AN IMPROVED PULLEY OR SHEAVE BLOCK
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Worsdell, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED PULLEY OR
SHEAVE BLOCK."
Sealed the 16th December 1864, and dated the 20th June 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Worsdell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th June 1864.
I, THOMAS WORSDELL, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED PULLEY
OB SHEAVE BLOCK," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of an improved pulley or sheave block for raising and
lowering weights, hauling heavy bodies, straining fencing, actuating presses,
or for other like purposes, which said pulley or sheave block is constructed
and arranged in the following manner:-1 place upon the same axis two
sheaves recessed or formed with teeth on their peripheries to receive and
engage the links of a chain, which said sheaves may be cast or otherwise made
in one piece; each of these sheaves is attached to a disc of superior diameter,
flanged at its periphery inwards or towards the said sheave (or each sheave

page_text: and its disc may be cast or otherwise made in one piece), and which is sup-
ported on the same axis with it. A chain or chain band, which, by preference,
I make endless, is then placed over the two sheaves so as to form a loop
depending on each side of them; to one of the said loops the weight to be
raised is attached, and the sheaves are then actuated as follows:-The under
side of the flanges of the above-named discs are either fluted, toothed, grooved,
or made plain, as may be found best to insure sufficient adhesion for raising
the load, and a shaft having its ends formed to correspond therewith connects
both discs by being inserted under their flanges so as to engage with the flutes,
teeth, grooves, or plain surface thereof, as the case may be. Upon the centre
of the said shaft I fix a sheave recessed or formed with teeth on its periphery
for receiving and engaging the links of a chain, an endless one being laid over
it. The said shaft passes through and revolves in a frame provided with a
hook or other means of suspension, and the before-named discs with their
sheaves and axes hang thereon, so that upon pulling the chain of the sheave
fixed upon the said shaft the discs are all caused to rotate, carrying with them
the sheaves with the chain and load attached thereto, and by pulling the chain
in an opposite direction the load can be lowered. By this arrangement of the
several parts the load will not run down when the pulley is left to itself. The
hook or substitute by which the pulley or sheave block is suspended when in
use, and also that which carries the load, I form with the head in the solid
with it, instead of screwing and rivetting it as hitherto done, and I form the
frames of the pulley or sheave block in two parts, so as to receive the hooks
or substitute when so formed, and the said parts of frames are afterwards
fixed securely together. This improved mode of forming and securing the
hooks with the head in the solid is also applicable to the ordinary or to any
description of pulleys or sheave blocks or other hoisting gear.
As a modification of the said pulley or sheave block I omit the sheave on
the centre of the upper shaft, and in its place I suspend a ring, within which
I place a roller having attached to it the two sheaves for carrying the chains
with the load, or the sheaves and the roller may be cast or otherwise made
in one piece, and upon one end of the shaft to which the ring is suspended
I attach a sheave or wheel provided with an endless chain or. rope, upor
pulling which the shaft with the ring and contained roller are made to
revolve and raise or lower the load, according to the direction in which the
chain is pulled. The said shaft, ring, and roller are either fluted, toothed
grooved, or made plain, as may be found best to insure sufficient adhesion
for raising the load.

page_text: As a further modification of my pulley or sheave block I employ a worm
wheel and screw motion to work the sheaves carrying the load, the chain being
either single or double; or, if found preferable, I substitute gearing of any
suitable construction, as is well known to mechanics. For raising and
lowering heavier weights, or generally for exerting more force than the fore-
going arrangements are capable of, without inconveniently enlarging the parts,
I add an additional purchase by substituting for the sheave on the upper
shaft (in the first-described arrangement) a roller placed within a ring sus-
pended vertically from an upper shaft, which passes through the frame of the
pulley and carries the whole weight of the load on its bearings. Upon one
end of this shaft I fix a sheave or wheel recessed or formed with teeth, as
aforesaid, carrying an endless chain or rope to actuate the pulley. Or, if
found desirable, each variety of my said pulley or sheave block may be
actuated by a ratchet, lever, winch, or other contrivance placed on one end
or other suitable part of the driving shaft.
Although I have for convenience described my Invention as carried into
effect by the use of two sheaves for carrying the chain and load, yet three or
more sheaves and chains may be employed, or a single chain may be made to
answer the purpose by using only one sheave suitably placed and connected
with the apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Worsdell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th December 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WORSDELL, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year
of Her eign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Thomas Worsdell, Her special license that I, the said Thomas
Worsdell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Thomas Worsdell, 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,

page_text: exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
PULLEY OR SHEAVE BLOCK," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Thomas Worsdell, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Worsdell, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
My Invention consists of improved pulleys or sheave blocks for raising and
lowering weights, hauling heavy bodies, straining fencing, actuating presses,
or for other like purposes, which said pulleys or sheave blocks are constructed
and arranged in the following manner :-In one arrangement I suspend a ring
on the driving shaft of the apparatus, and within the ring I place a roller
having attached to it two sheaves for carrying the chains with the load, or the
sheaves and the roller may be cast or otherwise made in one piece, and upon
one end of the driving shaft, on which the ring is suspended, I attach a sheave
or wheel provided with an endless chain or rope, upon pulling which the shaft
with the ring and contained roller are made to revolve, and thereby raise or
lower the load according to the direction in which the chain is pulled. The
said shaft, ring, and roller are either fluted, toothed, grooved, or made plain,
as may be found best to insure sufficient adhesion for raising the load. For
raising and lowering heavier weights, or generally for exerting more force than
the foregoing arrangement is capable of without inconveniently enlarging the
parts, I add an additional purchase by substituting for the sheaves in the
foregoing arrangement gudgeons or pinions, upon which I suspend two wheels
or discs fluted or toothed internally, and carrying a double sheave formed to
receive the lifting chain. The hook or substitute by which the pulley or
sheave block is suspended when in use, and also that which carries the load, I
form with the head in the solid with it, instead of screwing and rivetting it as
hitherto done, and I form the frames of the pulley or sheave block in two
parts, so as to receive the hooks or substitutes when so formed, and the said
parts of frames are afterwards fixed securely together. This improved- mode
of forming and securing the hooks with the head in the solid is also appli-

page_text: cable to the ordinary or to any description of pulleys or sheave blocks or other
hoisting gear.
These improvements will be clearly understood by referring to the figures
and letters on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Figs. 1 and 2
are side and end elevations of one arrangement of my improved pulley or
sheave blocks, and Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views of another arrangement
adapted for heavier weights or loads.
In Figs. 1 and 2, a represents a frame, through which I pass a shaft or
spindle b, at or near the centre of which I form flutes or teeth c to engage
with corresponding flutes or teeth d formed in the inner surface of a ring e,
which I suspend thereon transversely. Within this ring I place a roller f,
having flutes or teeth in its periphery for engaging with the flutes or teeth of
the said ring, and having on each end of the roller a sheave g formed to
receive and engage the links of a chain h, which, by preference, I make
endless; the said roller is formed with a rib i working in a corresponding
groove in the ring to maintain the said roller in a true central position with
the said ring. I apply the chain to the said sheaves, so that it will form
loops j, k, hanging on each side of the said sheaves. In the loop ; I place a
sheave within the frame m, in order to accommodate any irregularities in
the length of the chain when in motion by slightly yielding or turning in
either direction; the other loop k of the chain I make to span the outside
edge of the ring e, so as to form a stop to limit the drop of the chain in
lowering when the loop is in tight contact with the ring, and upon one end
of the shaft 6 I place a sheave or a spocket wheel n balanced by a weight
placed at the reverse end of the shaft, and shaped on its periphery to receive
and engage a rope or chain o. The action of the aforesaid improved pulley
or sheave block is as follows:-When the sheave or spocket wheel n is pulled
in the direction of the arrow the shaft 6 is made to revolve, carrying with it
the ring e and the roller f with the chain h, so that the entire apparatus being
suspended by the book p, and the load hanging by the lower hook 9 is raised,
and by reversing the motion of the rope or chain o the load will be lowered.
I form the hooks p and q with the heads r in the solid with the other portion
instead of being screwed and rivetted as heretofore, and I form the frames a
and m each in two halves so as to receive the hooks when so made, and the
said halves of the frames are afterwards fixed securely together.
3
For raising and lowering heavier loads, and generally for exerting more
force than the foregoing arrangement is capable of without inconveniently
enlarging the several parts, I add an additional purchase to the pinion. b,

page_text: ring e, and roller f, making the apparatus as shewn in the side and end eleva-
tions, Figs. 3 and 4, the said pinion, ring, and roller being either plain-or
fluted, toothed or grooved, as may be found necessary, in order to secure
sufficient adhesion of the parts. Instead of the sheaves g, in Figs. 1 and 2, I
substitute gudgeons or pinions s, upon which I suspend two discs t, having
flanges on their peripheries projecting inwards, which flanges are fluted or
toothed internally, so as to receive and engage with the flutes or teeth of the
said gudgeons or pinions s. The said discs are recessed to receive and support
a double sheave u, which is secured to its place by the bolt v; the said sheave
is shaped to receive and engage with the links of a chain w, which chain is
applied in such a manner that its ends are secured at the parts of the
frame y, while the loop of the chain is carried under the double sheave z in
the lower frame a', and is then brought up to and over the upper sheaves u,
and is allowed to fall into the position shewn at 61. The heads of the hooks c¹
and d¹ are made solid with the other portion, and the two parts of the frame y
fixed securely together, and the process of lifting and lowering is managed in
a similar manner to that of the block, Figs. 1 and 2.. Or I dispense with
the ring e, Figs. 3 and 4, and drive the wheel ƒ direct from the shaft 6 by
extending the frame y downwards, in order to form a support with bearings
for the axis of the said wheel f, as shewn by the dotted lines y' in Fig. 3. In
this modification the said shaft 6 and wheelf must be toothed on their peri-
pheries. If desired, each variety of my said pulley or sheave block may be
actuated by applying a ratchet or other lever or winch handle placed upon one
or both ends of the driving shafts. If desired to construct this pulley or
sheave block with the chain working singly, as in Figs. 1 and 2, it may be
performed by making the chain endless and liberating it from the parts x of
the frame y, and placing a single sheave in the lower loop, as in Figs. 1 and 2,
and arranging the top hook and frame so as to bring the line of suspension
vertical with the position of the chain similar to the arrangement shewn in
Figs. 1 and 2, and, when desired, the apparatus shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 may
be constructed with the lifting chain passing under a lower double sheave,
and returned and fixed to the frame above, as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4, thereby
increasing the power of the apparatus.
As a further modification of my pulley or sheave block I employ a worm
wheel and screw motion to work the sheaves carrying the load, the chain
being either single or double; or, if found preferable, I substitute gearing of
any suitable construction, as is well known to mechanics.
Although I have for convenience described my Invention as carried into

page_text: effect by the use of two sheaves for carrying the chain and load, yet in the
case of the second-named arrangement three or more sheaves and chains, may
be employed, or a single chain may be made to answer the purpose by using
only one sheave suitably placed and connected with the apparatus.
In the Drawings the frames enclosing the ring, roller, and sheaves are
suspended by hooks, but they may be enlarged to any required dimensions
and rest upon the ground or floor, and thereby enable the improved pulley or
sheave blocks to be employed in cranes, crab winches, or other lifting appa-
ratus; and one advantage of these improved pulley or sheave blocks, in
addition to their increased power over ordinary blocks, consists in their power
of resisting and preventing the descent of the load when the apparatus is
suddenly left to itself.
In the first pulley or sheave block described in my Provisional Specification
I placed upon the same axis two sheaves recessed or formed with teeth on their
peripheries to receive and engage the links of a chain, and each of the sheaves
was to be attached to a disc of superior diameter. A chain or chain band
was to be placed over the two sheaves, so as to form a loop depending on
each side, and to one of the loops the weight was to be attached. I now find
that this arrangement is more costly and cumbrous than desirable, and there-
fore I disclaim its use, and have not described it in this my Complete
Specification.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be under-
stood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein set forth, as
such may be varied or modified without departing from the principle thereof;
but what I claim in pulley or sheave blocks is,―
First, the ring e suspended on the shaft b, and the wheel or roller f in
contact with the interior of the ring, and the sheaves g in combination with
them, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, and also the mode of connecting the chain h
with the sheaves g.
Secondly, the employment of the discs t, Figs. 3 and 4, suspended on the
gudgeons or pinions 8, and the double sheave u connected to the said discs,
in addition to the parts claimed in Figs. 1 and 2, and also the modification
shewn at y¹, Fig. 3.
And, thirdly, the formation of the heads and shanks of the hooks or sub-
stitutes which suspend the apparatus and carry the load in one piece, and the
application of this improved method of forming the heads of the hooks or
substitutes to the ordinary or to any other description of pulley blocks or

page_text: lifting apparatus, as such improvements are herein described and illustrated
in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Worsdell, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Thomas Worsdell,
in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
THOMAS WORSDELL. (L.S.)