Improvements in Counterbalancing the Haulage Cables or Chains of Hydraulic Lifts.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 14th May, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Counterbalancing the Haulage Cables or Chains of
Hydraulic Lifts.
1, FREDERICK GLASS of St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, in the Colony of Victoria,
Australia, Engineer, 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 :—
This invention is devised for the purpose of synchronously balancing the weight of
the lifting cables in hydraulic lifts where the lifting ram or piston raises the car (by
the medium of multiplying sheaves and ropes or chains) and consists in two heavy
chains preferably (for sake of weight and smoothness of working) of cast iron
links connected either by wrought iron pins as shewn in Figures 3 and 4 or by cast
iron pins cast on the centre links said chains have their ends fastened to a fixed
point in the same plane as the mid stroke of ram and the other end is fastened to
ram head, so that when the ram is out at its full stroke and car is right at the top
of its travel all the weight of balance chains is off the ram head and hanging on
fixed point and vice versa when ram is right home in cylinder and car is down at the
bottom with suspension cables hanging full length, the whole weight of chains is
hanging on ram head and tending to balance the weight of suspension ropes. Of
course at intermediate points of travel the ram head receives a certain portion of
the weight of the chains proportionate to length of suspension cables paid out on
the other side of overhead sheave.
These balance chains are preferably attached to the ram head or to the weights
bolted to same but where more convenient I secure them to any moving portion of
the machine.
Reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings in which―
Figure 1. shews that type of inverted ram lift in which the lower multiplying
sheaves are fixed below ram head and the two balance chains are hung from fixed
points (on wall, timbers, or joists of the building) "A" and "D," and attached at
other ends to ram head at points "B" and "C."
In same way in Figure 2 which represents a new type of inverted ram lift with
lower sheaves placed above top of cylinder the balance chains are attached to ram
head at points "B" and "C." The chains are proportioned in weight to weigh in
themselves as much more than the suspension cables (which they balance) as the
difference in travel requires. Thus if multiplying power of machine be so
arranged that when car travels four feet the ram travels one foot, the balance
chains are made so heavy that the amount of balance chain required by ram in
lift travel is equal to the weight of four feet of suspension cables attached
to car.
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.―
In hydraulic suspended lifts worked by piston or inverted ram combined with
multiplying gear the synchronously balancing of the varying weight of the
suspension or lift cables attached to car by means of heavy chains attached to the
ram, ram head piston cross head or other moving portion of machine in the manner

page_text: and for the purposes substantially as described and explained and as illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
1
Who of March 1892
FREDERICK GLASS.
John P. O'Donnell,
2, Great George Street, Westminster, London, S.W.,
Agent for said Applicant.