IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO HOISTS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS IN THE SAME.”
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Leathwhite Hall of Manchester in the County
of Lancaster for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO HOISTS
TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS IN THE SAME.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Leathwhite Hall
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th March 1882.
THOMAS LEATHWHITE HALL of Manchester in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO HOISTS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS IN THE
SAME."
This invention has for its object the application of certain improvements to new or
existing hoists whereby accidents, arising from persons falling down the same are
entirely obviated and whereby the usual doors or gates for closing the openings
leading to the hoist on the various floors of a building may be dispensed with
Now this invention consists in mounting what is now known as a revolving or
coiling shutter upon the cage
of the hoist so that this shutter shall close all the openings
into the hoist except the one which is at the moment opposite to the cage. In
carrying out my invention I secure one end of the continuous shutter to the top
edge of the cage and the other to the bottom of the cage and this shutter is guided
in suitable. rebates or grooves and is carried at the top and bottom of the hoist
over or around suitable rollers or such shutter may be coiled upon rollers at top
and bottom and be wound and unwound as the cage rises and falls in a similar
manner to the revolving shutters now used for shop and other windows.
It will thus be apparent that with this shutter application, it would be
impossible for anyone to fall down a hoist as all openings leading to the same are
closed by the shutter.
Instead of the laths forming the shutter being close together they may be apart
for some distance or rods may be substituted for the laths and be carried by chains
or their equivalent.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Leathwhite Hall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th September 1882.
THOMAS LEATHWHITE HALL of Manchester in the County of Lancaster.
IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO HOISTS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS IN THE SAME.
This invention has for its object the application of certain improvements to new
or existing hoists whereby accidents, arising from persons falling down the same
are entirely obviated and whereby the usual doors or grates for closing the
openings leading to the hoist on the various floors of a building may be dispensed
with.
Now this Invention consists in mounting what is now known as a revolving or
coiling sbutter upon the cage of the hoist so that this shutter shall close all the
openings into the hoist except the one which is at the moment opposite to the cage.
In carrying out my invention I secure one end of the continuous shutter to
the top edge of the cage and the other to the bottom of the cage and this
sbutter is guided in suitable rebates or grooves and is carried at the top and
bottom of the hoist over or around suitable rollers or such shutters may be
coiled upon rollers at the top and bottom and be wound and unwound as the cage
rises and falls in a similar manner to the revolving shutters now used for shop and
other windows.
It will thus be apparent that with this shutter application it would be impossible
for anyone to fall down a hoist as all openings leading to the same are closed by
the shutter.
Instead of the laths forming the shutter being close together they may be apart
for some distance or rods may be substituted for the laths and be carried by chains
or their equivalent.
And in order that this my said invention may be the more perfectly understood
and carried into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings
illustrative of the same and will describe my invention reference being made thereto.
Fig 1 is a side sectional view of a hoist with my improvements applied thereto
and Fig 2 a front exterior view of the same Fig's 3 and 4 are details which will
be hereinafter described.
In Figs 1 and 2 A is the cage of the hoist shewn worked by chain gearing but
it must be understood that my improvements are equally applicable to hydraulic
and other hoists in which a cage is employed for lifting from one floor of a building
to another, the method of working the hoist forming no part of my invention. B
is an endless band or guard which forms the essential feature of my invention
secured to the top of the cage at C and the bottom of the cage at D. Suitable
swifts or pulleys E and F are arranged at the top and bottom of the hoist to carry
the guard so that as the cage rises and falls the guard shall travel with it without
undue friction. In Fig's 3 and 4 I shew two methods of constructing this guard.
One (Fig 3) in which it is constructed of sections or laths hinged together after
the manner of revolving shutters for windows and Fig 4 in which I employ one or
more steel bands G on which at intervals I fix transverse rods or bars H.
It will thus be seen that in accordance with my invention the whole of the
openings into the hoist except the one in use are absolutely closed and protected.
For instance the cage is shewn opposite the opening on the 3rd Floor and the
openings on the 1st 2nd and 4th floors are all closed and that thus protected it
becomes absolutely impossible for anyone to fall down the hoist hole.

page_text: Having thus particularly described the nature of my invention together with the
best methods with which I am acquainted for carrying the same into practical
effect I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the details of
construction of the guard hereinbefore described as it will be obvious that it may
be constructed of an endless band or bands of woven fabric or corrugated sheet
metal and that a greater or lesser number of transverse bars might be employed
and secured together as hereinbefore described or by wire links. Also that instead
of being carried round the top of the hoist and down the back the guard might be
coiled on a seperate drum or roller at the top and bottom and that a construction
of guard that might be employed similar to the well known "Venetian blind" but
what I consider the essential feature of my invention and claim is The application
to the cages of hoists of the improved revolving or travelling guard whereby all the
openings in the hoist are absolutely closed except the one in use substantially as
herein before described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Leathwhite Hall have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Seventh day of. September in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
THOMAS LEATHWHITE HALL. (L.S.)