Improved Parcel Lowering Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Parcel Lowering Apparatus.
JOSEPH HENRY WILKINSON 42 Cherry Street in the City of Birmingham in
the County of Warwick Manchester Warehouseman do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to an improved parcel lowering apparatus for expeditiously
and economically effecting the lowering of parcels or goods from the various
floors of a building to the basement or lowest room for packing and forwarding
purposes.
The apparatus being kept in continuous movement and the parcel receptacles or
trays being at close intervals as soon as a parcel is placed on a tray at any floor it
is on its descent to the packing room and the close proximity of the trays to each
other prevents waiting at doorways a lowering tray being always near at hand.
A customer may be making selections of goods at the respective floors of the
building which can be instantly placed on the lowering apparatus and when the
selection is completed a list of the purchases can descend with the last item to
the packing room when the various parcels can be collected checked, and packed
ready for forwarding whilst the custoiner is descending the building by the staircase
or lift.
:
The object of my invention is to economise space for containing the apparatus
and also the power necessary for operating such apparatus.
:
Referring to the accompanying drawings Sheet 1, shews my lowering apparatus
in Figs. 1, 2, 3 & 4 and Sheet 2 shews the controlling arrangements and details in
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the respective
views-A represents the lowering trays, B the endless chains, C the endless chain
drums, 1) the guide rollers, of trays, E the vertical guides to keep the trays in the
horizontal plane, F the curved portion of guides to transform the trays A from
horizontal to vertical position at bottom and vice-versa at top, G the channel guides
for ascending trays, H tbe enclosing partition preferably metallic sheeting to
protect the ascending trays from the descending trays and parcels, J is an inclined
splayed platform to receive the parcels tipped from the trays A. at bottom of the
apparatus, K a curved catch hanger bracket at either side to prevent the trays A
from tipping prematurely, L represents the various floors of the building, M the
doorways or openings at the various floors, N the continuous driving chains wrought
from the shaft O, through the medium of the notched wheels P and Q and
chains N, R represents the driving pulley upon which the band S works T is a
double frictional clutch engaging with the pulley R when the apparatus is being
wrought by the belt S and engaging with the conical recess of the bracket U, when'
the apparatus is operated by the descending. parcels, V the controlling governor
acting in the following manner : When the trays A are empty the governor is
down forcing the clutch T in contact with the driving pulley R through the
medium of the lever X, keeping the apparatus continuously working at normal
speed.
Upon the parcels being lowered on the trays A, the speed is somewhat increased
when the governor expands depressing the stem Y, through the medium of the
levers Z, upon the. clutch operating lever. X forcing the clutch T in contact with
the conical recess in bracket U which acting as a resistance brake prevents &

page_text: higher speed than desired and adjusted for being obtained by the gravitation of
the descending parcels, upon the parcels being delivered from the trays the speed
becomes slower, the governor falls releasing the brake action and engaging with
the driving pulley keeping the apparatus at work at normal speed.
Referring to Sheet 3 Figs. 11 & 12. The governor V is rotated by the bevel
gear pinion A¹ through the medium of the bevel gear wheel B' the latter being
secured to the shaft O, thus any variation in the speed of rotation of the shaft O
resulting from the varying load on, the descending trays is communicated to the
governor V causing the depression of the lever X at accelerated speed of shaft O
by the stem, Y, being effected through the lever Z and upon the speed the shaft O,
becoming normal the spring C' raises the stem Y; the dotted lines shew the
position of the governor arms D' when the apparatus is at rest.
By means of the afore-described automatic controlling arrangements I economise
power as the lowering parcels operate the apparatus quite independent of the
driving power, the latter being available for keeping the apparatus at work when
the trays are unloaded.
The belt S has only to rotate the pulley R during the time the apparatus is being
worked by the descending parcels, thus if an electric motor be employed to work
the belt S, only such slight amount of current would he used as is necessary to
keep the motor running and the friction of the pulley R and belt S.
But in cases where parcels are being lowered continuously I should connect the
motor switch with the controlling lever X when the current supply would be
automatically cut off during the working of the apparatus with the clutch T in
contact with the resistance brake U. When the belt S is operated by a hydraulic
motor I fix an automatic valve as shewn in section in Fig. 8 Sheet 2 in connection
with the lever X this valve consists of a stem a, kept on its seating b automatically
by the spring c, when the lever X is depressed by the governor shutting off water
supply from the motor whilst the apparatus is being worked by the descending
parcels, but upon the lever X taking the position for putting the clutch T in contact
with the driving pulley R by means of the weight e the stem a is raised by the
said lever and the passage from supply branch f to connecting branch g to motor
is opened for the passage of the pressure water for operating the motor to keep
the apparatus at normal speed with the trays unloaded, this valve is essential as
the consumption of water would otherwise be the same with motor running light
or loaded.
I preferably construct the guide roller of a solid rubber disc h with metallic
centre bush as shewn in Figs. 9 & 10 Sheet 2, these work without noise and
cushion the trays at top and bottom when tipping.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention,
and the manner in which it is to be performed I declare that I claim as my
invention of an "Improved parcel lowering apparatus."
. First. Arranging a series of parcel receptacles or trays upon two endless chains
or bands with guides to cause the trays to descend flat or in the horizontal plane
and to ascend vertically or edgewise with curved portion of guides at extremities
of the apparatus to effect the tipping and transformation of the trays from the
horizontal to the vertical position at the bottom and vice versa at the top thus
economising space for containing the apparatus substantially in the manner herein-
before described and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 & 4 of the accompanying drawing
Sheet 1.
Secondly. The arrangement of driving my parcel lowering apparatus continuously
with automatic controlling governor and attachments facilitating the descending
parcels working the apparatus by gravitation with the driving gear disconnected
preventing an accelerated speed being obtained and automatically engaging the
driving gear for working the apparatus when parcels are not descending substantially
in the manner hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 & 7 of the
accompanying drawing Sheet 2.

page_text: Thirdly. The automatic controlling valve for use when the driving power is
a hydraulic motor automatically connecting the pressure supply to the motor for
working the apparatus when parcels are not descending and automatically shutting
off the water supply when the apparatus is being worked by the descending parcels,
thereby economising the consumption of pressure water substantially in the
manner herein before described and illustrated in Fig. 8 of the accompanying
drawing Sheet 2.
Fourthly. The combination of my parcel lowering apparatus and automatic
controlling arrangements acting in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 5th day of December 1896.
JOSEPH HENRY WILKINSON.