Improvements in Safety and Controlling Devices for Lifts and. Hoists Used for Carrying Passengers and Goods.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th June, 1896-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety and Controlling Devices for Lifts and.
Hoists Used for Carrying Passengers and Goods.
I, JAMES THOMAS CLIFTON, of 16, Ondine Road East Dulwich, in the County
of Surrey, Bootmaker, 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide safety devices for arresting the descent
of the cage, and in some cases the counterbalance of a lift or hoist in the event of
the suspending rope or chain breaking: to maintain the cage at any desired level
while in use (thus taking the strain off the suspending rope or chain) and to prevent
any unauthorised person outside the cage working the starting rope; to provide
means for automatically controlling the ascent or descent of the cage of a goods
lift and arresting its motion at any desired floor; and to provide means for auto-
matically opening and closing gates or doors situate on the various floors and giving
access to the cage of the lift, so that the cage may only be entered for discharging
or loading at the floor to which the cage has been designed to stop-thus
providing a safeguard against the serious accident of any one inadvertently passing
into the shaft of a lift when the cage is not at the floor on which he or she may at
the time be.
In Sheet 1 of the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1. is a partial sectional plan of a
lift with its cage fitted according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same taken on the line 1, 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is
a side elevation of the cage, one side of the cage being removed; Figs. 34 & 3 show
respectively in partial plan and elevation on an enlarged scale, detail views of a
gripping device to be actuated by the attendant for holding the starting rope while
the cage is at rest, to prevent any unauthorised person outside the cage working the
starting rope.
In Sheet II. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the upper part of the shaft of a lift or
hoist and cage worked by a counterweight and fitted according to my invention.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of the top of the shaft and Fig. 6 a back elevation of the
same, showing the counterweight fitted according to my invention.
Figs. 7, 8 and 9, Sheet III are respectively detached plan, side, and back views
of details of an arrangement of gripper mechanism for use principally in goods
lifts, which not only prevents the starting ropes being worked from outside while
the cage is at rest, but is capable of being adjusted to arrest the ascent or descent
of the cage at any floor as required.
In Sheet IV, Fig. 10 shows a collapsable gate or door for closing the entrance to
a lift shaft, the mechanism for actuating the same being shown in the same plane,
the better to illustrate its working, and the door being closed.
Fig. 11 is a similar view, the door being open. Fig. 12 is a sectional view of
part of the shaft of a lift, showing the mode of actuating the mechanism for
opening and closing the door. Figs. 124 are detail views on an enlarged scale of
slides for working the door, and Figs. 12 details of an adjustable tappet for
actuating the slides above mentioned.
In Sheet V, Fig. 13 shows in diagrammatic form the shaft of a lift with its cage,
indicating the position of the stops for actuating the gripping mechanism; and
Fig. 14 a similar view showing the position of the different slides for actuating the
doors on the several floors.

page_text: Referring now to Sheet 1 of the drawings;
A is the shaft of the lift, B the cage, and C the suspending rope or chain. This
rope or chain carries a crosshead C to which is attached a pendant bolt or rod D.
Mounted upon this bolt or rod and capable of sliding thereon is a sleeve D'
formed with projecting lugs on each side.
The uppermost lugs are connected by strong springs d, d with the arms of the
crosshead C, thus keeping the sleeve D' in its raised position on the bolt as shown
in Figs. 2 and 3.
The lowermost lugs on the sleeve D' are connected by links or chains to the
tails of a pair of pawl levers E, E pivotted in hearings on the roof of the cage.
The tails of the levers E, E are formed with downwardly projecting arms to
which are attached wire ropes or chains e, e-these ropes or chains are passed
through holes in the roof of the cage, and are led over suitable guide pullies b, b
either inside the cage (as shown in the drawing) or if necessary outside, as thought
desirable, where they are attached to a hand lever & which is capable of being
locked in position on a quadrant & by a spring catch or other suitable means; for
the purpose to be presently described.
The shaft of the lift is provided on both sides with rack teeth a, a, extending
from the top to the bottom of the shaft, to engage with the pawi levers E, E in
the event of the suspending rope breaking, or to take the strain off the latter when
the cage is stopped to discharge its load. The rack teeth are so spaced that at each
floor the cage shall be supported at the proper level. So long as there is any
weight on the suspending rope or chain the pawl levers E, E will be held out of
action by the springs d, d but, on the suspending rope or chain being slacked or
broken the erusshead C and its attachments will fall and the tails of the pawl
levers E, E being released will assume the dotted position of Fig. 2 engaging with
the rack teeth a, a on the sides of the shaft and so arrest the descent of the cage
and its load, the bearings in which the levers E, E are mounted acting as stops to
prevent these levers going beyond a horizontal position as shown in section at
Fig. 2.
If it is desired to support the cage during loading or unloading and so take the
strain off the suspending rope or chain, it will only be necessary for the attendant
to rock the hand lever and lock it in position, thereby pulling down the tails of
the pawl levers E, E by the wire ropes or chains e, e against the action of the
springs d, d and so cause the levers to engage with the rack teeth a, a and thus
support the cage. The springs d, d will return the levers E, E to their normal
position clear of the rack teeth a, a on the lever b' being unlocked by the attendant
and returned to its former position.
In order to prevent any unauthorised person working the starting rope of a lift
or hoist from outside the cage while the latter is at rest, loading or discharging, I
provide the device shown best in the detail views, Figs. 34 and 3°.
In these figures B is the wall of the cage, to the inside of which is secured a
bracket G.
Pivotted to this bracket is a pair of gripper jaws g. g, the inner ends of which are
connected by links to a slide H mounted in the bracket and extending through the
wall of the cage to the outside thereof.
The outer ends of the grippers are so shaped as to embrace the starting rope F
and are corrugated on their inside faces to take a better hold of the starting rope,
the latter being fitted at intervals with a correspondingly shaped covering which
will serve, not only to protect the starting rope from wear, but to allow of the
grippers taking a better hold. is a rock lever pivotted on a bracket on the outside
of the cage: the lower arm of this lever takes into the outer end of the slide H.
The upper arm is attached to a handle h' which passes through the wall of the cage
and is situate so as to be convieniently operated by the attendant.
On the cage being stopped at a floor in the usual manner the attendant will by
pulling on the handle A' rock the lever A causing the slide H to move outwards and
close the grippers y,g on to the starting rope F-so soon, however as this movement

page_text: is effected, & pin g' carried by the bracket G will drop into a hole in the slide H
and lock the grippers in this position.
The starting rope F will now be held securely by the grippers while the cage is
being loaded or unloaded and any attempt to start the cage by pulling on the
starting rope from outside will be unavailing.
Before starting the cage on a fresh journey the attendant will simply have to lift
the pin g clear of the hole 3, when the slide H will travel back, under the influence
of a spring to the position shown in the figures, thereby opening the grippers and
releasing the starting rope which is now available for starting the cage in the usual
manner.
The bracket G forms a guide for the starting rope to ensure the grippers
embracing it.
In the case of lifts working with a counter balance, in addition to the above
described device for arresting the descent of the cage in the event of the suspending
rope breaking, I also provide means for arresting the descent of the counter balance
under like circumstances.
This is illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, Sheet II.
In these figures A is the shaft of the lift, B the cage, C the suspending rope or
chain, and K the counter balance. L, L are a pair of pawl levers pivotted in
bearings on the top of the counter weight-the inner ends of these levers are
attached by a bridle L to the suspending rope or chain C which passes over a
pulley M carried in bearings on the top of the shaft A. The rope is attached to
the cage B as described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
1,1 are rack teeth formed on the sides of the guides of the counter weight,
secured to the back of the shaft of the lift and extending from top to bottom thereof.
So long as there is any weight on the suspending chain the levers L, L will be
retained in the drawn position shown at Fig. 6, but on the slacking or breaking of
the suspending chain the inner ends or tails of these levers will fall causing their
outer ends to project beyond the sides of the counter weight K and engage with
one or other of the rack teeth I, I on the guides of the counter weight, as shown in
dotted lines in Fig. 6 and thus arrest the descent of the counter weight K, the
descent of the cage B being arrested as before described. The counter weight may
be constructed as shown in the drawing of a series of weights k placed one on each
other and secured by bolts k¹ between plates 2 so as to be easily removable, the
bolts being sufficiently long to admit of more weight being added, if necessary, to
make up the balance, or any other well known form of counter balance may be used
for the same purpose.
!
Figures 7, 8 and 9, Sheet III illustrate an arrangement of gripping jaws suitable
for use in a goods lift, for gripping the starting rope and so arresting the ascent or
descent of the cage at any desired floor. These jaws are actuated by fixed
stops 1, 2, 3, 4 (see Fig. 13, Sheet V) arranged on the several floors.
In this arrangement, the two parts of the starting rope pass through the cage and
each part is embraced by a pair of gripping jaws similar in construction to those
described with reference to Figs. 34 and 3B Sheet I.
B is the wall of the cage, F F the two parts of the starting rope, 9, 9, 9*, 9*,
are the gripper jaws and H H* the slides.
The part F of the starting rope is destined to be gripped by the upward move-
ment of the cage, and the part by the downward movement of the same.
N is a frame carried by arms n secured to a rock shaft a mounted in bearings on
the outside of the cage. This frame carries a plate 2 which is capable of being
slidden along the frame N by means of a fork mounted in a slot in the wall of
the cage B and secured thereto at will in any position by a nut or other suitable
means.
A second arm * on the rock shaft n' is
the slide H. A rod o connects one of the
lever O pivotted to the cage-the other arm
the slide H*.
attached by a link to the outer end of
arms n with one arm of a bell crank
of this lever is attached by a link to.

page_text: Both pairs of gripping jaws are kept in their normal or open position by means
of springs, as described with reference to Figs. 34, 3"."
:
The action is as follows :-Supposing it is desired to send the cage up to, say,
No. 3 floor the attendant will first shift the plate n² by means of its fork to the
number 3 on the indicator inside the cage (see the diagram Fig. 13), and secure
it in place he will then start the enge by pulling the starting rope in the usual
manner. The cage will now he lifted by the suspending rope and the plate n
will pass the stops 1 and 2, by reason of their not being in the same plane as
the plate (see Fig. 13, Sheet V), but on arriving at the stop 3, at which floor
the enge was to be stopped, the plate a will strike the stop 3, rock the frame N, the
arms n, n, and the bell crank lever O.
This movement will cause the slide H to be drawn outwards, closing the gripping
jaws 9, 9 upon the part of the starting rope, when the pin g' will fall into the
hole in the slide and securely lock the jawy g, a
The slide Hnow works in a contrary direction and further opens the jaws 9",g".
The cage in its further upward movement carries the plate n past the stop 3 a
distance sufficient to cause the jaws g, g to pull upon the part F of the starting rope
to stop the cage.
The cage is thus stopped for loading or unloading purposes at the desired
point.
For re-starting the cage either up or down, the attendant will first unlock the
gripping jaws g, g by lifting the pin g',-(the jaws returning to their normal position
by the springs, 1), and set the plate n by shifting the fork to the number of
the floor on the indicator at which it is desired to stop the cage. He will then
start the cage in the usual manner and the operation of stopping will be effected
as above explained, it being understood that a downward movement of the cage
will actuate the gripping jawa 99 and retain the part of the starting rope.
If it is desired to stop the cage by hand, the fork ³ may be moved to either one
end or the other of the slot in the back of the cage, in which position the plate a²
will clear all the stops on the different floors.
I will now proceed to describe that part of my invention which relates to auto-
matically opening and closing gates or doors at the apertures on each floor of a
lift shaft by the ascent or descent of the cage, and the ineans employed for ensuring
that culy the gate or door on the floor at which it is desired to stop the cage, shall
be operated upon.
This will be more clearly illustrated on reference to Sheet IV of the drawings,
where Fig. 10 shows the gate or door closed, Fig. 11 the gate or door open, and
Fig. 12 a section of part of a lift shaft and a cage, with the apparatus for closing
the door or gate.
A is the side of the shaft and B the cage: P, Pare tappets adjustably mounted
in the side of the cage in a slot. Above the slot is an indicator on which the
number of floors are marked.
One of the tappets is shown in sectional side, and in front view as seen from the
inside of the cage at Figs. 12" and its use will be presently explained.
Qika cillapsable door of a well known form, but a sliding door or shutter may
be used. This door works in a fixed frame Q' on the outside of the shaft and is
connected by chains or wire ropes g, 7, 7, 9 passing over suitable guide pullies,
to slides R, R arranged one 'above the other in vertical guides R¹ formed on the
inside of the shaft, the chains or ropes 93, 93 being attached to the upper slide R
and the chains g, y' to the lower slide R. Each of the slides R,' carries a
pivotted plater, the lower half of which is slightly heavier than the upper part,
for the purpose to be presently explained. ' Projecting from the back of the plate
is a rib or tail, which, when the slides are in position, lies in the path of whichever
of the tappets carried by the cage, is in use.
Supposing now the cage is to be stopped at No. 3 floor-it will be required to
open the gate or door on that floor. The tappet P will be set by the attendant to
No. 3 on the indicator and the cage started, the positions of the slides being that

page_text: shown in Fig. 10. On the cage rising to near the level of No. 3 floor, the tappet P
will catch the tail on the plate r, carrying up the slide R and pulling upon the
chain g', thus causing the gate or door Q to collapse, to open a free passage to
the cage.
The slide R continues to rise with the cage until it reaches an aperture ¹ in
the back of the guide R'. The plate r is then tipped to the dotted position of
Fig. 12, the tappet P or Pl, as the case may be, just passing clear of it, allowing
the plater to swing and resume its vertical position by reason of the lower half
being heavier than the upper part. At this moment the cage will have arrived at
the level of the floor and will have been stopped, the door Q being fully open.
While the upward movement of the slide R is taking place, the chains y, g, g
are giving out, and the slide R falls. The two slides are now in the position shown
at Fig. 11.
If it is now desired to proceed to a higher floor, the tappet P will be shifted to
the desired number on the indicator and the tappet P' will be set to No. 3 in order
to act upon the slide R to close the gate or door Q. The first act of the cage
after having been started is to raise the slide R, by the tappet P', pulling upon
the chain and extending the door Q, thereby closing the aperture in the lift
shaft on the floor which the cage has just left, and leaving the slides in the position
of Fig. 10, the plate r of the slide R being tipped as before mentioned on arriving
at the level of a second opening in the back of the guide to allow of the
tappet P¹ passing clear. The tappet P rising with the cage will repeat the
operation just described with reference to floor 3 for opening the door on
the higher floor.
Now supposing the cage to be at rest at floor 3, the gate being open: it is
required to descend to floor 1. The tappet Pl will be set to No. 1 on the indicator
and the tappet P to No. 3. On the cage being started the tappet P will catch
the slide R, carry it downwards, pull upon the chain q and close the gate Q: the
plate on the slide R* now tips into a third aperture to allow the tappet to pass
clear, the gate having been opened by the action of the tappet Pl on the slides as
before explained. The enge has then arrived at floor 1, and is stopped by the
attendant.
It will be seen on reference to Fig. 14, Sheet V, that the arrangement of the
guides R' for the different floors is such that the tappets will only actuate one
pair of slides at a time, and that, the pair of slides working the gate or door at
which it is desired to stop. By shifting the tappets to No. 0 on the indicator,
both the tappets will run clear of all the slides.
The gate or door Q may fasten with any well known spring latch, and may be
unlocked by the notion of the cage, or by the attendant, at the proper moment.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what mauner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a lift or hoist a safety device for arresting the descent of the cage in the
event of the suspending rope breaking, comprising; a pair of pawl levers, pivotted
on the cage for engaging with rack teeth on the shait of the lift; a sleeve con-
nected to said levers; springs carried by a crosshead connecting the latter with
the sleeve and normally holding the pawl levers clear of the rack teeth; and a
bolt or rod serving as guide for the sleeve and connecting the suspending rope with
the cage; as shown and described.
2. In a lift or hoist the combination of the parts mentioned in Claim 1 with a
hand lever or similar device connected to the pawl levers, for causing the pawl
levers to engage with the rack teeth, and lock the pawl levers in position, as set
forth.
3. In a lift or hoist, a safety device carried by the cage, comprising a pair of
pivotted gripping jaws for gripping the starting rope while the cage is at rest and
preventing the rope being worked from outside the cage, connected by links to a

page_text: slide, said slide being actuated by a rock lever worked by hand, a spring to return
the rock lever to its normal position, and locking pin, all as shown and described.
4. In a lift or hoist, the combination of the parts in Claim 1 with a pair of pawl
levers pivotted on the counterweight of a lift, to engage with rack teeth formed
on the guide of the counter weight, for arresting the fall of the counter weight on
the breaking of the suspending rope as shown and described.
5. In a lift or hoist, the safety and controlling device comprising two pairs of
pivotted gripping jaws carried by the cage, for gripping the starting rope, attached
by links to slides, said slides being actuated by an adjustable plate carried on a
rocking frame coming in contact with fixed stops on the inside of the lift shaft,
springs for returning the slides to their. normal position, and locking pin for slides,
for arresting the ascent and descent of the cage at any floor, and for preventing
the starting rope being worked outside the cage while the cage is at rest, as shown
.and described.
6. The means shown and described for opening and shutting gates or doors
closing the entrance to a lift, by the ascent and descent of the cage, for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 9th day of June 1896
JAMES THOMAS CLIFTON.