Improved Means for Supporting the Hauling or Travelling, Lifting, and other Ropes or Chains in Apparatus for Raising, Lowering, and Conveying or Transporting Loads.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 9th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 3rd Apr.. 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Supporting the Hauling or Travelling, Lifting,
and other Ropes or Chains in Apparatus for Raising, Lowering,
and Conveying or Transporting Loads.
I, JOSEPH TEMPERLEY, of The Temperley Transporter Company,
72 Bishopsgate Street Within, in the City of London, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improved means for supporting the hauling or travelling
lifting and other ropes or chains in apparatus for raising, lowering and conveying
or transporting loads.
My said invention is applicable to apparatus, such, for example, as that described
in the Specification of former Letters Patent granted to me and dated
21st November 1892, No. 21,170, in which the hauling or travelling ropes or chains
serve also for raising and lowering the load, and also to wire rope ways, aërial
railways and the like in which auxiliary ropes or chains are used for hauling
carriages or travellers along overhead cables or tracks, or for other purposes, and
to similar apparatus.
In apparatus of the kind or class above referred to, the hauling or travelling,
lifting and other ropes or chains, as they are paid out, require to be supported at
suitable intervals, more especially in cases where the traveller has to move through
a long distance; and such support is usually furnished by means of carriers,
which, in some instances, are distributed at suitable intervals along the track as
the traveller moves in one direction and are taken up by or moved back with the
said traveller in the movement thereof in the reverse direction.
Now the essential feature of my present invention is the utilization of the weight.
of the hauling or travelling, lifting and other ropes or chains, or either of them,
for automatically bringing into action as and when required the carrier or carriers
for supporting the said ropes or chains.
I can utilize the weight of the said ropes or chains in various ways for the
purpose above mentioned.
According to one method, I construct the said carrier and arrange the same in
conjunction with the traveller and the cable or track and with one or more ropes or
chains as the case may be, in such a manner that when, through the paying out of
the said ropes or chains, the weight thereof, or of either of them, acting upon the
rearmost carrier is sufficient for the purpose, it will cause the said carrier to take
hold of or bear against the cable or track so that such carrier will remain
stationary and will serve as a support for the said ropes or chains; and in like
manner when the said ropes or chains have been further paid out to a sufficient
extent, the weight of that portion thereof, or of either of them, between the said
carrier and the next succeeding carrier will cause the latter to take hold of or bear
against the cable or track, and so on. Thus, in the movement of the traveller along
the said cable or track, each of the said carriers will in turn be automatically
brought into action to serve as a support for the said ropes or chains as and when
such support becomes necessary, the said carriers being automatically distributed
along the cable or track at intervals determined by the weight of the said ropes or
chains, or of either of them, as the same are paid out. The said carriers will,
moreover, as the said ropes or chains are drawn in to haul the traveller along in

page_text: the reverse direction, be automatically and successively released from the cable or
track either by the reduction of the weight acting upon them, or by the action of
the returning traveller.
According to another method, the weight of the said ropes or chains is utilized
to dislodge, unlock or release the said carriers successively as required.
instance, the said carriers are so arranged in combination with an independent
spring-supported pulley that the weight of the rope or chain acting upon the said
pulley will effect the dislodgement or release of the carriers successively from a
bar or other support attached to the traveller or to the terminal of the cable
or track.
In some instances, the said carriers are coupled or counected to each other or to
the said traveller or terminal by automatic couplings, latches or hooks in such a
manner that they will be successively disconnected or uncoupled by the weight of
the said ropes or chains, or either of the same; and, as the traveller moves back,
the said carriers will be automatically coupled or connected.
Another method of accomplishing the desired result consists in constructing the
carriers and arranging the same in combination with the cable or track and with
the rope or chain in such a manner that, when brought into action by the weight
of the said rope or chain, they will take hold of the said rope or chain and will be
thereby moved along the cable or track as required. In some cases I provide a
device at the terminal end of the cable or track for retaining the said carriers at that
end, but permitting them to be successively dislodged or released when they take
hold of and are pulled along by the rope or chain.
I do not confine myself to the particular methods above mentioned, as there are
other ways in which I can utilize the weight of the said ropes or chains for the
purpose of causing or determining the distribution of the carriers.
Dated the 9th day of April 1896.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Means for Supporting the Hauling or Travelling, Lifting,
and other Ropes or Chains in Apparatus for Raising, Lowering,
and Conveying or Transporting Loads.
I, JOSEPH TEMPERLEY, of The Temperley Transporter Company,
72, Bishopsgate Street Within, in the City of London, 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 improved means for supporting the hauling or travelling,
lifting and other ropes or chains in apparatus for raising, lowering and conveying
or transporting loads.
My said invention is applicable to apparatus, such, for example, as that described
in the Specification of former Letters Patent granted to me and dated
21st November 1892, No. 21,170, in which the hauling or travelling ropes or
chains serve also for raising and lowering the load, aud also to wire-rope railways,
aerial railways and the like, in which auxiliary ropes or chains are used for hauling
load-carriages or travellers along overhead cables or tracks or for like purposes, and
to similar apparatus.
In apparatus of the kind or class above referred to, the hauling or travelling,

page_text: lifting and other ropes or chains, as they are paid out, require to be supported at
suitable intervals, more especially in cases where the traveller has to move through
a long distance; and such support is usually furnished by means of rope-supports
or carriers, which, in some instances, are distributed at suitable in tervals along the
track as the traveller moves in one direction, and are taken up hy or moved back
with the said traveller in the movement thereof in the reverse direction.
Now the essential feature of my present invention is the utilization of the weight
of the paid-out portion of the hauling or travelling, lifting and other ropes or
chains, or either of them, for automatically spacing or bringing into action as and
when required the carrier or carriers for supporting the said ropes or chains.
I can utilize the weight of the said ropes or chains in various ways for the
purpose above mentioned. As wire ropes are usually employed in apparatus of the
kind referred to, I will hereinafter describe my invention as applied to apparatus
in which one or more of such ropes are used; I desire it to be clearly understood.
however, that my invention is likewise applicable where chains are used in place of
the ropes.
According to one method, I construct the said carriers and arrange the same in
conjunction with the traveller and the cable or track and with one or more ropes
as the case may be, in such a manner that when, through the paying out of the
said rope or ropes, the weight thereof or of either of them acting upon the
rearmost carrier becomes sufficient for the purpose, it will cause the said carrier
to take hold of or bear against the cable or track so that such carrier will remain
stationary and will serve as a support for the said rope or ropes; and, in like
manner, when the said rope or ropes have been further paid out to a sufficient
extent, the weight of that portion thereof or of either of them between the said
carrier and the next succeeding carrier will cause the latter to take hold of or
bear against the cable or track, and so on. Thus, in the movement of the
traveller along the said cable or track, each of the said carriers will in turn be
automatically brought into action to serve as a support for the said rope or ropes
as and when such support becomes necessary, the said carriers being automatically
distributed along the cable or track at intervals determined by the weight of the
said rope or ropes or of either of them, as the same are paid out. The said carriers
will, moreover, as the said rope or ropes are drawn in to haul the traveller along
in the reverse direction, be automatically and successively released from the cable
or track either by the reduction of the weight acting upon them or by the action
of the returning traveller.
According to another method, the weight of the said rope or ropes is utilized
to dislodge, unlock or release the said carriers successively as required. For
instance, the said carriers are so arranged in combination with an independent
spring-supported pulley that the weight of the rope or ropes acting upon the
said palley will effect the dislodgement or release of the carriers successively
from a bar or other support attached to the traveller or to the terminal of the
cable or track.
In other instances the said carriers are coupled or connected to each other or
to the said traveller or terminal by automatic couplings, latches or hooks in such
a manner that they will be successively disconnected or uncoupled by the weight
of the said rope or ropes or either of the same; and, as the traveller inoves back,
the said carriers will be automatically coupled or connected.
Another method of accomplishing the desired result consists in constructing the
carriers and arranging the same in combination with the cable or track and with
the rope or ropes in such a manner that, when brought into action by the weight
of the said rope or ropes, they will take hold of the latter and will be thereby
moved along the cable or track as required. In some cases I provide a device at
the terminal end of the cable or track for retaining the said carriers at that end,.
but which will permit them to be successively dislodged or released when they take
hold of and are pulled along by the rope or ropes.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a side elevation showing an inclined cable-transporter provided with
rope-supports or carriers constructed in accordance with my said invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, drawn to an enlarged scale,
showing one form of my improved rope-carrier.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the said rope-carrier.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, showing the parts in a different position.
Figure 5 is a side elevation illustrating another form or modification of my said
invention.
Figure 6 is a transverse section of the same.
Figure 7 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, and
Figure 8 a front elevation illustrating a further modification of my said
invention, and
Figure 9 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a still further modification
thereof.
A is the traveller, which is supported by means of rollers or wheels B on the
cable C. D is the lifting or hauling rope. E, E are the rope-carriers, of which
three are shown in Figure 1. F is a terminal pulley over which the lifting or
hauling rope D is passed to a winch G or similar appliance.
The rope-carrier shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, which is designed for use on an
inclined cable or track, comprises a frame a provided with wheels or rollers bb,
whereby it is supported and runs upon the cable C. A brake-lever or clamping-
lever c is pivotted at c to the said frame, and springs d are connected at one end
to the said clamping-lever at c, and at the other end. to pins e fixed in the
frame a. A bar or frame f is suspended from the clamping-lever c, being coupled
thereto at 3, and in the lower end of the said bar or frame f is mounted a
pulley g. The lifting or hauling rope D is passed through the frame f above the
said pulley g.
с
Assuming that the traveller A is at or near the upper end F of the cable C,
Figure 1, then, as the rope D is paid out and the traveller moves down the inclined
cable, the carriers E will follow the said traveller in its movement along the cable.
When, through the paying out of the rope D, the weight of the portion thereof
between the terminal pulley F and the rearmost carrier E becomes sufficient for
the purpose, the bar or frame of the said carrier will be pulled down by the
weight of the said rope acting upon its pulley g, Figures 2, 3 and 4, and the
corresponding lever a will thus be turned about its pivot in such a manner that
the cable C will be tightly gripped between the said lever and the adjacent wheel
or roller . The said carrier will then remain fast to the cable and serve as
a support for the lifting and hauling rope D, as shown in Figure 1, during
the further forward or downward movement of the traveller along the cable.
When, through the further paying out of the rope D, the weight of that
portion between the carrier thus fastened to the cable and the next carrier
becomes sufficient for the purpose, the next carrier will in like manner
be fastened to the cable C, and will serve as another support for the rope D
and so on.
It will be seen that, when a carrier E is thus fastened to the cable C, any
tendency to further forward movement of the said carrier along the cable will
cause the clamping-lever to grip the cable more tightly, by reason of the friction
between the cable and the said lever. In the upward or return movement of the
traveller along the cable, as the weight of the rope D is lifted off each
pulley in succession, the springs d of the corresponding carrier will pull
the brake-lever or clamping-lever c thereof away from the cable C and thereby
release the said carrier, so that it will be moved back along the cabie with the
traveller.
To keep the series of pulleys g at all times approximately parallel with the par

page_text: of the cable immediately above the same, notwithstanding the varying inclination
of the cable, the traveller A is provided with a supplementary carriage A',
Figure 1, pivotally conuected thereto as hereinafter more particularly described
with reference to Figures 5 and 6.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 5 and 6, which can be used either with an
inclined cable or with a horizontal cable, a bar or spear H extends backward from
a supplementary carriage A', which is pivotally connected at A' to the traveller A,
and which is provided with a roller or wheel B¹ running upon the cable C; and
the carriers E are supported upon the said bar or spear H. In place of this bar or
spear, I can provide the supplementary carriage Ai with any other suitable support
for the rope-carriers E. Each of the carriers E is provided with a clip at its
upper end adapted to engage with the cable when the carrier is pulled off the said
bar or spear as hereinafter described. Each carrier is also provided with a roller k
whereby it is supported upon the said bar or spear H, so that its clip jis held up
out of engagement with the cable, as shown more clearly in Figure 6. The axle k¹
of each roller k extends through slots f" in the bar or frame f of the carrier, and is
held down at the lower end of the said slots by springs . When, in the paying
out of the lifting or hauling rope, the tension of these springs is overcome by
the weight of the paid-out portion of the said rope acting upon the pulley g
of the carrier, the trame is pulled down so that the clip engages with the
cable, and, as the traveller A with its supplementary carriage A' and bar or
spear H continues its forward movement, the said carrier is left attached to the
cable to serve as a support for the lifting or hauling rope. The several carriers
are thus distributed automatically and successively along the cable at intervals
determined by the weight of the paid-out portion of the rope D. The bar or
spear H is inclined at its rear end so that, in the return movement of the
traveller, it will successively pick up the carriers and disengage them from the
cable.
By reason of the varying inclination of the cable or track at different points
throughout its length, it is necessary to provide means for keeping the bar or
spear H always approximately parallel with the part of the cable for the time being
adjacent thereto. This result is effectually attained by the employment of the
supplementary carriage A', as this carriage, being pivoted to the traveller A, will
change its position relatively to the said traveller according to the varying
inclination of the cable or track as the traveller moves along the same in either
direction.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 7 and 8, each of the carriers E is provided
with an automatic coupling-hook or latch 4 pivoted at to the frame a, and
adapted to engage with a pin m in the adjacent carrier or in an arm or bracket
extending from the supplementary carriage A' as the case may be. The coupling-
hook is made with an arm c from which is suspended the bar or frame f carrying
the pulley y, suitable springs d¹ being provided for causing the said hook to
engage with the pin m. The said hook c' may, if desired, be adapted to clamp
the cable between it and the adjacent roller or wheel 6' of the carrier, as above
described with reference to the lever c. The supplementary carriage A' serves, in
this arrangement, to keep the series of pulleys g at all times approximately
parallel to the part of the cable immediately above the same, notwithstanding
variations in the inclination of the said cable.
The arrangement shown in Figures 7 and 8 is useful either with an inclined
cable or with a horizontal cable, the coupling hook being adapted to clamp the
cable in cases where the latter is inclined.
When, in the forward movement of the traveller, the weight of the paid-out
portion of the rope D becomes sufficient for the purpose, it pulls down the frame f
of the rearmost carrier and turns the coupling hook c thereof about its pivot,
thereby disconnecting the said hook from the pin m of the adjacent carrier and at
the same time gripping the cable. The several carriers are thus automatically
distributed or spaced along the cable, as required, to serve as supports for the

page_text: rope D. In the return movement of the traveller, as cach carrier E is relieved of
the weight of the rope D, its springs d' cause the depression of its hook ; and, in
the further rearward movement of the traveller, the pin m on the supplementary
carriage A¹ or on a carrier E attached thereto as the case may be, raises the said
hook and slides beneath the same, the springs d' then pulling the hook down
into engagement with the said pin.
Each carrier is thus automatically uncoupled from the traveller in the forward
movement thereof and coupled thereto in the rearward or return movement
thereof, the said carriers being successively attached to or left upon the cable or
track at intervals determined by the weight of the paid-out portion of the
rope D.
When the carriers are to be drawn along the track from the terminal thereof
by the lifting, hauling or other rope or ropes as and when required, I find it
advantageous to construct the said carriers, as shown in Figure 9, with a
clamping-lever n pivotted at n' to the bar or frame f carried by the lever c
so that it will act in conjunction with the pulley g to seize or clamp the rope D.
This clamping-lever a is connected by rods or links p to the frame a.
The coupling-latch is provided with a pin e' adapted to engage with a hook g
fixed on the adjacent carrier or on the terminal of the track as the case may be.
A Spring d' is arranged in the frame and is attached at one end to the said frame
and at the other end to the frame a for the purposes of holding up the said frame f,
keeping the clamping-lever n out of engagement with the lifting or hauling rope,
and holding the pin e' in position to engage with the hook g.
When the frame of a carrier E is pulled down by the weight of the paid-out
portion of the rope D acting upon the pulley g, to automatically uncouple the said
carrier, the lever a will simultaneously be turned about its pivot a' so as to clamp
the said rope D between it and the pulley g, and, in the further paying out of the
said rope, the said carrier will be drawn by the same along the cable or track.
In this manner the spacing of the carriers will be automatically effected as
required.
According to a further modification of my said invention, I employ an inde-
pendent spring-supported pulley, which, when the weight of the paid-out portion
of the lifting or other rope or ropes becomes sufficient for the purpose, will be
pulled downward thereby and thus caused to dislodge, unlock or release a rope-
support or carrier so that the latter will rest upon or engage with the cable, or will
engage with the lifting or other rope as the case may be. I arrange this spring-
supported pulley in combination either with the traveller or with a suitable device
at one end or terminal of the cable; and I sometimes provide means whereby the
said pulley will successively dislodge or release two or more rope-supports or
carriers in such a manner as to automatically effect the spacing thereof along the
cable as required.
It is obvious that my improvements are applicable in cases where but a single
rope-support or rope-carrier is used, as well as in cases where two or more of such
supports or carriers are employed.
I do not confine myself to the particular methods above mentioned, as there are
other ways in which I can utilize the weight of the said rope or ropes for the
purpose of causing or determining the distribution or spacing of the rope-supports
or carriers.
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 :-
1. The berein-described method of providing for the automatic spacing or
bringing into operation of one or more rope-supports or rope-carriers, in apparatus
for the purposes above specified, by the weight of the paid-out portion of the rope
or ropes to be supported."
2. An apparatus for the purposes above specified, comprising one or more

page_text: rope-supports or rope-carriers which accompany or follow the load-carriage or
traveller along the cable or track, and which are provided with suitable means
whereby the weight of the paid-out portion of one or more lifting, hauling or other
ropes will bring them into operation as and when required for sustaining such.
weight.
3. An apparatus of the kind or class herein before referred to, comprising one or
more rope-supports or rope-carriers which accompany the traveller along the cable
or track, and are provided with suitable means whereby the weight of the paid-out
portion of one or more lifting, hauling or other ropes, when it becomes sufficient
for the purpose, will bring them to rest upon or cause them to engage with the said
cable or track, for the purposes above specified.
4. The combination, with an inclined cable or track and with a load-carriage or
traveller thereon, of one or more rope-supports or rope-carriers on the said cable
or track, which will follow the said traveller in its forward or downward movement
and will be moved back thereby in its upward or return movement, and which are
provided with automatic fastening devices actuated by the weight of the paid-out
portion of the lifting, hauling or other rope or ropes, substantially as hereinbefore
described and for the purposes specified.
5. An apparatus of the kind or class herein before referred to, comprising one or
more rope-supports or repe-carriers adapted to be supported upon or connected to.
the traveller and to be automatically dislodged or disconnected therefrom and
secured to the cable or track, as and when required, by the weight of the paid-out
portion of the lifting, hauling or other rope or ropes, substantially as, and for the.
purposes, herein before described.
6. The combination, with a load-carriage or traveller for use on an overhead.
cable or track, of a supplementary carriage pivotally connected to the said
traveller, substantially as, and for the purpose, herein before described.
7. The supplementary carriage pivotally connected to the traveller and provided
with the rearwardly-extending bar or spear or its equivalent, substantially as, and
for the purposes, above specified.
8. An apparatus of the kind or class hereinbefore referred to, comprising one or
more rope-supports or rope-carriers provided with automatic couplings for securing.
them to the traveller or to each other, which couplings are adapted to be actuated
by the weight of the paid-out portion of one or more lifting, hauling or
other ropes to uncouple the said carriers as and when required, for the purposes
above specified.
9. An apparatus of the kind or class herein before referred to, comprising one or
more rope-supports or rope-carriers adapted to be held or supported at one end or
terminal of the cable or track, and provided with suitable devices whereby the
weight of the paid-out portion of one or more lifting, hauling or other ropes,
when it becomes sufficient for the purpose, will dislodge or release them and
cause them to attach themselves to the said lifting or other rope or ropes so that
they will be moved thereby along the said cable or track, for the purposes above
specified.
10. A rope-support or rope-carrier adapted for use in conjunction with a load-
carriage or traveller on an overhead cable or track, and comprising suitable means
whereby the weight of the paid-out portion of one or more lifting, hauling or other
ropes will automatically bring the said carrier into operation, for the purposes
above specified.
11. The improved rope-support or rope-carrier constructed substantially as
described with reference to either of the forms or modifications illustrated
in the accompanying drawings and operating as, and for the purposes, above
specified.
12. The improved apparatus comprising the traveller, the supplementary
carriage and the rope-carriers, constructed and combined with the cable and with
the lifting or bauling rope, substantially as described with reference to Figures 5

page_text: and 6 of the accompanying drawings, and operating as, and for the purposes, above
specified.
13. The employment, in apparatus of the kind or class herein before referred to,
of an independert pulley over which passes one or more lifting, hauling or other
ropes, and which will be operated by the weight of the paid-out portion of such
rope or ropes and thereby caused to automatically effect the spacing or bringing
into action of the rope-supports or rope-carriers, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
1
CL1007
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.