IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAVELLERS FOR WARE- HOUSES, FACTORIES, BUILDING YARDS, AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Nathaniel Wynn, of Hilsea, in the County
of Hants, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAVELLERS FOR WARE-
HOUSES, FACTORIES, BUILDING YARDS, AND OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Nathaniel Wynn
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th February 1866.
I, WILLIAM NATHANIEL WYNN, of Hilsea, in the County of Hants, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TRAVELLERS FOR WAREHOUSES, FACTORIES, BUILDING YARDS, AND OTHER PURPOSES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of
travellers applicable to warehouses, factories, building yards, and other useful
purposes, whereby goods may be conveyed on rails from one part to another
of such premises. I propose to apply a wrought-iron flanged or box girder
extending the whole front of the building, factory, or other premises, such
girder having at each end at right angles to it a shorter length of girder;
to which wheels are affixed. These wheels work on ordinary rails and timber
framework as usually fixed from front to back of the factory or place to be
erected. The drum round which the rope or chain for lifting coils is sus-
pended underneath the main girder from a carriage or framework which runs

page_text: on four wheels along the top of the girder. The motion is given to the drum
by means of an endless chain or rope worked from the ground or scaffold of a
building, and passing over a grooved wheel, which by means of geared wheels
works the drum. Motion from end to end of the girder is given by working
the same endless chain or rope, having previously by means of a lever thrown
the lifting pinion out of gear, and thrown into gear a pinion on the spindle of
the endless chain wheel with a toothed wheel on the axle of the wheels
belonging to the carriage. A further motion of the said lever again throws
this last mentioned gearing out of work, and brings the pinion on the spindle
of the endless chain wheel into work with a pin wheel; this pin wheel gives
motion to a toothed wheel, which is always in gear with another toothed
wheel working loosely on a square iron rod running from end to end of the
girder. At the ends of this rod toothed wheels work in other toothed wheels
connected with the wheels of the cross carriages, and thus give motion from
front to back of the building or other place where it may be erected. This
last-mentioned square rod is supported at intervals on spring bearings, which
sink as the 'carriage goes over them, and rise again as soon as it has passed.
When the load is brought to its proper position a rope attached to a lever
throws the pall out of the ratchet motion, and at the same time puts on the
When used in the construction of docks or similar work, or over
water, a platfom can be suspended from the carriage at any height that may
be desired, and thus travel with it.
break.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Nathaniel Wynn in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th August 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
NATHANIEL WYNN, of Hilsen, in the County of Hants, send. greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the. Ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suocessors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Nathaniel Wynn, Her special licence that I, the said William
Nathaniel Wynn, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Nathaniel Wynn, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, 'should and lawfully

page_text: might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAVELLERS FOR WAREHOUSES, FACTORIES, BUILDING YARDS,
AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Nathaniel Wynn, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Nathaniel Wynn, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of
travellers applicable to warehouses, factories, building yards, wharves, docks,
engine rooms, and other useful purposes, whereby goods may be conveyed on
rails from one part to another. I propose to apply a wrought-iron flanged
or box girder extending the whole front of the building, factory, or other
premises, such girder having at each end at right angles to it a shorter length
of girder to which wheels are affixed. These wheels work on ordinary rails and
timber framework as usually fixed in the factory or place to be erected, or
wherever it is to be used. The drum round which the rope or chain for
lifting coils is suspended underneath the main girder from a carriage or
framework called the "jenny," which runs on four wheels along the top
of the girder. The motion is given to the drum by means of an endless chain
or rope worked from the ground or scaffold of a building passing over a
grooved wheel, which by means of geared wheels works the drum. Motion
from end to end of the girder is given by working the same endless chain or
rope, having previously by means of a lever thrown the lifting pinion out of
gear, and thrown into gear a pinion on the spindle of the endless chain wheel
with a toothed wheel on the axle of the wheels belonging to the "jenny."
A further motion of the said lever again throws this last-mentioned gearing
out of work, and brings the pinion on the spindle of the endless chain wheel
into work with a pin wheel; this pin wheel gives motion to a toothed wheel,
which is always in gear with another toothed wheel working loosely on a
square iron shaft running from end to end of the girder. At the ends of this
rod toothed wheels work into other toother wheels connected with the wheels
of the cross carriages, and thus give motion from front to back of the building,

page_text: yard, or other place where it may be erected. This last mentioned square rod
is supported at intervals on spring bearings which sink as the carriage goes
over them, and rise again as soon as it has passed. When the load is brought
to its proper position a rope attached to a lever throws the pall out of the
ratchet motion, and at the same time puts on the break. When used in the
construction of docks or similar work, or over water, a platform can be sus-
pended from the carriage at any height that may be desired, and thus travel.
with it.
In order to describe my said Invention more fully I annex the accom-
panying Drawings, in which Sheet 1 represents a single purchase action,
which can be worked entirely from below, either from the ground, a scaffolding,
or platform, also by steam power to lift two tons. Scale, one inch to a foot.
Fig. 1 is an elevation; Fig. 2, an elevation of traveller with front plate off;
Fig. 3, an end elevation with section of girder; Fig. 4, a plan of traveller with
top plate off; and Fig. 5, a plan of Fig. 1. Similar letters denote corre-
sponding parts where such occur in each of the Figures respectively.
Sheet 2 represents both a single and double-purchase action, which can be
worked entirely from below, either from the ground, a scaffolding, or platform
suspended from itself, also by steam power to lift four tons.
Fig. 1 is an elevation; Fig. 2, an elevation of jenny with front plate off;
Fig. 8, an end elevation of jenny and section of girder; Fig. 4, an internal
plan of jenny with top plate off; and Fig. 5, a plan of Fig. 1.
Sheet 3 represents a steam traveller to lift ten tons. Fig. 1 is an eleva-
tion; Fig. 2, an end elevation; and Fig. 3, a plan.
The traveller, Sheet 1, consists in the first place of a wrought-iron flanged
or box girder, or of a pair of light girders (as shewn in Sheet 2), having at
each end at right angles to it shorter lengths of girder, to which wheels aro
affixed. These wheels run on ordinary rails and timber framework gantry,
as usually fixed. The drum around which the lifting rope or chain coils is
suspended underneath the main girder from a carriage or framework usually
called the jenny B, which runs on four wheels on the top of the girder. Motion
is given to the drum by means of an endless chain or rope (worked from the
ground scaffolding of a building, or a platform suspended from itself), passing
over a grooved wheel c, which by means of geared wheels works the drum A.
Motion from end to end of the traveller is given by the same endless chain,
having previously by means of a lever D thrown the pinion E out, and brought
the pinion F into gear with H, a toothed wheel on the axle of the wheels
belonging to the jenny. A further motion of the lever D alters the pinion F,
and brings it into work or gear with the crown wheel I, which gives motion'

page_text: to the wheels K, L, and thus by the wheel L, which runs loosely on 'the
square shaft M, to the toothed wheels N, O, connected with the wheels of:
the cross carriage, and this gives motion to the traveller along the gantry.
When the load is brought to its proper position, a rope attached to the lever P.
throws the pall out of the ratchet motion Q, and at the same time puts on'
the break R. When the weight is lowered a rope attached to the spring S
restores everything to its original position.
With regard to the double and single purchase (Sheet 2), the same:
description applies so far as regards the drum, endless chain wheel, jenny,
lowering and restoring motion; but the first motion of the lever D throws E:
out of double gear, and brings E" into single purchase. The next motion of
the lever alters the last gearing, and brings the pinion E into the toothed'
wheel H, thus moving the jenny along the traveller. A further pull on the
lever takes the clutch G on the pinion into the endless screw I, which gives
motion to the toothed wheel K, and then by shaft M to the wheels N and O:
as before, and thus moves the traveller along the gantry.
In the steam traveller (Sheet 3), the shaft M becomes the motive power,
being worked by the main shaft C, which runs the entire length of the gantry)
on swing or tumbler bearings U, and thus gives motion by bevilled wheels V:
to one or any number of travellers. On the shaft M a bevilled wheel F works
the bevilled wheel and lifting pinion E, and then by the geared wheels the
drum A. Attached to the wheel F is another G; this gives motion to the
small bevilled wheels H on either side when thrown into gear by the lever D,
and these being geared by small wheels to the wheels of the jenny move it
either way, the wheels H being kept out of gear by the balance weights I.:
Motion along the gantry is given by means of the endless screws A and
wheels K, having underneath each a bevilled wheel; these work the main:
wheels O by means of the wheel L, which is thrown into gear by the lever S
and the rod T running the whole length of the girder. The pall and break are.
worked as before, but previous to lowering the wheel W and lifting pinion E.
are thrown out by means of the lever X, and the drum thus left free to
revolve, the wheels W, E, returning to their original position by means of
the balance weight T. Should the steam power give way, or it should be
required to work by hand, an endless chain wheel can be attached as before,
and the bevilled wheels V thrown out of gear.
Having now described the Drawings, I shall explain another method which'.
I propose to use where it may seem to me to answer the purpose better, such
as in lifting very heavy weights, or where less manual power is required to
be used. The main construction of the traveller is the same, but the shaft as

page_text: in the steam traveller is made the motive power, and is placed with its gearing
under the girders instead of above. The endless chain wheel is placed on
this, and travels along with the jenny. On this shaft I place an endless screw,
which moves a geared wheel, and by this the drum of the jenny, the drum
being so placed on its own shaft that by means of clutches it can either be
lowered by the break or the screw. In moving the jenny along the traveller
I make use of a rack and geared wheel. Motion along the gantry is given
as in Drawings 1 and 2. These machines can be worked entirely from below,
either by hand or steam power, and thus a great saving is effected, as
follows:-
First erection of the gantry.-As one steam engine when fixed below can
work any number of travellers, the weight to be carried is considerably less
than when each is worked by a separate engine, also when worked by manual
power, all the men being below, and the traveller itself much. lighter in con-
struction than those at present in use, the gantry can be erected of much
slighter timbers.
Keeping the gantry in repair.-The vibration caused by a number of small
engines working on one end of the traveller is done way with, and the racking
and straining of the framework avoided.
Working by steam power.-The working expenses of one engine of, say,
10-horse power, being considerably less than that of five engines of 2-horse
power each.
Working by manual labor.-The men on the jenny are entirely dispensed
with, and the laborers who are with the mason or setter perform the lifting
and other motions themselves.
Greater expedition and accuracy in the work.-Instead of the mason's
attention being withdrawn just at the moment when the stone is bedding to
give some signal up above, he can by a simple motion of his head or hand
direct everything, and thus avoid shifting the work a second time with
bars, &c.
In the construction of docks or similar works where the masonry is set in
parallel courses at once, two jennies can be worked by the same motions on
one traveller, and thus every second movement is avoided.
4
Safety to human life. Should a beam of the traveller or anything give
way, the men being below have a great chance of escape, but when on the
jenny not the slightest.
For stone wharves or similar places where the space between the gantry is
blocked up, they can be worked outside the gantry altogether by a chain wheel
from the end of the traveller, or if it should be impossible to work them below

page_text: at all, then from a stage fixed outside the gantry on a level with the end of a
traveller. Where a number of travellers are at present in use, and it would
be too expensive to do away with them at once, the patent jenny and other
motions can be adapted to them.
Having now described my said Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be carried into effect practically, together with the general advan-
tages of these improved travellers over those hitherto constructed, I would
remark in conclusion that I do not restrict myself to the exact details and
configuration of parts expressed and shewn, as the same may possibly be varied
or modified without in any way departing from the principles on which the
Invention is based; but what I claim and desire to be secured to me by the
herein in part recited Letters Patent are, the general arrangement, construc-
tion, and combination of parts constituting "Improvements in Travellers
actuated by Hand or Steam Power, applicable to Warehouses, Factories,
Building Yards, and other Purposes," substantially as specified herein, and
illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Nathaniel Wynn, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
0
Witness,
WILLIAM CHESSELL,
Cosham,
Hants.
WILLIAM NATHANIEL WYNN. (L.S.)