IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO WINDING ENGINES FOR THE PREVENTION OP WINDING OVER THE HEADSTOCKS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER STATIONARY ENGINES WHERE THE WEIGHT IS TAKEN OFF SUDDENLY.
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Sharrocks, of Red Brook Mill, Rochdale,
in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
APPLICABLE TO WINDING ENGINES FOR THE PREVENTION OP WINDING OVER
THE HEADSTOCKS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER STATIONARY ENGINES WHERE THE
WEIGHT IS TAKEN OFF SUDDENLY.'
"
Sealed the 4th October 1870, and dated the 6th April 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Sharrocks at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th April 1870.
I, JAMES SHARROCKS, of Red Brook Mill, Rochdale, in the County
of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
FOR THE PREVENTION OF
"IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO WINDING ENGINES
WINDING OVER THE HEADSTOCKS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER STATIONARY ENGINES
WHERE THE WEIGHT IS TAKEN OFF SUDDENLY," to be as follows:-
My improvements comprise certain improved machinery, that is,
I have a tube fixed vertically over the mouth of the pit, a piston rod
with a sliding boss sliding in the said tube, also a cross bar fixed over

page_text: the mouth of the pit and attached to the said piston rod. Two vertical
slides for the cross bar, a bracket for fixing the tube over the mouth of
the pit, guides for the piston rods, and a spiral spring in the tube around
the piston rod; also a rack fixed to the cross bar and in gear with a
pinion wheel revolving with a shaft, there being a stud in the shaft and
a stud in the pinion wheel; a rod extends from the stud in the pinion
wheel to the stud in a wedge. Attached to the piston rod are two
brackets for the cage to foot against, and a block of timber has the
brake rope fixed thereto. The wedge is for putting on the brake, and a
bottom block of timber is provided, to which a sliding rod is attached.
Slides are provided, also a boss to prevent the bottom block and the.
block of timber above-mentioned from putting on the brake when not
required. Beneath this boss a lever works on a fulcrum secured to the
foundation of the engine and attached to the boss, a moveable weight
being also attached to such lever. The steam pipe which conveys the
steam to the cylinder has a valve provided with a circular valve plate.
A rod is fixed to the block of timber above-mentioned and slides in
guides. And a handle is provided for adjusting the valve as required.
The operation of this Invention is as follows:-When the cage comes
in contact with the bracket on the cross bar it moves the rod or bar
(to which the rack is attached) up the slides, the ascent whereof
working the pinion wheel. The studs being fixed to the shaft of the
pinion wheel have a downward tendency, thus drawing one of the rods
forward, the stud on which working in the circular slot in the valve shuts
off the steam, and at the same time the stud in the pinion wheel draws
the rod actuating the wedge of the brake, the moving of which forces
the bottom block to which the sliding rod is fixed down, thus bringing
the moveable weight on the lever in gear with the wedge which forces
the block of timber (to which the brake rope is fixed) on to the wheel,
thus stopping the engine and preventing the cage from being wound
over the pulley. The engine driver to release his engine has only to
lift the lever, when the spiral spring in the tube forces the cross bar
and rack down, thus returning the rods to their normal position without
opening the valve.
The Invention is also applicable to other stationary engines where the
weight is taken off suddenly.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Sharrocks in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 6th October 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
SHARROCKS, of Red Brook Mill, Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Sharrocks, Her special licence
that I, the said James Sharrocks, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Sharrocks, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thercafter 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
APPLICABLE TO WINDING ENGINES FOR THE PREVENTION OF WINDING OVER THE
HEADSTOCKS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER STATIONARY ENGINES WHERE THE WEIGHT
IS TAKEN OFF SUDDENLY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said James Sharrocks, my executors 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 James Sharrocks, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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, by reference to the Drawings that
accompany this Specification by the figures and letters herein referred
to, that is to say :-
My improvements refer to certain improved machinery of the following
character-Over the mouth of the pit a framing is erected, to which
a tube A is vertically fixed, having a piston rod C with a sliding boss B
thereon sliding in the said tube (A), also a cross bar D fixed over the

page_text: mouth of the pit and attached to the said piston rod. Two vertical
slides E are provided for the cross bar (D), with a bracket F for fixing
the tube (A) over the mouth of the pit and guides (G) for the piston
rods, also a spiral spring H in the tube (A) around the piston rod (C),
with a rack fixed to the cross bar (D) in gear with a pinion wheel J
revolving on a shaft M, there being a stud K in the shaft M and another
stud L in the pinion wheel (J), the shaft for this pinion wheel (J) being
marked M. A rod N extends from the stud K to the circular slot in a
valve plate 1, and another rod O extends from the stud on the pinion
wheel to the stud T in a wedge (R), and this stud forms a joint with
the rod. Attached to the piston rod are two brackets (marked P) for
the cage to foot against. The break rope has a block of timber Q fixed
thereto. The break is put on by the wedge R, a bottom block of timber
being provided to which a sliding rod is attached. Slides U and also
a boss V are provided for preventing the bottom block and the block
of timber above mentioned putting on the break when not required.
Beneath this boss a lever W works on a fulcrum Y secured to the
foundation of the engine and attached to the boss. A moveable weight
X is also attached to this lever W. The steam pipe Z which conveys
steam to the cylinder has a valve provided with a circular valve plate 1,
Studs
which has a circular slot 2 therein, in this a stud 3 works.
(marked 4) are provided for fixing the break rope 5 attached to the
block Q. A rod is fixed to the block of timber above mentioned and
slides in the guides U, and a handle is provided for adjusting the valve
as required.
The operation of these arrangements is as follows:-When the cage
comes in contact with the bracket P on the said cross bar, it moves
the rod or bar to which the rack J is attached up the slides, the ascension
whereof works the pinion wheel J. The studs K and L fixed to the
shaft of the pinion wheel have a downward tendency, thus drawing one
of the rods forward, the stud of which works in the circular slot in the
valve and shuts off the steam, and at the same time the stud in the
pinion wheel draws the rod V actuating the wedge (R) of the break,
the moving of which forces the block of timber Q to which the break
rope is fixed on to the wheel, thus stopping the engine and preventing
the cage from being wound over the pulley. In order to release the
engine the engine driver bas only to lift the lever W, when the spiral
spring in the tube A forces the cross bar D and rack I down, thus

page_text: returning the rods N and O to their normal position without opening
the valve.
The Invention is also applicable to other stationary engines where
the weight is taken off suddenly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I
hereby declare that I claim, the Invention of "improvements applicable
to winding engines for the prevention of winding over the headstock,
also applicable to other stationary engines where the weight is taken off
suddenly, consisting in adoption of the mechanical arrangements herein-
before described, or any arrangements having substantially the same
character and operation as herein-before described, it being understood
that the mere mechanical details are not claimed except as constituent
parts of the said arrangement.
In witness whereof I, the said James Sharrocks, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Third day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
WILLIAM GRANDIDGE.
JAMES SHARROCKS. (L.S.)