Improved Means or Apparatus for Preventing Draughts or the Spread of Fire in or through the Wells or Shafts of Hoists or Lifts.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb.; 1890-Accepted, 29th Mar., 1800
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means or Apparatus for Preventing Draughts or the
Spread of Fire in or through the Wells or Shafts of Hoists
or Lifts.
We, PHILIP STIRLING LEE, of 35 Craven Street Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Surveyor, and WILLIAM GODDARD, of 67 Tyneham Road, Lavender Hill,
in the County of Surrey, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention refers to means whereby the openings in hoist or lift shafts are
opened or closed as may be required, by the action of the cage itself as the same
rises or descends, so that the shafts are opened or closed automatically at the ceiling
lines of the several floors of the building by the action of the rising and descent
of the cage, or when it is not necessary to close the said apertures the closing
shutters may be thrown out of gear and the cage may then ascend and descend in the
ordinary way as now.
By the provision of such means for closing the apertures at each floor of the
building, the risk of fire spreading from floor to floor, is materially reduced.
According to our invention the openings in each floor increase in area from the
bottom upwards, the lowest opening being the smallest of the whole series, and we
provide a cover for each of the openings corresponding in size with the particular.
opening or floor to which it is to be applied.
39
The trimmers of each opening are lined with sheet iron, asbestos, or other
suitable non-combustible material and it is into these trimmers that the respective
covers fit. These covers are arranged in the shaft above the cage and at the upper end
of the shaft they are held in position by suitable catches one above the other, the
catches being capable of being released by, for example, the attendant in the cage
when it is desired to close the apertures at each floor of the building; the catches
being released and the cage being at the top of the lift well or shaft, the covers rest
on and descend with the cage one above the other, on passing the top floor the top
cover is retained by the trimmers at the opening not allowing it to pass and on
which the cover then rests and thereby completely closes the aperture; as the cage
continues its descent it drops the next cover into its corresponding trimmer at the
next floor, and so on for each succeeding floor to the base of the building. On the
cage ascending, the first floor cover is lifted by the cage and so on to the top of
the building where the covers may be caught and secured by the catches before
mentioned or they may fall and rise with the cage and close and open the apertures
at each descent and ascent of the cage.
In practice however this is not necessary because the covers need only be used to
close the apertures when the lift is not in use, at night for example; at such time
the opening in the shaft would be closed at each floor or ceiling.
Dated this 20th day of May 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means or Apparatus for Preventing Draughts or the
Spread of Fire in or through the Wells or Shafts of Hoists
' or Lifts.
We, PHILIP STIRLING DEE of 35 Craven Street, Strand in the County of
Middlesex Surveyor, and WILLIAM GODDARD of 67 Tyneham Road, Lavender Hill
in the County of Surrey Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
:-
Our invention refers to means whereby the openings in hoist or lift shafts are
opened or closed as may be required by the action of the cage itself as the same
rises or descends, so that the shafts are opened or closed automatically at or about
the ceiling lines of the several floors of the building by the action of the rise or
descent of the cage. When it is not desired to close the said apertures the closing
shutters may be thrown out of gear and the cage may than ascend and descend in
the ordinary way as now. By the provision of such means for closing the apertures
at each floor of the building the risk of fire spreading from floor to floor is materially
reduced.
Our invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional view of so much of a lift well, and
lift with our improvements applied thereto as will be necessary to explain the
same; the lift is shown when in its lowered position the lift well being closed at
the levels of the various ceilings.
Figure 2 is a view similar to that shown at Figure 1 excepting that the lift or
cige is shown in its highest position and the covers for closing same are held
supported at the top of the well by catches hereafter more particularly described.
Figure 3 is a detail view drawn to a larger scale than the previous figures
showing the upper part of the lift well and also the top of the lift or cage.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the upper part of the lift or cage.
Figure 5 is a side sectional elevation showing devices to permit the unlocking
of the cover plates.
Figure 6 shows in front sectional elevation the construction of the catches for
holding the cover plates.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of same and Figure 8 is a horizontal section on the
line XY of Figure 6.
Figure 9 shews in section a cover plate on a much larger scale than the previous
figures.
The openings A A' A2 in each floor increase in area from the bottom upwards,
the lowest opening A being the smallest of the whole series, and we provide
covers B B B for the openings each corresponding in size with the particular
opening or floor to which it is to be applied.
"
"
The trimmers of each opening are lined with sheet iron, asbestos, or other
suitable non-combustible material and it is into these trimmers that the respective
covers fit. These covers are arranged in the shaft above the cage and they are held
in position one above the other by suitable catches hereafter described, the catches
being capable of being released by, for example, the attendant in the cage when it
is desired to close the apertures at each flour of the building.
D.D. Figure 3 are the catch bars and catches there being preferably two on each
side of the lift well and situated near the top of same; these catches are pivotted
at D D and counterbalanced by weights D2 D2 whereby they are maintained in the
position shown. The bearing surfaces of the catches are recessed at D3 and the
smallest of the cover plates ie., that marked B is formed or provided on its under
edge with a projecting part which when the plates are supported by the catches D

page_text: will rest in the said recessed part D³ of the catches and thus the latter could not
possibly be withdrawn from under the plates B unless the said plates were first
lifted.
On the upper frame Ex of the lift cage we mount in bearings at each end two
parallel shafts E E¹ and on each of the shafts we key two arms F F one of these
being lengthened downwards to form a handle G. From one of the arms or an
extension thereof on shaft E to the opposite arm on shaft E there is a connecting
rod H and when it is desired to lift the cover plates, then previously to the lift cage
reaching the top of the well the handle G is placed in the position indicated by the
dotted lines in Figure 5 and this will cause all the arms F F to assume a vertical
position. The handle G is then to be secured by passing a pin G¹ through same and
into the frame or by some other equivalent device. When the arms are in this
vertical position and the cage reaches the top of the lift the said arms lift the plates.
and the catches may then be withdrawn whereas if the arms are in position as shown
in full lines Figures 3, 4 and then the cover plates B will not be lifted
and consequently the catches cannot be drawn away either by accident or
otherwise.
The catch bars and catches D D are connected by cords in a suitable manner so
that they may be simultaneously drawn away from below the plates B.
In the drawing, Figure 3 indicates by dotted lines a cord J fastened to the left
hand catch and extending towards the centre of the lift-well where it passes round a
block J, is returned, passed over a pulley and hangs down the lift-well; to the
block J there is attached a cord J which is secured to the right hand catch.
A suitable construction of catch is shown at Figures 6, 7 and 8. The two catch
bars proper D D are connected by bars D D and form a kind of frame which is
swung on pivot bearing-brackets D* D*, fixed to the well framework and by these
means the pair of catches will both inove together from their normal position shown
at Figure 6 to the position indicated by dotted lines in the same figure or vice versa.
The extent of motion of the catches and catch bars D D is controlled by the
bars D D the bar D preventing the catch being swung too far to the left hand
(referring to Figure 6) while the bar D³ prevents the counterweight forcing the
catch too far in the right hand direction. When desired the cover plates B may have
a lining of asbestos or similar material, such as silicate cotton, as is shown at Figure 9,
where B is the plate and B* the asbestos lining, or other arrangements may be
applied such as plates with space between same. In lift wells fitted with covers
according to our invention we preferably construct the casing at the upper part
thereof as indicated at Figures 1 and 2 whereby ventilation by means of the well
is not prevented, or the casing may be dispensed with at the upper part if
desired.
When it is desired that the opening at each floor should be closed, the handle G
on the cage frame is moved as previously described; the cage is raised to the top of
the lift well and the cover plates B B B being thus lifted and supported the
catches D are withdrawn by the attendant and the lift cage is then lowered and the
covers B rest on and descend with the cage cne above the other so that on passing
the top floor the top cover marked B in Figure 1 will be retained by the
trimmers C, the opening not being sufficiently large to allow it to pass, and on which
trimmer the cover B2 then rests and thereby completely closes the aperture. As the
'cage continues its descent it drops the next cover B¹ into its corresponding trimmer
at the next floor and so on for each succeeding floor to the base of the building.
On the cage ascending, the first floor cover B is lifted by the cage and so on to the
top of the building where the covers may be caught and secured by the catches D D
before inentioned, or the catches may be held back and the cover plates may fall and
rise with the cage and close and open the apertures at each descent and ascent of
the cage.
In practice however this is not generally necessary because the covers
need only be used to close the apertures when the lift is not in use, (at night for
example) the opening in the shaft would be closed at each floor or ceiling.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the saine is to be performed we declare that we are
aware that it has been heretofore proposed to close the openings in lift shafts by
means of doors and that such have been provided with bolts for retaining them in
position and doors or closing pieces have been carried up and down the shaft by the
lift cage but the construction of such apparatus has been complex and when the lift
is in constant use say during business hours it is not generally desired to carry these
doors up and down the lift because such carriage adds greatly to the weight to be
lifted and for ether reasons, we therefore do not broadly claim doors or closing pieces
carried by a lift cage, but what we claim is :-
1. In apparatus for closing the wells of hoists or lifts.the cover plates B B1 B2
fitting respectively into frames C of varying areas at the several floors of the building
in combination with the catches D for retaining the cover plates B. B.Bout of
action when desired substantially as herein described and shown with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus for closing the wells of hoists or lifts, the combination with cover
plates for closing the said wells of catches D.having recesses 13 taking onto
projecting parts on the cover plates whereby. the latter are prevented being accidentally
released substantially as set forth.
3. In apparatus for closing the wells of lifts or hoists, the combination of the,
cover plates B the catches D and the adjustable devices F G H carried by the lift
cage all substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shown with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of Wahm 1000