IMPROVEMENTS IN SACK LIFTERS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Lewis and Alfred Lewis both of Kettering in
the County of Northampton for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SACK
LIFTERS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Lewis and Alfred
Lewis at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th March
1883.
THOMAS LEWIS and ALFRED LEWIS both of Kettering in the County of
Northampton "IMPROVEMENTS IN SACK LIFTERS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVE-
MENTS IS APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
The object of this invention is chiefly to render sack lifters, of the hand barrow
type, more useful than heretofore, by adapting thereto means for weighing the
sacks and their contents previous to or while being lifted, and also otherwise to
improve their efficiency.
The sack lifter consists of two main side frames mounted on wheels, and
connected together by a foot or bow iron, and one or more cross bars, and forming
a hand barrow. On the inner sides of these side frames, longitudinal grooves are
formed, in which the elevator slides.
The elevator consists of an iron framework (which in an ordinary sack lifter
would form the sack rest or platform) with upright side bars which slide in
grooves, and is provided with lifting chains extending upwards to a winding barrel.
This barrel is worked by a winch handle, and is fitted with a pawl and ratchet, so
that when the platform is raised, it may be retained at any desired height.
The apparatus is provided with sack holders or suspenders in the usual manner.
In adapting weighing apparatus to the sack lifter, we prefer to use a steelyard
apparatus. A weighing platform is employed on which the goods to be lifted and
weighed are placed. This platform rests on knife edges on a lever which has its
fulcrum on the elevator platform. This lever is connected by a link to the short
arm of a steelyard, which is supported from a cross bar of the elevator.
To support the rear of the weighing platform, we provide a pair of uprights

page_text: which are connected together at top by a cross piece, and this cross piece is
connected by a link to a cross bar of the elevator, so that it is capable of slight
vertical motion. By this arrangement of apparatus, the load can be weighed in
any position of the elevator.
The lifting chains are connected to the opposite ends of a rocking bar, which is
secured by its centre to the elevator frame. By this means the necessity for
pairing the chains is avoided, as the rocking bar will allow for any slight inequality
in the length, and in like manner the risk of the elevator jamming in the grooves,
caused by the unequal pull of the chains, arising from any cause, is entirely
avoided.
When lowering goods by means of apparatus of this class, considerable
inconvenience has arisen for want of brake power.-In our improved lifter we
adapt a band brake to the ratchet wheel. For this purpose we round off the
ratchet teeth, so that they shall not injure the band, and we secure one end of the
band to the side frame and the other to the pawl. The pawl is provided with a
handle, and is so arranged that when the pawl is acting, the brake is off, and
vice versa
Instead of adapting the band to the ratchet wheel, we may place it round a
small pulley attached to the ratchet wheel.
This arrangement of brake is also applicable to other apparatus to which a pawl
and ratchet movement is applied.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Lewis and Alfred Lewis in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th September 1883.
THOMAS LEWIS and ALFRED LEWIS both of Kettering in the County of
Northampton. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SACK LIFTERS" PART OF WHICH IMPROVE-
MENTS IS APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES
23
☐ :
This Invention relates chiefly to sack-lifters of the hand barrow type, the object
of the Invention being to render such sack-lifters more useful than heretofore, by
adapting thereto means for weighing the filled sacks but the invention has also for
its object to otherwise improve the efficiency of sack-lifters génerally part of which
improvements is also applicable for other purposes.
A sack-lifter of the hand-barrow type consists of two main side frames mounted
on wheels, and connected together by a foot or bow iron, and one or more
crossbars-On the inner sides of these side frames, longitudinal grooves are formed
in which an elevator slides
The elevator consists of an iron frame work which forms the sack rest ór
platform and upright side bars which slide in the grooves and is provided with
lifting chains extending upwards to a winding barrel or spindle which is worked
by a winch handle and is fitted with a pawl and ratchet so that when the platform
is raised, it may be retained at any desired height.
The apparatus is provided with sack holders or suspenders for holding the sacks
open to be filled.
In the accompanying drawings Fig: 1 is a front view of a sack lifter with our
improvements applied thereto Fig: 2 is a side elevation and Fig 3 a sectional
clevation of the same Fig 4 is a sectional plan view taken on the line X X of Fig 3
and shewing the arrangement of the weighing apparatus and fig 5 is a front view
of the upper part of the sack lifter shewing the gearing in position for lowering
:
AA are the side frames which are connected together by cross bars A' and
provided at bottom with a foot or bow iron A2 The ends of this iron A² are
prolonged beyond the side frames and in these prolongations bearings are formed
to receive an axle on which runnings wheels A³ are mounted stays or struts A*
being provided to give rigidity to the prolongations of the bow iron.
The side frames A are grooved or rebated on their inner sides at a to form guides
or ways in which slide the side bars of the elevator portion of the apparatus, This
elevator consists of an iron frame B which projects at right angles or nearly so.
from the side frames A and is firmly secured to the side bars B₁ which slide in the
The side bars B₁ of the elevator are
ways a as before explained, see fig: 3
strengthened by the cross bars B².
C. C. are the hoisting chains which are attached by one end to opposite ends of
a rocking bar C. This bar C. is pivotted at the centre of its length to a lug or
projection bolted or rivetted at the centre of the lower of the cross bars B2 The
other ends of the chains C are secured by a bolt and ring as shewn at fig: 3 or in
any other convenient manner to the barrel or spindle C2 on which they are
wound up.
By the use of the rocking bar C¹ the necessity for pairing the hoisting chains is
avoided as two chains of approximately the same length can now be used, the
rocking bar adjusting itself to allow for any inequalities in the length of the
chains
As the pull is thus central the tendency of the side bars B¹ to cant and jamb in
the ways is entirely obviated.
-
The barrel or spindle C is wound up by a train of gearing actuated by the winch

page_text: handle D This handle is mounted on one end of a sleeve D' on the other end of
which is a pinion D2 with one half of a clutch The sleeve D₁ is mounted on one
end of an axle D³ carried in bearings in and projecting beyond the side frames A
Keyed upon the axle so as to receive the portion D2 of the clutch is the second
half of the clutch combined with a ratchet wheel D. On the opposite end of this
axle Ds and outside the side frame A is keyed a pinion which gears with an
internally toothed wheel D³ mounted on the axle of the barrel C2. On the opposite
end of this axle is mounted a pawl which takes into the ratchet wheel D' on the
axle D³ and a pinion D6 into which the pinion D² is intended to gear when it is
desired to lower the load.
The gearing as shown at Fig: 1 is in the proper position for hoisting the multi-
plying gear D rendering it easy for one man to lift the load. When it is desired
to lower, the clutch is thrown out of gear and the pinions D2 and De into gear, by
sliding the sleeve D¹ on the axle D³ see Fig: 5 and the pawl is raised. By turning
the handle D in the same direction as for raising, the load is lowered at an increased
speed at which it was raised
In adapting weighing apparatus to the sack lifter we prefer to employ a steel
yard apparatus-E is the weighing platform on which the filled sack to be lifted
and weighed is placed. This platforin is provided at back with a vertical support E¹
against which the sack will rest, and on its underside with projections E3 which
rest on knife edges of the weighing apparatus.
This apparatus consists of a pair of forked levers or frames F F' (see fig: 4)
which are provided with knife edges bb those marked b being intended to support
the weighing platform E The fork ends of the lever or frame F are supported by
links c pendent from angle pieces d rivetted to the front of and inside the frame B
of the elevator-the other end of the lever F is connected by a link c' and hook c*
to the shorter arm of the steel yard e The fork ends of the frame or lever F¹ are
supported by links c² pendent from angle pieces d' rivetted to the rear of and inside
the frame B of the elevator. The other end of the lever or frame F' is supported
by a link c carried by a knife edge on the lever F The whole weight of the
weighing platform E will thus rest on the lever F which is in connection with the
steelyard e as before explained
The steelyard rests on knife edges in a bracket ƒ projecting upwards from and
bolted or otherwise securely fixed to the rear of the frame B and is provided with
a threaded finger g on which is an adjusting nut g¹-To ensure perfect equilibrium
of the apparatus before commencing to weigh the nut g¹ is turned in one direction
or the other as required.
We would here remark that we do not intend to confine ourselves to the arrange-
ment of weighing apparatus just described which is only intended as an example,
as any other well known weighing apparatus of similar character and having
single, double or any other leverage may be employed
The bow iron A² is provided with lugs or projections a¹ on which the weighing
platform E will rest instead of on the knife edges when the elevator is in its lowest
position preparatory to receiving a load, By this means the wearing or jarring of
the knife edges while loading the platform will be obviated. Sometimes it is
desired to fill a sack on the machine for which purpose a sack holder h provided
with points h' (see figure 2) is used to hold one side of the mouth of the sack open
while being filled hooks h³ being provided on the side frames A to hold the other
side of the sack. The holder his pivotted or hinged to the side frames so that
when not required for use it may be turned back into the position shewn at
Figures 1. 3. and 5.
Instead of adapting the sack holder to the side frames A it may be pivotted to
the back E of the weighing platform as shewn in front and side elevation
Figures 6 and 7 Sheet II In this arrangement the sack may be filled and weighed
without being removed from the hooks. G are weights to be used with the steel-
yard and which are formed with a central hole or eye by which they can be strung
for safety on the vertical pin i secured to the cross bar A¹

page_text: When lowering goods by means of apparatus of the class above described
accidents sometimes arise from want of brake power. In our improved lifter we
propose to adapt a band brake to the ratchet wheel D' keyed on the axle D³
One
arrangement of such brake is shewn in side and back elevation Figures 8 and 9
Sheet II.
The teeth of the ratchet wheel are rounded off or flattened so that they shall not
injure the band. On the axle of the barrel C2 is mounted a bell crank lever one
arm of which is prolonged to form a handle H and the other arm is formed with a
projecting piece H' which will serve as a pawl.
To the same end of this lever is attached by a link j one end of a steel band
the other end being secured to a link mounted loosely on the axle of the
barrel C2
On pulling or pushing the handle H in the direction of the arrow the pawl H₁
will be raised out of the teeth of the ratchet wheel and at the same time the band j¹
will be drawn round the ratchet wheel and any desired amount of friction may
thus be given to the wheel.
Instead of adapting the band jl to the ratchet wheel we may employ a small pulley
suitably secured to the ratchet wheel to receive the band brake.
When the brake is used the pinions D2 and De may be dispensed with one
portion of the clutch being formed on the socket of the winch handle D as seen at
Fig 9
The above described arrangement of brake is applicable to other apparatus in
which a pawl and ratchet movement is similarly employed.
Having now described the nature of our Invention for "Improvements in Sack
Lifters, part of which improvements is applicable for other purposes" and explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, We claim :-
First: In a Sack lifter of the hand-barrow type, the combination of a steelyard
weighing machine and the sack elevator substantially as herein shown and
described.
Second: The use in a sack lifter, of a rocking bar such as C, to which the
hoisting chains are attached, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Third: The combination of a pawl and ratchet movement with a band brake,
substantially as herein described and shown with reference to Figures 8 and 9,
Sheet II, of the Drawings:-
In witness whereof we the said Thomas Lewis and Alfred Lewis have hereunto
set our hands and seals the Fourteenth day of September in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
THOR Ta
THOS LEWIS
ALFRED LEWIS
(U.S.)
(L.S.)
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