Improvements in Elevating Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 23th May, 1895-Accepted, 17th Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elevating Apparatus.
I, CHARLES WALLACE HUNT, of Barker Street, West New Brighton, in
the County of Richmond, and State of New York, United States of America,
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :—
An elevating apparatus has been used in which a carriage is placed upon an
incline and a hoisting rope passes over the carriage and down to the article to
be elevated, and when the hoisting rope is drawn upon, the article is raised
vertically, or nearly so, and when it reaches the travelling carriage, the carriage
is drawn bodily up the incline to the place of delivery.
In hoisting apparatus of this character, the inclination of the track or incline
has usually been slightly more than forty-five degrees to the horizou with a single
hoist, and thirty degrees with a double fall or tackle, so that the power required
to pull the carriage and the article up the incline may be slightly more than the
power required to draw the article up vertically, otherwise the carriage would
be drawn up the incline, or partially so, before the article was drawn up to it.
In consequence of these conditions difficulty has arisen in discharging coal, and
similar friable substances, because the hopper or chute into which the material
has been delivered from the elevating bucket has been at a considerable distance
below the place at which the contents of the bucket were discharged. This has
been necessary because the bucket had to be above one edge of the hopper, and
such bucket continued its movement at more than forty-five degrees to the
horizon, and by the time it arrived at the place of discharge, it was necessarily
above the hopper as great a distance as the travel of such bucket after it passed
over the edge of such hopper.
In some instances the bucket has been raised up to the desired height and
then drawn inwardly upon a level or nearly level track, but this has necessitated
two distinct operations, and sometimes different engines have been employed,
the one to elevate the bucket, and the other to move the truck along upon
the nearly level track. This not only increases the duty of the attendant,
but it also involves increased expense in running the machinery, because where
distinct operations have to be performed, more or less time is consumed and
additional appliances are necessary for the additional operation.
lh my present invention I make use of a parabolic track extending upwardly
and backwardly to the point of delivery, and the pulley for the hoisting rope is
located with reference to the focus of the parabola, so that but one operation has
to be performed in hoisting the weight and in drawing it in to the place of delivery,
and the parabolic track does not require to be elevated above the place of delivery
so much as is necessary when an inclined track is made use of.
In 'describing a parabola, it is presumed that the angles between lines passing
from the focus of the parabola outwardly, will be the same at both sides of the
point of contact, and when referring to a parabolic reflector the angle of incidence
is equal to the angle of reflection. I apply substantially this feature to the
parabolic track made use of by me, that is to say, in hoisting an article, the
Suspended weight hangs vertical, and the rope or chain passing off to the hoisting
pulley is at an angle corresponding, or nearly so, to the angle of the parabolic

page_text: +
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track to the vertical line to the suspended weight, the jobject of this arrangement.
being to equalize the forces existing in operating the elevator.
Presuming now that the truck is at rest upon any portion of the parabolic track
and the hoisting rope or chain is drawn upon, the weight raised acts vertically to
pull the truck downwardly upon the track; the rope or chain passing from the
truck to the hoisting drum tends to draw the truck up the track; if therefore the
angles of incidence are equal the truck will remain stationary, but if the track is.
not sufficiently inclined the tension on the rope or chain will draw the truck up the
track instead of elevating the weight vertically, and if the track is too much
inclined, an unnecessary amount of power will be required in drawing the truck up
the truck after the weight has been elevated to the truck.
By my present improvements in which the track is a parabola, and the hoisting
drum is located at or near the focus of the parabola, the weight of. the truck
tending to run down the incline of the parabola is usually sufficient to counteract
any friction in the bearings of the hoisting pulley, hence when the power is applied
to raise the weight it is drawn up vertically, the truck standing still, and as soon as
the weight is elevated and stops against the truck, the further pull upon the rope.
or chain draws the truck up the track by the employment of a continuous acting
power, until the truck arrives at the place where the weight is discharged, and
during the movement the angle between the hoisting rope or chain and the track
where the rope or chain leads off to the hoisting. drum is nearly the same as the
angle between the track and the vertical line in which the weight hangs. Hence
I am enabled to lay out the track as a parabola and adapt the same on geometrical
principles to the circumstances where the apparatus is to be employed, and latches
for holding the truck are dispensed with and any mechanism for drawing the truck
by a separate operation after the weight has been elevated is dispensed with.
It will be apparent that in, carrying out in practice the theoretical principles.
before enunciated, the curvature may vary from a true parabola, especially where
may be desired to cause the inclination of the track to offer more or less
resistance to the truck as it is drawn up; at the same time reference must be had
⚫ to the forces exerted where a single fall is employed or a double or multiple fall.
Dated this 16th day of October 1894.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78 Fleet Street, London, and 6 Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Elevating Apparatus.
I, CHARLES WALLACE HUNT, of Barker Street, West New Brighton, in the
County of Richmond and State of New York, United States of America,
Manufacturer, 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 :-
An elevating apparatus has been used in which a carriage is placed upon an
incline and a hoisting rope passes over the carriage and down to the article to be
elevated, and when the hoisting rope is drawn upon the article is raised vertically
or nearly so and when it reaches the travelling carriage the carriage is drawn bodily
tip the incline to the place of delivery.
In hoisting apparatus of this character the inclination of the track or incline, has
usually been slightly more than forty-five degrees to the horizon with a single
hoist and thirty degrees with a double fall or tackle, so that the power required to

page_text: pull the carriage and the article up the incline may be slightly more than the power
required to draw the article up vertically, otherwise the carriage would be drawn
up the incline or partially so before the article was drawn up to it.
In consequence of these conditions.difficulty has arisen in discharging coal and
similar friable substances because the hopper or chute into which the material has,
been delivered from the clevating bucket has been at a considerable distance below
the place at which the contents of the bucket were discharged. This has been
necessary because the bucket had to be above one edge of the hopper and such
bucket continued its movement at more than forty-five degrees to the horizon and
by the time it arrived at the place of discharge it was necessarily above the
hopper as great a distance as the travel of such bucket after it passed over the edge
of such hopper.
2
i
:
In some instances the bucket has been raised up to the desired height and then.
drawn inwardly upon a level or nearly level track, but this..has necessitated two
distinct operations, and sometimes different engines have been employed, the one to
elevate the bucket and the other to move the truck along upon the nearly level,
track. This not only increases the duty of the attendant but it also involves
increased expense in running the machinery, because where distinct operations have
to be performed more or less time is consumed and additional appliances are,
necessary for the additional operation.
In my present. invention I make use of a parabolic track extending upwardly
and backwardly to the point of delivery, and the pulley for the hoisting rope is,
located with reference to the focus of the parabola so that but one operation has to;
be performed in hoisting the weight and in drawing it in to the place of delivery,
and the parabolic track does not require to be elevated above the place of delivery
so much as is indispensable when an inclined track is made use of.
In a parabola, a line drawn from a point in the curve parallel to the axis of the
parabola, and a line passing from the same point to the focus, will make equal,
angles with the curve, as for instance in a parabolic reflector the angle of incidence.
is equal to the angle of reflection. I apply substantially this feature to the
parabolic track made use of by me: that is to say, in hoisting an article, the
suspended weight hangs vertical, and the rope or chain passing off to the hoisting.
pulley is at an angle to the track, equal or nearly so, to the angle the parabolic
track makes with the vertical line to the suspended weight, the object of this.
arrangement being to equalize the forces existing in operating the elevator.
Presuming now that the truck is at rest upon any portion of the parabolic track
and the hoisting rope or chain is drawn upon, the weight raised acts vertically to
pull the truck downwardly upon the track; the rope or chain passing from the
truck to the hoisting drum tends to draw the truck up the track; if therefore the.
angles of incidence are equal the truck will remain stationary, but if the track is not
sufficiently inclined the tension on the rope or chain will draw the truck up the
track instead of elevating the weight vertically, and if the track is too much inclined,
an unnecessary amount of power will be required in drawing the truck up the.
track after the weight has been elevated to the truck.
By my present improvement in which the track is a parabola and the hoisting.
drum is located at or near the focus of the parabola, the weight of the truck tending.
to run down the incline of the parabola is usually sufficient to counteract any.
friction in the bearings of the hoisting pulley, hence when the power is applied to
raise the weight it is drawn up vertically, the truck standing still, and as soon as
the weight is elevated and stops against the truck, the further pull upon the rope or
chain draws the truck up the track by the employment of a continuous acting power
until the truck arrives at the place where the weight is discharged, and during the
movement, the angle between the hoisting rope or chain and the track where the
rope or chain leads off to the hoisting drum is nearly the same as the angle between
the track and the vertical line in which the weight bangs, hence I am enabled to
lay out the track as a parabola and adapt the same on geometrical principles to the
circumstances where the apparatus is to be employed, and latches for holding the
:

page_text: truck are dispensed with and any mechanism for drawing the truck in.by a separate
operation after the weight has been elevated is dispensed with.
In the drawing,
Fig. is a diagramatic side elevation representing the improvement with the
carriage in position for hoisting a load, in full lines, and in the position for
discharging' the load in dotted lines.
Fig. 2 is a cross section representing the carriage and the inclined track,
and Fig. 3 is a diagram of a modification.
Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the manner in which the parabola is laid out with
reference to the position of the hoisting drum or pulley.
The carriage A is of any suitable character, preferably with four wheels to
travel upon the track of the incline, and the sheave B over which the hoisting rope
or chain C passes is upon this carriage and the hoisting rope may be provided with
a 'hook or other connection at the lower end to which the weight is attached, as
seen in Fig. 3, or such rope or chain may pass around the pulley.D. and the end of
the rope be connected with the carriage A·so as to have a double fall or tackle.
I have represented a bucket E adapted to receive coal or other material; this
bucket may be of any desired character or the apparatus may be used for raising
any substances or articles.
I have shown an ordinary bucket on pivots at the ends of the bail and the same
is partially rotated to discharge the contents, and a pin on the bucket coming into
contact with a stop may be used for this purpose or any other well known device
may be employed in discharging the bucket.
The hoisting rope or chain C-passes over the stationary drum or pulley F to any
suitable mechanism for actuating the said hoisting rope, and this pulley F is below
the incline and at or near the focus of the parabola.
The incline His generally made with two tracks adapted to receive the wheels
of the carriage, but such incline H may be made with a single track, the wheels of
the truck or carriage being flanged to run upon the track and the pulley D for the
hoisting rope coming beneath the track, as illustrated in Fig. 1.
In all instances the inclined track instead of being straight is curved and the
angle of the track at the lower portion thereof is about thirty degrees to
the horizon with a double fall, as in Fig. 1, and at about forty-five degrees with a
single fall, Fig. 3, and the curvature brings the surface of the track more:nearly
horizontal at the upper portion of such track.
The mode of laying out the track as a parabola is illustrated in Fig. 4, in
which Frepresents the focus of the parabola, H the parabolic curve of: the. track,
and E the vertical line and B'the junction of the vertical line to the line passing
off to the focus of the parabola.
The curve or inclination of the "parabola at the different points thereof is such
that the angles HBE and HB Fare substantially equal, as shown by the full
lines, and the opposite angles at each point of intersection throughout the parabola
will be equal, as illustrated by the dotted lines.
When this geometrical figure is transferred to my apparatus, the parabola H
corresponds substantially to the track H. E represents the weight to be raised,
B the pulley over which the rope or chain passes, and F-the pulley or. drum at or
near the focus of the parabola.
↑
up
If the periphery of the pulley is below the focus of the parabola, the angle FB H
will be greater than the angle: HB E, and the power to draw the truck the
parabolic track will be greater than the power required to raise the weight, hence
the tendency will be for the truck to run down the track and remain stationary
while the weight is being raised, and the angle between the rope as.it passes from
the pulley F to the track, is such that the power. exerted in drawing the carriage
up the incline is at all places slightly greater than the power required in sustaining
the weight that is raised by the rope or chain, and the total elevation of the
article that is raised -is less than has heretofore been necessary with a straigh
inclined track, and at K 1 have illustrated the position of. a. hopper in order to

page_text: show that the bucket E as it is raised and drawn over the hopper is moving in
almost a horizontal direction and thereby it is not elevated when the contents are
discharged as high above the bottom of the hopper as it has heretofore been
necessary to elevate such bucket with an inclined track and one actuating device,.
hence the contents of the bucket, such as coal, will not be broken as they are
discharged as much as they have heretofore been, because such contents will not
have to fall as great a distance into the hopper.
It is to be understood that in elevators of the present character the angle of the
different parts of the track to the elevating rope or chain is such that the truc
will run down the incline by gravity with or without the weight that is raised,.
whenever the hoisting chain is slackened, so that the truck can be returned to the
lower end of the track.
I do not claim a curved track nor the pulley for the hoisting rope or chain below
the upper part of the track, as these have been used with the rope or chain
connected directly to the truck, and the rope or chain has passed over the pulley
below the upper part of an inclined track, but latches have been required for holding
the truck while the weight has been raised or for holding the weight to the truck
after it is raised or both.
It will be apparent that in carrying out in practice the theoretical principles
before enunciated, the curvature may vary from a true parabola, especially where
it may be desired to cause the inclination of the track to offer more or less
resistance to the truck as it is drawn up; at the same time reference must be had
to the forces exerted where a single fall is employed, as in Fig. 1, or a double or
multiple fall, as illustrated by Fig. 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what [
claim is:
First. The combination with the hoisting rope or chain and a truck and pulley
over which such rope or chain passes to the weight to be raised, of a track
curved as a parabola, or approximately so, and a hoisting drum or pulley at or near
the focus of the parabola, substantially as set forth.
Second. The combination with the hoisting rope or chain, a truck and pulley
over which such rope or chain passes and a pulley connected with the weight to be
raised, the end of the rope or chain being connected with the truck, of a track
curved as a parabola, or approximately so, and a hoisting drum or pulley near the
focus of the parabola, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 28th dow of M 1045
Dated this 28th day of May 1995.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 5ª Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.