An Improved Hydraulic Lift or Hoist.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Jan.; 1889
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Oct., 1889-Accepted. 9th Nov.. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Hydraulic Lift or Hoist.
1, ADRIEN AUGUSTE VUIGNER of 23 Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris, France,
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
The common
The installation of lifts or hoists actuated by hydraulic cylinders presents special
difficulties when the platform that carries the load is of large dimensions and when
the load, which is always imperfectly centred, is considerable. This is the case for
example with lifts for raising loaded railway trucks and the like.
The lifts are generally arranged so as to rise in a vertical direction.
centre of gravity of the platform and of the load never coincides exactly with the
axis of the hydraulic cylinder or with the resultant of the hydraulic pressure, if there
are several cylinders; the platform is therefore subjected to a strain, the moment of
which cannot be balanced except by horizontal reactions which according to the nature
of the construction, are either entirely derived from the guides along which the plat-
form rises and falls, or partly from such guides and partly from the packing of the
hydraulic cylinder.
These reactions produce friction and jamming which in certain cases are sufficient, to
entirely stop the motion of the lift.
On the other hand, if the platform is fixed rigidly to the hydraulic piston, it is
indispensible that the structure should present great solidity, which can only be
obtained by increasing the dead weight of the apparatus to a considerable extent.
The
According to the present invention, the axis of the hydraulic cylinder and the guides
which are parallel thereto, instead of being arranged vertically, are inclined at a con-
siderable angle relatively to the vertical, while the platform remains horizontal, by
which arrangement the apparatus has a great degree of stability imparted to it.
hydraulic cylinder does not in that case support the whole weight of the platform and
of the load, but only the component of this weight parallel to the direction of the
cylinder and guides, the component which is at right angles to the direction of the
cylinder being balanced by the reactions exercised by the guides.
The platform is for this purpose provided with wheels or rollers that run upon
inclined guide rails, which afford the required reaction above mentioned, the apparatus
being thus made to partake more or less of the nature of a carriage with four wheels
placed on a horizontal plane. In this case the common centre of gravity of the plat-
form and its load is not necessarily situated vertically above the vertical of the centre
of the platform, any eccentricity in this respect having merely the effect of putting
unequal loads on the guide wheels, which are balanced by the counter pressure of the
guide rails, and consequently have, within certain limits. no disturbing effect.
The above described arrangement only requires a comparatively slight increase of
stroke for the piston if this is inclined in the proportion of 1 of base to 2 of height;
h
the stroke of the piston (1=) increases in the proportion of 100 to 112.
COS.
It will be readily understood that if the two axles of the wheels are caused by any
means to move parallel to the plane of the rails or guides which carry them, the plat-
form can only rise and fall in a position parallel to itself.
It is not necessary for effecting this to connect the platform rigidly to the piston;
the connection may be such as to afford a certain amount of play, and there results
from this construction a considerable reduction of weight and cost.
Within certain limits of displacement of the common centre of gravity of the plat-
form and its load, the action of the weight is sufficient to maintain the wheels upon the
rails, notwithstanding the lifting effort exercised at the centre of the platform by the
hydraulic piston. It is necessary however to provide for cases where the load is so
badly adjusted on the platform that the conditions of equilibrium are no longer fulfilled,

page_text: so that the wheels on the one or the other side would be raised from the rails. In
order to prevent defective action in such cases it is sufficient to provide above the rails
and parallel thereto special guides in which work spring slides fixed to the moveable
platform in front of the wheels.
It will he evident that only three, or a greater number than four wheels may be
applied to the platform.
In practically carrying out the above described method of construction, the inclined
cylinder is imbedded in a mass of masonry and has a horizontal flange by which it is
supported upon the horizontal upper surface of the masonry.
The piston or plunger is connected to the centre of the platform by a ball and
socket joint, and the platform is composed of two side girders formed of sheet and
angle iron, which are connected together by similar cross girders, and on the latter are
fixed wood joists carrying the boarding of the platform and the rails for the trucks.
The axles of the platform-wheels are carried in bearings fixed to the underside of
the side girders, the wheels being keyed on the axles and having flanges for preventing
lateral motion. The inclined guide rails are formed of strong flat iron plates fixed on a
wooden framework.
In front of each axle is fixed to the platform a transverse 1 shaped bearer
carrying over each wheel a spring slide which bears against an inverted inclined
rail, the ends of the said bearers serving also for the attachment of chains that
are led over fixed guide pulleys and, passing vertically downwards, have weights
attached to them for more or less completely balancing the weight of the platform
and its accessories.
1
For maintaining the platform in its raised position when the load is moving on
to or off from it, four strong vertical bars are provided, that are pivotted to strong
supports on the bottom of the lift framing, while at their upper ends they have
heads that enter recesses on the underside of the side girders of the platform when
in the raised position, so that the latter can rest upon these bars, while when the
platform is required to descend, these bars are made to recede from under the
platform by means of a system of levers and connecting rods on shafts actuated
by a handle at the upper level of the lift.
Close to the handle is situated the valve by. which the action of the hydraulic
cylinder is controlled. The raising of the platform beyond the required level is
automatically prevented by a loaded shut-off valve on a pipe connecting the pressure
supply pipe with the return pipe, which valve is ordinarily closed, but is opened by a
chain connected to the platform and to the lever of the valve, so that when the
platform arrives at the proper height, it causes the valve to be opened so as to
establish an equilibrium, whereupon the supporting bars are at once advanced under
the platform and the supply valve is closed.
Dated this 4th day of January 1889.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Hydraulic Lift or Hoist.
I, ADRIEN AUGUSTE VUIGNER of 23 Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris, France,
Civil 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 :-
The installation of lifts or hoists actuated by hydraulic cylinders presents
special difficulties when the platform that carries the load is of large dimensions 5
and when the load, which is always imperfectly centred, is considerable. This is
the case for example with lifts for raising loaded railway trucks and the like.
The lifts are generally arranged so as to rise in a vertical direction. The.common
centre of gravity of the platform and of the load never coincides exactly with the axis

page_text: of the hydraulic cylinder or with the resultant of the hydraulic pressure if there are
several cylinders; the platform is therefore subjected to a strain, the movement of
which cannot be balanced except by horizontal reactions which, according to the nature
of the construction, are either entirely derived from the guides along which the plat-
form rises and falls, or partly from such guides and partly from the packing of the
hydraulic cylinder.
These reactions produce friction and jamming which in certain cases are sufficient
to entirely stop the motion of the lift.
On the other hand, if the platform is fixed rigidly to the hydraulic piston, it is
indispensable that the structure should present great solidity, which can only be
obtained by increasing the dead weight of the apparatus to a considerable extent.
According to the present invention, the axis of the hydraulic cylinder and the guides
which are parallel thereto, instead of being arranged vertically, are inclined at a con-
siderable angle relatively to the vertical, while the platform remains horizontal, by
which arrangement the apparatus has a great degree of stability imparted to it. The
hydraulic cylinder does not in that case support the whole weight of the platform and
of the load, but only the component of this weight parallel to the direction of the
cylinder and guides, the component which is at right angles to the direction of the
cylinder being balanced by the reactions exercised by the guides.
The platform is for this purpose provided with wheels or rollers that run upon
inclined guide rails, which afford the required reaction above mentioned, the apparatus
being thus made to partake more or less of the nature of a carriage with four wheels
placed on a borizontal plane. In this case the common centre of gravity of the plat-
form and its load is not necessarily situated vertically above the vertical of the centre
of the platform, any eccentricity in this respect having merely the effect of putting
unequal loads on the guide wheels which are balanced by the counter pressure of the
guide rails, and consequently have, within certain limits, no disturbing effect.
The above described arrangement only requires a comparatively slight increase of
stroke for the piston if this is inclined in the proportion of 1 of base to 2 of height;
increases in the proportion of 100 to 112.
the stroke of the piston (1 =
=====
h
cos a
a)
It will be readily understood that if the two axles of the wheels are caused by any
means to move parallel to the plane of the rails or guides which carry them, the plat-
form can only rise and fall in a position parallel to itself.
It is not necessary for effecting this to connect the platform rigidly to the piston;
the connection may be such as to afford a certain amount of play and there results
from this construction a considerable reduction of weight and cost.
Within certain limits of displacement of the common centre of gravity of the plat-
form and its load, the action of the weight is sufficient to maintain the wheels upon
the rails, notwithstanding the lifting effort exercised at the centre of the platform by
the hydraulic piston. It is necessary however to provide for cases where the load is so
badly adjusted on the platform that the conditions of equilibrium are no longer
fulfilled, so that the wheels on the one or the other side would be raised from the rails.
In order to prevent defective action; in such cases it is sufficient to provide above the
rails and parallel thereto special guides in which work spring slides fixed to the
moveable platform in front of the wheels.
It will be evident that only three, or a greater number than four wheels may be
applied to the platform.
The accompanying drawings shew by way of example a hydraulic lift for raising
and lowering railway rolling stock, and the like, constructed according to the before
described invention. Fig. 1 shews a longitudinal section. Fig. 2 a cross section
through one of the axles of the guide wheels, Fig. 3 a plan partly in section, and Fig. 4
a cross section shewing the gear for the bolts or catches.
C is the inclined hydraulic cylinder actuated by water at a pressure of about 40
atmospheres, the piston or plunger of which is connected to the platform frame by a
ball and socket joint.
The platform framing P P consists of iron longitudinal and transverse bearers, on

page_text: which is fixed the wooden platform carrying the rails, which correspond with rails at
the upper and lower level of the permanent way.
The
The axles E E are carried in bearings fixed to the underside of the bearers, and have
fixed on their ends wheels provided with flanges for preventing lateral shifting.
inclined rails R, R, which are fixed at the same inclination as the cylinder C, are
formed of deep flat plates. In front of each axle there is fixed to the platform a heavy
angle iron carrying in front of each wheel a spring slide G which bears against an
inverted rail R¹ by which means the wheels are prevented from moving away from
the rails when the load upon the platform is not properly centred.
The ends of the angle irons I serve at the same time for the attachment of chains
which, after passing over pullies S, hang down vertically and have balance weights
attached to their ends, for balancing the weight of the platform and its accessories, so
that the expenditure of hydraulic power is reduced to a minimum.
For securing the platform in the raised position while the vehicle is being removed
therefrom or placed upon it, the following locking arrangement is provided. Four
strong barst are supported at their lower ends in bearings c fixed on the framing and
have crossheads at their upper ends.
They are arranged to be either moved forward at the upper ends, as shown in Fig. 4,
so as to project underneath the bearers of the platform, or they are moved back into
recesses formed in the uprights of the framing. This motion is imparted by two
longitudinal shafts a a having cranks m jointed by rods n to the crossheads of the
bars t, being passed through slots in the framing for this purpose.
The movement of the two shafts is effected simultaneously by means of a long
connecting rod 6 passing underneath the rails of the upper permanent way.
The
motion is imparted to the one shaft by means of a hand lever e fixed on the end thereof.
Near this lever is situated the valve for regulating the supply of the hydraulic
pressure to the cylinder and the discharge of water therefrom.
On the water pressure pipe is provided an automatic apparatus, for preventing
the platform from being raised above the required level. This apparatus consists
of a valve which is held closed by a loaded fever and which establishes a commu-
nication between the pressure pipe and a return pipe.
A chain fixed at one end to the platform and at the other end to the loaded
lever, causes the valve to be raised as soon as the platform arrives at the desired
level, so as to prevent any further action of the water pressure. The above
described locking apparatus is then put in action, and the supply valve closed.
For effecting the descent of the loaded platform, the regulating valve is opened
so as to readmit the water pressure to the cylinder, thereby enabling the locking
gear to be readily withdrawn, after which the cylinder is made to communicate
with the return pipe, so as to allow the platform to descend gradually to its lower
position, where it is supported by the framework.
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 :-
'
1. The improved construction of lift or hoist, wherein a horizontal platform is moved
in an inclined direction by means of one or more inclined hydraulic cylinders or
equivalent appliances, the platform being guided in its motion by means of inclined
guide rails arranged parallel to the hydraulic cylinder, against which rails the platform
is made to bear either by means of wheels or slides, or both combined, substantially
as herein described.
2. The construction of hydraulic lift or hoist with platform travelling in an inclined
direction arranged and operating substantially as herein described with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
5.
1000