Improvements in and relating to Colliery Cages and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Sept., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 28th May, 1898-Accepted, 20th Aug.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Colliery Cages and the like.
We, WILLIAM FLETCHER, of 69, Bath Street, Ilkeston, in the County of Derby,
Wholesale Druggist, and WILLIAM EATON WALKER, of Lyndhurst, Ilkeston
aforesaid, Colliery Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
:-
The object of our invention is to prevent the falling of colliery cages, lifts and
the like and the consequent loss of life, injury to persons and damage to property.
As is generally well known such cages, lifts and the like carry what are
technically known as thimbles or runners on their outer framing these thimbles
encircle conductors and guide or steady the cage or lift in its progress up and down
the shaft, the conductors are generally four in number but we do not wish to limit
the application of our invention to that number although it is hereinafter described
only in relation thereto.
In carrying out our invention we employ a pair of cranked levers on each sido
of the top of the cage, the lower extremity of each terminating in a device
encircling the conductor, either immediately above, or constituting in themselves,
the top thimbles of the cage; the levers are carried on a rod or the like passing
through slotted openings therein, the said rod being carried in or by any suitablo
bearings or brackets fixed to the top of the cage; each lever is, at or near its upper
extremity, connected by means of a rod or its equivalent to its fellow lever on the
opposite side of the cage and these rods are held up by means of light chains or
the like being connected from them to the bull ring or other termination of the
winding or suspending rope, so that as long as the cage or lift is suspended the tops
of the levers are held up and the devices at the lower extremities of the cranked
levers are free to pass up and down the conductors; these devices are however,
each formed with a diagonal passage inside so that directly the winding rope
breaks the tops of the levers fall and the lower or outer ends rise and the diagonal
faces of the passages therein engage the conductors, grip them and instantly stop
the cage or lift in its descent.
We may weight the levers or other parts of our improved device in any suitable
manner to insure their instant action and it will be understood that it is not
absolutely necessary to our invention that each lever should be connected to its
fellow on the opposite side as it will be possible to ensure the same result by con-
necting the end of each lever direct to the bull ring or other termination of the
winding rope.
Again, we may employ a double set of the cranked levers with gripping devices,
the lower set to operate just above or constitute the lower thimbles, we are however
of opinion that in practice we shall only require the top set.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Colliery Cages and the like.
We, WILLIAM FLETCHER, of 69, Bath Street, Ilkeston, in the County of Derby,
Wholesale Druggist, and WILLIAM EATON WALKER, of Lyndhurst, Ilkeston
aforesaid, Colliery Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:—
The object of our invention is to prevent the falling of colliery cages, lifts and
the like and the consequent loss of life, injury to persons and damage to property.
As is generally well known such cages, lifts and the like carry what are
technically known as thimbles or runners on their outer framing these thimbles
encircle conductors and guide or steady the cage or lift in its progress up and down
the shaft, the conductors are generally four in number but we do not wish to limit
the application of our invention to that number although it is hereinafter described
and illustrated only in relation thereto.
In describing our invention reference will be had to the accompanying sheet of
drawings upon which Figure 1 is a side elevation shewing the application of our
said invention to a colliery cage, the central portion of the said cage forming no
part of our invention is shewn broken away on this figure. Figure 2 is a plan
of the above.
In carrying out our invention we employ a pair of cranked levers A A' on each
side of the top of the cage, the lower extremity of each terminating in a device B B¹
encircling the conductor C, either immediately above, or constituting in them-
selves as shewn upon the drawing the top thimbles of the cage; the levers are
carried on a rod, pin or the like D passing through slotted or circular openings
therein, the said rod being carried in or by any suitable bearings or brackets fixed
to the top of the cage E; each lever is, at or near its upper extremity, connected
by means of a rod or its equivalent to its fellow lever on the opposite side of the
cage or each lever may work separately as shewn upon the drawings, the said rods
or the inner ends of the levers are held up by means of light chains or the like F
being connected from them to the bull ring G or other termination of the winding
or suspending rope H, so that as long as the cage or lift is suspended the inner ends
of the levers A A' are held up as shewn by firm lines on Figure 1 and the devices
at the lower extremities of the cranked levers are free to pass up and down the
conductors; these devices each being formed with a passage inside, directly the
winding rope breaks the tops of the levers fall, the lower or outer ends rise and
the passages therein assume a diagonal direction and engage the conductors, grip
them and instantly stop the cage or lift in its descent. The approximate positions
of the levers and conductors in the latter positions being shewn by dotted lines
on Figure 1.
We may weight the levers or other parts of our improved device as at A² or
attach a spring to ensure their instant action.
We may if desired employ a double set of the cranked levers with gripping devices,
the lower set to operate just above or constitute the lower thimbles, we are how-
ever of opinion that in practice we shall only require the top set as shewn upon the
drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:―
In colliery cages, lifts and the like the employment of weighted or spring levers
nivotted to the sides or other convenient points thereon and carrying devices

page_text: encircling the conductors, and being normally held up to the bull ring or other
termination of the winding or suspending rope by chains or the like, the said
devices being adapted to engage the conductors and stop the falling of the cage
or lift upon the breakage of the winding or suspending rope substantially as
described and illustrated.
W. SWINDELL,
Imperial Chambers, Albert Street, Derby, Agent for the Applicants.