Improvements in Slinging and Shifting Cradles and the like for Builders' purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 27th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 13th May, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Slinging and Shifting Cradles and the like for
Builders' purposes.
I, FRANCIS KNOEFERL, of 39, Oseney Crescent, Kentish Town, London, N.W.,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:―
as far
It consists of two ropes, chains or tackles fixed at two points on a building
or structure, above and wide of or outside the length of, a cradle, as used for
building or such like purposes whether outside or inside such building,
as such cradle is required to travel, these ropes being hauled on from two points
in such cradle in any suitable manner, whether by winch or otherwise, either
from the cradle or from outside the same; by which means the cradle is suspended
in any desired position about the face of such building, or shifted upward and
downward and from side to side, according to one or both such ropes being
hauled on or slacked out. The tilt of the cradle caused by hauling on or slacking
one line more than the other, is provided for if necessary, by the cradle body
or flooring being independent of that portion of the frame to which the above-
mentioned ropes or tackles are attached, or from or in which they work: being
movable in pivots or slings or in any suitable manner so as to be capable of being
placed and fixed in a horizontal position.
Tlated this 20th day of 1000
Improvements in Slinging and Shifting Cradles and the like for
Builders' purposes.
I, FRANCIS KNOEFERL, of 39, Oseney Crescent, Kentish Town, London, N.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 and by reference to drawings herewith : —
In the drawings, Fig. 1, is a front view of cradle, shewing method of slinging.
Fig. 2, is a view end on, of the same.
Fig. 3, is an alternative method of construction and slinging of cradle.
Fig. 4, is a view end on of the same.
Fig. 5, is of same construction as Fig. 3, but slung unevenly, yet with floor
remaining horizontal. Like parts in the figures referred to in the drawings, are
lettered alike.
This invention consists in the following appliances, and the method of slinging.
Two supports are fixed above, at points on a building or structure, whether at
TDi Q77

page_text: or
level, or uneven heights; and wide of, or outside the length, of a cradle used
for building decorating or suchlike purposes whether outside or inside such
building, as far each side as such cradle is required to travel; and from these
two points the cradle is slung, and shifted in every direction by means of ordinary
tackles, or lines of any description or material, as at A. These tackles or lines
being attached to or hauled on from two fixed points B B on the slings
frames CC, near to or towards the centre of length in such cradle, in any
suitable manner, whether by winch or otherwise, either from the cradle or from
outside the same; by which means the cradle is suspended in any desired position
about the face of such building or structure, or shifted upward and downward, and
from side to side, according to the one, or both such lines being hauled on er
slacked out. In the ordinary method of slinging cradles for the same purposes,
two parallel ropes are operated simultaneously, and the position of the cradle
can only be altered vertically; the overhead supports having to be shifted for the
cradle to be moved from side to side; in the present case, such supports need
no alteration. The tilt of the cradle, caused by hauling on or slackening one line
more than the other, is provided against, if necessary, by the following means:-
The platform or flooring D being independent of those portions (C¹ of the cradle,
to which the abovementioned tackles or lines are connected as at BB, it is, at
its ends pivotally attached thereto as at EE, so as to be capable of being balanced
in a horizontal position. These slings or frames CC being placed lengthways,
and being of the form of the letter L as in Figs. 3 and 5, or a complete parallelo-
gram, the floor or platform is supported at the ends opposite to that side of the
centre of length to that, in each case, from which such frame or sling is hung as
at B B; that is to say, the right hand sling C supports the left end of floor as at
E, while the left hand sling C supports the right end thereof as at E.
Suitable crosspieces as at F may be formed on or attached to such slings or
frames CC for such support of floor or platform. The cradle is provided with
two hand rails GG and above these a head bar or bars as at H, in each case
connecting the two slings or frames CC¹ by being pivotted thereto; the head bar,
as at ii, and the hand rails G by means of a cross bar K fitted to each of the
slings or frames CC, to the ends of which cross bars, such hand rails are pivotted
as at J J thus is formed a parallel, or a link motion, governing and balancing
the floor; as, when one, or the right side frame as at B₁ is hauled up, the opposite
or left hand end of the floor or platform is raised in proportion, but, the frames
being coupled, this is compensated by their shifting position, leaving the floor
horizontal. The hand rails, may also be fitted to stanchions fixed to the floor
or platform, and may be carried all round, or connected at their ends by cross
bars, and on the ends or cross bars suitable guides may be provided, in which the
slings or frames may slide when moving: the cradle being thus complete in itself,
is balanced by the slings or frames as described above, which are connected by
the head bar H above, and at each side below, to the floor ends; in all such
connections by pivot joints.
The whole, as above is constructed so as to be capable of being quickly taken
to pieces for transport or storage.
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
I claim is
1. The principle and method of suspension and control of the travelling
movement of a cradle from two points, one at each side, and outside, or at the
extremes of, the space to be worked upon from such cradle, and at any desired
height at either side, by means of ordinary tackles or sheave-blocks & lines.
2. The principle and method of hanging a cradle at and from two points near
the centre of the length thereof.
3. The principle and method of hanging a cradle from points on two separate
moving slings or parts thereof controlling and balancing the floor thereof.

page_text: 4. The principle and method of applying two separate moving slings or parts
of a cradle, connected by and pivotted to a bar or bars above, and connected with
and constructed so as to control and balance horizontally, a floor or platform
pivotted thereto below at opposite ends to--and at opposite sides of a centre line
drawn vertically between, the hanging points of such slings, (substantially as
described hereinabove and by drawings herewith).
5. The principle of a floor or platform balanced by pivotting at its ends to two
slings, at the ends thereof each to each opposite to that side of the vertical
centre line, at which such sling is attached to the suspending tackle.
6. The combination of any two or more of the above claims for the purpose of
travelling or balancing a cradle or stage for builders' purposes; particularly
of No. 1, and No. 2 for hanging and controlling the cradle and balancing the same,
if of solid construction: and of No. 4 & No. 5, providing for an automatically
balanced floor at any angle of the suspending tackles.
Dated thia
dow of March 1900