An Apparatus for Coaling Two Ships at Sea at the same time, or Four in Harbour at the same time.

摘要

24,885. Horigan, J. Nov. 9. Loading and unloading.-In endless-rope conveying-apparatus for coaling at sea, the collier is arranged between two vessels to be coaled, and means are provided for taking up the slack of the conveying-ropes. Figs. 1 and 2 show the general arrangement of the vessels and the conveyers, and Fig. 3 one of the loading-platforms on the collier. The collier 1 is provided on each side with hawsers 1x which are connected by parallel hawsers 4 to the two vessels. Additional crossed hawsers 3x are also provided. The vessels are fitted with standards 6 mounted on wheeled platforms 7 and connected by tackle 8 to counterbalance weights 10 sliding in guides on the mast 11. Safety wires 13 support the weights in the event of the tackle 8 breaking. The collier has fixed standards 14, Fig. 3, arranged over the coal holds, and supporting at their upper ends rope pulleys 19 having serpentine grooves in their peripheries in order to give increased friction. The pulleys are arranged in pairs and their axles are telescopic to facilitate dismounting. The coal is hoisted from the hold in buckets 17 and is tipped into hoppers 16 arranged immediately over the conveying-baskets, the split coal passing through shoots 28 into the hold. The conveyers are driven by any suitable arrangement of gearing 30. When the conveying-basket reaches the vessel, it strikes the front edge of a hopper 22 through which the coal is tipped into baskets, which are carried to the coal bunkers. The conveying-ropes are kept apart by spreaders 34 placed midway between the buckets. For use while in harbour the collier is fitted with deck derricks or the like to allow two additional vessels, arranged on each side, to be coaled.