IMPROVEMENTS IN HOISTING GEAR
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William John Brewer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th June 1882.
WILLIAM JOHN BREWER of 23 Rood Lane, in the City of London, Civil
Engineer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN HOISTING GEAR"
My invention relates to a novel construction of pulley block whereby I am
enabled to obtain the advantages of a powerful pulley, whilst at the same time, I
am able to regulate my block to suit various weights and be driven at various
speeds.
I construct my improved pulley as follows:-
The power is applied by means of a rope or chain at the circumference of an
exterior driving pulley of large diameter, the said pulley being grooved or indented
so as to give good hold to the rope or chain. This pulley is keyed to an axis
carrying one or more cog pinions of different diameters and is supported by a
suitable framing.
Upon the same framing are supported one or two drums, one on each side of the
central pinion, if more than one be used.
The chain, raising the load, passes through the sheaf of a riding pulley, from
which the weight is suspended, and each end of the chain is attached to each of
the two drums before described. Or where one drum alone is used one end of the
hauling chain is attached to a hook fixed to the frame.
The pinion on the main pulley axle gears direct into drums, so as to give
increased mechanical advantage, the chain being passed round the drums where
two are used, in opposite directions, so that they shall both haul up and lower out
together
One of the axles of the drums is made movable in the frame, so that it can be
slid out of gear and locked. It then acts as a fixed attachment for one end of the
chain, the other end only being hauled in,

page_text: The speed of rise of the load is thus reduced one half, and the mechanical
advantage consequently doubled.
Alternatively, instead of throwing one drum out of gear one end of the chain
may be removed from one drum and attached to a hook on the framing, and the
same increase of power and reduction of speed be effected as above described.
Again, when using only one drum, I may use double alternative gearing upon
the power wheel and drum axles, and further, by gearing the inside of the power
wheel, and shifting the drum in the frame out of gear with the power wheel axle,
and into gear with the inside circumference, I can produce a similar variety of
change in power and speed of lift.
The power pulley is provided with a friction brake, operated by a spring, for
lowering easy, and to prevent the weight from running down.
To obtain a further increase of power if desired, I may use a double block tackle
of any number of sheaves instead of a single riding pulley.
This gear as described is also applicable to the purposes of a winch, handles
being attached either to the rim of the power pulley, or cranked to the axle.
I may further modify my apparatus by using two power pulleys, one on each
side of the frame, each gearing into a drum, one to one side, and the other to
the opposite side of the two power pulleys, which are placed centrally in the
frame,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William John Brewer in the Great Seal Patent Offico on the
20th December 1882.
WILLIAM JOHN BREWER, of 23 Rood Lane in the City of London, Civil
Engineer, IMPROVEMENTS IN HOISTING GEAR
My Invention relates to a novel construction of pulley block, whereby I am
enabled to obtain the advantages of a powerful pulley, whilst at the same time I
am able to regulate my block to suit various weights and to lift at various
speeds.
I construct my improved pulley in a variety of alternative and equivalent
methods, the common features to all being, that the power is applied by means of
a rope or chain, at the circumference of a driving pulley, of large, or large and smaller,
diameters, the said pulley or pulleys being grooved or indented, so as to give good
hold to the rope or chain. These pulleys are keyed to an axis, carrying one or
more cog pinions of different diameters and it is supported by a suitable framing,
suspended by the usual hook, eye, or shackle.
In order that the various modifications of my improved pulley bo clearly under-
stood, I now proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being had to the
drawings hereto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Like letters refer to equivalent parts in the different figures:
In Figures 1 and 2 A is the framing, and B B¹ the power grooved pulleys for
hand-ropo or chain. To the axis of theso pulleys is fitted the pinion C, and upon
the inside circumference D of the larger pulley B, are cogged teeth. The pinion C
or the internal gearing, may be caused alternatively to gear into either or both
of the geared lifting drums E, on their inside or outside faces, respectively, according
as the said drums are moved in the slots F of the frame.
Upon the surfaces of the geared drums E are grooves or indents, in which the
fall chain G, supporting the load is gripped. The fall chain may be passed round
a system of any known block tackle H, to increase the mechanical power of the
blocks.
This arrangement is capable of the following six modifications to produce
variable proportions between power and speed.
First. Both drums E may be in middle gear as shown, with the lift chain G 80
disposed that both ends are lifting simultaneously.
Second. One drum E may be moved out of gear along the slot F, and locked so
that it is prevented from turning, the other drum E being in middle gear and
lifting only one end of the fall chain G
Third. One drum E out of gear and locked, and the other drum in outside gear
with D. The fall chain as before.
Fourth. Both drums E in outside gear D, both ends of chain G lifting
together.
Fifth. One of the ends of the fall chain may be passed the opposite way round
one of the drums E, thus making the action on the fall chain differential :-tho
drums in middle gear.
Sixth. The fall chain G arranged differentially, and the drums E in outside
gear.
Figure 3 shows two views of a simple arrangement of a single lifting drum, with
two shcaves E E' of different diameters.
The power is applied through hand-chain or rope pulleys B B¹ and drives the
drums E E' and K by the pinion C, gearing inside the pulley K. The exterior
of K and of E and E¹, are indented to receive and grip the lifting chain or rope G,
which may be used on either of the three. diameters or arranged differentially on

page_text: any two of them. The pulleys E E¹ are so fitted that they may either run looso
on their axle, or may be keyed together, and to the pulley K, by a pin through
their boss.
Figure 4 shows two views of another arrangement in which a single lifting
drum with sheaves E K of two different diameters is used, and also two alter-
native power axles and pinions C and C¹, on either of which is placed the power
pulley B, to work by hand-chain or rope.
The pinions C and C₁, of considerably different diameter, gear into the internal
gearing of K and the cog wheel H respectively, so as to produce a variation in
lifting power and speed, according to which power pinion and axle is in use. The
lifting or fall chain is passed round a riding pulley L so that it can conve-
niently be passed round both the two upper pulleys when desired.
Figures 5 and 6 show two views of an alternative arrangement of two drums E
and E', operated by either of two pinions and axles C C₁, gearing into internal
teeth inside the drums, on either of which axles the power pulley B may be fixed
as desired. The drums are geared together so that both drums may be driven
from either of the power pinions as desired. One of the drums may be put out
of gear by being moved along slots in the frame-The fall or lifting chain may be
arranged differentially or otherwise as desired.
Figure 7 shows two views of an alternative arrangement in which the two
drums E and E' are arranged vertically on either side of the pinion C on the
power axle, carrying two power pulleys B B¹.
One of the drums may be moved out of gear by being shifted along slots in the
frame, and the lifting chain may be arranged differentially or other-wise.
Figure 8. shows two views of a last modification in which the hand-rope or chain
pulleys B B operate by a pinion C, into the geared wheel K, on the drum shaft,
to which are keyed pulleys E E¹ of different diameters. The lifting chain may
be arranged differentially or otherwise around any two of the lifting drums.
In all the preceding arrangements, a light winch may be used in the bottom
loop of the hand-chain, to give better convenience and further increase of power or
speed as desired.
And having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which it is to be performed, be it known that what I consider
novel and desire to protect by Letters Patent is :-
First. In a lifting block the combination of geared wheels, power rope pulleys,
lifting tackle, and lifting drums, used differentially or otherwise, to produce
variations in power and speed substantially as described.
Second. In such a lifting block, the use of sliding pinions by which alternative
gearing may be thrown in and out, substantially as described.
Third. In such a lifting block the use of two or more hand-rope pulleys of
different diameter, to produce variations of power, substantially as described
In witness whereof I the said William John Brewer have hereunto set my
hand and Seal this twentieth day of December in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness:
JOHN. C. FELL
23 Rood Lanc,
Fenchurch Street
London E.C.
Patent Agent
WILLIAM, JOHN. BREWER. (L.S.)