Improvements in Apparatus for Lowering and Raising Weights.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1894
Complete Specification Left. 4th Feb., 1895-Accepted; 16th Mar., 1895
Improvements in Apparatus for Lowering and Raising Weights.
I, EDWARD ARTHUR WYATT, of 162, Peckham Rye, in the County of London,
Builder and Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to lifts for raising and lowering goods from one level to
another my said invention being very applicable for use by publicans for lowering
casks into cellars.
My improved lift comprises a platform adapted to slide between guides or
pillars and connected to chains or cables running over pulleys and carrying
counterweights.
In practice the platform is counterweighted to such an extent that it will
always be retained in its upper position and only descend when sufficient weight
is placed upon it. Loose weights may be provided to permit of raising and
lowering varying loads.
A brake is provided for controlling the speed at which the platform moves and
a locking arrangement is also provided for retaining the platform in either its
raised or lowered position with or without a load.
When my lift is applied to publicans' cellars I prefer that a stop or other device
should be arranged for tilting the platform as it reaches the bottom, in order to
roll the casks off the said platform.
Dated the 2nd day of May 1894.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Lowering and Raising Weights.
I, EDWARD ARTHUR WYATT, of 162, Peckham Rye, in the County of London,
Builder and Contractor, 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 :-
My invention relates to lifts for raising and lowering goods from one level to
another, my said invention being very applicable for use by publicans for lowering
casks into cellars.
My improved lift comprises a platform adapted to slide between guides or
pillars and connected to chains or cables running over pulleys and carrying
counterweights.
In practice the platform is counterweighted to such an extent that it will
always be retained in its upper position and only descend when sufficient weight
is placed upon it. Loose weights may be provided to permit of raising and
lowering varying loads.
.
A brake is provided for controlling the speed at which the platform moves and
a locking arrangement is also provided for retaining the platform in either its
raised or lowered position with or without a load.

page_text: To enable my invention to be fully understood 1 will describe How it can be
carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a plan partly in section of apparatus for raising and lowering weights
constructed according to my invention :
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same on the crooked line A. B Figure 1:
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line C D Figure 2; and,
Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view of a detail.
a is the platform of my apparatus; b, c, c, c are the guides or pillars between
which the platform a slides; d, d, d, d are the chains or cables to one end of which
the platform a is connected; e, e, e, e are the pulleys at the top part of the guides
or pillars over which pulleys run the chains or cables d attached at their other ends
to frames g, g carrying counterweights h, h adapted to be detached from and secured
to the frames according to the weight required to counterbalance the load by means
of levers i, jointed loosely to bars j, j on the frames and provided with slots k, k to
allow of the levers being passed under the heads 1, on the weights and of
the latter being then lifted with the frames. When any of the weights are not
.required the levers are simply disengaged therefrom and the frames will rise
without the said weights. The weight of the frames 9, 9 alone is, however,
sufficient to keep the platform in its raised position and only allow it to descend
when a load is placed thereon.
The brake for controlling the speed of the platform and locking arrangement for
retaining, the platform in either its raised or lowered position with or without a
load consist of two bars m and n pivotted at o, o in the guide or pillar b, the said
bars being adapted to be moved inwards so that the free end of the bar n projects
under the platform when raised and the free end of the bar m over the
platform when lowered as shewn in Figure 2 wherein the lowermost position of
the platform is represented in dotted lines. The bars m, n are operated by means
of levers p, p jointed at g, g to the guide or pillar and caused to approach or
recede from each other by. turning a screw-threaded bar by means of a hand
wheels, the threads of the said bar working through nuts t, t on the levers which
are connected by links u, u to the bars m, n. The lower end of the screw-threaded
bar is located in an aperture in an extension of the base of the apparatus, which
aperture is large enough to allow it to move inwards and outwards as the levers p
are operated but prevents it moving longitudinally.
It will be seen that the levers, links and screw-threaded bar are arranged so that
they move both the bars m, n inwards or outwards from the guide b simultaneously,
so that by simply turning the hand wheels they can be caused to press against the
platform and act as a brake thereon to check its movement or stop it at any point
of its travel. Or they can be brought into position to lock the platform either in
its raised or lowered position.
To allow of lifting a load which, with the platform, may be heavier than the
counterweights I provide weights w, w on the platform adapted as shewn to be slid
out or otherwise arranged to be detached from the platform.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for lowering and raising weights the combination of a platform
sliding between vertical guides so counterweighted that it shall normally occupy a
position at the upward limit of its movement and of a brake acting against the
platform to control the movements of the same when the latter is descending under
a weight greater than that of the counterweights or rising under the action of the
counterweights, substantially as herein before described.
2. In apparatus of the kind hereinbefore described for lowering and raising
weights the use of a brake for controlling the movements of the platform and for
retaining it when required in its uppermost or lowermost position, substantially 'a's
hereinbefore described.

page_text: 3. In raising and lowering apparatus of the kind hereinbefore described the
method of providing for varying loads by employing open bottomed counterweight
frames whereby the counterweights may be picked up or left without the necessity
of handling the same.
4. The combination of parts forming the improved apparatus for lowering and
raising weights arranged and operating substantially in the manner hereinbefore
described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of February 1895
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.