AN IMPROVED LIFT, HOIST, OR MECHANICAL ELEVATOR ADAPTED FOR HOTELS, WAREHOUSES, RAILWAY STATIONS, AND OTHER PLACES, AND INTENDED TO FACILITATE AND RENDER EASY THE ASCENT OF PERSONS AND GOODS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Ellis, of No. 9, Orange Court, Liverpool, in
the County of Lancaster, Architect, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
LIFT, HOIST, OR MECHANICAL ELEVATOR ADAPTED FOR HOTELS, WAREHOUSES,
RAILWAY STATIONS, AND OTHER PLACES, AND INTENDED TO FACILITATE AND
RENDER EASY THE ASCENT OF PERSONS AND GOODS."
Scaled the 5th January 1867, and dated the 13th July 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Ellis at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th July
1866.
I, PETER ELLIS, of No. 9, Orange Court, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Architect, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED LIFT, HOIST, OR MECHANICAL ELEVATOR ADAPTED FOR HOTELS,
WAREHOUSES, RAILWAY STATIONS, AND OTHER PLACES, AND INTENDED TO FACILITATE
AND RENDER EASY THE ASCENT OF PERSONS AND GOODS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to hoists for raising and lowering persons, merchandise,
goods, or articles, being more particularly designed for hotels, chambers, and
other buildings, for the use of persons ascending or descending from floor to
floor, but may also be employed for raising and lowering goods, merchandise,
or luggage in railway stations, warehouses, and the like I form a number of
light cages which consist of a platform, either with or without a rising and
falling flap seat, and with side and cross rods; these cages, placed one above

page_text: another, are supported by suspension rods from cross bars or stretchers having
their opposite ends attached to parallel endless bands of leather or other
suitable material; these bands are passed over two wheels at the top, and
under similar wheels at the bottom of the hoist; these wheels are keyed to
the ends of suitably mounted shafts, so that there is a clear space between
wheel and wheel, allowing the suspension 1ods before mentioned to swing from
side to side as the cross bars pass over and under the top and bottom wheels.
I place two, three, or more of these bands and cages side by side, and so
arrange the level of the respective platforms or seats that they are equidistant
one above another; thus, supposing the cages to be six feet high and in
three columns, there would always be a platform within two feet or less of
the level of each floor. Spur wheels are keyed on to the hand wheel shafts,
and across the bead of the hoist I mount or suspend a main shaft with
pinions gearing with the spur wheels. By turning the main shaft, by hand or
otherwise, the whole of the cages will ascend and descend on opposite sides of
a suitable fame of 1000s formed therefor. By making the diameter of the
band wheels greater than the transverse measure of the cages a space is left
for them to clear each other as they pass up on one side and down on the
other. The frame or-recess may be fitted with guides if required. For
retarding, stopping, or controlling the ascent or descent of the platforms I fit
a break at one or both ends of the main shaft, and in connection with this
break carry a check band, cord, or chain down from the top to the bottom
of the hoist. Supposing the hoist to be in motion, and a person wishing to
ascend or descend thereby would pull the check. which would put on the
break and stop the apparatus till he could step on to one of the platforins,
when by releasing the check the motion would continue until upon gaining
the desired level a second pull of the check would again airest the platform
and he would step off, and by releasing the check leave the hoist in motion
for other parties. The main shaft is fitted with ratchet wheels and pawls, so
that it can only turn in one direction, according as these are set, and these,
together with the break, ensure perfect safety at all times. The break which
I propose to employ consists of a disc having a cylindrical flange at one side;
within this cylinder, upon a separate fixed shaft having the same axis as the
main shaft, I mount a cup-shaped boss, from the inside of which four (or more
or less) aims radiate, upon the outer ends of these arms wooden segments
are fixed upon a pin, in the centre of the cup-shaped boss I mount a cam
wheel which is turned by the pull of the check band or chain before men-
tioned. The increased diameter of the teeth of the cam as it is turned coming
in contact with the boss ends of the radial arms above mentioned causes them

page_text: to move outwards and press the wooden segmental blocks baid against the
inside of the cylindrical flange of the disc fixed on the end of the main shaft,
d thus to retard and stop its motion as before explained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Peter Ellis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
January 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
ELLIS, of No 9, Orange Court, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Architect
and Civil Engineer, send giecting
WHEREAS Пer most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Loid One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Iler reign,
did, for Heiself, Her heirs and successors, give and giant unto me, the said
Peter Ellis, Her special licence that I, the said Peter Ellis, my exccutors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said Peter Ellis, my
executois, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thei cafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Butain and lieland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED LIFT, HOIST, OR MECHANICAL
ELEVATOR ADAPTED FOR HOTELS, WAREHOUSES, RAILWAY STATIONS, AND OTHER
PLACES, AND INTENDED TO FACILITATE AND RENDER EASY THE ASCENT OF PERSONS
AND GOODS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Peter Ellis,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 I, the said Peter Ellis, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures and descriptions marked and written thereon, that is
to say -
My Invention consists of a novel and improved lift or hoist, the movement

page_text: of which is continuous ascending and descending, and is appropriate as a
person lift for railway stations, groups of chambers, hotels, and dwelling
houses, groups of dwellings, or when ever easy and continuous communication
between story and story is desirable, and appropriate also for the continuous
raising and lowering of goods. When used as a person lift requires no
attendant.
And in order that my Invention may be perfectly understood I will proceed
to explain the means which I use for accomplishing my said intentions,
reference being had to the Drawing which accompanies this and forming part
of this my Specification or means of illustration.
Fust, I construct one or more vertical trunks or passages extending
throughout the entire beight of the structure for the ascending carriages, and
the like number adjoining for the descending carriages, these trunks or
passages closed in on every side except the front or side of access, and this
too will be closed except so much of the front from the level of each floor in
height required as a door; the breadth and depth of this trunk or vertical
passage to be appropriate to the character of the uses, for chambers or places
of business, or dwelling houses, sufficient for one person to stand in, for
hotels and railway stations, probably for two persons to stand in. I refer to
Drawing No. 1, showing two trunks or vertical passages for ascent a, a, and
two foi descent b, b; I refer also to Drawing No. 2, which shows the vertical
arrangement a, a, and b, b, in front view; and to Drawing No. 3, a, u, and
b, b, in section.
Second, I propose carriages or chairs, the floors substantially formed, at
each corner I securely attach brass or other metal rods, plain or ornamental,
and which may be used as hand rods or newals, in height about five feet;
these rods then converge and join one on each side, which rising to the height
of about seven feet then cross and form the transom bar for attachment to
the lift bar. These carriages I propose to be about seven and half feet,
when in position, from the floor of one to the floor of the one next above,
and in the adjoining trunk or passage, where two compartments are used at
the same relative distance from each other vertically, but in reference to each
other horizontally, the platform of one will be about the middle of the height of
the other; but if more than two compartments are used the relative distance
of each carriage floor in horizontal position will be reduced; thus, if seven
carriages are used each carriage floor will relatively differ in horizontal
position about one foot, so that a carnage will or may be at the level of each
floor, ascending and descending, at mappreciable differences of time, practically
continuous. I refer to Drawings Nus 1, 2, and 3, letter c, c.

page_text: Third, in appropriate fixing frame over the centre of the partition between
the ascending and descending series of carriages or chairs I place the moving
machinery, which consists of a shaft, Drawing Nos. 1, 2, and 3, letter d, with
pimons e keyed on the shaft; at one end of the shaft, and keyed on, is the
pulley for the driving band f below, and in the pinions are spur wheels, flanged,
for an enless strap 9; these run on axles on one side only, presenting on the
flange side a disk only, and which is in the plane of the surface of the sides of
the trunk or vertical passage; to the endless strap (which passes over the
flange of the disks driven by the pinions, and under a disk at the bottom h,
loaded to give tension to the strap) are attached sockets which carry bais
across from strap to strap; to these bais the carriages of chans are to be
attached, as shewn in Drawings Nos. 2 and 3, i, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2 By steam engine
or other process of applied power the band pulley is driven, and thus the
whole arrangement is set in continuous motion at such speed or slowness as
may be considered appropriate to the uses and the conveniences of the users;
thus with two camages one is presented at each floor, ascending and
descending, at intervals of about three and half feet, and by increasing the
number of the carriages the intervals may be reduced to an inappreciable
period, and may be correctly described as continuous. I have described by
the term strap the gearing for the suspension of the carriages or chairs, and
the disk by which the strap is supported and moved a flange, but as circum-
stances may require this strap, so termed, may also be a rope or chain, and
the disk may be vee-edged or lugged for the flat chain, or in any other
approved form, for secure holding. For all general purposes as person lifts
the above-described arrangements will be sufficient, the movement will be so
quiet and uniform that any person almost, however infim, may without
difficulty or embarrassment step from the floor to the carriage or from tho
carriage to the floor, and the perfect safety of the whole machine may be
inferred from the arrangement, for assuming the rupture of the endless strap,
rope, or chain, the carriages could make but slight descent as there are but
some six or seven inches between the bar of support of the one carriage and
the bottom of the carriage of the next above, these bars of support being fixed
and rigid
Fourth, but as it may be desirable for some uses that there should be ready
means of ungearing the lifts, I will now proceed to specify my Invention to
accomplish this intention. Instead of the usual form of driving pulley with
arms or radi in the centre of the rim, I intend a dish pulley, Drawing No. 4,
letter a, and this pulley to run free upon the shaft; within the rim of this
pulley is a disk securely keyed upon the shaft b; again within this second

page_text: disk is another smaller disk, and which is free on the shaft c; attached to the
im of the last-mentioned disk are four arms d which pass through collars
with friction rollers at the edge of the large disk e; to the ends of these arms
are attached upon iron beds four segments of hard wood f the form of the
inside of the rim of the pulley a Upon the shaft and within the smaller disk
is a group of springs g upon a collar and keyed upon the shaft; these springs
bear in their elastic ends upon studs in the inner disk h; these spings are so
set that their tendency, and with the necessary energy, is to force the inner
disk or dium round, and thus thrust out the aims & cariying the segments f
forward; by these means implicit contact is accomplished with the diving
pulley a The wood segment f is of greater breadth than the depth of the
pulley rim, and therefore projects beyond the edge as at i; upon this pro-
jection, and extending more or less round the circumference, is a strap of
steel k, which by being brought into efficient contact with the wood segments
contracts the diameter, and so removes the pressure from the inner rim of the
pulley, and effectually arrests the motion of the machine, and without any
shock or violence that might damage the machine or heating by friction
which might destroy the driving band, the pulley running free.
Diawing No. 4 has also, at-enlarged scale, the pinion l, spur wheel m, and
carrying disk n. This my Invention for ungearing is applicable for ungearing
or detaching all band-driven machines from the motive power, and is operated
by the hand rope or by a handle or lack where the containing pulley is at
hand.
Fifth, it may be desirable under some conditions of application of my said
Inventions, namely, the person lift and the ungearing machine, that the
motion should be intermitting and the camage or chai remain for a very
brief period coincident with each floor, as in hotels and for upper stones of
shops resorted to by females, I will therefore now describe and specify my
Inventions to accomplish this arrangement; I now refer to Drawings Nos 5
and 6. In this arrangement of my Invention I intend each series of caniages
to be moved independent of each other, and each series supplied with ungeaiing
arrangement, but modified to meet the conditions. The pulley a is keyed upon
the shaft, the dished disk is also keyed upon the shaft, and consequently, like
the pulley in the former airangement, and with the pulley in this arrangement,
is in continuous motion; the lifting machinery c is wholly fice upon the shaft.
The arrangement of the ungeaning machinery is upon a prolonged socket e,
upon which the diskf carrying the arms of projection and the wooden
segments g is keyed; this prolonged socket or boss is the socket of the pinion h,
and with this the pinion i is connected by rigid bars or a cylinder 7 securely

page_text: keyed to the pinions h, i, thus so long as the wooden rim g is in implicit
contact with the aim of the disk 6 the lift is in motion, but when the strap
embraces and contracts the wooden segmental rim g the disk is released and
the motion of the lift suspended without at all interfering with the motion of
the general shaft or the carriages except the one intended.
m;
To accomplish the intermitting motion I have a pinion formed with or
keyed to the dished disk 6 at 7, this dives a spui wheel the circumference
of this spur wheel, having regard to the pinion 7, will coincide with the desired
period of motion and with the addition also of the intended period of rest,
Drawing No. 6. The rest is accomplished by a concentric partial enlargement
attached on the side of the spur wheel m extending from n to o, the length of
the enlargement being the period of the suspension of motion, and the residue
of the circumference from o to n being the length or period of the motion
before the pause desued. To a lever p moving in a guido q is attached the
arm of the ungearing machine, which lever extends over the spur wheel m;
on the end of the lever is a weight r.
The operation of this arrangement is as follows:-Assume that the lift is
still and coincident with a floor, and the lever suspended over the smaller
diameter of the spur wheel m at o, the wooden rim being in implicit contact
with the dished disk b, it is then set in motion and the carriage is lifted as the
pinion Z drives round the spur wheel m until the progress carnes round the
spur wheel from o to n; the lever p is then raised by riding upon the con-
centric enlargement of the spur wheel, and in this action operates upon the
strap and produces a contraction of the wooden rim, releasing it from the
dished disk and holding it in position and perfectly still; this state continues
until the revolution of the spur wheel m brings to the lever the point o, when
the lever descends, releases the wood rim, and the contact with the rim of the
dished disk is restored, and the motion proceeds. I propose, on the under
side of the platforms, for securing smoothness of motion and vertical condition
of the carriages, friction wheels which in the edges will also carry rollers.
I have so far described my Invention as solely applied to the purposes or
means of a person lift, but the same general arrangement will also apply
where intended for goods, but with such changes as the difference of intention
and use will suggest; thus, if the weights are greater the construction must
be stronger, the platform of the carriage larger, and arrangements provided
for the ready placing and removal of the goods; the first-described ungearing
appliance will be indispensable, an endless strap chain must be used, and
the carrying flange or disk snagged for securing the chain.
I have now described the nature and I have illustrated the uses of my

page_text: Invention, and I have specified the best means which have occurred to me
for the accomplishment of my intentions, but I do not mean strictly to confine
myself to the details I have herein and in my Drawings specified and repre-
sented, variations in detail may be necessary to meet peculiar conditions, and
practical applications may suggest modifications without at all departing from
the nature and objects of my Invention, but that which I consider new, and
therefore desire to claim as the Inventions secured to me under the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is, a lift or hoist for the conveyance of
persons or goods by continuous motion from lower to bigher levels between
story and story, ascending and also descending, with my Invention of the
means of controlling and regulating the motion by the ungearing mechanism,
and which said mechanism, as for all general and as well as these special
purposes, I claim as my Invention, and secured to me by the said Letters
Patent.
In witness hereof, I, the said Peter Ellis, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Seventh day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
said Peter Ellis in the presence of
JOHN E. BELCHER,
South Scacombe Villa,
JOHN MILNE,
Seacombe.
34, Boaler Street,
Liverpool.
PETER ELLIS (LS)