Lifting, Hauling, & Winding Machine S
Year: 1888

page_text: We JOHN SANDERS STEVENS, and CHARLES GEORGE MAJOR, Engineers, of Janus
Works Queen's Road, Battersea, in the County of Surrey do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates particularly to that class of Lifting, Hauling, & Winding
Machinery which is fitted, with automatic brakes, and which is generally known as
"Self Sustaining."
The objects of the invention are,-(a) Greater regularity and smoothness of motion
in descent; (b) the holding off of the brake during the entire operation of lifting
without regard to the source of power, which may be either continuously applied, or
intermittently applied through the medium of a fly wheel; (c) decrease of friction
in descending; (d) universality of application to all this class of machinery when
driven by rotatory motion.
In its simplest form, our invention is applied as follows to a spindle carrying a
drum for winding up a cord, and actuated by a crank handle. It is desired that,
whether the spindle be turned to the right or left for lifting the load, when the
handle is released the load shall be prevented from running back; but that when
the handle is turned in the direction proper for lowering, the load shall descend
smoothly and without jerks, following, or rather accompanying, all the movements
of the handle, neither over-running nor lagging behind. And farther, that if the
load be completely lowered, all the slack cord paid out, and then wound up in the
reverse direction, the apparatus shall fulfill the same functions, notwithstanding
the reversal of the motions.
We mount the drum loosely on the spindle, allowing it a certain amount of
rotative freedom limited by a projection on the spindle, which engages with a
corresponding clutch-like projection upon the side of the drum. The bearing at that
end of the spindle is made solid with, or rigidly secured to, a fixed brake wheel.
The brake band surrounding this wheel, has its two ends connected by short links
to the head of a lever which points radially toward the spindle, passes down between

page_text: .
the fixed brake wheel and the drum, and is continued past the spindle, being provided
with a suitable opening for the latter to pass through. The head of the lever is so
formed that if the arm portion is deflected from the normal in either direction, the
head rides up on the wheel and tightens the brake band. This deflection is given by
a pin projecting from the drum and engaging with a suitable hole or slot in the lever,
situated between the spindle and the lever head. Any tendency of the drum to
revolve by reason of the pull of the load, will then only serve to lock the drum up to
the fixed brake wheel, and the greater the pull of the load the more securely it will
be held. The release for motion in either direction is effected by means of the
handle as follows. A small lever is mounted loosely on the shaft having a similar
amount of rotative freedom, and engaging with the projection upon the spindle in a
manner similar to the drum. For convenience this releasing lover is placed on the
opposite face of the gripping lever, and runs within the rim of the fixed brake wheel;
it carries a pin engaging with a hole or slot in the extreme end of the arm of the
gripping lever.
The releasing lever, being free upon the spindle, does not interfere
with the proper swing and action of the gripping lever. But when the handle is
turned, say for hoisting, the projection upon the spindle engages with both the drum
and the releasing lever, bringing them into such relative positions that the centre of
the gripping lever head, the pin in the side of the drum, the centre of the spindle,
and the centre of the pin in releasing lever, are all in one diametrical line, under
which condition the brake band is loose, and the entire system is free to revolve.
The proper relationship is maintained so long as the spindle is turned, and the
projection upon the spindle is kept pressing upon the drum and releasing lever.
When the handle is released, the load endeavours to run back, the drum moves back
a trifle, leaves the releasing lever behind, and throws the gripping lever out of the
normal position as already explained. When it is required to lower, the spindle is
turned the opposite way, its projecting piece picks up the lagging releasing lever,
and brings all the parts sufficiently toward the normal position to release the brake
and allow the load to descend, so long as the projection upon spindle continues to
force round the releasing lever.
There is an important peculiarity in this apparatus which differentiates it from all
other permissive motions for lowering. In previous arrangements the release left
the load drum perfectly uncontrolled through a certain angular movement, and under
varying conditions the action was uncertain, sometimes being sluggish, and at others
running away quickly only to pull itself up with a jerk, and be started again with
another jerk, and so on, ad infinitum. But in our arrangement, while the load forces
the gripping lever in one direction, the releasing lever presses it in the opposite
direction, with the result that the drum is forced back and the load lifted a minute
distance before release is effected. Under these conditions the load is supported by
two forces; (a) the pressure of the releasing lever at one end of the gripping lever,
and (6) the friction of the brake-band at the other. _The_load_cannot move down
without increasing the resistance (b) thereby increasing the impediment to its own
movement. The force (a) advances, continually decreasing the force (b) till the sum
of the two is slightly less than the turning force of the load whatever that may be,
and immediately this condition obtains, the load moves simultaneously with the
advance of force (a), ie. with the turning of the handle; it obviously cannot move
faster, for any advance locks it; if by reason of balancing it is sluggish, and moves
more slowly, the projection on the spindle brings the releasing lever farther forward
till the general normal position is arrived at, and the spindle projection then positively
drives the drum. The sluggishness which prevented it starting freely will also prevent
it from over-running.
Stated briefly, the peculiarity is due to the introduction of a lever action which
prises back the load for the purpose of releasing the brake.
This being so, it is obvious that the lever action may be applied in many other ways.
For instance the load may act on the end of the gripping lever, and the releasing
lever act upon a point somewhere between the end and the gripping head. Or the
gripping lever may be carried radially outwards as well as inwards, and the release

page_text: action be applied to the outer end; or the load may act on the outer end, and the
release on the inner end. Or similar variations of radial levers may be caused to
expand and contract a set of gripping segments, or a band, within an internal brake
wheel. Or all radial levers may be replaced by others working normally parallel
with the spindle, and caused by cam or link action to tighten and slacken suitable
friction plates against a fixed bearing, bracket, plate, or ring.
The lowering action may be reduced to any required degree of freedom, by duly
proportioning the levers.
The handle may be replaced by suitable wheels for receiving motion from ropes,
belts, chains, spur wheels, or any other driving media.
The lifting drum may be replaced by wheels, chain wheels, or any other
arrangement for giving motion to the load. If a train of gearing is required to gain
power, a pinion may take the place of the drum, and the automatic brake may be
placed on any shaft of the train.
Our invention may be applied to lifts worked by electricity, by means of an electric
motor attached to the cage, and giving motion to a pinion engaging with a toothed
rack secured to the guides, one of the shafts being fitted with an automatic brake as
described.
JOHN SANDERS STEVENS.
CHARLES GEORGE MAJOR.

page_text: JOHN SANDERS STEVENS and CHARLES GEORGE MAJOR, Engineers, of Janus Works,
Queen's Road, Battersea, in the county of Surrey 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 :-
Our invention relates particularly to that class of Lifting, Hauling, and Winding
Machinery which is fitted with automatic brakes, and which is generally known as
"Self Sustaining."
The objects of the invention are,-(a) Greater regularity and smoothness of motion in
descent; (b) the holding off of the brake during the entire operation of lifting without
regard to the source of power, which may be either continuously applied, or inter-
mittently applied through the medium of a fly wheel as a regulator; (c) decrease of
friction in descending; (d) universality of application to all this class of machinery
when driven by rotatory motion.
In its simplest form, our invention is applied as follows to a spindle A Figs. 1, 2,
and 3, carrying a drum B for winding up a cord, and actuated by crank handle C.
It is desired that whether the spindle be turned to the right or left for lifting the
load, when the handle is released the load shall be prevented from running back; but
that when the handle is turned in the direction proper for lowering, the load shall
descend smoothly and without jerks, following, or rather accompanying, all the move
ments of the handle, neither overrunning nor lagging behind. And farther, that if
the load be completely lowered, and all the slack cord paid out, and if it be then wound
up in the reverse direction, the apparatus shall fulfill the same functions, notwith-
standing the reversal of the motions.
We mount the drum B loosely on the spindle A, allowing it a certain amount of
rotative freedom limited by a projection D on the spindle A, which engages with a
corresponding clutch-like projection E upon the side of the drum B. The bearing F
at that end of the spindle A is made solid with, or rigidly secured to, a fixed brake
wheel. The brake band G surrounding this wheel, has its two ends connected by
short links to the head of a lever H which points radially towards the spindle A, passes
down between the fixed brake wheel F and the drum B, and is continued past the
spindle, being provided with a suitable opening for the latter to pass through. The
head of the lever H is so formed that if the body of the lever is deflected from the
normal in either direction, the head rides up on the wheel F and tightens the brake-
band G. This deflection is given by a pin I projecting from the drum B and engaging
with a suitable hole or slot Jin the lever H, situated between the spindle and the lever
head. Any tendency of the drum B to revolve by reason of the pull of the load, will
then only serve to lock the drum by tightening the band G upon the fixed brake
wheel F, and the greater the pull of the load the more securely it will be held.
The
release for motion in either direction is effected by means of the handle C as follows.
A small lever K is mounted loosely on the shaft A, baving a similar amount of rotative

page_text: freedom, and engaging with the projection D upon the spindle A in a manner similar
to the drum B. For convenience, this releasing lever K is placed on the opposite face
of the gripping lever H, and revolves within the rim of the fixed brake wheel F ; it
carries a pin L engaging with a hole or slot in the extreme end of the arm of the
gripping lever H. The releasing lever K, being free upon the spindle A, does not
interfere with the proper swing and action of the gripping lever H. But when the
handle C is turned, say for hoisting, the projection D upon the spindle A engages
both with the drum B and the releasing lever K, bringing them into such relative
positions that the centre of the gripping lever head H, the pin I in the side of the dram,
the centre of the spindle A, and the centre of the pin L in releasing lever, are all in
one diametrical line, under which condition the brake band G is loose, and the entire
system is free. to revolve. The proper relationship is maintained so long as the
spindle A is turned, and the projection D upon the spindle is kept pressing upon the
drum B and releasing lever K. When the handle C is let go, the load endeavours to
run back, the drum B moves back a trifle, leaves the releasing lever K behind, and
carries the gripping lever H out of the normal position as already explained. When
it is required to lower, the spindle A is revolved the opposite way, its projecting piece D
picks up the lagging releasing lever K, and brings all the parts sufficiently toward the
normal position to release the brake and allow the load to descend; and so continues
as long as the projection D upon spindle continues to force round the releasing
lever K.
Fig. 1 shows all the parts in position for lifting in the direction of arrow; and the
brake band G loose. Fig. 3 shows same parts after the release of handle C, the load
having pulled back the drum B in the direction of arrow till the deflection of lever H
has tightened up the band G, and stopped the movement.
There is an important peculiarity in this apparatus which differentiates it from all
other permissive motions for lowering. In previous arrangements the release action
left the load drum perfectly uncontrolled through a certain angular movement, and
under varying conditions the action was uncertain, sometimes being sluggish, and at
others the load running away quickly only to pull itself up with a jerk, and be started
again with another jerk, and so on, ad infinitum. But in our invention, while the
load pulling in the direction a Fig. 4, acting on the lever H by means of the pin 1
produces a thrust in the direction b, the power c applied for lowering upon the
handle C, acts upon the lever H, through the releasing lever K (not shown) and its
pin L, producing a thrust in the direction d. But as the force d acts at a superior
leverage to force b, a comparatively small pressure at C will enabled to overcome b,
driving the latter backwards, and actually lifting the load a minute distance before
release is effected. There is still another force acting on lever H, viz. the passive
resistance of the brake hand, indicated by arrow f. At the moment of release and
before actual descent commences, the handle C being pressed sufficiently to effect the
slight lifting described, the load acting at b is supported by two forces; viz. 'd, the
pressure of the releasing lever at one end of the gripping lever H, and f, the friction
of the brake band at the other end. So long as the handle C remains stationary the
load cannot retrace the slight upward movement it has just made, except by the
retirement of force f, for d cannot retire while handle C is held stationary. But the
parts are so proportioned that the frictional resistance is always superior to the pull
of the load, and increases proportionately with the load. No movement of the load is
therefore possible except by the farther advance of forces c and d; i.e. by the turning
of the handle C, which by approaching all parts to the central positions reduces the
resistance of the brake band to the retiring point, and enables the load to accompany
the handle. The load can never overrun the handle, for it is virtually resting upon,
und is restrained by, the latter throughout descent. Just as the first movement of the
handle slightly lifts the load, conversely any tendency of the load to overrun would
force the handle back. If the load is sluggish owing to being balanced, or being
insufficient to overcome the ordinary frictional resistances of the machine, the handle
and spindle will advance till the projecting driver D positively drives the drum in the
descending direction.

page_text: Stated briefly, the peculiarity is due to the introduction of a lever action, which
prises back the load for the purpose of releasing the brake.
ways.
This being so, it is obvious that the lever action may be applied in other
many
For instance, the head of the gripping lever H may be made as in fig. 5, with two
pins m, m, embraced by links attached to the brake band, so that any oscillation of
lever H in either direction shall shorten the brake band G. We prefer this method
of carrying out our invention; and we balance the weight of the lever H when
passing the horizontal positions, by suitably disposed weights on the releasing lever K,
or the gripping lever H.
Other methods of putting our invention into practice would be to reverse the
positions of the pins 1 and L, coupling up the drum.B to L, and the releasing
lever K to I. This would intensify the grip, but make the lowering heavy.
Or the gripping lever H may be extended radially outward, and the release action
applied to its outer extremity, see fig. 6, in which all the forces are lettered as in
fig. 4. In this arrangement the releasing lever K (not shown) must also be a long
arm. Here also the action may be reversed, the load being coupled up to L, and
the releasing lever to I.
Or any one of the before described lever arrangements may be combined with a
gripping lever H, fig. 7, having a segmental shaped head projecting into a groove
in the brake bearing F, the groove being filled with loose segments GG, which
together with H form a complete circle with just sufficient freedom to revolve.
Then any deflection of H from the normal position will expand the system, and
cause a brake action against the outer circumference of the groove in F. The release,
and all other elements, would be as previously described.
Or the brake bearing may be formed with a disc F, as in fig. 8, embraced between
two revolving rings GG hinged together at one side, and at the other connected by a
pin forming a fulcrum for the gripping lever H, and secured to it. This pin has a
plain collar at one end, and at the other a collar with a V shaped face fitting into a
corresponding face on the ring G. When the gripping lever swings out of the central
position, the shaped faces sliding upon each other cause the rings GG to tighten
upon the disc F; the swing and release motions are the same as before.
Or the brake nay take the form of a ring F, figs. 9, 10, & 11, prevented from
revolving in any convenient manner, for instance by a,lug M through which passes a
stay bar of the framing. The ring F may be any width, and is placed between two
revolving plates GG which are united by a pair of levers H, H, formed with a collar
to bear against the back of one plate G, and a pair of lock nuts against the other.
One end of each lever H fits freely into a socket in the end of the drum B, while
the opposite end of each lever similarly engages with a releasing bar K. The
drum B, and releasing bar K, are both mounted loosely upon the shaft A, and are
permitted an amount of angular freedom, limited by projections D D formed upon
the shaft A. The nuts upon levers HH are so adjusted that when the-lovers- lie-
parallel with the shaft A, the plates G G run freely as regards the ring F. But
if the drum B initiates motion, it carries its end of each lever along with it, dis-
turbing parallelism, virtually shortening the distance between the collar and the nuts,
and pinching the ring F between the plates G G, and preventing further motion.
The release for either direction, raising or lowering, is effected by turning the shaft A,
when its projections D D will engage respectively with the drum B and bar K,
bringing all into the normal position, and the levers H H parallel with the shaft,
and everything is again free to revolve. Fig. 11 shows the levers H H inclined as
when gripping. Shaft is partly omitted to shew lower lever.
This arrangement may be slightly modified by making the end of drum B serve
for one plate G, and dispensing with that end of each lever H. See Fig. 12.
We are aware that this device is already in use up to a point. That is to say the
bars HH, which here form levers, have been used as inclined links to pinch a ring
between two plates. They were however links only, and the release was effected
by direct action on the back plate G. The point of novelty, which is an important
one as regards smoothness of descent, is the extension of the bar links at one or both

page_text: ends, and using them as levers, on the principle set forth at the commencement of this
specification.
The arrangement shewn in figs. 9, 10, & 11, may be farther modified by forming the
levers HH, so that any inclination from the parallel may cause two plates GG to
recede from each other, and press outwards against the flanges of a containing ring F,
see fig. 13, the remaining details being as in fig. 9.
The lowering action may be reduced to any required degree of freedom, by duly
proportioning the lever H. This applies to all modifications.
The handle C may be replaced by suitable wheels for receiving motion from ropes,
belts, chains, spur wheels, or any other driving media.
The lifting drum B may be replaced by ✓ wheels, chain wheels, or any other
arrangement for giving motion to the load. If a train of gearing is required to gain
power, a pinion may take the place of the drum, see fig. 14, and the automatic brake
may be placed on any shaft of the train.
Our invention may be applied to lifts worked by electricity, by means of an electric
motor attached to the cage, and giving motion to a pinion engaging with a toothed
rack secured to the guides, one of the shafts being fitted with an automatic brake as
described.
Our invention may be applied to a portable suspended hoist as in fig. 15 in which
the hand wheel C is cast with a long boss or sleeve A, on which the load wheel B runs
loosely, restrained only by a clutch D which allows the load wheel some angular
freedom. The releasing piece K is free on the stretcher bar N, except as regards the
clutch d on the end of boss A, which allows the releasing piece also the requisite
angular freedom. The brake ring F is secured to the suspending frame, and all other
details are as in figs. 1 to 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
.
In any lifting, winding, or hauling machine, the use of an automatic brake apparatus
combined with levers in such a manner that when by the reversal of the machine, the
brake is eased for lowering, the load is automatically prised up, or held in restraint by
the levers, and thereby prevented from overrunning the driving mechanism, substan-
tially as and for the purposes described.