IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM CRANES AND HOISTS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Betts Brown, of 13, Cannon Street, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM CRANES
AND HOISTS,"
Sealed the 25th May 1866, and dated the 5th December 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Betts Brown at
the Office of the Commissiouers of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th December 1865.
I, ANDREW BETTS BROWN, of 13, Cannon Street, in the City of London, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
CRANES AND HOISTS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in steam cranes and hoists,
and applies more particularly to steam cranes and hoists in which the lift is
obtained by one stroke of a piston in a steam cylinder, multiplied in length by
passing the lifting chain around two sets of pulleys, one set of which is moved
by the steam cylinder to and from the other set; such cranes and hoists as at
present constructed, especially when of large size, are more or less dangerous
unless great care is taken in their use, as should the chain break the high-
pressure steam contained in the cylinder will blow the pistons out of the
cylinders. To avoid this danger, during the return stroke of the piston I
admit water (or liquid) into the cylinder on the further side of the piston
whilst the steam is being allowed to escape from the other side of the piston,
and this water at the next or lifting stroke is ejected from the cylinder and
Dube 871

page_text: returned to the tank from which it was drawn. The orifice through which
the water is admitted and expelled is of comparatively small size, and it is
capable of regulation by a stop-cock or otherwise; by this means the speed
of the piston can be adjusted as may be desired, as the piston can only be
driven by the steam as fast as the water is able to escape from the cylinder,
which of course depends on the size of the regulated orifice through which
it passes, so that even should the load on the chain be suddenly removed by
the breaking of the chain or otherwise, but a slight acceleration in the motion
the piston will result. To prevent the chilling of the cylinder the water
employed is kept hot.
The arrangement above described is useful not only to prevent damage
should the chain break, but also because it regulates the working speed of
the machine. Damage arising from the blowing out of the piston on the
breaking of a chain may also be prevented by admitting air (or aeriform fluid)
on the further side of the piston through an orifice fitted with a valve open-
ing inwards. This valve, however, is kept at such a distance from its seat
that the outward current of air when the machine is working at its proper
speed is insufficient to close it, but on the sudden removal of the load from
the chain breaking or otherwise, the current of air through the orifice
becomes very much more rapid, and the valve is lifted to its seat, thus
closing the orifice and confining the air in the cylinder. The air so confined
re-acts on the piston and stops it before it can strike the cylinder cover
In order that the apparatus may not be submitted to unnecessary strains
by the too rapid admission of steam, I connect the back end of the chain,
or that which usually is made fast to the frame, to a spring or equivalent
instrument, which roughly weighs the weight on the chain, and in connection
with this weighing instrument is a stop which limits the amount the steam
valve is able to open.
Where there is no load on, the workman is prevented
by the stop from opening the valvė more than a short distance, but a load
coming on the chain shifts the stop so as to allow the valve to be opened a
distance sufficient for lifting such load at a proper speed.
In constructing jib cranes in which the load is, as before explained, lifted
by a single stroke of a steam cylinder, I in some cases arrange the lifting
cylinder and boiler to remain stationary on their carriage or support, whilst
the jib only swings. Itisconvenient to mount the jiborswinging frame so that
may turn in bearings on the steam cylinder, which thus acts as the crane
post, and the lifting chain is by guide pulleys caused to pass through the
contre about which the jib swings, so that the length of chain from the pulleys
to the load may not be affected by the swinging of the jib, otherwise it would
it

page_text: not swing freely. When the lifting cylinder with the boiler are arranged to
swing with the jib about a centre post, I give the swinging motion by means
of an endless chain lapped around the post; this chain then passes over
guide pulleys into a vertical position, and over an upper pulley rotating on a
horizontal axis; this axis is conveniently carried by a small steam cylinder,
which is employed to haul on the chain, and so to swing the crane; this
small cylinder is itself conveniently carried by the lifting cylinder in an
inverted position, and its piston has two rods, which at their outer ends are
clamped to the chain, and as steam is admitted on one or other side of the
piston it causes the chain to be hauled in one or other direction.
In order to supply water to the boilers of steam cranes and hoists I employ
a small cylinder with a piston working within it. This piston is fixed on the
end of a plunger or very thick piston rod, which reduces the available area of
the piston on this side to what is required for making the return stroke. The
piston rod works a plunger or single-acting pump, which forces the waterinto
the boiler; by preference the plunger is a prolongation of the piston rod.
Steam is admitted from the boiler constantly to the cylinder on the plunger
side of the piston, but the pressure of this steam-in making the effective-stroke
is overcome by the steam acting on the larger area of the piston. To admit
and exhaust this steam a three-way or other similar cock is used, and an arm
on the plug of the cock is jointed to a rod, which at the end of each stroke
is struck by a projection of the piston rod, thus the plug is turned. In order
to ensure its moving fully over from one position to the other, a tumbling
weight is employed to complete the motion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Pateut, filed
by the said Andrew Betts Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th June 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
BETTS BROWN, of 13, Cannon Street, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five,in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Andrew Betts Brown, Her special licence that I, the said Andrew Betts
Brown, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Andrew Betts Brown, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM CRANES AND HOISTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Andrew Betts Brown, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Andrew Betts Brown, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in steam cranes and hoists,
and applies more particularly to steam cranes and hoists in which the lift is
obtained by one stroke of a piston in a steam cylinder,multiplied in length by
passing the lifting chain around two sets of pulleys, one set of which is moved
by the steam cylinder to and from the other set; such cranes and hoists ns at
present constructed, especially when of large size, are more or less dangerous
unless great care is taken in their use, as should the chain break the high-
pressure steam contained in the cylinder will blow the pistons out of the
cylinders. To avoid this danger, during the return stroke of the piston I
admit water (or liquid) into the cylinder on the further side of the piston
whilst the steam is being allowed to escape from the other side of the piston,
and this water at the next or lifting stroke is ejected from the cylinder and
returned to the tank from which it was drawn. The orifice through which
the water is admitted and expelled is of comparatively small size, and it is
capable of regulation by a stop-cock or otherwise; by this means the speed of
the piston can be adjusted as may be desired, as the piston can only be driven
by the steam as fast as the water is able to escape from the cylinder, which of
course depends on the size of the regulated orifice through which it passes,so
that even should the load on the chain be suddenly removed by the breaking
of the chain or otherwise, but a slight acceleration in the motion of the piston
will result. To prevent the chilling of the cylinder the water employed is
kept hot. The arrangement above described is useful not only to prevent
damage should the chain break, but also because it regulates the working
speed of the machine.

page_text: This arrangement is shown separately in section at Figure 1, and a crane
to which it is applied is shown at Figure 2, in which also other parts of
my Invention are illustrated.
In Figure 1, a is the boiler of a steam crane or hoist; b, a water tank,
mounted on its top and kept heated by the chimney c passing through it; &
is the cylinder of the hoist acting in the manner already described; e is a pipe
connecting the top of the cylinder d with the tank b, so that at the return
stroke of the piston the cylinder may become filled with hot water from this
tank. At the next stroke of the piston this water is returned to the tank,and in
doing so it has to pass through a valve constructed in the following manner:-
fis a fixed cylinder closed at the top and with waterways around its sides; on
the top or cover of the cylinder f another smaller cylinder g is mounted, and
in it a piston works; his drum fixed to the piston h, and when the piston
is at the upper end of the cylinder g, the drum h' is raised so as to cover and
close the waterways in the cylinder f, but when the piston is at the lower
end of its stroke the waterways are full open. The piston h is by a rod i con-
nected with the lever k, which is held down by a link attached at its lower
end to an adjustable spring balance.m. Should-the-piston in the-steam-
cylinder commence to move rapidly in its out stroke the pressure ou the
piston k is increased, and it rises, so partially closing the waterways until an
adjustment is effected and the speed checked to the desired extent. A treadle,
not shown in the Drawing, is also connected with the valve so that it may be
closed whenever desired, so as instantaneously to stop the lift. In place of this
valve an aperture adjustable by an ordinary cock or valve may be substituted,
but it is less convenient. Damage arising from the blowing out of the piston
on the breaking ofa chain may also be prevented by admitting air (or aeriform
fluid) on the further side of the piston through an orifice fitted with a valve
opening inwards; this valve however is kept such a distance from its seat
that the outward current of air when the machine is working at its proper
speed is insufficient to close it, but on the sudden removal of the load from
the chain breaking or otherwise, the current of air through the orifice
becomes very much more rapid, and the valve is lifted to its seat, thus
closing the orifice and confining the air in the cylinder; the air so coufined
re-acts on the piston and stops it before it can strike the cylinder cover.
This arrangement is shown separately in Figure 3, and again combined
with the other parts of a crane at Figure 4.
In Figure 3 the upper end of the steam cylinder is shown in section; a is
the piston rod; b, a portion of the cylinder; c, the cylinder cover; c', c¹, air
openings in it; d, d, valve boxes containing the ball valves e, e, which are

page_text: made of india-rubber, and as light as may be; they are held in suitable cradles
at a distance from their seats in the covers e, e¹, of the valve boxes in such
manner that they in no way interfere with the flow of the air out of the
cylinder whilst the piston is moving at a proper speed, but when the speed
is excessive the current of air becomes so strong as to carry the ball valves
up to their seats and close the air passages, and in this way a cushion of
air is obtained over the piston which stops it without violence.
In order that the apparatus may not be submitted to unnecessary strains
by the too rapid admission of steam I connect the back end of the chain, or
that which usually is made fast to the frame, to a spring or equivalent instru-
ment, which roughly weighs the weight on the chain, and in connection with
this weighing instrument is a stop which limits the amount the steam valve
is able to open. When there is no load on, the workman is prevented by
the stop from opening the valve more than a short distance, but a load
coming on the chain shifts the stop so as to allow the valve to be opened
a distance sufficient for lifting such load at a proper speed.
Figure 5 shows this arrangement separately; it is not shown applied as its
application involves no difficulty, and it would render the drawing of other
parts less clear.
a. is a valve box containing the valve for admitting steam
to the cylinder of the hoist; it is lifted against the pressure of the steam by a
hand lever c, which is prolonged beyond its fulcrum c', and terminates in an
adjusting screw c²; d is a lever turning on a fixed centre at d¹, and its end d²
acts as a stop to limit the motion of the hand lever c; e is the lifting chain
attached to the lever d, and tending when a strain comes on it to raise the
arm of the lever to which it is attached, but this end of the lever is held
down by a spring balance f. Thus it will be seen to the extent that the
strain on the lifting chain deflects the balance spring it lowers the arm d²
of the lever d, and allows the hand lever c to open the valve wider.
In constructing jib cranes in which the load is, as before explained, lifted
by a single stroke of a steam cylinder, I in some cases arrange the lifting
cylinder and boiler to remain stationary on their carriage or support whilst
the jib only swings. It is convenient to mount the jib or swinging frame
so that it may turn in bearings on the steam cylinder, which thus acts as
the crane post, and the lifting chain is by guide pulleys caused to pass
through the centre about which the jib swings, so that the length of chain
from the pulleys to the load may not be affected by the swinging of the jib,
otherwise it would not swing freely.
Figure 4 is a side view of a crane thus arranged. a is the boiler, which
is mounted on the carriage c, together with the steam cylinder b, which is

page_text: fixed to the boiler, to and from whichthe steam can be admitted and exhausted
by suitable valves worked by hand levers; d, d, are the air valves already
described; e is the jib, which at its lower end is fixed to an upright frame f
capable of turning in bearings, one at its bottom the other at its top, which
bearings are, as is shown, carried by the steam cylinder; g is a tie rod
connecting the upper end of the jib with the top of the frame f, so that the
parts e, f, and g form a triangular swinging frame. The chain is attached
to the carriage c,either directly or through an arrangement such as is shown at
Figure 5; it passes under the lower and stationary pulley h, then up and over
the upper pulley i mounted on the top of the piston rod, and down again to
the lower pulley h, and in this way the chain may make two or other
number of complete turns around the pulleys h and i, it then passes over
the guide pulley j mounted on the frame f to the pulley at the jib head,
whence it descends in the usual way to the load. It will be observed that
the chain as it comes on to the surface of the pulley j is in the axis of motion
of the jib, and consequently the jib and parts connected therewith may be
swung freely whatever the load on the chain. When the lifting cylinder
with the boiler are arranged to swing with the jib about a centre post, I
give the swinging motion by means of an endless chain lapped around the
post; this chain then passes over guide pulleys into a vertical position, and
over an upper pulley rotating on a horizontal axis; this axis is conveniently
carried by a small steam cylinder, which is employed to haul on the chain,
and so to swing the crane; this small cylinder is conveniently carried in an
inverted position, and its piston has two rods, which at their outer ends are
clamped to the chain, and as steam is admitted on one or other side of the
piston it causes the chain to be hauled in one or other direction.
A side view of a crane in which this part of my Invention is applied is shewn
at Figure 6, and Figure is a plan of the same crane with the jib removed.
a is a truck carrying a centre post b and concentric guide ring c; d is the
frame of the crane, capable of turning on the centre post b, the upper end of
which enters the cap d' on the frame; d², d³, are inclined wheels mounted in
bearings on the frame, and bearing on the ring c to give further support to the
frame; e is the jib, jointed at e¹ to the frame, and supported at its upper end
by the tie f, the length of which can be adjusted so as to raise or lower the
head of the jib by winding more or less of the chain f, which forms the lower
end of the tie, on to the barrel g carried by the frame, this barrel having on
its axis a worm wheel g', with which a worm h¹ on the axis h gears, and by a
hand wheel on this axis it is turned when it is desired to raise or lower the jib
head; i, i, äre two steam cylinders with pistons and piston rods, which latter

page_text: carry on the top a frame in which the pulley is carried; and is the lower
pulley; it is fixed between the cylinders i, and the lifting chain passes
around it and around the upper pulley k in the manner already described;
m is the boiler carried by the frame, and having the usual fittings upon it;
n is the steam pipe leading therefrom to the valve box o, in which are two
valves like ordinary safety valves, kept closed by the weight of their
levers p, p¹; by liftingt he lower lever p steam is allowed to pass from the
boiler to the lower ends of the cylinders i, and by lifting the upper lever pl
the steam is allowed to return out of the cylinders i and to escape into the
chimney; g is the small steam cylinder used for swinging the crane by
turning the whole framed and parts carried by it about the centre post b;
2, 9, are two piston rods belonging to this cylinder; they carry at their
lower ends a clamp q², which clips an endless chain r; this chain passes from
the clamp up around the guide pulley s, then it descends, passes over
the pulley t, and is lapped around a drum b grooved to receive it, and
mounted on the centre post b. From the drum the chain passes back around
the guide pulley to the clamp q³, and so becomes endless. It will be seen
that as the steam cylinder q pulls on the chain r in one or other direction,
it will (as the chain is prevented by the friction slipping on the drum. 6¹)
cause the crane to turn in one direction or the other. The drum b' may be
formed on the post b; it is safer, however, to make it as a split ring made
to clip the post by binding screws, so that should an undue strain be thrown
on the turning apparatus this drum may turn on the centre post, and so
prevent breakage of the parts. u is a hand lever working in a slide valve, by
which steam is admitted to one side or other of the piston in the cylinder q.
In this Drawing there is also shown a slight modification of the method
shown in Figures 1 and 2 of employing water to regulate the speed of the
stroke, and so prevent danger from the breaking of the chain or other similar
cause. v, v, are two small auxiliary cylinders, shown in section at Figure 8;
they are fitted with pistons and piston rods in the same way as the main
cylinders, and their piston rods are also fixed to the frame which carries the
upper pulley k. During the return stroke these cylinders draw water to their
upper sides from the tank w,and return it at the nextout stroke in the manner
already described, either through an adjusted orifice or a regulating valve
kept open by a spring against the flow. In the out stroke these auxiliary
cylinders may receive steam together with the main cylinders; and x is a
steam passage provided for the purpose. Or should the full power of the
apparatus not be required, the steam may be shut off from them altogether by
the stop-cocks, and a communication opened between the lower ends of the

page_text: cylinders and the water tank, so that these cylinders may draw water at
their out stroke in the same way as they do in the return stroke, and they
then serve to regulate the stroke in both directions. y, y, are treadles by
which the regulating valves are worked to stop the chain instantaneously either
in hoisting or lowering. The lowering valve is not furnished with a spring to
hold it open, but closes as soon as the foot is removed from the treadle.
These safety arrangements may also be applied to supply water to the boiler
in place of employing a pump or injector, a passage with a suitable valve in it
being made to allow the water to pass from the regulating cylinder into the
boiler when it is required to do so, in place of passing through the adjustable
orifice or valve already mentioned. Figure 2, which has already been in
part described, shows a somewhat different way of applying the small steam
cylinder for turning the crane. As in Figures 6 and 7, the whole of the
working parts of the crane are arranged to swing together on a central post,
but this crane being of lighter make, the concentric bearing ring is dispensed
with, and in place thereof friction pulleys on the frame are caused to bear
against the centre post, as is shown. The small steam cylinder q, which is
also shown in plan at Figure 9, is represented with but one piston rod with a
clip block at its end working on a guide on the frame; the chain is held in
this block, passes around the drum b¹ on the centre post, thence to the guide
pulley s carried in bearings, which may be fixed to the cylinder q, and so the
chain passes back to the clip block on the piston rod. u is the hand lever
for working the valve.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the exact details described; but what I claim is the arranging steam cranes
and hoists in which the lift is obtained by one stroke of a piston or pistons
in a steam cylinder or cylinders, in such manner that the speed is controlled
within a safe limit by the piston or pistons in their return stroke drawing
in water or liquid, which water or liquid at the next lifting stroke is ejected
through a small or adjustable orifice.
I also claim the arranging such steam cranes and hoists in such manner
that the speed is controlled within a safe limit by the piston or pistons at
their return stroke drawing in air or aeriform fluid, which at the next
lifting stroke is ejected through an orifice fitted with a valve usually kept
at a distance from its seat, but which when the piston or pistons move at
an undue or dangerous speed is carried up to its seat by the blast or
current thus produced.
I also claim the arranging steam cranes and hoists in such manner that the

page_text: lifting chain actuates an instrument regulating the amount of steam ad-
mitted to the steam cylinder or cylinders, so as to proportion the steam to
the load on the chain.
I also claim the constructing steam cranes with a lifting cylinder serving as
a support or post for a jib capable of swinging independently of the cylinder.
I also claim the arranging steam cranes in such manner that the swinging
motion of the crane is obtained by means of a steam cylinder actuating a chain
which is wound around the centre or post about which the crane turns.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
ANDREW BETTS BROWN. (L.S.)