Year: 1888

page_text: I, JAMES WINTER, of Granton Iron Works, Edinburgh, in the County of Midlothian,
Superintendent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention, which relates to improvements in Forge Cranes has for its object
to facilitate the turning round or manipulating of the forging under the steam hammer
and to dispense with the number of men at present required for the purpose and
also the number of tools that are necessary when dealing with heavy forgings.
In accordance with my improvements I employ an endless chain which works between
two pitched wheels, the one wheel being rotated or partially rotated by the driving gear at
the pillar or axis of the crane, the other wheel effecting the turning or manipulating,
with a motion of rotation or partial rotation, of the forging, through the medium of a
separate portion of endless chain which passes under the forging, and over a small
pitch wheel mounted by the side of and upon the same axle as that of the main turning
wheel. These two wheels may be mounted independently or they can be attached at
the workmens will, with a paul or catch arrangement.
The turning chain is guided over pulleys, one set of pulleys being mounted on the
overhead travelling carriage, the other set of pulleys being approximately above the
driving gear; in this said gear however the one pulley is mounted upon the same
level as that of the line of rail of the travelling carriage, the other pulley being
below the said level, the whole arrangement being such that the forging is turned
with a minimum of friction without the chain being inconveniently in the way of
the proper working of the crane.
In order to allow the chain to work at whatever distance the forging may be hanging
from the axis or pillar of the crane, I provide a hanging weight between the two sets
of pulleys, the said weight being suspended by small pulleys which are supported
upon a slack of the chain, the chain at this part being supported by a fixed pulley,
that is to say, a pulley which is mounted upon the crane arm. I may however vary
the arrangements of pulleys in connection with the weight, in order to suit various
lengths of travelling distances in various sizes of cranes...

page_text: The higher pulley above the gearing is preferably so mounted as to be capable of
slight motion fore and aft under the control of a spiral or equivalent spring, for the
purpose of reducing the shock in the case of operating heavy forgings.
Dated this 3rd day of April 1888.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Petitioner's Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Forge Cranes.
I, JAMES WINTER, of Granton Iron Works, Edinburgh, in the County of Midlothian,
Superintendent, 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 :-
My said Invention which relates to improvements in Forge Cranes has for its
object to facilitate the manipulating of the forging under the steam hammer, and to
dispense with the number of men at present required for the purpose, and also with
the number of tools that are necessary when dealing with heavy forgings; My said
improvements also enable the forging to be readily turned or manipulated in the
furnace as required from time to time.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly and readily carried into effect,
I will now proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed:
Figure 1, Sheet 1, of the Drawings is a side elevation of the Forge Crane,
constructed in accordance with my said Invention.
The other figures of the Drawing are detailed views hereinafter referred to.
As shown in figure 1, I apply my improvements to an ordinary Swinging Crane
pivoted at X, X, and capable of being swung from its pivot to and from the furnace
and the hammer block. The Crane framing may be of the ordinary box pattern and
constructed of malleable iron or steel plates and angle iron or steel stiffeners.
In accordance with my improvements I employ an endless chain A, driven by a
pitched wheel B, geared. on to the ordinary driving gear of the Crane by bevel
wheels and pinions, or their equivalent. The said endless chain A, passes over a
number of guide pulleys C, and occasionally over the guide pulley Cs, which comes
into operation only when the travelling carriage (, is drawn in towards the crane
post or pivots, so arranged as to allow the endless chain A, to turn in either direction,
and so cause the pitch wheel D, suspended at the end of the Crane hoisting sheave
to revolve, and so allow of the forging G, revolving by means of another small

page_text: endless chain E, which runs on a grooved wheel F, figure 1, and round the
forging G.
To enable the said arrangement to work in respect of the alteration of the length
of chain O, as the said chain is hoisted up or lowered; I employ an arrangement to
take up or let out the chain A, as required and which consists of two moveable
carriages H, H', hung on the said chain, and also working on rails or rods, so as to
guide them, the weight of the said carriages being made so as to counterbalance the
weight of the chain slack, so that upon their being releived they automatically adjust
the chain, and so keep it taut.
"
I construct the carriage H, of an ordinary sheave and pulley C, hung on the end-
less chain A, and attached by means of a set of small levers and links h, h, and h²,
to a large weight H', which is again attached by two links ³, and *, to a small
guide or double slipper h, working on a rail or rod I,; the link or lever h¹, being
also attached to a similar guide or slipper h, the whole arrangement being so mounted
as to allow of the weight H³, taking up its proper position relative to the " slack
on the endless chain. The carriage H¹, is so constructed as to work on an inclined
plane formed by the inside of the framework, the said carriage having fixed upon it
one of the guide wheels C, which hangs on the endless chain A, and so forms a
weight on the "slack." The two carriages H, and H', are so attached to each other
by means of the chains K, and K₁, that they work in unison with one another, as
hereinafter more particularly referred to.
To allow the forging G, to be turned, I employ a brake arrangement for holding
the carriages H, H, in their respective positions, and so keep the chain A, in position
for enabling it to work properly; and for enabling the forging to be turned or
rotated in either direction. The said arrangement consists of a brake wheel J, fixed
on a shaft j, on which I provide one pitch wheel C, with the chain K, working
round it, and attached at both ends to the carriage H, and also a grooved pulley (2,
with chain K', attached to chain K, and round pulley C³, and back to carriage H',
so as to hold the carriages in position when the brake is applied by means of the
handscrew P, the said arrangements at the same time acting on the Driving gear M,
of the turning or revolving motion, by means of the levers L, and clutch M¹, so that
after the forging has been raised or lowered by the ordinary hoisting barrel N, and
chain O, (the clutch M¹, being out of gear, and the brake J, being also out of gear,
allowing the carriages H, H₁, to take up their proper position in regard to the
chain A). I manipulate the Handwheel P, which puts on the brake J, and so holds
the carriages H, H¹, and at the same time the clutch is allowed to come into "gear,"
and thereby sets the endless chain A, in motion, all taking up the respective positions
shown in figure 1.
In connection with my invention I employ two buffer springs R, R¹, so mounted
as to take up the shocks of the hammer, and so relieve the chains from the
shocks.
·
In order to admit of extra control over the forging and turning gear,
I employ
an arrangement of small pitch wheel S, (as shown more particularly in figures 1, 2, 2ª,)
working a screw s, which works into a bracket s', having two bolts 2, attached
thereto, and also attached to a revolving rings, (figures 2, 2ª,) and which causes
the pitch wheel D, to traverse longitudinally to and fro, the said wheel D, having a
half clutch formed upon it, the corresponding half clutch being formed on the grooved
wheel F, this arrangement enables the smith at the forging to work the same to
his own will independent of the crane man.
Figure 1, is a side elevation of the Sheave Block attachment as shown in
figure 1.
Figure 2, (Sheet 2,) is a front elevation, and Figure 2º, a corresponding side
elevation partly in section of the same arrangement, but shown in position as would
be taken up when the Craue or forging has been slowed round to the furnace; the
crossing of the chains A, being regulated and guided by means of small guide
pulleys c, so mounted as to guide the turning chain A, clear of the ordinary hoisting
Sheave blocks.

page_text: Figure 3, is a modification of my Brake arrangement, for actuating the brake
instantaneously by steam instead of gradually by hand, as described in the previous
arrangement.
In this matter I employ a Cylinder T, and valve t, the spindle t¹, being fixed on
to a hand lever t, brought out conveniently to allow of the Crane-man working it,
and on his moving this lever the valve is manipulated and the steam allowed to pass
into the Cylinder and act upon the piston and thereby cause the combination of levers L,
to operate in the same way as described for the hand motion.
In connection with my brake arrangement, I may increase or reduce its power
by means of a secondary shaft so mounted as to gear into the shaft j, by means of a
wheel and pinion or their equivalent. I may modify the arrangement of the various
parts of my Invention so as to enable them to be fitted to any style of forge
Crane.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In Forge Cranes the arrangement of endless chain A, and guide pulleys C,
all driven by the pitch wheel B, or by the mechanical equivalent of the same, substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein before described, and shewn in figure 1, of the
accompanying Drawings.
2nd. The arrangement for taking up the slack of the chain A, as required,
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and shown in figure 1, of
the accompanying Drawings.
3rd. The arrangement and construction of brake actuated by hand or power,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described, and shown in figures 1,
and 3, of the accompanying Drawings.
4th. The springs R, R¹, or their mechanical equivalent for taking up the shocks
of the hammer, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in figure 1, of the
accompanying Drawings.
5th. The arrangement of Pitch wheel S, screw s, revolving ring &³, and clutches,
for extra control of forging, substantially as hereinbefore described, and shown more
particularly in figures 1", and 2", of the accompanying Drawings.
6th. The arrangement of guide pulleys e, for controlling the twist of the chain A,
when required for the manipulation of the forging at the furnace, substantially as
herein before described, and shown more particularly in figures 2, and 2ª, of the
accompanying Drawings or its mechanical equivalent.
Dated this 4th day of January 1889.