Improvements in Safety Catches for the Cages or Platforms of Hoists.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 14th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 20th May, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Catches for the Cages or Platforms of
Hoists.
1, JOHN CHARLES ETCHELLS, of Heaton Chapel, near Stockport, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to that class of hoist in which the cages or platforms aro
suspended by ropes and is designed so that if one or more of the ropes break or
stretch a trip or releasing gear is caused to release the automatic catches which
engage with the guides or other surface and also so that the trip gear can be
released by the attendant from the inside should it be desired to stop the cage
and that the same can be readjusted from the inside of the cage by the attendant
when everything is in working order.
It consists essentially in the application to each of the ropes, of a spring con-
trolled lever, working in conjunction with a trip gear to release the catch, so placed
that on the rope breaking or becoming slack the spring forces down the lever
against the trip gear and the lever which holds the catches in normal position away
from the runner or guide is removed releasing the spring clip.
In carrying out the invention beneath the platform or bottom of the cage to the
end of each rope I connect a lever the rope preferably passing through it and the
lever sustaining the weight of the cage. The levers I prefer to arrange with a
rope connected to both ends and placed diagonally across the bottom of the cage
thus two levers will be attached to four ropes. Between the levers and the bottom
of the cage I place one two or more springs which will tend to press them away
from the cage. These levers are each provided with a projecting stud or pin which
depends from their under surface.
Under these levers preferably arranged at or near the centre of the platform
and under the depending stud is placed a hinged or pivoted lever or plate. The
end of this lever engages with a catch or lever connected with the spring safety
catch which when released catches the runners. The lever is held up in position
by a spring and if pressed down releases the safety catch. This plate is in such
position that if the stud on either of the first mentioned levers were depressed it
would come in contact therewith and release the safety catch.
The levers which carry the spring catches are mounted upon separate shafts or
spindles so that the working of one does not interfere with the working of the
other. These catches are held in normal position by the trip or releasing gear and
when released are drawn up against the guides or runners by springs.
The trip gear is connected by two cords or other connections with the interior of
the cage one attached to the pivoted plate and the other to the catch which supports
it. By means of these connections the attendant when inside the cage can by
pulling one cord release the trip gear and cause the cage to be brought to a stand-
still and similarly by pulling the other cord the automatic catches and the trip
gear can be re-adjusted when everything is in working order from the interior of
the cage.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1892
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Catches for the Cages or Platforms of
Hoists.
I, JOHN CHARLES ETCHELLS, of Heaton Chapel, near Stockport, in the County
of Lancaster, 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 relates to that class of hoist in which the cages or platforms are
suspended by ropes and is designed so that if one or more of the ropes break or
stretch a trip or releasing gear is caused to release the automatic catches which
engage with the guides or other surface and also so that the trip gear can be
released by the attendant from the inside should it be desired to stop the cage and
that the same can be re-adjusted from the inside of the cage by the attendant when
everything is in working order.
It consists essentially in the application to each of the ropes, of a spring
controlled lever, working in conjunction with a trip gear to release the catch,
so placed that on the rope breaking or becoming slack the spring forces down
the lever against the trip gear and the lever which holds the catches in normal
position away from the runner or guide is removed releasing the spring clip.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1. front elevation partly in section with the plate K removed.
Fig. 2. plan partly in section with the platform A. removed.
Fig. 3. transverse sectional elevation on line x-x.
Fig. 4. end elevation.
The platform A of the cage the end frames B and the beams C to which the
platform is fixed are constructed and connected together in the ordinary or any
convenient manner to make a firm and substantial cage to move up and down on the
runners D.
The automatic catch gear comprising the serrated catch E and the pivoted arm
or lever F is also of any suitable construction. And the ropes G upon which the
cage is suspended pass down through the end frames B.
Beneath the platform I place two levers H and I extending the length of the
cage and preferably arranged diagonally across. To the end of each of the ropes G
the ends of the levers H and I are connected, the ropes preferably passing through
eyes at the ends so as to sustain the weight of the cage. By the arrangement
shown two of the suspension ropes will be attached to one lever though if desired a
separate lever may be attached to each rope. Interposed between the bottom of
the cage and the levers at both ends are two or more springs h and i which will
tend to press them away from the bottom of the cage should the tension of the ropes
be slackened or reduced.
Under the levers H and I preferably arranged at or near the centre of the
platform is placed a hinged or pivoted lever or plate K. The lever or plate K is
supported or held in position by a pin or stud k passing through the supporting
frame L and is held up in normal position by a spring M connected to an upright
arm N (preferably either double or forked) forming part of the lever. The end of
the lever K engages with the pivoted catches or levers O O¹ on the shafts or
spindles P P on the other ends of which are the levers F carrying the catches E
which engage with the runners D when released. The catch levers 00' are held
against the end of the pivoted plate or lever K, by the springs p p one end of which
are attached to the arms pl p¹ on the shafts P P and the other ends to an extension
of the pin k.
The lever H which passes across the top of the lever I is provided with a pin k
projecting or depending from its under surface which passes through a hole in the
centre of the lower lever I. If either of the levers H or I be depressed they come

page_text: in contact with the pivoted lever or plate K and depress it below the edges o of the
pivoted catch levers O O which are then drawn back by the springs p throwing
the catch E into operation against the runners D.
The levers F which carry the catches E are mounted upon separate shafts or
spindles P P so that the working of one does not interfere with the working of
the other. These catches are held in normal position by the plate or lever K
constituting the trip or releasing gear and when released are drawn up against the
guides or runners D by the springs p.
The trip gear above described is connected by two cords R S or other connections
with the interior of the cage one connection R attached to the upright arm N of
the pivoted plate K and the other connection S to the catches O O with which the
plate lever K engages. By means of these connections the attendant when inside
the cage can by pulling the cord R release the trip gear and cause the cage to be
brought to a standstill and similarly by pulling the other cord S the automatic
catches and the trip gear can be re-adjusted by the attendant from the interior of
the cage when everything is in working order.
In operation the levers H and I are kept in normal position and drawn up by the
weight of the cage on the suspension ropes G. Should one of these ropes break the
lever connected to it is thereby released and is forced down or away from the cage
bottom A by one of the springs hori. This movement or depression of the lever H
or I brings it into contact with the lever plate K which is carried down by the same
movement until the end is clear of or brought below the catch o on the catch
levers OO. When the catch levers O O¹ are thus released the shafts P P are
rotated in their bearings by the action of the springs p and the serrated catches E
are thereby thrown into contact with the runners D and the cage brought to a
standstill. The same result can be obtained by drawing down the lever K by
means of the cord R. The lever K can be returned to its normal position by
drawing back the catch levers O O¹ by the cord S.
In the drawings the invention is shewn with the safety gear applied below the
cage and the cage resting thereon, but it will be understood that it may also be
applied above the cage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An automatic safety gear for suspended hoists consisting of a spring controlled
lever attached to each of the suspension ropes of the cage in combination with a
pivoted lever by which the catches are controlled so placed that the depression of
either of the levers on the ropes breaking or becoming loose moves it and releases
the catches which come into contact with the runners or guides substantially as
described.
2. An automatic safety gear for suspended hoists provided with diagonal
levers H and I connected to the suspension ropes and depressed when such ropes
become slack or break in combination with a pivoted lever which is moved or
depressed thereby and catch levers OO' connected to the catches E and by which
such catches are released when the levers are depressed in order to engage with the
runners D substantially as described.
3. In an automatic safety gear for suspended hoists the combination with the
diagonal levers H and I and the pivoted plate levers K of the catch levers ()'
and the connecting cords R and S by which the gear can be operated by an
attendant from inside the cage substantially as described and shown.
4. An automatic safety gear for suspended hoists having the several parts
constructed and arranged in combination substantially as and for the purpose
described and shown.
This 10th Inn of A 1902
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.