Apparatus for Loading and Unloading Vehicles, and Generally Applicable for Raising and Lowering Goods on Inclines.
Year: 1885

page_text: Apparatus for Loading and Unloading Vehicles, and Generally
Applicable for Raising and Lowering Goods on Inclines.
I, WILHELM ROBERT STEGMANN of Leipzig, in the kingdom of Saxony, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, to be as follows:-
This apparatus or ladder comprises principally two parallel main beams, a screw
spindle, situated between the same and held at the ends by a pair of cross beams;
a carriage, connected with the screw spindle by nuts and four or two pulleys
mounted on two horizontal axles (one at each end of the ladder) to be used instead
of the screw spindle or in combination with the same; over each pair of pulleys
passes an endless rope or chain, the ends of which are fixed to the carriage (or
carriages).
The carriage may consist of an under part and an upper part and may be
arranged to run up and down by means of two sets of rollers on the upper and
lower rails of the ladder, by turning the screw spindle or by turning one of the
axles of the chain pulley. The load laden on the carriage, which, for example,
consists of a barrel, can therefore be forwarded up and down on the pulling ladder.
The upper part of the carriage is connected by bolts with the under part and can,
after the bolt has been removed, run down from the ladder as an independent
carriage and be employed for conveying loads on level ground.
Instead of using carriages arranged as described and movable on rails supported
by the main beams, a carriage may be employed, the rollers of which are arranged
movable between the flanges of beams of ☐ shaped cross section, and by means of
which the load, laden on the same, can be automatically unloaded above.
This carriage consists of two parts, connected hinge-like with each other, the
upper part of which lies half on the lower part. The load to be raised is so laden
on the carriage, that the upper part begins slightly to turn or pivot, when the
carriage has nearly arrived on the ladder. By turning down the upper part, the
load can be commodiously unladen and slides even of itself from the carriage, when
the upper part has been sufficiently raised. By the downward motion of the
carriage on the ladder, it gets of itself again into the previous position by the
upper rollers being again drawn between the flanges of the beans. A special
appliance may be employed to load the carriage of the ladder and to unload
the same. This appliance consists of rails, each of which is situated on the outsi·le
D

page_text: of the shaped beam and pivoted on a horizontal bolt, on which rails slides a
special carriage.
The main carriage is laden as follows: The load is brought on the special or
auxiliary carriage, fixed thereon by bolts, the auxiliary carriage is connected with
the main carriage by a chain and raised at the same time on the pivoted rails.
The auxiliary carriage with load, thus raised on the pivoted rails, is fixed to a
☐ shaped beam by a second chain, subsequently loosened from the main-carriage,
and the latter is conveyed under the auxiliary carriage, so that by fastening two
bolts to the main carriage behind the load, when this carriage is raised, the load is
brought from the special carriage on the main carriage and raised by the latter.
The special carriage now freed from the load is detached from the beam and
removed from the pivoted rails, whereupon the work can be repeated.
The pivoted side rails are adapted to be turned down after use into a position
parallel with the main beams.
For the same purpose, the ladder with endless chain, comprises a second arrange-
ment, which consists of two rails, each of which is composed of two parts, hinged
together at their ends, and the two rails (or pairs) are connected by cross stays and
provided with rollers. The said rails slide on two pairs of rollers, connected with
the main beams and therefore replace a carriage. The loading by aid of this
appliance is effected as follows: The appliance is brought on the hinged rails and
fastened thereon, the rails are fixed to the main carriage by means of chains and
raised with load by the main carriage on the rollers so far, until the load has
arrived over the rollers, and the rails are supported by the main beams.
In this position the hinged rails are fixed to the beams by means of another
chain, the chains are detached from the main carriage, and the latter shifted so far
under the load, that the same is slightly raised and is no more supported by the
main beams, but by the main carriage. By introducing bolts into the main
carriage behind the load, the load, when the carriage is raised, is lifted with the
same. The load is removed from the carriage by means of the two described
contrivances by being transmitted from the carriage to the hinged rails, that is to
say, to the auxiliary carriage; the latter is connected by chains with the carriage
and again lowered from the same together with load.
The screw nut on the screw spindle consists of two halves, which are introduced
between grooved holders, attached to the carriage, the said halves being connected
by a spindle with left and right screw thread, so that by turning the spindle to the
right or to the left, the halves of the nut are connected with and disconnected from
the screw.
This clipping spindle may be turned either directly by means of a crank or by
means of a pawi lever, which has its fulcrum on the said spindle and ratchet
wheels.
By the aid of this contrivance the carriage may be moved, also independently of
the main screw.
According to a modification the halves of the nut are secured to and guided by a
cross head of the carriage by means of a prism, and provided with pins, which
project through slots of the cross piece into eccentric slots of a disc provided with
levers. This disc is pivoted on screw bolts, fastened in the cross head and is
secured upon the same by a counter disc or washer and a nut.
By turning the lever with disc round the pivotal bolt, the eccentric slots slide
along the guide pins, and force the same with the halves of the nut, away from
the middle of the pivoted bolt, or against the same, whereby the halves of the
nut are connected with or disconnected from the main screw spindle. A spring,
situated in the slit of the lever, protrudes, as soon as the halves of the nut are
connected with the main screw spindle, into a recess of the cross head and is to be
lifted again from the recess by pressing on the projecting extremity of the spring
before releasing the nut.
The main spindle may be made to turn in a similar manner as the short clipping
spindle by a ratchet lever, ratchet wheel and tooth wheel mounted on a stud, and

page_text: by another tooth wheel mounted on the main screw spindle. From this spindle
motion may be imparted by a pair of bevel wheels to the upper roller axle or vicć
versa, the roller axle with rolls may be turned by a crank and turn the main spindle
by means of the said bevel wheels."
A contrivance may be employed for allowing the main screw to be turned in
one direction by the forward as well as the backward motion of a hand lever. This
contrivance consists of the lever having for its fulcrum the pulley axle, with ratchet
or ratchet wheel fixed to the pulley axle, and a double armed lever having for its
fulcrum a bolt fixed to the main beam which is on one side, connected with the
first named hand lever by a rod and on the other side provided with a click. This
click and the pawl catch into the said ratchet wheel so that by moving the hand
lever in one direction, the pawl, and by moving it to the other direction the click,
turns the ratchet wheel and with it the main screw spindle in one direction.
For the same purpose another contrivance may be employed which consists of a
hollow horizontal shaft having its bearings in the main beams, which axle carries a
bevel wheel, a solid movable axle situated in the said hollow axle and prevented
from turning in the same, with a ratchet wheel, hand lever having its fulcrum in
the said axle and carrying two pawls and a tube mounted on the hollow axle, with
which is connected at one end a ratchet wheel and at the other side a bevel wheel.
Between this bevel wheel and the main beam is situated a sleove surrounding the
Baid tube and serving as a stay.
The two bevel wheels having their axis in the axis of the cross shaft gear from
opposite sides into the bevel wheel mounted on the screw spindle.
The teeth of one of the ratchet wheels are directed to the right those of the
other one to the left so that by a movement of the hand lever one of the pawls
causes one of the bevel wheels and ratchet wheels to turn to the right and by the
other movement of the lever the other pawl turns the second ratchet wheel and the
second bevel wheel to the left, the screw spindle however always turns in the same
direction.
By loosening the two parallel bevel wheels and a set ring the solid and the
hollow axles with tube and sleeve mounted on the same are enabled to move
axially into each other, and the hand lever with the ratchet wheels may be shifted
up to the main beam.
In the hollow axle likewise an axle with crank can be fastened opposite to the
exchangeable-hand lever for allowing the, axle to be moved by means of a crank
instead of by means of the said lever.
A contrivance may be employed which allows the horizontal cross shaft to be
moved from various parts. This contrivance consists of an arm pivoted on the
cross shaft, a disc which is rigidly connected with a main beam by bolts and
provided with a slot, a crank axle rigidly connected with a chain wheel and secured
in the pivoted arm, and a second chain wheel mounted on the cross shaft. The
pivoted arm is provided with a screw, which passes through the slot of the disc
and by turning the pivoted arm round the cross shaft the screw slides in the slot.
By the screw the pivoted arm may be secured to the disc at all points within the
slot, so that in each of these positions of the arm the cross shaft is turned by the
crank, which rotary motion can be imparted by means of the said chain wheels
and a chain to the cross shaft.
At the free end of the pivoted arm is attached a brake block which, by being
pressed against the rim of the outer chain-wheel by means of a regulating screw,
causes a stopping of the rotary motion of the chain-wheel, whereby a too quick
rolling of the carriage with load from the ladder is prevented.
A safety device may be employed for preventing the carriage to roll down by
the action of the load in case of a breakage of the chain. This device comprises
bolt on a beam; a ring movable on the bolt, a forked bracket or bow, a spring,
and a pair of symmetrically placed levers provided with a wedge and having their.
pivots in the bolt. The chain passing over the chain pulleys is connected with
the bow and the latter with the levers.

page_text: The spring surrounding the bolt is situated between the head of the same and
a ring so that in case of breakage of the chain, the spring presses the ring with
how towards the cross head and the bow turns simultaneously the symmetrical
levers round the pivotal bolts fixed to the cross head whereby the wedges, fixed to
the levers are pressed under the rollers of the carriage. Therefore the keys or
wedges clamp the rollers fast between the ribs of the beams and stop immediately
the carriage on the ladder.
A contrivance may also be employed by means of which during the down
moving of the carriages with load, the upper carriage part is prevented from
falling quickly down on the under part. This contrivance comprises a lever having
its fulcrum placed so, that when the upper carriage part is flapped down, the load
presses against the lever, which presses itself according to the weight of the load,
with its opposite end, more or less against the hinge of the under part.
The hinge motion is thereby retarded and thereby a slow movement of the upper
part towards the lower part of the carriage is obtained.

page_text: Apparatus for Loading and Unloading Vehicles, and Generally
Applicable for Raising and Lowering Goods on Inclines.
I, WILHELM ROBERT STEGMANN, of Leipzig, in the Kingdom of Saxony, Manu-
facturer, 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 has for its object an apparatus or ladder, as illustrated by Figs. 1
to 22 of the annexed drawings, and comprising principally two parallel main
beams a a screw spindle d situated between the same and held at the ends by a
pair of cross beams b, a carriage w w¹ connected with the screw spindle d by
nuts m and four or two pulleys g mounted on two horizontal axles y and y' (one
at each end of the ladder) to be used instead of the screw spindle d or in com-
bination with the same; over cach pair of pulleys passes a rope or chain, the ends
of which are fixed to the carriage (or carriages).
The carriage may consist of an under part w and an upper part w" and may be
arranged to run up and down by means of two sets of rollers o and o' on the
upper and lower rails c and c¹ of the ladder, by turning the screw spindle d, or by
turning one of the axles y of the chain pulley. The load placed on the carriage,
which, for instance, may consist of a barrel as represented, can therefore be
forwarded up and down on the ladder. The upper part w₁ of the carriage is con-
nected by bolts z¹ with the under part w and can, after the bolt z¹ has been
removed, run off from the ladder as an independant carriage and be employed for
conveying loads on level ground.
Instead of using carriages arranged as shown by Figs. 1 to 3 and movable on
rails supported by the main beams a, Figs. 9, 10, 14, and 19 to 21, a carriage may
be employed, the rollers o of which are arranged movable between the flanges of
the beams a of ☐ shaped cross section and by means of which the load placed on
the same and raised on the ladder, can be automatically unloaded above.
This carriage consists of two parts w and w¹ (Fig. 10) pivoted to each other, the
upper part w¹ of which lies partly on the lower part w.
The automatic unloading of the raised load is effected either, as shown in Figs. 9,
10 and 20, by the upper ends of the beams, being provided with a bent or curved
extension, so that the rollers o run between the flanges of the beams, whereby the
upper part wl of the carriage is eventually brought into a horizontal position as
shown by Fig. 10, or by so placing the load on the carriage, that the upper part is
turned down by the weight of the same.
The carriage ww, when running down the ladder, resumes of itself the position
shown by dotted lines in Fig. 9 owing to the upper rollers o being again drawn
between the flanges of the beams. The carriage w w₁ shown by Fig. 20, differs
from that represented by Figs. 9 and 10 only in the middle-rollers o being situated
on separate shafts in addition to the hinge-bolt, while with the latter carriage the
hinge bolts form simultaneously the middle wheel-shafts.

page_text: As shown by Figs. 9 and 10, a special appliance may be employed to load and
unload the carriage w w¹.
This appliance consists of rails o¹, each of which is situated on the outside of
the beams a and pivoted on a horizontal bolt is, on which rails slides a special
carriage w³.
The main carriage ww¹ is loaded as follows: The load is brought on the special or
auxiliary carriage w³, fixed thereon by bolts n², the carriage w³ is connected with
the main carriage w w¹ by a chain and raised at the same time on the pivoted
rails o¹. The carriage w³ with load thus raised on the pivoted rails o', is fixed to
one of the beams a by a second chain subsequently loosened from the main
carriage ww, and the ladder is conveyed under the auxiliary carriage w², as shown
by dotted lines in Fig. 9, so that by fastening two bolts n¹ to the carriage w w¹
behind the load, when this carriage is raised, the load is brought from the special
carriage won the main carriage wwl and raised by the latter. The carriage w²
now freed from the load is detached from the beam a and removed from the pivoted
rails o, whereupon the work can be repeated.
The pivoted side rails o¹ are adapted to be turned down after use into a position
parallel with the main beams, as shown by Fig. 10.
For the same purpose the ladder with endless chain shown by Figs. 20 and 21,
comprises a second arrangement, which consists of two rails, each of which is com-
posed of two parts o² and o hinged together at their ends, and the two rails (or
pairs) are connected by cross stays L' and L and provided with rollers of. The
said rails o² o³ slide on two pairs of rollers R and R' connected with the main
beams a and therefore replace a carriage. The loading by aid of this appliance is
effected as follows: The load is brought on the hinged rails o² and o³ and fastened
thereon, the rails 02 and os are fixed to the main carriage ww by means of
chains K³ and raised with load by the said carriage on the rollers R and R¹ so far
until the load has arrived over the rollers R, and the rails are supported by the
main beams a.
In this position the hinged rails 02 03 are fixed to the beams by means of another
chain, the chains K³ are detached from the main carriage and the latter shifted so
far under the load, that the same is slightly raised and is no longer supported by
the main beams a, but by the main carriage ww¹. By introducing bolts n¹ into
the carriage w w behind the load, the load, when the said carriage is raised, is
lifted with the same. The load is removed from the carriage ww by means of
the two described contrivances by being transmitted from the carriage ww¹ to the
hinged rails 0 0³, that is to say, to the carriage w², the latter is connected by chains
with the carriage w w and again lowered from the same together with load.
The screw nut m on the screw spindle consists, as shown by Figs. 1 and 2, of
two halves, which are introduced between grooved holders K attached to the
carriage w, the said halves being connected by a spindle n with left and right
screw thread, so that by turning the spindle n, to the right or to the left, the
halves m of the nut are connected with and disconnected from the screw d.
This spindle n may be turned either directly by means of a crank or by means
of a pawl lever q, which has its fulcrum on the spindle n, and ratchet wheels p.
By the aid of this contrivance the carriage winay be moved, also independently
of the main screw d.
According to a modification shown by Figs. 11 to 13, the halves m of the nut
are secured to and guided by a cross head Q of the carriage by means of a prism,
and provided with pins 82, which project through slots of the cross piece into
eccentric slots of a disc provided with levers h. This disc is pivoted on screw
bolts fastened in the cross head Q and is secured upon the same by a counter
disc or washer and a nut. By turning the lever h with disc round the pivotal
bolt ', the eccentric slits slide along the guide pins s² and force the same with the
halves m of the nut away from the middle of the pivotal bolt or against the
same, whereby the halves m of the nut are connected with or disconnected from

page_text: the main screw spindle d. A spring f situated in the slit of the lever h protrudes,
as soon as the halves m of the nut are connected with the screw spindle d, into a
recess of the cross head Q and is to be lifted again from the recess by pressing on
the projecting extremity of the spring f, before releasing the nut.
As shown by Fig. 4, the spindle d may be made to turn in a similar manner as
the short spindle n Fig. 2, by a ratchet lever v ratchet wheel and tooth wheel 8
mounted on a stud and by another tooth wheel r, mounted on the screw
spindle d. From this spindle, as shown by Figs. 6 and 7, motion may be imparted
by a pair of bevel wheels z and x to the upper roller axle y or, vice versa, the roller
axle y with pulleys g may be turned by a crank and turn the main spindle d by
means of the said bevel wheels z and .
A contrivance shown by Figs. 8 and 9 may be employed for allowing the screw
spindle d to be turned in one direction by the forward as well as the backward
motion of a hand lever v. This contrivance consists in the lever v having for its
fulcrum the axle y and carrying a ratchet s also of a ratchet wheel u fixed to the
axle y and a double armed lever having for its fulcrum a bolt i fixed to the
main beam a, which lever is, on one side, connected with the hand lever v by a
rod and on the other side provided with a ratchet r. This ratchet and the
pawl 8 catch into the ratchet wheel u, so that by moving the hand lever v in one
direction, the pawls, and by moving it in the other direction, the ratchet r, turn
the ratchet wheel u and with it the screw spindle d in one direction.
For the same purpose, another contrivance shown by Figs. 16 and 17, may bo
employed, which consists of a hollow horizontal shaft y having its bearings in the
main beams a and carrying a hevel wheel 21, a solid movable axle y' situated in
the hollow axle y prevented from turning in the same and carrying a ratchet
wheel ; a hand lever v having its fulcrum in the axle y and carrying two pawls 8
and 8 and tube v¹ mounted on the hollow axle y, with which is connected at one
end the ratchet wheel u¹ and at the other side the bevel wheel s. Between this
bevel wheel and the main beam a is situated a sleeve v² surrounding the tube v¹
and serving as a stay.
The bevel wheels z and z having their axis in the axis of the cross shaft, gear
from opposite sides into the bevel wheel mounted on the screw spindle d.
The teeth of one of the ratchet wheels u and u¹ are directed to the right, those
of the other one to the left, so that by a movement of the hand lever v, the pawl 8¹
carries the bevel wheel r and ratchet wheel u to turn to the right and by the
contrary movement of the lever v, the other pawl 8 turns the ratchet wheel u and
the bevel wheel z¹ to the left, the screw spindle & however is always turned in the
same direction.
By loosening the two parallel bevel wheels z¹ and and set rings a¹ a³ the
axles y and y with tube and sleeve 2 mounted on the same are enabled to
move axially into each other, and hand leverv with the ratchet wheels u and u¹
may be shifted up to the main beam a.
In the hollow axle y likewise an axle with crank can be fastened opposite to
the exchangeable lever for allowing the axle y to be moved by means of a crank
instead of by means of the lever v.
A contrivance shown by Figs. 14 and 15 may be employed, which allows the
horizontal cross shaft y to be moved from various parts. This contrivance con-
sists of an arm q' pivoted on the shaft y, a disc p¹, which is rigidly connected with a
main beam a by the bolts and provided with a slot 81, a crank axle rigidly
connected with a chain pulley k and secured in the pivoted arın q¹ and a second
chain pulley k¹, mounted on the cross shaft y. The pivoted arm q' is provided
with a screw i, which passes through the slot 8 of the disc p', and by turning the
pivoted arm q¹ round the cross shaft y, the screw slides in the slot s¹. By the
screw the arm q' may be secured to the disc p at all points within the slot s¹, so
that, in each of these positions of the arm q the cross shaft is turned by the
crank P which rotary motion can be imparted by means of the chain pulleys k¹ k².

page_text: At the free end of the pivoted arm q' is attached a brake block B, which, when
pressed against the rim of the outer pulley k² by means of a regulating screw S,
causes a stopping of the rotary motion of the chain-wheel, whereby a too quick
olling of the loaded carriage from the ladder is prevented.
Figs. 21 and 22 represent a safety device, that may be employed for preventing
the carriage wwl from rolling down by the weight of the load in case of a breakage
of the chain. This device comprises a bolt on a beam Q; a ring c¹ movable on
the bolt, a forked bracket or bow b' a spring f¹ and a pair of symmetrically placed
evers m¹ provided with a wedge and having their pivots at the pins t. The
chain K passing over the chain pulleys is connected with the bow b¹ and the latter
with the levers m.-The spring f¹ surrounding the bolt is situated between the
head of the same and the ring c¹, so that in case of breakage of the chain K, the
spring f¹ presses the ring c¹ with bow b¹ towards the cross head Q and the bow b¹
turns simultaneously the symmetrical levers m³ round the pivotal bolts t, fixed to
the cross head Q, whereby the wedges, fixed to the levers m³, are pressed under the
ollers o of the carriage ww. Therefore the keys or wedges clamp the rollers o
ast between the ribs of the beams a and immediately stop the carriage ww¹ on the
adder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
claim is:
1.) Apparatus for conveying loads on inclines, having the screw spindle d
ctuated by a lever or crank and lodged between beams a, by which spindle the
carriage w is moved on rails c, or with its rollers o between the flanges of the
beams, by means of the clamping nut m.
2.) Apparatus for conveying loads on inclines having the shaft y actuated by
levers or cranks and journalled in the beams a, from which shaft the carriage wis
moved by rollers g and endless rope or chain on the rails c or with its rollers o
between the flanges of the beams a.
3.) Combined with the contrivance indicated in Claim 1) or 2):
a.) A carriage w having an upper part w¹ provided with rollers o¹ and detached
by removing the bolt 3¹ for the purpose of conveying the load on the upper
part w (Figs. 1 to 3).
b.) A carriage consisting of parts ww' pivoted together, the upper part of which
carriage is adapted to be reversed for the purpose of a commodious loading
and unloading of goods (Fig. 9, 10, 14 and 20 to 22).
•
c.) The device consisting of the lever v pivoted on the shaft y with ratchet 8;
double armed lever ¹ with ratchet in connection through rod r¹ with the
lever and ratchet wheel u for the purpose of turning the screw spindle d
in one direction (Figs. 8 and 9) with forward motion and backward inotion
of the lever v.
d.) The device consisting of the hollow shaft y with bevel wheel z¹ solid shaft y',
displaceable in the shaft y, but secured against revolution therein, ratchet
wheel u, the lever v pivoted on the shaft y¹ with two ratchets & and s¹, and
the tube v¹ with ratchet wheel u¹ and bevel wheel (Figs. 16 and 17).
c.) The rails o' pivoted to the beams a (Figs. and 10) or the rails (Figs. 20
and 21) sliding on rollers R and R¹ arranged on the beams a, said rails
consisting of hinged parts o 2 o 3 for the purpose of lifting loads onto and
from the carriage w w¹.
f.) The device by means of which the shaft can be journalled distant from the
shaft y consisting of the disc p¹, connected with the beams a, having a
slots, the arm q' with pin 2 revolvable round the shaft y and the
pulleys with chain (Figs. 14 and 15).
g.) The arm q' having a brake consisting of the brake block B and the regulating
screws S (Figs. 14 and 15).

page_text: h.) The divided nut arranged on the carriage (Figs. 11 to 13) and adapted to
be controlled by means of screw spindle n (Figs. 1 and 2) or by means of
an eccentric (Figs. 12 and 13).
i.) The safety device causing the carriage w w¹ to be at once arrested on the
ladder, when the chain K breaks, said device consisting of the bolt d, the
ring c¹, the bow b¹, the spring f¹ and levers m² carrying wedges, substan-
tially as illustrated and described and for the purpose set forth.