US41717A - Improved connection for barrel-rafts - Google Patents

Description

UNITED ASTATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT W. PARK, OF ALLEGHENY CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED CONNECTION FOR. BARREL-RAFTS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 4h71?, dated February 23, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT W. PARK, of the city and county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Connections for Floating Barrels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and to the letters ot reference marked thereon.

The object of my invention is to unite barrels securely together by means of clamps, so as to form them into rafts for the purpose of floating a number of them laden with oil or other light substances safely down creeks and rivers to their place of destination.

rIhe nature of my invention consists in providing each barrel with an adjustable clamp, so constructed as to t different sizes and support an eye or ring over the chine of each barrel large enough to admit of a rope being passed through for holding them together side by side, and in addition thereto an adjustable crab,7 iittin g against the head of each barrel for holding them together endwise.

To enable others to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its con# struction and operation by reference to the accompanying drawings', in which- Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical section of my improved clamp. Fig. 2 shows atop view of the same. Fig. 3 represents a front view of the crab. l ig. 4 is an edge view of two crabs joined together by a swivel-bolt. Fig. 5 represents a vertical section of the crabs attached to the heads of two barrels. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of a crab near its center.

All the drawings are lettered, and similar letters indicate like parts on all the gures.

I construct my improved clamp, as represented by Figs. 1 and 2, of two wrought-iron bars, one-fourth of an inch thick and oneinch broad. One of these bars is cutthe length of the barrel, the other only half as long. On one end of these bars is turned a hook, R, of suflicient depth to catch over the chine, when through the bars so cut and turned is riveted an eye or ring, H, directly over the point of the hook, for purposes hereinafter to be stated. Through the short bar L is punched a couple of slots, M. M, and in the long bar S, so as to come directly opposite the slots in the short bar, are screw-holes. Thel bars are now slightly bent or curved, to suit the bilge of the barrel, when the thumb-screws P P are passed through the slots in the short bar and screwed into the long one, the slots being of sufficient length to admit of the clamp being lengthened or shortened to suit different-sized barrels, and also to facilitate adjusting them when in place.

The crab, Fig. 3, I intend to make of wrought or malleable cast-iron, and is formed of two bars, D and X, one of which slides in a groove or channel, o, cut in the other. The outer ends of these bars are forked, so as to give several bearin gs against the chine of the barrel, and are furnished with teeth N N, to catch in the wood to prevent slippage and to hold the crab secure. They are also provided with set-screws p p, which enables the crab to be contracted or expanded, as the case may requlre.

The operation of my clamps and crabs is as follows: The bars of the crab are'contracted by loosening the pinch-screws p p, (as more particularly illustrated 4in Fig. 6,) when the parts can be shoved together. They are then placed against the head of the barrel, G, Fig. 5, rst putting througha hole in the center of the crab, made for that purpose, the swivelbo1t W, with the head next that of the barrel. The crab is then extended until the teeth N N lit tightly under the chine or overhang of the staves T T, when the pinch-screws p p are tightened down, which holds the crab rmly in place. To fasten two barrels together endwise the bolt in one of the crabs is made hollow at its end', so as to allow the opposite bolt to pass into it, as shown at Fig. 5. A small key, K, is now to be placed through both bolts, ahole having been made for that purpose. A-series of barrels having been fastened together by the crabs, end to end, a clamp, Fig. 1, is placed on each barrel by loosening or unscrewing the thumb-screws P P and expanding the clamp sufficiently to admit of the hooks R R being passed over the chine. The bars L and S are now to be contracted or slid together, s'o as to keep the hooks in place, when, by means of the thumb-screws, the clamp is kept to the barrel.

To form a raft, the barrels, being secured end to end by means of the crabs, are rolled together side by side and a rope passed through the eyes or rings on the ends of the clamps, keeping the barrels together in a strong, substantial manner, the bolts between the crabs holding thun at the proper distance to prevent chawing.77

` Having thus described my invention,I will state that I am aware that floating barrels have been held together by means of clamps having hooks to catch over the chines and adjustable by means of a screw and nut. I am also aware that barrels have been held together by swivels attached to their heads.

Therefore I do not claim either of these plans; but

What I do claim is- R. W. PARK.

Witnesses J. W. ELLs, l BENJ. F. BLooD.

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