Volume Eleven - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - some more aspects - Patent Applications by George Taylor, of Penarth, 1883 . . .

In order to diminish the weight to be raised in the staith, I provide a receiver of special construction which may be used in the place ordinarily occupied by the tipping cradle or platform, into which receiver the waggon load is discharged instead of running the waggon itself into the staith as usual. This receiver is adapted to be raised in the staith in the same way as the tipping cradle or platform now is, and it is so constructed and arranged as to be capable of being moved horizontally in the staith or in adjustable guides extending towards the vessel, thereby a portion or the whole of the receiver may be projected outwards beyond the staith end over the conveyor or shoot by which the coal is transferred from the staith to the vessel, the bottom of the receiver being constructed of hinged flaps or sections adapted to be self opening when unsupported in order to discharge the contents of the receiver onto the conveyor or shoot. In addition to the self opening bottom the receiver may be provided with gear for tipping it.

Heretofore it has been necessary with fixed staiths at which the waggons arrive at a low level to raise the waggons to a considerable height in order to obtain the requisite inclination of the shoot as above explained, but this is especially objectionable in the case of movable staiths as will be readily understood. My Invention has therefore for its object also to diminish the height of the staith, and this I accomplish by conveying the coal from the staith or the tipping place therein to the vessel by means of machinery actuated by motive power whereby the coal may be transferred or conveyed in a direction horizontal or nearly so from or between the staith and a place on board of the vessel instead of being passed or transferred by means of shoots and the aid of manual labour or the force of gravity. One means of attaining this object is to provide a conveyor extending from the tipping point on the staith to the hatchway of the vessel. This conveyor would be supported by suitable guide frames extending outward from the staith and would be capable of being adjusted in height with the tipping cradle or receiver of the staith to accommodate it to the height of the vessel out of the water.

Drawings associated with the Patent - Figures 1 to 24.