Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing Accidents in Mines or other Shafts by Overwinding.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing Accidents in Mines or
other Shafts by Overwinding.
I EDWARD ROBERTSHAW of Coley Mill House, Hipperholme near Halifax in the
county of York Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
:-
The object of this invention is to prevent accidents in mine shafts, and also in a
great measure to reduce the fear and the great responsibility which preys upon the
minds of Colliery winding Engineers, and to give them confidence when they are on
duty, by the prevention of overwinding, loss of life and destruction of property caused
thereby, by my invention the Colliery Engineers have only to open the main throttle
valve of the engine or engines, which is connected to my machine, which may be
fixed in the engine house in any suitable position, and worked direct from the crank
shaft by a proportionate line shaft, and two pairs of bevel wheels for the proper
speeding of the screws which work in opposite directions to each other, and in all
cases each screw represents its own rope and cage and depth of shaft. The only
duted required of the Engineer to perform is to open the main throttle valve one
quarter of an inch, half an inch, three quarters of an inch, and to one inch, according
to the weight that is on the cage when that is done the engine or engines starts and
performs their duty and stops itself or themselves actually with a uniform brake
power and considerably less friction upon the brake, and can be so adjusted as to stop
the cage about one foot above the pit top, or in any other desired position.
I employ two screws preferably right and left handed, (mounted on a suitable
framework) which work in opposite directions to each other there are two nuts, one
on cach screw which work in slides (preferably) at the front of a perpendicular frame,
or other frame, and each nut has two studs or catches which are screwed fast into the
nuts, and are preferably at right angles to them, and these four studs have several
duties to perform separately and at their proper moments. Two studs open or lift a
piston valve, placed in a cylinder between the two shafts to the required opening to
admit the required pressure of steam to a brake piston (in a cylinder which is fixed
ID 071

page_text: near) which brings the engines to a stand and holds them there, until the Engineer
lets out the steam from the brake cylinder by a tap at the bottom of the brake
cylinder with a lever provided for that purpose. Another piston valve is placed a
cylinder in a suitable position which is for the express purpose of being kept closed to
prevent the flow and waste of steam which would arise without it, if without this
piston valve the brake piston would not be allowed to liberate the brake so freely on
account of the pressure from the boilers, the other studs are for the purpose of working
this piston valve, these two studs or catches act upon two tappets which are in the
form of a horse shoe and are placed upon a suitable shaft, the distance between the
prongs of these two tappets are for the change and travel of the return stud each acts
always at the bottom of the screws. These two screws are driven by a worm shaft
geared into two worm wheels, and these two worms are, one a right hand, and the
other a left hand thread which is for the purpose of driving the screws in the opposite
direction. When the piston valve in the cylinder between the shafts is full open and
just starting to travel downwards the throttle valve being full open for the purpose of
winding up a heavy load of coal, or anything else which is required to be wound up,
a swivel is placed near the cylinder of the throttle valve, and is kept in position by a
spring, the swivel has four catches or notches at the top, in the lower part of which
the throttle valve lever engages for hoisting up a heavy load, the swivel has a swell at
the bottom, and at the back for the two nuts or catches to engage with and press back
the swivel, and so liberate the throttle valve lever when both cages are in the middle
of the shaft, and shuts off steam from the engines, and thereby allows time for the
natural decrease of the momentum of all the prime movers to come to a dead stand,
by the assistance of the steam brake; the throttle valve can be adjusted so as to meet
the requirements of the case, coupled with the assistance of the catch on the top of
the piston valve rod; on this rod there is a fine thread with two binding nuts to
keep the catch fast where set, the regulating properties of these valves are for the
purpose of reducing to a great extent, the friction upon the steam brake, and thereby
to cause less wear and tear throughout all the prime movers and their bearings.
Another lever is attached to the piston valve rod of the cylinder between the shafts,
at the bottom of valve, and is placed under the right angled stand or frame which
carries all the parts of this invention excepting the steam brake which will be secured
to another stand either to the right or left of my machine, as the case may require,
the purpose of this is for the sole use of the Engineer to bring the cages to a stand in
any part of the shaft during repairs thereof, or for use when inspecting the shaft at
the will of the Engineer and the parties engaged in the shaft.
The most important duty required of the Engineer is to keep my apparatus clean,
properly oiled, and see that it is kept in working order, and in all cases, when my
apparatus is set to work with all the studs or catches in a centre line with each other;
two of the studs will have a pointed needle screwed fast into the centre of each catch,
and on the outside of each a fine white painted line will be struck across the per-
pendicular stand to which the screws are attached, this painted line will represent the
exact centre of the screws and both cages in the exact centre of the shaft, and it will
be seen by the pointer or needle at once; when all the catches are in a line together
with the painted line, all will be right and safe so long as the ropes, brake power on
drum remain in proper order and in sound and perfect condition.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of February 1887.
JOHN E. WALSH,
8, Quality Court, London, .
Agent for the Applicant

page_text: Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan of Fig. 1.
By my invention the colliery Engineer has only to open the main stop valve A of
the engine or engines which is connected to my machine frame B, and may be fixed
in the engine house in a suitable position, and worked direct from the crank shaft by
a proportionate line shaft, and which drive the shaft C by means of two pairs of bevel
wheels C and C2 worms Y and worm wheels D for the proper speeding of the screws E, E,
which work in opposite directions by means of the worms Y, Y, being right and left
handed, to each other, and in all cases each screw represents its own rope and cage
(one the ascending cage and the other the descending) and depth of shaft.
The only duty required of the Engineer to perform is to open the main throttle
valve A one quarter of an inch, one half inch, three quarters of an inch, and to one
inch according to the weight that is on the cage; when that is done, the engine or
engines start and performs the duty, and stops itself or themselves actually with a
uniform brake power and considerably less friction upon the brake, and can be so
adjusted as to stop the cage about one foot above the first stop, or in any other desired
position.
I employ two screws E E both having preferably right hand threads, (mounted on
a suitable framework) which work in opposite directions to each other by means of the
right and left handed worms Y Y, there is a nut F on each screw these nuts work in
slides F, (preferably) at the front of a perpendicular frame, or other frame G, and
each nut has two studs or catches H and H1, H2 and H³, which are secured to the
nuts, and are preferably at right angles to them but the studs H and H' have swivelled
catches Hand H³ at their one end the catches are fast one way and loose the other,
the above four studs have several duties to perform separately, and at their proper

page_text: moment, the two inner studs H and H as they ascend open or lift by means of the
plate T a piston valve placed in the cylinder J, between the screws E to the required
opening to admit the required pressure of steam to a brake piston in the steam brake
cylinder which brings the engines to a stand and holds them there until the Engineer
lets out the steam from the brake cylinder, by a tap or valve at the bottom of the
brake cylinder with a lever provided for that purpose, another piston valve is placed
in a cylinder L in a suitable position, this valve is closed, when the cage is at the
top of the pit, to prevent the flow and waste of steam which would arise without it,
if without this piston valve, the brake piston would not be allowed to liberate the
brake so freely on account of the pressure from the boilers.
The other studs H and H³ are for the purpose of working the piston valve in the
cylinder L these two studs or catches act alternately upon two tappets M, M, which
are in the form of a horse shoe, and are placed upon a suitable shaft N, this shaft is
connected by levers V and V₁, and weight. W to the piston valve of the cylinder I,
the distance between the prongs of these two tappets is for the change and travel of
the return studs, each acts always at the bottom of the screws.
When the piston valve in the cylinder between the screws E, E, is full open and
just starting to travel downwards, (the main stop valve being full open for the
purpose of winding up a heavy load of coal or anything else which is required to be
wound up,) a swivel plate P is placed near the cylinder of the main stop valve, and is
kept in position by a spring P₁, the swivel has two or more catches or notches R at
the top, in the lower of which the main stop valve lever end R¹ engages the valve
being fully open for hoisting up a heavy load; the swivel plate P has two adjustable
studs S, S, one for each catch, H and H to engage with and press back the swivel and
so liberate the main stop valve lever R' when both cages are in the most convenient
part of the shaft, and so shuts off steam from the engines, and thereby allows
time for the natural decrease of the momentum of all the prime movers to come to a
dead stand by the assistance of the steam brake; or the middle piston valve can be
adjusted so as to meet the requirements of the case coupled with the assistance of the
catch plate T on the piston valve rod, on this rod is a fine thread, with two binding
nuts T, to keep the catch plate T, fast when set; the regulating properties of these
valves are for the purpose of reducing to a great extent the friction upon the steam
brake and thereby to cause less wear and tear throughout all the prime movers and
their bearings.
Another lever U is attached to the piston valve rod (of the cylinder J between the
screws) at the bottom of the valve, and is placed under the right angled stand or
frame which carries all the parts of this invention excepting the steam brake which
will be secured to another stand, either to the right or left of my machine as the case may
require, the purpose of this lever is solely for the Engineer to bring the cages to a stand
in any required part of the shaft during repairs thereof, or for use when inspecting the
shaft at the will of the Engineer, and the parties engaged in the shaft; the most
important duty required of the Engineer is to keep my apparatus clean, properly oiled,
and see that it is kept in working order, and in all cases when my apparatus is set to
work with the studs or catches in a centre line with each other, two of the studs will
have a pointed needle screwed fast into the centre of each catch, and on the outside of
each a fine white painted line will be struck across the perpendicular stand to which
the screws are attached. This painted line will represent the exact centre of the
screws and both cages in the exact centre of the shaft, and it will be seen by the
pointer or needle at once, when all the catches are in a line together with the painted
fine, all will be right and safe so long as the ropes, brake power on drum remains in
proper order, and in sound and perfect condition.
A pair of governors and special equilibrium valve may be fixed in connection with
the worm wheel shaft which can be put in and out of gear, and used when lowering
men or material down the shaft.
A cycle of operations is as follows.
In starting, the nuts F are in position, one at the top, and the other at the
bottom of the threaded shafts E, the wheel Cupon the shaft operates the wheel C,

page_text: and shaft C, which operates the screws E, E, the nuts F, F, travel up and down the
shaft, the studs H and H as they ascend open the valve in the cylinder J for the
purposes before described, the catches Hand H are swivelled upon the studs Hand H
so as to be fast when ascending and alternately come in contact with the catches $ upon
the swivel plate P, (but when descending they do not operate upon the catches but
turn upward upon their swivels or joints and return to their position) and knock off
the catch plate P from the catch R and so shut off the steam at the most convenient
position so that the velocity of the cage is just sufficient to carry it to the top of the
shaft, the Engineer replaces the catch and catch plate in position. The outside
studs H and H operate alternately upon the fingers M in ascending and descending
and open and shut the side valve in the cylinder L it is opened to admit steam to be
ready for the steam brake valve opening the rest of the time the cylinder L is closed,
for the purposes before specified the studs H and H operate upon the plate T when
at the top and lift it so raising the valve in the cylinder J and so admit the required
steam to the brake piston and brings the Engine and cage to a stand.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood
that I do not limit myself to the exact mechanical arrangement of apparatus, but I
declare that what I claim is :-
1. The general arrangement and construction of an automatic apparatus for pre-
venting overwinding and other accidents in pits as shown and described.
2. The use and employment of the screws and nuts with catches, arranged to represent
the shafts, and to automatically act upon the valves, as and for the purposes shewn
and described.
Dated this Turanty thind day of Navamhau 1007