Improvements in Safety Appliances for Use in connection with the "Wells" and Lifts of Hoists.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 18tn Feb., 1997-Accepted, 10th Apr., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Appliances for Use in connection with
the "Wells" and Lifts of Hoists.
I, ARTHUR WALKER, of Union Mills, Halifax, in the County of York,
Worsted Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists of improved safety device designed to be applied and
employed in connection with the wells and cages of hoists, the object being to save
from serious injury any person falling down the well.
Notwithstanding the safety appliances used in connection with many hoists for
automatically closing entrance to the cage, when the latter commences to move
away from any given floor level, either by reason of such appliances failing to act,
or by reason of being out of repair, or otherwise, numerous instances are
occurring of serious injury or loss of life, by reason of persons, through
oversight, passing into space over and falling to the bottom of the well, or onto
the cage when the latter happens to be at a lower level.
According to this invention, there is provided and suspended above the cage, a
net of shape corresponding to the form of the well, and said net is carried or
caused to travel up and down with the cage. Below the lift is another net similar
to the form and size of the well, and of length extending from the highest to the
lowest floor level. This net is three sided only, so as to leave an opening to the
well on the usual entrance way to the cage, and the net is kept distended by light
rods or otherwise, and it is weighted at the bottom.
Below the lowest point to which the cage is lowered in the well, there is an
excavation or pit, in which the net folds and is massed when the lift is at its
lowest point; and in addition, the pit contains a padding consisting of cotton
waste, floss, or other like soft and yielding material, which would break the
shock to any one falling down the well, whilst the distended net prevents
injury by reason of contact with the sides of the well.
The lower net may be divided into compartments in lengths equal to the distance
apart from floor to floor, by a horizontal net woven to the vertical parts of the net,
so that the drop of anyone falling down the well would be only equal to distance
from one floor to the next floor below.
The upper net above the lift may be continued to the top of the well, and
divided into compartments as described, but in practise this extension of the net is
hardly necessary, because when an accident occurs, it is usually immediately
following the movement of the cage from any given floor, so that if the fall be
from above the cage, the distance usually is short; whilst fall from under the cage
must descend to the bottom of the well, or onto one of the cross or horizontal
floors of the lower net.
When the lift is operated by a ram and piston, there is a hole through the net
and its floors for passage of the piston.
A lever and gong in the cage will operate by the net when any sudden weight
is put upon the net, so as to indicate to the person in charge of the cage that an
accident has occured.
Dated this 21st day of May 1896.
BRIERLEY & HOWARD,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Safety Appliances for Use in connection with
the "Wells" and Lifts of Hoists.
I ARTHUR WALKER of Union Mills, Halifax in the County of York, Worsted
Spinner; 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. :-
This invention consists of an improved safety device designed to be applied to
and employed in connection with the wells and cages of hoists or lifts, the object
being to save from serious injury any person falling down the well.
Notwithstanding the safety appliances already used in connection with many
hoists for automatically closing the entrance to the cage or well when the former
commences to move away from any given floor level, either by reason of such
appliances failing to act, or by reason of their being out of repair or otherwise,
numerous instances are occurring of serious injury, or loss of life to persons,
through oversight, passing into the space over, and falling to the bottom of the
well, or onto the cage when the latter happens to be at a lower level.
The invention consists of a series of collapsible nets or receptacles both above
and below the cage arranged and automatically controlled by the cage in such a
manner that there is always one of the safety nets lineable with or directly below
any floor or entrance to the well when the cage itself has moved away from same.
Such being the nature, and object of my said invention the following is a
complete description of same reference being. had to the annexed drawings in
which:-
Fig. 1. is a front elevation partly in section of a hoist or lift fitted with the
improved safety appliances, the cage in this view being shewn lineable with the top
floor, and operated by pistou from the underside.
Fig. 2. is a similar view to Fig. 1. but in this view the cage is shewn as about
half way up the well; the cage in this case is operated by rope or chain from
the top.
According to this invention, there is provided and suspended above the cage 1
and' to the top of the well 2 and from each corner of same, a net 3 of shape
corresponding to the interior of the well 2, and said net 3 is carried. or caused to
travel up and down with the cage 1. Below the cage 1 and attached to the
bottom corners of same is another net 4 similar in form and size to the interior of
the well 2, and of sufficient length to extend from the highest to the lowest. floor
level. These nets 3 and 4 are three sided only, so as to leave an opening to the
well 2 by the usual entrance way to the cage 1, and the nets may be kept
distended by light rods placed horizontally across each side of the nets, or they may
be weighted at the bottom corners to keep the nets distended and straight, but
this is not a necessity.
Below the lowest point to which the cage 1 is lowered in the well 2 there is an
excavation or pit 5 in which the net 4 folds and is massed when the lift 1 is at its
lowest point; and in addition, the pit 5 may contain a padding consisting of
cotton waste, floss, or other like soft and yielding material 15 which would break
the shock to anyone who falling into the net should be lowered down with and
below the cage, whilst the distended net 4 prevents injury by reason of contact
'with the sides of the well 2.
The lower nets 4 are preferably divided into compartments 6 and 7 in lengths
equal to the distance apart from floor to floor by a horizontal net 10 woven or
attached to the vertical parts 3 of the net, so that the drop of anyone falling
down the well 2 would be only equal to the distance from one floor to the next
floor below.

page_text: The upper net 3 above the lift 1 is continued to the top of the well, and also
divided into compartments as described, but in practise the compartments in this
extension of the net are hardly necessary, because when an accident occurs it is
usually immediately following the movement of the cage 1 from any given floor,
so that if the fall be from above the cage, the distance usually is short, and it is
only necessary that there should be a net floor 10 a short distance above the top
of the cage; whilst in a fall under the cage one would descend to the bottom of
the well if it were not for the cross or horizontal floors 10 of the lower net 4.
When the lift 1 is operated by a ram and piston 11 (see Fig. 1.) there is a hole
through the floors 10 of the lower net 4 for the passage of the piston 11, and
when operated by rope or chain there is a hole through the floors 10 of the upper
net 3.
It will be seen that the net is formed into compartments corresponding in
number to the number of floors storeys through which the hoist passes, and that
as the cage passes each door or inlet to the well, a cage of network is left in its
place so that a person cannot fall down the well but only into the network cage.
As the cage ascends or descends the net above or below saine collapses, the back
and sides falling inwards as shewn. In order to ensure the back and sides falling
inwards, it may be advisable, in some cases, to connect the sides and back by
cords 12 to the rope or piston for operating the cage.
There is a recess or chamber 14 at the top of the well in which the collapsed
net is received when the cage is opposite the top floor (see Fig. 1.) and this
recess 14 and the well 5 also prevent any person who may have fallen into the net
from being crushed by the cage.
It will be obvious that instead of the network shewn and described, canvas
may be employed, or a combination of network and canvas, or of any collapsible
or soft textile material.
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 general construction, arrangement, and combination
of parts
constituting the improved safety appliances for the wells of hoists as herein
described and substantially as illustrated by the annexed drawings.
(2.) The use in combination with the wells of hoists of collapsible nets 3. 4.
divided into compartments as and for the purpose herein described and substan-
tially as illustrated by the annexed drawings.
(3.) The use in combination with the wells of hoists of a collapsible net 4
divided into compartments and suspended by its top corners to the underside of
the cage 1 as herein described and substantially as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 16th dor of February 1807
ARTHUR WALKER,
By his Agents, Brierley & Howard,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax.