Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 9th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 9th Mar., 1895
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 to the valves and valve controlling mechanism of hydraulic
lifts, and has for its object greater facility in the working of such valves by hand,
and improved means of lubricating the valve surfaces, thereby reducing the labour
required for moving them.
"
In a hydraulic lift constructed with two rams or pistons, for the purpose of
giving two lifting powers of different amounts, we control the admission and exit of
water for each cylinder by a separate valve, working either in separate cases, or
both in one case; if the latter, the valves may be actuated by one spindle or rod
to each, or both may receive motion from one spindle. But in any arrangement
one valve is first caused to open its supply port to the first power cylinder, and
then while this valve travels still farther on the second valve opens the supply port
to the second cylinder. If now this motion were reversed, the second valve would
cut off supply before the first, a result which under conceivable conditions would be
dangerous. Such a result is avoided by providing in the mechanism at any
convenient point a device for giving "lost motion on the return stroke, so that
the first valve may be brought back to the verge of its port, before the second
valve has any backward motion given it; the valves are now so to say, in line, and
from that point advance together, cutting off their respective ports simultaneously.
But here arises another difficulty. Such valves are usually actuated by a hand
rope passing through the travelling cage, and for a light load the operator would
only require the first valve; this valve he would close immediately he reversed his
hand rope; without lost motion. But perhaps the next minute, a heavier load
demands the second power and the use of both valves, and now on reversing, a
certain amount of lost motion of the hand rope is required to bring the valves into
line, and the cut off proper only then occurs. In short the operator has to employ
two distinct methods of dealing with the hand rope-and may get confused.
When
We therefore attach to any convenient part of the valve mechanism, or to the
hand line, a weight resting normally upon stationary supports, but which shall be
just lifted off such supports by the valve mechanism, at the moment when the first
valve has completely opened its supply port. If additional movement is given for
the purpose of opening the second valve, the weight has to be lifted also.
the operator having put on full power, releases the hand rope the weight
immediately falls back to the supports, and carries with it the valve mechanism
putting the valves in line ready for a prompt cut off whenever the operator
reverses the rope. That is to say the weight automatically performs the idle
motion part of the reversal, and the operator only has to perform the active
portion, and his manipulation of the rope for stopping ascent becomes the same for
both first and second power.
A spring is sometimes employed instead of the weight, and in other cases it is
convenient to use bydraulic, or electrical power, to take up the lost motion in the
manner decoribed

page_text: The valves referred to hereinbefore are of the ordinary slide, or of the piston
type, and for their free movement it is desirable to send through small quantities
of lubricating oil with the supply water. We effect this as follows:-In connection
with the valve casing we form a separate chamber or oil reservoir communicating
with the lift valve chamber by two passages. One of these passages is placed as
near the bottom as possible, and is fitted with a self acting valve opening to pass
from lift valve chamber to oil chamber, but closing against return.
This passage
is also controlled by a screw stop valve.
The second passage is placed as high as possible, and is fitted with a self acting
valve of reverse duty-passing from oil chamber to lift valve chamber, but closing
against return. The oil chamber is also fitted with a small plunger which enters
it on one side through a suitable stuffing box; and with a drain cock. The plunger
has a minute inward movement given to it by the valve mechanism and makes a
stroke every time the lift valve is opened and shut. The outward motion of the
plunger is made by the same mechanism or by hydraulic pressure as convenient.
The action is as follows:-The stop valve controlling the lower passage is closed;
the drain cock is closed; a feeding cock or funnel is opened, and the oil chamber
is filled with oil. The feed cock is then closed, the stop valve in lower passage
opened and the apparatus is ready for work. The plunger making an inward
stroke (whenever the lift valve makes a stroke) displaces a small charge of oil
which is forced through the upper passage into the lift valve chamber. On the
outward stroke of the plunger a similar amount of water will pass through the
lower passage from the valve chamber to the oil chamber. Continual repetition
will eventually pass all the oil into the valve chamber and the oil chamber will
become filled with water. During the process the oil will always float on the
water and oil only will therefore pass into the valve chamber so long as any
remains. The oil chamber is always at same pressure as the valve chamber. For
recharging the stop valve in lower passage is closed, and the feed cock and drain
cock opened; the water then drains away, and the chamber may be refilled as
before. This device may be used for any liquid lubricant, and for any pressure of
water.
Dated this 14th day of April 1894.
JOHN SANDERS STEVENS.
CHARLES GEORGE MAJOR.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hydraulic Lifts.
JOHN SANDERS STEVENS and CHARLES GEORGE MAJOR, Engineers, of
Queen's Road, Battersea, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what mauner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to the valves and valve controlling mechanism of hydraulic
lifts, & has for its object greater facility in the working of such valves by hand, &
improved means of lubricating the valve surfaces, thereby reducing the labour
required for moving them.
.
In a hydraulic lift constructed with two rams or pistons, for the purpose of
giving two lifting powers of different amounts, we control the admission & exit of
water for each cylinder by a separate valve, working either in separate cases, or
both in one case; if the latter, the valves may be actuated by one spindle or rod
to each, or both may receive motion from one spindle. But in any arrangement
one valve is first caused to open its supply port to the first power cylinder, & then
while this valve travels still farther on, the second valve opens the supply port to
the second cylinder. If now this motion were reversed, the second valve would crit

page_text: off supply before the first, a result which under conceivable conditions would be
dangerous. Such a result is avoided by providing in the mechanism at any
convenient point a device for giving lost motion" on the return stroke, so that
the first valve may be brought back to the verge of its port, before the second
valve has any backward motion given it; the valves are now, so to say, in line, &
from that point advance together, cutting off their respective ports simultaneously.
But here arises another difficulty. Such valves are usually actuated by a hand
pe passing through the travelling cage, & for a light load the operator would
nly require the first valve; this valve he would close immediately he reversed his
hand rope, without lost motion. But perhaps the next minute, a heavier load
demands the second power & the use of both valves, and now on reversing, a
certain amount of lost motion of the hand rope is required to bring the valves into
line, & the cut off proper only then occurs. In short the operator has to employ
two distinct methods of dealing with the hand rope-& may get confused.
rope
We therefore attach to any convenient part of the valve mechanism, or to the
hand line, a weight, resting normally upon stationary supports, but which shall be
just lifted off such supports by the valve mechanism, at the moment when the
first valve has completely opened its supply port. If additional movement is given
for the purpose of opening the second valve, the weight has to be lifted also.
When the operator having put on full power, releases the hand rope, the weight
immediately falls back to the supports, & carries with it the valve mechanism,
putting the valves in line ready for a prompt cut off whenever the operator
reverses the rope. That is to say the weight automatically performs the idle
motion part of the reversal, & the operator only has to perform the active portion,
& his manipulation of the rope for stopping ascent becomes the same for both
first & second powers.
A spring is sometimes employed instead of the weight, and in other cases it is
convenient to use hydraulic, or electrical power, to take up the lost motion in the
manner described.
Fig. 1 of the drawings illustrates the simplest form of the invention. A is the
valve chamber or case to which pressure water is admitted through port B. Port C
communicates with the first power cylinder, port D with the second power cylinder,
& port E with the exhaust pipe. F is the first power valve, G the second power
valve, H the valve spindle, I the actuating lever, K the endless hand line attached
to lever, & passing through cage L; M the weight resting on supports N, to be
lifted when required by clip O, secured to line K, which is otherwise free to slide
through the weight M. It will be seen that though the spindle H cannot make
any endwise movement without carrying with it the first valve F, it may make a
limited movement in one direction without moving the second valve G; but after
reaching the limit of such free movement hoth valves will travel with the spindle.
Fig. 1 shows the parts in position corresponding to the lift at rest; & both
valves are closed, & the clip O is some distance from the weight M.
Fig. 2 shows the first valve F open,-the lift is ascending by the first power, the
spindle H has exhausted its free movement & is ready to start the second valve G,
and the clip O is in contact with the weight M ready to lift it.
Fig. 3 shows both valves open to their respective cylinders, the spindle H having
pushed back the valve G & carried the valve F sonie distance beyond the fully
open position; the clip O has at same time lifted weight M off its supports N. It
is assumed that the attendaut has not yet released the hand line after pulling it
over to full power, for position in Fig. 3 is only a momentary one, and immediately
the attendant releases the rope from his grasp, the weight M returns to its support
& puts the parts into the position shown in Fig. 4.
The change from Fig. 3 to Fig. 4 has left the second valve G in the same
position of full open to pressure, but has brought back the first valve F to the verge
of its port C, leaving the latter however still open.
If the band line is still farther reversed the position in Fig. 1 is reproduced & the
lift stops.

page_text: A still farther reversal of the line puts the parts into position shown in Fig. 5 in
which both cylinder ports C & D are put into communication with the exhaust
port E & the lift descends.
If now the hand line is moved in the same direction as at first, the parts assume
the positions of Fig. 6, in which communication from cylinder port Ċ to exhaust
port E has been closed, & the lift ceases to descend, notwithstanding that the port D
is still open to exhaust; for if one ram is stopped, the whole machine must stop.
The next movement reproduces Fig. 2 & the lift ascends, & so on in cycles.
If the second or full power is not required owing to the loads being small, the
cycle would be shortened, & starting with Fig. 1, would pass to Fig 2, & then
omitting Figs. 3 & 4 would revert directly to Fig. 1, & thence pass through Figs. 5,
6, 2, 1, 5 & so on in shortened cycles.
Fig. 7 shows an alternative arrangement in which the weight M on the hand line
is replaced by a spring M on the valve lever.
Fig. 8 shows a hydraulic device for taking up the free motion of the valve rod.
In this the sliding bush M is pushed into the valve box against the hydraulic
pressure by the enlarged head of the spindle H, & when the hand line is released,
the bush and spindle are together forced back the required distance, limited by the
collar P stopping against valve case.
Fig. 9 shows an electric solenoid M'acting on the end of the lever I ; the motion
of the solenoid core is limited by stops N, and the connection with the lever is by a
rod free to slide through the solenoid core in one direction, just as the hand line
slides through the weight in the first arrangement. A hydraulic piston could be
applied to the end of lever in the same manner.
The valves referred to hereinbefore are of the ordinary slide, or of the piston
type, & for their free movement it is desirable to send through small quantities of
lubricating oil with the supply water. We effect this as follows. See plan Fig. 10.
In connection with the valve casing a we form a separate chamber or oil reservoir b
communicating with the lift valve chamber c by two passagés d & e. One of these
passages d is placed as near the bottom as possible, & is fitted with a self acting
valve opening to pass from lift valve chamber c to oil chamber b, but closing
against return. This passage d is also controlled by a screw stop valve g. The
second passage e is placed as high as possible, & is fitted with a self acting valve h
of reverse duty-passing from oil chamber 6 to lift valve chamber c, but closing
against return. The oil chamber is also fitted with a small plunger i which enters
it on one side through suitable stuffing box; and with a drain cock j. The
plunger has a minute inward movement given to it by the valve mechanism
through the lever k and valve spindle H & makes a stroke every time the lift valve
is opened & shut. The outward motion of the plunger is made by hydraulic
pressure. The action is as follows. The stop valve controlling the lower
passage d is closed; the drain cock ; is closed; a feeding cock or funnel mis
opened, & the oil chamber b is filled with oil. The feed cock m is then closed, the
stop valve g in lower passage d opened & the apparatus is ready for work. The
plunger making an inward stroke (whenever the lift valve makes a stroke)
displaces a small charge of oil which is forced through the upper passage e into the
lift valve chamber c. On the outward stroke of the plunger i a similar amount of
water will pass through the lower passage d from the valve chamber c to the oil
chamber b. Continual repetition will eventually pass all the oil into the valve
chamber c & the oil chamber b will become filled with water. During the process
the oil will always float on the water-& oil only will therefore pass into the valve
chamber so long as any remains. The oil chamber is always at same pressure as
the valve chamber. For recharging-the stop valve y in lower passage d is closed,
and the feed cock m & drain cock jopened; the water then drains away, & the
chamber b may be refilled as before. This device may be used for any liquid,
seni-liquid, or plastic lubricant, and for any pressure of water.
If the lever k were coupled to the valve spindle H & the plunger i by means of
pins as in Fig. 11 the action would be the same.

page_text: 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 :-
1. In a hydraulic lift with two powers, the device described & shown in Figures 1
to 9 for automatically giving to the valve spindle & first power valve the requisite
amount of movement to bring the two valves into position for promptly stopping
the lift, immediately the controlling rope is pulled.
2. In a hydraulic lift with two powers, the device described & shown in Figs. 1
to 9 for the purpose of giving the attendant only the same duties to perform when
stopping the lift, either from first or second powers.
3. In a hydraulic lift the automatic valve lubricator described & shown in
Figs. 10 & 11.
Dated this 8th day of January 1895
JOHN SANDERS STEVENS.
CHARLES GEORGE MAJOR.