Improvements in Machinery or Arrangements for Lifting, Lowering, Carrying, or Transporting Loads Actuated by Electricity.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Arrangements for Lifting, Lowering,
Carrying, or Transporting Loads Actuated by Electricity.
I, JOHN AUDLEY FREDERICK ASPINALL, of Horwich, in the County of
Lancaster, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Co.,
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 :-
My invention relates to mechanism and arrangements for lifting, lowering and
carrying or transporting loads, and has been more particularly designed for dealing
with luggage and transferring it say from one railway platform across to other
platforms, but may as will be obvious, be applicable for other purposes.
The machinery is actuated by electricity from some suitable source, such as
a dynamo, and the man having charge of the machine and who drives or manipulates
it (hereinafter called the driver) is carried along with the machine or apparatus.
It will be most readily described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which
Fig. 1, is an elevation partly in sectio in a plane at a right angle to the rails
upon which the carriage of the machine works.
Fig. 1A, is a sectional elevation of the upper part of Fig. 1, (which is omitted
from Fig. 1) showing the staple frame and the mode of connecting it with the
suspension rods.
Fig. 2, is a side elevation of parts or some of them shown in Fig. 1, in a plane
at a right angle to Fig. 1, and parallel to the lengthway of the rails upon which
the carriage works.
The rails for the carriage are carried or suspended in any convenient manner.
Fig. 3, is a front view detached (the edge view of which is shown in Fig. 2) of
the mechanism for manipulating the carriage.
Fig. 4, is a flut view of a notched plate hereinafter mentioned.
Fig. 5, is a cross section of a part hereinafter referred to.
In the Figure 14, a, is a screwed suspension rod which is adjustably connected
with a two legged strap of metal a, each leg of which is bolted rivetted or
otherwise secured to the upper part of a staple shaped frame a².
These suspended frames a³, are suitably stayed to prevent lateral movement.
To each leg of each staple frame a³, which frames are placed at intervals,
and are each suspended by a rod a a rail is secured by a stud 2 there is thus
one rail b, secured to one leg and a rail b, to the other leg of each frame 3, forming
a pair of rails for the wheels of the carriage c, to run upon. This suspended
railway h, b, is made to pass from any desired point, say a suitable platform to
any other desired point in any required direction, the rails b, b', being suitably
curved when desired, taking care that the radius of the curve when required is not
too small.
The studs 2, which carry the rails b, 6, are secured in the legs of the staple
frame a, and are insulated from such frame by wood or ebonite or other suitable
non-conductor of electricity.
The carriage is formed by two suitable side frames c, connected by suitable
cross stays, and in the upper part of the side frames there are bearings for two

page_text: axles c¹ and c². Upon each end of each axle outside the framing c, there is a
wheel c³, secured, which wheels have a flange on each edge, the rails coming
between these flanges of the wheels.
Between the boss of each wheel c³, and its tyre there is a wood disc which
thus insulates the tyres of the wheels e³, from the axles c¹ or c³.
There is or may be a crank pin c, in each wheel, the two crank pins on one side
at a right angle to the two on the other side, and these crank pins c', on each side
are or may be connected by coupling rods c³.
One carrying rail b or b', is connected up with one pole, say the outer current
froin the actuating dynamo, and the other carrying rail with the other pole, or
backward current to the dynamo.
On the framing c, there are brackets d, carrying brushes or collectors, which
are in contact with the tyres of the carrying wheels c³, on
one side, which
wheels take the electric current from the rails they work upon, and from
these brushes or collectors the current is conducted by a suitable wire or wires
to the commutator and to the electro-motor on the carriage c, hereinafter
referred to.
In the centre of the carriage between the two side frames c, there are bearings
for a vertical shaft as hereinafter explained, the lower end of which is coupled
as hereinafter explained, with the upper end of the vertical shaft of the armature
of an electro-motor, which is or may be of any ordinary and well known con-
struction, the side frames of which motor e, are secured to the side frames c, of
the carriage, by screws or otherwise. The frame of the electro-motor has a cross
har el, at its upper end, and another cross bar e³, at its lower end, these cross bars
carrying the bearings of the armature shaft eª, of the motor. This motor is of such
kind as can be rotated equally well in either direction.
The upper end of the armature shaft e", and the lower end of the shaft g,
have each secured to them a boss having two arms with lateral projections e*.
These projections come into corresponding holes or notches in a plate e, (shown
detached by Fig. 4) which comes between the arms, thus providing for any want of
true axial correspondence between the armature and vertical shafts.
The wires conducting the current to and from the electro-motor from
the collectors pass through the commutator and are arranged in any ordinary
manner.
In the framing of the carriage c, there are bearings for a vertical shaft f.
This shaft, has a worm f¹, formed or secured upon it that gears with a worm
wheel, secured on the carrying axle c', so that when the worm wheel f, rotates,
the carrying wheels c³, on axle e, (and the wheels c³, on axle c², are rotated by the
coupling rods ) and cause the carriage e, to move along the rails in either
direction.
The lower end of the shaft, has a disc f³, formed or secured upon it, which
disc forms one side or half of a friction clutch. There is a corresponding disc or
friction clutch g³, formed upon or secured to the end of the hollow axle or shaft g,
which hollow axle or shaft g, works in a bearing g' in the framing of the carriage c.
The hollow axle or shaft g, has a worm g', formed upon or secured to it gearing
with worm-wheels 92, on two axles or shafts, having bearings on the side frames c,
of the carriage. Working through and having its bearings in the hollow axle or
shaft g, is another shaft g, on whose upper end is a double disc or friction clutch h;
each face of the disc or friction clutch, forms the other part of the friction clutch
for those on the shaft, and hollow axle or shaft gº.
This double clutch h, before referred to, slides on the vertical shaft g, upwards
or downwards, upwards to bring the upper side of the double clutch h, in contact
with and so as to drive the disc or clutch f³, on the lower end of the upper shaft f,
and thus rotate the carrying wheels c³, of the carriage, and downwards to bring the
lower disc of the double clutch h, in contact and so as to drive the clutch disc g³,
on the upper end of the lower hollow axle or shaft g, and thus rotate the shafts g*,
for lifting and lowering as hereinafter explained.

page_text: The double clutch h, is actuated by a lever ', having its fulcrum h³, on the
ends of two links 3, the other ends of which are jointed to the framing of the
carriage.
When the double clutch h, is in its middle position it does not drive either
disc f³ or g³.
The manner of actuating this clutch lever ', will be hereinafter described.
At the upper end of shaft f, a flanged pulley f, is secured, partly round which
a belt or strap passes, the ends of the belt or strap being attached to the upper
end of a lever. having its fulcrum on the axle c, of one of the carrying wheels,
and to the lower arm of this lever, one end of a cord 7, is attached, the other
end of which passes over a guide pulley 8, attached to the framing and its end
comes conveniently to the hand of the driver. The object of this is to arrest the
momentum of the carriage c, when the motor is stopped after the current of
electricity is cut off.
There is a bracket i, extending across the back of plate l, attached to it and
vertically adjustable, the ends of which forms the axles of the two small wheels 12.
These small wheels i, are insulated from the axles i, same as the carrying wheels c³,
from their axles.
The underside of the small wheels, does not quite touch the surface of the
carrying rails or b¹, in ordinary working, but comes against them when the
momentum of the carriage would cause it to tilt, and these small wheels ³, provide
against such tilting.
On each axle, driven by the worm wheel, there are two pulleys g, one is
a fixture, it does not rotate, and has one end of a chain j', attached to it, which
passes from the pulley downwards to a pulley block j, then up and over the pulley
attached to the axle 9', then partly under this pulley, and against another
pulley, mounted on a stud in a bracket from the side frames c, of the carriage.
This small pulley j³, acts to pinch the chain j', between the two pulleys
and g³.
When winding up the chain j', the pulley block j, ascends, the other side of the
chain j', descends, and passes through a guiding tube j³, secured to a stud in the
framing, of the carriage.
The descending part of the chain j', is received into a trough j, suspended by
a bracket jo, from each pulley block (see Fig. 1) as there is a corresponding pulley
block for each of the two shafts g, arranged as above described.
To the lower ends of the brackets j, from the pulley blocks j, the upper ends
of chains, are attached, the lower ends of which chaius have hooks to hook upon
the sides of the skip or box into which luggage or other articles are placed which
are to be lifted, transported and lowered. These skips or boxes have wheels,
below their bottoms upon which they may be moved about on the ground or floor
upon which they may rest when unhooked from the chain j, connected with the
pulley blocks j.
There are arms c6, from the sides of the carriage c, to which one end of a broad
belt k, is secured, the other end of which is secured to the bracket, which is
attached to the two main frames c, the broad belt k passing through a loop c³,
connected to the framing.
The driver sits on this broad belt with one leg on one side and the other leg on
the other side of the carriage, and the calves of his legs rest on curved supports c®,
secured to the carriage as shown in Fig. 1.
or
The driver manipulates the carriage when seated as explained by four handles
"pulls" in addition to the brake cord or band f', and the arrangement of these
handles and their action on the clutch lever ', and commutator will be next.
explained more particularly by reference to the Figures 2 and 3.
The driver when on his scat k, and with his legs on the rests c³, faces and sees
the mechanism as shown in Fig. 3.
This mechanism consists of a plate frame, attached to brackets or arms l¹ and 1º,

page_text: the frame being formed by a plate and the top and bottom brackets or arms l',
and, which are connected with the two sides c, of the carriage frame.
In the middle of the top bracket or arm 1, there is an eye bolt, which is
insulated from the bracket or arm l, and a similar eye bolt 1, in the lower bracket
or arm, the latter adjustable in length also insulated from the bar.
One end of the helical springs 1, is hooked into the eye of the bolts and
the other end of each spring 1, is hooked to a hole in the end of a rod m or m³,
connected with a part m³, which parts m³, are secured to a swivel part m*.
This swivel part m², is secured from coming off the end of the lever h', by a
pin m³, through a hole across the end of the lever h¹.
This swivel part is formed of three separate parts, the middle part m², having
an arm m and m7, from each side with an eye in it for cords to be attached to, the
other two parts m³, (connected with the rods m and m¹) one above and one below
bolted to the central part m', by two bolts, but material is placed between the
parts to insulate the parts m³, from the central part m.
There are four contact pins or studs, n, n', n² and n³, secured in and insulated
from the framing 1, and on the back of each stud n, n', n² and n³, there is a screw
nut n, by which the conducting wires can be firmly pinched between the screw nut
and a washer on the stud and the end of the screw nut securing the stud in the
framing 1.
The front end of each stud has a tube nº, upon it, closed at one end except for a
hole for a screw °, to pass through aud screw into the screw tapped end of the
stud (see stud n³, Fig. 2, shown in sertion with the tube n, upon it) and by this
screw no, the tube n³, may be held when turned round on the stud in any required
position.
The rods m and m', have each the end of a contact stud m³, screwed in them and
each stud m³, has a hole in its end in the lengthway of the stud for the end of the
conducting wire, which is secured in this hole by a screw in the side of the stud.
The rods m and m³, are cased on three sides with a sheath m, secured by split
pins ma, as shown in Fig. 5.
This arrangement of the contact studs n, n', 1' and n³, and the connecting
conducting rods m and m', is to provide against the effect of "sparking" which
digs holes into the metal coming in contact and by constructing the parts as
described, the tubular surfaces n', on the contact studs may be turned when
required to present a new surface and may then be secured by the set screw n".
The surfaces of the conducting rods m and m', may also be readily renewed by
replacing the sheathings m³, when required.
Two cords p and p₁, are attached one to the eye of each arm m³, and m², each
cord passes downwards through a guide eye secured to the framing 7, and is then
attached to a handle q. On the underside of the guide eye for the cord of one
handle 7, a name plate, secured to framing, has the word "Lift"
upon it and
that for the other handle q', a name plate p, secured to framing 1, has the word
"Lower" upon it.
Cords p and p, are also attached to the eyes in the arras me, and m', and then
pass upwards each to a pulley p, on a stud in the framing 1, then each of them
passes downwards through guide eyes and each to a handle q² or 9. On the
underside of one of the guide eyes a name plate p', secured to framing 1, has the
word Backward" and on the underside of the other a name plate p³, secured to
the framing, has the word "Forward" upon it.
If the handle 7, is pulled down, the side of the lower connecting rod m', is
pressed against the contact stud n³, and the side of the upper connecting rod m,
against the stud n, and if the handle q', is pulled the sides of those connecting
rods are pressed against the other contact studs n³ and n'.
The same contacts are made when the handles q, and q, are pulled and the
reverse contacts are made when the handles q2 and q', are pulled.
By the first pull of the handles the contacts are made and the current passes. to

page_text: the electro-motor driving it in one direction, and when the motor is to be reversed,
it is done by pulling the desired handle.
32
Handle Backward" and "Lower causes the motor to rotate one way and
handle "Lift" and "Forward " causes it to rotate the contrary way.
Thus the rotation of the motor is started by the first pull of the handle and
almost at the same time the friction clutch lever ', brings one or the other clutch
into gear.
As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the motor is motionless, there are no contacts
between the connecting rods in or m¹, and contact studs and the friction clutch
lever ', is in the middle position.
The handles "Lift" and "Lower" actuate the lower or hoisting and lowering
clutch, and the handles "Backward" and "Forward" the upper clutch for
moving the carriage c, to and fro along the rails b and b'.
When the handles are released the springs 1, bring the clutch lever ¹, into its
middle non-acting position and breaks the electric contacts.
The necessary electric connections can be made by any electrician and do not
embody any novelty.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of mechanism substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. The combination of motor shaft, with two shafts one having a worm to
drive the carrying wheels, the other a worm to drive the lifting and lowering
axles, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and illustrated
by the drawings.
3. The combination of the actuating handles with the clutch lever so that the
required electrical contacts and clutches will be brought into connection by pulling
one of the four handles, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by
the drawings.
4. The arrangement of the contact studs with tubes which can be adjusted and
the contact connecting bars (m, m¹) with changeable sheaths, substantially as and
for the purpose herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated this 13th day of September 1895.
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.