An Improved Method of and Grip Appliance for Automatically Arresting the Motion of Lift or Elevator Cages.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1892-Accepted, 20th Aug., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Grip Appliance for Automatically
Arresting the Motion of Lift or Elevator Cages.
1, JOHN STEVENS of Flinders Street in the City of Melbourne in the Colony of
Victoria Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
nanner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
n and by the following statement :-
My invention is designed to provide an automatic safety grip or clutch whereby
the lift or elevator cage shall become stationary and locked automatically with the
opening of the lift cage door and remain locked in such stationary position until
such door is closed when, and not otherwise, such cage shall be freed or released
capable of being again set in motion to ascend or descend in the usual manner.
The object and utility of my said invention is to lessen the risk of accident in,
connection with lift or elevator travelling by rendering it impossible for passengers
and others travelling in the same to jump out or in while the cage is in motion, and
also to prevent the possibility of persons falling down lift wells by entry into open
lift door wings in the absence therefrom of the lift cage.
Such grip or clutch may be made of metal wood or other suitable material, and
consists of two parts, one part fixed and the ether movable. The fixed portion is a
short semi-cylindrical column screwed down to the floor or ceiling of the lift cage
by means of a flange and screw holes and so set as to partly encircle the hole
through which the actuating grip rope passes.
The active or movable section of the grip is hinged to one of the vertical edges
of the said fixed section or column by means of a pivot pin and is curved and
tapered in thickness and extends outwards until it lies against and extends slightly
beyond the edge of the sliding entrance door of the cage when such door is closed.
The door when opened sets the grip in motion causing the convex or thickened
portion of the movable section of the grip to pass into the hollow or concave portion
of the fixed section of the grip, thereby securely clutching the rope passing up
between same, and thus retaining the said cage in its motionless position until the
rope is released from the grip by the closing of the door, thus rendering the cage
motionless or sufficiently so so long as the door remains open. The door on being
closed releases the grip when the grip is freed, capable of being set in motion in the
ordinary manner.
In order that my said invention may be more clearly understood reference may
now be made to the accompanying drawings wherein throughout similar reference
letters refer to similar parts.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the interior of the lift cage shewing the rope
and grip with the door closed and the grip released.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the grip clutching the rope.
Figures 3 and 4 shew the active and fixed parts of the grip, the former
disconnected from the latter.
Figure 5 is a plan of the grip shewing the door closed the dotted lines indicating
the relative positions of the door and grip and its clutch of the rope when the door
is opened to its fullest extent.
B the semi-
cylindrical fixed portion of the grip. C the curved active part of grip. D the
sliding door for entrance to cage.
In Figure 1, A is the actuating rope passing through the cage.
In Figure 2, B is the said fixed portion of grip to which is hinged or pivotted by
pin E the said active part of grip C clutching the rope A. F. is the ordinary
friction roller.
In Figures 3 and 4, B3 in Figure + shews the inner or reverse side of the fixed

page_text: portion of grip when screwed down to floor of lift cage and so as to indicate the
position of the rope A working in hole in the floor. G indicates the hole for
reception of pin E. In Figure 3, C the movable portion of grip. E the pin and
F. the said friction roller.
In Figure 5, A is the rope, B the fixed portion of grip, C the movable portion of
same. D the door of lift cage (closed) E the hinge or pivot pin.
The dotted lines indicate the position of the door D, the grip C and its relation
to E when the door is open and the grip is in operation. Say that the cage has
arrived at one of the floors of the building, the person in charge of the cage opens
the door D. by sliding it to the right, the door D forces the active wing of
grip C
to the right, when the thickest part or bulge of the latter is gradually pressed into
the hollow of B until the rope A. is clutched between C and B from top to bottom
of the grip, thus locking the cage in its stationary position until such rope is
released from the clutch or grip of B and C by the closing of the door D.
The accompanying drawings shew the said grip appliance fixed to the floor of
the lift-cage, but it is obvious that the same may be equally well applied to the
roof of the lift cage, or may be duplicated having one at the top another at the
bottom of the cage. It is also obvious that when desired, the grip may be fitted in
the roof of the lift cage so as to be under the influence in manner before described
of the outer door leading to the lift well.
The inner walls of the said grip may be padded or lined with any suitable
yielding material such as leather, india rubber, or other suitable flexible substance,
so that when the grip engages with the rope friction or abrasion of the latter may
be avoided.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is:
1
1. Fitting and furnishing lift or elevator cages with a safety grip appliance such
as B and C working automatically with the opening and closing of sliding lift cage
doors as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
2. The grip appliance consisting of the parts B and C applied and working
automatically with lift cage doors substantially as before described and as illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of July 1892.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.