IN AND CONNECTED WITH ELEVATORS OR LIFTS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philip Middleton Justice, of 14, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS
A communication from
abroad by George Clarence Tewksbury, of Lynn, in the County of Essex and
State of Massachusetts, United States of America.
IN AND CONNECTED WITH ELEVATORS OR LIFTS.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philip Middleton Justice
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th March 1882.
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 14 Southampton Buildings in the County of
Middlesex Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH ELEVATORS
OR LIFTS." A communication from abroad by George Clarence Tewksbury of
Lynn in the County of Essex and State of Massachusetts United States of
America.
This invention relates to an improvement in elevators or lifts operated by
power, which are intended to transport goods and merchandise from one floor or
story of a building to another, and my object is to provide such an elevator with
devices whereby the car may be started by an operator at any point from any
other point and automatically stopped at its proper destination without requiring
the presence of an attendant on such car. To carry out this object my invention
consists first of an automatic stop which may be set by an operator at any desired
starting point on the line of movement of the car for the purpose of arresting such
car at any other station; further in an improved indicating device controlled by
the operator upon any floor of the building and operated in connection with the
before mentioned stop to determine at what point such stop will act to arrest the
car; further in the peculiar brake mechanism for checking the momentum of the
moving car and thereby relieving the stop mechanism of a portion of the strain,
further in the peculiar and novel belt shifting devices, further in an improved
signal for indicating the arrival of the car at its destination and finally in various
novel details of construction and arrangement and the several combinations of the
operative parts as will now be more fully described.

page_text: The elevator car or platform is adapted to move up and down in suitable ways
or guides in the usual well which extends from the bottom to the top of the
building A cable adapted to wind upon a drum is connected to the car and forms
the means of suspending the same in the well. These parts are of ordinary
construction as are also the pulleys and the belt shipping bar.
This bar is connected by means of a pin and slot to an elbow lever pivoted in
bearings in hangers depending from the floor of the building. Connected with the
elbow lever is a vertically reciprocating rod which extends the entire length of the
elevator well. It slides in suitable bearings secured to the wall of the building
and is swivelled to the elbow lever to permit the rotary movement hereafter
referred to; in order to prevent bending and to give proper flexibility the said rod
is provided at its upper end with a link. The weight of the rod is balanced by a
counter-weight attached to a projection from the elbow lever.
The rod is also provided with pins which are fixed at different points and project
radially, one of these pins being provided for each floor or station on the line of
the elevator. The said rod is also provided with small pinions one of which is
placed opposite each station said pinions being secured in place between discs. By
moving the rod upward or downward in its bearings the driving belts may be
shifted about on the pulleys by means of the elbow lever and a bar. The move-
ment of the rod is effected by means of handles which project outward through
suitable slots in the indicator. Each of the indicators has a central vertical pin to
which the handle is pivoted and upon which it is free to slide vertically as well as
to oscillate. Each handle carries upon its inner end a segmental rack which
meshes with the pinion upon the rod by a horizontal movement of the handle
a partial or complete revolution may be given to the rod so as to bring any
one of the pins on such rod to the proper position with respect to the moving car
or platform and also that a vertical movement of any one of the handles will cause
the rod to slide in its bearings and thereby to operate the belt shifting devices. It
may be noted however that in buildings having a small number of floors the racks
and pinions might be dispensed and the handles rigidly connected to the rod.
Ordinarily however the last mentioned construction would not effect a sufficient
revolution of the rod. Each of the indicators consist of a semi cylindrical case
having a central horizontal slot which communicates directly with other vertical
slots properly numbered.
Said vertical slots are constructed in two rows, one on each side of the horizontal
slot to correspond with the two longitudinal movements of the shipper rod and in
each row there are as many slots less one as there are stories in the building, the
slots on one side alternating with those on the other for purposes hereinafter
referred to. The elevator car or platform is always at rest, so long as the driving
belts remain on the loose or end pulleys, which is always the case while the handles
are in the horizontal slot of the indicator. The elevator is set in motion by
shifting either of the driving belts on to the tight pulley, one belt raising and the
other lowering the box or car. This is done by simply pushing the handle up or
down (the direction being always contrary to that in which the elevator car is
intended to move) in either of the vertical slots, thereby moving the rod and the
belt shifting devices as before explained. The pins are fixed upon the rod so that
when any one of the same are in a perpendicular line with a dog fixed to the car,
the handles will be at those slots of the indicators respectively which correspond in
number with the story of the building at which the pin so arranged is located.
It will be understood that such pin is set opposite to or in a defined relation
with the particular story at which the platform is required to stop and that all
the pins are set so as to project in different directions from the rod, so that the dog
will in its vertical movement strike only the pin set in its path. The pins are so
arranged on the shaft that when the handle is in a particular slot the corresponding
piu at the desired stopping point is in the path of the dog. When therefore the
operator desires to shift the elevator and cause it to stop at a given point or floor
of the building, he turns the handle into line with that slot of the indicator

page_text: numbered to correspond with the given floor and then pushes the handle vertically
in a direction opposite to that of the desired movement of the elevator When the
car so started reaches the designated floor, the dog strikes the pin, thereby moving
the rod longitudinally in the opposite direction to that required to start the car and
shifting the belt to the loose pulley which stops the car which is set in motion
again by moving the rod in the manner before described. The belts are prevented
from being carried over so as to move the elevator in the opposite direction by
reason of the limited movement permitted to the handle in the slots said handle
when it reaches the horizontal slot coming in contact with the alternating division
of the indicator wall. The dog will be equally effective for stopping the car or
box though rigidly fastened thereto but I prefer (as a means for preventing
breakage in case the car should not quickly respond to the shipping.devices) to
construct and arrange the dog as a tongue projecting from a lever. Said lever is
arranged in a mortise formed in the block. Behind the lever is a spring which
serves to push forward the lever so as to keep the tongue projecting outward. Said
lever is also provided with a second tongue having a bevelled end which operates
upon a pin also bevelled and secured to the side of the building. These bevelled
ends permit the projections to pass each other whereby the second tongue is pushed
back. The block is secured to the side of the elevator box, the tongue being
permitted to project beyond the edge. The pin is secured to the wall of the
building. The elevator may then be set in motion as above described. The first
tongue will engage with the pins and will move the shipper rod so as to bring the
handle into the horizontal slots of the indicator.
At this moment the second tongue strikes upon the pin (which is secured to the
building as before described) pushes back the lever so as to draw the first tongue
inward away from the pin and allow the elevator to pass if carried further
by reason of tardy action of belt shipping devices. To promptly arrest the
clevator car I have devised a brake mechanism to be used with the driving
mechanism for taking up the momentum. Upon the driving shaft is a fixed pulley
about which is arranged the brake shoe. Said shoe is held in position by a spring
strap one end of which is attached to a hanger and the other end to a moveable
block arranged to slide upon a vertical hanging pin.
It carries an adjustable rod to which is jointed one end of a toggle arm the outer
end of which is jointed to an angular frame which in turn is fixed to a horizontal
lever. With this arrangement when the said lever is moved in either direction
horizontally in order to shift the belts, the effect is to depress the spring so as to
relieve the pressure of the shoe against the pulley and allow the elevator to freely
move. While the reverse of this movement (which always takes place in stopping
the elevator) raises the end of the spring and brings the shoe in contact with the
pulley so as to check the momentum thereof and thereby stop the driving shaft
and elevator car. A modification of the devices for operating the shipping rod and
also a modified form of indicator may be arranged as follows. It may sometimes
happen that in lofty buildings where a very long rod is required there may be
difficulty in moving the rod by means of a handle connected rigidly to it and
adapted to operate it by a positive push without leverage In this case the pinion
on the rod may be elongated to permit a sliding movement independently of the
rack segment On the indicator box is pivoted a lever which is connected to the
shipper rod by a yoke or fork secured between two rigid collars on the rod. The
movement of the rod is effected by means of this lever, the pinion sliding in the rack
segment through continuing on engagement therewith. It will be understood that
one of these levers is supplied for each story of the building. This lever is
particularly adapted to be used in connection with the modified form of indicator
This indicator consists of a box divided horizontally by a slot in which works the
handle attached to the rack seguient Since the vertical movement of the shipper
rod is accomplished by the lever before described the handle has only a horizontal
movement to cause the shipper rod to revolve Instead then of the vertical slots in
the case I provide an index or guage consisting of numbered points, one set of such

page_text: points being above and the other below the horizontal slot and the points being set
so as to alternate. On the handle are index fingers extending in opposite directions
and adapted to register with either scale. It will of course be understood that the
pins on the rod are so arranged relatively to the indicating scale that the turning
of the indicating finger on the handle to a point on either the upper or lower scale
will cause the corresponding pin on the rod to be moved into the path of the
elevator dog. This done the movement of the car is effected by the raising or
lowering of the rod by means of the independent pivoted lever.
Although I have described a double set of indicating points one on each side of
the slot it is evident that a single row would accomplish the desired effect since
the result in either case is is to bring the proper pin into line, the direction which
the car is to take being determined by the movement of the independent lever I
consider it preferable however to use two rows since the needle can be arranged
by reference to the upper or lower row of pointers according to the direction in
which the elevator car is to move and in such case the position of the needle
shows (when the elevator is in motion) its destination and also the direction in
which it is moving and also (when the car is at rest) the place where it is stationed
and the direction in which it travelled in order to reach that station. Another
part of the invention relates to an electric signal operated by the car in its move-
ment immediately before reaching its destination. Upon the side of the car next
to the shipper rod are two flat metal springs so placed as to bear upon and press
outward two further springs arranged transversely and also attached to the side
of the car The first set of springs when in their ordinary position are in close
proximity to metal plates attached to the car beneath but not in contact with such
springs. The upper end of one of the second set of springs and the lower end of
the other spring are inclined so that the pin on the shipper rod is permitted to ride
over such spring and thus force one of the first set of springs as the case may be
against the plates. Attached to the car in any desired position and manner is an
ordinary battery connected by wire with the first set of springs, the plates and a
gong or bell.
When therefore the pin on the shipper rod is brought into contact
with either of the second set of springs the circuit is completed by the first set of
springs being brought in contact with the plates and the gong will be struck.
This takes place before the pin has struck the dog so that the alarm sounds while
the elevator is yet in motion but just as it is about to stop.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Philip Middleton Justice in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th August 1882.
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 14 Southampton Buildings in the County of
Middlesex Patent Agent IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH ELEVATORS
OR LIFTS A communication from abroad by George Clarence Tewksbury of Lynn
in the County of Essex and State of Massachusetts United States of America.
This Invention relates to an improvement in elevators or lifts operated by power
which are intended to transport goods and merchandise from one floor or storey of a
building to another and the object is to provide such an elevator with devices
whereby the car may be started by an operator at any point, from any other point
and automatically stopped at its proper destination without requiring the presence
of an attendant on such car. To carry out this object the invention consists, first
of an automatic stop which may be set by an operator at any desired starting
point on the line of movement of the car for the purpose of arresting such car at
any other station; further in an improved indicating device controlled by the
operator upon any floor of the building and operated in connection with the before
mentioned stop to determine at what point such stop will act to arrest the car;
further in the peculiar brake mechanism for checking the momentum of the moving
car and thereby relieving the stop mechanism of a portion of the strain; further
in the peculiar and novel belt shifting devices; further in an improved signal for
indicating the arrival of the car at its destination, and finally in various novel
details of construction and arrangement and the several combinations of the
operative parts, as will now be more fully described, reference being made to the
accompanying drawings in which
Fig 1 is a side elevation of the entire apparatus represented as in its proper
position in a building. Fig 2 is a plan of the hoisting mechanism. Fig 3 is a
cross section on the line x x of Fig. 1. Fig 4 is a cross section on the line y y of
Fig 1 Fig 5 is a detached view of the locking mechanism. Fig 6 is a detached
view of the indicator. Fig 7 is a perspective representing the construction and
arrangement of the signal. Fig 8 is a side elevation of a modified form of
indicator and of the devices for operating the shipper rod Fig 9 is a front view
of the same-and Fig 10 is a top view of the same.
The elevator car or platform A is adapted to move up and down in suitable
ways or guides, in the usual well which extends from the bottom to the top of the
building.
A cable B adapted to wind upon a drum C is connected to the car and forms the
means of suspending the same in the well. These parts are of ordinary con-
struction as are also the pulleys E. F. G and the belt shipping bar I. This bar is
connected by means of a pin and slot, as shown in Fig. 1, to an elbow lever J
pivoted in bearings in hangers depending from the floor of the building. Con-
nected with the elbow lever J is a vertically reciprocating rod K which extends
the entire length of the elevator well. It slides in suitable bearing L secured to
the wall of the building and is swivelled to the elbow lever J to permit the rotary
movement hereafter referred to; in order to prevent bending and to give proper
flexibility the said rod is provided at its upper end with a link M. The weight of
the rod is balanced by a counter weight N attached to a projection from the elbow
lever J as shown. The rod is also provided with pins a which are fixed at
different points and project radially, one of these pins being provided for each
floor or station on the line of the elevator. The said rod is also provided with

page_text: small pinions b one of which is placed opposite each station said pinions being
secured in place between discs E as shown in Fig. 1; By moving the rod upward
or downward in its bearings the driving belts may be shifted about on the pulleys
E. F. G by means of the elbow lever J and bar I. The movement of the rod K is
effected by means of the handles f which project outward through suitable slots in
the indicator O. Each of the indicators has a central vertical pin to which the
handle is pivoted and upon which it is free to slide vertically, as well as to
oscillate. Each handle carries upon its inner end a segmental rack h which meshes
with the pinion b upon the rod K. It is evident that by a horizontal movement
of the handle, a partial or complete revolution may be given to the rod K so as to
bring any one of the pins a on such rod to the proper position with respect to the
moving car or platform and also that a vertical movement of any one of the
handles will cause the rod K to slide in its bearings and thereby to operate
the belt shifting devices. It may be noted however that in buildings having a
small number of floors the racks and pinions might be dispensed with and the
handles rigidly connected to the rod K. Ordinarily however the last mentioned
construction would not effect a sufficient revolution of the rod Each of the
indicators O consists of a semi cylindrical case having a central horizontal slot
which communicates directly with other vertical slots properly numbered as shown
in Fig 6. Said vertical slots are constructed in two rows one on each side of the
horizontal slot, to correspond with the two longitudinal movements of the shipper
rod, and in each row there are as many slots, less one as there are stories in the
building the slots on one side alternating with those on the other as shown, for
purposes hereinafter referred to. The elevator car or platform is always at rest so
long as the driving belts remain on the loose or end pulleys E. G which is always
the case while the handles f are in the horizontal slot of the indicator. The
elevator is set in motion by shifting either of the driving belts on to the tight
pulley F. one belt raising and the other lowering the box or car. This is done by
simply pushing the handle up or down (the direction being always contrary to
that in which the elevator car is intended to move) in either of the vertical slots,
thereby moving the rod K and the belt shifting devices as before explained.
The pins a are fixed upon the rod K so that when any one of the same is in a
perpendicular line with the dog m, Fig. 1 fixed to the car, the handles f will be at
those slots of the indicators respectively which correspond in number with the
story of the building at which the pin so arranged is located. It will be under-
stood that such pin is set opposite to or in a defined relation with the particular
storey at which the platform is required to stop, and that all the pins are set so as
to project in different directions from the rod so that the dog will in its vertical
movement strike only the pin set in its path. The pins are so arranged on the
shaft K that when the handle is in a particular slot the corresponding pin at the
desired stopping point is in the path of the dog. When therefore the operator
desires to shift the elevator and cause it to stop at a given point or floor of the
building, he turns the handle f into line with that slot of the indicator numbered
to correspond with the given floor and then pushes the handle vertically in a
direction opposite to that of the desired movement of the elevator. When the car
so started reaches the designated floor the dog strikes the pin thereby moving the
the rod K longitudinally in the opposite direction to that required to start the car,
and shifting the belt to the loose pulley which stops the car which is set in motion
again by moving the rod K in the manner before described The belts are pre-
vented from being carried over so as to move the elevator in the opposite direction,
by reason of the limited movement permitted to the handle in the slots, said handle
when it reaches the horizontal slot, coming in contact with the alternating division
of the indicator wall. The dog m will be equally effective for stopping the car or
box though rigidly fastened thereto as shown in Fig 1, but I prefer (as a means for
preventing breakage in case the car should not quickly respond to the shipping
devices) to construct and arrange the dog, as shown in Fig. 5 In this arrangement
said dog is a tongue 10 projecting from a lever 11. Said lever is arranged as shown

page_text: in a mortice formed in a block 12. Behind the lever 11 is a spring 13 which serves
to push forward the lever so as to keep the tongue 10 projecting outward as shown.
Said lever is also provided with a second tongue 14 having a bevelled end, which
operates upon a pin 15 also bevelled and secured to the side of the building. These
bevelled ends permit the projections to pass each other whereby the second
tongue 14 is pushed back. The block 12 is secured to the side of the elevator box the
tongue being permitted to project beyond the edge. The pin 15 is secured to the
wall of the building in proximity to the pin a and in the path of the pin 14. The
elevator may then be set in motion as above described. The tongue 10 will engage
with the pin a and will move the shipper rod K so as to bring the handle f
into the horizontal slots of the indicator O At this moment the tongue 14
strikes upon the pin 15 (which is secured to the building as before described)
pushes back the lever 11 so as to draw the tongue 10 inward away from the
pin a and allow the elevator to pass if carried further by reason of tardy action
of the belt shipping devices To promptly arrest the elevator car I have devised a
brake mechanism to be used with the driving mechanism for taking up the
momentum. Upon the driving shaft is a fixed pulley P (Fig 3) about which is
arranged a brake shoe R Said shoe is held in position by a spring strap S one
end of which is attached to the hanger r and the other end to the movable block t
arranged to slide upon the vertical hanging pin m² It carries an adjustable rod a³
to which is jointed one end of the toggle arm 6 the other end of which is jointed
as shown to the angular frame c which in turn is fixed to a horizontal lever I as
shown. With this arrangement it must be evident that when the lever I Fig 1 is
moved in either direction horizontally in order to shift the belts the effect is to
depress the spring S so as to relieve the pressure of the shoe against the pulley P
and allow the elevator to freely move. While the reverse of this movement (which
always takes place in stopping the elevator) raises the end of the spring and brings
the shoe in contact with the pulley P so as to check the momentum thereof and
thereby stop the driving shaft and elevator car. In Figs 8, 9 and 10 I have
illustrated a modification of the devices for operating the shipping rod and also a
modified form of indicator. It may sometimes happen that in lofty buildings
where a very long rod is required there may be difficulty in moving the rod by
means of a handle connected rigidly to it and adapted to operate it by a positive
push without leverage. In the side view (Fig 8) the pinion on the rod is elongated
to permit a sliding movement independently of the rack segment. On the
indicator box is pivoted a lever which is connected to the shipper rod by a yoke
or fork secured between two rigid collars on the rod. The movement of the rod is
effected by means of this lever, the pinion sliding in the rack segment though
continuing in engagement therewith. It will be understood that one of these
levers is supplied for each storey of the building. This lever is particularly
adapted to be used in connection with the modified form of indicator illustrated in
Figs 8, 9 and 10. This indicator consists of a box divided horizontally by a slot
in which works the handle attached to the rack segment. Since the vertical
movement of the shipper rod is accomplished by the lever before described
the handle E has only a horizontal movement to cause the shipper rod to revolve.
Instead then of the vertical slots in the case I provide an index or guage
consisting of numbered points, one set of such points being above and the other
below the horizontal slot and the points being set so as to alternate. On the
handle are index fingers n extending in opposite directions and adapted to register
with either scale. It will of course be understood that the pins on the rod are so
arranged relatively to the indicating scale that the turning of the indicating finger
on the handle to a point on either the upper or lower scale will cause the
corresponding pin on the rod to be moved into the path of the elevator dog. This
done the movement of the car is effected by the raising or lowering of the rod by
means of the independent pivoted lever. Athough I have described a double set of
indicating points one on each side of the slot it is evident that a single row would
accomplish the desired effect, since the result in either case is to bring the proper

page_text: pin into line, the direction which the car is to take being determined by the
movement of the independent lever. I consider it preferable however to use two
rows since the needle can be arranged by reference to the upper or lower row of
points according to the direction in which the elevator car is to move and in such
case the position of the needle n shows (when the elevator is in motion) its
destination and also the direction in which it is moving and also (when the car is
at rest) the place where it is stationed and the direction in which it travelled in
order to reach that station. Another part of the invention relates to an electric
signal operated by the car in its movement immediately before reaching its
destination. This device is illustrated in Fig. 7. Upon the side of the car next to
the shipper rod are two flat metal springs 7 and 8, so placed as to bear upon and
press outward two other springs 9 and 10 arranged transversely and also attached
to the side of the car. The springs 7 and 8 when in their ordinary position are
in close proximity to the metal plates 11 and 12 attached to the car beneath but
not in contact with such springs.
The upper end of spring 9 and the lower end of spring 10 are inclined so that the
pin on the shipper rod is permitted to ride over such spring and thus force the spring
7 or 8 as the case may be against the plates. Attached to the car in any desired
position and manner is an ordinary battery connected by wire with the springs
7 and 8, the plates 11 and 12 and a gong or belt N. When therefore the pin on
the shipper rod is brought into contact with either of the springs 9 and 10 the
circuit is completed by the springs 7 and 8 being brought in contact with the
plates, and the gong will be struck. This takes place before the pin has struck
the dog so that the alarm sounds while the elevator is yet in motion but just as it
is about to stop. Having thus described the invention of my foreign correspondent
and how the same may be employed. What I claim and desire to secure by Letters
Patent-is
1st. In combination with an elevator, a shifting device adapted to change the
direction of the box or to arrest the same and an automatic stop mechanism
adapted to be set for any given station or floor and to be acted on by the box to
arrest the same when it reaches that point.
2nd. The combination of the pivoted lever J the pulleys E. F. G and intermediate
belt shifting devices the revolvuble and vertically sliding rod K having suitable
clutch pins a arranged at different points on the rod to project radially therefrom,
the handles secured to the rod K and the intermediate gearing mechanism
substantially as described.
3rd. The combination of the lever J pivoted as shown, the pulleys E, F, G and
intermediate belt shifting devices the revolvuble vertically sliding rod K having
clutch pins a arranged at different points on the rod to project therefrom in
different directions, the lever handles fulcrumed as shown, the indicator O for
determining the relative position of the clutch pins a and the intermediate gearing
mechanism whereby the rod K may be turned, substantially as set forth.
4th. In an elevator the combination of the revolvuble vertically sliding rod K.
provided with clutch pins a gear wheels b and suitable discs e said pins, gears and
discs being arranged upon the rod at different points with the pins a projecting
therefrom in different directions, the handles f having toothed plates on one end
to mesh with the gears on the rod, and suitable indicating mechanism for locating
the relative position of the clutch pins a substantially as described and set forth.
5th. The combination of the elevator car, the detachable block 12, the lever 11
pivoted to the detachable block and provided with projecting tongues 10 and 14
as shown in Fig. 5, and mechanism for pushing forward the lever so as to keep the
tongues in position substantially as described.
6th. The combination with the movable lever on the elevator box of the stud
pins 15 attached to the wall of the building adapted to automatically engage with
the tongues 14 on the lever when the box is moved, so as to throw the tongue 10
on the lever out of engagement with the clutch on the rod K, all as described and
set forth.

page_text: 7th. The within described indicator O which consists of a semi cylindrical case
having two systems of vertical slots one on each side of a central horizontal
opening with the vertical slots communicating with the said horizontal slot all in
combination with the handle f, substantially as described.
8th. The electric signal for elevators consisting of the plates 11 and 12 carried
by the elevator car, the springs 7. 8. 9 and 10 the battery and the connecting
wires, as described and set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Philip Middleton Justice have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty fifth day of August in the year of Our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Signed, sealed and delivered
in the presence of
HENRY B. HATCHWELL
53 Chancery Lane
W.C.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE. (LS.)