AN IMPROVED HYDROSTATIC HOIST
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Auguste André Fontaine
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 1st February 1869.
I, JOSEPH AUGUSTE ANDRÉ FONTAINE, of Paris, in the Empire of
France, at present residing at the Somerset Hotel, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED HYDROSTATIC HOIST," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in a system of hoist or lift based on the well-
known hydrostatic principle that any body plunged into a liquid loses a
part of its own weight equal to that of the volume of the liquid which
it displaces.
The apparatus which I have invented for applying this principle to
the raising and lowering heavy weights or loads is composed,―
Firstly. Of a tube almost entirely filled with water called the
"hydrostatic tube," in which is plunged (either free or otherwise) a
cylinder which, alternately filled with air or with water, produces, by
virtue of the hydrostatic principle above named, the ascent and descent
of the load platform, with which it is connected by means of a traction
rope which passes in different directions over a system of pulleys. This
cylinder is called the "ascender."

page_text: Secondly. Of a framework called the "lift frame" in which the load
platform rises and descends guided by wheels on vertical rails placed
on the columns forming the framework.
Thirdly. Of a system of mechanical arrangements which effect the
emptying of the water from the "ascender" in the hydrostatic tubo,
and at the same time the filling of the same with air.
The hydrostatic tube may be of a cylindrical or convenient form and
may be constructed of cast iron, wood, brickwork, stone, or other
suitable material; it is full (or nearly so) of water. The vertical external
wall of this tube does not present any peculiarity excepting that at each
floor (if the apparatus is placed in a house, warehouse, or other building).
is a cock for supplying water in case of fire, and also for emptying the
tube to repair the apparatus if needed. The top or cover of the tube
has four openings which allow the different ropes necessary for the
working of the system to pass through. The lower external face of this
tube rests on brickwork or stone, and is provided with a circular opening,
the edges of which are coated with copper, leather, or other material,
and through which rises and falls a hollow cylinder, which effects the
double operation of emptying the water from the "ascender" and filling
the same with air. The vertical internal face of the hydrostatic tube is
provided at two diametrically opposite points with vertical rails on
which the guide wheels of the "ascender" move, and also supports at or
near its upper end the pulleys over which the ropes connected to the
"ascender" pass. The internal face of the top of the tube also presents
openings for the lift ropes to pass through, and carries two buffers
terminating in spheres of india-rubber to stop the rising of the
"ascender." The lower internal face of the hydrostatic tube also
presents the orifice lined with copper above-named and carries four
pulleys strongly mounted, round which the ropes necessary for working
the system pass. The framing in which the load platform rises and
descends presents no peculiarity. The "ascender" is provided ex-
ternally with brackets for carrying its guide pulleys, and also with
means of attaching the traction cord which connects it with the
load platform. The top of the "ascender" is fitted with a frame
carrying two hollow discs to receive the heads of the buffers above
named, and with two flat half discs which when in contact close entirely
the upper part of the "ascender," and which are capable of being pulled
asunder by means of two cords passing round pulleys from thence to the

page_text: load platform. When the cords are relcased the two half discs are
drawn close together by means of two springs. The lower external face
of the "ascender" has a central circular opening to which is fixed a
cylinder provided with two lateral openings opposite to each other.
The interior surface of this cylinder is made in the form of a hollow
screw. The holes are intended to allow of the passage of a bolt
terminating in a helical spring and actuated by a cord, which after
passing round guide pulleys also terminates at the load platform.
In the interior of the ascender is fitted a movable disc which presents
the following peculiarities:-Firstly, two valves opening upwards.
Secondly, on its lower face, a hollow socket provided with a transverse
channel intended to receive the bolt above named, which also passes
through the fixed cylinder and consequently fixes the disc to the lower
face of the "ascender." The diameter of the disc is less than that of
the "ascender," so that the disc being fixed the "ascender" can descend
without touching it. This diso is provided at opposite points of its
circumference with notches which clip two longitudinal projections in
the interior surface of the ascender in order to keep the holes in the
hollow socket always opposite to those in the fixed cylinder.
The apparatus for emptying the water from the "ascender" and
filling it with air is composed as follows:-Firstly, a hollow rod or pipe
fixed firmly to the ground, and having its upper end closed and so
formed as to fit into the hollow socket at the lower side of the movable
disc. This hollow rod is fitted above the bottom of the hydrostatic tube
with several valves opening outwards and serving to introduce air into
the "ascender," and has an opening at the bottom for the admission
of air into its interior. This hollow rod is also provided at the level of the
base of the hydrostatic tube with a copper ring forming with the copper
ring before named a kind of stuffing box, through which an independent
cylinder which may be screwed to the short cylinder of the lower part
of the "ascender" passes, and can rise and fall. The lower end of this
cylinder below the bottom of the hydrostatic tube terminates in a
horizontal toothed wheel, its upper end being provided with a screw
thread so that it can be screwed into the short oylinder fixed to the
bottom of the "ascender." The horizontal toothed wheel is driven by
a worm in connection with a hand wheel, which can be turned from the
load platform when it is on a level with the ground so as to screw or
unscrew the cylinder. On the ground floor is a small railway on which

page_text: travel the wheels of a carriage loaded with ingots of lead or other
material, and this railway coincides with a similar one on the load
platform when they are both on the same plane. There are also holding
catches to maintain the load platform at the ground floor till the
moment when it is required to ascend. The "ascender" being filled
with air, and its ascensional force being superior to the weight represented
by the platform and its load and the different frictions of the ropes on
the pulleys, and of the pulleys on the rails, it will be evident that as soon
as the holding catches are released and the cylinder (before referred to)
unscrewed this apparatus will rise, in the hydrostatic tube; raising at the
same time the load platform. To obtain the descent the operator, who is
on the platform, pulls the two cords connected to the half discs and
admits the water into the "ascender," and as soon as its ascensional
force has become inferior to the weight of the load platform the latter
descends in its framework, carrying with it the "ascender," and stopping
at the level of the ground floor. To prepare the apparatus for another
ascent all that is necessary is to expel the water, and to fill the
"ascender" with air. To effect this the operator draws the loaded
carriage (above named) on to the load platform, which causes the latter
to sink further down, carrying parallel with it the "ascender," and as the
movable disc therein is arrested by the top of the hollow rod, it acts as
a piston and forces the water out of the "ascender," at the same time
admitting air through the valves to replace the same.
The operator
then closes the half discs at the top of the "ascender" and steps off the
platform, which being relieved of his weight rises by the ascensional
force of the "ascender" till arrested by the holding catches at the
ground floor. The independent hollow cylinder, which for the emptying
of water of the ascender is screwed to the short cylinder of that ascender,
has for object to prevent the introduction of the water in that apparatus
when that apparatus descends below the ground.
My improved hydrostatic hoist may be constructed without,-
1stly. The circumferential space, the edges of which it has been said
are coated with copper or leather.
2ndly. The short cylinder of the ascender.
And, 3rdly. The independent cylinder.
In that construction it is necessary that the bottom orifice of the
ascender, to which, in the previously described construction, the short
cylinder was said to be fixed, be of such a diameter as to be but a very

page_text: little longer than that of the disc's socket and of the hollow cylinder
which it has been said acts as a piston. This disposition, preventing the
introduction of water into the ascender when it descends below the
ground, renders useless the short cylinder of the ascender and also the
independent cylinder. The hollow cylinder acting as a piston is fixed
directly to the bottom of the hydrostatic tube, and receives the air from
beneath.
It will be evident that the ascending and descending motion of the
ascender might, with suitable mechanical arrangements, be transformed
into motive power.