IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LIFTING APPARATUS
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Josiah Bailey at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th November
1870.
I, JOSIAH BAILEY, of the Borough of Southwark, in the County of
Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LIFTING APPARATUS," to be as follows :---
.
This Invention consists in the construction of steam cranes and
lifting apparatus whereby a great saving of steam and power is effected..
A bottomless steam cylinder provided with inlet and outlet pipes and
valves is placed inside a cylinder of larger diameter in such manner as
to leave a space between the two for the accumulation of the exhaust.
steam, which may be used to work a donkey engine or allowed to
condense, and the water used for feeding the boiler. A piston and
piston rod constructed as usual are placed inside the smaller cylinder,
and attached by any suitable means to the piston rod is another piston
working in a hydraulic pump connected with a cistern and small
hydraulic cylinder, provided with a piston, and which small hydraulic
cylinder acts as a governor to regulate the entrance of the steam into
the steam cylinder as herein-after mentioned. Portholes for the exit

page_text: of the water are made near the bottom of the smaller cylinder, which
holes can be partially closed by sliding valves connected by a small rod
to the piston head in the smaller hydraulic cylinder. The last-mentioned
piston is connected by any suitable means to a throttle valve placed in
the steam pipe.
The action of the hydraulic governor is as follows:-Upon steam
being admitted into the steam cylinder the piston contained therein is
raised, raising with it the piston in the hydraulic pump, thereby causing
water to flow gently into the small hydraulic cylinder, whence it passes
into the cistern through the before-mentioned holes. But supposing
the steam should pass into the steam cylinder too quickly it would cause
a too rapid motion of the piston, and also of the piston in the hydraulic
pump, thus causing a greater rush of water into the small hydraulic
cylinder than could pass through the outlet holes, thereby filling the
small cylinder with water and raising the piston contained therein
(which piston in its normal position is only a few inches from the top),
carrying with it the sliding valves, thus partially closing the outlet.
holes, and at the same time closing the throttle valve in the steam
pipe and preventing too great a flow of steam into the steam cylinder.
The lifting apparatus consists of series of compound wheels, that is to
say, a large and small wheel on the same axis, and a winding drum
connected with a break wheel, and capable of being thrown in and out of
gear by means of a differential clutch.
The action of this apparatus is as follows:-When it is desired to
raise a load the steam is admitted into the steam cylinder raising the
piston and piston rod, which has a chain attached to it, and which chain
passes round the small wheel of one of the compound wheels, thus
causing the compound wheel to be turned. Attached to the large wheel
of the compound wheel is another chain which passes round the smaller
wheel of the next compound wheel, and so on to the top wheel of all,
when the chain is passed round a small wheel attached to the axle on
which the drum revolves, thus raising the weight. But supposing it is
desired to raise the load for the purpose of lowering it from the flooring
of the warehouse or other place instead of being obliged to refill the
steam cylinder entirely with steam, the break is put on, the drum
thrown out of gear by means of the differential clutch, and the piston
allowed to fall, the steam having been previously exhausted into the
outer cylinder; when the piston is in its normal position the drum is

page_text: again put into gear, the break taken off, and just enough steam admitted
into the cylinder as will be required, thus effecting a great saving in
steam. When it is desired to lower a load the drum is put out of gear
and the chain is allowed to unwind of its own accord, the break being
used to stop it when required.