An Improved Apparatus for Raising, Lowering, and Conveying or Transporting Loads.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 10th Apr., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Raising, Lowering, and Conveying or
Transporting Loads.
We, JOSEPH TEMPERLEY, and JOHN RIDLEY TEMPERLEY, both of The
Temperley Transporter Company, 72 Bishopsgate Street Within, in the City of
London, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to apparatus for the raising, lowering, and conveying or
transporting of loads, and more particularly to apparatus of this kind or class in
which there is an overhead track extending in one direction or in opposite
directions from a central support or tower, so that a travelling carriage or traveller
on the said track can be moved from end to end thereof.
Heretofore in such apparatus the overhead track has been supported by a
cantilever or cantilevers rigidly secured to the central support or tower;
consequently it has been necessary to employ very strong, heavy and costly
structures in order that the cantilever or cantilevers shall be capable of with-
standing the lateral stresses due to wind-pressure and to the swinging of the load,
in addition to the vertical stresses due to their own weight and to the weight of the
traveller and its load.
less
Now the main object of our present invention is to so construct the app ratus
that it will have great flexibility and the parts which support the overhi ging
portions of the overhead track will be capable of yielding or swaying more
under wind-pressure laterally, and also of yielding to some extent vertically under
varying loads, without giving rise to transverse strains in such parts.
A further object of our present invention is to greatly facilitate the erection of
the overhanging portions of the structure.
To attain these objects, we construct the apparatus in such a manner that the
overhead track is suspended from one or two booms or spars extending from the
central support or tower, which booms or spars are themselves flexibly suspended
from the central support or tower by means of tension ropes or slings, the said
booms or spars, instead of being rigidly secured to the said central support or
tower, being jointed to or bearing against the same in such a manner that they will
simply serve as struts or jibs and as the media through which the track and the
traveller and its load are supported by the said ropes. We thus provide a
transporter which, whilst possessing all the advantages of a cantilever-transporter,
can be made much lighter and at a much lower cost, and can be more readily
erected in place, and will yield or sway under wind-pressure and varying loads
within the limits determined by the tension and guy ropes, without giving rise to
transverse strains in the overhanging portions.
The weight of the booms or spars and track and of the traveller and its load
being borne mainly by the tension ropes attached to the central support or tower,
the only connection required between each of the booms or spars and the central
support is one which will efficiently maintain the inner end of the boom or spar in
its proper position relatively to the said support. For this purpose we find it.
advantageous to use a hemispherical bearing. We can, however, employ a
universal joint of any suitable description or any other suitable form of joint
or bearing which will permit the required swaying of the suspended boons or spare
with the wind.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings we have shown how our said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure is a side elevation, and
1
Figure 2 a plan or top view of one form of double-boom transporter made
in accordance with our said invention and mounted upon a travelling stage or
gantry.
Figure 3 shows a portion of Figure 1 drawn to an enlarged scale.
A is the central support or tower; B, B are the booms or spars which are
suspended by means of a double, system of tension ropes or slings C from the top
of the tower A, and the inner ends whereof bear against or are jointed to the
said tower. In the drawings we have shown hemi-spherical bearings or pivots D
between the inner ends or heels of the boons B and the tower A ; as above stated,
however, other suitable bearings or joints may be used. The tension ropes C are
connected to the booms at suitable points E, preferably situated in a horizontal
plane coincident with the longitudinal centre or axis of the boom, so that the
thrust will be transmitted through the booms in the most advantageous manner. The
said ropes are, moreover, provided with suitable means for regulating their tension.
F is a beam or girder forming the continuous overhead track, which is suspended
in any convenient manner from the booms B at suitable intervals throughout
the length of the same, for example by straps G. H is the load-carriage or
traveller. J, J are guys or stays provided for steadying the ends of the booms,
in high winds and for security when the transporter is left at night.
: It will be seen, from the foregoing description, that, while the traveller H can
be moved from end to end of the track as in the double-cantilever transporters
heretofore employed, the booms or spars B are free to swing or sway about their
hemi-spherical bearings or pivots both laterally and vertically as far as permitted
by the tension and guy ropes. It will also be seen that, by the employment of the
double system of tension ropes or slings C above described, we provide very
efficient means for supporting the booms or spars in such a manner as to permit
them to sway in either direction with the wind, so as to relieve them from the
stresses to which they would otherwise be subjected by wind-pressure.
We can, therefore, make the entire apparatus much lighter in proportion to the
loads to be carried thereby than is necessary when cantilevers are used. We make
the girder or track F of as light a section as practicable, so that it will yield
slightly in accordance with the swinging movements of the booms.
It will also be seen that, in erecting the overhanging portion or portions of the
structure, the heel of the boom can be easily hauled up by a block and tackle and
stepped into its socket or pivot, and the boom afterwards hauled up bodily into its
horizontal position; all that is then required is to attach the various ropes and
adjust their tension.
We sometimes suspend each boom or spar by means of a single series or system
of tension ropes, and employ suitable guy ropes arranged approximately in a
horizontal plane.
Our improvements are also applicable in cases where a single boom or spar is
used and the tower is suitably weighted to counterbalance the same.
:
The booms or spars B may be of any suitable material and construction.
We
prefer, however, to make them hollow or tubular and of steel or other suitable
metal.
.
It is obvious that tension-rods or chains may, if desired, be substituted for the
tension and guy ropes shown.
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 :-
First. An apparatus of the kind or class hereinbefore referred to, wherein an
overhead track is suspended from one or two booms or spars extending from a

page_text: central support or tower, which booms or spars are themselves flexibly suspended
from the said support or tower, for the purposes above specified.
Second. The improved transporter constructed substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings and operating as, and for the purposes,
above specified.
Dated the 19th day of February 1897
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.