IMPROVED MEANS FOR GIVING MOTION TO HOISTS WINCHES AND LIKE MACHINERY
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, ANDREW HIGGINSON, of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention for IMPROVED MEANS FOR GIVING
MOTION TO HOISTS WINCHES AND LIKE MACHINERY, to be as follows:-
My invention relates to means for conveying power from a suitable generator
to actuate hoists, winches élevators and like machinery economically by means of
simple durable and efficient apparatus and appliances.
The invention consists essentially in giving a column of water, continuous
motion by means of pumps and in diverting the, column through cylinders by
means of suitable valves when heavy weights are to be lifted or work is to be
done. And when heavy weights are to be lowered in returning back to the column
of water a proportion of the power previously used in lifting the said weights.
The water as will be evident is returned by pipes to the moving column.
In carrying my invention into practice I make use of pumps by preference two
or more plunger or piston pumps and give motion to the same by steam gas or
other engines provided with slide or automatic valves, if necessary of fitted with
cut off gear actuated by the pressure of the water in the circulating pipes leading
from the pumps. In case a non condensing steam engine is used an opening or
openings between the exhaust and interior of the cylinder and valve (or valves) is
provided: The pumps are fitted with a fly wheel or fly wheels, and a pipe or pipes
is or are led from the discharge of the pumps past each machine to the suction of
the pumps. Branch pipes are led from the main pipe to the cylinder of each
machine to be driven à valve being fitted at the junction of the main pipe and
branch:
Such valves are made with through ways so that water can pass when the valve
is closed and thus one or more machines can be stopped or reversed without
interfering with any of the other remaining machines..
When a single cylinder is used for a lift or the like a passage fitted with a valve
is formed at each end of the cylinder so that overwinding cannot take place and
when two or more piston or plunger cylinders are used to cause a crank shaft to
revolve a screw is employed to prevent over winding.

page_text: I ANDREW HIGGINSON of Liverpool in the County of Lancaster Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVED MEANS FOR GIVING
MOTION TO HOISTS WINCHES AND LIKE MACHINERY" and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention relates to means for conveying power from a suitable generator or
motor to actuate hoists winches elevators and like machinery economically by
means of simple durable and efficient apparatus and appliances.
The invention consists essentially in giving a column of water in pipes a
continuous motion by means of pumps; in diverting the column through cylinders
by means of suitable valves when weights are to be lifted or work is to be done ;
and when weights are to be lowered in returning back to the column of water a
portion of the power previously used in lifting the said weights.
In carrying my invention into practice I under one modification make use of
pumps by preference two or more plunge or piston pumps provided with slide or
automatic valves if necessary, that is to say with valves similar in arrangement
and action to those described in the specification to British Letters Patent N° 2701
of the year 1882 granted to me whereby when two or more pistons or plungers
are used one or more may be put out of action as the resistance to motion of the
column of water increases. When the automatic throttle or cut off gear hereinafter
described is used the above arrangement may be dispensed with.
Motion is given
to the said pumps by means of steam gas hydraulic or other engines fitted with
cut off gear actuated by the pressure of the water in the circulating pipes leading
from the pumps.
•
Fig. 1 is a general elevation of motor pumps and hoisting apparatus constructed
arranged and combined for carrying my invention into effect. Fig 2 is a sectional
view of the hoisting apparatus and valves under one modification. In both views
like letters denote the same parts.
•
a are pumps of any usual construction filled with a fly wheel, and receiving
motion from a motor b, c pipe through which the column of water flows from the
pumps, d pipe through which the water returns to the pumps, e. e¹ cylinders
through or past which the column of water flows, freversing stop through way
valve. The hoisting apparatus consists of a frame of suitable construction which
carries a winding barrel and shaft g on each end of which latter are crank pins h h¹
the one being diametrically opposite to the other; to each crank pin two plunger
rods i. are coupled. The said plunger rods work in cylinders e. el which oscillate
on trúnnions k¹ one of which for each cylinder is hollow and connected to a
pipe. The pipes lead to the valves m m¹ which receive oscillating motion
by means of the lever arms n.n¹ connected by the links o o¹ to the cylinders e e¹
beyond the valves m m¹ are passages ppl which lead to the hollow trunnions of
the oscillating cylinders coupled to the crank pins on the opposite end of the
winding barrel shaft. Above and below the valves m m³ are ways q q² leading
above and below the valve f. At each side of the valve fare chambers 7 71 opening
to the pipe c. The valve fis made with a through way 8. t chamber open to the
column of water and containing a piston and spring the former of which is
γ

page_text: connected by rods to the throttle valve u as shown or to link cut off or other
controlling gear.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The motor being started and all the
valves f being in the position shown in fig 2 by the dotted lines the column of
water flows continuously through the pipes c d from and to the pump without
work being done; the pressure in the chamber t is small and the throttle valve is
closed or the gear in such position that only enough steam or actuating fluid enters
the motor to cause it to keep the column of water in motion. If now one of the
valves fis placed in the position shown by the full lines in fig 2 the column of
water will be diverted through the ways q₁ p¹ to cylinders and will return through
the ways p and q to the continuation of the pipe c. The winding barrel will be
caused to revolve and the weight will be raised when the weight is raised
sufficiently high the valve fis returned to the position shown by the dotted lines
the column of water then flows directly onward through the pipe c and the
apparatus remains at rest. When it is desired to lower a weight the valve f is
turned at right angles to the position shown and the direction of flow of water past
the valves m m¹ is reversed. The pressure on the cylinders due to the lowering of
the weight forces forward the column of water and less power is required from the
motor.
It will be obvious that motors of various kinds may be used such as steam gas
or hydraulic I prefer a condensing steam engine: The means by which the power
developed by the motor is proportioned to the work to be done may be varied in
many ways, When a non condensing steam engine is used I make an opening or
openings leading from the cylinder to the exhaust or to the atmosphere and provide
such opening or openings with a valve or valves opening towards the interior of the
cylinder so that when no work is being done by the column of water and only a
small quantity of steam is admitted to the cylinder at each stroke the partial
vacuum which would otherwise be formed behind the piston before it had reached
the end of its stroke is destroyed by the inflow of air or exhaust steam through
the said aperture or apertures.
In order to prevent overwinding through negligence on the part of the attendant
the valve f is geared to the winding barrel by means of a screw and nut cam or
other appliance so that when the weight has been raised to the highest point
allowable the valve f will be automatically turned into the position shown by the
dotted lines. Means for effecting the above are so well known and may be carried
out in so many ways that it is not necessary here to describe them further.
Fig 3 is a vertical section of a modification of apparatus in which a single
cylinder provided with a piston is used in combination with the moving column of
water under my invention to elevate weights. Here the outflow pipe c alone is
shown, f is the throughway valve, e cylinder i piston the rod of which is fitted at
its outer end with the pulley v, w valve stem attached to valves so that when
the piston reaches either end of its stroke through communication will be
established and the flow of the column of water continue unchecked substantially
as setforth in the specification to British Letters Patent No 2701 of the year 1882
above referred to.
It will be obvious that when two or three hoists winches or elevators are used in
series one or more may at anytime be set in motion by turning the valves f and
that whether the hoists winches or elevators are at rest or at work the motion of
the column of water is continuous.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
First, Giving motion to hoists winches elevators and like machinery by means
of a continuously moving column of water substantially as setforth.

page_text: Second. The combination of motor, pumps, pipes, valves and hoisting or elevating
appliances substantially as herein setforth.
Third. The valve f for the purpose setforth.
Fourth. The combination of pipes ways passages and chambers and valves f. l.
m p q and r substantially as setforth.