Mechanism for transferring boats.

(Application filed May 29. 1901.)

Sheets—Sheet I.

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<img file="US697202A_D0001.tif" />

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the norhis pereus co., photo-litho.. washincton. o. c.

No. 697,202.

(No Model.)

L. DONNE. Patented Apr. 8. 1902.

MECHANISM FOR TRANSFERRING BOATS.

(Application filed May 29. 1901,'

FIG. 3

Sheets—Sheet 2.

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THE NORRIS PETERS CO . PHOTO-LltHO., WASHINGTON. D. C.

No. 697,202.

Patented Apr. 8, 1902.

(No Model.)

L DONNE.

MECHANISM FOR TRANSFERRING BOATS.

(Application filed May 29. 1901.)

Sheets—Sheet 3.

FIG. 5:

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WITNESSES:

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I INVENTOR b-y ^Qaaa/vv^. $ Att’y,

THE NOHRlS PETERS CO. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

United States Patent Office.

LEON DONNE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LE FOREST INGERSOLL AND FREDERICK INGERSOLL, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

MECHANISM FOR TRANSFERRING BOATS.

SPECIFICATION forming· part of Letters Patent No. 697,203, dated April 8,1902.

Application filed May 29,1901. Serial No. 62,299. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Leon Donne, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have 5 invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Transferring Boats, of which improvements the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to io certain improvements in mechanism for shifting boats from water at one level and placing them in water at another level; and the invention consists in general terms in the combination of two or more endless belts 15 carrying supporting-blocks for the boats, portions of said belts or aprons being submerged in the two bodies of water and other portions of the belts being arranged in such relation to each other that the boat will be shifted 2o automatically from one belt or apron to the other.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a 25 part of this specification, Figure 1 is a sec• tional elevation of my improved mechanism. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 1, illustrating modifications of my improvement. Fig. 30 5 is a sectional detail view, on an enlarged scale, on a plane indicated by the line V V, Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a transverse section on a plane indicated by the line VI VI, Fig. 5.

In the practice of my invention endless 35 belts, preferably formed of interlocking links 1, are passed around sprocket-wheels 2 and 3, keyed on shafts 4 and 5, respectively. The shaft 4 is so arranged in the channel-way from which the boat is to be lifted that the 40 depth of water above the peripheries of the wheels 2 is greater than the draft of the boat. The shaft 5 is arranged at the highest point the boat is to be raised. A series of supporting-blocks 6 are arranged transversely of the 45 belts or chains and are secured in angular seats 7, formed on a portion of the links. It is preferred that every other link should be formed with seats 7. The ends of the supporting-bloeks are supported and guided in 50 grooves 8, formed in the side walls of the channel, to prevent any sagging of the carry ing portion of the endless belt, thereby supporting the boat uniformly from end to end at all times during its transfer. It is preferred that the portions of the blocks projecting into 55 the grooves 8 should be formed by rollers 9, loosely mounted on the ends of the blocks, as shown in Fig. 4.

It will be observed that the supportingblocks 6 form an inclined platform, onto which 60 the boat is floated. As the blocks rise they will bear against the bottom of the boat near its front end and succeeding blocks will take a bearing at regular intervals toward the rear, the boat being carried forward by the 65 moving blocks. As the front shaft and sprocket-wheels are submerged a distance only a little greater than the draft of the boat, the lifting of the front end of the boat cannot cause sufficient dipping of the rear end to 70 permit the inflow of water.

In order to lower the boat into an adjacent channel, it is preferred to employ a similar mechanism consisting of shafts 10 and 11, having sprocket - wheels 12 and 13 keyed 75 thereto, chains or belts passing around the sprocket - wheels, and having supportingblocks 14 secured thereto, with their ends projecting into grooves 15 in the sides of the channel. The shaft 10 is arranged in close 80 proximity to the shaft 5, so that the boat will be carried forward by the blocks 6 onto the blocks 14 and will be carried by the latter down into the water of the next channel, the shaft 11 and its sprocket-wheels being sub- 85 merged a depth greater than the draft of the boat.

In order that the boat may be always efficiently supported, the guide - grooves 8 are made horizontal for a short distance at the 90 highest elevation of the lifting and transferring mechanisms. As the two mechanisms should move at the same speed, it is preferred that the shafts 5 and 10 be connected by gearing or belt and a suitable motor connected to 97 one of said shafts.

In lieu of employing two mechanisms for raising and lowering the boat the sprocketchains can be passed around the wheels on shafts 4 and 11, as shown in Fig. 4. In such 100 case power would be applied to the shaft 11, which would be extended out through a stuff697,203 ing-box in the side wall of the channel. In order to reduce as far as possible the vertical lift, the guideways 8 for the ends of the supporting-blocks are brought as close to the up5 per edge of the dam 15, separating the channels.

As shown in Fig. 3, a loosely-mounted roller 16 may be employed as it passes from the lifting mechanism into the upper level of the io channel. In the form of apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the upper ends of the lifting and delivering mechanisms are preferably arranged only slightly above the level of the edge of the dam, so as to avoid unnecessary 15 lifting of the boat and its load.

_ The idler-shafts 4 and 11 in the construction shown in Fig. 1 and shaft 4 in the forms shown in Figs. 3 and 4 have their bearings so constructed and arranged as to permit of their 20 being shifted by the screws 17 or other suitable means to adjust the tension of the sprocket-chains.

It is characteristic of my improvement that a nearly continuous support is provided for 25 the boat during its transfer, thereby avoiding any liability of straining the same while being shifted with its load.