IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING OR LOWERING AND WEIGHING HEAVY BODIES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of
Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING OR LOWERING AND WEIGHING HEAVY BODIES."—
A communication from abroad by Louis Vernay, of Paris, in the Empire
of France, Wine Merchant.
Sealed the 12th February 1861, and dated the 14th September 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 14th September 1860.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING OR LOWERING AND WEIGHING HEAVY
BODIES," a communication from abroad by Louis Vernay, of Paris, in the
Empire of France, Wine Merchant, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain peculiar constructions and arrangements of
apparatus for raising or lowering heavy goods in warehouses or other places,
'

page_text: and also for weighing the same if desired, and consists in the employment of a
vertical framing or standard fitted upon a bed plate, and carrying the hoisting
mechanism and an overhead pulley for the hoisting chain to pass over. The
lower portion of this framing or standard is fixed to the bed plate, and the
upper portion is hinged to the lower portion, so as to be capable of being
turned down towards the bed plate; or it may be connected with the lower
portion by a rack and pinion, which will admit of its being slid up or down as
required; the object of lowering the upper part of the standard is for the con-
venience of the apparatus being passed through a doorway. Set pins or bolts,
where joints are used, may be employed to fix the upper portion in an elevated
position, or a ratchet wheel and detent in connection with the elevating pinion
may be employed where a rack is used. The bed plate is provided with
travelling wheels to enable the whole to be easily transported from place to
place, and these wheels may be made removeable, in order that when the hoist
is working the bed plate may lie firmly upon the ground; if desired, a weighing
platform may be fitted to the bed plate, so that the goods before being raised
may be weighed. The goods may be received on a swivel or pivotting truck,
in which they may be elevated, and when elevated the truck is turned round
on its pivot, so as to facilitate the removal of the same, which may be run off
on to rails or trams provided for that purpose; or in lieu of a truck the
raising table which elevates the goods may be made to swing round in either
direction, being connected for that purpose to a vertical pivot on one side; or
the table may be dispensed with, and a hook and chain tackle employed
suspended from an overhead swivel bracket provided with a rod and counter-
weight for swinging the same.
When the apparatus is constructed with the upper part of the standard
hinged to the lower, it may be employed generally in all cases for raising and
lowering goods from or to a lower level; as, for example, in the discharging of
ships' cargoes and in loading ships, for which application the upper part of the
standard should be turned down to a horizontal position, and supported by a
tressle, or it may be lowered until it bears upon the bed plate itself.
The standards of these hoists may be made either open in the centre, that is,
consisting of two side frames united at the top, or they may be composed of a
single bar or vertical post, in which latter case it is proposed to make the
iron either of a V-section or of a tubular form, whereby strength and lightness
are combined.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 14th March 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and
of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Henry Johnson, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING OR LOWERING AND WEIGHING
HEAVY BODIES," a communication from abroad by Louis Vernay, of Paris, in the
Empire of France, Wine Merchant, upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or under the hand and
seal of one of them 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 John Henry Johnson, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to certain peculiar constructions and arrangements of
apparatus for raising or lowering heavy goods in warehouses or other places,
and also for weighing the same if desired, and consists in the employment of a
vertical framing or standard fitted upon a bed plate, and carrying the hoisting
mechanism, and an overhead pulley for the hoisting chain to pass over. The

page_text: lower portion of this framing or standard is fixed to the bed plate, and the
upper portion is hinged to the lower portion, so as to be capable of being
turned down towards the bed plate, or it may be connected with the lower
portion by a rack and pinion, which will admit of its being slid up or down as
required; the object of lowering the upper part of the standard is for the con-
venience of the apparatus being passed through a doorway. Set pins or bolts,
when joints are used, may be employed to fix the upper portion in an elevated
position, or a ratchet wheel and detent in connection with the elevating pinion
may be employed when a rack is used; the bed plate is provided with
travelling wheels to enable the whole to be easily transported from place to
place, and these wheels may be made removable, in order that when the hoist
is working the bed plate may lie firmly upon the ground. If desired a
weighing platform may be fitted to the bed plate, so that the goods before
being raised may be weighed. The goods may be received on a swivel or
pivotting truck, in which they may be elevated, and when elevated the truck
is turned round on its pivot, so as to facilitate the removal of the same, which
may be run off on to rails or trams provided for that purpose; or in lieu of a
truck the raising table which elevates the goods may be made to swing round
in either direction, being connected for that purpose to a vertical pivot on one
side; or the table may be dispensed with, and a hook and chain tackle
employed suspended from an overhead swivel bracket provided with a rod and
counterweight for swinging the same.
When the apparatus is constructed with the upper part of the standard
hinged to the lower, it may be employed generally in all cases for raising and
lowering goods from or to a lower level; as, for example, in the discharging
of ships' cargoes and in loading ships, for which application the upper part of
the standard should be turned down to a horizontal position, and supported by
a tressle, or it may be lowered until it bears upon the bed plate itself.
The standards of these hoists may be made either open in the centre, that
is, consisting of two side frames united at the top, or they may be composed of
a single bar or vertical post, in which latter case it is proposed to make the
iron either of a V-section or of a tubular form, whereby strength and lightness
are combined.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for what purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 of the annexed Sheet of Drawings represents a vertical section of

page_text: one form of the improved lifting apparatus; Figures 2 and 8 represent
respectively in elevation and plan a detail of the elevating platform and
waggon or truck upon which the article to be elevated is deposited. In the
Drawings I have represented a cask upon the waggon.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 represent respectively a vertical section, a front
elevation, and a plan of a modified arrangement of lifting apparatus, wherein
the elevating platform, in place of being raised and lowered by a nut and screw
spindle, is actuated by a chain and pullies.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of another form of lifting apparatus, of which
Figures 8 and 9 are enlarged details.
The lifting machine represented at Figure 1 consists of a framing or bed A,
upon which are fitted the two vertical standards a, a, which are maintained
steady and upright by the bracket frame b, also resting upon the bed A. In
the centre of the apparatus is fitted the vertical shaft C, turning in a footstep
at d. This shaft is provided with a screw thread, and by its rotation it raises
or lowers the nut e, to which is connected the framing B, carrying the truck
or waggon which contains the cask C, or other article requiring to be elevated.
The shaft c is driven by a spur wheel f at its lower end, which wheel is
actuated by the wheel g. This wheel g is fitted on to a shaft h turning in the
footstep i, and held in position by the bearing k. The upper part of this shaft
carries a bevel wheel 7 gearing into a corresponding bevel wheel m, which is
rotated by the winch handle m', the motion being regulated and governed by
a fly wheel n. The truck or waggon upon which the article to be elevated is
deposited is shewn detached at Figure 2 and 3. On the cross beams or
bars o are fixed the rails p, upon which the wheels 9 of the truck run. This
truck consists of a solid frame r; in the centre of this frame is the platform s,
upon which the article rests when adjusted in readiness for being elevated.
Antifriction rollers s¹ (Figure 1) are fitted on to the beam or cross bar o, in
order to facilitate the rising and falling movement, such rollers working against
the two uprights a, a. By means of this apparatus a vertical or lifting motion
is obtained by actuating the winch handle m', which by imparting a rotatory
movement to the screw shaft, causes the nut to which is connected the truck,
to rise and fall along the screwed portion of the shaft. A horizontal motion is
also obtained by running the wheels of the truck along the rails p. Thus
when it is required to pile up a number of casks or bales of goods, the goods
are first elevated the desired height, and then pushed or run off on to the top
of those previously piled up. By reversing the handle m¹ the apparatus is
lowered in readiness for a fresh load. In order to effect the descent of the
truck or platform before reversing the handle m', the lever handlet is

page_text: depressed, which being centred at u, elevates the wheel g¹; this wheel now
gears with the pinion f¹ of a considerably smaller diameter, and consequently
a rapid lowering motion is obtained.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 represent respectively in vertical section, front elevation,
and plan, a modified form of apparatus for the same purpose as the one herein-
before described, but possessing the advantage of being able to elevate two
ranges or sets of casks or goods at one time, if required. This apparatus
consists of a cast-iron bed plate A, within which is contained a convenient
weighing machine, for the purpose of weighing the goods before elevating
them. This bed plate is provided with wheels B, which enables the whole
apparatus to be easily transported, and it also supports a standard or upright C,
the peculiar V-section of which is shewn in the plan view. On the screw shaft of
the first-described apparatus (Fig. 1) is replaced by the upright C, it follows
that the apparatus which elevates the goods platform is also altered. In this
modification, on turning the winch handle D the lifting chain E is wound up
or let out. This chain passes over the toothed chain pulley F fixed to the top
of the upright C, and terminates at D', after passing under and supporting the
pulley G in connection with the platform B. This platform is connected to the
support H, and is capable of turning thereon at an angle of ninety degrees, the
spindle I forming the pin or working centre. A transverse stay K fitted into
the front of the platform serves to carry a hook and pulley L and chain M
provided with a small hook at each end for gripping the ends of a cask or
other object to be elevated. By this arrangement a heavy object, such as a
cask, for example, may be placed on the platform, and a second one slung
underneath the same, so that two ranges may be piled at one time. In order
to obviate all chance of the weight when elevated overbalancing and upsetting
the apparatus, it is proposed to use a lateral stay or support o, constructed in
the form of a pair of compasses, with their points inserted into the ground. If
desired, the upright C may be hinged or jointed at P, so as to enable the upper
portion to fold down, and thereby admit of the apparatus passing through a
low doorway.
A third arrangement, shewn at Fig. 7, consists of a bed or sole H pro-
vided with travelling wheels S, and carrying two uprights T and T¹; the
upright T is made in two parts, the upright part T of which is capable of
sliding vertically along the lower and fixed part T¹. The upper part T" carries
two overhanging brackets or arms U, U¹, furnished with pullies, over which
pass the chain V, which terminates after passing under the pulley V₁ at the
head of the arm U₁. The pulley V₁ is contained between a pair of jaws on
the double hook X, shewn in detail at Fig. 9.

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is, the general construction, arrange-
ment, and combination of machinery or apparatus for raising, lowering,
moving, or transporting heavy bodies, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.