Improvements in Hydraulic Lifts, Cranes, and Hoists.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 18th Nov, 1895-Acceptedy 18th Jani, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hydraulic Lifts, Cranes, and Hoists.
I, GEORGE PINKER 43 Bushey Hill Road Camberwell Surrey Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
My invention relates to improvements in the construction of that class of
hydraulic lifts, cranes, or hoists, which are made with two or more lifting powers,
in order to save the loss of power, and waste of water.
The hoisting apparatus may consist of two or more cylinders and fam's grouped
together or of a system of cylinders and rams one inside the other. I make the
hand rope by which the attentant controls the machinery to 'work'a small starting
valve, which governs the admission of water or other fluid under pressure "to-a
double acting cylinder and piston which works the main valve, which is made with
various ports corresponding with the various powers-for which the machiб€ 'is****
constructed.
On the starting valve being opened; water is admitted to one side of the auxillary
piston and cylinder, and the said piston commences to travel, moving the main
working valve and opening the various ports one after another, No. 1 power first
No: 2 power second and so on. So soon as the powers applied are sufficient to
overcome the resistance; the lift, crade or hoist commences to work and it'Is' 'thèn¨'
necessary to stop the further travel of the auxillary piston and main working valve
and to effect this I use a friction clutch or break, which I make to act in either of
the two following ways.
.
First, I use the following arrangement,
In a convenient position near the lift cage or crosshead-of jigger, I have a rod,'
spindle, or rope, but by preference a smooth steel rod, with a limited amount of
stroke-in the same direction as the cage or crosshead travels Attached to the
cage or crosshead and sliding upon the said rod or spindle, I have a friction clutch
or break, which grips the rod with sufficient force to move it, but not' to 'retard the
progress of the machine, I make the movement of the said rod to actuate an
intermediate valve, which shuts off the supply of water to the auxillary cylinder,
and so stops the further travel of the main working valve..
Second, or use the following arrangement ;-
A rope or chain, one end- being secured to the cage or crosshead, and¹ passéš”·
down round a wheel or drum, then up over an idle pulley, at the top, a weight
being attached to the other end to keep the rope taut. When the machine moves,
the rope or chain will cause the wheel or drum to revolve. Attached to the said*
wheel or drum and revolving with it, I have a turned drum which is gripped" by'a
friction clutch or break with sufficient force to effect my purpose, but hot so as to'
retard the working of the machine. A lever or arm forms part of the friction
clutch or break, and stops are provided within which limit the lever or 'arin "will" ·
revolve with the wheel or drum, when the machine works, I make the movement
of the lever to actuate the intermediate valve already described, so that by either
of these arrangements of a friction clutch or break, as soon as the lift cage, hoist
or crane commences to work upwards, the intermediate valve will be closed, the
power being thus automatically adjusted to the weight to be raised. I make the
action of stopping the machine, bring the friction clutch or break back to its
normal position. The clutch or break can be made with a spring or weight to
ED

page_text: keep the friction constant. The style of valves may be varied to suit any special
requirements, and instead of an intermediate valve, the travel of the auxillary
piston and main working valve may be checked by an arrangement of toothed rack
and ratchet, thrown into action by the movement of the aforesaid friction clutch
or break.
Dated this 19th day of Februarv 1805
improvements in Hydraulic Lifts, Oranes, and Hoists.
I GEORGE PINKER Engineer of 43 Bushey Hill Road Camberwell Surrey 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 invention relates to improvements in that class of hydraulic lifts, cranes or
hoists which are made with two or more lifting powers in order to prevent a
wasteful consumption of water. The hoisting apparatus may consist of two or
more cylinders and rams grouped together or of a system of cylinders and rams
one inside the other.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 shows the application of my invention
to a suspended bydraulic lift having three cylinders m, m 1, n, with their
respective rams. The lift being constructed for three powers, make the hand
rope a by which the attendant controls the machinery, to work the starting valve b
which governs the admission of water, or other fluid under pressure to a double
acting cylinder c, and piston c1, by means of the pipes e, and f, fl, and to the
main working valve 9 by means of the pipe h, the aforesaid cylinder and piston
works the main valve g, which is made with various ports, corresponding with the
various powers for which the machine is constructed."
Fig. 2 is a section and Fig.. 3 a plan of the starting valve b, j being the inlet for
the pressure the exhaust, h the supply to the valve g, e and f are the ports and
pipes for working, the auxillary piston c1, the slide 61 of the valve is shewn in
its central position, closing the port h and the lift would be stationary, it will be
seen that port f is open to the exhaust, and port e to the pressure so that the
piston c1 would be driven to the end of its stroke as shewn.at Fig. 5, which shews
the main working valve and its cylinder in section. The ports and the pipes which
lead from them are indicated by the same letters.
Fig. 4 is the section of the intermediate, or stop valve 2, the use of which is to
close the pipes f,f1, and stop the travel of the piston c 1. The valve rod 7 is
not balanced in the usual way by taking it through both ends of the valve chamber,
and the weight of the rod s, lever o, and weight Y are made to balance the pressure
acting on the rod 7, and when the pressure is taken off by the pipe f being open to
the exhaust the weight of the rod, lever, and weight Y force in the rod 7, and open
the valve 3 as shewn at Fig. 4.
-
In Fig. 1, R is the lift cage, s a smooth rod, spindle, or cord, but by preference a
smooth rod, passing up at the side of same, and free to move in the same direction
as the lift cage within the limits allowed by the stops w, w 1 acting against the
guide bracket . t is a bracket attached to the cage, and carrying the friction
clutch, brake, or grip u, which grips the rods with sufficient force to move it,
when balanced by pressure acting on the rod 7, but not to retard the working of
the machine, the friction clutch may be fitted with a spring which may be adjusted
to any required pressure by a nut and screw, or a balance weight and lever may
be used, or any suitable friction clutch. o is a bell crank lever, pivoted at h and

page_text: jointed at z to the rod s. Y is a balance weight. is a guide bracket in which
the rod s slides, w w 1 are stops to limit the stroke of same. It will be seen that.
the upward movement of the rod s moves the slide 3 and closes the port f1. 6 is:
a cistern kept charged with water, 4 and 5 are back pressure valves which allow
water to pass down into the cylinders m m 1 and n, and so keep them charged,
when not filled with pressure water.
Fig. 6 is an elevation, and Fig. 7 a plan of the friction clutch u.
I show one
practical method of making it, but it may be varied in construction in a great
number of ways, provided it gives a grip on the rod s as required to move the
same.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-On the slide 61 of the starting
valve b, being opened, water (or other fluid) under pressure is admitted to the
ports and h, and e is open to the exhaust, g 1 being in its normal position as shewn
at Fig. 5 the water passes through the port and pipes k into the first power
cylinder n, at the same time pressure is admitted through pipe f, valve 2, and
pipe f1 into the cylinder c and the piston el commences to travel slowly, moving
the slide g 1. Should the first power be sufficient to overcome the resistance, the
lift commences to work, the cage, ascends, the friction clutch u moves up the rod s
which works the lever o and closes the valve 2 and pipe fl and the travel of the
piston c1 and slide
1 is stopped. Should the first power not be sufficient, the
lift cage remains stationary, and the piston c 1 and slide gl continue to travel,
the port k is closed and is opened which serves the two cylinders m, m 1, this
forms the second power, should the cage still remain stationary, the piston cl and
slide 9 1 continue to travel till both ports and k are open, when all three powers
are on, in any case immediately the cage r commences to ascend, the rod s is taken
with it as far as the stops allow, closing the valve 2 and stopping the further travel
of the piston c 1 and slide g 1. On the lift being stopped by moving the slide 61
Fig. 2 into its central position port fis opened to the exhaust, and port e to the
pressure and the pressure being taken off the valve rod 7, the valve 2 is opened by
the weights moving the slide 3 into the position shewn in Fig. 4, the piston c 1 and
slide 9 1 are forced back into their normal position as shewn at Fig. 5, and are
ready for a fresh start. When port h is opened to the exhaust, the pressure lifts
the slide 9 1 off its face and the water escapes and the lift is lowered down.
The friction clutch may be attached to the crosshead 14 or to any moving part
of any description of hydraulic machinery to which it is desired to apply my
invention.
Fig. 8 shews an alternative arrangement by which a rope, chain, or belt 20 is
put in motion by the crosshead 14 of a jigger, 15 is an idle pulley at top 13 is a
weight to keep the rope tight, 21 is a wheel or drum, round which the rope passes
and which revolves as the crosshead 14 travels, 18 is a brake drum secured to
wheel 21 and revolving with it, 17 is a friction clutch or brake, with adjustment 23,
9 is a fixed stud on which the lever 8.works, 10 are links by which the movement
of the clutch or brake 17 is communicated to the lever 8, which actuates the
valve 2. 11 and 12 are stop pins. Valve 2 has already been described, and the
pressure on the valve rod 7, acts in the manner described for the arrangement
shewn at Fig. 1.
On the crosshead 14 beginning to descend, the cage ascending, the brake drum 18
revolves, carrying the brake or clutch 17 with it as far as the stops allow, and
closing the valve 2 the whole action having the same practical result as described
with the arrangement of the rod s, and friction clutch u. The brake drum may
be flat faced, grooved or rounded as may be desired, and any suitable form of
friction clutch or brake may be used.
Either arrangement may be inverted, or laid horizontal, or on an incline, and
varied to suit the requirements of any description of hydraulic power machinery.
I do not bind myself to the arrangement of valves, pipes, cylinders aud rams
herein described, but any suitable types may be used.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what- manner the same is to be performed, I declare that--what I
-claim is :>
1st. The combination of a rod spindle or rope, with a friction clutch, brake, or
other suitable gripping contrivance, in combination with suitable levers, valves and
pipes, and other appliances, by means of which the supply of power to a hydraulic
lift, crane or hoist, is automatically adjusted to the weight to be raised.
2nd. The combination of a cord, chain, belt or rope set in motion by the cross-
head, cage, or other moving part. of an hydraulic machine, together with the brake
drum and brake, friction clutch or grip, in the manner and for-the-objects already
.set forth.
3rd. The arrangement of a friction clutch, brake, or other gripping contrivance,
together with a revolving drum, or wheel, or with a sliding rod, rope or spindle for
the purpose of automatically adjusting the valves of any hydraulic machine made
with varying powers.
Dated this 18th day of November 1:895