IMPROVEMENTS IN RETAINING MECHANISM FOR MINE CAGES OR LIFTS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, EMIL CAPITAINE of 89 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Civil.
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN RETAINING MECHANISM FOR MINE CAGES OR LIFTS," and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The retaining mechanism which forms the subject of this Invention may be
employed in the place of any other, and it has for special object to do away with
the lengthy and inconvenient heaving up of the cages by the engine before the
descent into the pit. The great saving of time thereby effected considerably
increases the extracting or working power; further, the rope and the engine are
better preserved, and the latter is less loaded as through the balancing of the rope
by means of conical rope drums or through the use of a counter rope it is only the
useful load that has to be raised, that is to say, the engines may by the employment
of this retaining mechanism be made less strong than hitherto.
Referring to Sheet 1 of the accompanying two Sheets of illustrative Drawings :—
The complete retaining mechanism consists,-of the four bearing blocks A in
which are mounted the two crank or eccentric shafts B, B1,-the four tappets C
mounted so as to be moveable on the crank pins of the shafts, a double lever D
firmly fixed on the shaft B-a simple lever D¹, fixed on the shaft B¹,-a link E,
and a disconnecting double lever H oscillating on a fixed point i.
The retaining mechanism operates in the following manner :-
When the cage is to be held fixed and prevented from descending the pit it
occupies the position shewn in Figs. 2, 3 and 5 of the Drawing resting on the
moveable tappets C. These latter are in turn supported by the parts of the
bearing blocks A and bear on the crank pins of the shafts B, B¹, whereby
the tappets are prevented from turning over the front edge of the parts x. In
this position the axes or centres of the crank pins and shafts are in the same
vertical plane so that the state of rest in this position is insured and turning
cannot take place.
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page_text: The bearing blocks A are securely fixed on the girders, and these are connected
to the pit work.
If, now, the disconnecting lever H be moved out of the position shewn in
Figs. 3 and 5 into that of Figs. 4 and 6 the centres of the crank pins relatively
to the shafts take up a horizontal position by which the retaining tappets C come
into the position shewn in Figs. 4 and 6, that is to say, by turning down the
lever H the tappets underneath the cage are drawn away so that the cage is free
to descend.
:
Upon this withdrawal of the tappets they slide on the parts a, the bearing
part rises by reason of the eccentric movement of the crank pin, whilst the
retaining party moves in a curve which is at the same time downwards and
backwards.
The friction which takes place during this manipulation between the retaining
tappets and the surfaces of x and y is through the great leverage at once overcome
easily by a man at the disconnecting lever (the cage load is so far balanced that
only the weight of the useful load bears on the tappets) in addition to which the
weight of the descending cage itself assists, so soon as the crank pins or eccentrics
have commenced to turn.
When the cage load is very great as in the case of stages or stories where four
and more cages are employed, and the retaining tappets therefore also more loaded;
the withdrawal of these is rendered correspondingly more difficult by reason of the
increased frictional resistance coming into action on the surfaces of x and y.
In that case the surface of x may be inclined as shewn in Fig. 7 so as to
correspond to about the angle of friction, and the disconnection may then easily be
effected through the lever by one man..
When the cage has been again raised to the pit bank, the disconnecting lever H
is moved back into its former position, whereupon the tappets are brought forward
and the cage is again retained.
By reason of the moveability of the tappets the object is further attained, that
the cage on its ascent shall not remain suspended in the event of the retaining
mechanism being put into action too soon, but the cage will then press the tappets
upwards, which when the cage has passed by, will return to their proper position
by their own weight.
In Sheet 2 of the Drawings is represented a modified form of this retaining
mechanism, Figs. 1, 2, and 3 thereof shewing the position of the different parts
when the cage is held in a fixed position and prevented from descending into the
pit; it. rests as in the previous case on the moveable tappets C, supported by
the inclined surfaces 2 of the bearing blocks A and by the crank pins E which
in a vertical direction are held by the links F, F', firmly connected to the shafts D,
and in a horizontal direction by the links G and G¹ towards the disconnecting
shafts B, B¹. The links are prevented from turning downwards by the lug L cast
on to the bearing block, and upwards by the weight of the disconnecting lever H.
In this position (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) the whole system is in equilibrium and any
backward movement or displacement of the tappets on the inclined surfaces
impossible.
If, now, the disconnecting lever H be brought into the position shewn in Fig. 4
the supporting points of the crank pins E recede and therewith also those of the
retaining tappets, so that therefore these by reason of the weight of the cage slide
back along the inclined surfaces x and the cage is free to descend. The inclination
of the surfaces x is only a little greater than the angle of friction, and in this way
but slight force is required to bring the disconnecting lever H into the downward
position as shewn in Fig. 4.
In order that the crank pins E shall turn round. the shafts D (one of which only
is shewn in this Sheet of the Drawings) and with them also the tappets C, these
latter are drawn upward in the arc of a circle, whilst their supporting surfaces y at
the same time move in a curve downwards and backwards.

page_text: The friction which takes place during this manipulation between the surfaces of
and y and the bearings or connections, is easily overcome by the man operating tho
disconnecting lever, in addition to which, as already stated the weight of the cage
itself assists, so soon as the connecting pins and shafts begin to turn.
When the cage has been again raised to the pit bank, the disconnecting lever H
is moved back into its former position, upon which the tappets move forward and
the cage is again retained. If the cage should not be too low down it may be
lifted by means of the retaining mechanism although more power is required
therefor, than for the disconnecting or "letting go" operation.
By reason of the moveability of the tappets the object is further attained that
the cage in its ascent shall not continue hanging in the event of the retaining
mechanism being put into action too soon, but the cage will then press the tappets
upwards, which, when the cage has passed by will return to their proper position
by their own weight.
The closed crank shafts may be replaced by ordinary open crank shafts or
eccentrics, when the shafts B, B¹, and D instead of being mounted in eyes, are
mounted in bearings and the links placed on the shafts B, B¹, outside the bearing
blocks A.
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:-
1. The single armed tappets C resting on the fixed horizontal or inclined
surfaces a, the tappets C being mounted on the crank pins of the double cranked
shaft B, and may be drawn backward and downward, by turning the latter by
means of the lever D, the draw rods E, F, and the hand lever H, substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to Sheet 1 of the Drawings.
2. The single armed tappets C resting on the fixed inclined surfaces x, the
tappets C being mounted on the crank pins E of the closed or open crank shafts
or eccentrics D and may be drawn backward and downward by turning the latter
by means of the lever G the connecting link G', the draw rod L, the lever F and
the hand lever H, and which are held unalterably in their set position by means of
the connecting links and crank shafts, substantially as hereinabove described and
illustrated with reference to Sheet 2 of the Drawings.
Dated this and.. ST1 1001