IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING WEIGHTS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Eades and William Thomas Eades, of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machinists, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING
WEIGHTS."
Sealed the 27th May 1873, and dated the 29th November 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Eades and
William Thomas Eades at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 29th November 1872.
We, WILLIAM EADES and WILLIAM THOMAS EADES, of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Machinists, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND
LOWERING WEIGHTS," to be as follows, that is to say :—
Our Invention refers more particularly to improvements in the
construction of hoists such as are usually secured overhead, and worked
by cords or chains from below for raising or lowering weights.
We mount a shaft in suitable bearings, and on the shaft is secured a
driving pulley suitably formed for an endless chain or rope to work
upon it, the endless chain or rope being operated by hand from below;

page_text: on either side or face of the driving pulley is formed a clutch with an
inclined face; the first clutch fits into a corresponding clutch on one end
or face of the drum or barrel, which revolves upon the driving shaft and
upon the drum or barrel; the rope or chain supporting the load is wound
thus when the driving pulley is actuated by the endless chain or rope;
the clutch described engages with the clutch upon the drum or barrel,
causing the barrel to revolve with it and thus raise the load. Upon the
other side of the driving pulley is formed the second clutch with an
inclined face, and next to it on the driving shaft is a pinion also having
a clutch; it has also chambers on its periphery to receive an endless
chain, and on its other side are formed ratchet teeth; next to this chain
pulley upon the driving shaft is a break pulley with a flat face, and on
its side next the chain pinion we attach pawls which engage with the
ratchet teeth of the chain pinion; round the break pulley is placed a
band of thin metal connected at the ends with a lever, which has its.
fulcrum on the frame of the hoist. This lever has two arms, one of
which is weighted and tightens the band, and the other arm has a cord
passing down to the loading level so that when pulled the band will be
.loosened on the break pulley for lowering a load.
On the chain pinion is an endless chain, before referred to;, which also
works over a second pulley fixed upon and actuating a second shaft
parallel to the driving shaft, and on the second shaft is secured a toothed
pinion for engaging with another toothed wheel upon the first shaft
next to the second side of the drum or barrel, on the side of the second
toothed wheel are placed pawls engaging in a ratchet wheel formed on
the second side of the drum or barrel.
The operation of the apparatus is thus, when a quick speed is required
to hoist a light load the driving, wheel is actuated and the clutch on its
first side engages with the clutch on the first end or face of the barrel,
and carries the barrel with it, thus raising the load, the break described
preventing such load from running back.
When desired to raise a load slowly as in the case of a considerable
weight the driving wheel must be actuated by the endless chain or rope
in the opposite direction when the first incline clutch will leave the
clutch on the barrel or drum, and the second clutch on the other side
of the driving wheel will become engaged with the clutch of the chain
pinion, which will cause the second chain pinion and toothed pinion on
the second shaft to revolve in the same direction, imparting an opposite

page_text: motion to the second toothed pinion on the first shaft, and with it, by
means of the pawls and ratchet wheel before described, the barrel or
drum, and at such reduced speed as is caused by the varying diameters
of the chain pinions and toothed wheels; the barrel or drum thus travels
in the same direction whether, a slow or a quick movement of the
parts is applied, and whether the endless chain or rope is pulled in either
direction.
The train of gear and with it the load is prevented from a reverse
motion or running back by means of the pawls on the break pulley,
which is held by the weighted lever and may be loosed at will. Parallel
to the first shaft is placed a sliding bar on which is formed a fork
embracing both sides of the driving pulley; on this bar is formed a
double incline to keep the driving pulley in gear with either the barrel
or the chain pinion, but so arranged that the driving pulley cannot get
out of gear by its own action, but only by being reversed.
We also construct an apparatus to produce the same results by using
epicycloidal gearing.
The driving wheel is constructed as already described with an inclined
clutch on each side, and gears direct with the barrel when moved in
one direction, and with a shaft connected with the epicycloidal gear
wheels when moved in the reverse direction, the said epicycloidal gear
being so constructed as to cause the barrel to revolve in an opposite
direction to the driving wheel, and to support the weight we hold the
outside epicycloidal wheel by making it part of a break wheel pulley
which is held by a weighted lever as described in the previous arrange-
ment.
We also construct a single speed hoist as follows:-Upon a shaft in
two supports is a driving wheel as before specified, which by means of a
clutch or screw on being moved in one direction causes the drum to
revolve with it on the shaft, on the second end of the drum I form
ratchet teeth which work in connection with a break wheel held under
control by a weighted lever.
We purpose working our improved apparatus as a winch moved by
a handle or lever if desired instead of using driving wheels as described.
1

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Eades and William Thomas Eades in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
EADES and WILLIAM THOMAS EADES, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Machinists, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in
the thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said William Eades and William
Thomas Eades, Her special license that we, the said William Eades
and William Thomas Eades, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said William Eades and William Thomas
Eades, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING WEIGHTS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Eades
and William Thomas Eades, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly 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 immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Eades and William
Thomas Eades, 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, that is to
say:
-
Our Invention refers more particularly to improvements in the con-
struction of hoists, such as are usually secured overhead and worked by
cords or chains from below for raising or lowering weights, and the

page_text: nature of our improvements will be better understood by referring to
the annexed Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereupon.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 a plan from above, and
Figure 3 a front elevation of our improved apparatus.
We mount a shaft (a) in suitable bearings (b); (e) is the drum or
barrel which revolves upon the driving shaft (a) and on which the rope
or chain supporting the load is wound. Instead of the arrangement of
clutches described in our Provisional Specification, we prefer using a
loose cylinder (f) upon the shaft (a), this cylinder is formed as a screw
on its outer surface, and upon this screw cylinder (f) is hung the
driving pulley (c) suitably wormed so as to be capable of movement to
the right or left upon the screw cylinder (ƒ) as required and actuated
by an endless chain or rope worked by hand from below, the screw
cylinder (ƒ) being kept from revolving at such time with the driving
pulley (c) by means of the weight (g) upon the driving shaft (a); on the
side opposite to the barrel or drum (e) is a pulley (h) having chambers
on its periphery to receive an endless chain (i), and on its other side are
formed ratchet teeth (k) next to this chain pulley (h); upon the driving
shaft is a break pulley (1), Figure 4, having a flat face and on its insidé
face next the chain pulley (h) we attach pawls (m) which engage with the
ratchet teeth (k) of the chain pulley (h); this will be seen more clearly
in the sectional elevation of the parts Figure 4; round the break
pulley (1) is placed a band of thin metal (1) connected at the ends with
a lever (o) which has its fulcrum on the frame of the hoist; this lever has
two arms (p, p¹,) the arm (p) being weighted and tightening the
band (n), and the other arm (p³) having a cord (1) passing down to
the loading level, so that when pulled the band will be loosened on
the break pulley (1) for lowering a load.
The endless chain (2) before referred to upon the pulley (h) also
works over a second pulley (8) fixed upon and actuating a second shaft (¢)
parallel to the driving shaft; upon the second shaft is secured a toothed
pinion (u) engaging with the pinion (v) upon the driving shaft next to
the drum or barrel (e), and on the side of the second toothed pinion (v)
are secured pawls (w) engaging in a ratchet wheel (a) formed at the end
of the drum or barrel (e).
The operation of the apparatus is thus:-When a quick speed is required

page_text: chain or rope (d), so that the driving pulley (c) may move upon the
screw cylinder (ƒ) up to the winding barrel or drum (e) which will
revolve with the driving pulley (c) by the impact of the latter forcing
the barrel or drum up to a collar on the shaft (a) at the other end of
the drum or barrel, and thus raising the load, the weighted break arm (p)
preventing the load from running back.
When it is desired to raise a load slowly as in the case of a con-
siderable weight the driving pulley (c) must be actuated in the opposite
direction, so as to leave the barrel or drum (e) and travel the reverse
way until it meets the chain pulley (/) and causes it to revolve by the
impact of a collar on the end of the screw cylinder (f) fitting into a
chamber in the pulley (7), when the second chain pulley (s) and toothed
pinion (u) on the second shaft (t) will revolve in the same direction
imparting an opposite motion to the toothed pinion (v) upon the driving
shaft, and with it by means of the pawls (10) and ratchet wheel (x)
becoming engaged, the barrel or drum, and at such reduced speed as is
caused by the varying diameters of the chain pulleys and toothed wheels
the barrel or drum (e) thus travels in the same direction whether a slow
or a quick movement of the parts is applied; or if the endless rope or
chain be pulled in either direction to lower a load, it will merely be
requisite to pull the break cord (") sufficiently to slacken the steel
band (n) upon the break pulley (2) when the parts becoming loosened the
load may be run down at any required pace, according to the slackness
of the band (n).
The train of gear and with it the load is prevented from a reverse
motion or running back during raising by means of the pawls on the
break pulley which is held by the weighted lever and may be loosed
at will.
Although we have described the second shaft (t) as being actuated
by the chain (i) and the pawl (10) and ratchet (x) by the gearing
wheels (u and o) we may use any other suitable gearing to obtain the
same motion of the parts.
We also construct an apparatus to produce the same results by using
epicycloidal gearing.
The driving wheel is constructed with an inclined clutch on each side,
and
gears direct with the barrel when moved in one direction, and with
a shaft connected with the epicycloidal gear wheels when moved in the

page_text: reverse direction, the said epicycloidal gear being so constructed as to
cause the barrel to revolve in an opposite direction to the driving wheel,
and to support the weight we hold the outside epicycloidal wheel by
making it part of a break wheel pulley, which is held by a weighted
lever, as described in the previous arrangement.
We also construct a single speed hoist as follows:-Upon a shaft in
two supports is a driving wheel, as before specified; which by means of a
clutch or screw on being moved in one direction causes the drum to
revolve with it on the shaft; on the second end of the drum we form
ratchet teeth which work in connection with a break wheel held under
control by a weighted lever.
We purpose working our improved apparatus as a winch moved by a
handle or lever if desired instead of using driving wheels as described.
Having thus described the object and nature of our said Invention
and the manner in which the same is to be carried into effect, we claim
without limiting ourselves to these precise details, the several improve-
ments in apparatus for raising and lowering weights, substantially in
manner as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Eades and William
Thomas Eades, have hereunto set our hands and scals, this
Twenty-eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-three.