IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFTS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of N° 46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFTS (a communication to me from
abroad by Albert Julien Charles Van den Staepele, of Louvain, Belgium, Student)
to be as follows:-
This invention of improvements in lifts has for object to provide against
accidents resulting from sudden descending of the cabin or cage through breakage
or other cause.
In lifts as heretofore constructed with safety appliances designed to prevent or
arrest the descent of the cabin or cage in the event of accident the said appliances
have been such as would come into play only by way of exception and on the
Such
operating of special mechanism acting only at the time of the accident.
safety mechanism may (as it sometimes does) fail just when it is required to act,
and it may be said that with it lives are at the mercy of the slightest defect or dirt
in such safety mechanism or of other trivial circumstance.
In order to obviate this serious drawback, according to this invention safety
stopping devices are provided which normally occupy positions in which the
descent of the cabin or cage would be arrested but for the action upon such
stopping devices of apparatus carried by the cabin or cage, and which, so long as
the cabin or cage is carried or supported safely, will, as it descends, act upon the
safety stopping devices in such a manner as to cause them, as the cabin or cage
approaches, to successively move back sufficiently to admit of its downward
passage.
i
an
Apparatus to operate on this principle may be constructed in various forms
example is illustrated by the accompanying sheets of drawings, whereof Figs. 1
and 2 are two vertical sections in planes at right angles to one another of a lift
with appliances according to this invention the cabin or cage being at the top of
its travel.
Fig. 3 is a side view and Fig. 4 a vertical section of the cabin or cage detached
and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the bottom of the cabin or cage. The three
last mentioned figures shew the apparatus whereby the stopping devices are moved
out of the way to clear the cabin or cage as it descends when all is in proper
working order. Figs. 6 and 7 shew in side and front elevation respectively one of
the stopping devices. In these various figures the same letters of reference denote

page_text: .like parts where they occur. A is the cabin or cage which is assumed to be square
but may be of any other convenient shape; R is the cable to which it is suspended.
B. B¹ are four guides between which it is capable of moving:-They are supposed
to be formed of angle irons firmly connected by means of cross bars. Between two
of these guides and upon the cross bars is fixed a longitudinal bar C. C forming a
partition extending the entire height of the lift. In this partition is perforated a
vertical groove E. F.
a. a are stopping devices arranged alternately in two vertical series along the
groove E. F. They are pivotted or articulated each at its lower extremity. In
their normal position they project beyond the face of the partition. In case the
cable R should break, the cabin or cage A would meet with one of these projecting
stopping devices and thus its descent would be arrested. It is to be noted that
these stopping devices should be placed at short distances apart so that the cabin
or cage when falling should immediately meet with one of them.
Each stopping device comprises two parts: the lower part a which alone projects
and which supports the cabin or cage in case of an accident and the upper part a¹
which is wider than the part a is called the head, and extends owing to its greater
width behind the groove E. F the bottom of which it forms. When the stopping
devices are successively moved back in order to leave a free passage for the cabin
or cage, they enter the partition C: and when the cabin or cage has passed, they
are automatically and rapidly returned to their normal projecting positions, by
means of a counterweight or of a spring K. as shewn in the drawing or by means
of a combination of these two devices.
The play between the cabin or cage and the guides is as small as possible there
being only the strictly necessary space to allow of the cabin or cage when properly
counterpoised sliding easily in its guideway-In this manner the devices a. a¹
constitute efficient stops with a small amount of projection and the equilibrium of
the cabin or cage is insured. D. D are two uprights fitted to two opposite sides
of the cabin or cage. b. b are vertical slots or grooves one in each of the uprights.
M is a horizontal shaft able to work freely in the two grooves b. b and supporting
the cabin or cage. The suspension cable R is attached to the shaft M by means of
a hook N and of two rings d in which the shaft can turn freely.
Z. Z are four small ropes or cables which connect the extremity of the cable R
with the four angles of the cabin or cage and complete its means of suspension.
S is an eccentric sheave keyed centrally upon the shaft M. At one point of this
sheave is attached the extremity of a rope, chain or cable V. V' which is wound
upon the sheave, descends in the cabin or cage, passes over a second sheave S¹ and
is attached by its other extremity to a block U. U formed of two symmetrical
pieces relatively to the horizontal portion V1 of the rope.
This block U. U₁ is capable of sliding in a horizontal direction between
guides H. H, H³ H¹ placed below the floor X. X of the cabin or cage. P is a solid
spiral spring which is compressed by the block U when the cable V. V₁ is in tension
by reason of its being wound upon the sheave S. O¹ is a piston provided with a
rod o terminated by a shoe the edges of which are blunt. T. T¹ are two antago-
nistic spiral springs somewhat weaker than the spring P. When the rope V. V is
in tension the block U. U causes the spring P to move forward the latter in its
turn pushing the piston O¹ forward and causing the rod O to protrude outside
the cabin or cage, notwithstanding the pressure of the springs T T¹ which at the
most should only slightly compress the spring P. When the rope V V¹ is relaxed,
the antagonistic springs T T¹ move the piston 0¹ back, and its rod returns into the
cabin or cage.
ff are two lever arms fitted to the shaft M near one of its extremes. They
serve for the rotation of the shaft and consequently of the eccentric sheaves keyed
upon the same.
are two ropes or chains attached to the extremities of the levers f. f¹ and
which hang inside the cabin or cage. They enable the attendant to operate the
shaft, the eccentric wheel, the piston and its rod from the inside of the cabin or

page_text: l
cage. According as he pulls one or the other of these ropes the shaft will turn
in one direction or the other, the cable V V₁ will be wound or unwound and the
rod O will protrude or be left free to return under the action of the antagonistic
springs T Ti.
In addition to the above described appliances the apparatus is provided with
some suitable arrangement such as commonly used to cause the cabin or cage by
operating inside it, to ascend, descend or to stop at the various floors or stages.
In order that the attendant should not omit to cause the rod to return when
ascending, (an omission which although not productive of any danger to passengers
might nevertheless damage the apparatus) the appliances for working the rod O are
directly connected with the apparatus for stopping the cabin or cage or setting
it in motion. In this manner the attendant will not be able to perform the
operation necessary for ascending until after having previously caused the rod O
to return inward.
The cabin or cage being at the bottom of its travel in order to enable it to
ascend, the rope must first be acted upon so as to depress the lever arm f and
release the rope V. In this position the rod moved backward by the springs T T¹
does not project and nothing impedes the ascending motion of the cabin or cage,
which forces its own way by moving back the stopping devices a a¹ by its action
upon the inclined faces of the projections a. Should the rope break during the
ascent, the cabin or cage would be immediately stopped, because as fast as it had
previously ascended the stopping devices passed by it would have returned to their
normal positions so as to project beyond the guides.
When the cabin or cage is at the top of its course and it is desired that it should
descend, the rope must first of all be pulled in order to depress the lever arm f¹
and cause the rope V to wind itself upon the wheel S and to become taut under
these conditions, the block U U¹ is moved forward, the spring P acts upon the
piston O' and the rod O is caused to project beyond the cabin or cage and enter
the groove E F of the partition C. While descending the shoe I bears successively
against all the heads a of the stopping devices, the latter being constructed and
arranged in such a manner that the shoe I which may be caused to project more
or less under the action of the spring P slides from one head to the other without
impediment thus each stopping device is in turn pushed back to allow the cabin or
cage to pass, and immediately it has passed resumes its projecting attitude.
In case the cable should brake whilst the cabin or cage is descending, the shaft M
ceasing to be supported at the top of the grooves would fall, the rope V would
become slack as during the ascent; the rod O would return at once and as the
shoe I would then no longer bear against the heads of the stopping devices, the
latter would act like permanent stops and arrest the cabin or cage in its descent.
If in case of a fall, one of the stopping devices should give way under the weight
of the cabin or cage, there would still remain a series of other stopping devices
which would sucessively impede its descent but as the stopping device that gave
way would have broken the fall of the cabin or cage it is not probable the others
would fail.
The strength of the stopping devices should be proportionate to the weight of the
cabin or cage.
Their number and arrangement will vary according to the speed
imparted to the lift.
Stopping devices may be arranged at two or if necessary at the four sides of the
cabin or cage and although the invention has been described in connection with a
cabin or cage operated by cable, it will be evident it might be applied in lifts in
which rods or plungers are used.

page_text: I, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of N° 46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by Albert Julius Charles
Van den Staepele of Louvain, Belgium,) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention of improvements in lifts has for object to provide against
accidents resulting from sudden descent of the cabin or cage through breakage
or other cause.
In all systems of lifts hitherto known the stoppage of the cage in case of
accident, is effected by the aid of mechanism which only comes into action
exceptionally and in emergencies. This mechanism rarely tried or verified, may
become disarranged without it being known, and however ingenious or complete it
may be, it may fail or act imperfectly just when it is wanted. Thus the lives of
the persons using the lift are put in serious peril.
But it
In order to obviate this serious drawback there are disposed in the lift according
to this invention permanent obstacles which always oppose the descent of the cage,
and have to be pushed aside by special mechanism, and if from any cause this
mechanism becomes disarranged the fact is evidenced by the arrest of the cage.
In this manner the stoppage does not depend on any exceptional appliance or
agency; it is produced by a condition of things which constitutes the normal state
of the apparatus. Naturally the stopping devices must be removed out of the path
of the cage to permit it to go up and down during the working of the lift.
is necessary that on the descent of the cage this removal should only be effected
during the ordinary state of the apparatus, otherwise there would be no real
stopping devices or obstacles. It is also necessary that the removal of the stopping
devices on the descent should only be effected by a special appliance on the
intervention of the attendant and should not be able to work except when the
cage is in perfect security independently of the above-mentioned stopping devices.
Thus it is not the stoppage but the motion of the lift which is controlled and
which requires the aid of an outside appliance or agency.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of the
lift with the upright or cheek Y, of the adjoining compartment taken away to
shew the interior of this compartment. Fig. 2 is a side view of the lift with the
upright or cheek W of the same compartment taken away. Fig. 3 is a side view
and Fig. 4 a vertical section of the cabin or cage detached, and Fig. 5 is a
horizontal section of the bottom of the cabin or cage. The three last mentioned
figures shew the apparatus whereby the stopping devices are moved out of the way
to clear the cabin or cage as it descends when all is in proper working order.
Figs. 8 and 7 shew in side and front elevation respectively one of the stopping
devices. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section of the lift well or guide, and of the cabin or
cage shewing the manner in which the rod O traverses the slot or groove in the
partition C C and penetrates to the heads a¹ of the stopping devices. The section

page_text: is taken through the line A' B¹ fig. 1. In these various figures the same letters
of reference denote like parts where they occur. A is the cabin or cage which is
assumed to be square but may be of any other convenient shape. R is the cable to
which it is suspended. B. B₁ are four guides between which it is capable of
moving; they are supposed to be formed of angle irons firmly connected by means
of cross bars. Between two of these guides and upon the cross bars is fixed a
longitudinal bar C C forming a partition extending the entire height of the lift.
In this partition is perforated a vertical groove E F. Against the partition C C,
and running the entire length of the guiding appliances there run three up-
rights Y Y and W, forming a compartment containing the moveable stopping
devices a a¹. These are pivotted at their lower ends to the lateral uprights Y Y
and are disposed in two vertical and alternate series along the length of the
groove E F in such a way as to form projections. They pass through openings
made in the partition C C and stand in the path of the cage. In case the cable R
should break, the cabin or cage A would meet with one of these projecting stopping
It is to be noted that these
devices and thus its descent would be arrested.
stopping devices should be placed at short distances apart so that the cabin or cage
when falling should immediately meet with one of them.
Each stopping device comprises two parts; the lower part a which alone projects
and which supports the cabin or cage in case of an accident, and the upper part a¹,
which is wider than the part a is called the head, and extends owing to its greater
width behind the groove E F the bottom of which it forms. When the stopping
devices are successively moved back in order to leave a free passage for the cabin
or cage, they enter the partition C and when the cabin or cage has passed, they are
automatically and rapidly returned to their normal projecting positions, by means
of a counterweight or of a spring K as shewn in the drawing or by means of a
combination of these two devices.
The play between the cabin or cage and the guides is as small as possible there
being only the strictly necessary space to allow of the cabin or cage when. properly
counterpoised sliding easily in its guideway. In this manner the devices a a¹
constitute efficient stops with a small amount of projection and the equilibrium of
the cabin or cage is insured. D D are two uprights fitted to two opposite sides
of the cabin or cage. b, b are vertical slots or grooves one in each of the uprights.
M is a horizontal shaft able to work freely in the two grooves b. b and supporting
the cabin or cage. The suspension cable R is attached to the shaft M by means of
a hook N and of two rings & in which the shaft can turn freely.
Z. Z. are four small ropes or cables which connect the extremity of the cable R
with the four angles of the cabin or cage and complete its means of suspension.
S is an eccentric sheave keyed centrally upon the shaft M. At one point of this
sheave is attached the extremity of a rope, chain or cable v v¹ which is wound upon
the sheave, descends in the cabin or cage, passes over a second sheave S¹ and is
attached by its other extremity to a block V V₁ formed of two symmetrical pieces
relatively to the horizontal portion v1 of the rope and connected together by the
cross piece d d d. This block V V₁ is capable of sliding in a horizontal direction
between guides H. H, H'H' placed below the floor X X of the cabin or cage. P is
a solid spiral spring which is compressed by the block V when the cable v, v¹ is in
tension by reason of its being wound upon the sheave S. is a piston provided
with a rod O terminated by a shoe I the edges of which are blunt. T T are two
When the
antagonistic spiral springs somewhat weaker than the spring P.
rope v, is in tension the block V V¹ causes the spring P to move forward, the
latter in its turn pushing the piston O¹ forward and causing the rod O to protrude
outside the cabin or cage, notwithstanding the pressure of the springs T T" which
When the rope v, v¹ is
at the most should only slightly compress the spring P.
relaxed, the antaganistic springs T T move the piston O¹ back, and its rod returns
into the cabin or cage. f. f1 are two lever arins fitted to the shaft M near one
of its extremities. They serve for the rotation of the shaft and consequently of
the eccentric sheave-S keyed upon the same. 1. are two ropes or chains attached

page_text: to the extremities of the levers ff' and which hang inside the cabin or cage. They
enable the attendant to operate the shaft, the eccentric wheel, the piston and its
rod from the inside of the cabin or cage. According as he pulls one or the other of
these ropes 1. the shaft will turn in one direction or the other, the cable v, v
will be wound or unwound and the rod O will protrude or be left free to return
under the action of the antagonistic springs T T'. In addition to the above
described appliances the apparatus is provided with some suitable arrangement
such as commonly used to cause the cabin or cage, by operating inside it, to ascend,
descend, or to stop at the various floors or stages.
In order that the attendant should not omit to cause the rod to return when
ascending (an omission which although not productive of any danger to passengers
might nevertheless damage the apparatus) the appliances for working the rod
are directly connected with the apparatus for stopping the cabin or cage or setting
it in motion. In this manner the attendant will not be able to perform the
operations necessary for ascending until after having previously caused the rod O
to return inward.
The cabin or cage being at the bottom of its travel in order to enable it to
ascend, the rope must first be acted upon so as to depress the lever arm fand
release the rope v, v¹. In this position the rod moved backward by the springs T T¹
does not project and nothing impedes the ascending motion of the cabin or cage
which forces its own way by moving back the stopping devices a a' by its action
upon the inclined faces of the projections a. Should the rope break during the
ascent, the cabin or cage would be immediately stopped, because as fast as it had
previously ascended the stopping devices passed by it would have returned to their
normal positions so as to project beyond the guides.
When the cabin or cage is at the top of its course and it is desired that it should
descend the rope must first of all be pulled in order to depress the lever arm f¹
and cause the rope vv to wind itself upon the wheel S and to become taut.
Under these conditions, the block V V₁ is moved forward the spring P acts upon
the piston 0 and the rod O is caused to project beyond the cabin or cage and
enter the groove E F of the partition C. While descending the shoe I bears
successively against all the heads a¹ of the stopping devices, the latter being
constructed and arranged in such a manner that the shoe I which may be caused
to project more or less under the action of the spring P slides from one head to
the other without impediment thus each stopping device is in turn pushed back to
allow the cabin or cage to pass and immediately it has passed resumes its projecting
attitude.
In case the cable should break whilst the cabin or cage is descending, the
shaft M ceasing to be supported at the top of the grooves would fall, the rope v, v
would become slack as during the ascent, the rod O would return at once and as
the shoe I would then no longer bear against the heads of the stopping devices, the
latter would act like permanent stops and arrest the cabin or cage in its descent.
The automatic movement of the rod O, in case the cable should break during the
descent is of the utmost importance. The proper working of this part is always
assured by the continual proof which is afforded by the necessity which exists that
the attendant should operate the rod at each ascent. It is this obligatory and
necessary verification which constitutes one of the salient features of this invention.
If in case of a fall, one of the stopping devices should give way under the weight
of the cabin or cage, there would still remain a series of other stopping devices
which would successively impede its descent, but as the stopping device that gave
way would have broken the fall of the cabin or cage it is not probable the others
would fail.
The strength of the stopping devices should be proportioned to the weight of the
cabin or cage. Their number and arrangement will vary according to the speed
imparted to the lift.
Stopping devices may be arranged at two or if necessary at the four sides of the
cabin or cage and although this invention has been described in connection with a
6

page_text: cabin or cage operated by cable, it will be evident it might be applied in lifts in
which rods or plungers are used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a lift safety stopping devices that normally obstruct the descent of the
cabin or cage but are moved out of the way to allow of its passage by means that
operate only when the cabin or cage is efficiently carried or supported in safe
working order substantially as described.
2. In a lift, moveable stopping devices such as a a¹ in combination with means,
such as the rod O, by which the said stopping devices are moved back out of the
path of the cage, so long as the cage is efficiently carried or supported in working
order substantially as described.
3. In a lift provided with moveable stopping devices, and an appliance to move
the said devices out of the path of the cage, means for operating the said appliance,
substantially as described.
4. The combination of the rod O, springs T T', block V V₁, sheaves S S¹ and
levers ff substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
5. The improved means for arresting the descent of a lift, cage or cabin,
constructed arranged and operating substantially as described with reference to
the drawings.