An Improved Rope-grip.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 18th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Rope-grip.
1, CHARLES SHIELDS, 57 Smyrks Road, Old Kent Road, London, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:―
This invention more particularly relates to rope grips for controlling and
arresting the starting ropes of lifts so as to prevent accident. This I effect by
means of two cams pivotted inside a box or casing, technically termed a bracket,
which is bolted or otherwise secured inside the cage of the lift. One of these
cams is actuated by means of a lever keyed or otherwise fastened to a pin carrying
an eccentric which is caused to rotate when such lever is operated thus imparting a
forward movement to the cam and bringing it in immediate contact with the
starting rope whereby the latter is tightly gripped and the travel of the lift
arrested until the rope is again released by operating the lever in the reverse
direction. In the event of the rope being pulled either up or down while the
travel of the lift is so arrested the cams are caused to rotate and so grip the rope
tighter without fracturing the same thus obviating all risk of accident through
negligence of the attendant. The travelling cam is held in position by a guide
mounted on the same pin which carries the cam. Both cams are kept in a vertical
position by means of a spiral spring until the starting rope is pulled either up or
down when they rotate and so grip the rope tightly and prevent accident in the
manner already described.
My invention is also applicable to other purposes such as securing the ropes of
yachts and other vessels and for other uses.
1
" A
11008
1, CHARLES SHIELDS of 57, Smyrks Road, Old Kent Road, London, 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 more particularly relates to rope grips for controlling and
arresting the starting and stopping ropes of lifts, and has for its object to control
and arrest the starting and stopping rope, (bereafter termed "the hand rope,") of
a lift, so as to prevent all risk of accident through the negligence of the
attendant.
Such object is attained by the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a vertical section of such apparatus taken on the line X. Y. Figure 2,
the upper. face plate being removed.

page_text: Figure 2 is a top view thereor as it appears when the upper race plate is BO
removed;
Figure 3 is a bottom view thereof as it appears when the lower face plate is
removed.
Figure 4 is a detail view of the carriage with eccentric strap and travelling cam
mounted therein as presently described, and
Figure 5 is an external elevation thereof as it appears when fitted to the cage
of the lift.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several
views.
A is a box or casing, technically termed a bracket, fitted with upper and lower
face plates a, a', which bracket is bolted or otherwise secured to one side of the
cage of the lift on the inside. B is a cam pivotted inside such bracket on a bolt b,
and having an extension b', and boss 2, formed thereon. C is a second cam
pivotted in a carriage D, by a pin c, furnished with an extension c³, and boss c².
A strap E having an extension piece e. is pivotted on the pin c. This strap carries
an eccentric F which is keyed to a spindle G, one end whereof may be threaded as
shewn to receive a screw nut. The carriage D together with the cam C, and
eccentric F, are fitted in the bracket A, and secured therein by the spindle G.
When so secured the carriage D is free to travel to and fro on ways a², formed on
the bracket A. The bosses b, c, carry a coiled or other suitable spring H which
controls and regulates the action of the cams B. C. A lever I is fitted to the
spindle G whereby the mechanism is operated, while a stop d is formed on the
carriage D to prevent the cam C being thrown out of gear as presently
described.
The operation of my invention is as follows:-Assuming the lift to be running,
when it is desired to stop it, the lever I is pulled over to the position indicated by
the dotted lines in Figure 5; thereby rotating the spindle G and eccentric F, and
producing a forward thrust of the strap E. which is forced against the pin c and
so impels the carriage D forward, and brings the cam C into immediate contact
with the hand rope.
The latter is thus tightly gripped and the travel of the lift
arrested until the rope is again released by operating the lever I in the reverse
direction. In the event of the hand rope being pulled either up or down while
the lift is stopped both cams are caused to rotate in the direction of the pull by the
combined action of the hand rope and coiled spring H, and so grip the rope tighter,
thus obviating all risk of accident. Should the pull be in an upward direction, the
stop d on the carriage D prevents the cam C being thrown out of gear by being
pulled over too far; while if such pull be a downward pull, the bottom of the
cam C comes in contact with the bottom of the carriage D, which acts as a stop to
prevent the cam rotating too far in a downward direction. As regards the cam B,
the extension acts as a stop by coming in contact with the side of the bracket A,
whenever such cam is pulled either in an upward or downward direction. To
prevent the chafing of the rope the faces of the cams are made slightly concave and
have their edges rounded off; while to ensure their taking a firm grip of the hand
rope small indentations are formed thereon, but such indentations may be dispensed
with if desired. While the lift is running both cams are kept in a vertical
position by the expansion of the spring H. thus allowing the rope to work freely
between them.
In order to prevent the lever I being thrown out of position by any sudden
shock or excessive vibration, it is mounted on the spindle G somewhat out of the
vertical, so that it gravitates in the opposite direction to that in which it would
fall if thrown out of position, while the pressure exercised by the expansion of the
spring H assists in retaining such lever in its proper position.
The face plate against which the carriage D takes a bearing when tension is put
upon the hand rope' is preferably strengthened by one or more tie bolts K, as shewn
in Figures 2, 3 & 5. of the accompanying drawings so that in the event of any

page_text: extraordinary strain being put on the cam C and carriage D the contingency of
such face plate being bent or otherwise injured thereby, is avoided.
My invention is also applicable to other uses, such as securing the ropes of
yachts and other vessels, and for other like purposes.
I would here observe that I do not confine myself to the precise details of con-
struction herein before described and shewn, as the same admit of modification
without departing from the essential feature of my invention, which is the com-
bination in a rope grip of two cams with an eccentric and a coiled or other suitable
spring one of which cams is operated by such eccentric, while the action of both
such cams is controlled and regulated by the coiled spring or its equivalent.
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. In a rope grip the combination of two cams with an eccentric and a coiled
or other suitable spring, all substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn.
2. In a rope grip the combination of two cams, one pivotted in a bracket and
the other in a carriage furnished with a stop working in such bracket, with an
eccentric provided with an operating lever and a coiled or other suitable spring,
whereby the action of both the cams is controlled and regulated, all substantially
as herein before described and shewn.
3. The improved rope grip constructed, arranged, combined and fitted, all
substantially as herein before described and shewn.
Dated this Fourteenth day of January 1896.
CHARLES SHIELDS.
Elt & Co.,
Registered Patent Agents, 43 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for Applicant.