IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING THE FALLING OF MINING CAGES WHEN THE WINDING ROPE OR CHAIN BREAKS, ALSO FOR PREVENTING THE OVERWINDING OF MINING CAGES
Year: 1878

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to John Russell Reid, of Longdale, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, for the Invention of IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING
THE FALLING OF MINING CAGES WHEN THE WINDING ROPE OR CHAIN
BREAKS, ALSO FOR PREVENTING THE OVERWINDING OF MINING CAGES."
Sealed the 3rd December 1878, and dated the 15th June 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Russell Reid at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th June 1878.
JOHN RUSSELL REID, of Longdale, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING THE FALLING OF MINING CAGES WHEN
THE WINDING ROPE OR CHAIN BREAKS, ALSO FOR PREVENTING THE OVERWINDING
OF MINING CAGES."
This Invention, which relates to new or improved apparatus for preventing the
falling and overwinding of the cages which are used in the shafts of mines, consists
in the first place in providing the link, or bar, or equivalent by which the cage is
suspended from the raising or lowering rope or chain, with a weight, to which
are attached a pair of gripping jaws or prongs moveable upon centres, which, in the
event of the rope or chain breaking, are caused by the descent of the said weight
to move outwards in such a position as to grip firmly into the slides in the shaft,
and thereby prevent the cage from falling.
The Invention consists in the second place in the construction of the hook or
equivalent attachment, by which the cage is connected to the chain or rope. This
consists of a pair of short levers, each moveable upon a centre or fulcrum, the
inner ends whereof enter a slot formed in a link at the upper end of the apparatus.
Near the upper part of the slides a ring or stops are situated, against which, in the
Price G71

page_text: event of the cage being overwound, the outer ends of
levers are drawn, the
effect of this arrangement being that the overwinding, bringing the outer ends of
the levers against the ring or stops, causes these levers to be depressed, and there-
fore their inner ends to be moved out from the slot in the part or attachment by
which the cage is suspended. The act of overwinding thus disconnects the cage
from the rope or chain, and the retaining apparatus herein-before described being
at the same instant brought into operation holds the cage in the slides, thereby
preventing its falling down the shaft.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Russell Reid in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
December 1878.
JOHN RUSSELL REID, of Longdale, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING THE FALLING OF MINING CAGES WHEN
THE WINDING ROPE OR CHAIN BREAKS, ALSO FOR PREVENTING THE OVERWINDING
OF MINING CAGES."
My said Invention relates to new or improved apparatus for preventing the
falling and overwinding of the cages which are used in the shafts of mines, and
consists in the first place in providing the link, or bar, or equivalent by which the
cage is suspended from the raising or lowering rope or chain with a weight, to
which are attached a pair of gripping jaws or prongs moveable upon centres, which
in the event of the rope or chain broaking, are caused by the descent of the said
weight to move outwards into such a position as to grip firmly into the slides in
the shaft, and thereby prevent the cage from falling.
My said Invention consists in the second place in the construction of the hook
or equivalent attachment by which the cage is connected to the chain or rope.
This consists of a pair of short levers, each moveable upon a centre or fulcrum, the
inner ends whereof enter a slot formed in a link at the upper end of the apparatus.
Near the upper part of the slides a ring or stops are situated, against which, in the
event of the cage being overwound, the outer ends of the levers are drawn, the effect
of this arrangement being that the overwinding, bringing the outer ends of the
levers against the ring or stops, causes these levers to be depressed, and therefore
their inner ends to be moved out from the slot in the part or attachment by which
the cage is suspended. The act of overwinding thus disconnects the cage from the
rope or chain, and the retaining apparatus herein-before described being at the same
instant brought into operation holds the cage in the slides, thereby preventing its
falling down the shaft.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the

page_text: same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawing, and to the letters and Figures marked thereon, that is to
say :-
P
The said Drawing illustrates in elevation a mine cage A, having my improve-
ments combined therewith. The slides in the shaft, between which the said cage
travels, are marked B, and the winding rope is marked C; the chain which connects
the said rope to the cage is marked Ď. This chain is connected to the cage A by
its lower link d passing through a hole in the piece a at the upper part of the top
framing of the cage, which is supported upon the shoulder at of the said lower
link d. To the said link d is connected a weight E. Upon the said lower link is
a pin e, projecting therefrom and engaging in slots f formed at the inner ends of the
gripping jaws or prongs F, capable of turning upon pins f¹ upon the top framing
of the cage, and terminating in points or claws which are in close proximity to the
guides B when the parts are in their normal position. The tendency of the weight E
is to fall, but this tendency is overcome when the connection of the rope C with
the cage A is intact by the pull of the rope and the weight of the cage.
Should the rope C or the chain D break, the weight E will descend (the link d
being so shaped as to allow of this movement), and urge downwards the inner ends
of the jaws or prongs F, so that their outer pointed or claw ends are forced upwards
and outwards into the position indicated by the dot and pick lines, the said points
or claws gripping or entering the substance of the guides B, and the cage is thereby
held suspended in the shaft.
I will now describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the arrange-
ment for preventing the overwinding of the cage.
The chain D is made in two parts, connected together by the link g, into the slot
or opening of which enter the inner ends of short levors h, h, turning upon pins
h, h, passing through the link i, and through the said levers, the outer ends or
tails of the said levers projecting outward from the side of the said link i. The
link g rests upon the inner ends of these levers, which levers so bear upon each
other, or it may be they bear upon stops on the link i, that the said inner ends
will not yield downward, and the attachment of the cage to the rope is by them
maintained.
A ring or stop J is fixed near the upper part of the slides B, that is to say, at a
height which will only be attained by that part of the chain D at which the said
levers h, h, are situated when the cage reaches an undue elevation, and is in danger
of being overwound. The rope C passes through this ring, which is of such inner
diameter that when the cage is being overwound the tails of the levers h, h, come
into contact therewith, and are depressed thereby into the position indicated by
the dot and pick lines, their inner ends rising out of the slot in the link g, whereby
the lower part of the chain D and the cage A being no longer supported by the said
inner ends of the levers h, h, are detached from the upper part of the chain D and
the rope C, and fall therefrom, the fall of the cage down the shaft being provented
by the claws being forced into the guides B by the action of the weight E, as
herein-before described.
The buffers k are provided for additional security, so that should the cage by any
accident not be disengaged when the levers h are depressed, its disengagement will
be effected by the said buffers coming against the ring J.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or practically into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The arrangement of apparatus, essentially as herein before described, and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, for preventing the falling of mining cages
when the winding rope or chain breaks.
Second. The arrangement of apparatus, essentially as herein-before described, and

page_text: illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, for preventing the overwinding of mining
cages by causing their detachment from the winding mope or chain.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Russell Reid, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
JOHN RUSSELL REID. (LS)