A COMPENSATING CRANE
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Taylor, of Middlesbrough-on-Tees, in the-
County of Yorkshire, for the Invention of "A COMPENSATING CRANE."
Scaled the 10th July 1857, and dated the 3rd February 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Taylor at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd'
February 1857.
I, JAMES TAYLOR, of Middlesbrough-on-Tees, in the County of Yorkshire,.
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A COMPENSATING
CRANE," to be as follows:
The crane consists of an ordinary crane, with the addition of a second,
chain barrel, set in motion by. the ordinary barrel, but revolving at a less.
velocity. A chain from this second barrel is carried over a pulley on a second
short jib projecting from, the after part of the crane, and to this chain a series
of weights are to be fixed, according to the weights which the crane is work-
ing. The second barrel is thrown into and out of gear by a clutch or friction.
sheave, and when not in gear is held by a brake or by palls..
When goods are being lowered by the crane their weight will raise tho.
weight on. the second barrel, and this again will wind up or assist in winding
up the chain on the first barrel; as soon as it is released from the load and
the brake relieved, at the same time the crane is to a great extent balanced by
the weights on the second barrel, and there is less work for the brake to do..
In some cases, however, it may not be convenient to apply a second jib, as for

page_text: example, in warehouse cranes. In such cases the second barrel and the
weights may still be used for winding up the chain or rope, and for partly
counterbalancing the descending load, the chain from the second barrel being
taken over a pulley fixed in a convenient place; in many cases one constant
weight is sufficient, such weight being adjusted in the first instance to wind up
the chain at a convenient speed, and being governed by the brake. In raising
a load, the second barrel can be disconnected and the crane used in the ordi-
nary way, or the weight on the second barrel can be used to assist in lifting
the load.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Taylor in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st August 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
TAYLOR, of Middlesbrough-ou-Tees, in the County of Yorkshire, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Taylor, Her special licence that I, the said James Taylor,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Taylor, 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 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 "A COMPENSATING
CRANE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Taylor,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument 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 James Taylor, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying. Drawings, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
The crane consists of an ordinary crane, with the addition of a second chain
barrel, set in motion by the ordinary barrel, but revolving at a less velocity.
A chain from this second barrel is carried over a pulley on a second short jib
projecting from the after part of the crane, and to this chain a series of
weights are to be fixed, according to the weights which the crane is working.
The second barrel is thrown into and out of gear by a clutch or friction:
sheave, and when not in gear is held by a brake or by palls.
When goods are being lowered by the crane their weight will raise the
weight on the second barrel, and this again will wind up or assist in winding
up the chain on the first barrel; as soon as it is released from the load and the
brake relieved, at the same time the crane is to a great extent balanced by the
weights on the second barrel, and there is less work for the brake to do. In
some cases, however, it may not be convenient to apply a second jib, as for
example, in warehouse cranes. In such cases the second barrel and the
weights may still be used for winding up the chain or rope, and for partly
counterbalancing the descending load, the chain from the second barrel being
taken over a pulley fixed in a convenient place. In many cases one constant
weight is sufficient, such weight being adjusted in the first instance to wind up:
the chain at a convenient speed, and being governed by the brake. In raising
à load, the second barrel can be disconnected and the crane used in the
ordinary way, or the weight on the second barrel can be used to assist in
lifting the load.
Figure 1, Sheet I., of the accompanying Drawings, is an elevation or side
view, and Figure 2-is a plan, of a crane constructed according to my Inven-
tion. The lower portions only of the jibs are shewn in the Drawing. The
same letters refer to similar parts in each Figure. A is the central post of
the crane, which supports the frame B, which carries the barrels and machinery
of the crane; C is the main jib, which is braced by tie. rods D in the ordinary:
manner. The jib is fixed in a metal casting or frame E, jointed to the frame.
B at a, a, and resting on the axle of a wheel F, which travels on the fixed.
ring G; H is the main barrel. The chain or rope by which the load is to be
lifted is attached to the barrel H, and carried over a pulley at the top of the,
jib C, and attached to the load in the ordinary manner. I is a toothed wheel.
on the axis of the barrel H, which is driven by a pinion J, worked by winches
or handles; K, L, are an additional wheel and pinion, which can be brought
into gear when a greater power is required; M is a brake or strap, passing
round a wheel or ring on the axis of the barrel, and attached to a short lever

page_text: on a spindle carrying the lever, N. So far the crane is similar to ordinary.
cranes; and I will now proceed to describe the additional parts which I
introduce in order to render it compensating. is a second jib, supported by
the frame or piece P and wheel. Q, travelling on the ring G; and braced by tie
röds 'connected to the frame B; but which are not shewn in the Drawing; Ris
a second barrel, whose axis carries a toothed wheel -S, which geers into a pinion-T
on the spindle of the barrel H. This pinion is not permanently fixed on the
spindle of the barrel, but is capable of being slid into or out of geer with the
wheel S (or connected to or detached from the spindle of the barrel H) by
means of a clutch and lever U. V is a brake wheel or ring on the wheel S;
W is the brake or strap passing round 'the wheel V, and connected to a
lever X. A chain or rope is attached to the barrel R and carried over
a pulley at the top of the second jib O and attached to a heavy weight. When
the barrel R is thrown into geer by the clutch, the weight or counterbalance
will be raised while the load on the jib, C is being lowered, and vice versa.;
it will thus counterbalance a portion of the load and cause the crane to work
easier: The counterbalance being supported on the opposite side of the crane
post to the load, will also enable the crane to be turned round or steered with
greater case. Moreover, in lowering the load, as for instance, from a wharf
into a barge, its descent is more easily controlled by the brake, owing to a
portion of the load. being counterbalanced. When the load is deposited
in the barge or elsewhere, the chain is drawn up and wound on the
barrel II by the descent of the counterbalance, which is controlled by the
brake. If more convenient, the chain can be taken over a pulley at the
top of the upright post A, through the said -post, and the balance weight
attached to it, and made to work. beneath the crane. When the load
has to be raised, as from a barge on to a wharf, the counterbalance
assists in raising it. In this case, however, when the load is deposited
on the wharf the chain will not run down again by its own weight, and
it is necessary to turn the handles so as to wind up the counterbalance,
and at the same time to unwind the chain from the barrel H. As this mode
of proceeding might sometimes be inconvenient, the clutch is applied for
throwing the second barrel out of geer. The crane can then be used like any
ordinary crane, and the chain may; be allowed to run down by its own weight
or by a weight attached to it, being controlled by the brake. The counter-
balance may be made adjustable, so as to admit of its weight being.proportioned
to the loads to be lifted. For this purpose it may conveniently be made of a.
horizontal disc of cast iron, fixed; to a strong vertical iron bar or bolt, the top;
of which is attached to the chain which passes over the jib O. Several similar,

page_text: cast-iron discs may be-laid upon the aforesaid disc, each of these additional
discs having a radial notch reaching to its centre to admit the aforesaid bar
or bolt.
Figure 3, Sheet II., is a side view, and Figure 4 is a back view, of a portion
of another crane constructed according to my Invention, but without the
second jib, shewn in Figures 1 and 2. A is the crane post, carrying the
frame B, which carries the main barrel H and the second barrels R, R', and
the wheels and pinions I, J, K, and L. The main barrel H is fixed on the
spindle H, which carries the toothed wheel I, which is driven by the pinion J
on the spindle J. This spindle carries a wheel K, which is driven by a
pinion L on the spindle I, which carries the winches or cranks. R, R', are
two barrels, which are loose upon the spindle H, but either or both of which
can be made to turn with it by shifting the clutches C, C¹. The barrels R, R¹,
are of smaller diameter than the barrel H, and their peripheries conse-
quently move at a less velocity. R³ is a chain, which passes under a pulley
or pullies 6, b, on the balance weight Y. The two ends of this chain are
fixed to the two barrels R, R¹. c, c, are two pulleys, which prevent
the chain R from touching the interior of the hollow post A. When
both the barrels R, R', are thrown into geer, the proportion of the rato
at which the balance weight Y is raised to the rate at which the load
descends will depend on the relative diameters of the barrels R, R', and the
barrel H. If only one of the barrels R, R, is .thrown into geer the balance
weight will be only raised at one half of the velocity at which it is raised when
both barrels R, R', are in geer. A means is thus obtained of adjusting the
action of the balance weight without altering the weight itself.
adjustment may be carried still farther by making one of the
different diameter, as for example, of twice the diameter of the other barrel R¹;
then if the small barrel R' alone gives a power represented by one, the larger
barrel R will give a power of two, and the two barrels together will give a
power of three. Two or more balance weights may also be employed and
connected to separate barrels, either or all of which may be put in geer by
clutches or similar contrivances.
This mode of
barrels R of a
This arrangement of crane possesses similar advantages to that shewn in
Figures 1 and 2, except that the balance weight being in the central post does
not facilitate the steering or turning round of the crane, by relieving the post
of any of the transverse strain.
This construction is also applicable to warehouse and other cranes in which
the machinery is fixed while the jib only is steered or swung round with the
load. In all cases either the crane or the jib of the crane is to be moveable

page_text: and capable of being steered or swung round in the ordinary. manner, and in
all cases the parts are so proportioned that the vertical motion of the balance
weight is less than that of the load.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to the details of construction herein-before mentioned and
shewn in the Drawings, as the same may be varied, provided the peculiar
character of my Invention be retained; but what I claim is, constructing
cranes with a balance weight or weights supported by an additional jib or
otherwise, and so arranged that the said balance weight or weights may be
raised by means of a barrel or barrels while the load is descending, and vice
versa, but at a less velocity than the load, and may be capable of being thrown
out of geer when required, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the 'said James Taylor, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
THO R. TAYLOR,
Middlesbro'.
JAMES TAYLOR. (L.S.)