Improved Means for Indicating and Correcting Unequal Tensions of Multiple Ropes for Hoists and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Jan., 1898-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Indicating and Correcting Unequal Tensions
of Multiple Ropes for Hoists and the like.
I, ROBERT MIDDLETON, of Sheepscar Foundry, Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention has reference more especially to the class of passenger hoist in
which, for the sake of safety, a number of sustaining ropes are relied upon.
An objection to the use of multiple ropes lies in the fact that, owing to unequal
tension, one rope often carries more load than another, although all have to pass
round the pullies whether doing useful work or not.
The object of the invention is to provide a simple system for automatically
pointing out the idle rope or ropes, without interfering with the ordinary work
of the hoist, and at the same time to arrange an apparatus that lends itself to the
easy and speedy adjustment of the offending rope or ropes, with a view of pro-
longing the average life of the same, and ensuring the safety of the hoist.
I accomplish my object as follows:-
--
I bring each rope independently down to its own attachment, and underneath this
I arrange an elastic member which extends itself whenever an elongation of its
rope (over and above that of the others) takes place. The extending movement of
the elastic member (which in a simple form may take the shape of a compressed
spring) is made to indicate the trouble by throwing an electric battery into circuit
with an alarm bell, which continues ringing until the rope is re-tightened and
made to take its due share of the load.
In order to make the re-adjustment of the rope an easy and speedy matter, the
end of the rope may be made to terminate in the form of a screwed rod, the
tightening up of the nut of which breaks the electric communication as soon as
the elastic member is drawn back into its place.
Each rope may with advantage have its own alarm, but a joint action may be
arranged if so desired.
The system may be varied in its details without departing from the spirit of the
invention.
Improved Means for Indicating and Correcting Unequal Tensions
of Multiple Ropes for Hoists and the like.
I, ROBERT MIDDLETON, of Sheepscar Foundry, Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
D

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:--
An
This invention has reference more especially to the class of passenger hoist in
which, for the sake of safety, a number of sustaining ropes are relied upon.
objection to the use of multiple ropes lies in the fact that, owing to unequal tension,
one rope often carries more load than another, although all have to pass round the
pullies, and to that extent depreciate themselves by continual bending, whether
doing useful work or not.
The object of the invention is to provide a simple system for automatically
pointing out the idle rope or ropes, without interfering with the ordinary work
of the hoist, and at the same time to arrange an apparatus that lends itself to the
easy and speedy adjustment of the offending rope or ropes, with a view of prolonging
the average life of the same, and ensuring the safety of the hoist.
I accomplish my object as follows:-I bring each rope independently down to
its own attachment, and underneath this I arrange an elastic member which
extends itself whenever an elongation of its rope (over and above that of the others)
takes place. The extending movement of the elastic member (which in a simple
form may take the shape of a compressed spring) is made to indicate the trouble by
throwing an electric battery into circuit. with an alarm bell, which continues
ringing until the rope is re-tightened and made to take its due share of the load.
In order to make the re-adjustment of the rope an easy and speedy matter, the
end of the rope may be made to terminate in the form of a screwed rod, the
tightening up of the nut of which breaks the electric communication as soon as
the elastic member is drawn back into its place.
Referring to the sheet of drawings, in which the same letters refer to the same
parts or their equivalents in all the figures ;-
a
Fig. 1 shows the foregoing arrangement diagrammatically in elevation; A repre-
sents a rope ending in a screwed rod B, with a suitable nut C at its foot fitted with
compressed spring D between its washer and the under frame of
the cage of the hoist. One terminal of the electric circuit is attached
to this washer whilst the other stands below it as shown at E;
wires as
shown connect up the battery and bell, so that whenever an elongation of a rope
allows a spring to extend sufficiently to make contact the alarm bell is rung.
Fig. 2 shows (more or less diagrammatically) in elevation, a better
arrangement, on the foregoing lines, in which
with suitable electric terminals, takes the place of springs; the other
a compensating beam,
terminals are shown at E, E, as before. Here an elongation of either rope gradually
tilts the beam D, and after a time completes the electric circuit and sets the bell
to work. In this example two ropes are supposed to be brought down each side
of the cage and secured below the under-frame.
Fig. 3, a diagrammatic elevation, is introduced to show how two ropes on each
side of the cage, as last described, may be gathered into line over the head of the
cage, and passed up from guide pullies to suit any overhead arrangement of the
multiple ropes.
Fig. 4 shows, in elevation, an arrangement where two ropes pass over a compen-
sating pulley-beam D fixed between sling beams at the head of the cage. Con-
nected with this beam is a foot C', which, if either rope stretches, makes contact,
sooner or later, with one or other of the terminals E, E, in the same manner and
with the same result as before. In this arrangement the overhead sling beams are
shown at F. The cage (part of which is shown broken away to save space) is
shown by G, whilst H represents the under-frame. J is an electric battery and K a
bell, which may be placed in any suitable position.
In every case tightening the nut C of the offending rope-attachment brings the
electric terminals away from one another and leaves all once more in working order.
Each rope may with advantage have its own alarm, but a joint action may be
arranged if so desired.

page_text: The system may be varied in its details without departing from the spirit of the
invention, as the several variations show.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The improved means for electrically indicating unequal tensions of multiple
ropes for hoists and the like, substantially as described and shown.
2. In an apparatus for pointing out unequal tensions in multiple ropes for hoists
and the like, the use of compensating beams whose movements out of true line
bring electric terminals into touch, substantially as described and shown.
3. The general arrangement of indicating appliances, as referred to in the
foregoing claims, in which the rope ends are represented by gear, the tightening
up of which brings the rope back into its proper tension, and throws the electric
terminals once more out of action, substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 21st day of January 1908
WM. SNOWDON,
Agent for the Applicant,
Box W.S., 24, Basinghall Street, Leeds, Yorks.
WM. SNOWDON,
Agent for the Applicant,
Box W.S., 24, Basinghall Street, Leeds, Yorks.