THE DUSTPAN DREDGE: AN AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT

The dustpan dredge has been in use for 76 years, yet it has not received the attention which the author feels it should. He declares that it has been invaluable aid in dredging the Mississippi River, and has thus aided American commerce immensely. He begins by describing the design and operation of the present dustpan dredge. They are essentially hydraulic pipe line dredges with a suction head 32 feet wide with a rectangular opening 31 feet wide and 16 inches high. Across this opening equally spaced vertical members are connected to a pipe across the top and nozzles at the bottom. They serve the dual purpose of preventing oversize material from entering the head and also stirring up the sand and creating a slurry. He then describes the history of dustpan dredges starting with the first ones which were built in 1895. He mentions the continuous testing and improvement of the dredges, including some designs which were discarded, and also tells of new designs operating in foreign countries. It is concluded that the dustpan dredge is seeing increased use today, and an optimistic future is seen for it.

• Corporate Authors:

  World Trade Publications, Incorporated

  P.O. Box 20810
  Long Beach, CA  United States 
• Authors:
  • SCHMIDT, F J
• Publication Date: 1972-1

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: p. 12-19
• Serial:
  • World Dredging and Marine Construction
  • Volume: 8
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: World Trade Publications Company

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Design; Dredges; Materials management; Slurry
• Old TRIS Terms: Slurry handling techniques
• Subject Areas: Design; Marine Transportation; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00028994
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: United States Merchant Marine Academy
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 21 1973 12:00AM