US635798A

US635798A - Hydraulic dredge.

Info

Publication number: US635798A
Application number: US70535599A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bernard Hugo Muehle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1899-02-11
Filing date: 1899-02-11
Publication date: 1899-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 1916-10-31

Description

a 9 mm m .L c 0 d e t n e t a P L L H E u M H B 8% 9 5 3 6 n N HYDRAULIC DREDGE.

IAppljcation filed Feb. .11, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

INVEJVTOR.

m: Norms PETERS co. Puoruumm WASNINGTON. g. c.

(No Model.)

. Patnted 001. 3|, I899. B. H. MUEHLE.

HYDRAULIC DREDGE. lApplicntion filed Feb. 11, 1899 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

Fig. 7. Fig. 9.

INVENTOR.

m: Norms warms m. "immune" WASHINGTON, n. c

BERNARD HUGO MUEI-ILE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

HYDRAULIC DREDG E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,798, dated October 31, 1899.

Application filed February 11, 1899. Serial No. 705,355. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LBERNARD HUGO MUEHLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Detroit, in the county of WVayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hydraulic Dredges, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the class of dredging-machines designed for removing sand and other material from the bottom of rivers and lakes by means of suction-tubes or other similar excavating devices; and the objects of my invention are, first, providing a dredge -hull with, one or more spuds or poles sliding up or down within oscillating sleeves or frames and taking hold of the river-bottom as a means for moving the dredge-hull and with it the suction-tube or other excavating device so as to introduce and force the latter into the material to be excavated; second, the combination and arrangement of a spud moving within an oscillating sleeve having its fulcrum upon the side or end of the dredge-hull with a mechanism connected with steam-power on board of the dredge-hull for the purpose of controlling the movements of the latter in any desired direction; third, the construction and arrangement of such mechanism whereby an operator on board of the dredge may cause and control the vertical movement of the spud within its sleeve and the oscillations of the sleeve and spud separately, alternately,

. and collectively; fourth, the combination of a pivotal spud at one end of the dredge-hull with one or more oscillating or Walking spuds at the opposite end, which also'carries the ex-.

cavating device, so that the hull may be moved laterally aboutthe pivotal spud; and, fifth, the combination of a pivotal spud at one end of the dredge-hull with an oscillating or walking spud operated by suitable mechanism by means of which the dredge hull may be shifted along the axis of the channel to be dredged and the position of the pivotal spud changed as required during the progress of dredging operations.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dredge, showing the general features of my invent-ion. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of one end or the bow of the dredge. Fig. 3 is an end elevation,

Fig. 4 a rear elevation, and Fig. 5 a top plan view, of the same. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on line X X. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the other end or stern of the dredge. Fig. Sis a plan view of the same; Fig. 9, a side elevation; Fig. 10, a vertical section on line Y Y, and Fig. 11 a horizontal section on line Z Z.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in each of the figures.

The dredge-hull (shown at A) has atits stern end a central recess, within which a suctiontube is made vertically adjustable, so that its cutting or suction end may be held at the depth below the water-surface to which the channel is to be dredged.

B is a pivotal spud which is located at the opposite end or bow of the dredgehull. It has a round and pointed foot, so that it may when dropped to the river-bottom penetrate the soil sufficiently to take a firm hold. It is held in a vertical position between perpendicular timbers or ways secured to the dredgehull and may be raised and lowered either as hereinafter described or in any common and well-known manner. Alongside of this pivotal spud there is a recess in the hull or a projecting frame, within which the spud O is so adjusted that it may be raised and lowered as well as given a rocking or oscillating motion in a direction parallel to the sides of the dredge-hull. To accomplish this, the spud is held within a vertical sleeve or framework 0, the lower end of which is supported upon an axle revolving in bearings upon the dredgehull, as shown at 0 This sleeve 0 may be constructed in the form of a cylinder or tube the bore of which is a trifle larger than the cross-sectional area of the spud or pole and should be provided with friction-rollers attop and bottom for the purpose of insuring a free movement of the spud lengthwise within the sleeve. It is shown in the drawings in a more simple form, which is designed to facilitate the removal of the spud when the dredge is not in use.

The operating mechanism for causing an oscillating motion of the sleeve and a vertical movement of the spud within it is arranged upon suitable framework on the deck near the end of the dredge-hull.

D is the main shaft, which may be connected with the dredge machinery by means of the chain-wheel d, and is made to revolve in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2. A pinion d upon this shaft is geared with two spurwheels, one above it, E, and theother below, F, upon counter-shafts, as shown. The lower counter-shaft also carries a chain-wheel or drum F, which is loose upon the shaft and may be moved laterally by means of the leverf so that it will either be at rest or when brought into contact with the spur wheel upon its shaft revolve with the same. One end of a chain f is attached to the drum F and the other to the lower end of the spud C, passing over the guide-roller f When the drum is revolved, the chain will be wound up on it, and thus the spud O lifted from the riverbottom. For the purpose of holding the spud at any desired height when the drum F is disconnected from the spur-wheel F a ratchetwheel is attached to the drum and a pawl to the lever f substantially as shown. A similar device consisting of the drum B, lever 12*, chain 5 and guide-roller maybe connected with the same spur-wheel F, as shown, and used for raising and lowering the pivotal spud B.

When it is desired to shift the dredge along the axis of the channel and change the position of the pivotal spud B, the spud O is first lowered by lifting the pawl from the ratchetwheel on the drum F, thus permitting the latter to revolve and pay out the chain until the spud has reached the river-bottom and taken a firm hold. is raised and held suspended, while an oscillating motion is imparted to the sleeve 0 and spud C by means of the chain e one end of which is connected with an adjustable clevis or ring-bolt 0 near the upper end of the spud. The other end of the chain being attached to the drum E, a few revolutions of the drum caused by contact with the spur-wheel E will wind up the chain and pull the upper end of the spud 0 toward the drum. The spud having a firm hold on the river-bottom and oscillating upon the axle of the sleeve 0, the dredge-hull is thus forced ahead in the direction in which the upper end of the spud is inclined, this movement being parallel to the sides of the dredge-hull and along the axisof the dredge cut. As soon as the dredge has thus been moved the required distance the drum E is disconnected from the spur-wheel E by means of the lever 6 the pivotal spud is again dropped to the river-bottom, and the spud C raised and held suspended until it becomes necessary to make another forward movement along the axis of the channel.

vVhile the bow of the dredge-hull is held firmly in place by the pivotal spud B, a circular movement around this spud is then imparted to the stern of the dredge-hull and the suction-tube or other excavating device attached thereto by means of a pair of oscillating or walking spuds similar in construction and operation to that of the spud C at the bow. While a single spud would Then the pivotal spud B fully answer this purpose, I prefer, in order to make the circular movement of the dredgehull continuous and excavation uninterrupted, to use two spuds G and H, as shown in Fig. 7.

The sleeves G and 11, one upon each side of the recess at the stern of the dredge-hull, are supported upon axles revolving within sockets or bearings bolted to the frame of the hull, as shown at g and 72. The spuds or poles G and H slide freely up or down within the sleeves.

The mechanism for raising and lowering the spuds is similar to that provided for the spud O. The pinion .T is connected by means of suitable gearing with the main shaft K, which may be revolved by a separate engine or connected with the steam-power which drives the excavating machinery. The pinion also gears With one of a pair of spur-wheels L and M, which are supported upon parallel counter-shafts, projecting over the end of the dredge-hull. These spur-wheels are also in gear with each other and are made to revolve in opposite directions, as shown by arrowsin Fig. 7.

Chain wheels or drums L and M turn loosely upon the counter-shafts which carry the spur-wheels and may be brought into contact and revolve with the latter by means of the clutch-levers and m The chains Z and m one end of each of which is attached to the lower end of one of the spuds Gand H and the other end to one of the drums, also pass over guidefrollers Z and m hen either of the drums is brought into contact with the spur-wheel upon its shaft by means of the lever Z or m respectively, the drum will revolve, so as to wind up the chain, and thus the spud to which it is attached will be raised from the river-bottom. Ratchetqvheels are secured to the drums L and M, and pawls, with levers or foot-treadles Z and m hinged upon the framework. These parts are so arranged that the spuds may be held suspended at any desired height from the river-bottom as soon as the drums are released from contact with the spur-wheels, and whenever the pawl is lifted fromthe ratchet the drum will freely revolve in the opposite direction, unwind the chain, and permit the spud to which it is attached to slide downward within its sleeve until it touches or penetrates and takes a firm hold of the river or lake bottom.

The mechanism for imparting to the spuds G and H a rocking or oscillating motion is arranged upon the upper portion of suitable framework erected on the end of the dredgehull. The main shaft N, carrying the pinion N, may be connected with the shaft K by means of gearing n and chain or belt a or directly with the steam-power of the dredge in such manner that a continuous rotary motion is given to the pinion N in one direction and to two spur-wheels P and Q, with both of which the pinion is geared, in the opposite direction. The spur-wheels P and Q are supported upon parallel counter-shafts which project outwardly from the framework and also carry two chain-wheels P and Q. The latter are not keyed to the shafts, and may therefore revolve freely in either direction until they are brought intocontact with the spur-wheels by means of the levers T and U.

A pair of guide-rollers p and g are sup ported loosely upon the projecting end of the main shaft N above the chain-wheels P and Q, and two more guide-rollers or chain-wh eels p and g are suspended from each end of an adjustable framework or extension projecting upon each side beyond the dredge-hull, as shown.

In order to cause the spuds to oscillate simultaneously in opposite directions, two chains R and S are connected by means of adjustable clevises or ring-bolts g and h with the upper ends of the spuds G and H and passed around the several chain-wheels and guide-rollers in the following manner: The chain R is attached to the spud G, passes around the roller 19 under chain-wheel P, over the roller and terminates at the clevis h' near the top of the spud H. The chain S is connected to the opposite side of the clevis h on the spud H, passes around the roller g under the chain-wheel Q, over the roller 19 and terminates on the spud G.

It will be readily seen that whenever the chain-wheel P is brought into contact by means of the lever T with the spur-wheel P, so as to revolve with the same, the spuds G and H will oscillate or rock upon the axles of their respective supporting-sleeves away from each other, each moving toward and beyond the respective side of the dredge-hull, and when the chain-wheel Q is brought into contact with the spur-wheel Q by means of the lever Uthe spuds G'and H will oscillate upon the axles of their sleeves toward each other and the center of the dredge-hull.

In the drawings, Fig. 8, the chain-wheel Q has been moved into contact with the spurwheel Q by pressing the lever U downward, Fig. 9, and the spud H has afirm hold of the river-bottom, while the spud G is held suspended upon the chain Z Fig. 7, the chainwheel P, being loose upon its shaft, revolves freely in a directionopposite to that of the chain-wheel Q, as indicated by arrows, and thus the upper ends of the spuds G and H are represented as being drawn toward each other. The motion of the spud l-I around its point of contact, with the river-bottom as a fulcrum, causes a lateral movement of the dredge-hull in the same direction in which the upper end. of the spud is moving by the action of the mechanism above described. The several positions which the spuds may be made to assume at each oscillation while resting upon or lifted from the river-bottom are clearly shown by broken lines in Fig. 7.

Inasmuch as the excavatin g device projects beyond the end of the dredge-hull, and the latter therefore floats over the river-bottom, which has been leveled, the length of spuds required in connection with my improved device for moving the dredge-hull may be determined before the work of excavation is commenced. The clevises or eyebolts, to which the chains are attached, are therefore made adjustable to the spuds at such points as may be necessary in accordance with the depth of the proposed channel. This may be done by means of holes in the spuds-say a foot apart-as shown in the drawings, by the use of clamps or any other convenient method or device.

The attachment of the chains R and S to the spuds G and H, as shown and described, is preferred on account of the downward strain of the chain, which produces the oscillating motion of the spud resting on the river-bottom, causing it to obtain and maintain a firmer foothold; but it will be readily seen that the operating mechanism may alsobe connected to the upper ends of the sleeves and a firm hold of the spuds made to depend on their weight.

The feet of the spuds are provided with toes or prongs which project at such angle each side of the axis of the spuds that one of these prongs will always rest upon or penetrate the riverbottom nearly perpendicularly no matter at what angle the spuds are placed during the operation of moving the dredge-hull.

The operation of my improvement is as follows: The pivotal spud B at the bow of the dredge having been dropped to the river-bottom, so as to firmly hold that end of the hull at the initial point of the proposed dredge cut, an operator takes position at the stern within reach of the mechanism actuating the oscillating spuds G and H. These are suspended by the chains Z and m which are wound upon the drums L and M, held in place by the pawls and ratchet-wheels. The clevises, to which the chains R and S are attached, are adjusted to the spuds G and H at such height as will conform to the depth of the proposed channel and so that the chains will be sufficiently slack to permit one of the spuds to be raised high enough to clear the river-bottom While the other spud is having a firm hold of the same. The suction-tube is then lowered within the recess until its cutting or suction end is adjusted and held at the depth to which the channel is to be dredged, and excavation may be commenced. Power being applied to the 'main shaft K, so that it revolves the pinions J and N and the spur-wheels L, M, P, and Q, the operator by pressing down on the lever .or treadle m causes the pawl connected therewith to be lifted from the ratchet-wheel on the drum M, thus permitting the latter to freely revolve around its shaft, unwind the chain m and allow the spud H to slide through the sleeve H until it strikes the river-bottom, one of its prongs penetrating sufficiently to secure a firm hold, as shown in Fig. 7. Then the operator moves the lever U, so as to cause the chain-wheel Q to come in cont-act with the spur-wheel Q and revolve with the same. Thus an oscillating motion is communicated through the chains R and S to the spud 11 in the direction of the center of the dredge-hull, and as the spud has a firm hold on the riverbottom the dredge-hull is moved laterally around the pivotal spud B and the suctiontube or other excavating device forced on the arc of a circle into the material to be dredged. As soon as the top of the spud H has reached the extreme limit of its oscillating motion the operator returns the lever U to its former position, thereby releasing the chain-wheel Q from the spur-wheel Q. This stops the oscillating motion of the spuds. Then he presses the treadle Z downward, disengaging the pawl from the ratchet-wheel on the drum L in order to drop the other spud G to the river-bottom, at the same time moving the lever M so as to connect the drum iv with the spur-wheel M, wind up the chain M and raise the spud H. The spud G is now in a position to take up and continue the work of moving the dredgehull in the same direction which the spud H has caused by the oscillating motion above described. For this purpose the attendant presses upon the lever T, bringing the chainwheel 1" into contact with the spur-wheel P, so as to revolve with the latter. This results in a reversed motion, through the chains R and S, of both the spuds Grand H around the axis of the sleeves G and H, and as the spud G has now hold of the river-bottom the dredgehull is propelled in the same direction as before. By alternately moving the levers T, U, Z and m and the ratchet levers or treadles Z and m the operator is enabled to regulate and control the vertical movement of each spud within its sleeve and the oscillating motion of both of the spuds in a manner to cause them to alternately take hold of the river-bottom and push the stern of the dredge around the pivotal spud in close imitation of a person walking and pushing any movable object infront of him. \Vhen the stern of the dredgehull and the excavating device have reached the limit of the proposed channel width on one side of the axis, the operator reverses the method of producing the vertical and oscillating motions of the spuds, and thereby causes the dredge-hull to swing around the pivotal spud on its return movement toward the axis of the channel. This may be done with increased speed and for the purpose of cleaning up and insuring a perfect and uniform level of the river-bottom. By continuing this reversed motion of the dredge-hull beyond the axis the other half of the channel is likewise excavated to the required depth in the manner above described. As soon as a complete dredge out has thus been made the full width of the proposed channel on the arc of a circle the center of which is the pivotal spud an attendant proceeds to the bow of the dredge, drops the spud O, raises the pivotal spud l3, moves the dredge-hull lengthwise along the axis of the channel the required distance in the manner,

hereinabove described, and again drops the pivotal spud in an advanced position. The circular movement of the stern of the dredge is then repeated, thus making the next and all subsequent circular dredge cuts in like manner, deepening and leveling the riverbottom the full width of the proposed channel at each forward shift of the dredge-hull along its axis.

A large proportion of the expense of operationisinvolved in the methods now commonly used for moving hydraulic dredges from place to place, necessitating the employment of piledrivers and cutter-crews for shifting anchors or other fixed points along the banks or sides of the proposed channels. In order to make a channel of navigable width, several parallel dredge cuts have to be made, and it is often found that when one long out has been completed in soft material its banks have caved in at the point of beginning.

My invention is designed to provide hydraulic dredges with propelling mechanism by means of which one dredge cut of a navigable width may be made equal to that of a proposed completed channel, this width being limited only by the length of the dredgehnll, or, in other words, by twice the distance between the pivotal spud at one end of the dredge-hull and the cutting or excavating device at the opposite end.

All the machinery for moving the dredgehull being on board and within reach and under control of one operator, a great saving in time and in the number of employees is effected, as well as a continuous and uninterrupted movement of the dredge while in operation. Owing to the absence of anchors, anchor-lines, piles, or otherobstructions the work of excavation may be carried on Without interfering with navigation alongside of the channel improvement.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A dredge-hull provided with a pivotal spud at one end, and one or more spuds or poles sliding up or down Within hinged and oscillating sleeves at the opposite end of said hull which also carriesan excavating device, these parts being so arranged that the hull and excavating device may be moved laterally about the pivotal spud, substantially as described.

2. A dredge-hull provided at one end with a pivotal spud and at the other end, which also carries an excavating device, with two spuds which may move freely up or down within hinged sleeves and oscillating in opposite directions and so that the spuds may alternately take hold of the river-bottom, whereby the dredge may be moved laterally about the pivotal spud, substantially as described.

3. The combination and arrangement, upon the hull of a dredge, of the spud C, hinged sleeve 0 drum F, leverf chain f and gearing F 61 for the purpose of raising and lowering the spud Within the sleeve, substantially as herein described.

4. The combination and arrangement, upon the hull of a dredge, of the spud O, sleeve 0, drum E, lever 6 chain c and gearing E d for the purpose of oscillating said spud, substantially as described.

5. The combination and arrangement, upon the hull of a dredge, of the spuds G and H, sleeves G and H, drums L and M, chains Z and m levers Z and m spur-wheels L and M and pinion J, for the purpose of raising and lowering the spuds, substantially as described.

6. The combination and arrangement,upon the hull of a dredge, of the spuds G and H, sleeves G and H drums L and M, chains Z and m and ratchet-levers Z and m for the purpose of holding the spuds suspended, substantially as described.

7. The combination and arrangement,upon the hull of a dredge, of the spuds G and H, chains R and S, spur-wheels P and Q, chain- Wheels P and Q and guide-rollers 19 133, g and g for the purpose of oscillating the said spuds in opposite directions, substantially as herein described.

BERNARD HUGO MUEHLE.

Witnesses:

B. G. HARTNER, SYLVANUS PALMER.