US1187250A - Hopper dredger and barge. - Google Patents

Description

WILLIAM BROWN & WALTER BROWN.

HOPPER DREDGER AND BARGE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 4, 1915- -1,187,250. Patented June 13, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- 'NVENTORS! WILL/AM BROWN WALTER BROWN.

ATTORNEY.

THE coumsu PLANOugAPH co" WASHINGTON, D. c.

WILLIAM BROWN & WALTER BROWN. HOPPER DREDGER AND BARGE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-4. 1915.

1 187,250. Patented June 13, 1916.

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a i; 4 4 14 as ii fiG- WILLIAM B ow/v WALTE R BROWN ATToRNE m2 comma PLApwuRAPx-l' co.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

WILLIAM BROWN AND VIALTER BROWN, OF RENFREW', SCOTLAND.

HOPPER DREDGER AND BARGE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J une 13, 1916.

Application filed December 4, 1915. Serial No. 65,081.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, WILLIAM BROWN and WALTER BRowN, subjects of the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and residents'of Renfrew, Renfrewshire, Scotland, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Hopper Dredgers and Barges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in hopper dredgers and hopper barges and the like and is applicable to suction hopper dredgers as well as hopper dredgers of the bucket type or combined bucket and suction dredgers.

The invention consists primarily in the provision of a valve seated on the hopper bottom and comprising a valve member adapted to control communication between the hopper and a conduit or conduits (pipe or hollow keelson) leading to a pump and a valve member normally controlling communication with the sea and adapted when open to permit the discharge of the contents of the hopper direct into the sea.

It is understood of course that in the case of a vessel fitted with a number of hoppers any one valve member controlling communication with the sea (or more than one such valve member) may be open at any time whether or not communication is established between one or more of the remaining hoppers and the conduit or conduits so that water may be pumped from the sea through the conduit or conduits for flushing purposes.

A further feature resides in the particular mounting of the valves which permits the valve parts to be readily removed for examination, repair, etc.

A further feature is the provision of means for loosening the mass at the bottom of the hopper to permit the valve to be readily lifted and facilitate the initial stage of the discharge.

The invention is illustrated in the accom panying drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical section and Fig. 2 a plan showing the arrangement of hoppers, valves, etc; Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections showing alternative forms of conduit and controlling valves.

Referring to the drawings, the dredging vessel or barge 1 or the like is fitted with a conduit or conduits (suction pipe 2 or hollow keelsons 2) preferably disposed longitudinally of the vessel or barge or the like and connected to the pump 3, said'pipe 0r keelson being adapted to be placed in c0mmunication with the hoppers 4 which are disposed'in adjoining rows one on each side of thecenter line of'the vessel or barge or the like and inclosed between water-tight compartments 5 (it being understood, however, that the arrangement of the hoppers and of the suction pipe or keelson may be other than herein shown by way of example). Each hopper 4 is provided with an outlet affording a valve seat 6 cotiperating with which is a double valve comprising an upper valve member 7 controlling communication between the hopper 4 and the conduit 2 (by way of the connection 8) and a lower valve member 9 which, when moved from itsseat, permits discharge of the contents of the hopper into the sea.

The upper valve member 7 may be of the form shown in Fig. 3 or of the trunk form shown at the left hand side of Fig. 4. The valves are preferably operated by means of duplex hydraulic rams as shown: the.ram 10 serving to lift the valve member 7 and the ram 11 serving to lift the valve member 9-it' being understood that when the valve member 9 is lifted the valve member 7 may be lifted therewith. The valve stem 7 of the valve member 7, being hollow, serves as a conduit for pressure water which may be discharged through ducts such as 12 or through a series of orifices such as 13 as indicated in Fig. 3, the object of such discharge being to loosen the material at the bottom of the hopper.

It will be appreciated that on removalof the stay 14 the valves may be conveniently lifted out for repair or other purposes with out the necessity for dry-docking the vessel. It will also be seen that with the construction described there will be no projection from the bottom of the vessel when the contents of the hoppers are being discharged.

While we have shown a preferred arrangement in which the valves are vertically movable by operation of hydraulic rams it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the arrangement shown. 7

What we claim is 1. In combination, a vessel provided with a hopper capable of being put in communication with the sea, a suction pump, a conduit leading to said pump, and a double valve for said hopper, said double valve comprising a member adapted tc control communication between said hopper and said conduit, and a member adapted to control com munication between said hopper and the sea.

2. In combination, a vessel provided With a hopper capable of being put in communication .with the sea, a suction pump, a conduit leading to said pump, a valve for said hcpper comprising separate valve members, and means for operating said for the the va, separately and conjointly, and controlling communication between hopper and said conduit, and betv-Jeen hopper and the sea.

in testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

l/VM. BROVJN. WALTER BROWN. lVitnesses lVALLAcE CnANsToN FAIRWEATHER, DOUGLAS KEITH FAIRWEATHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained i'ez five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G.

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