Improvements in Hoisting-and-conveying Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1892-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hoisting-and-conveying Machines.
I, ALEXANDER EPHRAIM BROWN, of corner of Hamilton and Belden Streets,
Cleveland, State of Ohio, United States of America, Mechanical and Civil
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 :-
My invention relates to that type, or kind, of hoisting-and-conveying machine,
which comprises a tram-way, mounted at about its middle, lengthwise, on a suitable
pier, or supporting column (sometimes stationary and sometimes arranged to travel
on a rail-road track), after the fashion of a cantilever derrick; and has for its
object to provide means for counter-balancing the load suspended from and carried
along by the trolly by a suitable weight which will travel back and forth in
accordance with the extent of the movements the trolly may make but moving
always in an opposite direction to that in which the trolly may travel and, to these
ends and objects my invention may be said to consist, essentially, in the combination
with the tram-way and the hoisting-and-conveying trolly and attachments of a
cantilever derrick, of a counter-balancing weight adapted to move in opposite
directions but to the same extent as the trolly, and suitable means for causing such
movements of said counter weight; all as will be hereinafter more fully explained,
and as will be more particularly pointed out in the claims of this Specification.
My invention also further consists in certain novel devices and combinations of
devices, by means of which the travelling counter-balancing weight may be
increased, or diminished, according to circumstances and at the pleasure of the
operator, or manager of the machine; all as will be presently more fully described
and as will be more specifically pointed out in the claims of this Specification.
To enable those skilled in the art to make and use a hoisting-and-conveying
machine, or cantilever derrick, embracing the novel features of my invention,
will now proceed to more fully describe the latter, referring by letters to the
accompanying drawing which forms part of this Specification and in which I have
shown all the features of my invention carried out in the forms in which I have so
far practised them; though, of course, as to each of the novel features of con-
struction variations may be made in the details of the machine without varying
the novel principles of construction and modes of operation which are peculiar to
my invention.
In the drawing,
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a cantilever derrick, or hoisting-and-conveying
machine, embodying all the features of my invention.
Fig. 2, is a vertical cross-section, on an enlarged scale, of the tram-way;
showing better the relative arrangement of the tracks on which travel, respectively,
the movable counter-balancing weight and the trolly; the former being mounted
to pass over the latter whenever the two may have to pass each other. (at, or
near the middle of the tram-way) during the travelling, or load-conveying move-
ments, of the trolly.
Fig. 3, is a partial side elevation, on the same scale as Fig. 2, showing merely
the weight carriage, the supplemental weight and connected devices...
Fig. 4, is a skeleton, or diagrammatical view, drawn out of proper proportion;
in order to illustrate the entire relative arrangement and movements of all the
operative parts of my means for counter-balancing the load that is suspended from
the trolly during the hoisting-and-conveying operations.
In the several figures the same part will be found designated by the same letter
of reference.

page_text: A, is the central column, or supporting pier of the cantilever derrick and
B, the boom-like bridge tram-way, on which are mounted and travel on two
tracks c and d, the trolly D, and the counter-balancing weight C, as clearly
shown.
E is the usual hoist-rope which, when acted upon by the winding drum of the
engine, operates to raise, the hoist-block a from which the load to be elevated,
carried along, and lowered is supposed to be suspended.
'G is an endless cable which is driven in either direction, as may be,necessary,
by means of (in the case shown) oue, or the other, of the two winding drums H
and I, that are mounted loosely in the drive-shaft J, with which they can be thrown
into engagement, one at a time, by means of a clutching mechanism, so arranged
and operating that by moving the pivoted hand-lever g, in one, or the other,
direction, one, or the other, of said drums will be clutched to shaft Jand at the
same time, the other unclutched therefrom.
M is an idler, mounted on a suitably located fixed axis of motion, and around
which the endless cable G, makes a partial turn.
This idler may be located to turn in a plane at right angles to that in which
the drum H rotates and may be placed laterally of the winding drums; but in
the diagrammatical, or skeleton view, Fig. 4, I have shown it located below the
winding drums, to get a better sight of it, and to render this figure more
clearly illustrative of the whole arrangement of cable, carriages, 'drums, and
wheels.
By reference to this figure, it will be seen that the ends of the cable G substan-
tially meet at the trolly D, to which they are secured, and that the cable G runs
thence around a series of idlers 1, 2, 3, 4, and down to the winding drum I, and also
thence around another series of idlers, 5, 6, 7, to the other winding-drum H.
Around each of the drums H and I, the cable makes a series of complete
turns (I have, in practice, found three turns sufficient and desirable), and in
passing from one drum to the other makes a half turn on the periphery of the
idler M.
By means of suitable clamps, or gripping devices, 1, 1, on the travelling weight
carriage C, the cable G is secured thereto, at such point in the run, or length of
the cable as may be desired, and by releasing and re-engaging these clamps 1,
the run, or path of travel of the weight C may be varied, or adjusted, as and
for a purpose to be presently explained.
The counter-balancing travelling weight C is mounted on, or in, a truck to run
easily on the truck wheels e, that travel on the track d, and when occasion may
require said travelling weight may be supplemented by the addition of another
weight K (see Figs. 2 and 3) that is adapted to be carried on top of the usual
weight C when desired, or to be left in a state of disuse, as will be presently
explained.
are a series of curved metallic standards which are bolted, as shown, 'near
their lower ends to the outer sides of the track beams k, of the track on which
travel the truck-wheels e, of weight C, and which are threaded at their upper
portions for the accommodation of nuts m and n (see Fig. 2) by means of which,
through the medium of supporting (and removable) cross-bars 0, the supplemental
weight. k may, at the pleasure of the attendant, be either maintained in a state of
disuse, or placed on top of the wheeled weight 'C, so as to increase its gravity and
travel with it.
At Fig. 2, the supplemental weight K, is shown as supported by 'the cross-bars o
(one at each end of the weight) each of which rests at one end on one of the
nuts m of one of the standards; each of said cross-bars o, having its upper-edge
in contact at certain points with the projecting lugs p, p, of the weight.
It will be understood, of course, that the weight supported by the cross-bars is
held at an elevation such that the travelling weight C, will clear the under side of
weight K, or travel back and forth beneath it without interference.
To bring the supplemental weight into use, the wheeled weight C is placed, or

page_text: run,
to the proper position immediately beneath it; then the four nuts m, are
turned down (on the threaded portions of the four standards j) thus lowering the
cross-bars o, on which the weight rests, until the latter is lowered on to the top of
the weight C which, as shown, is formed preferably, with four upward projections C³,
on which the base of weight K comes to bearings.
After the weight K shall have been thus lowered on to, or, so to speak,
deposited on top of the wheeled weight C (and the cross-bars o removed) the
latter will carry it whenever it may itself be caused to travel by the action of the
cable G.
The general operation of the machine, or mechanical contrivance may be thus
explained.
In the use of the machine in the usual manner, for hoisting and conveying loads,
the trolly D is caused to travel back and forth on its track c, to any desired, or
requisite extent, for the proper handling of the load being conveyed by it and as
the wheeled, counter-balancing weight C, is coupled, or attached, to the endless
cable G to which the trolly is also secured, it follows that the said weight
must travel, or move on its track d, whenever the trolly moves on track c, and to
the same extent; but, by reason of the arrangement of the runs of said cable,
the weight C will always travel in a direction opposite to that in which the trolly
moves.
As the weight truck and trolly are mounted on tracks located one over the other
as shown, it follows that whenever the trolly has to pass over the point at which
the boom, or cantilever, is generally supported, the wheeled weight will pass over
the trolly; the latter moving toward one end of the boom, while the weight travels
towards the other end.
Thus, will the counter weight be always located at a point the same distance
from the middle (or pier supported point) of the boom, as that at which the trolly
with its suspended load may be located.
In other words, the counter-balancing weight will move towards and away from
the middle, or fulcral point of the boom in perfect accordance with the similar
movements of the trolly.
As it may, however, sometimes be desirable to have the leverage of the counter-
balancing weight multiplied beyond that of the load, so as to increase the effec-
tiveness of said weight when a certain kind of work has to be done requiring the
trolly to travel back and forth over one-half only of the entire length of its track,
I have provided for this contingency and for a modified action of the mechanism
under which mode of action, the counter-balancing weight will, for instance, travel
back and forth between one end of the boom and the point y, on the same arm
of the boom, while the trolly travels back and forth from about the middle of the
boom and the point 3 of the other arm.
This different relative action of the trolly and wheeled weight, I bring about
by disconnecting the clamps I, 1, of the carriage weight from the cable G and
after having adjusted the trolly relatively to the weight, re-securing the weight to
the cable.
For certain kinds of work this capability of the machine, to thus have the
weight travel from the extreme end of one arm of the boom, to a point near
the middle of said arm, while the trolly moves from the middle, say, of the other
arm to the middle of the boom, is quite important; and hence the feature of
adjustment, by which I am enabled to gain this end (whether the detailed con-
struction be such as shown, or modified) I consider important in my improved
machine.
The weight of the counter-balance C and also that of the supplemental, or
auxiliary device, K may, of course, be varied according to the size, proportions,
and relative base area of the derrick, and are matters within the judgment of the
engineer, or skilled mechanic.
It will be seen that my present invention may be carried into effect under any
modification, as to the structural details of the machine, and that the main and

page_text: secondary features of improvement herein described, need not necessarily be used
together, though to get all the fruits of my invention, it is desirable to embody all
these separable features in one machine, as then the machine will possess not only
the capacity to have the load suspended from and carried by the trolly always,
preferably and thoroughly counter-balancing the boom; but will also be capable
of a variation in the gravity of the counter-balancing weight to suit various loads
to be handled, and also capable of a variation in the comparative leverages of
the weight and trolly load, on the centrally supported boom, as herein before
specified.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:―
First. In a cantilever derrick, or hoisting-and-conveying machine, the com-
bination with the trolly, of a counter-balancing weight, which travels back and
forth on the boom, or centrally supported tram-way, to about the saine extent as,
but in opposite directions to, the movements of the trolly, as specified; and suitable
means operating to produce the said relative movements of the trolly and
counter-balancing weight; all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
set forth.
Second. In a hoisting-and-conveying machine of the type shown and described,
the combination, with a travelling counter-balancing weight, of an auxiliary
weight, and means by which said auxiliary weight can be either held in a stat
of disuse, or can be placed upon the travelling weight, so as to move therewith;
all substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
Third. In combination with the double tracked boom, or tram-way, of a hoisting-
and-conveying machine; the trolly; the travelling counter-balance; and means
for moving the trolly and counter-balance corresponding distances as specified,
means for varying the path of travel of the counter-balance, so as to multiply
its leverage over the opposing weight at the trolly; all substantially as set
forth.
Dated this 10th day of May 1892.
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
76, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.