US637947A - Means for disposing of dredgings. - Google Patents

Description

' Patented Nov. 28, |899. `A. G. ROSE. MEA'NS FOB DISPDSING 0F DBEDGINGS.

(Application led Aug. 26 1899.)

3 Shoots-Shoot l.

(N0 Modal.)

, No. 637,947. Patented Nov. 28, |899. A. G. ROSE.

MEANS F08 DISPOSlNG 0F DREDGINGS.

(Application tiled (No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

ARTHUR GRANT ROsE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MEANS FOR DISPOSING OF DREDGINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,947, dated November 28, 1899. I Application filed August 26, 1899. Serial No. 728,607. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR GRANT Rosn, of New York, in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Means for Disposing of Dred gings, of which the following is a complete specification7 reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce means for raisin g, transporting, and disposing of the material taken up by a dredging-machine without jeopardizing the health of workmen employed in the operation or contaminating the atmosphere of the vicinity in which the dredging operation is conducted.

In certain localities, particularly harbors in the subtropical and tropical regions of the globe, the bottoms of the dredging-ma` chines become very foul, and dredging operations, particularly at certain seasons of the year, cannot be carried on, Owing to the imminent risks to which the workmen are ex posed and the danger of contaminating the atmosphere and spreading disease. By the use of cutting and suction dredges the water is so slightly disturbed as not to be polluted by the stirring up of the bed, but the air becomes contaminated by the rising to the surface Iand exposure to the air of the dredgings raised by the machine. By my invention this danger is entirely obviated by excluding the dredgngs from exposure to the atmosphere and by disinfecting and purifying all `foul air and gases that rise or are driven off from the dredgings.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure Iis a top view of a portion of my dredging-scow, the roof being broken away to illustrate the interior construction and arrangement of the parts. Fig. II is a transverse vertical section of the same complete, taken on the line II II of Fig. I, showing the roof of the scow complete and also in side elevation a portion of a dredgingmachine operatively connected with the scow. In this figure one section of the roof is illustrated in dotted lines as raised. The trap or dumping doors in the bottom of the scow are also shown in dotted lines as open, they being illustrated in full lines as closed. Fig. III is a plan View of a portion of the scow, taken near the opposite end from that shown in Fig. I and designed to illustrate the fan or blower which communicates with the disinfecting apparatus carried uponv the deck 5 of the scow by air-tight joints and at the bottom, as indica-ted at G, with vertical walls 7, that extend and are closely united to the bottom of the hull of the scow. Theydeiine within the hull about the hopper an airtight compartment that aords requisite buoyancy to the scow. The Walls 7 are substantially coextensive with the dimensions of the hopper and are designed to accommodate downwardly-swin ging trap-doors 10, arranged in longitudinal succession along the bottom of the hopper and pivoted, respectively, as indicated at 1l, to the bottom plates 3 thereof. They close against a medial rib 12, consisting, preferably, of an angular' steel plate extending from one end of the hopper to the other. They are designed to be actuated in pairs, as by a chain 14 working over a pulley 15, carried in a beam 16, extending over the top ofV the scow and supported at its opposite ends upon the deck thereof, as upon uprights, (indicated by dotted lines 17 in Fig. II of the drawings.) Pulleys, with their respective chains, corresponding to the pulley 15 and `chain 14, are arranged at frequent intervals along the beam 16 in positions to correspond with the several pairs of doors 10 above referred to. These chains may be operated upon their pulleys by any suitable means for opening and closing the doors as occasion may require.

Above the hopper are provided at` frequent intervals a succession of roof-sections 18. They are hinged, respectively, as indicated at 19, to side plates 20, which forming airtight joints with the deck 5 surround the hopper at a little distance from the side walls 2 IOO thereof. The side walls 2 project above the deck 5, so that upon each side of the hopper the plates 2O and the upward extensions of the walls 2 constitute lateral troughs on the outside of the hopper. The end sections 21 of the plates 2O are of suitable shape to conform with the shape of the roof-sections 18 and are adapted to form therewith air-tight joints when the roof-sections are closed. The troughs above described, between extensions of the walls 2 and plates 2O above the deck, are designed to afford receptacles for the overiiow of water from the hopper. They are for that reason provided at suitable intervals with pipes 22, which leading around the outside of the hopper are united by air-tight joints to that portion of the bottom of the deck 5 that constitutes the bottom of the troughs, respectively, and at their opposite ends preferably with the vertical walls 7.

The sections 18 are provided with suitable means for closing them over the top by airtight joints wherever possibility of leakage is presented. Their free ends rest against beams 23, extending from end to end of the hopper, being supported in the end walls 21 above referred to. Any suitable means for making air-tight joints may be employed and they should also be provided with suitable devices for holding them snugly and securely in place when closed. For opening them, davits 24 may be provided at frequent intervals upon the beam 16, from which blocks and tackles (indicated at 25) may be used for raising and lowering them.

The foregoing description comprehends a buoyant structure provided within its interior with an air-tight hopper over which may be closed an air-tight roof, the hopper being provided with trap or dumping doors for emptying it and overflow-pipes being provided for carrying off overflow of water from the air-tight structure to submerged points of discharge underneath the scow. In order to provide for the raising and lowering of the trap-doors 10 without permitting escape of air from the hopper, 1 provide as a section of the chain 14 arod 26, which works in a packing-joint 27 in the roof. Within the air-tight portion of the structure above described-that is to say, that portion of the structure which may be rendered air-tight by the closing of the roof-sections 18-1 introduce the terminal or discharge pipe of the dredging-machine. For this purpose I preferably employ a U-shaped discharge-terminal 28, having its discharge end located near the middle portion of the hopper and in a level a little below the upper edge of the extensions of the side walls 2 thereof. This passing through one of the side plates 20 by an airtight joint communicates with the dischargehose 29 of the dredging-machine 30. (See Fig. II.) Upon the exterior of the plate 2O I preferably provide a ball-joint 31 for permitting freedom of movement of the con-v nected parts. Suitable means should also be provided for connecting and disconnecting the pipe 29 from the pipe 28 in order to couple different scows to the pipe 29 as often as required.

Around the discharge-terminal 28, within the hopper, I provide a series of vertical bafiiing-plates 32 and horizontal, preferably foraminous, baffling-plates 33, the whole constituting a rigid structure supported as upon a framework 34, which may be built of angleiron or other suitable metal. The object of the employment of the baffling-plates is to prevent the surging and churning about in the hopper of the liquid discharged from the pipe 28 and to facilitate the precipitation of solid matter from the liquid into the bottom of the hopper. As the level rises within the hopper the liquid overflows the extensions of the walls 2, discharges into the troughs outside of those walls, and is conducted through the pipes 22 into the water underneath the scow.

35 indicates a main pipe commu nicating,vas through cross-unions 36, with tapered perforated branch pipes 37, extending from end to end within the hopper. The main` pipe 35 communicates, as through an outside flexible pipe connection 38, with a source of cleanwater supply.

In addition to the means above described compartment I provide suitable means, as

p above suggested, for disinfecting and purifying the foul airs or gases that may arise from the dredgings deposited in the hopper. For this purpose I provide an air-flue 40, (see Fig. 1,) communicating with the interior of the hopper above its water-level, as through one of the end plates 21. This flue affords the air-draft to a boiler-furnace 41 and an ordinary furnace 42. The boiler communicates, as by a pipe 43, with an engine 44 at the opposite end of the scow, the engine being operatively connected with the fan of a blower, whose case is shown at 45. The blower communicates, as through an elbow 46, with-the interior of the hopper through the adjacent end plate 21.

47 indicates a shut-off for the blower and 48 a shut-O for the pipe 40. y

In addition to the furnaces, as above described, which constitute, as will hereinafter more fully appear, air-purifying apparatus, I may employ also or independently thereof a pipe 50, which may be lled with charcoal and which communicates, as through a pipe 51, with a lime-tower 52, provided within its interior with a mixer, of which the handle 53 is illustrated. The charcoal-box 50 and the lime-tower 52 are merely illustrated anddescribed as examples of chemical means of disinfection.

The operation of my apparatus is as follows: The doors 10 and roof-sections 18 being closed and the furnaces 41 and 42 fired, the apparatus is ready for use, which is effected by coupling the pipe 29 toits terminal section 28 upon IOC IIO

the scot7 and setting the dredging-inachine in operation. The dredgings commingled with water are discharged from the pipe 28 into the interior of the hopper. As soon as they begin to accumulate in the hopper they tend to expel the air confined therein. This air may pass out through the pipe 4() and the pipe 50, or either of them if only one is employed. Assuming for the purpose of this description that both are employed, the draft through the pipe 40 is utilized to promote combustion in the furnaces 4l and 42. After steam is up in the boiler of the furnace 4l the draft to that furnace is checked, and the main volume of air passes out through the furnace 42. It is, if necessary, in passing through the furnace re tarded and is only discharged therefrom when thoroughly puried'by fire. Such portion of the air as is forced out through the pipe 50 is chemically purified by the charcoal and lime or other disinfectant through which it is driven. Asthe level rises within the hopper above the framework 34 its movement is quieted by the presence of the bafiing-plates 32 and 33, and is still further quieted the higher it rises until rising to the top of the walls 2 it flows over the same comparatively free from the solid material of the dredgngs. The purification of the air expelled by the rise of the level within the hopper continues as long as the level rises, without the necessity of further attention than that of keeping the fire in the furnace 42 and the disinfectants in proper condition to perform their functions. When finally the hopper is filledythere still remains in the upper part of the receptacle, underneath the roof, a volume of unpuriiied air. In vorder to expel this, the blower within the case 45 is set in motion and all air is driven out through the furnace 42 or other purifying apparatus. This final expulsion of air may be conducted while the scow is being transported to the place at which it is to be dumped. After the scow is filled it is disconnected from the pipe 29, which is tightly closed. Another scow is supplied in its place and the loaded scow is towed away to its destination for dumping. Upon reaching said destination the doors lO are opened and the contents dumped in the ordinary manner.

From the foregoing description it will be perceived that during the entire operation of filling, transporting, and dumping the scow all portions of its contents are excluded from the air and that all the air which escapes from the scow is thoroughly purified and disinfected before being discharged into the atmosphere.

After the scow is dumped a supply of clean, preferably salt, water is forced through the pipe 38 into the pipes 35 and 87. The pipes 37 are provided with numerous orifices through which the water supplied through them is discharged in a cleansing shower throughout the interior of the hopper. After this final cleansing operation the roofsections 18 may be opened, if necessary, although in practice occasion would not often necessitate their being opened. Ordinarily it would be unnecessary to supply water through the pipes 38, because the scow would be towed up to the dredge and the operation repeated for an indefinite ,period without opening any part of it except the doors l0, which, being submerged, are water-sealed from the outside atmosphere.

What I claim isl. Means for disposing of dredgings, which consists of a buoyant structure or scow provided with a deck, an air-tight compartment or hopper within the scow rising above the level of the deck, lateral troughs on the outside of the hopper, an air-tight covering over the troughs and hopper, discharge-terminal communicating with the interior of the hopper, means for discharging the hopper, means for establishing communication between the discharge-terminal and the hose of a dredgingmachine, Vand pipes leading from thc troughs to points underneath the water-line of the scow, substantially as set forth.

2. Means for disposing of dredgings, which consists of a buoyant structure or scoI provided with a deck, an air-tight compartment or hopper within the scow rising above the level of the deck, lateral troughs on the outside of the hopper, an air-tight covering over the troughs and hopper, discharge-terminal communicating with the interior of the hopper, baffling-plates surrounding the dischargeterminal, means for discharging the hopper, means for establishing communication between the discharge-terminal and the hose of a dredging-machine, and pipes leading from the troughs to points underneath the waterline of the scow, substantially as set forth.

3. Means for disposing of dredgin gs, which consists of a buoyant structure or scow provided with a deck, an airtight compartment or hopper within the scow rising above the level of the deck, lateral troughs on the outside of the hopper, an air-tight covering over the troughs and hopper, discharge-terminal communicating with the interior of the hopper,`vertical and horizontal baliiing-plates surrounding the discharge-terminal, means for discharging the hopper, means for establishingcom munication between the'discharge-V terminal and the hose of a dredging-machine, and pipes leading from the troughs to points underneath the water-line of the scow, substantially as set forth.

4. Means for disposing of dredgings, which consists of a buoyant structure or scow provided with an air-tight, covered compartment or hopper, means for discharging the hopper, means for establishing communication between the interior of the hopper and the discharge-pipe of a dredging-machine, a main water-supply pipe, and a number of branch pipes respectively tapered from the main pipe, said branch pipes being provided with orifices, and extending from end to end of the hopper, substantially as set forth.

ICO

IIO

5. Means for disposing of dredgings, which consists of a buoyant structurelor scoW provided with an air-tight hopper or compartment, means for discharging said compartment, means for connecting the interior thereof with the discharge-pipe of a dredging-machine, a series of roof-sections covering'the compartment, means for closing said sections, so as to form an air-tight roof over the compartment, and means for independently raising said roof-sections, substantially as set forth.

6. Means for disposing of dredgings, which consists of a buoyant structure or scoW provided with an air-tight covered compartment or hopper, means for discharging the hopper, means for establishing communication between the interior of the hopper and the discharge-pipe of a dredging-machine, and airpurifying apparatus operatively com municating with the interior of the hopper, substantially as set forth.

7. Means for disposing of dredgings, which consists of a buoyant structure or scow provided With an air-tight covered compartment or hopper, means for establishing communication between the interior of the hopper and the discharge-pipe of a dredging-machine, air# purifying apparatus operatively communicating with the interior of the hopper, a blower also communicating with the interior of the hopper, and means for driving the blower, substantially as set forth.

8. Means for disposing of dredgings, which consists of a buoyant structure or scow provided With an air-tight covered compartment or hopper, means'for establishing communication between the interior of the hopper and the discharge-pipe of a dredging-machine, airpurifying apparatus comprising a boiler and furnace, the furnace operatively communicating with the interior of the hopper so as to derive its draft-supply therefrom, a blower also communicating with the interior of the hopper and an engine adapted to drive the blower and operatively connected with the boiler, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of ail which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ARTHUR GRAT ROSE.

lVitn esses:

WILBUR V. ROSE, GEORGE F. JUENEMANN.

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