Improvements in Automatic Doors for Closing the Entrances to Lifts.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 24th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Doors for Closing the Entrances
to Lifts.
I ALEXANDER CHARLES MOFFATT of 39 Victoria Street Westminster
London S.W. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to devices whereby the cage of a lift automatically opens
and shuts the doors which protect the well hole at the various floors.
This invention consists in an arrangement under which the cage of a lift when
approaching a floor either from above or below causes the door giving access to
the lift from that floor to open and in leaving the floor either in an upward or
downward direction causes the said door to shut.
The manner in which this is performed is as follows:-In or near the well hole
at each floor is placed a combined winding drum and driving wheel, in such a
position that when the cage is at rest at the floor the combined drum and driving
wheel is half way up the cage.
Two racks or roller paths are fixed on the side of the cage contiguous to the
drums these being so placed that when the cage is at rest at a floor one of them is
above and the other below the horizontal axis of the drum. These racks or roller
paths are also so placed that the lower one comes in contact with the driving
wheel on one side of its vertical axis, and the upper one comes in contact with the
driving wheel on the other side of its vertical axis.
The winding drum and driving wheel are cast or otherwise fixed together in
such a way that any motion imparted to the driving wheel from the racks or roller
paths on the cage, is transmitted to the drum.
A rope or chain is coiled round the drum one end being attached to the gate in
such a manner as to lift or otherwise actuate it and the other end being attached to
a balance weight which however may be dispensed with if desired.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-If the cage approaches the drum
from below the upper rack or roller path comes in contact with the driving wheel
thus rotating it and the drum and thereby lifting or opening the gate. When the
cage stops level with the floor the driving wheel is free from both racks or roller
paths or it may be so adjusted that it is just leaving one and coming into contact
with the other the gate being then open. If now the cage descends the upper rack
or roller path acts on the driving wheel in the reverse direction thereby shutting
the gate. If the cage goes on ascending the lower rack or roller path enters into
contact with the driving wheel but on the other side of its vertical axis thereby
reversing the motion and shutting the gate. If the cage descends towards the
drum the lower rack or roller path engages first with the driving wheel opening
the gate the closing being effected either by the lower one if the cage ascends
again or by the upper one if it goes on descending.
The racks or roller paths may be so arranged that they can be placed at the
discretion of the operator in such a position that they will miss the driving wheels
at any floors at which it is not desired to stop the cage or to open the gate and
only actuate the gate on the floor at which it is desired to stop.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of October 1895.
:

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Doors for Closing the Entrances
to Lifts.
I ALEXANDER CHARLES MOFFATT of 39 Victoria Street Westminster
London S.W. Engineer 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 to devices whereby the cage of a lift automatically opens
and shuts the doors which protect the well hole at the various floors.
This invention consists in an arrangement under which the cage of a lift when
approaching a floor either from above or below causes the door giving access to
the lift from that floor to open and in leaving the floor either in an upward or
downward direction causes the said door to shut.
The manner in which this is performed is as follows:-In or near the well hole
at each floor is placed a combined winding drum and driving wheel A, in such a
position that when the cage B is at rest at the floor the combined drum and driving
wheel A is halfway up the cage.
Two racks or roller paths C and C1 are fixed on that side of the cage contiguous
to the drums A, these being so placed that when the cage is at rest at a floor as
shewn in Fig. 1, one of them C is above and the other C1 below the horizontal
axis of the drum. These racks or roller patàs C and CI are so placed that they
come in contact with the driving wheel on opposite sides of its vertical axis.
The winding drum and driving wheel may be cast in one, or may be fixed
together in such a way that any motion transmitted from the racks or roller paths C
or C 1 to the driving wheel is imparted to the drum.
A rope or chain D is coiled round the drum, on end being attached to the
gate E in such a manner as to lift or otherwise actuate it and the other end may
be either fixed to the drum as shewn on the drawings or attached to a balance
weight.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
If the cage approaches the drum from below as shewn in Figure 5 the upper
rack or roller path C comes in contact with the driving wheel A 1 thus rotating it
and the drum in the direction of the arrow and thereby lifting or opening the
gate. When the cage stops level with the floor as shewn in Figure 1 the driving
wheel A is free from both racks or roller paths C and C1 or it may be so
adjusted that it is just leaving one and coming into contact with the other, the
gate E being then open. If now the cage descends as shewn in Figure 3 the upper
rack or roller path Cactuates the driving wheel A1 in the reverse direction as
indicated by the arrow, thereby shutting the gate.
If the cage instead of descending goes on ascending as shewn in Figure 2 the
lower rack or roller path C1 enters into contact with the driving wheel A 1 and
drives it in the direction indicated by the arrow thereby shutting the gate.
If the cage approaches the drum from above as shewn in Figure 4 the lower
rack or roller path C1 engages first with the driving wheel A 1 and turns it in
the direction indicated by the arrow and opens the gate, the closing being effected
either by the same rack or roller path C1 if the cage ascends again or by the
upper one C if it goes on descending.
Figure 6 is a sectional plan of the apparatus.
Figures 7, 8, 9 shew different forms which may be given to the roller paths or
racks and to the driving wheels.
In Figure 7 a tyre or ring of india-rubber or similar suitable material is attached
to the driving wheel and is driven by the friction due to the pressure between it
and the roller paths.

page_text: In Figure 8 the driving wheel is grooved and the roller paths are suitably shaped
to engage with this groove; the converse may also be employed, the roller paths.
being grooved instead of the wheel.
In Figure 9 a toothed wheel is employed, the racks C & C 1 being provided
with teeth or pins of suitable shape and pitch to engage with the teeth on the
wheel A 1.
Springs may be employed in such a manner as to force the roller paths against.
the driving wheel so as to counteract the effects of wear and to give sufficient
pressure between the two to drive the wheel.
The racks or roller paths may be so arranged that they can be placed at the
discretion of the operator in such a position that they will miss the driving wheels
at any floors at which it is not desired to stop the cage or to open the gate, and
only actuate the gate at the particular floor at which it is desired to stop.
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:-
1. An automatic gate for a lift provided with a combined drum and driving
wheel, roller paths or racks and rope or chain all constructed to operate substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination in an automatic gate of a lift cage and roller paths or racks,.
drum, driving wheel and rope or chain.
3. The combination in an automatic gate of roller paths or racks arranged so as.
to operate on a wheel on either side of its vertical axis so as to automatically open
the gate as the lift cage approaches the floor in either direction and automatically
close the gate as the cage leaves the floor in either direction substantially as set
forth.
4. The combination with the lift cage drum driving wheel roller paths and rope
or chain of springs to keep the roller paths in contact with the driving wheel,
substantially as described.
5. The combination with an automatic gate, lift cage, drum, driving wheel,.
roller paths or racks, and rope or chain of an arrangement to enable the roller
paths or racks to be placed so as to come in contact with or to miss the driving
wheels at the discretion of the operator, substantially as described.
6. The construction in different ways of driving wheels and roller paths or racks
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 7, 8, 9.
7. The combination of parts for actuating an automatic gate by the motion of a
lift cage substantially as set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Twenty-second day of August 1896.
ALEXR. CHS. MOFFATT..