IMPROVEMENTS IN HOISTING MACHINES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International, Patent
Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
HOISTING MACHINES." -A communication from abroad by William Miller,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st September 1865.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HOISTING MACHINES," a communication; to be as follows:
The said Invention relates to a form of actuating mechanism for hoisting
platforms, adapted to act with greater security and efficiency than those
cheretofore used.
Worm racks or segmental nuts supported by suitable stancheons extend
vertically from the lowest to the bighest floor or level. The elevating platform
travels up and down between these racks, and is kept in the required position

page_text: laterally by means of suitable guideways. A frame is attached to this plat-
form for supporting the shafts and other parts of the actuating mechanism.
Inside this frame is a large worm of such a diameter as to extend across and
gear equally into both of the vertical racks. The hub or boss of said worm
is secured to a vertical shaft journalled to the frame,, and provided to keep the
worm in a central position between the two racks, the worm itself being
supported only by the teeth of said racks. A bevil wheel is fixed on the
under side of the worm, and this wheel gears into a driving pinion fixed on a
horizontal-driving_shaft journalled to the under side of the frame. On this
shaft is also fixed a pulley, around which and. another pulley journalled on
the top of the frame an endless driving belt passes. Instead of one large
worm gearing into both racks two smaller worms may be employed, one being
geared into each rack. These worms are fixed on vertical shafts journalled
upon the frame attached to the elevating platform, and are driven by suitable
gearing connected with the horizontal driving shaft.
It will be seen from the above description that a firm support is secured
for the platform, and all tendency of the worm and racks to separate and
spread apart is prevented by forming the bearing surfaces horizontal to the
planes of their axes.
$
I
The worm and racks are obviously better adapted to elevating purposes than
the common rack-and-pinion, and greatly superior thereto in point of security,
because the worm may have any number of constantly bearing threads, while
each thread may have a complete and equal surface bearing from point to
heel at right angles to the pressure, whereas a common pinion being capable
of bearing only by one or two cogs at a time, and in constantly changing and
oblique directions, is liable either to strip or to force apart the racks, and thus
let the entire platform down by the run."
"Another valuable feature of my Invention is seen in the fact that a cessation
of power leaves the platform perfectly stationary at any time of elevation or
depression without the necessity of any special safety or detaining mechanism,
such as pawls or catches, which can act only by the partial ascent or descent
of the platform, and which from their liability, to derangement often fail to
act at the critical moment, and may thus give rise to serious and fatal
casualties.
My improvements may be adapted to loading and unloading vessels,
elevating ore from mines, or lifting cars, locomotives, and other heavy objects,
from.one level to another.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent. Office
on the 19th March 1866.
"
TO ALL TO WHOM: THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT. LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings; Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer;
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most. Excellent Majesty Queen. Victoria, by. Her
Letters. Patent, bearing. date the. Twenty-first day of. September, in, the
year of our Lord 1865, in the twenty-ninth year of. Her reign, 'did,
for Herself, Her. heirs and successors, give, and grant unto. me, the
said. William Robert. Lake, Her special license that. I, the said William
Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all. times: thereafter during the term therein. expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United King+
dom of Great Britain and. Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN HOISTING MACHINES," a communication, upon
the condition (amongst others), that I, the. said William Robert Lake, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one. of their hands and. seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said. Invention, and in, what manner the same was to.be
performed, and cause the same.to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within. six. calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent."
NOW KNOW..YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and. by..the
following statement (that is to say):-
The Invention relates to a. form of actuating mechanism, for a hoisting
platform adapted to act with greater security and efficiency than those hereto-
fore in use.."
..:
The accompanying illustrations of the Invention -represent a hoisting
5 platform adapted to ordinary warehouse purposes, of which Figure 1 is a
perspective view of the hoisting machine included between! two consecutive
floors; Figure 2 is a transverse section below the platform and looking upward;
and Figure 3 a modification of my Invention.

page_text: A and A represent customary hatchways flanked by worm racks or seg-
mental nuts B, B, which extend vertically from the lowest to the highest floor,
and which are firmly secured to and supported by suitable stanchions C, C;
D is a platform, to which is attached a suitable frame or housing E, containing
a large worm wheel F, which meshes equally in both racks B, B. The weight
of the platform is received directly. by the worm wheel near the margin of the
latter through the means of rollers G, whose bearings dépend either, from the.
platform or from the upper part of the housing E. The worm wheel E has a hub.
-I, which is connected to the outer ring or margin of the wheel by a light plate
J, or.. by spokes. The hub: I is secured to a shaft: or axis H, journaled
vertically to the frame E. The duty of the shaft His merely to hold the
worm to its proper central: position between the racks; the worm itself-being
supported wholly..by. the racks: The worm F has, on its under side a bevel
wheel K, which receives a driving. pinion L, journaled, horizontally in the
frame E, and having a. pulley M around which and another pulley.N, the
endless driving belt O is wrapped.
It will be seen from the above that a firm support is secured for the
platform, and all tendency of the worm wheel, and worm racks to separate or
spread apart is prevented by forming the bearing surfaces perfectly. horizontal
to the planes of their axes. The worm wheel and worm racks are obviously
better adapted to the purposes of elevating persons and heavy merchandize,
and vastly superior in point of security to the common rack and pinion,
.because. the worm wheel may have, any number of constantly bearing, threads,
while each thread may have a complete and: equal surface bearing from point
to heel. at right angles to the pressure, whereas. a common. pinion being
(capable of bearing only by one or two cogs.at a time and part of the time on
points alone, and in unequal, constantly changing, and oblique directions.is
liable either to strip or to force apart. the racks, and thus to. let. the entire
platform down by the run.
+
Another valuable feature of my Invention is seen in the fact that a
cessation of power leaves the platform perfectly stationary at any point of
elevation or depression, without the necessity of any special safety or detaining
mechanism, such as pawls, or catches,. which can act only by the partial
ascent or descent of the platform, and which from their liability to
derangement often fail to act, at the critical moment and result in serious. and
fatal casualties.
3
My Invention may be adapted to loading and unloading vessels by extending
the stanchions into the hold, for elevating ore..from mines, and, lifting.cars,
locomotives, and other heavy objects from one level to another.

page_text: What I claim herein as new of my Invention, and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is,-
First, elevating or depressing the platform of a hoisting machine or elevator
by means of a travelling worm wheel or wheels gearing into corresponding
screw racks or segmental nuts, as specified..
Second, an elevator platform supported by rollers G or their equivalents
on a worm wheel resting in worm racks or segmental nuts, substantially as set
forth..
Third, the combination of the specified or equivalent actuating mechanism,
viz., the platform, rollers, worm wheel or wheels, resting in worm racks or
segmental nuts, substantially as and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
- set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
T. E. JULIAN.
WILLIAM' ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)