Improvements in Apparatus for Attaching and Detaching Hutches or Wagons in Rope Haulage.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 8th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Attaching and Detaching Hutches
or Wagons in Rope Haulage.
I, ROBERT BROWNLEE DICK, Engineer, Carluke, in the County of Lanark,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide an improved clip and means for
operating it for attaching hutches or wagons to endless ropes or cables used in rope
haulage and for automatically detaching them at the end of their journey, the
invention being especially applicable in mining and in hauling hutches up short
inclines.
The improved apparatus comprises a clip consisting of a fixed jaw or plate
secured under the hutch framing and a movable gripping jaw or plate hinged or
jointed thereto the plates projecting downwards in the form of an open fork so that
the hauling rope or cable may be grasped between them. Through the fixed jaw
is passed a spindle supported under the hutch frame, and having a screw threaded
end which passes through a nut fixed on the jointed jaw, the turning of the spindle
in one direction serving to draw together the jaws of the clip, and in the other
direction to disengage it from the rope. On the outer end of the screw spindle is
a cross armed lever or sprocket wheel which is operated by hand to cause the clip
to engage the rope in starting the hutch; and at the end of the journey or any
point where it is desired that the hutch should be stopped a projecting notched rail
or like device is provided and so placed as to engage with the cross arms or sprockets
as the hutch passes and thereby turn the screw spindle to disengage the clip from
the rope.
At the point where engagement of the hauling rope takes place the rails on
which the hutch travels are by preference slightly depressed so as to ensure that
the clip will engage the rope between the pulleys supporting it, and that when the
hutch is on the level of the main portion of the rails the clip will clear the pulleys,
a stop pin being provided in the clip to prevent the rope passing too far into the
jaws of the clip.
Dated this 7th day of January 1896.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Chartered Patent Agent,
62 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Attaching and Detaching Hutches
or Wagons in Rope Haulage.
I, ROBERT BROWNLEE DICK, Engineer, Carluke, in the County of Lanark,
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 has for its object to provide an improved clip and means for

page_text: operating it for attaching hutches or wagons to endless ropes or cables used in
rope haulage and for automatically detaching them at the end of their journey,
the invention being especially applicable in mining and in hauling hutches up short
inclines.
The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 of which is
a side view partly in section, Fig. 2 an end view, and Fig. 3. a part plan and part
horizontal section of a hutch or wagon provided with the improved clip and
Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views at right angles to each other of the clip.
The improved apparatus comprises a clip consisting of a fixed jaw or plate A
secured under the hutch framing or bolted to the end or side of the wagon to suit
the position of rope, and a movable gripping jaw or plate B hinged or jointed
thereto, the plates A, B, projecting downwards in the form of an open fork so
that the hauling rope or cable Cinay be grasped between them. A spindle D
supported under the hutch frame E has a serew-threaded end which passes through
a slot in the hinged jaw B the spindle having a collar formed on it which bears
hard up against the outer face of the jaw B, and a nut. F screwed on it which
bears against the inner face of said jaw. The screw-threaded end of the spindle D
passes also through a nut formed in the fixed jaw A, the turning of the spindle D
in one direction serving to draw together the jaws of the clip, and in the other
direction to disengage it from the rope C. On the outer end of the screw spindle
is a cross armed lever or sprocket wheel G which is operated by hand to cause the
clip to engage the rope C in starting the hutch; and at the end of the jouruey or
any point where it is desired that the hutch should be stopped a projecting notched
rail H or like device is provided and so placed as to engage with the cross arms or
sprockets G as the hutch passes and thereby turn the screw spindle D to disengage
the clip from the rope C.
At the point where engagement of the hauling rope C takes place the rails I on
which the hutch travels are by preference slightly depressed so as to ensure that
the clip will engage the rope C between the pulleys supporting it, and that when
the hutch is on the level of the main portion of the rails the clip will clear the
pulleys, a stop pin J being provided in the clip to prevent the rope C passing too
far into the jaws of the clip.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inveu-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The improved apparatus for attaching hutches or wagons to endless ropes or
cables used in rope haulage and for automatically detaching them, consisting of a
fixed jaw or plate having a movable gripping jaw jointed thereto, and actuated to
engage or release the cable by means of a screw spindle and a sprocket wheel,
the latter being adapted to engage with a projecting notched rail, to effect the
detachment of the hutch substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of October 1896.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents,
St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicant.