Improvements in Apparatus and Appliances by which Vehicles or a Train of Vehicles may be Attached to or Detached from Haulage Ropes or Cables.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 24th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 29th Jan., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus and Appliances by which Vehicles or
a Train of Vehicles may be Attached to or Detached from
Haulage Ropes or Cables.
I THOMAS SPENCE, of Clifton Lodge, near Workington, in the County of
Cumberland, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES, BY WHICH VEHICLES, OR A
TRAIN OF VEHICLES, MAY BE ATTACHED TO, OR DETACHED FROM, HAULAGE ROPES
OR CABLES," to be as follows:-
My Invention is more particularly applicable where a system of endless rope
haulage is employed, and the object of my Invention is to provide a simple, effective
and convenient arrangement of mechanism, by which a vehicle, or train of vehicles,
may be attached to, or detached from, such ropes or cables whilst in motion.
effect these objects by an improved apparatus and appliances for clutching or
gripping the haulage rope or cable, which may be fitted, either to a carrying vehicle,
or to an independent leading bogey or car; to which bogey or car one or moro
carrying vehicles may be coupled, as in a train.
The action of the mechanism of my improved apparatus being the same in either
case, a description of it as applied to an independent leading bogey will suffice.
The clutching or gripping apparatus is fitted to the bogey in a convenient position
for the haulage rope being gripped or loosened as required, and is so constructed, that
the rope may be placed into the grips from either side. In some cases a single clutch
may be employed which would grip the rope from one side of the bogey only and
in other cases a double clutch may be employed which would grip the rope from
either or both sides of the bogey.
The appliances for effecting this consist of a clutch having what may be termed
an upper and lower horizontal jaw or jaws, the lower jaw or jaws being raised or
lowered vertically by a screw with a suitable wheel or other form of lever, and the
top jaw or jaws being also moved vertically, but to a smaller extent, by means of an
eccentric or cam, so arranged on a shaft as to be actuated by a lever or levers, the

page_text: eccentric or cam shaft being carried on pedestals attached to the framing of the
bogey, the movable portions of the clutch are fixed in guides and the action is as
follows:-
The rope having been placed by hand or otherwise between the horizontal jaws of
the clutch, either from one side or the other as may be most convenient, the lower jaw
of the clutch is screwed up until it tightens on the rope, in this position the cams
or eccentrics which actuate the upper jaws of the clutch are at their full throw or
thereabouts so that when the lever is brought over to the opposite angle, the cams or
eccentrics are moved a quarter of a turn, more or less, as may be sufficient to release
the rope. The same movement of the eccentric or cam shaft which releases the rope
also actuates a lever or levers by which the rope is thrown out of the jaws of the
clutch.
By a similar movement of the lever or levers in the reverse direction, and by
employing a forked or other suitable form of guide or guides the rope may be thrown
into the jaws of the clutch, or a supplementary lever or levers, with a guide or
guides, may be employed for this purpose.
R. HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicant."

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus and Appliances by which Vehicles or
a Train of Vehicles may be Attached to or Detached from
Haulage Ropes or Cables.
I, THOMAS SPENCE, of Clifton Lodge, near Workington, in the County of
Cumberland, Mining Engineer, do hereby, declare the nature of my said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES, BY WHICH VEHICLES, OR A
TRAIN OF VEHICLES, MAY BE ATTACHED TO, OR DETACHED FROM HAULAGE ROPES
OR CABLES" and in what manner. the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My Invention is more particularly applicable where a system of endless rope
haulage is employed and the object of my Invention is to provide a simple, effective
and convenient arrangement of mechanism, by which a vehicle, or train of vehicles,
may be attached to, or detached from, such ropes or cables whilst in motion.
I effect these objects by an improved apparatus and appliances for clutching or
gripping the haulage rope or cable, which may bo fitted, either to a carrying vehicle,
or to an independent leading bogey or Car, to which bogey or Car one or more
carrying vehicles may be coupled, as in a Train.
The action of the mechanism of my improved apparatus being the same in either
case, a description of it as applied to an independent leading bogey, will suffice.
The clutching or gripping apparatus is fitted to the bogey in a convenient position
for the haulage rope being gripped or loosened as required, and is so constructed,
that the rope may be placed into the grips from either side. In some cases a single
clutch may be employed which would grip the rope from one side of the bogey only
and in other cases a double clutch may be employed which would grip the rope from
either or both sides of the bogey.
The appliances for effecting this consist of a clutch having what may be termed
an upper and lower horizontal jaw or jaws, the lower jaw or jaws being raised or
lowered vertically by a screw with a suitable wheel or other form of lever, and the
top jaw or jaws being also moved vertically, but to a smaller extent by means of an
eccentric or cam, so arranged on a shaft as to be actuated by a lever or levers, the
eccentric or cam shaft being carried on pedestals attached to the framing of the
bogey, the movable portions of the clutch are fixed in guides and the action is as
follows.
The rope having been placed by hand or otherwise between the horizontal jaws of
the clutch, either from, one side or the other as may be most convenient, the lower
jaw of the clutch is screwed up until it tightens on the rope, in this position the
cams or eccentrics which actuate the upper jaws of the clutch are at their full throw
or thereabouts so that when the lever is brought over to the opposite angle, the cams
or eccentrics are moved a quarter of a turn, more or less, as may be sufficient to
release the rope. The same movement of the eccentric or cam shaft which releases
the rope also actuates a lever or levers by which the rope is thrown out of the jaws of
the clutch.

page_text: By a similar movement of the lever or levers in the reverse direction, and by
employing a forked or other suitable form of guide or guides the rope may be
thrown into the jaws of the clutch, or a supplementary lever or levers, with a guide
or guides may be employed for this purpose.
The nature of my Invention will be better understood on reference to the
accompanying two sheets of drawings in which,
Fig. 1 Sheet 1, is a sectional elevation of an independent leading bogey or car.
Fig. 2. Sheet 1, being a plan of the same.
Fig. 3. Sheet 2. being a cross section of the same.
The same letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views on both sheets
of Drawings.
Each of the three views herein referred to represent a leading bogey or car fitted
with a single clutch or clip arranged to grip the rope from one side of the bogey
only.
a, is the haulage rope.
b, is the upper and
c, is the lower horizontal jaw or jaws of the clutch.
d, is a screw and connection with a suitable wheel or other form of lever by which
the lower jaw may be raised or lowered vertically, the top jaw may also be raised or
lowered vertically by means of an eccentric or cam, e, with an eccentric strap and
rod, so arranged on a shaft, g, in pedestal bearings, h, as to be actuated by a
lever, i, j being a standard for carrying the. screw in connection with the bottom
clip h, k, is a suitable guide or guides, l, is a lever for striking the kicker off m, is
the kicker off by means of which the rope is thrown out of the jaws of the clutch.
The position of the levers indicated in the drawing shew the apparatus in gear
gripping the rope, the dotted lines n, o, indicate the position of the levers when out
of gear and releasing the rope.
•
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is;
1. The combination of parts and appliances comprising an improved apparatus or
arrangement of mechanism by which a vehicle or train of, vehicles may be attached
to or detached from haulage ropes or cables whilst in motion, such apparatus and
appliances being either adapted to a carrying vehicle or to an independent leading
bogey or car, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and illustrated
on the accompanying two sheets of drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1888.