IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR LESSENING THE EFFECTS OF SHOCKS OR CONCUSSION, APPLICABLE TO LIFTS, RAILWAY BUFFERS, AND OTHER APPARATUS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Edward Newton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th August 1883. Communicated
to him from abroad by Friedrich Pelzer of Dortmund in the Empire of
Germany.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR LESSENING
THE EFFECTS OF SHOCKS OR CONCUSSION, APPLICABLE TO LIFTS, RAILWAY BUFFERS,
AND OTHER APPARATUS."-[Communicated to him from abroad by Friedrich Pelzer
of Dortmund in the Empire of Germany]
This invention is intended more particularly to be applied to the cages or baskets
or other lifting apparatus used in mines, the object being to lessen the effect of the
shock caused by the sudden arrest in descent of the cage or other apparatus on the
breaking of the supporting rope or chain or from any other cause, but the
invention is also applicable to other kinds of lifts and to railway buffers and other
apparatus.
In carrying out the invention as applied to mine cages or baskets a crosshead is
arranged above the cage or basket capable of rising and falling with the cage and
to which the safety apparatus which may be of any convenient character, is
attached.
To the top of the cage is secured a rod which passes through the crosshead and
is provided at its upper end with a shackle or eye to which the rope or chain is
attached.
To either end of the crosshead and on opposite sides thereof is attached in any
convenient manner and in a vertical position a cylinder which is slightly taper
internally.
These cylinders are open at top, but at bottom are provided with stuffing boxes
and each cylinder is provided with a piston the rod of which passes through a
stuffing box and is secured to the top of the cage or basket.
In the normal position the piston will be at the top of the cylinders which will
be filled with water or other fluid.

page_text: Should the rope or chain break the cross head will be suddenly arrested by the
safety apparatus but the cage will continue to descend slowly drawing down with
it the pistons through the water which will escape round the pistons.
A yielding buffer is thus formed and the effect of the shock on the cage due to
the sudden arrest of the crosshead is lessened to a greater or less extent.
In applying the invention to a railway buffer, the buffer, rod and volute spring
are arranged in a hollow plunger which is applied to a cylinder containing water.
When a pressure is exerted on the buffer more than the springs will resist the
plunger is forced forward in the cylinder the water being allowed to escape through
a series of small openings made in the end of the cylinder and closed by a suitable
valve which is kept up to its seat by a spring in any convenient manner.
In this instance the cylinders will be arranged horizontally and the taper form
as in the former case will be unnecessary.
It will be-evident that modifications of. one or other of the above arrangements
may be adapted to other apparatus to lessen shocks or concussion.