z of the hoisting-cables become clutched between the jaws e c of the carrier, the winding-drum U of the hoist-cable is to be released to allow it to freely revolve and pay out its cable. Then the drum W is to be rotated to cause the draftcable 1) to propel the carriers to the place where the buckets are to be dumped. Then the rotation of the drum V is to be stopped while the attendant operates the latches n to allow the buckets to tilt, as represented in Fig. 1 of the drawings. After they are dumped the attendant restores them to their upright positions,and then the drum W is to be revolved in the direction opposite to that in which it previously moved until the carriers, with the buckets suspended therefrom, are brought back over the place where the buckets are to be loaded. The buckets are then lowered in the manner hereinbefore stated.

Having described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. The combination of the block 13, formed with the ledges a a at opposite sides, the perforated lugs I) 1) between the ledges, and the eye 0 at the center, the rails It R, resting on the ledges a a and bolted to the aforesaid lugs, and the suspension-rod G, passing through the central eye, 0, substantially as described and shown.

2. The eombination,with the suspended tworail track, of the carrier composed of the suspenders D D D D, extending around the outer sides of the track-rails and above the same, the wheels F F F F, pivoted to the inner sides of said suspenders, the side plates, H H, secured to the lower ends of the suspenders,the jaws e e, pivoted in a suspended position to the inner sides of said side plates, the cam f, pivoted to one of said side plates and having its journal protruding at the outside thereof, the lever attached to the protruding end of said journal,

the pulley h, pivoted on the carrier-frame, the Elmira, in the county of Ohemung, in the State cable 2', running on the pulley and having its of New York, this 18th day of August, 1887. free end passing through the jaws e e, and a stop, Z, secured to the cable, substantially as CHARLES CLARK 5 described and shown. Witnesses:

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed JAMES H. OosTELLo,

my name, in the presence of two witnesses, at THEO. G. SMITH.