Improvements in Elevators or Lifts and in Safety Appliances therefor.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 15th Mar., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elevators or Lifts and in Safety Appliances
therefor.
A communication from abroad by OTIS BROTHERS & COMPANY, a corporation organ-
ized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, of New York, in the
United States of America, Manufacturers.
I, PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, 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 :-
This Invention relates mainly to that class of elevators in which a motor fluid,
elastic or inelastic acts upon one or both sides of the piston of the engine either
directly or through an intervening body of non-compressible fluid, and the invention
consists in constructing the parts of an elevator as fully set forth hereinafter, so as to
utilize the power of the motor fluid to as great an extent as possible, avoid the waste
of water or other fluid, facilitate the operation of the engine, prevent the variable
action resulting from the cables being transferred from one side of the supporting
pulley to the other and also prevent injury from the breaking of the cable or from
excessive speed.
To clearly illustrate the nature of the invention reference is made to the accom-
panying drawings in which
Figs. 1 to 7 illustrate one form of elevator in which a single air and water vessel is
used.
Figs. 8 to 10 illustrate another form in which there are two water vessels.
Figs. 11 to 18 illustrate those features of the invention employed for equalizing the
weight of the cables in different positions and for preventing accidents from the
breaking of the cables or from excessive speed.
Referring first to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 7 :
In the construction of apparatus illustrated in the drawing is shown an ordinary
elevator engine having a vertical cylinder A, piston, B, connected by flexible suspen-
sories C, with a cage X, and provided with circulating pipes 1, 2, and with a
valve device D, having a casing 3 with inlet, discharge and circulating ports communi-
cating with an inlet pipe 5, discharge pipe 4, and circulating pipes 1, 2.
This valve device is termed the "water valve device," and as shown in Figs. 2 to 4,
the valve thereof consists of a piston valve 6, for controlling the discharge, a disc
valve 30, for controlling the passage between the inlet and circulating pipes, and
a counterbalancing disc 31, all upon a stem 32, which may be raised and lowered
as usual by turning a pulley 19, from which a hand rope 18 passes around guide
pulleys to the cage X.
The cage is raised by lifting the valve 6 towards the position shown in Fig. 2.
to admit the liquid to bear on the top of the piston B, and to permit that below
the piston to flow to the discharge pipe 4, and the cage will descend when the
valve is moved to the position shown in Fig. 3, so that the piston B can rise
under the weight of the cage, and the liquid circulate from the top to the
bottom of the cylinder A through the pipes 1 and 2, and through the valve
casing 3.
The several features of the apparatus thus far described except the valve 30, do not
differ materially from those of ordinary elevators in which water pressure is used
to move the piston, but in order to effectively make use of air or other elastic fluid
pressure, the cylinder, circulating pipes, and valve device D are supplied with a
body of incompressible fluid, as water, oil, glycerine, or other like liquid, and the same

page_text: "
is discharged from the cylinder into a tank E, and the said tank is connected
with the air and water vessel F, which communicates with the inlet pipe 5 at the
bottom, and at the top with an air supply pipe 20, in which is the valve device G
that controls the flow of the elastic fluid to and from the vessel. As shown the "air
A valve device G (as it is called, though it may control the flow of steam or
other elastic fluid) consists of a casing 10, having an inlet 11, communicating with the
supply pipe 20, an exhaust port 13, and an intermediate port 14, communicating
with that portion 9 of the supply pipe 20, leading to the vessel F, and the
valve of said device consists of two piston valves 15 and 16 connected by a
stem 17.
The air valve and the water valve are preferably connected to move in unison,
thereby facilitating their manipulation from the cage. One means of connection
is illustrated in Fig. 1, in which the pulley 19 is shown provided with a spiral groove
receiving a stud upon a lever 24, connected with the stein 17 of the air valve, so that
the revolution of the pulley when the water valve is adjusted vibrates the lever
and adjusts the air valve. A preferable construction is shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, in
which the valve stem 17 is in line with and connected to the valve stem 32, so
that the movement of the latter by the operator, in the cage or otherwise, will carry
with it the air valve.
The tank E is in communication with the vessel F through a channel or port
controlled by a valve 8, and as shown, the tank is above the vessel, and the valve is a
check valve arranged to open under the weight of the water in the tank to
discharge it into the vessel, but to close against its seat when the pressure in the vessel
exceeds that in the tank.
When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, the car or load will be lifted,
inasmuch as the exhaust port 13 of the air valve is closed and the air under
pressure flows into the vessel F, and forces out the liquid through the inlet pipe 5, and
water valve casing and port, and pipe 1, into the cylinder A, and upon the top
of the piston which descends and raises the load, and the liquid below the piston
escapes through the pipe 2, and discharge port and pipe 4, into the tank E, so
long as the piston continues to descend.
The movement of the cage is arrested by carrying the valves to the position shown
in Fig. 4, when the liquid will be locked between the valve 6 and the main
piston B, while the valve 16 closes the air inlet port 11, and the valve 15 closes the
air exhaust port 13.
When the load is to descend the liquid instead of being forced back into the tank as
heretofore in hydro-pneumatic apparatus, is circulated as in hydraulic elevators, by.
adjusting the valves to the position shown in Fig. 3 so that the water from above
the piston B is carried by the lifting of the piston on the descent of the load
through the pipe 1, valve casing 3, and pipe 2, into the cylinder below the
piston, while the escape port 13 of the air valve device is open, and the air passes
from the vessel F until the pressure therein is no longer in excess of that in the
tank E. The weight of the liquid in the tank E will now lift the valve 8, and
the said liquid which was discharged from the cylinder on the previous descent of
the piston B, will flow into the vessel F to be again forced therefrom, when the
air pressure in the said vessel is increased by shifting the valve to the position shown
in Fig. 2.
Inasmuch as the space occupied by the piston rods in the cylinder above the
piston B diminishes the capacity of this portion of the cylinder, it is necessary,
to prevent a vacuum in circulating the water from the top to the bottom of the
cylinder, to supply additional fluid to that discharged from above the piston, and
this is effected by closing the communication between the vessel F and cylinder
by means of the disc valve 30, and by providing a communication between the
space below the piston and any part of the machine containing liquid and inserting
in the channel an upwardly opening check valve. Thus a pipe 33 connects the
pipe 2 with the bend of the pipe 4 (which is always supplied with liquid) and
contains the lifting check valve 34, which rises when there is any tendency to a

page_text: vacuum in the lower part of the cylinder, and permits the water from the pipe 4
to flow into the same, the valve closing as soon as there is any pressure above it.
There is a valve 30 on the water valve stem, and the casing 3 has a port 50
between the vessel F and the circulating pipes, the said port being closed by the
valve 30 when the circulating ports are in communication, so that the liquid in
the cylinder and circulating pipes is cut off from communication with the air
and water vessel as the discharge pipe is closed.
In order, however, to permit of the aforesaid communication with the air and
water vessel during circulation of the water, the valve 30 and its port should be
constructed as illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, 7, the valve being reduced in thickness to as
great an extent as possible and the port being in a narrow partition of the casing, so
that the valve and port will coincide only just as the discharge port is perfectly closed,
so as to permit, until the completed movement of the valve 6 the desired com-
munication with the vessel F, and insure the opening of the port 50 the instant the
valve 6 is shifted in either direction.
It will be apparent that if the valve 6 is raised to discharge the water from below
the piston before pressure is brought upon the top of the latter, the piston may rise
under the weight of the load when the discharge port is open, and until the air pressure
is upon the water above the piston. To prevent this result the valves are so set that
the air inlet valve to the vessel F shall open slightly in advance of the opening of the
discharge port. Thus the parts are arranged as shown in Fig. 4, the valve 6 having
greater lap than the air valve 16, which uncovers the air inlet port 11 before the
valve 6 uncovers the discharge port.
The air pressure upon the fluid in the vessel F may be regulated automatically so
as to provide a safety means preventing the cage from moving at any time at an
excessive speed, and regulating the volume of air admitted to the vessel F to the
weight of the load. Thus there is a valve 40 in that portion of the air supply pipe
communicating with the vessel F, with which is connected a suitable governor I
driven by the movement of the cage, for instance, by an endless cable 41 connected
with the cage or other moving part of the engine and passing round guide pulleys
and around the pulley 42 of the governor, whereby any undue increase in the speed
on the descent of the cage will carry the valve towards its seat, throttle the passage
and reduce the pressure in the vessel.
This automatic reduction of the air pressure results in a large saving in the
amount of air employed.
For instance if the load can be raised by one-half of the full air pressure, the
full pressure imparting an increased speed to the cage will cause the valve to
approach its seat, cutting off one-half of the air admitted to the vessel, in which
the air will expand with a reduction of one-half of the pressure upon the liquid
therein.
On elevators employing water in contact with the piston it is essential to use
packings, as a close fitting of the piston to the cylinder would result in undue friction,
and in elevators in which a compressible and incompressible fluid is employed water is
objectionable inasmuch as the discharge of air from undue compression into the
atmosphere, or the passing of the same through a reducing valve, results in a rapid
expansion and absorption of heat, which passes quickly from the water, causing
freeze in the pipes or passages. Even when water does not come into contact with the
expanding or compressed air, the condensing and cooling of moisture in the atmosphere.
causes an objectionable accumulation of ice upon parts of the apparatus.
to
To avoid these difficulties a liquid is used that will not rapidly part with its heat
and preferably a lubricating oil instead of water, the same remaining fluid at an
extremely low temperature and so thoroughly and effectually lubricating the piston
and other parts that close fittings may be secured without the use of packings.
To prevent the accumulation of ice in or upon the air valve device, the same has
a surrounding heater of suitable construction that will maintain it at a comparatively
high temperature. Thus the heater may consist of a surrounding chamber in which
hot water, air or steam is circulated through pipes 60, 60, see Fig. 4.

page_text: While the tank E is preferably placed directly above the vessel F this is not
absolutely essential, and the valve 8 instead of being a check valve may be opened
positively.
In some cases two tanks are used in which the discharge water from the elevator
cylinder is received alternately, and to which the motor fluid is admitted alternately,
so that one tank may be filled while the air pressure is in the other, as illustrated in
Figs. 8 to 10 in which the engine has circulating pipes 41, 42, and water valve
device 1), having a casing 3 communicating with said pipes, and with a discharge pipe 4,
and an inlet port 6 communicating with the water inlet pipe 5. In the casing is a
counterbalance piston valve 7 which is raised and lowered to direct the fluid to either
end of the cylinder or to discharge the same therefrom, by rotating the shaft 8,
provided with a pulley 9, around which the ordinary hand rope 10 passes through the
cage so that said pulley and its connected valve may be operated from the cage as
usual. Two tanks E, F, are connected with the water valve device D and with
another valve device G which controls the flow of air or other elastic motor fluid
to and from the said tanks.
The water inlet pipe 5 communicates through two branches 12, 13, with the lower
portions of the two tanks E, F, and the discharge pipe 4 communicates through two
branches 15, 16, with the two tanks E, F, at points above the bottom of the same,
and two pipes 18, 19, for air or other elastic motor fluid leading from the air valve
device G communicate with the upper portions of the tanks, the said air valve device
being in communication with an air supply pipe 20. In each pipe 12, 13, is a
valve 14, and in each branch 15, 16, is a valve 17, and these valves may be check
valves as shown in Fig. 9, or positively operated valves as shown in Fig. 10.
The air valve device G, as illustrated, consists of a D valve 21 operating upon a
face having two outlet ports 22, 23, communicating with the pipes 18, 19, respectively,
and an intermediate exhaust port 24, the arrangement being such thac in one position
of the valve (see Fig. 9) the port 22 will be in communication with the supply
pipe 20 to permit the air to pass to the tank E while the port 23 is open through the
valve 21 to exhaust 24, allowing the air from the tank F to exhaust therefrom. In
the reverse position of said valve the port 23 will be in communication with the supply
pipe for the passage of air to the tank F, while the port 22 is open through the valve
to the exhaust port 24, allowing the air from the tank E to exhaust.
The stem of the valve 21 is connected by a jointed rod with a wrist pin upon a
pinion 25, gearing with a toothed wheel 26, at the side of which is a ratchet 27
having four teeth, and on a vertical guide 28 slides a carrier 29, to which is pivoted
a pawl 30 arranged to engage one of the teeth of and turn the ratchet 27 when the
carrier descends, but to yield and pass the ratchet without turning it when the carrier
ascends.
From the above it will be seen that the connections between the carrier 29 and the
air valve device G are such that upon one movement of the carrier the ratchet and
the toothed wheel 26 will be given a quarter turn, and as the pinion 25 is one-half
the size of the wheel 26, or has one-half the number of teeth of the latter, said piston
will be turned a half revolution, thus reversing the position of the valve 21 each
time the ratchet 27 is turned; the return movement of the carriage being an
idle one.
With the carrier 29 are combined any suitable operating devices connecting
preferably with the cage whereby the carrier may be depressed to move the ratchet
one step to shift the position of the valve 21 with respect to its ports each time the
cage makes a complete up and down movement, the carrier descending by its own
weight.
The operation in this construction (Figs. 8 to 10) is as follows:-
Supposing the parts to be in the position shown in full lines, Fig. 9, and that a
quantity of fluid is in the tank E, the air passing in the direction of the arrows, in
full lines, from the pipe 20 through the port 22, and pipe 18 will enter and bear
upon the water in said tank E, and water discharged from the cylinder will flow into
the tank F and the air will pass from the latter through the pipe 19 and port 23 to

page_text: the exhaust 24. The water valve being in position to open the port 6 to the
pipe 41 the water under pressure will pass to the top of the piston B to lower it
and raise the cage, and there is an open communication between the lower end of
the cylinder and the discharge pipe 4, so that the discharge water passes to the
tank F. This result will ensue every time the valve 7 is moved to open communi-
cation with the discharge after having closed it.
It will be understood that the water discharged from the cylinder A always flows
to the tank that is at that time open to the discharge from the cylinder. When check
valves are used the air pressure in the tank from which the water flows to the pressure
end of the cylinder will of course hold the check valve 17 in the branch pipe leading
from said tank to the cylinder firmly to its seat, while the check valve 17 in the
branch pipe of the other tank being free to lift will be readily passed by the discharge
water.
The parts described will continue to retain the position illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9
during the movements of the elevator cage, whatever they may be, controlled as usual.
by the water valve device D, through the ordinary hand rope 10 until the cage
descends to its lowermost position. On such descent of the cage the water valve will
be shifted to the position shown in Fig. 9a so that the water above the piston may be
circulated from the top of the cylinder to its opposite end below the piston, the cir-
culating pipes being in communication with the pipe 5, and with the tank from which
the water was expelled to the top of the cylinder.
When, however, the cage reaches its lowermost position it will make contact with
the air valve reversing device and will move the carrier 29 and its pawl downward,
turn the toothed wheel 26 a quarter revolution and the pinion 25 a half revolution,
thus reversing the position of the air valve 21 as indicated by dotted lines in .
Fig. 9.
The motor fluid now passes in the direction of the arrows in dotted lines, from the
pipe 20 through the port 23 and pipe 19, into the tank F, which has received all or a
major portion of the water from the cylinder A by the complete descent of the
piston B, and the water in the tank F will therefore be expelled under pressure
through the water valve device and pipe 41 against the piston B whenever the valve 7
is adjusted to secure this result and the discharged water from the cylinder A will
flow through the pipe 4 and branch 15, past the valve therein into the tank E, from
which the air previously introduced will escape through the port 22 and exhaust 24.
If now the cage is to descend the valve 7 is shifted so as to put the pipes 41
and 42 in communication in the usual manner, (see Fig. 9ª,) when the water will
circulate from the top to the bottom of the cylinder A as before.
Any suitable connections may be employed between the cage and the air valve
device, as a lever 31 connected at one end to the carrier 29 and at the other end
engaging a rope 37 that extends from the lever over guide pulleys 35 (Fig. 8) down
through the cage under guide pulleys 36 and back to the lever. As shown, the
lever 31 is slotted at its end to pass the rope 37 which is provided with two contact
pieces 32, 33, above and below the said lever 31, so that the latter will be positively
raised and lowered by the movements of the rope, and said rope is provided with a
weight W (or the end of the lever might be weighted) which tends to lower that
section of the rope connected with the lever 31 and to maintain the latter and the
carrier 29 in the position shown in Fig. 8, and in full lines Fig. 9. The rope 37 is
also provided with a contact piece 34 arranged in such position as to be struck by the.
elevator cage, or some connection therewith, just as the cage completes its downward
movement, so that the rope is then shifted to vibrate the lever 31 to the position
indicated in dotted lines Fig. 9, and shift the valve 21. When the cage rises it
leaves the contact piece 34, and the weight W carries the rope_downward
to its first position, and restores the lever 31 and the carrier to the position
shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the pawl 30 passing the ratchet 27 without moving the
latter, and hence without changing the position of the air valve 21.
From this it will be seen that by means of connections with the cage, both the

page_text: water valve device D and the air valve device G may be operated at the will of
the attendant, the former, (as is common) to control the direct movement of the
cage, and the latter when the necessity arises to shift the air pressure from one
tank to the other. Thus should the cage be stopped before it reaches the pre-
determined point at which it will cause the air valve 21 to be shifted automatically,
the said valve may be shifted through the medium of the rope 37 by hand should
the quantity of water in the tank be exhausted or limited so as to render this
necessary. It will be obvious that electrical or other connecting operating devices
may be arranged between the valve 21 and the cage so as to be operated thereby,
as it approaches the limit of its movement in either direction and to shift the
valve at each complete movement of the cage, or as often as may be necessary.
While valves of certain particular construction have been shown it will be
evident that valves of any usual forms suitable for the purposes set forth may
be employed. Thus in the construction shown in Fig. 10 the valves 14, 17,
in the pipes connected with each tank are piston valves, both connected to one
stem, with seats in a single casing 40, and the two stems 41, 42, are con-
nected to the opposite ends of a lever 43 connected to the link attached
to the air valve rod 25. This construction is such that the air valve 14 of
the branch 12 will be positively opened, and the valve 17 of the branch 15
will be positively closed as the air valve is brought to the position shown
in Fig. 10, while the opposite valve 14 is closed and the opposite valve 17
is opened by the same movement, and the positions of all the valves are positively
reversed when the air valve is shifted. The shifting of the valves may be effected
from the cage by the operator through a hand rope passing round a pulley 9
upon the lever shaft 44, or it may be done in the manner described with respect
to the construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9.
In that class of elevating apparatus in which the cables connecting the cage
with the engine hang from elevated pulleys, variations in the resistance and power
required result from the transfer of the main weight of the cables from one side
of the pulleys to the other.
Thus in the construction shown in Figs. 11 to 14 the cable B hangs from the
pulley or pulleys C, C, and is connected at one end to the cage A and at the
other to the piston D of the cylinder E, and when the cage is down the main
body of the cable is on the right or cage side of the pulleys C, C, in the con-
struction shown in Figs. 11 and 13, or is counterbalanced in the construction
shown in Fig. 14, while when the cage is up the main body of the cable in each
construction is upon the left or piston side of the supporting pulleys. It will
thus be seen that as the cage descends the resistance to its motion decreases and
as it is carried upward the operating engine operates with greater effect. To avoid
the results of this varying resistance to the action of the engine, provision is made
whereby there is an automatic gradually increasing resistance to the movement of
the piston as it carries the cage towards the top of the well.
In the construction shown in Fig. 11 the cylinder below the piston is closed to
form an air chamber in which the air is compressed as the piston descends so as
to gradually afford a greater increasing resistance to the movement of the piston
as the weight of the cable on the cage side of the apparatus is reduced, or the
air may be rarified by the upward movement of the piston. Thus a valve e in an
air inlet pipe m communicating with the bottom of the cylinder is provided with
fingers 9, 9, arranged to be struck by an arm f on the piston rod. As the
piston reaches the bottom of the cylinder the arm f strikes the finger g¹ and the
valve e is turned to an open position and any surplus air in the cylinder escapes.
As the piston rises the finger f strikes the finger g and closes the valve e so that
the air is gradually rarified and there is increased resistance as the weight of the
cables is transferred to the cage side. When the piston descends the partial vacuum
acts to load it with gradually decreasing effect until the arm f strikes the finger gl
when the valve will be opened and the air pressure within the cylinder will be

page_text: equal to that without. When the air is to be compressed on the descent of the
piston the valve e is closed as the pisten begins its descent and is opened as the
piston reaches the top. The valve may be operated in any other suitable manner.
A spring weighted valve serves to relieve excessive pressure in the cylinder.
In the construction shown in Figs. 13 and 14 the counteracting fluid is water. Thus
in Fig. 13 the lower or idle end of the cylinder communicates through a pipes with a
tank or stand pipe I of such proportions that the variation of the level of water
discharged from the cylinder into the tank increases the resistance to the movement
of the piston as it descends and aids its elevation when the movement is reversed.
In the construction shown in Fig. 11 there is a discharge tank G, water tank H,
a pipe d connecting the latter with the top of the cylinder and provided with a
check valve d and cock d¹, a valve device W controlling the flow of water between
the pipe a, tank G, and pipe d, an open pipe K rising from the water tank H. and a
small pipe L connecting the tank G (or pipe b) and tank H.
If the valve c of the valve device W is closed suddenly when the piston D is
moving down, it can travel a short distance by momentum owing to the lifting of
the check valve d², the water in the column d then acting as a brake and quickly
reducing the motion but without shock. The pipe K being open permits the water
to flow from the tank H, when the valve d' rises and after the valve d² closes the
water will slowly flow through the pipe L and replenish the tank H so that the
level in the pipe K soon equals that in the tank G.
In Fig. 14 the improvement is shown in connection with a horizontal cylinder
and in this case the level in the stand pipe 1 when full should be below the centre
of the cylinder and sink while the car descends. Sufficient weight must be left, in
this case, in the car to lift the cable that is on the engine side of the pulley C
when the car is in the uppermost position, and the variation in the lifting capacity
is made up in the variation of the tank level, which in this case causes the pressure
on the idle side of the piston to fall gradually below that of the atmosphere.
To prevent accidents resulting from the breaking of the cable the cage is provided
with an automatically operating device illustrated in Figs. 14 to 18. The said
device is termed a "
66
clamp" or gripper" and consists of a plate having two edges
at right angles to bite two faces of the cage guide 4, and a dog that bites the third
edge. This clamp or gripping plate 5 may be pivoted to the bottom 20 of the cage
or platform as shown, or may be otherwise movably secured and is notched or cut
away to form the two edges 21, 22, either plain or serrated, and the dog. 1 is
connected movably to the gripping plate, being pivoted by a pin in position for
its edge to occupy a position parallel to the edge 22 of the gripping plate..
The plate 5 is pivoted by a pivot pin 6 to one of the guide shoes 7 below the
latter in such position that the adjacent guide 4 may extend into the notch or
recess formed by the edges 21, 22, of the gripping plate and the edge of the
gripping dog, but when the gripping plate is swung inward to the position shown
in Fig. 18, and the dog is in a position with its edge away from the guide, the
cage or platform A can move freely up and down between its guides. When,
however, the gripping or biting edges 21, 22, and a are brought forcibly against
the faces of the guide they will penetrate the latter, and any further descent of the
cage or platform will cause the guide to be cut away by the edges 21, 22, x until
the resistance to the downward movement of the cage becomes so great as to cause
its final and gradual arrest.
Different means may be employed for causing the gripping edges to penetrate
or bite the guide upon any improper increase in the speed of the movement of the
cage. Thus when the plate is pivoted to the platform of the cage, if the biting edge
of the dog be brought in contact with the adjacent face of the guide 4 as the cage
descends, the resistance to the further downward movement of the edge of the dog
will tend to carry it to a horizontal position causing it to react on and thereby
swing the plate upon. its pivot 6 in the direction of the arrow Fig. 18, until the
parts are in the position shown in Figs. 16 and 17, the edges 21, 22, of the gripping
plate being thus brought against the corresponding faces of the guide, and penetrating

page_text: :
[.
the latter as shown in said Figs., so that any further descent of the cage can only
be effected by cutting away all the faces of the guide, which results in such
resistance as speedily arrests the movement of the cage. The turning of the gripping
plate may automatically bring the dog into position to engage with the face of the
guide. Thus the dog may have a lateral pointed pin or projection 10, normally out
of contact with any stationary part of the apparatus, but which when the plate is
turned in the direction of the arrow, will be caused to penetrate the face of the
adjacent guide support 25, tending to arrest the downward movement of the gripping
end of the dog and thereby bringing it towards a horizontal position and throwing
its edge x into contact with the adjacent face of the guide.
arrow.
The initial movement of the plate 5 necessary to bring the lug 10 into contact
with the stationary face may be effected by any of the various elevator governor.or
controlling apparatus in a manner which will be obvious to any skilled mechanic, as
for instance, a cam J is arranged near the guide to strike and swing the plate, said.
cam being controlled in its action by the speed of the cage. Thus the said cam J
may be the projecting end of a lever 11, pivoted to the side of the guide supports 25,
and normally in position to strike the edge of the plate 5 as the cage descends as
shown in Figs. 14, 15 and 18 and to thereby swing the plate in the direction of its
In order that the said cam may be removed from position to effect the
movement of the gripping plate and the arrest of the cage when the speed of the
latter is not excessive, a governor is used, by which it is controlled. Thus the outer
edge of the cam lever 11 is weighted and connected by a rod 46 with the piston of a
dash pot 14 having a perforated bottom and freely opening inlet valve, and the cam
lever 11 is also connected by a rod 29 with a lever 30 having a shoulder engaging
with that of a catch lever 12, the inner end of which is in position to contact with a
projection 31 upon the cage or platform, the outer end being weighted to normally
maintain this position.
When the cage descends at its ordinary rate of speed the projection 31 deflects the
catch lever 12, releases the retaining lever 30 and the weighted end of the cam
lever 11 descends so that the cam end of said lever passes from position to contact
with the plate 5, and when the movement of the cage is too rapid for safety the dash
pot prevents the cam lever from moving quickly enough to avoid contact with the
cam end of the lever 11 with the plate 5, and the latter will be swung upon its pivot,
and the guide will be gripped.
Upon the upward movement of the cage the projection 31 will strike the end of
the lever 30 and restore the parts to their normal position shown in Fig. 15. When
two grippers are employed as shown, they are connected by a connecting rod 8, so
that the movement of either in a direction to grip the guide will impart a corresponding
movement to the other.
It is desirable in case of the breaking of the elevator cable to insure the immediate
arrest of the cage and before it acquires any excessive rate of movement, and to effect
this the gripping dog is connected with a spring or weight which is brought into
operation to lift the dog the instant that the tension of the cable is released. Thus
the cable B is connected with a sliding bar 34 passing through the cross bar 35 of the
cage and secured at its lower end to a stiff spring 36 which will be normally flattened
against the bar by the weight of the cage when the latter is suspended within the well,
and this spring is connected with each of the dogs so as to lift the latter when the
spring moves outward, which would result if the elevator cable should break. The
particular connection shown consists of a slide 37, carried by the cross bar 35, and
bearing upon a T lever 38, the vertical arms of which are connected by rods 39 to bell
crank levers 40, and the outer arm of each of the latter is connected by a rod 41 with
the dog helow. With each gripper plate is combined a spring 16 connected at one
end to the pin 6, and at the other to the gripping plate, and which tends to keep the
gripping plate in the normal position shown in Fig. 18.
To prevent the gripping plate from sticking to its pivot pin by grit or corrosion, I
place a cam 15 adjacent to the path of the gripping device, securing it for instance to
the guide support, as shown in Fig. 14, so as to strike the plate and compel it to swing

page_text: to a slight extent, and enough of the guide is cut away adjacent to said cam to prevent
the guide from being gripped as the result of the swinging of the plate at this point,
but should the car descend with great rapidity the plate 5 will not have time to swing
back to its normal position after passing beyond the cut-away portion of the guide, and
the latter will be gripped and the car will be arrested as before described, the stationary
cam in this case acting in like manner as the movable cam before described.
In order to effect the lifting of the dog and engaging it with the guide, when the
plate 5 is turned by the cam or otherwise, the pivot pin 6 supports a laterally pro-
jecting finger 9 in position below the dog to be struck thereby and lift the dog when
the plate 5 is swung in the direction of the arrow Fig. 18. The finger 9 is stationary
with respect to the plate 5 and hence in the normal position of the latter, shown
in Fig. 18, is sufficiently at one side of the dog 1 to permit said dog to fall away from
the guide 4, but when the plate 5 is moved to bring its gripping faces into contact
with the guide, the dog 1 will contact with the finger 9 and be raised into its operative
position. The gripping dog may be hung loosely in any suitable manner other than
the pivotal connection shown to the plate 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination with the cylinder, piston and valve device of an elevator engine,
of a vessel containing a body of incompressible liquid and communicating with the
said valve device, and with a pipe provided with a valve to supply an elastic motor
fluid under pressure, and a tank communicating with the discharge port of the
elevator valve device, and communicating through a port provided with a valve with
the said vessel, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with an elevator engine, of an air and water vessel communi-
cating therewith, and with a pipe leading to a supply of elastic fluid, and provided
with a valve, and a tank arranged to receive the water discharged from the engine,
and communicating through a port provided with a check valve with the said vessel to
discharge the water into the latter, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with the cylinder, piston, inlet, discharge and circulating pipes
and the valve device having inlet, discharge and circulating ports, of an air and water
vessel communicating with the inlet port of said valve device, and with an air supply
pipe, and an air valve device in said supply pipe, the two valve devices being connected
to work in unison and a tank arranged to receive the fluid discharged from the cylinder
and communicating with the vessel through a port provided with a valve, substantially
as set forth.
4. The combination with an elevator engine and its valve device, of an air and
water vessel, an air valve device connected to work in unison with that of the engine,
and a tank communicating with the vessel through a port provided with a valve and
arranged to receive the water discharged from the cylinder of the engine, substantially
as set forth.
5. The combination with an elevator engine and valve device, an air and water
vessel communicating with the inlet port of said valve device, a discharge tank com-
municating with the discharge port of said device, a valve governing the communication
between the tank and the vessel, and a supply pipe communicating with the vessel and
provided with an air valve connected with the engine valve, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination with an elevator engine, its circulating pipes and valve device
having inlet, discharge and circulating pipes and ports, of a vessel containing a liquid
and communicating at its lower part with the inlet port of the valve device, an I at the
upper part with a pipe leading to an elastic fluid supply, and provided with a valve
device having inlet and exhaust ports, and a water tank arranged to receive the water
discharged from the engine and communicating with said vessel through a port
provided with a valve, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination with the cylinder and piston of an elevating apparatus, of a
valve device, two air and water tanks, each communicating alternately with the inlet
B

page_text: and with the outlet of the valve device, and air supply pipe leading from an air
reservoir to said tanks and provided with a valve device having two outlet ports
affording communication with each of the said tanks, and an exhaust port, substantially
as described.
8. The combination with two tanks connected with the water valve devices of a
hydraulic elevator, of an air pipe, and valves controlling the air and water outlet and
inlet ports, and connected to open the air inlet and water outlet ports of one tank,
when the water inlet and air outlet ports of the other tank are open, substantially as
described.
9. The combination with the cylinder, piston, and water valve device and pipes of
a hydraulic elevator of two tanks each connected with said water valve device, an air
supply pipe extending to a source of air supply, and valves controlling the communi-
cation between the air pipe and the tanks and between the latter and the water valve
device, substantially as described.
10. The combination with a hydraulic elevating engine having a water valve
device, of two tanks adapted to be used alternately as the supply and waste tanks of
the elevator, and communicating with the water valve device, and air supply pipe
extending from an air reservoir to said tanks, and an air valve device controlling the
flow of air to and from the tanks and connected with the cage to be operated
therefrom, substantially as described.
11. The combination with a hydraulic elevating engine provided with a water valve
device, of two tanks connected with the water valve device, an air pipe communicating
with an air reservoir and with said tanks, and an air valve device, said valve devices
being connected independently with the cage to be operated therefrom, substantially
as described.
12. The combination with a hydraulic elevating engine, cage, and water valve
device thereof connected with the cage, of two tanks connected with said water valve
device, an air pipe, and a valve device controlling the flow of air to and from the
tanks, and shifting devices connected with the air valve to shift the same automatically
to throw the pressure into one tank and open the other on the completion of the
movement of the cage, substantially as described.
13. The combination with the cylinder, piston and water valve device of an elevator,
of two air and water tanks adapted to be used alternately as the supply and waste
tanks of the elevator, each communicating with the inlet and with the outlet ports of
the valve device, and provided with valves, an air supply pipe extending to a source
of air supply and provided with a valve device having two outlet ports, one commu-
nicating with each of said tanks, and an exhaust port, and connections between the
air valve and the cage, and between the water valve and the cage, substantially as
set forth.
14. The combination with the elevator engine, two air and water tanks adapted to
be used alternately as the supply and waste tanks of the elevator, a supply pipe con-
veying air to both tanks, connections between the latter and the valve device of the
engine, and an air valve for the supply pipe, and connections between the air valve
and a contact piece arranged to be struck upon the completion of the movement of
the elevator cage to shift the air valve and change the air supply from one tank to
the other, substantially as set forth.
15. The combination with the valve of the air valve device, and with the elevator
cage and its operating engine, and air and water tanks and connections, of a ratchet
connected with the air valve, a pawl for engaging said ratchet, and connections
between the pawl and a contact piece arranged to be struck on the completion of the
movement of the cage, substantially as set forth.
16. The method and means of counterbalancing the varying weight of the cables
connected to an elevator cage by varying automatically the resistance upon the idle
side of the piston, substantially as described.
17. The combination with the piston of an elevator and with the cables and cage
connected therewith, of a chamber upon the idle side of the piston containing a
counteracting fluid, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 18. The combination of the cage, cables, piston and air chamber provided with a
valve and valve actuating devices, substantially as set forth.
19. The combination of the cage, cables, piston and receptacle communicating with
the chamber on the idle side of the piston and containing a counterbalancing fluid,
substantially as set forth.
20. The constructions and arrangements of chambers in connection with the cage,
cables, and cylinder and piston of an elevator as described and shown in the figures of
the accompanying drawings.
21. The pipes h and K connected with the features substantially as shown in Fig. 11.
22. In combination with the cage or platform and guide of an elevator, a safety
gripper consisting of a plate connected movably with the cage, and having edges
arranged to engage two faces of the guide, and a dog hung to the plate with its edge
in position to engage the other face of the guide, substantially as described.
23. The combination with a cage and guide, of a movable plate having edges
arranged to engage two faces of the guide, a dog hung to said plate to engage the
remaining face of the guide, and a spring connected with the suspensory cable, and
also with the dog whereby the latter is raised on the releasing of the spring by the
breaking of the cable, substantially as described.
24. The combination with the cage, and guide of an elevator, of a pivoted grip
plate and dog hung to the latter, and a cam arranged adjacent to the guide to engage
and swing the plate, substantially as described.
25. The combination with the cage, guide, pivoted grip plate and dog, of a pivoted
cam lever, dash pot controlling the speed of vibration of said lever, catch connected
with said lever, retaining lever engaging with the catch and a contact piece on the
cage for engaging with the retaining lever, substantially as set forth.
26. The combination with the cage, guide, pivoted catch plate, and dog, of a fixed
cam 15 arranged to be struck by and swing the plate, substantially as described.
27. The combination with the pivoted plate having the biting edges 21, 22, of a
pivot pin 6 having a finger 9, and a biting dog loosely connected to said plate in
position to strike the pin when the plate is turned, substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of January 1890.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE.