IMPROVE- MENTS IN TRAVELLING CRANES to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: We, BENJAMIN WALKER, Engineer of Hunslet and FREDERICK WILLIAM WALKER
Engineer of Hunslet, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TRAVELLING CRANES to be as follows:—
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in travelling cranes.
The Invention relates to that class of travelling crane in which the power is
transmitted from the motor to the lifting gear by an endless rope travelling at high
velocity. Considerable difficulty is experienced with such cranes as at present
constructed when heavy loads are required to be rapidly raised, in consequence of
the rapid wear of the high speed driving rope.
To obviate this difficulty, we employ several such ropes running side by side, and
passing over the same pulleys in separate grooves. It is not necessary to increase
the speed at which the rope travels, but in order that the load may be raised more
rapidly than like loads can now be raised by such cranes, we provide gear between.
the rope pulleys and the wheels or drums around which the lifting chain passes
such as to reduce the speed to a less extent than has been the practice heretofore
in these cranes, we are able to do this without exposing either of the high speed
ropes to a greater strain than that to which they are subjected in the present
practice.
Instead of using mitre wheels or straight and cross belts for the reversing of the
motions, we employ the following arrangement.
The two ropes or sets of ropes down the shop are passed over pulleys running
loose on the same shafts, one rope or set of ropes over each line of pulleys and are
led over these pulleys in such a direction that they cause them to revolve in
opposite directions. There is a pair of these pulleys on three shafts and they are
each of them capable of being engaged by clutches with these shafts on which are
the worms which transmit the power to the three shafts across the crane for
performing the motions. These shafts being long, fixed intermediate bearings
would interfere with the movements of the carriage, therefore, a bearing or support
is provided which as the carriage passes is able to descend out of the way.
This bearing is formed at the upper end of a slide which at its lower end is
connected by a connecting rod with a rocking frame.

page_text: When the bearing is in place the connecting rod is upright and vertically over
the centre on which the frame rocks; therefore the slide in this position has no
tendency to yield to the pressure upon it.
The lower end of the rocking frame is also connected by a rod with a heavy slide
which is capable of being moved up and down vertically in guides. This slide
carries a roller and when the carriage approaches the roller is received into a guide
track on the carriage. So as the carriage moves on and before it comes to the
bearing the roller with its slide is raised and the bearing descends. Similarly as
the carriage passes away the bearing is replaced.

page_text: We BENJAMIN WALKER Engineer of Hunslet and FREDERICK WILLIAM WALKER,
Engineer of Hunslet do hereby declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TRAVELLING CRANES" and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-.
This invention has for its object improvements in travelling cranes.
The invention relates to that class of travelling crane in which the power is
transmitted from the motor to the lifting gear by an endless rope travelling at high
velocity. Considerable difficulty is experienced with such cranes as at present
constructed when heavy loads are required to be rapidly raised in consequence of
the rapid wear of the high speed driving rope.
To obviate this difficulty we employ several such ropes running side by side and
passing over the same pulleys in separate grooves. It is not necessary to increase
the speed at which the rope travels, but in order that the load may be raised more
rapidly than like loads can now be raised by such cranes, we provide gear between
the rope pulleys and the wheels or drums around which the lifting chain passes
such as to reduce the speed to a less extent than has been the practice heretofore
in these cranes, we are able to do this without exposing either of the high speed
ropes to a greater strain than that to which they are subjected in the present
practice.
Instead of using mitre wheels or straight and cross belts for the reversing of the
motions we employ the following arrangement.
The two ropes or sets of ropes down the shop are passed over pulleys running
loose on the same shafts one rope or set of ropes over each line of pulleys and are
led over these pulleys in such a direction that they cause them to revolve in
opposite directions. There is a pair of these pulleys on three shafts and they are
each of them capable of being engaged by clutches with these shafts on which are
the worms which transmit the power to the three shafts across the crane for
performing the motions. These shafts being long fixed intermediate bearings
would interfere with the movements of the carriage therefore a bearing or support
is provided which as the carriage passes is able to descend out of the way.
This bearing is formed at the upper end of a slide which at its lower end is
connected by a connecting rod with a rocking frame.
When the bearing is in place the connecting rod is upright and vertically over
the centre on which the frame rocks, therefore the slide in this position has no
tendency to yield to the pressure upon it.
The lower end of the rocking frame is also connected by a rod with a heavy slide
which is capable of being moved up and down vertically in guides. This slide
carries a roller and when the carriage approaches the roller is received into a guide
track on the carriage. So as the carriage moves on and before it comes to the
bearing the roller with its slide is raised and the bearing descends. Similarly as
the carriage passes away the bearing is replaced.
In order that our said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexe !.

page_text: .
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 is a plan and Figure 3 is an end elevation
of a rope travelling crane constructed in accordance with our invention. A. A are
the longitudinal overhead rails passing from end to end of the workshop or other
places over which the travelling crane is required to work. B B is the girder
frame of the traveller supported on the rails A by wheels C. C. D. D. are the
three pairs of groove pulleys around which the high speed ropes pass. Each
pulley has two grooves in it and is adapted to receive two ropes. One pair of ropes
pass on the line E E in Figure 2 beneath the guide pulley F over the first of the
pulleys D beneath the central pulley D over the third pulley D and finally beneath
the guide pulley F behind the traveller and so away. The other or return pair of
ropes pass in the contrary direction along the line G. G. in Figure 2 beneath the first
pulley D over the second and beneath the third and so away on the other side of
the traveller. In place of employing ropes in pairs they may be provided in sets
of three or more where the work to be done is heavy. The pulleys D will then
have additional grooves to accommodate the ropes. The pulleys D are all loose on
their shafts which are carried by the frame B. The pulleys Dare however capable
of being clutched with their respective shafts by means of friction clutches H HH
each of which serves to render one or other of the two pulleys on the same shaft
with it fast on the shaft when required.
.
The shaft in each case is hollow and a rod passes through it to a lever I with
which it is connected by a link. On the upper end of each lever I a toothed arc
is formed and with this a pinion on the axis of a hand wheel K engages; so that
by means of the hand wheel the clutch H can be moved in either direction along
the shaft or retained in a central position. When the clutch is in the central
position the pulleys D turn freely but the shaft remains stationary. By moving
the clutch in either direction from the central position the shaft is made fast with
one or other of the pulleys and accordingly the shaft is rotated in a sense dependent
on the position given to the clutch.
Each shaft has upon it a worm L and this engages with a worm wheel on a
vertical shaft having at its upper end a bevelled wheel engaging with and driving
another like wheel upon a horizontal axis. These last mentioned wheels are marked
respectively M N and O and directly or indirectly they serve to give motion to the
three shafts PQ and R passing horizontally from side to side of the traveller. The
wbeel M is fixed upon the shaft P which is square and this shaft serves to give
transverse movement to the traversing carriage S.
The shaft P passes through a pinion P¹ upon the carriage S and this pinion gears
with a corresponding pinion on the axis P2 which also carries bevelled pinions
engaging with the wheels P P which are upon the axles of the supporting
wheels P of the traversing carriage. When these wheels P³ are turned the carriage
moves in one direction or the other along the supporting rails B' upon the girder
frame of the traveller.
On the same axis with the bevelled wheel N is a spur wheel N¹ and a pinion N2
these are able to turn freely upon the axis, but either can be clutched fast with it
by means of the clutch N³ which is operated by a lever and hand wheel N₁ N5.
The wheel N¹ is in gear with a corresponding wheel Q¹ fast upon the shaft Q
and the pinion N2 is also in gear with a wheel Q fast upon the same shaft. By
these means this shaft Q can rotate either faster or slower as may be required
and the direction of the rotation can also be reversed in the manner previously
explained.
A pinion Q³ carried by the traversing carriage slides along the shaft Q and it
drives a spur wheel S¹ fast on the same axis with the chain wheel S2 S3 is the
lifting chain; it passes over the chain wheel S2 down to the snatch block S₁ and
then up again to the carriage S to which its end is made fast.

page_text: The bevelled pinion O is on the horizontal shaft R passing from side to side of
the traverser and this shaft carries pinions R¹ R' in gear with teeth on one pair of
the wheels C by which the traveller is supported.
Thus these wheels can be turned in either direction and the traveller with its
load made to move along the supporting rails A.
TT are movable intermediate bearings which are provided for the shafts P and Q
to support them and yet to permit of the carriage S passing. The details in
relation to these bearings are shown by the Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7. Figure 4 is a
side elevation of the moveable bearing, Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line A A
in Figure 4 and Figure 6 is a horizontal section on the line B B in Figure 5.
Figure 7 shows the inclined course on the carriage S which serves to remove and
replace the bearings.
T is a slide carrying the bearing brass T at its upper end it is connected by the
rod T3 with the frame T which can rock upon the axis T³. A link To connects
this frame with a weight T7 which is able to move vertically in a guide trunk.
There is a pulley Ts fixed to the weight. As the carriage approaches the bearing
the double incline U which is shown in Figures 1 and 2 and also to a larger scale
by Figures & receives the pulley Ts into it and by raising the pulley it depresses
the bearing out of the way of the mechanism on the traversing carriage. As the
carriage S passes away on the other side of the bearing the pulley Ts is again
drawn down by the operation of the double incline U and the bearing is replaced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
'
(1). The means herein described for operating travelling cranes by two or more
high speed ropes passing side by side around the pulleys on the traveller which
transmit motion to it and the traversing, carriage thereon and to the lifting gear
which the latter carries.
(2). The means herein described for transmitting motion from the rope pulleys
to the main horizontal shafts of the traveller, by friction clutches and worms on the
axes of the pulleys the latter driving worm wheels on vertical axes connected by
intermediate gear with the said main horizontal shafts.
(3). The means herein described for supporting the main horizontal shafts of the
traveller by moveable bearings each when in action sustained by a rocking frame
and rod or equivalent parts connected by a joint kept in the line of thrust by a
weight but descending out of the way to permit the traversing carriage to pass
when the weight is raised and the supporting parts displaced.
Dated this 1st dose of In1005
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.