Improvements in Lifts.
Year: 1895

page_text: Improvements in Lifts.
I COURTENAY WILLIAM THOMPSON of 30 College Road Bromley in the
County of Kent Mining Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide a lift which is more especially intended
for domestic use, but is applicable as a lift generally, the arrangement being such
that it can be operated, for instance, from an ordinary town supply of water and
is economical, simple, safe, easily operated and not liable to get out of order.
The lift is arranged so that it is raised and lowered by the addition of weight
to, or the taking of weight from, an attachment to one end of a rope, or its
equivalent which passes over a pulley or sheave and carries at its other end the
cage, or is attached to a winding drum the cage of the lift being attached to
another winding drum on the same axis. The cage is raised by addition of
weight to the attachment and lowered by the taking of weight therefrom.
A convenient mode of applying and withdrawing the weight is to make the
attachment a vessel, or receptacle, for water and to provide means whereby water
can be admitted thereto, (from the town supply for example) and withdrawn
therefrom through suitable taps provided with connections led into the cage for
convenient operation by the person in the cage. The lift is so arranged that
the tendency is always towards a state of equilibrium so that when the supply,
or withdrawal, of the water, or other weight, is discontinued the cage comes to
rest which can be effected by causing the weight of the attachment as it descends
to exert its power in a less and less effective manner, or by causing the cage to
take up weight as it ascends whilst during, the descent of the cage the reverse
of this takes place.
In an ordinary arrangement of pulley and spindle with a rope passing over the
pulley if the cage be suspended from one end of the rope and a vessel of equal
weight be suspended from the other end of the rope or if two ropes be used each
attached to the drum and wound in opposite directions the cage and vessel will be
in equilibrium but if water for instance be supplied to the vessel then the cage will
rise and if water be drawn from the vessel the cage will descend. In either case
however the movement though at first only slow will quickly increase and be
eventually very dangerous. If however the weighted vessel be suspended from a
conically arranged helix on the winding drum on the spindle so that the rope has a
certain power for the largest convolution of the coil, when the drum turns round
once the rope has less power for next convolution of the coil and as the diameter
of convolutions of the coils decreases so the power of the rope decreases. If
therefore the cage be suspended from a rope wound the reverse way on a simple
drum on the same spindle or on a reversely arranged helix and if water be supplied
to the vessel it will only descend (and raise the cage) to a limited extent that is
until the effect of the increased weight of water is neutralized by the decreased
diameter of the helix, when equilibrium will be re-established and the cage will
stop if the supply of water be discontinued. Thus for a certain weight of water
supplied to, or drawn from the weighted vessel, the cage will be raised, or lowered,
to an equivalent extent. If the water be supplied, or drawn off, in a continuous
stream then the cage will rise, or descend, steadily and will not gain speed or
impetus, and will travel with safety and may be stopped at any point by closing.

page_text: the supply or withdrawal passage. This continuous establishing of equilibrium
constitutes the main feature of this invention. There are many methods other
than that already illustrated for applying this principle and the following are
examples but I do not limit myself to these.
A flexible pipe may descend from the bottom of the vessel for water and be
carried up again in a loop to the water supply and withdrawal taps. A rope
passes through the cage so that a person in the lift can open, or close, either the
feed tap or the waste tap. The equilibrium device may be a chain attached to the
cage and capable of coiling up below the cage so that as the cage rises an
increasing weight of chain has to be raised, thus requiring a continuous and
increasing supply of water to maintain the descent of the vessel until the cage
reaches eay a landing. Conversely as the cage descends a decreasing weight of
chain acts to pull it down so that water requires to be continuously drawn off from.
the vessel and so the cage will stop when the valves are closed or the weight of the
flexible pipe and the water in it may be substituted for the chain or be an auxiliary
equilibrium device. Or the water vessel may rise and fall within a pipe which
prevents the water drawn off from splashing and will also lead the water. from the
supply into the vessel, as before a rope leads through the cage to open and close.
the feed tap and a rope controlling the waste tap carried in the vessel passes over
the pulley to the cage; the equilibrium device here may also be a chain but its
other end may be suspended about midway in the travel.
A system of two, or more, pulleys may be continued so as to multiply, or reduce,
the power of the weighted vessel.
If desired the weighted vessel may be substituted by another lift, or the single
lift may be connected with the water supply and the weight of the vessel may
be kept constant.
When by reason of persons getting in or out of the lift the equilibrium is to be
restored before starting up or down, the door will be open and will then be
prevented from closing by a catch which, when the lift is too light or too heavy,
will not allow the door to close, thus preventing the lift from being used unless in
a safe state.
The moving parts of the lift may travel in any suitable guides and may be fitted
with any kind of safety catch.
Dated this 4th day of November 1895.
:
f
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, Loudon, W.C., Agents.
+
Improvements in Lifts.
I, COURTENAY WILLIAM THOMPSON, of 30 College Road, Bromley, in the
County of Kent, Mining 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 object of my invention is to provide a lift which is more especially intended
for domestic use, but is applicable as a lift generally, the arrangement being such
that it can be operated, for instance, from an ordinary town supply of water, and is'
economical, simple, safe, easily operated, and not liable to get out of order. The
lift is arranged so that it is raised and lowered by the addition of weight to, or the
taking of weight from, an attachment to one end of a rope, or its equivalent, which
passes over a pulley or sheave and carries at its other end the cage, or is attached
to a winding drum, the cage of the lift being attached to another winding drum
secured to the same axis. The cage is raised by addition of weight to the attach-
ment and lowered. by the taking of weight therefrom: " A 'convenient mode of

page_text: applying and withdrawing the weight is to make the attachment a vessel, or
receptacle, for water and to provide means whereby water can be admitted thereto,.
(from the town supply for example) and withdrawn therefrom through suitable.
taps provided with connections led into the cage for convenient operation by the i
person in the cage. The lift is so arranged that the tendency is always towards a
state of equilibrium so that when the supply, or withdrawal, of the water, or other
weight is discontinued, the cage comes to rest--which can be effected by causing
the weight of the attachment as it descends to exert its power in a less and less
effective manner, or by causing the cage to take up weight as it ascends whilst
during the descent of the cage the reverse of this takes place.
In an ordinary arrangement of pulley or drum and spindle such as is. illustrated!!
in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings with a rope a. b. passing over the
pulley C secured to the axle c if the cage be suspended from the end a of the rope:
and a vessel of equal weight be suspended from the end 6 of the said rope, or if two
ropes be used each attached to the pulley or drum and wound in opposite
directions, the cage and vessel will be in equilibrium; but if water, for instance,
be supplied to the vessel then the cage will rise, and if water be drawn from the
vessel the cage will descend. In either case however the movement, though at first:
only slow, will quickly increase and be eventually very dangerous. If however the
weighted vessel be suspended from a conically arranged helix on the winding drum C
as illustrated in Figure 2 so that the rope b has a certain power for the larger :
portion of the helix at 1 when the drum turns round the rope has less power for:
the next portion 2 of the helix and as the diameter of the helix decreases in its
convolutions as at 3 to 8, till the rope eventually takes the position shewn at 6,
so the power of the rope exerted on the drum decreases. If therefore the cage be
suspended from the rope a, wound the reverse way to the rope b, on a simple drum :
secured to the same spindle c with the helix, or on a reversely arranged helix, and
if water be supplied to the vessel attached to the rope b, the said vessel will only.
descend (and raise the cage) to a limited extent that is until the effect of the
increased weight of water is neutralized by the decreased diameter of the helix,
when equilibrium will be re-established and the cage will stop if the supply of
water be discontinued. Thus for a certain weight of water supplied to, or drawn from,..
the weighted vessel the cage will be raised, or lowered, to an equivalent extent..
If the water be supplied, or drawn off, in a continuous stream then the cage will.
rise, or descend, steadily and will not gain speed, or impetus, and will travel with
safety and may be stopped at any point by closing the supply, or the withdrawal,
passage. This continuous establishing of equilibrium constitutes the main feature
of this invention. There are many methods other than that illustrated for
applying this principle and examples are illustrated by Figures 3 and 4 but I do
not limit myself to these arrangements. In Figure 3 M is the ground level No. 1 is. ;
the lower landing stage and No. 2 is the upper landing stage. A is the cage
B is the weighted vessel and C is the pulley. A flexible pipe P is connected to the...
'bottom of the vessel B and is carried up again in a loop to the water supply and..>
withdrawal taps E and F.. A rope H or ropes passes or pass through the cage and
is or are connected to the taps E and F so that a person in the cage can open, or:
close, either the feed tap E or the waste tap F.according to whether he wishes to...
ascend or descend. The equilibrium device is here represented as consisting of a
chain D attached to the cage and capable of coiling up below the cage so that as
the cage rises an increasing weight of chain has to be raised thus requiring a.
continuous and increasing supply of water to the vessel B to maintain the descent
of the said vessel until the cage A reaches lauding No. 2. Conversely as the cage
descends a decreasing weight of chain acts to pull it down so that water requires
to be continuously drawn off from the vessel B and so the cage will stop when the
valves are closed. Or the weight of the flexible pipe and of the water in it may
be substituted for the chain or act as an auxiliary equilibrium device thereto.
will be understood that the helix Figure 2 can be used on the drum C in addition
to or in substitution for the devices shewn. In Figure 4 I have illustrated an
;
lt
}

page_text: arrangement wherein the vessel B rises and falls within a pipe P which prevents the
water drawn off from splashing and will also lead the water from the supply F into
the vessel B and also prevent that splashing. As in the other arrangement a
rope H leads through the cage and is attached to the feed tap F to enable it to be
operated and a rope controlling the waste tap Eat the bottom of the vessel B passes
over the pulley C to the cage A. The equilibrium device in this arrangement may
be a chain D attached at one end to the cage its other end being here shewn
suspended about midway of the travel of the cage. The helix on the drum C as in
Figure 2 may be used in addition to, or in substitution for the chain D. A system
of two or more pulleys may be combined so as to multiply or reduce the power of
the vessel B. If desired the vessel B may be substituted by another cage or the
single cage may be connected with the water supply and the weight of the vessel B
may be kept constant. When by reason of persons getting into or out of the cage,
or goods being put therein, or removed therefrom, the equilibrium is to be restored
before starting up or down the door of the cage will be open and will engage in or
with the adjacent fixed parts to hold the cage in position and there will be a catch,
or stop, or catches, or stops, which when the cage is too light or too heavy will not
allow the door to close thus preventing the lift from being used until it is in a
safe condition..
Any suitable arrangement may be used for this purpose, a convenient arrange-
ment consisting of a stop on the floor for the lowermost stage and at a fixed part
about level with the top of the door for the uppermost stage and in both positions
for mid stages so that when the door is opened (the stops may be spring stops
yielding only in the direction to allow the door to open) it cannot be closed till the
cage is in a position which it takes up when the equilibrating weight is in the
requisite condition. The door will then be clear of the stops and can be closed but
otherwise the door by coming against a fixed part outside the cage keeps it in
position. To give some latitude of space for closing the door it may be made in
halves or parts divided transversely.
The moving parts of the lift may travel in any suitable guides and may be fitted
with any usual or suitable kind of safety catches to retain the cage (and also if
desired the equilibrating vessel) should the rope or the like break.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In combination with a lift an arrangement to produce the conditions of
equilibrium substantially as hereinbefore explained.
2. A lift consisting of or comprising a cage on one side of a pulley and a counter-
balancing vessel or the equivalent on the other side with means for supplying water
or other weight to and removing it from the vessel or equivalent or the cage and
means for preventing dangerous acceleration of speed substantially as hereinbefore
described.
3. The arrangements and combinations of parts constituting the lifts substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 30th day of April 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.