IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING WEIGHTS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Betts Brown, of No. 13, Cannon Street, in
the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR RAISING WEIGHTS." i
Sealed the 30th September 1864, and dated the 9th April 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Betts Brown
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th April 1864.
I, ANDREW BETTS BROWN, of No. 13, Cannon Street, in the City of London,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR RAISING WEIGHTS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for raising
weights. For this purpose I employ a carriage mounted on wheels, so that it
may be moved readily from place to place. On this carriage a steam boiler
is fixed, together with a cylinder furnished with a piston and a piston rod.
At the outer end of the piston rod, and also at the end of the cylinder opposite
thereto, three or other convenient number of pullies or sheaves are carried..
A rope or chain made fast at one end is passed over these two sets of pullies

page_text: to and fro from end to end of the cylinder. The other end of the rope or
chain then passes up over a pulley on the scaffolding or other place to which
it is desired to raise the weight, and it then descends from this pulley, and is
Imade fast to the load to be raised. When steam is admitted from the boiler
to the cylinder the piston is forced outwards, and the distance between the
two sets of pullies increased; thus the weight is raised a distance several times
greater than the stroke of the piston. By self-acting apparatus the steam can
be shut off when the weight is raised high enough, otherwise damage might
arise from the inattention of the workman. If desired, the cylinder may be
provided with two pistons and rods, and the steam admitted between them;
both sets of pullies being in this case carried by the piston rods; this is
advantageous when.a long. stroke is required..
ment.
In constructing portable swing or jib cranes I arrange on a wheel carriage
a steam boiler with a vertical cylinder bolted to it. This is arranged with a
piston and rod, and two sets of pullies, as before described. These parts,
together with the jib of the crane, are all mounted on a support on the carriage,
upon which they can rotate. The rope or chain, as before,. passes around the
two sets of pullies on the cylinder and its piston rod, and thence over the
pulley on the end of the jib. As before, when steam is admitted to the
cylinder, the rope or chain will be hauled in, and the load attached to the end
of it raised. In place of employing a single cylinder, two cylinders side by
side may be used, and in large sizes this is found the more convenient, arrange-
In order to swing the jib round, and with it the weight which has
been lifted, a second steam.cylinder is bolted to the boiler, and on the rod of
the piston of this steam cylinder a rack is formed, which gears with a toothed
wheel fixed on the carriage, and concentric with the point about which the jib,
boiler, and other parts turn, or in cases where the above arrangement would
require a cylinder of inconvenient length, a shorter cylinder may be used, with
a rope or chain, and arrangements of pullies, similar to that of the lifting
apparatus. The rope or chain is conveniently made to take two or more turns
around a fixed ring or drum on the carriage concentric with the point about
which the jib, boiler, and other parts turn, and the rope or chain at each end"
passes to a set of pullies in connection with the cylinder and piston. The piston
has a rod on each side of it, and each rod has its own set of pullies: One
set of pullies works one end of the rope, and the other the other. It will be
seen that exactly the length of rope taken up by one set of "pullies in rotating
the jib will be given off by the other set of pullies, so that there will be no
slack rope.
+
In the lifting apparatus, in place of a cylinder and piston; a cylinder with a

page_text: solid ram and a stuffing box at the end may be employed. By admitting
steam to this cylinder on one or other side of the piston the jib can be swung
either way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Andrew Betts Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th October 1864.
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
BETTS BROWN, of No. 13, Cannon Street, in the City of London, send
greeting.
or
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Andrew Betts Brown, Her special licence that
I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, my executors, administrators, and assigns,.
such others as I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of.
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING WEIGHTS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Andrew Betts Brown,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and.
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I,, the said Andrew Betts Brown, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
.
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for raising
weights. For this purpose I employ a carriage mounted on wheels so that
it may be moved readily from place to place. On this carriage a steam
boiler is fixed together with a cylinder furnished with a piston and a piston,

page_text: rod.
At the outer end of the piston rod, and also at the end of the cylinder
opposite thereto, three or other convenient number of pulleys or sheaves are
carried. A rope or chain made fast at one end is passed over these two sets
of pulleys to and fro from end to end of the cylinder. The other end of the
rope or chain then passes up over a pulley on the scaffolding or other place
to which it is desired to raise the weight, and it then descends from this pulley,
and is made fast to the load to be raised. When steam is admitted from the
boiler to the cylinder the piston is forced outwards; and the distance between
the two sets of pulleys increased; thus the weight is raised a distance several
times greater than the stroke of the piston. By self-acting apparatus the
steam can be shut off when the weight is raised high enough, otherwise
damage might arise from the inattention of the workman.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation; Figure 2 a plan with the boiler
removed; and Figure 3 a transverse section of the hoist.
The boiler a is fixed on the top of the frame b, which is mounted on four
travelling wheels c, c. The steam cylinder, which may be, say, 11 inches
diameter and 5 feet stroke (or of other size, according to the work required)
is placed underneath and betwixt the side frames, and bolted directly to the
axles. It is shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, and also in the plan Figure 2
at d. This cylinder is fitted with a piston and rod e, e, which is guided by a
stuffing box at the end of the cylinder, and also by another guide at the end
of the carriage. The piston rod has its extremity fitted with 3 or other
number of pulleys f, f, Figures 1 and 2. On the cylinder end, or at the end
of the apparatus opposite to the piston rod n, a similar arrangement of pulleys
are attached, g, g. Round these pulleys a rope or chain is passed in the
order of "block and tackle," the one end being made fast to a fixed point of
the frame conveniently placed under the cylinder, the other passing over the
pulley towards which the weight is to be raised, as at h, h. Steam is admitted
to the cylinder by means of the pipe i, i, which communicates with the
regulating valve ke worked by the handle 1. The valve shown in the Drawing
is a three-way cock, the plug or cone is hollow, and its interior is in com-
munication with the passage into the cylinder. There is also in the side of
the plug or cone a port which can by turning the said plug or cone be brought
opposite to either of two ports in the case or shell which contains it, and one
of the ports in the case or shell is in connection with the steam pipe, and the
other is in connection with the exhaust. To prevent damage by the piston
being suddenly forced out of the cylinder, and the steam not being cut off
by the attendant, the self-acting telescopic rod, consisting of a tube m and
rod n, connects the piston cross head or pulley frame with the lower end of

page_text: the starting lever l, so that by pulling out the rod n from the tube m, and
setting the clamping screw o, any required length of stroke and consequently
lift may be obtained, the steam being shut off from the piston at the required
point. This machine is very convenient for lifting building materials on to
scaffolds, and for similar uses. If desired the cylinder may be provided with
two pistons and rods, and the steam admitted between them; both sets of
pulleys being in this case carried by the piston rods. This is advantageous
when a long stroke is required.
In constructing portable swing or jib cranes I arrange on a wheeled
carriage a steam boiler with a vertical cylinder bolted to it. This is arranged
with a piston and rod and two sets of pulleys as before described. These parts;
together with the jib of the crane, are well mounted on a support on the
carriage, upon which they can rotate. The rope or chain as before passes
around the two sets of pulleys on the cylinder and its piston rod, and thence
over the pulley on the end of the jib. As before, when steam is admitted
to the cylinder the rope or chain will be hauled in, and the load attached to
the end of it raised. In place of employing a single cylinder two cylinders side
by side may be used, and in large sizes this is found the more convenient
arrangement. In order to swing the jib round, and with it the weight which
has been lifted, a second steam cylinder is bolted to the boiler, and on the rod
of the piston of this steam cylinder a rack is formed which gears with a
toothed wheel fixed in the carriage, and concentric with the point about
which the jib, boiler, and other parts turn. By admitting steam to this
cylinder on one or other side of the piston the jib can be swung either way.
Now, in cases where the above arrangement would require a cylinder of
inconvenient length, a shorter cylinder may be used with a rope or chain and
arrangements of pulleys similar to that of the lifting apparatus. The rope or.
chain is conveniently made to take two or more turns around a fixed ring or
drum on the carriage concentric with the point about which the jib, boiler,
and other parts turn, and the rope or chain at each end passes to a set of
pulleys in connection with the cylinder and piston. The piston has rods on
each side of it, and each rod has its own set of pulleys: One set of pulleys works
one end of the rope, and the other the other. It will be seen that exactly the
length of the rope taken up by one set of pulleys in rotating the jib will be
given off by the other set of pulleys, so that there will be no slack rope. In
the lifting apparatus, in place of a cylinder and piston, a cylinder with a solid'
ram and a stuffing box at the end may be employed.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, Figure 5 a front view, and Figure 6 a plan
of a portable swing or jib steam crane constructed according to my Invention.*

page_text: There are in this machine two cylinders for lifting, and one cylinder for
swinging the crane.
A, A, are the cylinders, which are placed upright, and securely attached to
the boiler by the sole plate B, B and the tie rods C, C. These cylinders are
fitted with two rams D, D, in place of pistons, but the latter may also be
used. The pulleys are placed between the cylinders at E, E, the chain or
rope being passed around them in the same manner as in the arrangement
first described, passing from the lower pulley over the point of the jib F.
Another smaller cylinder G, G, is attached to the boiler or sole plate; it has
at the end of its piston rod a rack H, H, shewn in detail, Figure 7. This rack
gears into a pinion or toothed wheel I, which forms part of the centre pin or
pivot upon which the crane turns, the wheel and pivot being fixed to the under
or stationary carriage J, which is mounted on four wheels K, K, K, K. The
boiler L, L, rests on the sole plate B, and forms part of the revolving
machinery of the crane. The whole, namely, the boiler and cylinders A, A,
and G, with jib M, and other parts connected therewith, are placed on a turn-
table N, having eight friction rollers 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, upon which the
whole revolves by the action of the piston rack H exerting its force upon the
fixed wheel I, which, as before mentioned, forms part of the fixed pivot of the
turntable N. Steam is supplied to these cylinders by the pipes P, P, the
supply being regulated by means of slide valves worked by the "handles R, R,
shewn in the plan, Figure 6, and in dotted lines in elevation Figure. 4. As in
the hoist, the action of the steam when admitted to the cylinders is to press or
force out the pistons or rams from the cylinder, thus increasing the distance
between the two sets of pulleys E, E, and running up a length of rope or
chain a distance equal to the length of stroke multiplied by the number of
ropes thus extended. S, S, are lugs formed on the heads of the rams D, and
T, T, are other lugs formed on the cylinders A. U, U, are rods passing freely
through these lugs so as to be able to slide therein. At the upper end of each
rod is a head, and this rests on the upper end of a volute spring V, supported by
the lug D. W, W, are adjustable nuts at the lower ends of the rods U. The
use of these rods U is gradually to stop the rams D at the end of their
upward motion, and also to prevent the rams being thrown out of their
cylinders should the chain break. The rams travel freely until the rods are
raised so far as to bring the nuts W against the lugs T, and then the motion
of the rods ceases, and the rams are only able to travel further to the extent
to which they are able to compress the volute springs V. It will be seen that
in this swing crane the arranging the cylinders A vertically gives great com-
pactness to the arrangement.

page_text: Figure 8 is a plan, and Figure 9 a vertical section, illustrating the modi-
fications which I make in the arrangement when employing one lifting
cylinder only, and a steam cylinder with a rope or chain and multiplying
pulleys for swinging the jib. In this case the base of the cylinder A passes
through the platform of the carriage J, and friction roller's support it both
above and below the platform. X is a ring fixed on the upper surface or
platform of the carriage, and concentric with the circles in which the moving
parts of the crane turn. Round the ring X the rope or chain for swinging
the jib is passed, making conveniently one or more complete turns; the ends
of this rope or chain pass to the apparatus in connection with the steam
cylinder Y; this cylinder is fixed horizontally to the sole plate B, and by a
valve worked by a lever handle, as in Figures 4 and 5, steam can be admitted
to and exhausted from either side of the piston. There are two piston rods,
and they pass out at each end of the cylinder, and they carry at their ends
pulleys working with other fixed pulleys at or near either end of the cylinder;
thus for swinging there are two systems of multiplying pulleys, each on a
smaller scale similar to the single system employed for raising the load. The
ends of the rope or chain from the ring X each pass around one of the
systems of pulleys, as the Drawing shews, and is then made fast in any con-
venient manner.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the exact details described, nor do I claim generally the arrangement of the
cylinders and pistons, or rams and multiplying pulleys; but what I claim is,
the constructing machinery for raising weights by combining with a carriage
a steam boiler and cylinder with multiplying pulleys, so as to operate in the
manner herein-before set forth.
Also the combining with the said machinery self-acting apparatus for
cutting off the steam towards the end of the desired stroke, as described.
I-further claim, as respects portable swing or jib cranes, the arranging the
steam cylinder or cylinders for working the system of multiplying pulleys for
raising the load in an upright position, and combining the same rigidly with
the boiler, as described.
Also the use of two lifting cylinders acting in unison to actuate a system of
multiplying pulleys, as described.
I also claim for the purpose of turning the jib and boiler of such portable
swing or jib cranes a steam cylinder actuating a rack taking into a fixed
pinion, as described.
I also claim for the same purpose the combining with such swing or jib

page_text: cranes a steam cylinder working two systems of multiplying pulleys, and
operating in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
ANDREW RETTS BROWN
ANDREW RETTS BROWN