A Method of and Apparatus for Hoisting Materials in which the Weight of the Operative is Utilized.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Method of and Apparatus for Hoisting Materials in which the
Weight of the Operative is Utilized.
I, WILHELM DANIEL AUGUST RIETSCH, of 45 Wasserthorstrasse, Berlin S. W.
Private Government Official, 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 :-
This invention has for its object to facilitate the hoisting of materials such as
stones, bricks, mortar or the like, when constructing new buildings, and to render
such hoisting of material perfectly safe by utilizing the weight of the workman in
the hoisting operation.
The workman first ascends to the landing stage empty handed and then gets into
basket or other receptacle attached to an endless rope in order that, as the basket
in which he is seated descends by gravity, another basket, also attached to the rope
and filled with building material may be hoisted up to the landing stage. When
the workman reaches the ground the rope, which is passed both above and below
over pulleys and is capable of being lengthened so as to suit the height of the
building in course of erection, is tightly secured while the basket just vacated by
the workman is filled with building material the other basket which has been
raised to the landing stage being meanwhile unloaded.
In the meantime the workman has again ascended to the landing stage empty
handed in order that he, may get into the basket at top which has been emptied
and again hoist up by his own weight the basket below just filled with building
material.
·
It is obvious that the new hoisting apparatus must be provided with suitable
safety appliances such as used on elevators, for throwing into and out of gear the
hoisting device, during each ascent and descent and also to prevent the basket
at top being occupied by the workman before the basket at the bottom is properly
filled.
It is also necessary that the loaded basket hoisted up to the landing stage be
securely held before the workman gets out of the empty basket.
The load hoisted by the workman must be somewhat less than his own weight a
difference of about a couple of pounds being sufficient. This difference in weight
is sufficient to enable the hoisting to be effected quietly and easily the filled basket
being readily brought to a standstill, when it reaches the landing stage, without
any sudden jerk or impact.
The invention can be modified if it is desired that the workman should also
utilize his strength when ascending by causing him to take up with him a load
which he can deposit on the landing stage, thereafter utilizing his weight to raise a
loaded basket as before described.
The accompanying sheet of drawings shows different appliances arranged in
various positions for carrying out the invention.
In Figs. 1 and 2 the new boisting appliance is shown respectively in side and
front view, the appliance being shown as fitted on the scaffolding in Fig. 7 and on
the beams in Fig. 2.
The rope a, which can be prolonged from floor to floor, has secured to it two
baskets b, b, and passes over the pulleys c, d, and the guide rollers e, f, which latter
serve to keep the sides of the rope well apart in order that there may be sufficient
room left for the passage of the baskets alongside one another.
..:

page_text: As already stated the two baskets b, b, which, in order to further distinguish
them are marked with L for load and A for workman, are counterpoised relatively
to one another in such manner that when not in use both are in equilibrium, whereas
when in operation the basket b, A, baş relatively to the basket b, J, an overweight
of a few pounds so that the basket b, L, may ascend slowly upwards and that
there should be no concussion when the basket b, A, reaches the ground, also, that
the whole appliance may be easily controlled and stopped when desired, by a
suitable brake such as h (Figs. 6 and 7), which can be actuated at any moment and
at any time during the ascent by the pull cord g. The upward movement of the
load and the downward movement of the workman are comparatively slow, as the
workman who attends to the filling of the basket b, L, with stones and the like has
to mount the ladder in the meantime before the basket b, L, reaches the landing
stage. When the basket b, A, reaches the ground it is loaded whilst the basket b, L,
is emptied, so that the operative at the next hoisting operation can descend in it.
It is obvious that the appliance can be further provided with safety devices but as
such do not form part of this invention they are not shown.
Figs. 3 to 5 show the hoisting appliance with the baskets in various positions.
Fig. 6 shows an arrangement adapted for hoisting heavier loads than that at
Figs. 1 and 2 several workmen being used as a counter weight. This arrangement
is useful when wheel-barrows filled with material have to be hoisted.
Fig. 7 shows a hoisting arrangement in which the baskets b, L, and 5, A, secured
to the endless rope a, move up and down between guides k while the pulleys c, d, or
one of them, are or is, combined with a ratchet gear i which has two actions to
suit the alternate change of the direction of rotation of the pulleys according as
the basket A or L is being hoisted, that is to say, two sets of teeth are cut on the
ratchet in opposite directions two pawls being also provided which act in opposite
directions one pawl for each set of teeth and are capable of being actuated in the
same manner as the brake h, that is, by separate pull cords l, m, which for the sake
of distinction may be coloured differently.
By means of the ratchet mechanism the hoisting gear can be stopped at any
moment by merely throwing that pawl into gear which for the time being is
opposite the direction of rotation of the pulley. The stoppage can be effected
practically without back shock as the hoisting arrangement is properly balanced.
In buildings in course of erection the hoisting appliance is preferably fitted up
in the staircase shaft the upper part being easily, supported by several beams so
as to distribute the load.
It is preferable in order to carry out the new method of hoisting loads to employ
an even number of operatives of about the same weight so that no time need be
lost and both sets of operatives can do an equal share of work.
The apparatus can be used in corn and flour warehouses, high malt kilns and
other places besides new buildings.
If desired, instead of using ropes, chains, belts, or the like can be employed.
The auxiliary device serving to ensure the safety of the hoisting apparatus can
be varied at will without departing from the invention which consists essentially in
boisting loads with safety by utilizing the weight of the operative in conjunction
with a hoisting appliance, the baskets or the like of which are in equilibrium when
not working and loaded slightly out of equilibrium when working.
It may be claimed for the invention that it is practically free from danger as
accidents usually occur not when the operative is ascending with a load but when
he is descending.
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
consider novel and desire to claim is :-
1. The method of safety hoisting loads by the weight of the operative, in which
the workman first ascends to the landing stage either empty handed or with a load
and then enters from the stage into a basket secured to the top of an endless rope

page_text: in order to hoist by his weight, to the landing stage a second basket loaded, to a
slightly less extent, with material and secured to the bottom of the rope, the
operative on reaching the bottom again ascending to the landing stage either
empty handed or with a load in order to descend by the second basket when
unloaded, so as to again hoist the first basket which in the meantime has been filled
with material, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
2. The apparatus for hoisting loads by the weight of the operative consisting of
an endless rope a (capable of being lengthened) passed over pulleys c, d, the two-
sides being held apart by guide rollers e, f, and each side having a receptacle b
attached to it, said receptacles when unloaded, being about the same weight, but,
when in operation, being so loaded that the one for the time being used to hoist
material is slightly less in weight than the other in which is the operative in order
that the apparatus may work slowly and quietly and be fully under control of the
brake mechanism, substantially as herein before described with reference to the:
drawings annexed.
Dated this 4th day of August 1896.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.