Improved Automatic Winding Apparatus for Weight Motors and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1893
Complete Soecification Left, 23rd Jan., 1894-Accepted, 17th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Automatic Winding Apparatus for Weight Motors and
the like.
I, ROBERT HOWE GOULD of Chauɛsec Strasse 39, Berlin N. in the Empire of
Germany, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an automatic hydraulic winding apparatus principally
intended for use in combination with Hughes' apparatus but which can also be used
in all mechanisms worked by weights or other similar means and in particular those
which run down rapidly.
As is known, the driving weight in Hughes' apparatus descends so rapidly that,
in continuous use, it has to be wound up about every five minutes.
In the present
invention, however, this is effected automatically by means of a small water-column
machine which is set in operation immediately the driving weight has reached a
given point when a stop-pin holding the disc of the water-column machine in such
position as to regulate the water, is drawn back or released and the feed cut off.
When the machine has raised the weight sufficiently high again, the stop pin shoots
forward in the previous position.
The arrangement of the winding apparatus is as follows:
The driving weight is suspended from a roller round which are wound two chains,
one of which works both on the mechanism of the Hughes' apparatus and on the
roller from which the weight is suspended. The other chain is wound round a
third roller which can only turn in one direction, so that when the weight is
descending it does not rotate.
A double fork is connected with the weight and one of the rollers and after the
weight has reached a certain height engages with a pin fastened to a lever and
raises same. By an arrangement of levers the stop-pin is released by the upward
movement of the pin above mentioned. Another fork having a downward direction
is connected with the aforesaid double fork and which on the weight being wound up,
engages with another pin attached to a lever and causes the stop-pin to be pushed
forward.
When the winding apparatus is not in use a lever rests on the stop pin and falls
down when the latter is released.
In order to regulate the feed and waste water, a rotating disc is arranged and
with which pins fixed in the courses of the levers and rigidly connected by means
of curved pieces and also a lever are so connected, that, in the centre position, both
the feed and waste water channels are closed; when the disc is on the left side the
channel for the feed water is opened whilst that for the waste water is closed; when
the disc is on the right side the channel for the feed water is closed whilst that for
the waste water is open.
The water-column machine consists of a cylinder and piston rod connected with
a double lever engaging with a chain wound round a pinion and under spring
pressure. The pinion is so arranged that in being turned in one direction it works
with a roller on the same axle whilst in the other direction it turns loosely. Its
mode of operation is as follows: When the driving weight descends, the one chain
descends along with it whilst the other chain ascends with the roller and weight.
When the driving weight has descended to a given distance the other weight will
have been raised so high that the double fork engages with a pin whereupon the
stop-pin is released. Hereupon a lever causes a sudden tilting of the disc. The
feed channel is now open and the waste channel closed, so that the water passing

page_text: into the cylinder presses the piston upwards causing the one arm of a double lever
to swing outwards and the other to swing downwards. In this movement of the
double lever one roller slides upwards whilst the other has a downward movement.
By means of a lever the pin is then moved in the middle position; as soon as it
has got past the centre the weight lever falls to the right and engages another
pin so that the disc is reversed, the water being in this way regulated.
Dated this 17th day of June 1893.
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
76, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
DI BOLTIVATOR
Improved Automatic Winding Apparatus for Weight Motors and
the like.
I, ROBERT HOWE GOULD, of 39 Chaussee Strasse, Berlin, in the Empire of
Germany, 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 :-
My invention relates to automatic winding-up apparatus, for use principally in
combination with Hughes' apparatus, but also suitable for use in all mechanisms
worked by weights or the like, and in particular those which run down rapidly.
As is known, the driving weight in Hughes' apparatus descends so rapidly, that,
in continuous use, it has to be wound up about every five minutes. By means of
the present invention, however, this winding-up is effected automatically, the
motive power being a small hydraulic motor which starts itself immediately the
driving weight has sunk to a given point and keeps on working until said weight
has been wound up again when the motor stops automatically.
I will explain my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which:
Fig. 1 is a plan view.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation.
Fig. 3 an end clevation.
Fig. 4 a part side elevation and
Fig. 5 a section showing the connection of the valve feed and waste pipes and
cylinder.
The driving weight (a) is suspended from the ends of a roller (9) (Fig. 2) round
which is passed an endless chain (h, 1, 2). This chain works on both the
mechanism of Hughes' apparatus and a second roller (i) from which the weight (K)
is suspended. Said chain (h) is further passed round a roller (!) which can only
turn from right to left in the position shown in Fig. 2, the locking being effected
in any ordinary known way. The roller (1) must thus remain stationary whilst the
driving weight is descending, the mechanism being meanwhile set in motion and
the weight (K) drawn up by the part (2) of the endless chain.
It may here be mentioned, that the chain arrangement is known in Hughes'
apparatus and forms no part of the present invention.
The hydraulic motor which can be located in any convenient position, consists
of a cylinder (j), a piston (k), a weight (T), feed and waste pipes (G) and (H)
and slide valve (G) which last is actuated by the contact of a weighted lever (e)
with pins () and (2) projecting from the ends of a curved guide piece (D), which
latter is attached to the valve spindle in such way that, when the weighted lever
falls to the left (Fig. 5) the inlet for the passage of the feed water into the
cylinder is opened, whilst the outlet for the waste water is closed; and, when said
lever falls to the right and engages with pin (2), the waste outlet is opened and
the feed inlet closed. When the weighted lever is held in its centre position,

page_text: both the feed inlet and waste outlet are closed and the motor consequently
stopped.
The feed water passes through pipe (G) and the waste water through pipe (H).
The piston (k) of the motor is pivoted on to the end of a double lever (f, f¹),
turning on pivot (*) and which double lever engages with a chain (L) (Fig. 3)
passed round a spur wheel (M) connected with a spring (N). In this position said
spur wheel can only work from left to right on the shaft common to it and the
roller (), and, in the reverse direction, runs loosely.
Pivoted on
to and actuated by the double lever (f, f¹) are two lever
arms (0, 0) having hollow spaces or recesses (02 0³) at or near their inner lower
ends and provided at their free ends with rollers (P, P¹) running on guide
curves (RR) under tension of springs (Q, Q').
From the lower part of the rod of the weighted lever (e) projects & pin (S)
which alternately engages in the recesses (0, 0) in such way that said weighted
lever (e) is raised by the upward movement of the lever in whose recess said
pin (S) rests.
I find it preferable, however, to use the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 in which
the pin (S) is caught and held by a catch (m) under the tension of a spring (m³).
The weighted lever (e) turns on the valve spindle (x) and falls at the ends of its
course on blocks (y) and (y') respectively.
In order to hold the weighted lever (e) in its centre position, I arrange a
stop-piu (d) having its point hinged on one side and which stop-pin can be released
or shot forward by the roller (i) having a catch or carrier (6) and by the following
arrangement.
Screwed to the frame of the machine is a holder (n) to which is pivotally
attached a small crank (n'), on to the end of which is in turn pivoted a connecting
rod (o) and also a catch-pin c. The lower end of said connecting rod is pivoted on
to another crank (p) pivotally attached to a holder (p') and connected with a
bell-crank lever (s) by means of a connecting bar (9) in such way, that the
crank (p) and arm (r) of the bell-crank lever have a parallel motion. (92) is a
holder to which is pivoted the bell crank-lever (r, s), and (¹) is a rest for the
roller (i.)
The mode of operation of my apparatus is as follows:
When the driving weight (a) descends, part (h) of the chain is drawn down with
it, whilst part (h) of said chain is drawn upward, and, with same, the roller (i) and
weight (K). When said driving weight (a) has sunk to a given point, the upper
double prongs (61) of the catch or carrier (6) attached to the roller (i) engage with
the catch-pin (c) and carry same upwards. This raises the connecting rod (0), and
consequently, the crank (p), connecting bar (9) and arm (r) of the bell crank
lever, whereupon, by means of arm (s) of said bell crank lever, rod (t) and
levers (u) and (v), the stop-pin (d) is released. The weighted lever (e) hitherto
held by the hinged point of said stop-pin, now falls over on the left block (y),
(Fig. 2) engaging in its course, with the pin (2) and, by thereby giving a downward
movement to the guide curve (D), opens the valve for the feed water, meanwhile
closing the outlet for the waste water. The water pressure then forces the
piston (k) upwards thereby giving an upward motion to the part (1) and a down-
ward motion to part (f) of the double lever. The upward movement of part (1)
of the double lever takes with it the lever arm (01) in whose recess (0³) the
pin (S) now rests and thereby raises the lever (e) in the reverse direction, the
roller (P) meanwhile running on the guide curve (R). The downward movement
of the part (f) of the double lever meanwhile lowers the lever arm (O) and draws
down the part (2) of the chain causing the spur wheel to revolve along with the
roller () which thus draws up the weight (a). In this latter movement the
roller (P) rolls down the guide curve (R). Immediately the weighted lever (e)
has been raised over the centre position by the up-stroke of the piston, the former
at once falls to the right contacting on its way with the pin (¹), the downward
movement of which reverses the valve, the pin (S) meanwhile engaging in the

page_text: recess (02) [or catch (m) if used] of the lever arm (O). The inlet for the feed
water is now closed and the outlet for the waste water open, whereupon the
weight (T) presses down the piston (k) and ejects the water from the cylinder.
In its downward movement, or down-stroke the piston (k) raises part (f) of the
double lever and, with same, the arm (O) and pin (S) resting in the recess (0) of
said arm, and, hence, the lever (e), the slack of the chain (L) being meanwhile
drawn up by the contraction of the spring (N) during which the spur wheel (M)
runs loosely. In this movement the roller (P) runs upward on the guide curve (R¹)
and the roller (P) downward on the guide curve (R).
The motor keeps on working in the manner described until the driving weight (a)
has reached its highest point, when the weight (K) will have drawn down the
chain (2) [as the roller (7) only turns from right to left] and the roller () low
enough for the latter to engage with a pin (c) by means of the lower inclined
prongs (63) of the catch (b), said pin (¹) being forced downwards. Hereupon the
crank (p) and arm (r) of the bell crank lever receive a downward parallel motion
by means of the connecting bar (g), with the result that, by means of the arm (s),
rod (t) and levers (u, v), the stop-pin (d) is shot forward again and holds the
weighted lever (e) in its centre position thus closing the valve and stopping the
motor.
The hinged point of the stop-pin (d) allows the weighted lever (e) to swing over
freely in the one direction, whilst it stops said lever after having been raised to the
centre in the other direction.
When the driving weight (a) has again reached its lowest point, the operation is
re-commenced, in the manner described, the number of strokes of the piston required
for raising the weight again being of unimportance.
A very important feature of my invention is the fact that the automatic
winding-up operation does not interfere in the least with the ordinary working, since
the driving weight exerts its force just the same whether being raised or lowered.
Moreover it is essential that the valve be reversed quickly, since, if the disc or
spindle were only moved slowly, the feed water would escape through the waste
outlet and thus cause loss of power and possibly a stoppage of the machine.
Having now described my invention I declare, that what I claim is :-
1. A self-acting winding apparatus for weight motors and the like characterized
by the driving-weight being rewound up automatically immediately it has sunk to
a given point, by a hydraulic motor, the starting and stopping of which are effected
automatically by means of an endless chain, catches, intermediary rods and levers,
stop-pin, weighted lever and valve substantially as described and shown in the
drawings.
2. In the self-acting winding apparatus as set forth under Claim 1, the
arrangement of a weighted lever (e) guide curve D, and pins (2, 2) whereby the
slide disc of the valve can be quickly and automatically turned in both directions
substantially as and for the purpose described and shown in the drawings.
3. In the self-acting winding apparatus as set forth under Claim 1, the
arrangement of double levers (f, f) with arms (0, 0¹) having recesses (020)
rollers (P, P) and guide curves (R, R¹) and catch (m) substantially as and for the
purpose described and shown in the drawings.
4. In the self-acting winding apparatus as set forth under Claim 1, the
arrangement of a roller (i), catch (6), having prongs (b1, b2), cranks (n¹) and (p),
catch-pins (c, c¹) connecting rod (o) and bar (9), bell crank lever (r, s) rod (t),
levers (u, v), and stop-pin (d) substantially as and for the purpose described and
shown in the drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1894.
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