US2052481A - Hydraulic dredge apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 25, 1936. w. H. MILLER HYDRAULIC DREDGE APPARATUS Filed April 11, 1952 PVz/Zs H BY 5m HIS ATTORN EYS Patented Aug. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HYDRAULIC DREDGE APPARATUS Willis H. Miller, Shawano, Wis.

Application April 11, 1932, Serial No. 604,612

6 Claims. (Cl. 177-351) This invention relates to certain novel improvements in a hydraulic dredge apparatus, and has for its principal object the provision of an improved construction of this character which will be highly eiflcient in use'and economical in manufacture.

In hydraulic dredging the customary practice of determining the cubic yardage dredged is to survey the dredged area before and after the dredging operation and to calculate the cubic yardage of solids moved according to known methods of calculation. This method is not altogether satisfactory because, for example, it does not provide for accurate determination of the cubic yardage moved; it is expensive in time and labor; and it does not enable the dredge operator to determine the amount of and percentage of solids in water and solid mixture being moved through the pipeline in or at any given time.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new method and new and eflicient apparatus for determining the amount or percentage of solid material in a mixture of solids and water moving through an hydraulic dredge pipeline or conduit of a given cross-sectional area in any given unit of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide means associated with said apparatus to prevent error in the readings of the apparatus when the body of water being dredged is disturbed by waves, operation of the dredge, or other causes.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, showing the preferred form of construction and in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view of the invention assembled for use on a conventional hydraulic dredge or section line;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on line 4- -4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a view on line 5--5 in Fig. 2, partly in section and partly in top plan; and

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a wiring circuit embodied in the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred and practical embodiment of the invention, indicated at I0 is a body of water above which, on pontoons or floats II, is sup ported a conductor hydraulic dredge pipeline I2; the means for fastening the sections of the pipeline.or conduit I2 to the pontoons or floats II being conventional and indicated generally at I3. Beforeproceeding with the detailed description 5 of the invention, however, a general outline thereof will be given. In practicing my invention I mount on the pipeline I2, by suitable fastening means I5, a casing generally indicated at I4. Suspended below the casing I4 is a float cham- 10 ber I6 in which is arranged a float II. The float I I is attached to a, vertically slidable rod 24, and the rod 24 is pivotally connected at I8, to a pivotal rocker arm I9. The rocker arm I9 is pivotally connected, at 20, to a sliding contact arm 15 2|. The float chamber I6 has communication at 22 with a tube 23 that is submerged in the body of water III. The sliding contact arm 2| is associated with a rheostat 25 that is connected in series with resistance coils 42. Clear water, that 20 is, water unmixed with any dredged solid content is moved through the line I2 and the roller arm I9 is made fast to rod 24 by screw I8. Water from the body I0 then enters the tube 23, flows into the chamber I6, raises the float I! to its 25 normal level relative to the surface of the body I0, the float I'I raises rod 24, and rod 24 pivots arm I9 which moves contact arm 2I into a position relative to rheostat 25 corresponding to the specific gravity of the water in line I2, whereby 30 a zero reading is indicated on the dial 2! of an indicating device, such as galvanometer 26, connected in series with rheostat 25 and resistance coils 42.

When, therefore, the dredging operation is be- 35 gun and solids mixed with water are moved through the line I2, the specific gravity of the water and solid mixture moving through line I2, being greater than that ofwater alone, causes the pipeline I2 and casing to fall and the pon- 40 toons II to sink in the body of water I 2. The float is, however, buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of water it displaces in chamber It. When therefore the pipeline I2 and casing l4 fall, the float I7 being buoyed up remains sta- 45 tionary relative to conduit 12 and rocker arm I9 which pivots at 39. This movement of rocker arm I9 slides contact arm 2! on rheostat 25 whereby a reading is shown on the dial 21' of indicating device 26 corresponding to the specific 5o ravity of the solid and water mixture moving through the pipeline I 2. This reading of the dial 21 of indicating device 26 may then be translated for any cross sectional area of pipeline :2. into the percentage of solid material in the mixture of solids and water passing through pipeline 52 at any given time. From this may readily be calculated the number of cubic yards of solids passing through line 82 in a given unit of time.

Reverting now to the detailed description of the invention: Extending through the casing it and through float chamber i6 is a rod 28 that is stationary relative to rod 26. The float ii is slidable on the rod 28. For inserting the float. ii and rod 22 into, and for removing the same from, the chamber it, a throat 29 is provided on the casing it. Over this throat 29 is a closure member 30. The upper end of rod 28 is detach=- ably attached to the closure member 3d, as at St, and the lower end of the rod 28 is detachably attached to the bottom well 32 of the float chamber it.

Attached to the float ill is a sleeve dd that is slidable oh the rod 28 and attached to this sleeve 33 is a clamping collar 3d. The lower end of rod 24 is attached to the collar 3% as at 35. The rod 2d is slidable in guides 3t and ti attached to rod 28. Provided in the rocker arm 69 is a slot 33 $.37 and adjustably connecting the rocker arm it to the rod 2 3 is a screw it that is extended through slot 38 and screwed into collar 37 so as to have its inner end adapted to bear against rod 26.

The rocker arm is is fulcrumed between its ends on an adjustable screw 39 which is mounted on a supporting base it arranged in the casing Hi. Provided in the rocker arm it is a slot so that the rocker arm 59 is adjustable relative to its fulcrum 39 to vary the lengths of the lever arms on opposite sides of the fulcrum. To provide further adjustment of the rocker am it the base ll) is provided with slots and attaching the base (it to casing it are bolts id which are extended through slots Qt.

This invention includes means for preventing momentary depth changes, such as are due to waves, working of the dredge, or other causes, from interfering with the accuracy of the reading of dial 2? of indicating device 25. To this end the bottom wall 32 of the chamber 56 is provided with a relatively small inlet 22 and to control water flow from the tube 23 to the chamber 116 through inlet 22 a valve plate or damper 65 is pivotally mounted on the bottom wall 32 of chamber it as at it. A slot M is provided in the plate and disposed in this slot d? is an end portion d8 of a rod 69. The rod $9 is rotatably mounted in brackets attached to the wall of chamber it and the upper end of rod 69 extends into the casing i l wherein it is provided with a handle 5i. By manipulating the handle 58 the rod 69 may be turned to move the plate 35 so as to vary the size of chamber inlet 22.

The tube 23 may be open at both ends or it may be provided at various points with openings for the admission of water from. the body it. When, therefore, the parts are arranged as shown in Fig. l and tube 23 is submerged, the valve plate is moved to open inlet 22 so that water will flow into tube 23, through inlet 22 into float chamber it to raise the float i'i to its normal level relative to the surface of body it. Momentary depth changes in the body iii, such-as may be caused by waves, operation of the dredge, or other causes, do not however affect the level of the float it, since water from the body it cannot enter directly into the float chamber it, nor exert a force directly on float H, but must first flow through tube 23. Disturbances in the body of water it cannot, therefore, afiect the float it nor operate rod 26, rocker arm it, and contact arm 29 to aflect the reading of dial 2?], since all the 'water entering chambers it must come through tube 23 and inlet 22 and the pressure of the water flowing into tube 23 and through inlet '22 remains constant for any given depth of tube 23 irrespective of disturbances in the body of water id.

A zero reading, corresponding to the speciflc gravity of water it, is obtained on dial 2? by loosening screw it; and passing water, unmixed with solids, through pipeline iii. The screw it is then tightened to fixedly connect rocker arm i9 and rod 2 The dredging is then begun and the heavier specific gravity of the mixture ofsolids and water passing through pipeline i2 causes the pipeline i2 and casing it to settle, and the float chamber it, and tube 23, as well as portions M to sink in body iii, while the float ii is buoyed up by the weight of water it displaces; whereby the rocker arm as is pivoted about its fulcrum 39. Rocker arm 99 therefore moves the sliding contact arm 20 on rheostat 25 to actuate the galvanometer or indicating device 26. A reading is therefore shown on the dial 21 corresponding to the specific gravity of the mixture of water and solids passing through the pipeline 02 at any given time. From this may be calculated, for any given cross sectional area of pipeline E2, the percentage of solids in the mixture of solids and water passing through pipeline E2 in a given unit of time.

For most efiicient operation the apparatus should be placed in the second or third length of section of pipeline 92 from the dredge as the length of pipeline i 2 supporting the apparatus must have sumcient freedom of movement to afford unhindered operation.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my in= vention into efiect, this is capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

*1. An apparatus for determining the amount or percentage of solid material passing through a hydraulic dredge pipeline in a given unit of liquid body; electrical registering apparatus; and

devices associated with and operable by said last-named float for operating the said electrical registering apparatus.

2. An apparatus for determining the amount or percentage of solid material passing through a hydraulic dredge pipeline in a given unit of time, comprising the combination of a hydraulic dredge pipeline including float means for supporting the pipeline on a liquid body; a vertically extending float chamber supported by and aoeaam suspended below the pipeline and extending into the liquid body; a horizontally extending open ended tube supported by and suspended below the pipeline and float chamber for submergence therebelow; said tube having communication between its ends with the said float chamber; a float in the chamber and extending into the liquid body; electrical registering apparatus; devices associated with and operable by said float for operating the said electrical registering apparatus; means for controlling communication between the said float chamber and tube; and means for operating the said last named means.

3. The combination with a dredge pipe line, of a float connected with the pipeline for supporting the same upon a liquid body, an indicator carried by said pipe line for indicating load variations of the pipe line and its contents, a float connected with said indicator and extending into said liquid body for operating said indicator, and means carried by said pipe line for protecting the secondnamed float from the forces of surface irregularities on said liquid body, said means comprising a compensating valve and a normally horizontal tube positioned below said second named float and below the surface of said liquid body,

' each end of the tube comprising an inlet, said tube having communication with the said means.

4. The combination with a dredge pipe line, of a float connected with the'pipe line for supporting the same upon a liquid body, a float chamber mounted upon the pipe line and extending downwardly therefrom to submerge one end in the liquid body, a float arranged within said float chamher, an electrically sensitive gauge, a mechanieai and electrical connection between the gauge and said second-named float, and a guard chamber associated with the float chamber and having openings for the inlet of liquid, said float chamber and the guard chamber having communication for the inlet of liquid.

5. The combination with a dredge pipe line, of a float connected with the pipe line for support= ing the same upon a liquid body, a float cham ber mounted upon the pipe line and extending downwardly therefrom to submerge one end in the liquid body, a float arranged within said float chamber, a gauge, an operating connection between the gauge and said second-named float, and a normally horizontal tubular member associated with the float chamber and being submerged in the liquid body, and said tubular mem her having communication with the float cham her.

6. The combination with a dredge pipe line, of a float connected with the pipe line for supporting the same upon a liquid body, a float chamber mounted upon the pipe line and extending downwardly therefrom to submerge one end in the liquid body, a float arranged within said float chamber, a gauge, an operating connection between the gauge and said second-named float, a normally horizontal tubular member associated with the float chamber beneath the same and being submerged in the liquid body, and a valve for establishing communication between the tubular member and the float chamber.

WILLIS H. MILLER.

Images