Improvements in Elevators and Fire Escapes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 30th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 6th July, 1895
Improvements in Elevators and Fire Escapes.
I, JOHN YOUNGSON, of the City of Hamilton, in the County of Wentworth, in
the Province, Dominion of Canada, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :—
My invention relates to improvements in elevators and fire escapes, consisting of
a sliding cage which is capable of travelling vertically up and down between a pair
of parallel vertical columns on each side of said cage, the said four columns being
secured to and at a certain distance from the wall of a building, to support
mechanism, to raise or lower said cage. This cage is operated automatically, but
is so arranged that power may be applied to the upper said mechanism when
necessary to lift or lower heavy weights.
These several parts in combination and in conjunction with certain convenient
and safety attachments, consisting of automatic air cushions, governors and safety
brakes are the principal elements in my improvements.
The objects of my improvements are, first, to provide an elevator or fire escape
capable of carrying from one, to one hundred people, the speed of which shall be
governed and regulated by means of applied mechanism, chiefly consisting of
governors, and friction wheel brakes, second, to provide an elevator or fire escape
capable of running with one half of the upper mechanism, placed in position
immediately over the middle of the cage, third, to afford facilities for the proper
adjustment and placement of the cage at any desired window or opening of a
building, whether ascending or descending, fourth, to reduce the friction of several
operating parts by reason of their freedom from engagement at special operations,
fifth, to introduce means pertaining to applied cushions for the cage when heavily
laden and nearing the top or the ground floor.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1894.
JOHN H. HENDRY,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elevators and Fire Escapes.
JOHN YOUNGSON, of the City of Hamilton, in the County of Wentworth, in
the Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, Mechanic, 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 elevators and fire escapes consisting of
a sliding cage which is capable of travelling vertically between a pair of parallel
vertical columns on each side of said cage the four columns being secured to and at
a certain distance from the wall of a building to support mechanism to operate the
cage. This cage is operated automatically but is so arranged that power may be
applied to the upper mechanism when necessary to lift or lower heavy weights.
These several parts in combination with safety attachments are the principal
elements in my improvements.

page_text: The objects of my improvements are, first, to provide an elevator or fire escape,
capable of carrying from one to one hundred people the speed of which shall be
governed and regulated by means of applied mechanism, chiefly consisting of
governors and friction wheel brakes, second, to provide an elevator or fire escape
capable of running with one half of the upper mechanism, placed in position
immediately over the middle of the cage, third, to afford facilities for the proper
adjustment and placement of the cage at any desired window or opening of a
building, whether ascending or descending, fourth, to reduce the friction of several
operating parts, by reason of their freedom from engagement at special operations,
fifth, to introduce means pertaining to applied cushions for the cage when heavily
laden and nearing the top or the ground floor.
I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying
drawings in which :-
Figure 1, is a front elevation of my improved elevator and fire escape showing
the four columns supporting frame and mechanism, a part of each bearing on said
frame broken away to show more fully the brake rods under friction wheel, the
lower ends of the columns being broken.
Figure 2, is a plan of the frame, with gearing and mechanism, supported by the
columns, showing braces from columns to wall line.
Figure 3, is a side elevation of the same device, showing the perpendicular
column secured to the wall of a building by means of bracket braces, the number
of which would be governed by the height of columns.
Figure 4, is an enlarged plan section of a pair of columns and cage balance
weights in position.
Similar letters and numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several
views.
The upper horizontal frame and brace is indicated by A, being supported by
and firmly secured to the top of the vertical and parallel columns B, the section of
said columns being seen in Fig. 4. of the drawing, and are secured to the wall B¹,
of a building by the braces C, at a convenient distance therefrom, so as to allow
sufficient space for the proper working and operation of the vertically sliding
cage D, which is provided with guide rollers D¹, which engage with the inner
sides of inner columns.
This upper horizontal frame has bearings A', forming a part thereof and into
which run the inner cross shafts E, and the outer cross shafts F.
Each outer shaft supports a central grooved cable G, a friction brake wheel H,
a spur wheel I, and a pinion J. said spur wheel I, geared into the pinion wheel L,
and the said pinion wheel J, geared into the spur wheel K, on said cross shafts E.
The said cable pulleys G, and the spur wheels I, run loose and independent of
their shafts F, and engage with each other by means of a clutch, or dog in each
said cable pulley.
When the cage descends all wheels are in motion, and when the cage ascends
empty or lightly laden, the cable pulleys only, revolve. And when the cage
ascends laden, then power may be applied to the shafts F, to take up the load. In
order to give power to these shafts F, one or both may extend into the building
and there receive power, and may be supplied with fast and loose pulleys or
clutches as may be necessary for connecting and disconnecting. This cage may be
operated by one half of the mechanism now employed, by simply introducing
similar parts to the middle of the horizontal frame and having the cable pulleys in
their present position.
In order to comprehend more fully the construction and operation of this device
it will be wise to specify more particularly one side only, that the singular number
may be employed, as both sides or ends of the device are identical, as far as the
driving mechanism is concerned.
M, is a rigid and circular casing and contains centrifugal friction governors of
approved construction which revolve with their central shaft F.
The cable proper N, which bears the weight of the cage, passes over the said

page_text: grooved pulley G, one end of said cable. being attached to a counterbalance
weight O, which slides between the columns, in the manner as seen in section in
Figure 4, of the drawing, and the other end of said cable N, is attached to the
upright connection rod P, one at each end of the cage.
The lower end of this connection P, is secured to a bent lever Q, which is
pivotted at 2, to the cage, and a horizontal rod R, connected to the inner hooke
ends of these levers Q, the object of these levers being, that should either of the
cables N, part, the unbroken cable would draw the outer end of lever Q, up by
means of rod P, against the wedges S, which engages with the two sides of
column, between the forked bar S, which is a part of the cage, thus preventing the
cage from dropping. These wedges are supplied with nuts 3, which keep the
wedges in position.
When the cage is descending, and the counterbalance weight ascending, and
when at a certain distance from the ground floor, the projection 4 of the weight
engages with the projection 5, of the piston rods 6, of the vertical air cylinder T,
which is secured in position to, and in the upper rear central part of the pair of
columns. This important element prevents any sudden jar or contact of the lower
part of cage with the ground floor, and moreover, this action of the air cushion
which is formed by the piston in the interior of the air cylinder, allows a very easy
descent at the termination thereof. Also when the cage is ascending, the
projection 7 on the cage also engages with the projection 5 of the said air piston
rod, this action prevents the cage from a sudden jar when nearing the top of
columns.
In order to prevent a too rapid descent of the cage at any stage of progress, and
especially when heavily laden, another important element is introduced, namely,
the friction brake wheel H, this wheel revolves with its shaft F, and in order to
brake said wheel, the vertical slide U, is brought down in its rigid guide V, by
means of its projecting handle 8. This rigid guide V, may be secured to the wall
at a convenient place near to the ground floor. The cable X, which is the means
whereby this brake is operated, one end of said cable being attached to the lower
end 9, of cross bar W, and passes, down, and around the pulley 10, of said lower
slide U, then passes up and over the pulley 11, then down and secured to the
upper part of said cross arm W, at 12, This arm W, is pivoted at 13, of
bracket Y, which is a part of the cage, and may be placed in position to suit
circumstances.
The said pulley 11, at the upper part of said cable X, is journaled to the end of
projecting arm 14, which is a part of the cross arm 15, which is pivoted to the
centre of the lug 16, and when the said arm 14, is brought down, by means of the
handles 8, or 17, and cable X, the connecting rods 18, the outer ends of which are
connected to eccentrics or shoe brakes 19, which engage with the under part of
the said brake wheels H, thus facilitating the stoppage of the same and also the
cable pulleys G. It will be obvious that these brakes 19, may be applied from the
interior of the cage or from the ground floor.
The reason that the upper part of the cage D, extends perpendicular some
distance above the cage proper, is to allow the lower part of the cage to touch the
ground floor, if is desirable to terminate the columns some eight feet more or less
from the ground floor.
The hinged gate 20 of the cage, is provided at its opening end with a vertically
bowed friction bar 21, for the purpose of, when partially left open, engaging with
the bent projecting arm 22, this action closes and latches the said gate, this arm is
secured to a column at a convenient place to perform this function which ensures
perfect safety to the people in the cage.
Another friction brake is applied to the rear of the cable pulleys G, and is
operated by bringing down the cable 23, which is connected at its upper end, to
the outer end of cross. arm 24, which is a part of the horizontal rod 25, in
bearings 26, located and secured to the horizontal frame A. Secured to this
rod 25, is an eccentric 27, immediately in rear of each pulley G, and when the

page_text: cable 23, is operated, the said eccentrics engage with the said pulleys and brakes
the same by friction, the inner end of said cross bar is supplied with a spring 28,
the lower end of which is attached to the frame A, this spring gives tension to the
rod 25, and frees the eccentrics from the pulleys.
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 :-
1st. The combination of the horizontal frame A, having bearings A', and rigid
governor casing M, supported on the two pairs of vertical and parallel columns B,
the cross shafts F, provided with friction brake wheels H, secured to said shafts,
the spur wheels I, the cable pulleys G, the pinion wheels J, the cross shafts E,
provided with spur wheels K, and pinion wheel L, and the cables N, secured to
the vertically sliding cage D, and the counterbalance weights O, substantially as
described.
2nd. The braced parallel columns B, secured to wall of building by braces C, the
horizontal frame A, secured to the upper ends of said columns and provided with
bearings A¹, having their cross shafts E and F, with gear wheels and pinions, the
governor casings M, the cable pulleys G, with cables N, attached to balance
weights O, and to and in combination with the vertical rods P, secured to the bent
levers Q, pivoted to lower part of sliding cage D, at 2, with connecting rod R, the
forked projections S, of said cage and the wedges S', provided with nuts 3, sub-
stantially as described.
3rd. The combination of the columns supporting the frame A, having bearings A',
for shafts with gearing and cable pulleys G, the governor casing M, rigid with said
bearings, the air cylinders T, secured to the upper part of said columns and at
their rear, the vertically sliding cage D, having upper extension, and guide
rollers D', for columns, said cage provided with hinged gate 20 having at its
opening end a bowed friction bar 21, to engage with the bent projections 22, of
column, the projection 7, on upper part of cage proper to engage with projecting
arm 5, of piston rod 6, of said air cylinder, the cables. N, and the weights O,
provided with projecting arm 4, to engage with said arm 5, of cylinder piston,
substantially as described.
4th. The combination of the parallel columns supporting the frame A, having
bearings A¹, provided with shafts, gear wheels, cable pulleys G, and friction brake
wheels H, the cables N, with weights, and cage provided with bearing Y, having
cross arm W, with projecting arm 17, pivotted to said bearing, the brake cable ✗,
attached to said arm at 9, and 12, and passing around pulley 10, of vertical slide U,
in guide V, and having arm 8, the upper loop of said cable X, passing over
pulley 11, of arm 14, forming a part of cross arm 15, pivotted at 16, to frame, the
rods 18, connected to said arm 15, and their outer ends to the eccentric or shoe 19,
to engage with said friction wheels H, substantially as described.
5th. The combination with the columns, and frame A, supporting the gearing
and cable pulleys with cables N, and their weights and cage, of the bearings 26,
secured to top of frame, and provided with horizontal rod 25, having cams, or
eccentrics, to engage with the rear part of said cable pulley G, said rod 25,
provided with cross arm 24, with rear spring 28, attached to said cross arm and
frame and the line cable 23, suspended from outer end of said cross arm to brake
said pulleys G, all substantially as described and set forth.
This 10th day of Al 1005
JOHN H. HENDRY,
Agent.