Improvements in or relating to Lifts or Hoists for Use in Mines or the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1897-Accepted, 17th July, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Lifts or Hoists for Use in Mines
or the like.
I, ANSELME MORIAME of Lambusart, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Colliery,
Manager, 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:-
This invention has for its object the use and operation at the pit bottom of a
special counter-balanced hoisting apparatus applicable for raising coal or other
minerals from mines.
"
The system considered as a whole is characterised:
1st. By the arrangement for caging the trucks by means of two superimposed
detached loading chambers working together;
2nd. By the stop catches at the bottom of the shafts being dispensed with ;
3rd. By the operations of the winding engine for caging and uncaging the trucks
at the pit bottom being dispensed with, such operations being effected by a
counterpoise apparatus, whilst the caging and uncaging movements at the pit
head are simultaneously effected by the winding engine.
4th. By the operations at the pit bottom being effected with greater facility and
with a diminution of the danger resulting from the toilsome work of the engineers
in charge of the hoisting machine which is considerably simplified by the use of
the counter-balanced hoist.
5th. By the saving of time required for the caging operations, thus allowing of
the quantity of material raised being increased or the time devoted to winding
diminished.
The whole of the characteristic arrangements of this improved apparatus are
shown in the accompanying drawings, in which―
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the loading chambers.
Figure 2 is a horizontal plan view of the same;
Figure 3 a transverse section of the same on the line A B of Figure 2;
:
Figure 4 a vertical section of the shaft showing a cage with four tiers or stages.
resting on the movable frame of the apparatus ;
Figure 5 is a separate view of the mode of connecting the cables to their pulleys.
As shown in Figures 1-4 the bottom stage rests on a movable frame d travelling
in channel iron guides e fixed to the uprights of the shaft. This frame is
suspended by four steel ropes f passing over a train of grooved pulleys keyed on
two transmission shafts g, which latter are operated by the central cable h of the
counterweight i, the weight of which latter is equal to that of the cage plus the
weight of four empty trucks. In the example shown this counterweight is com-
posed of a number of cast metal plates guided by two vertical rails secured in
the masonry, these plates being also provided with two iron rods j which run
through them and,serve as guides for other additional plates, that is to say for that
portion of the counterweight which it is necessary to add when persons are
descending the shaft.
In combination with this apparatus two superimposed charging chambers nh

page_text: are arranged at the pit bottom in such a way that the upper receiver stands above
the lower one at a height equal to the whole of two compartments or stages of the
winding cage of the hoist and in addition an ordinary load raising device c, which
may be of any suitable construction, is arranged at the side..
The working of the apparatus is very simple. The trucks filled with coal ore or
the like, come from the workings into the upper loading chamber a and half
of these trucks are successively lowered into the lower chamber by means of the
loading device c. The cage charged with four empty trucks (which is at the pit
bottom) being stationary on the frame d and thus at equilibrium with the counter-
weight, two empty trucks 2 and 4 are withdrawn and replaced by two loaded ones.
The cage being thus weighted with the coal contained in the two trucks, the brake
of the pulley of the counterweight is released and as the latter is no longer in
equilibrium with the already partly loaded cage, the said cage descends until it
encounters catches or stops which may be of any suitable form. The empty
trucks 1 and 3 are then in turn brought to the floor level of the loading
chambers a and band withdrawn in order to be replaced with loaded trucks.
These operations take place whilst the engineer is effecting the various manipula-
tions of the cage which is at the bank or pit head and it suffices for this to give the
winding rope or cable an excess of length equal to the height of one stage of the
winding cage. A single signal suffices for warning the engineer that the cage at
the bottom is ready for winding up and whilst this loaded cage is ascending, the
two empty trucks remaining in the lower chamber are raised into the upper
chamber by means of the side lifting apparatus c in order to be forwarded to the
workings of the mine, and by the same apparatus two loaded trucks must, then be
lowered for the purpose of charging the cage then descending and thus in succession
as hereinbefore described.
As may be easily seen the working of the apparatus is extremely simple.
In the ordinary installations, the operations for preparing the lower cage are
effected before or after those of the cage at the bank or pit head but not
simultaneously, and therefore by the use of the present arrangement a considerable
saving of time is effected. The saving may be estimated at 40 per cent. calculating
the time employed for the ascent of the cage to be the same as with an ordinary
apparatus. A daily amount raised of say 400 tons may be increased by the use of
this improved apparatus. to 540 tons for the same period of time, or the time
emploved for winding may be reduced by 25 per cent.
It may be stated in conclusion that this arrangement in no way impedes mining
operations, thus for raising drainage water for instance the upper bars or the
frame d which are movable are removed so that the cage may continue freely its
descent without necessitating any other change.
In case of any carelessness on the part of the engineer the released cage can only
break the movable cross bars of the frame d.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare tha: what I
claim is:
1. In lifts or hoists applicable for use in mines or the like, the combination with
two superimposed charging chambers (acting in concert and having a truck raising
apparatus arranged at the side) of a counterbalancing apparatus for dispensing
with the operations of the winding engine in caging and un-caging the trucks at
the pit bottom, these latter operations being effected by the said counterbalancing
apparatus simultaneously with those performed at the pit head by the winding
engine substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
2. In a lift or hoist apparatus, the arrangement of a counterbalancing apparatus
consisting of a movable frame (d) travelling in guides (e) fixed to the uprights of the
shaft and suspended by steel ropes (f) travelling over a series of grooved pulleys
keyed on transmission shafts (9) operated by a central cable (h) and attached to a

page_text: counterweight (2) the construction and weight of the latter being regulated
according to the conditions of the winding, the whole substantially as hereinfore
described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Deted this 16th day of June 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.