US746996A

US746996A - Apparatus for hydraulic dredging and distributing the dredged material.

Info

Publication number: US746996A
Application number: US15103103A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur W Robinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1903-04-04
Filing date: 1903-04-04
Publication date: 1903-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 1920-12-15

Description

No. 746,996. PATENTED'DEG, 15, 1903.

A. W. ROBINSON. APPARATUS FOR HYDRAULIC DREDGING AND DISTRIBUTING THE DREDGED MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1903. N0 MODEL. 2 snnms snsm 1.

No. 746,996. PATENTED DEG.15, 19033. A. W. ROBINSON. APPARATUS FOR HYDRAULIC DREDGING AND DISTRIBUTING THE DREDGED MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lUNlTlED fl'rarns;

Patented December 15, 1903.

ARTHUR W. ROBINSON, OF MONTREAL, CANADA.

APPARATUS FOR HYDRAULIC DREDGING AND DISTRIBUTlNG THE DREDGED MATERIAL.

SPECIFIGATLON forming part of Letters Patent No. 746,996, dated December 1 1903- Applioation filed April L, 1903. Serial No. 161,031. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR W. ROBINSON, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, and a resident of the city of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Hydraulic Dredging and Distributing the Dredged Material, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates in plan the dredge and its discharge-pipe and connecting appliances, showing the apparatus in two positions-one in full lines, the other in dotted lines. Fig. 2 illustrates an elevation of the swivel-elbow which is employed to connect the dischargepipe with the dredge. Fig. 3 illustrates a plan view of the swivel-elbow. Fig. 4E illustrates a detail in section of one side of the upper and lower portions of the swivel-elbow. Fig. 5 illustrates a plan view of the outer end of the discharge-pipe, showing the arrangement and method of operation of the parts involved.

My invention relates to that class of hydraulic or suction dredges in which a floating discharge-pipe is employed to carry away the dredged material.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a discharge-pipe that will permit the dredge to have a lateral feed bodily over con siderable distance, so as to increase the width of cut that can be made as compared with dredges anchored by spuds in the ordinary way.

The invention also embodies appliances and their arrangement whereby the dredged material may be distributed over aconsiderable space, the same being at all times under the control of the dredge operator. I also attain various other incidental advantages, some of which will be referred to hereinafter.

It should be stated that my improvements apply to that class of machines which are adapted to cut a straight channel of considerable width in land under water and in which the material is deposited at su fficient distance from the side of the channel to prevent backflowing by means of a floating discharge-pipe.

Referring to the drawings, Ais the hull or float of a dredge upon which the machinery is placed. Any suitable machinery may be employed. I therefore merelyindicate the same without special description. The hull is moored in place preferably by six cables or anchor-lines extending from the dredge, one of these anchor-lines B being the forward an chor. It extends a long distance ahead of the dredge. Four other lines, 0 O O C, are the side anchor-lines, by means of which the dredge is moved or fed laterally to dredge a channel of the desired width, and D is the stern line. All these anchor-lines are carried inboard and operated by suitable apparatus,such as Winches provided with ordinary drums for haulingin or paying out in the ordinary and Well-understood manner.

E is a centrifugal pump which maybe operated in any preferred manner.

F is the suction-pipe, and G the part of the discharge-pipe which is within the dredge. For reasons presently explained it is carried out at one corner of the dredge, as shown at H.

H is the floating part of the dischargepipe, shown in the position it occupies when the dredge is at the side of the out which is nearest the place of deposit. H (see dotted lines) is the position .of the same discharge-pipe when the dredge has traversed to the far side of its out.

The discharge-pipe may be made in any convenient and usual manner-as, for instance, in floating sections flexibly joined together. I prefer, however, to construct it in a special manner invented by me and for which I have filed a separate application for Letters Patent.

J is the point of anchorage of the end of the discharge-pipe, to which the end of the pipe is attached by means of a double-part haulingtackle K, arranged as illustrated in Fig. 5.

It will be understood that during the operation of dredging the float or hull is given its lateral movement, as stated, by hauling in and slacking off, respectively, upon the lateral anchor-lines C C and that at the end of each lateral traverse it is necessary for the dredge to make a slight forward advance in order that it may out another swath, so to speak, and this is done by hauling in' on the head line B and slacking on the stern line D, and also as the dredge. progresses along the line of the channel in the manner stated the point the line may be carried along the entire natural current of the stream or the tide, as

end anchorage 0f the discharge-pipe should l be similarly moved forward. It is furthermore desirable that the end of the dischargepipe should be capable of movement within prescribed limits, so as to distribute the material over a considerable area, and thus avoid piling up and obstructing the movements of the pipe or the proper delivery of the material therefrom.

Under ordinary conditions the dischargepipe will assume the form of a loop, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, because of the flow of the indicated byarrows. At certain times, however, heavy winds or the reverse flowing of the tide may cause the pipe to float in other directions, and to permit this movement I employ the swivel-elbow L, which is illustrated in Fig. 2 and which embodies an upper rigid part, which is preferably attached at one corner of the float, as illustrated, and a movable part L, suitably connected thereto, so as to allow the pipe to assume any position within three-quarters of a circle in a manner readily understood.

In order to connect the discharge-pipe with the swivel-elbow L L in a suitable manner to enable it to revolve the said swivel-elbow and also to enable the pipe to rise and fall with the action of the waves, I construct it in a special manner and with special appliances and devices, which, however, will be made the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent.

Referring to Fig. 5, J, as stated above, is the anchorage to which the delivery end of the discharge-pipe H is attached, and K is the hauling part of the double tackle K,connecting the anchorage to the discharge-pipe. This line is made fast at M to the end of the discharge-pipe and passes thence over a pulley N, which is supported in a frame 0, and thence between two smaller grooved pulleys P and P, supported in a frame on the end of the discharge pipe, as shown. From this length of the discharge-pipe through suitable fair-leads K to a winch or winding-drum on board the dredge, by which it is hauled in or paid out, as required. I prefer to support this hauling-line on the floats, as shown, because if it is not so supported, and thus made to follow the course of the discharge-pipe, then it will be apt to be entangled at times by reason of the shifting of the position of the pipe owing to strong winds or changes in the current.

From the foregoing it will be seen that as the dredge advances along the line of the cut the end of the discharge-pipe can be caused to make a corresponding advance by the operator on the dredge winding up the hauling-line K. Furthermore, the lateral movement of the dredge across the channel will cause the end of the discharge-pipe to make the same, but smaller, lateral movements, which aid in properlydistributing the dredged material. An important advantage results from having the movement of the dischargepipe controlled entirely by the operator on the dredge, because no additional crew is necessary for the manipulation of this pipe or its anchorage J.

It will be understood that the suction-pipe on the dredge may extend downwardly through the well in the center, as indicated in Fig. 1, or it may be over the side or projecting in front. It is fitted with the usual dredging appliances, such as some sort of drag or excavator capable of digging or scooping up the material from the bottom and adapted for lateral feed. It will also be understood that although I prefer two lateral anchor-lines on each side of the float, so that thereshall be four in all, one at each quarter, nevertheless it is not essential, because a single line on each side properly located will often be all that is essential.

I do not claim, broadly, a dredge having-a lateral feed by means of side anchorages and,

a head anchor, as the same is old and has been used heretofore with dredges of the ladder 0r endless-chain type; but my special arrangement of connecting the floating discharge-pipe to a hydraulic dredge having a lateral feed and actuated in the way described necessitates or makes desirable the use of the new and improved appliances hereinbefore set forth, by which it is possible for the dredge to work continuously and to distribute the material at the end of the discharge-pipe over any desired area, and, furthermore, such disposition is under the immediate control of the operator of the dredge at all times. In the operation of this type of dredge the anchors are fieeted or moved ahead at suitable intervals by a tug or other means, the usual method being to move the anchors on the slack side while the anchors on the opposite side are in use,and vice versa, so as not to interrupt thework of the dredge. The stern anchor-line D may be laid from the dredge to prevent it moving too far ahead in case there shall be a reverse tideway or heavy winds.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. The combination with a hydraulic dredge of means to give it bodily a lateral feed,a floating discharge-pipe of such length as to freely permit the lateral movement of the dredge, the delivery end of said pipe being connected to an anchorage by tackle operated from the dredge whereby the position of said delivery end may be changed without moving the anchorage.

2. The combination withahydraulic dredge of means to give it bodily a lateral feed, a swivel-elbow to which the discharge-pipe is connected, said elbow being located on a corner of the dredge whereby a large arc of movement is permitted to the dischargepipe.

3. The combination with a hydraulic dredge of means to give it bodily a lateral feed, a

7 corner of the dredge whereby a large arc of movement is permitted to the discharge-pipe and means whereby the delivery end of the discharge-pipe is movably held.

4. A floating discharge-pipe having its delivery end attached to a fixed anchorage by means of adjustable tackle and its inboard end attached to the dredge by means of a swivel-elbow permitting large circular movement of the pipe.

5. In a hydraulic dredge the combination of a floating discharge-pipe having its outer end attached to a fixed anchorage by means of adjustable tackle having its hauling part carried the entire length of said pipe and attached to a winding device located on the dredge to which the pipe is connected.

6. In a hydraulic dredging apparatus the combination of a float, a head and a stern line to determine its longitudinal position, side lines to give it bodily a lateral feed, a floating discharge-pipe pivotally connected to the dredge the delivery end whereof is adjustably connected to a fixed anchorage and means whereby said delivery end may be advanced as the dredge is advanced.

7. In a hydraulic dredging apparatus the combination of a float, a head and a stern line to determine its longitudinal position, side lines to give it bodily a lateral feed, a floating discharge-pipe suitably connected to the dredge the delivery end whereof is adjustably connected to a fixed anchorage and means whereby the position of said delivery end may be controlled from the dredge.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR W. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

E. M. OORBET, A. J. YOUNG.