US237909A - William b - Google Patents

Description

('Model.)

W. B. RUNYAN.

V Timber Crib. No. 237,909. Patented Feb. 15,1881.

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N4 PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

WILLIAM B. RUNYAN, OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.

TIMBER-CRIB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,909, dated February 15, 1881. Applioation'filed December 6,1880. (Model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. RUNYAN, of Pensacola, in the county of Escambia and State ofFlorida, have invented a new and Improved Timber-Crib, of which the following is a specification.

For loading timber-vessels the timbers are ordinarily bound together in the form of rafts with dogs and chains and towed alongside the vessel, and in many harbors this practice results in serious loss of timber from the breaking apart of the raft by the heavy seas, and the consequent loss of dogs and chains, and in increased expenses of various kinds.

The object of this invention is to prevent these losses and consequent expenses by providing a strong frame-work or crib in which the timber is clamped for safe towing in bulk.

The invention consists of a rectangular crib or cage composed of timbers securely fastened together, provided with series of crossclamps operated by screws and nuts for holding the contained timber in place, one end of the crib being hinged, so that it may be opened for loading and unloading, the hinged end or gate being provided with a roller to facilitate the moving of the timber, as will be hereinafter set forth. Where three lengths of lumber are to be put in, both ends of the crib are to be hinged for convenience of loading.

Figure 1 is a plan of the crib loaded, with parts broken away to exhibit other parts, and with the gate open. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same on line an ac, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation 'of the same on line 3 y, Fig. 1-.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A A represent, respectively, the top and bottom longitudinal timbers of the crib; B B, respectively, the top and bottom cross-timbers; G, the vertical side timbers; and D, the rear end timbers, all of which are secured together by mortise and tenon, bolts and pins, or in any other suitable manner.

E E represent screw-threaded vertical bolts or rods, .passing down through the longitudinal side timbers, A A, and operating to hold I the crib more firmly together, and these bolts or rods E E are especially designed for holding the cross-clamps F F, through whose ends they pass. The clamps F F are stout wooden strips having iron strengthening-bands a at around their ends. They are designed to secure the layers of timbers T, thatiare loaded into the crib separate from each other, being held down thereon by nuts G G that run on the screw-bolts E E. The hooks H, fastened on the central longitudinal timber, A, are designed to hold said clamps F up when thecrib is being loaded, until the said clamps F are required for clamping the successive rows of timbers, and also to hold said clamps up as they are removed from the clamping position when unloading the crib.

A gate, I, is hinged to the front ends of the timbers A, so that it may be let down in a horizontal position, that the lower tier of timbers, T, may be readily floated into the crib. This gate I is provided with a transverse roller, L, in its upper part, to facilitate the loading and unloading of the crib, and said gate I can be raised and held at any desired angle by the chains M, that'are made fast to staples b in the upper side timbers, A. When said gate I is ,closed it is locked by turning the metal caps N N down over the tops of its vertical timbers, said caps NN being pivoted on the front ends of the timbers A. In the drawings, the side caps N N are shown as provided with projecting eyes 0 for the attachment of the towing chains or ropes; but these eyes 0 may be as conveniently placed in the ends of the timbers A.

A crib for ordinary use is designed to be from one hundred and fifty to one hundred and sixty feet long, and about forty-five feet wide for three lengths of timber, and four rows deep, carrying an average of three hundred pieces hewn timber, averaging about twenty two inches square by fifty feet long. The clamps F are designed to be about four inches thick and nine inches wide, and to be banded on the ends about one-third of the way with three by one-half inch iron. When. the crib is fortyfive feet wide, or thereabout, a central set of screw-bolts, E E, may be used.

In order to introduce the-timbers T into the crib,the crib is run into shallow water or raised sufficiently to float the first row or flooring of timber T in, and when this first row is in, the

lowest clamps, F, are lowered and screwed down by the nuts G G, which will have the effect of raising the whole crib bodily to nearly a level with the first row of timber. Then the second row is put in and clamped down. It will then be necessary to use a tackle and blocks to raise and introduce the timbers for the other rows, as they will have to be elevated from one to two feet out of the water.

The crib, when loaded, serves as a good breakwater when alongside or anchored in front or astern of a vessel, and its use assures safety and economy in loading a vessel and in towing, and it also obviates the necessity of boring the ends of timbers for connecting them in rafts with dogs and chains.

I do not confine myself to the precise construction of the crib as herein shown, as it H, and the hinged gate I, as shown and (le- 0 scribed.

\VILLIAM BELL RUNYAN.

Witnesses:

M. P. DE Rionoo, JAMES WARREN.

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