Improvements in Hydraulic Travelling Cranes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 31st May, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hydraulic Travelling Cranes.
We, JOHN GRAHAM Jr., and ERWIN GRAVES, both citizens of the United States,
and both residents of Camden, in the County of Camden and State of New Jersey,
United States of America, Manufacturers, 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:—
Our invention comprehends an apparatus designed to elevate from the ground and
to transport to different parts of the area over which it extends, such weighty objects
as are to be handled in the foundries, engineering works, quarries, and similar
places where mechanism of this character is employed.
The object of our invention is to provide a simple and efficient apparatus of the
foregoing character, and to utilize in obtaining the power necessary to operate the
same a suitably arranged and connected hydraulic engine.
In the accompanying drawings we illustrate and herein we describe a good form of
a convenient embodiment of our invention, the particular subject matter claimed as
novel being hereinafter definitely specified.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a view in perspective illustrative of an entire apparatus or plant
conveniently embodying our invention.
and
Figure 2 a top plan view of the bridge, showing the carriage in place thereon.
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the bridge and carriage.
Figure 4 is a top plan view of the bydraulic pistons which we utilize as motors,
Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the same.
Figure 6 is a detail of the hydraulic cylinder and piston operating the fall rope,
illustrating the arrangement by which the external piston may be coupled to the
internal piston or to the cylinder at will.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
In the drawings, A represents a supporting frame-work, which may be of any
convenient form, and which, when the apparatus is erected within a building may be
a part of such building. Two ways or rails a extend in parallelism from end to end
of the frame-work, and upon them rests, and, under suitable actuation, travels,
what we term the bridge B. This bridge extends transversely across from rail to
rail, and is provided with suitable grooved rollers or wheels b which run upon the
rails. It is desired to cause this bridge to travel in either direction from end to end
of the rails, and this we conveniently accomplish by a pair of bridge cables, C and E
both of which pass around a motor drum D, and both ends of one of which are
oppositely attached to one extremital portion of the bridge, while both ends of the
other of which are similarly oppositely attached to the other extremital portion of
said bridge. The end portions of each of these cables as they are respectively led to
their respective points of attachment to the bridge, are, by means of suitably mounted
sheaves or pulleys, so disposed that they respectively approach said bridge in opposite
and approximately horizontal directions, and are respectively attached to oppositely
disposed hooks or keepers c* ex thereon. In the special arrangement represented in
the drawings, that portion of the cable C the end of which is attached to the side of
the bridge nearest the drum D, runs over a sheave c, and that portion of said cable the
end of which is attached to the other side of the bridge runs over the sheave c¹
and c³. While, upon the other hand, that portion of the cable E the end of which is
attached to the side of the bridge nearest the drum runs over the sheave e and e¹, and
that portion of said cable the end of which is attached to the other side of said
bridge runs over the sheaves e e³ and eª.
It will be observed from an inspection of the drawings that the sheave c¹ is not

page_text: necessary to the working of the apparatus. It is however convenient to employ it.
It will, from the foregoing explanation, now be understood that, according to its
direction, rotation of the motor drum D will occasion the travel of the bridge in one
or the other direction; and that, the cables being bent upon the drum, they will
remain taut in any position of the bridge.
The body portion of the bridge B supports or embodies carriage ways 6*, which
are co-extensive with its length, and the ends of which are provided with abutments
or stops ; and said bridge also at points exterior to the abutments supports or
embodies arms &, preferably three in number and each of which is equipped with a
horizontal sheave which we term a bridge sheave. Two of said sheaves J J³, are
situated at opposite sides of the end of the bridge nearest the motor drum, while the
other sheave J¹ is situated at the other end of the bridge.
F is what we term the carriage, the same being a frame conveniently provided
with two pairs of grooved wheels F* fitted to run upon the ways 6*. The axles of
the wheels F* are prolonged so as to project beyond the sides of the bridge, and a
vertical carriage sheave is mounted free for rotation upon each end of said axles.
A fall block G is employed in connection with the carriage, and is provided with
fall sheaves g, preferably two in number, with a shield plate Gx, and with a grappling
or other hook g*.
The shield plate is provided to protect the sheaves g from damage from hot castings
engaged by the hook g*.
The carriage and block are operated through the instrumentality of what we term
the fall rope, H, which at its outer end is secured to a bracket 1 or other fixed point
of attachment. From the bracket I this rope passes first about the bridge sheave J,
thence through the carriage and fall block by passing over the sheave f, under the
sheave, g, and over sheave f¹, thence around the bridge sheave J¹, thence again
through the carriage and fall block by passing over the sheave, under sheave g,
and over sheave f³, thence around bridge sheave J³, and thence off to a motor,
incidentally passing over sheave h.
In order to facilitate the manipulation of the carriage and to render its operation
as perfect as possible, we provide a braking contrivance a good form of which is the
following:
KK are two slide bars one of which is supported on each side of the carriage by
means of longitudinal slots formed in them and into which the ends of the axles of
the carriage wheels take. By means of the longitudinal form of the slots the bars
are capable of a predetermined independent horizontal movement. Each bar is
provided with a shoe K*, conveniently of curved contour as shown, one of said shoes
facing the carriage sheave fand the other facing the carriage sheave f³. The bars
and their connections are counterparts of each other, and we therefore for simplicity
'confine the description to but one of them. A bar is conveniently composed of two.
duplicate members, similarly slotted, and arranged one on each side of the 'carriage
'sheaves appertaining to the side of the carriage to which said composite bar
"belongs. The shoe inentioned is as to its basal portion disposed between said 'members,
and 'incidentally 'serves to unite them. At what we term 'the forward end of the
'carriage there is provided a pivoted block L' conveniently having a 'curved bearing
face which is adapted to make contact with a sheave in connection with which it is
mounted, and which is also provided with a rearwardly extending 'enlarged portion
which serves as a counterweight to maintain the block normally out of contact with
said sheave. Upon a prolongation of the pivot of the block L is mounted an arm 7*,
by which said pivot and block may be rocked. M is an operating rope, or chain, the
ends of which are respectively attached to the two arms 1x with which the carriage
'is provided. When, therefore, one end of the rope M is pulled to depress a given
arm the curved face of the block of said arm will come into contact with the
sheave it faces, and further depression of the arm will, therefore, occasion the 'drawing
'forward of the bar K, which, by virtue of its longitudinal slots, slides along, as
stated, and carries the shoe mounted on said bar forward until it binds the fall rope
against the sheave,
.

page_text: *, figure 2, are two curved spring plates, secured to any convenient part of the
frame of the carriage, and each of which is entered in or attached to one of the brake
shoes, the resilience of which springs tends to normally maintain said shoes out of
contact with the sheaves.
The operation of so much of the apparatus as we have now described will be readily
understood. Rotation of the drum in either direction will, through the instru-
mentality of the bridge cables, occasion a corresponding travel of the bridge. By
such ordinary travel of the bridge the vertical position of the block will be unaffected,
the sheaves of the bridge, carriage, and fall block simply rotating idly against the fall
rope which does not then move.
The vertical movement of the fall block is ordinarily effected by the taking in or
paying out of the fall rope by the motor with which it is connected. The travel of
the bridge may, however, be utilized to occasion the travel of the carriage on the
bridge in the following manner :-
;
Assume the motor drum rotating in such direction as to occasion the travel of
the bridge in the direction of the arrow in figure 1;-If, then, the brake be applied
to the sheave, said sheave will cease to rotate, the fall rope will be bound to it,
and the pull of the point of attachment I upon said fall rope will, in the travel of the
bridge, draw said carriage to the end of the bridge nearest the eye.
If on the other hand the brake be applied to the sheave 3, said sheave will cease
to rotate, the fall rope will be bound to it, and the pull of the point of fixed. attach-
ment upon said rope will, in the travel of the bridge, tend to draw said carriage to the
end of the bridge farthest from the eye in figure 1.
When the bridge is caused to travel in the direction opposite to that of the arrow
of figure 1, the fall rope motor at the near end of the fall rope then constituting a
point of fixed attachment, the application of either brake will produce an effect the
reverse of that described as resulting from its application when the bridge was caused
to travel in the direction of the arrow.
:
Passing now to the consideration of the arrangement of hydraulic motors,
especially shown in figures 4 and 5, which, as stated, we employ to actuate the
moving device described ;-N is the shaft upon which the motor drum D is mounted
and with which it rotates. This shaft is provided with a sprocket wheel -Nx, and
is journalled in bearings n supported upon an adjacent portion of the frame-work Z.
001 are a pair of hydraulic pistons, situated respectively on opposite sides of the
wheel.Nx, and mounted in a pair of hydraulic cylinders P P₁, which are each: at
their bases in communication in the usual manner with separate force-pump-con
trolled sources of fluid supply. Within pairs of suitable supports 02-and O' formed
in any preferred. manner upon the upper ends of the pistons, are journalled
rollers and 0%, preferably formed as sprocket or chain wheels. A chain R, the
ends. of which are fixedly secured to the frame Z passes in endless relationship
over the sprocket wheel 0, under the sprocket wheel N*, and over the sprocket
wheel O. A rope or chain secured to the upper ends of the pistons passes over
a wheel-supported overhead. When the lead is given to the pressure into the
cylinder P, said pressure is contemporaneously shut off from the piston P¹and. the
lead given to the exhaust from the latter, with the result that the piston () will ascend
and the piston O' descend, the rope r tending to establish a common rate of speed in
the two movements." As the piston O ascends it takes up the chain R, and said chain
by its engagement with the sprocket wheel N*, as it is drawn toward said piston O,
Occasions the rotation of said sprocket wheel, and consequently of its shaft and .con-
nected drum. The chain R is, by the slow descent of the piston O', accurately held
in its engagement with the sprocket wheel. The pistons, 00' are each of such
sufficient length, as, when forced upward to the limit of their respective movements,
to occasion the travel of the bridge to the end of its tracks in the one or the other
direction.
.:
It is, therefore apparent, that the pair of hydraulic pistons, belonging as they do to
a most economical class of motors, being capable of producing a positive alternating
rotation of the drum shaft, and being likewise capable of occasioning, a continuous

page_text: rotation of the drum shaft proportioned to the length of the apartment in which
the apparatus is erected,—constitute an efficient engine especially appropriate to
this class of apparatus.
The motor employed to operate the fall rope preferably consists of a third
hydraulic piston, S, mounted in a hydraulic cylinder T, which latter similarly to
the other cylinders, is in communication with a separate force-pump-controlled source
of fluid supply.
T¹ T2 are two grooved wheels which are stationary in the sense of being incapable
of other than rotatory movement, and which, to such end, are conveniently journalled
upon studs projecting from opposite sides of the cylinder T.
S1 S2 are two other grooved wheels which are adapted and intended to move up and
down with the piston S, and to that end are conveniently journalled upon studs pro-
jecting from opposite sides of the top of said piston. The axes of the wheels S¹ S
are preferably right angular with respect to the axes of the wheels T¹ T³.
The inner end portion of the fall rope passes under the wheel T2, over the wheel S¹,
under the wheel T₁, over the wheel S2, and down to a point of fixed attachment, con-
veniently a stud or projection from the cylinder T. When the lead is given to the
pressure into the cylinder T its piston is of course elevated and carries the wheels S¹ S?
away from the wheels T¹ T2, with the result that the fall rope is taken up by and
proportionately to the increased separation of said pairs of wheels. As the inner end
of the rope is secured to a fixed point of attachment, the only portion of the rope
which can be taken up is that between the carriage and the fall block, and as said
taking up progresses the fall block is in consequence elevated, and with it any load
which may be attached to it.
די
When the lead is given to the exhaust from out said cylinder T, said pairs of
wheels S' S³, T' T approach each other and the slack of the rope is taken up by the
consequent dropping of the fall block.
•
In the interest of economy we prefer to provide the piston S with an inner or
contained pistons in order that when a light load is to be lifted, only such lesser
force as may be necessary to lift said smaller piston and lighter load will be brought
into action, and the provision to which we, to such end, resort is in figure 6 plainly
shown:-
In said figure the piston S is provided with a side stud s¹, a pivot arm s² is
attached to the cylinder T, and provided with a hook adapted to engage with the
studs, and also with a weighted projecting arms by which it is normally kept
in engagement with said stud. By this means the larger piston. S is held down,
and, therefore, when out of action, its normal condition, constitutes in effect a part
of the cylinder T. The pistons is also provided with a side stud sx, on which is
mounted a pendant hooks, adapted, when the arm s² is disengaged from the stud,
to itself engage said stud, and lock said pistons together so that they may act
as one. A cords; may be attached to the arm s, and lead to the point at which
the valves which control the fluid pressure are located, so that the connection and
disconnection of the piston S may be controlled by the person manipulating the valve.
If desired a series of these inner and outer pistons may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In combination with tracks, a roller-provided bridge adapted to travel thereupon,
a motor drum mounted upon a shaft, ropes leading from said drum to opposite sides
of the bridge, a chain wheel also mounted upon said shaft, a pair of hydraulic pistons
and cylinders, chain wheels mounted upon said pistons, and a chain in engagement
with said three chain wheels, substantially as set forth.
520
2. In combination with tracks, a roller-provided bridge embodying carriage ways
and adapted to travel on said tracks, a drum, ropes leading from said, drum to
opposite sides of said bridge, a motor for operating said drum, a carriage provided
with sheaves, a fall block provided with sheaves, and a fall rope one end of which i
is

page_text: attached to a point of fixed attachment, the intermediate portion of which is engaged
with the sheaves of the carriage and fall block, and a motor to which the other end
of the fall rope is connected, substantially as set forth.
3. In combination with tracks, a roller-provided bridge embodying carriage' ways
and adapted to travel on said tracks, a motor drum, ropes leading from said drum to
opposite sides of said bridge, a motor for operating said drum, a carriage provided
with sheaves, a fall block provided with sheaves, a fall rope engaged with the sheaves
of the carriage and fall block, and a hydraulic cylinder and piston, adapted to
operate said fall rope, substantially as set forth.
4. In combination with tracks, a roller-provided bridge embodying carriage ways
and adapted to travel on said tracks, a drum, ropes leading from said drum to
'opposite sides of said bridge, a motor for 'operating said drum, a carriage provided
with sheaves, a fall block provided with sheaves, a wheel-provided hydraulic cylinder,
a wheel-provided piston mounted in said cylinder, and a fall rope engaged with the
sheaves of the carriage and fall block and also engaged with the wheels of shid
piston and cylinder, substantially as set forth.
5. In combination with tracks, a roller-provided bridge embodying carriage ways
and adapted to travel on said tracks, a drum, ropes leading from said 'drum' to
opposite sides of said bridge, a motor for operating said drum, a carriage provided
with sheaves, a fall block provided with sheaves, a wheel-provided' hydraulic cylindër,
two pistons one within the other situated within said cylinder, rope wheels mounted
upon the upper end of the inner cylinder, means for 'at will locking the exterior
piston to the interior piston or to the cylinder, and a fall rope engaged with the
sheaves of the carriage and fall block and also engaged with alternate rope wheels
of the piston and cylinder, substantially as set forth.
6. In combination with tracks, a roller-provided bridge embodying carriage ways
and adapted to travel on said tracks, a drum, ropes leading from 'said 'drum 'to
opposite sides of said bridge, a motor for operating said drum, a carriage provided
with sheaves, a fall block provided with sheaves, a hydraulic cylinder provided with
rope wheels, two pistons one within the other situated within said cylinder, a projec-
tion attached to the exterior cylinder, hooks connected respectively with the inner
piston and the cylinder and adapted to engage said projection, rope wheels mounted
upon the upper end of the inner cylinder, and a fall rope engaged with the sheaves of
the carriage and fall block and also engaged with alternate rope wheels of the piston
and cylinder, substantially as set forth."
7. In combination with tracks, a roller-provided bridge embodying carriage ways
and adapted to travel on said tracks, a drum, ropes leading from said drum to
opposite sides of said bridge, a motor for operating said drum, a carriage provided
with sheaves, brakes adapted to control carriage sheaves, a fall block provided with
sheaves, and a fall rope one end of which is attached to a point of fixed attachment
and the intermediate portion of which is engaged with the sheaves of the carriage and
fall block, and a motor to which the other end of the fall block rope is connected,
substantially as set forth.
8. In combination with tracks, a bridge embodying carriage ways, provided with
sheaves and rollers, and adapted to travel on said tracks, a drum, ropes leading from
said drum to opposite sides of said bridge, a motor for operating said drum, a
carriage provided with wheels and sheaves, a sliding bar provided with a brake shoe
adapted to be carried by the movement of said bar into and out of contact with a
carriage sheave, a weighted block mounted upon said bar, adapted to move into and
out of contact with the side of the sheave opposite to that with which the brake shoe
makes contact, an operating arm connected to said block, a fall block provided with
sheaves, a fall rope one end of which is attached to a point of fixed support, and
the intermediate portion of which is engaged with the sheaves of the carriage and
fall block, and a motor to which the fall block rope is connected, substantially as
set forth.
9. In combination with tracks, a roller-provided bridge embodying carriage ways
and adapted to travel on said tracks, a motor drum mounted upon a shaft, ropes

page_text: leading from said drum to opposite sides of the bridge, a chain wheel also mounted
upon said shaft, a pair of hydraulic pistons and cylinders, chain wheels mounted upon
said pistons, a chain in engagement with said three chain wheels, a carriage provided
with sheaves, a fall block provided with sheaves, a hydraulic cylinder provided
with rope wheels, a piston mounted in said cylinder and also provided with rope
wheels, and a fall rope engaged with the sheaves of the carriage and the fall block
and also engaged with alternate wheels of said piston and cylinder, substantially as
set forth.
10. In combination with tracks, a roller-provided bridge embodying carriage ways
and adapted to travel on said tracks, a motor drum mounted upon a shaft, ropes
leading from said drum to opposite sides of the bridge, a chain wheel also mounted
upon said shaft, a pair of hydraulic pistons and cylinders, chain wheels mounted
upon said pistons, a chain in engagement with said three chain wheels, a carriage
provided with sheaves and brakes, a fall block provided with sheaves, a hydraulic
cylinder provided with rope wheels, a piston mounted in said cylinder and also
provided with rope wheels, and a fall rope engaged with the sheaves of the carriage
and fall block and also engaged with alternate wheels of said piston and cylinder,
substantially as set forth.
11. In combination with tracks, a roller-provided bridge embodying carriage ways
and adapted to travel on said tracks, a motor drum mounted upon a shaft, ropes
leading from said drum to opposite sides of the bridge, a chain wheel also mounted
upon said shaft, a pair of hydraulic pistons and cylinders, chain wheels mounted upon
said pistons, a chain in engagement with said three chain wheels, a carriage provided
with sheaves, a fall block provided with sheaves, a hydraulic cylinder provided with
rope wheels, two pistons, an outer and an inner, mounted in said cylinder, means
for at will locking the outer piston to the inner or to the cylinder, rope wheels
mounted in connection with said pistons, and a fall rope engaged with the sheaves
of the carriage and fall block and also engaged with alternate wheels of said piston
and cylinder, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 6th day of February A.D. 1890.
JOHN GRAHAM, JUNIOR.
ERWIN GRAVES.