Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 9th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 9th Aug., 1887.
We ALFRED ATTWOOD, of Ulverston, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer and
THOMAS WALTER BARBER of Ulverston aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of our said invention to be as follows :-
The object of our invention is to effect further improvements in, and modifications
of, the various forms of gearing described and comprised in our former patent
No. 18738 our present improvements being designed to simplify and otherwise
render such gearing more universally applicable to all hoisting purposes.
Our first improvement consists in the application of means for automatically
adjusting the position of the fulera upon which the gearing is balanced. The gearing
consists, essentially, of a hand rope V-wheel, at one end of a horizontal shaft, a cage
rope V-wheel at the other end, and an intermediate bearing having flanges which
rest on two adjustable fulcra, upon which it can rock slightly. A brake-wheel is also
fixed on the shaft. between the hearing and the hand rope wheel which acts upon a
fixed strap or block above it, a very slight amount of play being allowed between the
wheel and strap or block. The shaft thus becomes a lever of the first order, having
the weight of the cage, load, and balance weight, at one end and the hand-rope and
hand-rope-wheel at the other; and, as the pull of the hand-rope relieves the brake, at
the same time that it either lifts or lowers the load, the position of the fulcra upon
which the shaft rocks is of very great importance. Hitherto we have found
the required position by experiment, but the following improvement enables
us to let the gearing adjust itself. The under surface of the flanges of the
rocking bearing are made smooth and either flat or slightly curved. These (if
curved rest upon smooth flat surfaces; or, if flat, upon smooth curved surfaces, on
the upper side of 2 shoes, parallel with the shaft, having one end hinged to the fixed
base plate of the gearing, and the other end capable of being raised or lowered
through a small arc, by set screws. If now the lift be put together ready for work,
the rocking bearing will assume its own position of balance on the curved surfaces of
the shoes; and, should the shaft then be inclined, instead of horizontal, it may be
brought to the horizontal line by raising one end of the shoes, by means of the set
screws; and a similar result may be obtained by suspending the rocking bearing from
a fixed centre above, provision being made for adjusting the shaft to the horizontal
position by screw adjustment, as above described.
Our second improvement relates to the form of grooves employed in the friction
gearing of our geared hoists. These consist of two or more V flanges on the wheel,
running in corresponding grooves in the periphery of the pinion, but we arrange the
grooves so that only very narrow surfaces are actually in contact, one eighth of an

page_text: inch being sufficient. Increased bearing causes increased friction in working without
any increase in the "grip" of the wheels.
Our third improvement consists in the application of a relieving lever, to enable a
loaded cage or hook to be lowered by brake, instead of being lowered by pulling the
handrope. This consists of a lever and rope, so arranged as to depress the front end
of the main shaft of the gearing, so as to relieve the brake so long as the rope is pulled.
Our fourth improvement is designed to render the gearing suitable for being
driven by power from any convenient shaft. This we effect as follows:-In place of
the hand rope wheel of the gearing, we apply a bevel wheel on the main shaft, and,
upon a second shaft, running at right angles across the front of the bevel wheel, we
fit two bevel pinions gearing into the bevel wheel; one pinion is keyed on a sleeve
piece passing through one of the shaft bearings, the other is keyed on the shaft
itself, which has a fast pulley and a loose one upon it, a third pulley being keyed
on the sleeve piece.-A single belt can thus drive the gearing either way, the motion
of the pinions being such that their revolution depresses the bevel wheel and its shaft
end, and thus relieves the brake, as is done in the hand gear by pulling the hand-
rope. The lift is governed by a rope attached to levers which shift the belt from
one pulley to the other as required.
Our fifth improvement consists in methods of simplifying the construction of the
ungeared forms of lifts. In these the essentials are a wheel for the cage rope or
chain, a brake, and a hand-rope-wheel and spindle, with rocking bearing upon a fixed
base plate. We sometimes make the cage-rope-wheel and brake-wheel in one applying
a fixed brake strap or block under it, into which it drops when the hand rope is let go.
Our sixth improvement relates to the application of a worm and wheel motion to
our rocking gearing, for raising and sustaining heavy loads. We employ a shaft,
with the hand-rope-wheel keyed at one end, a worm keyed on near the other end, and
two or more bearings upon a rocking casting, also a brake wheel and fixed strap, as
before. The rocking casting carries also, either above or below the worm, a spindle
and worm wheel with a chain or rope wheel for the cage rope or chain, either cast
with the worm wheel, or keyed on the same spindle. The whole gearing acts in the
same way as those previously described, the worm shaft with the rocking bearings
and worin wheel forming a lever, which, by the pull of the hand-rope releases the
brake, as before.
Our seventh improvement relates to the application of power, from any convenient
shaft, to either form of gearing, where a handrope is employed, and can be used in
fact in conjunction with any form of self-sustaining hand-lift gearing, with the
object of enabling the lift to be worked either by hand or by power. We effect this
by gripping the hand-rope between either of two revolving wheels and two grip
wheels. The latter are loose upon an eccentric shaft, a partial revolution of which,
either way, throws one or other grip-wheel into gear with its V wheel, compressing
the handrope between them sufficiently to start the lift either up or down. The
V wheels are keyed on a plain shaft, which may be always running. The lift is
governed by hand-rope or chain attached to a wheel or lever on the eccentric shaft.
Our eighth improvement consists of the application of our self sustaining principle
to any fixed winch or crab, for hoisting, whether driven by hand or by power. In
these forms of gearing a drum or barrel is employed to coil the lifting chain or
rope, and the weights to be raised are seldom less than from three to five hundred
weight requiring either single or double gear. We apply our principle to such
gearing, by mounting the barrel on drum in bearings in a frame, having a slight
rocking motion, as before, on adjustable fulera, and arrange the driving gear, so that
the strain conveyed through the teeth of the gearing, tends to rock the frame, and
thus relieve the brake so long as power is applied. To lower the load the brake must
he relieved, but by a lever, as described under the head of our third improvement.
Datod 4th October 1886
GEO. DOWNING,
Agent for Applicants.

page_text: We, ALFRED ATTWOOD, of Ulverston in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, and
THOMAS WALTER BARBER, of Ulverston, aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
--
The object of our invention is to effect further improvements in, and modifications
of, the various forms of gearing described and comprised in our former Patent
No. 187383; our present improvements being designed to simplify and otherwise
render such gearing more universally applicable to all hoisting purposes.
And in order that our said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Our first improvement consists in the application of means for automatically
adjusting the position of the fulcra upon which the gearing is balanced, as shewn in
Figs. 1. 2 and 3. The gearing consists, essentially of a hand rope V-wheel A, at one
end of a horizontal shaft B; also a cage-rope V-wheel C, at the other end; and an
intermediate bearing D, having flanges E, which rest on two adjustable fulcra, F on
a fixed base plate F, upon which it can rock slightly. A brake wheel G is also fixed
on the shaft between the bearing D and the hand rope wheel A, which acts upon a
fixed strap or block H above it, a very slight amount of play being allowed between
the wheel G and strap or block H. The shaft B thus becomes a lever of the first
order, having the weight of the cage, the load, and the balance weight, at one end,
and the hand-rope and hand-rope wheel at the other; and, as the pull of the hand-
rope relieves the brake, at the same time that it either lifts or lowers the load, the
position of the fulcra F, upon which the shaft and frame D D¹ rocks, is of very great
importance.
Hitherto we have found the required position by experiment, but the following
improvement enables us to render the gearing self adjusting. The under surface of
the flanges E, of the rocking frame D³, are made smooth, and either flat or slightly
curved. These (if curved) rest upon smooth flat surfaces; or, if flat, upon smooth
curved surfaces, on the upper side of two shoes J, parallel with the shaft B, forming
portions of the fixed base plate F¹ of the gearing and are provided with spur teeth on
the outer edges to prevent any sliding of the frame D². The rocking bearing D
has trunnions which can revolve partially in bearing in the flanges of the rocking
frame D, and can be fixed in any required position by the set screws K. If now
the lift be put together ready for work, and the brake strap H removed, the rocking
bearing D and frame D¹ will assume a position of balance on the curved surfaces of
the shoes J; and, should the shaft B then be inclined from the horizontal, it may
be brought to the horizontal line after loosening the set screws K, which are then
again tightened up. The brake strap being then refixed, having a slight play
between the strap and the brake wheel G, the lift is adjusted ready for use." A
similar result may be obtained by suspending the rocking bearing from a fixed
centre above, (see dotted lines, Fig. 3) provision being made for adjusting the shaft
to the horizontal position by a similar adjustment as that last described.

page_text: Our second improvement relates to the form of grooves employed in the friction
gearing of geared hoists. These consist of one, two or more V flanges on the periphery
of the wheel, running in one, two or more grooves in the periphery of the pinion as
shewn in section in Figs. 4 and 5 ; but we arrange the grooves so that only very
narrow surfaces are actually in contact, one eighth of an inch being usually sufficient.
The extent of surface contact should be proportional to the load, and not so small
as to cause the metal to "seize" or crush. Increased contact surface causes
increased friction in working, without any increase in the "grip" of the wheels.
Our third improvement consists in the application of a relieving lever to our forms
of self sustaining gearing, to enable a loaded cage or hook to be lowered by brake,
instead of being lowered by pulling the hand-rope. This consists of a lever M and
rope N as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 9 and 10; so arranged as to depress the front end
of the main shaft B of the gearing, and thereby relieve the brake as long as the rope N
is pulled.
Ꭱ
Our fourth improvement is designed to render the gearing suitable for being driven
by power from any convenient shaft, as shewn in Figs. 6 and 7. This we effect as
follows: In place of the hand-rope wheel A. of the gearing, we apply a bevel wheel O
on the main shaft B, and, upon a second shaft P, running at right angles across the
front of the bevel wheel, we fit two bevel pinions QQ gearing into the bevel wheel O;
one pinion is keyed on a sleeve piece R passing through one of the shaft bearings,
the other is keyed to the shaft P itself, which has a fast pulley S and a loose pulley T,
upon it, a third pulley U being keyed on the sleeve piece R. A single belt can thus
drive the gearing either up or down, to raise or lower; the motion of the pinions
being such that their revolution depresses the bevel wheel O and its shaft end, and thus
relieves the brake, as is done in the hand gear, by pulling the hand rope. The lift
is governed by a rope attached to levers which shift the belt from one pulley to the
other as required.
Our fifth improvement consists in methods of simplifying the construction of the
ungeared forms of lifts, as shewn in Fig. 8. In these the essentials area wheel for
the Cage rope or chain C, a brake wheel G, and a hand rope wheel A, and
spindle B, with rocking bearings F, upon a fixed base plate F¹-We sometimes
make the cage-rope wheel Cand brake wheel G in one, applying a fixed brake-strap
or block H under it, into which it drops, when the hand rope is let go.
Our sixth improvement relates to the application of a worm and wheel motion to
our rocking gearing for raising and sustaining heavy loads, as shewn in Figs. 9 and
10. We employ a shaft B with the hand-rope-wheel A. keyed at one end, a worm V
keyed on near the other end, and two or more bearings upon a rocking casting or
frame D¹; also a brake-wheel G and fixed strap H as before. The rocking casting D¹
carries also, either above or below the worm V, a spindle and worm wheel W with a
chain or rope-wheel for the cage-rope or chain, either cast with the worm-wheel W
or keyed on the same spindle. The whole gearing acts in the same way as those
previously described, the worm shaft with the rocking bearings F, and worm-wheel W
forming a lever, which by the pull of the hand rope A' releases the brake as before.
Our seventh improvement, as shewn in Figs. 11 and 12, relates to the application of
power, from any convenient shaft, to either form of gearing, where a hand-rope is
employed; and can be used in conjunction with any form of self-sustaining hand-
lift gearing, with the object of enabling the lift to be worked either by hand or by
power. We effect this by gripping the hand-rope A', between either of two
revolving wheels X X and two grip wheels Y Y. The latter are loose upon an
eccentric shaft Z, a partial revolution of which, either way, throws one or other grip
wheel into gear with its V wheel, compressing the hand-rope A¹ between them
sufficiently to start the lift, either up or down. The V wheels are keyed on a plain
shaft, which may be always running. The lift is governed by a hand-rope or chain,
attached to a wheel or lever on the eccentric shaft Z so as to revolve it partially in
either direction to cause the wheels X Y to grip either the up or the down side of
the hand-rope A'.
Our eighth improvement consists in the application of our self-sustaining principle

page_text: to any fixed winch or crab for hoisting, whether driven by hand or by power as
shewn in Figs. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17 and 18. In these forms of gearing a drum or
barrel is employed to coil the lifting chain or rope, and the weights to be raised are
seldom less than from three to five hundred weight requiring either single or double
gear. We apply our principle to such gearing by mounting the chain or rope barrel
or drum C in bearings D, in a rigid frame D₁ having a slight rocking motion, as
before described, on adjustable fulcra F, and arrange the driving gear, so that the
strain conveyed through the teeth of the gearing, tends to rock the frame D¹, and
thus relieve the brake, so long as power is applied. When the power is removed the
pull of the loaded chain or rope forces the brake-wheel into contact with the brake-
strap, thus preventing the load from running down.-To lower the load the brake
inust be relieved by a lever M as described under the head of our third improvement.
Counter-balance weights M may be employed to balance the weight of the chain
barrel, and to give any required increase of pressure on the brake.
It is obvious that in all the arrangements hereinbefore described, the cage wheel C
or hand rope-wheel A, may be formed with grooves suitable for either ordinary rope,
chain or wire rope as may be required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim
is :-
1. In the construction of self sustaining lifts and hoisting machinery, and in
combination therewith, the application and use of adjustable fulera, and the means and
appliances for obtaining automatic brake power from and in proportion to the load
itself, severally operating substantially as herein before described and shewn on the
drawings.
2. In the construction of self sustaining lifts and hoisting machinery, the method
of and means and appliances for automatically adjusting the position of the fulcra to
suit the position of the load, substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in
Figs. 1. 2 and 3 of the drawings.
3. In combination with machinery as aforesaid the application and use af frictional
gearing substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in Figs. 4 and 5 of the
drawings.
4. The combination with self sustaining lifts and hoists as aforesaid, of a relieving
lever M, for quick lowering, substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn on the
drawings.
5. The combination with self sustaining lifts and hoists as aforesaid, of the method
and means of applying power to the same by reversing gear, substantially as herein-
before described and shewn in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings.
6. The combination with self sustaining lifts and hoists as aforesaid, of a combined
brake wheel and V-wheel, with a fixed strap below the same, substantially as herein-
before described and shewn in Fig. 8 of the drawings.
7. The combination with self sustaining lifts and hoists as aforesaid, of worm and
wheel gear instead of friction or spur-gear substantially as hereinbefore described and
shewn on the drawings.
8. The application of the rocking frame and adjustable fulcra to winch gearing
substantially as herein before described and illustrated in Figs. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and
18 of the drawings.