IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND POWER LIFTS AND HOISTING' MACHINERY
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Attwood of Ulverston in the County of Lancaster:
Engineer and Thomas Walter Barber of Ulverston aforesaid Engineer for
an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND POWER LIFTS AND HOISTING'
MACHINERY
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Attwood and Thomas
Walter Barber at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
13th April 1883.
ALFRED ATTWOOD of Ulverston in the County of Lancaster Engineer and
THOMAS WALTER BARBER of Ulverston aforesaid Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN
HAND POWER LIFTS AND HOISTING MACHINERY
Our improvements are designed for the following objects-1. To obviate the
necessity for a hand brake, the gearing being so constructed that it sustains the
cage and its load automatically at any point in its travel when the hand power is
withdrawn. 2dly. We avoid the use of small diameter V rope wheels which distress
and rapidly destroy the ropes; and 3rd. We are enabled to use friction gearing,
so arranged that the greater the load that is lifted, the greater is the pressure on
the friction gearing and at the same time a proportionally greater brake-friction is
obtained to sustain the load. We accomplish these objects by constructing our lift
gearing in the following manner. We mount a main shaft in two bearings
horizontally on a rocking frame preferably of cast iron; at one end of the shaft
is keyed the hand-rope V wheel and between the bearings is keyed or set-screwed
a friction pinion, either of cast iron with turned V grooves, or built up of wood
blocks compressed between iron discs by means of bolts, the V grooves in the
latter case being turned in the wood. The frame carries above the pinion a friction
wheel turned with Vs to match the pinion into which it gears, and also having
a deep groove to receive the cage rope or chain. This wheel may be as large as
the distance between the cage rope and the side of the well hole will admit of,
and runs on a centre pin or spindle in loose bearings having free vertical play in
brackets fixed on the rocking frame, the centre of the wheel being above and to
one side of the pinion so as to bring the cage rope just clear of the pinion and
Drine G21

page_text: vertical with the cage hook, the other end of the rope passing down over a guide
wheel to the balance weight in the usual way.
The rocking-frame rests on two adjustable fulcrums on a fixed base-plate and is
free to rock vertically 1/4 inch or more, the fulcrums being adjusted towards the
cage rope (that is, in a line with the main shaft) so that the weight of cage and
balance-weight (with or without a load) hanging on the friction wheel will pull
down the pinion end of the rocking frame and lift the hand-wheel end with
sufficient force to bring a turned brake ring (either cast with the hand wheel, or
a separate wheel keyed on the main shaft between the hand wheel and bearing)
into frictional contact with a segment brake-block or strap fixed firmly above the
brake ring to lugs cast on the base plate upon which the main frame rocks. This
base plate is bolted to the cross timber which supports the gearing. In this way
therefore the brake is always on and can only be released by pulling the hand rope
either way, to lift or lower, the act of pulling the hand rope having the effect of
drawing down the front end of the rocking frame carrying the main shaft and
brake ring or wheel which is thereby freed from the brake block until the hand
rope is released when it instantly rises against the brake block, its revolution is
stopped and the cage and load remain suspended.
For large lifts where the difference in diameter of Hand wheel and Pinion will
not give sufficient purchase for the load, we interpose a second shaft mounted in
bearings on the rocking-frame with a second wheel and pinion, either friction or
spur gear, constituting a double purchase.
These arrangements of gearing are applicable to jib-cranes and overhead travelling-
cranes when worked by a hand rope from below.
By suspending the fulcrums of the rocking frame from a hook or chain the
gearing may be used as a self-sustaining portable Hoist.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Attwood and Thomas Walter Barber in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th October 1883.
ALFRED ATTWOOD, Engineer of Canal Head Foundry, and THOMAS WALTER
BARBER Engineer of No. 20 Canal Head both of Ulverston in the County of
Lancaster IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND-POWER LIFTS AND HOISTING MACHINERY.
Our improvements are designed for the following objects.-1. To obviate the
necessity for a hand brake, the gearing being so constructed that it sustains the
cage and its load automatically at any point in its travel when the hand power is
withdrawn.-2dly. We avoid the use of small diameter V rope wheels which
distress and rapidly destroy the ropes, and. 3rdly. We are enabled to use friction
gearing so arranged that the greater the load that is lifted the greater is the
pressure on the friction gearing and at the same time a proportionately greater
brake friction is obtained to sustain the load.
We accomplish these objects by constructing our lift gearing in the following
manner. We mount a main shaft in two bearings horizontally on a rocking frame
preferably of cast iron. At one end of the shaft is keyed the handrope wheel and
between the bearings is keyed or setscrewed a friction pinion, either of cast iron
with turned V grooves, or built up of wood blocks compressed between iron discs
by means of bolts, the V grooves in the latter case being turned in the wood. The
frame carries above the pinion a friction wheel turned with Vs to tnatch the pinion
into which it gears and also having a deep groove to receive the cage rope or
chain. This wheel may be as large as the distance between the cage rope and the
side of the well holo will admit of, and runs on a centre pin or spindle in loose
bearings having free vertical play in brackets fixed on the rocking frame, the
centre of the wheel being above and to one side of the pinion so as to bring the cage
rope just clear of the pinion and vertical with the cage hook, the other end of the
rope passing down over a guide wheel to the balance weight in the usual way.
The rocking frame rests on two adjustable fulcrums on a fixed base plate and is
free to rock vertically 1/4 inch or more, the fulcrums being adjusted towards the
cage rope (that is, in a line with the main shaft) so that the weight of cage and
balance weight, with or without a load, hanging on the friction wheel will pull
down the pinion end of the frame and lift the handwheel end with sufficient force
to bring a turned brake ring (either cast with the handwheel, or a separate wheel
keyed on the main shaft between the hand wheel and bearing) into frictional
contact with a segment brake block or strap fixed firmly above the brake ring to
lugs cast on the base plate upon which the main frame rocks. This base plate
is bolted to the cross-timber which supports the gearing. In this way therefore
the brake is always on and can only be released by pulling the hand rope either
way to lift or lower, the act of pulling the handrope having the effect of drawing
down the front end of the rocking frame carrying the main shaft and brake ring
or wheel, which is thereby freed from the brake block or strap until the handropo
is released when it instantly rises against the brako block or strap, its revolution
is stopped and the cage and load remain suspended. For large lifts where the
difference in diameter of hand wheel and friction pinion will not give sufficient
purchase for the load, we interpose a second shaft mounted in bearings on the
rocking frame with a second wheel and pinion, either friction or spur gear, con-
stituting a double purchase-These arrangements of gearing are applicable to
jib cranes and overhead travelling cranes when worked by a handrope from
below.
By suspending the fulcrums of the rocking-frame from a hook or chain, the
gearing may be used as a self-sustaining portable hoist,

page_text: Our improvements will be more clearly understood by reference to the accom-
panying drawing. Fig. 1 shews a Section and Elevation of the gearing arranged
as for an ordinary lift. A. is the main shaft B. the rocking frame, C. the friction
wheel which is also the cage rope wheel and is driven by the friction pinion D. by
revolving the handrope wheel E. by means of the endless handrope F.-G. is the
brake wheel which is normally tilted up (by the weight of the cage &c.) against
the fixed brake strap H. which is adjusted by the screw and double nuts I. I. the
whole resting on fulcrums K. K. and baseplate L. the latter being bolted to a cross
timber as shewn. Fig. 2. shews the arrangement of lift gearing for greater loads
requiring double purchase gear, the same letters also apply in this drawing to
similar parts, M. being the second shaft and N. N. the wheel and pinion, which
may be either friction or spur gear.
Fig. 3. shews a modified form of the gearing arranged as for a portable hoist
which may be suspended from any convenient point and worked by an endloss
rope or chain. In this arrangement the base plate is replaced by a wrot. iron or
steel strap O. formed into a loop so as to be easily attached to a hook or other
point of suspension.
We claim the following features of our invention as being novel for the purposes
described:
1. The arrangement of gearing mounted on adjustable fulcrums on a fixed base-
plate, allowing a slight rocking movement to throw the brake on and off and
actuated by an endless handrope and wheel substantially as described and shewn
on Figs. 1. 2 and 3.
2ndly. The construction, use and combination with the above of the friction wheel
and pinion.
3rdly. The combination with the above of a second motion shaft for double
purchase as shewn in Fig. 2.
4thly. The modified form of the gearing shewn in Fig 3. to be used as a portable
hoist.
In witness whereof the said Alfred Attwood and Thomas Walter Barber have
hereunto set their hands and seals this eleventh day of October in the year of our
Lord 1883.
ALEKED ATTWOOD
(L.S.)
Witnessed
RICHD. JACKSON
Morecambe View
Ulverston
THOMAS WALTER BARBER (L.S.)