IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY CAGES FOR MINE SHAFTS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO LIFTS FOR WAREHOUSES, HOTELS, AND FOR OTHER PLACES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Robert Stooke, of Teignmouth, in the
County of Devon, Ironmonger, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SAFETY CAGES FOR MINE SHAFTS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE TO LIFTS FOR WAREHOUSES, HOTELS, AND FOR OTHER PLACES."
Sealed the 11th February 1870, and dated the 30th August 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Robert Stooke
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th August 1869.
I, CHARLES ROBERT STOOKE, of Teignmouth, in the County of Devon,
Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY CAGES FOR MINE SHAFTS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
ALSO APPLICABLE TO LIFTS FOR WAREHOUSES, HOTELS, AND FOR OTHER PLACES,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the arrangement or combination herein-after
described of the parts of safety cages for mine shafts, whereby great
simplicity and non-liability to derangement of the parts are secured, as
well as efficiency in action.

page_text: My improvements are also applicable to lifts for warehouses, hotels,
and for other places.
I will describe my improvements as applied to a safety cage for mine
shafts. In constructing a safety cage according to my Invention I
divide the cage into three compartments. In the middle compartment
is the platform, on which the men to be raised or lowered in the
mine shaft stand. In the top compartment is a funnel-shaped mouth,
which forms the top of the cage and also a roof to the men's platform.
From the funnel-shaped mouth and passing through the men's platform
is a tube, through which tube the winding chain or rope by which the
cage is raised or lowered passes. In the bottom compartment of the
cage and under the men's platform are four arms or levers connected
together near their inner ends by a bar or axis parallel to one of the
sides of the cage. The inner ends of the said arms or levers are slotted,
and the bar or axis described works in the slots. The said levers are
arranged in a diagonal direction in the cage, so that the outer end of a
lever is situated at each angle or corner of the cage. When the said
levers are nearly horizontal their outer ends project from the sides of
the cage,
but when their inner ends are raised so as to incline the levers
their outer ends are situated within the cage. The horizontal position
of the levers is determined by stops against which the inner ends bear.
The winding chain or rope which passes through the tube in the men's
compartment is provided at its end with a weight, which weight when
tension is put on the said chain or rope bears against the bar or axis
of the levers, and raises the said levers and lifts the cage. In the mine
shaft are uprights provided with stops or projections, with which stops
or projections the outer ends of the levers described may engage at the
proper time and support the cage in the mine shaft. When the cage is
ascending or descending the mine shaft the strain on the winding chain
or rope raises the inner ends of the levers, thereby maintaining their
outer ends within the cage, and preventing any obstruction to the
motion of the cage in the shaft. Should however the chain or rope break
the levers being no longer supported fall and take a nearly horizontal
position. The outer ends of the levers are thereby projected outwards
from the angles of the cage, and engaging with the stops or projections
of the mine shaft support the cage in the said shaft. The weight
described at the end of the separated chain causes it to fall to the
bottom of the shaft. In order the more effectually to secure the

page_text: engaging of the levers with the stops or projections in case of accident
the said levers are pressed down by weights. The stops or projections
described with which the levers engage are constructed similar to the
rounds of a ladder, so that in case of accident and after the cage has been
suspended in the shaft the men may get out of the cage and ascend or
descend the mine shaft by means of the said rounds. I place in the
men's compartment of the cage a series of levers or breaks, which can
be operated by the men during the ascending of the cage. The said
levers or breaks are actuated by screws, and when put into operation
their outer ends engage in the stops or rounds herein-before described,
and thereby prevent the cage being drawn above its proper height
through the carelessness or mismanagement of the engineer. When
the levers or breaks are drawn into the cage they prevent any obstruction
to the raising of the cage.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Robert Stooke in the Great Seal, Patent
Office on the 23rd February 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
ROBERT STOOKE, of Teignmouth, in the County of Devon, Ironmonger,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Robert Stooke, Her special
licence that I, the said Charles Robert Stooke, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Robert Stooke,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SAFETY CAGES FOR MINE SHAFTS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO
LIFTS FOR WAREHOUSES, HOTELS, AND FOR OTHER PLACES;" upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles Robert Stooke, my executors

page_text: or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Robert Stooke, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of the arrangement or combination herein-after
described of the parts of safety cages for mine shafts whereby great
simplicity and non-liability to derangement of the parts are secured
as well as efficiency in action.
My improvements are also applicable to lifts for warehouses, hotels,
and for other places.
I will describe and represent my improvements as applied to a safety
cage for mine shafts. In constructing a safety cage according to my
Invention I divide the cage into three compartments. In the middle
compartment is the platform, on which the men to be raised or lowered
in the mine shaft stand. In the top compartment is a funnel-shaped
mouth, which forms the top of the cage and also a roof to the men's
platform. From the funnel-shaped mouth and passing through the
men's platform is a tube, through which the winding chain or rope by
which the cage is raised or lowered passes.
The principal novelty in this Invention consists in applying to the
bottom of the cage a series of four arms or levers connected together
at their inner ends by a cross rod or axis, against which rod or axis a
weight on the end of the winding chain bears. When strain is put on
the chain or rope to raise or lower the cage the inner ends of the levers
are raised and the outer ends are drawn within the cage, and offer no
obstruction to the motion of the cage; should, however, the chain or
rope break the levers fall or are pressed down by weights. Their outer
ends are thereby projected from the angles of the cage and engaging with
stops, projections, or rounds on uprights in the mine shaft support the
cage in the said shaft. Other levers or breaks may be situated in the
middle part of the cage which can be operated by the persons in the cage
so as to prevent the cage being raised above its proper height.

page_text: Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawing represent partly in
elevation and partly in section, a safety cage for a mine shaft constructed
according to my Invention, the said cage being represented in combin-
ation with the uprights between which it works in the mine shaft. In
Figure 1 the cage is represented disengaged from the uprights and at
liberty to be raised or lowered in the mine shaft, and in Figure 2 the
said cage is represented supported in the mine shaft by the uprights,
the engaging mechanism of the cage being represented in action;
Figure 3 represents a horizontal section of the cage and uprights taken
on the line x, Figure 2, and Figure 4 represents a vertical section of
the same taken on the line y, Figure 2. The same letters of reference
are employed to indicate the same parts in each of the Figures.
The safety cage is divided into three parts or compartments marked
respectively a, b, c. In the middle compartment 6 is the platform b³
on which the men to be raised or lowered in the mine shaft stand,
the said platform constituting the bottom of the compartment b. In
the top compartment a is a conical or funnel-shaped mouth d, which
forms the roof of the cage and also a roof to the men's platform 62.
From the funnel-shaped mouth d and passing through the middle
compartment and men's platform is a tube e, through which tube
the winding chain or rope f by which the cage is raised or lowered
passes. The funnel-shaped roof d of the cage acts as a guide to the
central tube e and enables the chain or rope to be readily passed
through the said tube. In the bottom compartment c of the cage
and under the men's platform & are four arms or levers g, h, i, k,
two levers being situated on opposite sides of the cage, so that the outer
end of a lever is disposed at cach angle or corner of the cage, as best
seen in the horizontal section Figure 3. The levers h, k, are forked
at their inner ends, and the inner ends of the other levers g, i, lie
between the forks (see Figure 3). The said levers g, h, i, k, turn on
the joints g, h,,, and are connected together near their inner ends,
where they cross by a rod or axis 1, P, situated parallel to those sides
of the cage which are without levers. The inner ends of the levers
are slotted, and the outer reduced ends of the bar or axis 1, 2, work in
the slots. On opposite sides of the cage are stops or supports m, m,
which carry the guiding eyes or loops n, n, in which the ends of the
bar or rod 1, 2, work. The bar or rod is made broad and flat excepting
at its ends (see Figure 3), and is screwed to a sliding weight or
block p, which when at liberty to move tends to depress the bar or

page_text: rod 1,, and the inner ends of the levers g, h, i, k, with which the
said bar or rod is engaged. The motion in either direction of the
block p and the bar or rod 1, , to which it is affixed is limited by the
eyes or loops n, n, in which the said bar or rod works. When the
levers g, h, i, k, are nearly horizontal, as represented in Figure 2, their
outer ends project from the sides of the cage, but when their inner ends are
raised so as to incline the levers, as represented in Figure 1, their outer
ends are situated within or nearly within the cage. When the levers are
in the position represented in Figure 2 their inner ends are supported
by the stops or supports m, m, of the cage, the said stops also limiting
the descending motion of the said inner ends of the levers. These
stops or supports form part of the framing of the cage. The winding
chain or rope f is provided at its end with a weight or block q which
when tension is put on the said chain or rope bears against the under side
of the block p at p², affixed to the rod or axis 1, 2, and raises the said
block to its full extent. On the block p coming to the end of its sliding
motion the chain or rope then lifts the cage. Before the cage is lifted
the acting ends of the levers take the positions represented in Figure 1.
1, 1, 1, 1, are the four uprights situated in the mine shaft between which
the cage works. These uprights are connected together at intervals by
cross pieces or stays. Two of these cross pieces or stays are repre-
sented in Figure 3 and marked 2, 2. In each of the uprights is
a longitudinal slot or opening, in which slots or openings stops or
projections 8, 8, are situated at short distances apart. With these
stops or projections the outer ends of the levers g, h, i, k, may engage
at the proper time and support the cage in the mine shaft. When the
cage is ascending or descending the mine shaft the parts of the cage
assume the respective positions represented in Figure 1, that is to say,
when strain is put on the winding rope or chain fit first raises the
weight q, and the latter the sliding block p, the said block passing
from the position represented in Figure 4 to that represented in Figure 1
and indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4. The rod or axis 1, 2, of the
said block p at the same time raises the inner ends of the levers g, h, i, k,
and withdraws their outer ends from the stops or projections 8, 8, of
the uprights r, r, as seen in Figure 1. The cage now moves up or
down the mine shaft without obstruction, the levers g, h, i, k, being
maintained in their raised or non-acting positions as long as tension is
kept on the winding chain or rope f. Should however the chain or
rope
break the weight q at the end of the chain or rope causes it to

page_text: P
descend and leave the sliding block p unsupported. The said block
now descends to the position represented in Figure 4 and in doing so
causes the rod or axes 1, 2, to carry down the inner ends of the
levers 9, h, i, k, and force them into a nearly horizontal position. The
outer ends of the levers are thereby projected outwards from the angles
or corners of the cage, and engaging with the stops or projections 8, 8,
of the uprights in the mine shaft support the cage in the said shaft.
The weight q at the end of the chain or rope causes the broken chain
or rope to fall to the bottom of the shaft. Strong springs fixed to the
block P and cage may be employed to force down the said block when
it is at liberty to move for the purpose of securing the rapid and certain
descent of the said block and the operation of the levers g, h, i, k. By
an examination of the Drawing it will be seen that the stops or pro-
jections 8, 8, with which the levers engage are constructed similar to
the rounds of a ladder so that in case of accident, and after the cage
has been suspended in the shaft the men may get out of the cage and
ascend or descend the mine shaft by means of the said rounds. I place
in the men's compartment 6 of the cage a series of two or four breaks
which can be operated by the men during the ascending of the cage
I have only represented in the Drawing two breaks marked t, t. These
breaks consist of horizontal bars, their outer ends being capable of
engaging with the stops or rounds 8, 8, of the uprights r, r. The said
outer ends of the breaks are provided with right and left handed screws,
which work in corresponding screw boxes ², f², supported by the bearing
plates u, u. The said breaks are operated by the hand wheel v, the
boss of which is provided with right and left handed screws which
engage with corresponding screws on the breaks respectively. By
turning the said hand wheel the two breaks may be simultaneously
projected from opposite sides of the cage or withdrawn within the cage.
When it is required to put the breaks into operation the hand wheel o
is turned in the proper direction. The breaks are thereby made to
move from one another and their outer ends engaged with the stops
or rounds 8, 8, and the cage prevented from being drawn above its proper
height through the carelessness or mismanagement of the engineer.
Instead of sliding breaks breaks operated by a lever may be used.
The improvements herein-before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawing may also be applied to lifts for warehouses.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that
I do not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illus-
trated, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of
my Invention; but I claim as my Invention of improvements in safety
cages for mine shafts and lifts, for warehouses, hotels, and for other
places,―
Firstly. The general arrangement or combination of the parts of the
said safety cages and lifts and the uprights between which the cage
or lift works, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. The combination or arrangement of the parts of mechanism
herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing
for causing the cage or lift to be engaged with and supported between
the stops or projections of the said uprights on the breaking of the
winding chain or rope.
Thirdly. The combination with the cage or lift of a series of breaks
to be operated within the cage or lift, for preventing the cage or lift
being raised above its proper height, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Robert Stooke, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy.
Witness,
D. R. PRIDHAM,
20, Whitehall Place,
Westminster.
CHARLES ROBT. STOOKE. (L.S.)