CERTAIN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING THE SKIP IN MINE OPERATIONS BEING PULLED OVER THE PULLEY ON WHICH THE ROPE OR CHAIN WORKS, TO WHICH SUCH SKIP OR CAGE MAY BE ATTACHED, AS WELL AS PREVENTING THE SKIP OR CAGE RE-DESCENDING UNTIL PUT IN MOTION FOR THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1859

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Samuel Bailey, Mining Engineer, of Wednesbury,
in the County of Stafford, for the Invention of "CERTAIN APPARATUS FOR
PREVENTING THE SKIP IN MINE OPERATIONS BEING PULLED OVER THE PULLEY
ON WHICH THE ROPE OR CHAIN WORKS, TO WHICH SUCH SKIP OR CAGE MAY BE
ATTACHED, AS WELL AS PREVENTING THE SKIP OR CAGE RE-DESCENDING UNTIL
PUT IN MOTION FOR THAT PURPOSE."
ealed the 12th August 1859, and dated the 16th February 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Bailey, at the.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th February 1859.
I, SAMUEL BAILEY, Mining Engineer, of Wednesbury, in the County of
Stafford, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "CERTAIN
APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING THE SKIP IN MINE OPERATIONS BEING PULLED OVER
THE PULLEY ON WHICH THE ROPE OR CHAIN WORKS TO WHICH SUCH SKIP OR
CAGE MAY BE ATTACHED, AS WELL AS PREVENTING THE SKIP OR CAGE RE-
DESCENDING UNTIL PUT IN. MOTION FOR THAT PURPOSE" to be as follows (that is to
say):
My Invention has for its object the rendering mine operations more safe
and less dependent on the individual attention of the engineer or attendant to
reverse the action of the engine when the skip emerges from the pit, neglect

page_text: of which important duty has caused more sacrifice of human life than any
other in mine operations, by drawing the skip with its occupants over the
pulley, and my remedy for this evil will be understood from the following
description: A frame is usually fixed up of stout woodwork over the pit
mouth, and bolted or framed together at the top for the purpose of carrying
the wheel or pulley over which the pit rope or chain works; this framework
is extended up in the usual way to the height of about twenty-five feet to the
axis of the wheel or pulley, beneath which in the front I fix a strong iron
ring, about a foot in diameter, more or less as convenient, this ring is firmly
fixed by means of iron straps or otherwise to the wood or other standards
before referred to; through this ring the pit rope or chain passes down, and to
the lower link a stepped or shouldered bar or bolt is attached by a ring bolt; this
bar fits into a socket with spring catches, the socket being fastened to the top
of the skip; the act of drawing up the skip brings a lever or levers in contact
with the ring before-described, which has the effect of liberating the step or
shouldered bolt, and disconnecting the skip from the hoisting chain, band, or
rope, and at the same time the disconnection takes place a hook or hooks are
made to spread out and catch or clip the ring which will have the effect of
holding the skip in a state of suspension to it; but in some cases where it is
preferred and for greater security, we apply side springs on the inside of the
standards, and which springs are collapsed by the action of the skip passing
up until freed, when they immediately expand and allow the skip to be sus-
tained by them in suitable recesses formed for that purpose, and when the skip
is again required to descend the pit, the shouldered bolt is replaced in the
spring socket, and the side springs simultaneously compressed, when the skip
is free to descend. These side springs may be used without the hooks clipping
the rings, as before described, or conjointly with them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Bailey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the.
16th August 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
BAILEY, Mining Engineer, of Wednesbury, in the County of Stafford, send
greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Samuel Bailey, Her special license that I, the said Samuel
Bailey, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Samuel Bailey, my executors, administrators, or 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 "CERTAIN APPARATUS
FOR PREVENTING THE SKIP IN MINE OPERATIONS BEING PULLED OVER THE PULLEY ON
WHICH THE ROPE OR CHAIN WORKS, TO WHICH SUCH SKIP OR CAGE MAY BE ATTACHED,
AS WELL AS PREVENTING THE SKIP OR CAGE RE-DESCENDING. UNTIL PUT IN
MOTION FOR THAT PURPOSE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Samuel Bailey, by an instrument in writing under my hand and scal,
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 Samuel Bailey, 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 (that is to say) :-
.
The object of my Invention is to ensure greater safety in the working of
mines, and to render their operations less dependent on the individual attention
of the engineer, or other attendant or attendants who has the stopping,.
reversing, or setting in motion of the engine or other assisting power, connected
with the working or raising and lowering of the chain, rope, or band, for
hoisting the miners and the minerals up out of pit shafts, without (by excess
of drawing) carrying the skip or cage over the pulley, on which the rope, chain,
or band works, as the negligent management of this important operation has
been the source of more fatal accidents in connection with the working of mines
than any other, as neglect in this all important duty too freqeuntly is the cause
of the skip or cage that contains the miners or minerals being pulled over the
pulley set up in an elevated frame over the pit mouth, for the rope, band or
chain to work over. The effect of this too common evil, and my remedy for
the same, will.be best understood from the following general description :-The
pulley, before-mentioned, is fixed by.axes to bearings and journeys resting on
strong wood supports, framed and bolted together, the uprights or supports

page_text: being tenoned, or otherwise fitted at the bottom, to strong wood sills, in the
front of the framework; just beneath the wheel or pulley over which the pit
chain, rope, or band works is fitted or secured a strong iron bar or other suitable
material, with a hole or opening in the middle; about a foot in diameter, or
more or less, as required; through this ring or openig, the pit rope, chain, or
band passes down, having a suitable shackle, expanding or otherwise, secured
to its end, and to which shackle, a strong taper stepped or shouldered bar of
iron, or suitable metal or material is attached, which bar forms an important
feature in my Invention, and is made to fit into a socket, and is clipped on two
sides, by corresponding stepped vertical bars, secured to strong plates, between
which arms work, which arms are held in a horizontal position (in their outward
extremities) by suitable springs, while their inner ends confine and press
the stepped bars against the corresponding stepped bolt or bar first described.
At the bottom end of this apparatus, a suitable shackle is also fixed for the
purpose of connecting it to the cage or skip; between the outside plate of this
apparatus at the top, two strong hooks are also fitted, that as the arms are
brought down the hooks descend, and fall outward in a lateral direction, the
use of which will be hereafter described. To the usual framework, standing.
immediately on or over the mouth of coal pits or mines, two uprights are
fixed, connected with the framework that carries the pulley before referred
to; on the inside of these uprights, spring plates or stops are fixed, and so
arranged that they shall readily yield outward, so as to allow the cage or skip
to pass up between the supports and constitutes also an important part of
my arrangement for preventing accidents from over-winding, which will be
seen from the following description. We will suppose the skip or cage to be
pulled up out of the pit or mine shaft, and to be still being hoisted (from the
neglect of the engineer or attendant to stop or reverse his engine) until the
apparatus (before described) enters the opening fixed horizontally below the
pulley, and as the arms of the apparatus, also before described, come in contact
with the lower edge of the opening, they will be pressed downward, the effect
of which will be instantly to free the centre bolt or bar, attached to the rope,
which before had formed the connection with the apparatus and skip or cage,
the bolt will be carried over the pulley (without damage and causing but little
delay in again connecting it) while the cage or skip being freed from the
effect of the continued action of the hoisting rope will be caught and supported
in the position it was at the moment of its disconnection by the lateral
supports fixed to the uprights or side supports before-named, as also by the
hooks of the apparatus clipping the horizontal ring below. the pulley, where it

page_text: imay remain in perfect safety, to be subsequently lowered at pleasure, by again
passing the rope and bolt over the pulley and connecting it to the apparatus,
when the skip or cage being again in a state of suspension, the spring plates
or side supports are to be placed back to allow the skip or cage to descend to
its proper landing stage or position for the miners to leave the cage, or the
skip of coals to be wheeled off the cage to be discharged, all which general
description will be well understood by those who are connected with mine
operations; but in order that I may be thoroughly understood as to extent,
nature and general object of my Invention, I will refer to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, which will more distinctly exhibit the object and purpose
of the various parts of which my Invention consists.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 2 represents a front elevation, drawn to a scale of about half an inch
to one foot, representing the usual framework for carrying the pulley marked
A; the side standards of the frame are marked B, B, and to the horizontal
head pieces marked C, C, the vertical side pieces marked D, D, are secured;
and at the bottom by being tenoned or otherwise fixed to the usual strong
frame, put immediately over the pit mouth or shaft, resting on the brickwork;
this frame is shown partly in section marked E, E, while the brickwork of the
shaft, also shown partly in section is marked F, F, by which means a part of
the shaft is being exhibited; the front end of the horizontal head pieces C, C,
are also used (by means of suitable screw bolts) for holding and tightening. the
guide ropes marked G, G, and G, G; these ropes may be of wire, or hemp,
or other suitable material as convenient. Between the vertical uprights D, D;
a strong iron bar marked H is fixed, with a circular opening in the middle, as
also at each end, for the guide ropes to pass through; a plan of this bar is
exhibited detached at Fig. 4, drawn to the same scale; this bar I purpose at
all times fixing so that the pit rope, band, or chain, shall pass down through
the centre of the large circular opening, and which rope is here represented
marked I, I; this rope is attached by any suitable means to my apparatus
marked M, by which it may be readily disengaged when the negligence of the
engineer or attendant should render it necessary from neglecting to stop or
reverse the upper draft hereafter to be referred to. The cage, as here
represented, consists of a strong wooden or iron frame, the front edge of which
can only here be seen marked N, to which strong iron angular plates are
fixed marked 0, 0, 0, 0, terminating at the top with a strong cross bar not.
seen, as it is covered by a sheet iron roof for preventing anything that may

page_text: loosely fall down the shaft from striking the miners in their ascent or descent;
this roof is marked P, and this transverse bar counteracts the contracting
strain of the chains attached by a suitable shackle to the apparatus M. Before
passing from this description of the cage, which may be of any other form or
construction, I will observe that a double set of pulleys are secured on the
sides of the frame N, and also at the top of the side plates O, O; these pulleys
are to clip and work freely against the guide ropes. A skip of coal, as if just
emerged from the pit shaft, is here represented marked Q, resting on the cage,
bolted in the usual way to prevent its moving or rolling from its proper place;
and on the outside, at the top of the side plates, are fixed strong steel springs,
here shown in an edge view only, marked R, R. On the inside of the
uprights D, D, corresponding springs are fixed, marked S, S; these springs
are operated on by suitable levers marked T, T, secured on the outside of the
uprights D, D, in any convenient way, such as by a bolt or screw as here
shown marked U, U with this arrangement; the pulling of the levers
outwardly by the handle or lower end, the springs S, S, will be pulled back
into the sunken parts of the uprights, the use of which will be hereafter seen;
and, for example, we will suppose that the upward draft of the hoisting rope
is negligently continued, the fatal consequences of such neglect is the object
of my Invention to prevent, and this is effected by the two projecting arms
J, J, of the apparatus M, coming in contact with the lower rim of the circular
part of the bar H, which will have the effect, from the upward course or strain
on the rope, of pulling the outer ends of the arms J, J, down, which will
relieve a centre bar united to the rope I, by the shackle K; and simultaneous
with the disconnection taking place, the hooks L, L, drop down over the top
edge of the circular opening of the bar H; and at this time, the cage attached
to the apparatus M (as here shown) being also elevated beyond its proper
position, the curved ends of the side springs R, R, of the cage will have
passed up over the top end of the side springs marked S, S, secured to the
uprights D, D. It will be evident, that as the connection has been broken,
the skip will be held donbly secure, first by the hooks L, L, hooking on to the
circular rim of the bar H, before described, and, secondly, by the curved end
of the springs R, R, resting on the top end of the side springs S, S; the cage
in this safe position can rest until the connection is again made, by passing the
bolt at the end of the rope I over the pulley, and fixing the bar into the socket
of the apparatus M, in doing which the hooks will be brought in the position
as here shown; but the cage or skip will continue to be held securely on the
side springs or stops before described; and by means of a slight upward strain

page_text: of the rope, or lifting of the cage, the side springs S, S, have only to be pulled
back in the manner already described by the levers T, T, when the cage may
be lowered down to its proper place for discharging the loaded skip, or
otherwise, as may be desired.
In order to ensure the apparatus M passing up or presenting its upper part
central to the opening in the bar H, angle pieces are placed on the side of
the apparatus marked V, and which pieces are shown marked with the same
letter at Fig. 8, which is an entire side view of Figure 2; all the parts (that
are seen) being marked with the same letter of designation with which they
are there defined. The pit shaft is not exhibited or exposed, and the frame-
work resting on its mouth is represented entire; the position of the skip is
that which it would assume from the negligent act of overdrawing; the
apparatus M, in Figure 2, is entirely hid in this, with the exception of the
angle pieces V, V; the apparatus is supposed to be resting or suspended by
the hooks to the part H, and the side springs of the cage are resting on the
side springs or stops before described; the bolt that makes or forms the con-
nection is here represented as at the moment of its disconnection, marked W,
the true character of which will be better understood by referring to Fig. 1,
which represents the apparatus marked M, in Figure 2, drawn to a scale of
about three inches to one foot; in which Figure the same letters that define its
parts in the description already given I will further use to define them in this,
and before commencing its description I will observe that the front or corre-
sponding plate to the plate here shown marked Y is removed for the purpose
of exhibiting the unity and action of the parts. The centre bolt W is held
in its position by the two lateral bars X, X, working on and held by the
pins Z, Z; these bars are held in their position by the action of the
springs a', a', which are fixed by passing around strong pins in the base,
represented in dotted lines marked 6, 6, or otherwise; the upper ends of those
springs exert their force outwardly against projections extending downward on
the lower side of the arms marked J, J, which arms work on axes or pins,
marked c, c; they are connected in their inner ends by flat chain links,
marked d', d, to the arms J, J, and to the vertical bars X, X. Thus it will be
seen that the tendency of the springs are to keep the arms in the position
here shown, and their inner ends pressing against the top ends of the side
bars X, X, cannot fail to hold the bolt W thoroughly secure; but when the
outer ends of the arms are brought in contact (by the negligent attendance of
the engineer, as before referred to) with the lower edge of the circular part
of the bar H (as exhibited at Figure 4, drawn to the smaller scale) the arms

page_text: will be pressed down, the action of which will tend to pull asunder the
bars X, X, thereby freeing the bolt W; the inner extremity of the arms at
this time pressing on the lower curved parts of the hooks L, L, which, working
on the fulcrums or pins e', e¹, will cause them to spread over and clip the circular
řim of the bar H, as before described; the position of the hook, when so
operated upon, as also the arm. J, and bar X, are shown in dotted lines; the
lower shackle, marked 9', and the pin that sustains it, marked f¹, are shown in
section. I have not thought it necessary to exhibit any novel or new mode or
way of connecting the chains of the cage with this shackle, nor of the means
of attaching the eye h¹, or upper end of the bolt, to the draft or pit rope
chain or band, as that is a matter of detail well understood; but I prefer a
connector or connections capable of expanding or contracting according to
the weight or strain to which the apparatus may be subjected, whether this be
effected by a spiral spring or springs, or à series of elliptical springs, or by
india-rubber, or other means suitably connected and arranged.
Having thus given a general description of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same may be carried into effect, I wish it understood that I do
not purpose confining myself to the exact detail herein described and exhibited,
as the same may be modified and varied in a variety of ways, without departing
from the spirit of my Invention; as, for instance, a stop may be formed in a
variety of ways below the pulley, in place of the bar marked H, as shown
detached at Figure 4; and again, in some instances, it may be convenient to
dispense with the side supports, marked D, D, as also the side springs and levers,
marked T, T; likewise. the corresponding springs on the side of the cage,
together with the guide ropes, as the apparatus forming the connection between
the skip and the pit rope chain or band, will at all times act securely of
itself, provided any similar contrivance or substitute for the bar H is placed so
as to operate on the arms of the apparatus, to effect the disconnection; the
hooks, in most instances, being sufficient to hold the cage, provided. the means
that may be placed for striking the arms be also adaptable. for the hooks to
lay hold of, thus showing that my apparatus or means of preventing the
description of accidents herein-before named is applicable to every kind of
hoisting tackle or machinery, irrespective of any particular description of cage
or skip that may be used; and, further, in the construction of my apparatus,
as exhibited in Figure 1, the top part of the central bolt W may be fitted
with a strong spiral spring, with a suitable shackle, so as to produce an
elastic connection, and instead of using the springs formed of flat steel as here
shown, marked a', springs of other material and a variety of shapes may be

page_text: used, without altering the character of my Invention. But what I claim, and
wish to protect, by these my in part recited Letters Patent, are, the general
arrangements herein described and exhibited, with their various modifications
for the purpose of preventing the frightful and almost inevitable fatal accidents
that too frequently occur in mine operations, namely, that of pulling the skips
or cages containing the miners or minerals against or over the pulley on which
the hoisting chain, rope, or band works.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Bailey, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS, C.E., Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
SAMUEL BAILEY. (L.B.)