Improvements in Valve Mechanism for Hydraulic Lifts.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valve Mechanism for Hydraulic Lifts.
I, ERNST BOENING, of 1 North Broadway, Yonkers, in the County of West
Chester and State of New York, United States of America, Machinist, 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 means for working the distributing-valve which controls
the inlet of the liquid from the accumulator to and the exhaust from the cylinder
in which the car-actuating piston works; and it consists of an auxiliary piston and
valve mechanism for working said distributing-valve by the power of the accumu-
lator in lieu of the cord and other mechanism now employed for working said
distributing-valve by the hand power of the conductor directly applied.
The object is to provide more controllable and easier working apparatus for
large lifts than the present means now in use, all as hereinafter fully described,
reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a top view of the car-actuating cylinder and plan of the apparatus
as I prefer to arrange it, partly in horizontal section, with the car indicated in
dotted lines.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line ar of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line y y, and also shows part of the accumulator.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the main valve in a plane at right angles to that
of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a plan view, partly in horizontal section, showing a modified arrange-
ment of the apparatus on a larger scale.
Fig. 6 is partly a plan view and partly a horizontal section of a modified
arrangement, in which it is shown that slide D-valves may be used to carry out my
invention.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation of part of the apparatus of Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is a modified form of the push-rod shifter in front elevation.
Fig. 9 is a detail showing the conductor's hand-lever device for working the
valve-shifting gear by the shaft suspended in the lift-way.
Fig. 10 is a modification showing the application of the ordinary conductor's
rope for working the said valve-shifting gear.
A represents the vertical cylinder, in which the piston works for actuating
the car c (partly shown in full lines in Fig. 9 and dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 10)
in the usual manner through the instrumentality of liquid admitted to the upper
end from the accumulator d through the pipes e and fand actuating the piston b
and exhausted from it by the controlling valve g, hereinafter called the "main
valve," the pipe e forming the communication between the accumulator d and said
main valve and the pipe f connecting said valve with the top of the cylinder.
Communication is opened between pipes e and f to admit the fluid to cylinder A
for forcing the piston down and raising the car through passage i, when the main
valve g is raised so that the cavities j in it coincide with the terminals or ports of
said passage
i and the pipes e and f. This communication is closed and the exhaust
is opened for the escape of the liquid from the cylinder to allow the piston to rise
and the car to descend when the main valve is shifted, so that its cavity k opens
port of pipe f to the exhaust passage 1. Said communication is also closed and the
exhaust likewise to hold the car at rest when the main valve is shifted to the middle
position, in which said main valve is represented in Figs. 2 and 3.
It is to be understood that the exhaust passage h is in practice connected by a

page_text: suitable pipe with the receiving tank for the liquid, which is thereafter forced into
the accumulator again in the well known arrangement of hydraulic lifts. It is also
to be understood that as thus far described the apparatus is all of the well known
construction. My invention comprises the following described auxiliary hydraulic
apparatus for thus actuating the said main valve to work the car. I employ a
piston in a cylinder m for working said valve by liquid from the accumulator
duly admitted to and exhausted from said cylinder, said piston being represented
in this example as connected directly to the upper end of the rod or stem of the
valve; but it is to be understood that it may be connected to the lower end in the
same manner, or it may be connected indirectly to either end by any approved
form of intermediate apparatus.
It is to be noted that the piston / stands in the median position of the cylinder m
when the main valve is in its median position, and is to be shifted up or down,
according as the car is to be raised or lowered and is always to be brought to the
median position to stop and hold the car at rest. To raise said piston and main
valve for moving the car upward, the valve at p is used. To return said piston and
main valve from the upward position to the middle and stop and hold the car on
the upward run, the valve at t is used. To cause said piston and valve to shift from
the middle position downward and cause the car to move downward, the valve
ats is used, and to return the said piston and main valve from below upward
and stop and hold the car on the downward run the valve at q is used. The
valves P
ands are ordinary balanced piston valves, each having an inlet passage u
and exhaust passage v, with corresponding inlet and exhaust pipes u³ v'. The inlet
pipe of valve connects with cylinder in at the lower end, and the corresponding
pipe of valve s connects with said cylinder at the upper end, as best shown in
Fig. 3. The exhaust pipe v of valve p exhausts from the upper end of cylinder m,
and the corresponding pipe of valve s exhausts from the lower end of said cylinder,
these exhaust pipes being respectively connected with the inlet of the other valve
between said valves and said cylinder, so that when the inlets of said other valves
are closed and these are opened the liquid returns through the latter. The inlet
pipes u', leading to the valves, as indicated by the arrows 1, Figs. 1 and 5, are to
be understood as connecting with the accumulator d, and the exhaust pipes v¹,
leading therefrom, as indicated by the arrows 2, are to be understood as connected
with the receiving tank, from which the exhaust liquid is pumped into the
accumulator, as usual. To operate these valves from the car by the conductor, I
have provided a vertical shaft w to extend along up the lift-way, either through
the car c or just outside of it, and so connected with the conductor's hand lever a³,
Fig. 9, that he has the means of turning it to right or left at will half a revolution,
or thereabout, said shaft being suspended from its upper end, so that said con-
ductor's lever or other device coupling said lever with the shaft may slide along
the shaft with the car and be utilized at any point along the shaft for turning it.
In this case the said lever a³ is connected with said shaft by the bevel wheels 6
and c³, the former being fitted on the axis of said lever mounted in the side of the
car, and the latter is carried in the bracket and slides along the shaft. The
lower end of the shaft is suitably confined in a step x, and it carries an army,
preferably having a friction roller a' in the free end which, taking effect on the
push lever b¹ or c¹³, according as the shaft is turned one way or the other, opens
one or the other of the valves, as is clearly represented in Fig. 1. The springs d¹
return the valves to their normal positions and close them when relieved of the
action of army by the return of it to its normal position. It will be seen that when
either of the valves p or s is opened liquid from the accumulator is admitted to one
side of the piston and exhausted from the other side by said valve, and when the
piston reaches the end of its up or down movement from the centre position it
remains in that position while the car continues to run, the valve por s being
allowed to close after having shifted the piston. Then for returning the piston /
to the middle position and stopping and holding the car one or the other of the
valvest is brought into use to permit the escape of sufficient of the liquid in

page_text: t
cylinder m to enable the piston to so return and to admit other liquid behind said
piston and force the return of the piston to said middle position. When so
returned to the middle position, the said valve 9 or t thus used is automatically
closed. The main valve then stops, and with the other valves closed holds the
said main valve in the middle position, which likewise stops and holds the car.
These valves are also ordinary balanced piston valves and have inlet passages e¹
and exhaust passages f¹. The liquid from the accumulator flows to the inlet
passages, when open, through the pipe g¹ and branches, and thence to the
cylinder m through valves and inlet pipes u', respectively, said valves i¹ being
connected with the inlet pipes u¹ and also connected with the inlet passages e¹ by
the branch pipes j; but they may be dispensed with, as they are only employed
as an additional means of security against leak and the consequent shifting of the
car when it is to be held stationary. The exhaust passages f¹ of these valves q t
are also connected with the cylinder m by the pipes k', but at the ends opposite to
those connected with their inlet passages e¹, and they discharge into pipes P,
through which the liquid returns to the receiving tank. The valve q is to be opened
to cause the piston to rise from the lower position and stop the car on the down-
ward run,
and the valve t is to be opened to cause said piston to descend from the
upper position and stop the car on the upward run. To open these valves by the
same shaft w and arm y, by which the valves ps are opened, they are so placed
that their stems m¹ nearly converge in the apex of a triangle of which they form
the two sides, and in front of the end of the push rod n', whose other end is pivoted
at o' in the sliding box p', so as to vibrate laterally, and having springs g' to return
it to the normal position. The box in which this push rod is pivoted is so placed
relatively to the levers and the arm y that in the range of said arm from one to
the other of the push levers b₁e for working valves p s it will slide push rod n¹
forward to open one or the other of the valves at according as it is directed
against the end of one or the other of the stems m¹ of said valves, which must be
the stem of valve t if the car is going up, or the stem of valve g if it is going down.
The spring shifts the push rod back. For so directing the push rod the push
rod shifter is provided, said shifter being connected to the main valve n by the
bar a³, or it may be any other approved contrivance whereby said shifter may be
made to shift up and down synchronously with said valve. It is located in the
vertical line of the free end of the push rod, and at 6ª it has reverse inclines, or it
may be a cam slot, as represented in Fig. 8, so arranged with relation to said push
rod that when valve 9 rises and opens pipes e f and passage i to admit the liquid
to cylinder A for working the car upward it will shift push rod n¹ to the range of
the stem of the valve t, ready for the conductor to open it by the shaft w, and stop
the car on the upward run, and when valve g descends and opens the exhaust from
cylinder A to let the car descend said shifter will shift push rod n¹ over to the
range of the stem of valve q, ready for the conductor to open said valve and stop
the car on the downward run. The piston and the main valve quickly return to
the centre position when either of these valves q or t is opened, and the shifter
also, which releases the opened valve from the push rod and its spring ½³, closes it.
Then when the conductor shifts shaft w and arm y to open one of the valves P or s
for starting the car again the push rod carrying slide p¹ is released, and its spring e
returns it to the normal position, ready for operation again. The push rod shifter
is also made to close valves when it returns to the centre position to afford
additional security against shifting of the car by leakage through valves q t when
standing, said valves then constituting a second cut-off in the inlet passages u¹ j
to cylinder m. To accomplish this, said shifter is provided with a bow cam 2,
which projects into the middle vertical plane between said valves and studs, with
its greatest projection in the horizontal plane of said valves when the shifter is in
the middle position, and said valves are coupled to the levers g, the free ends of
which meet in front of the cam, so that when said cam comes to said middle position
from either direction it forces them in the direction to close said valves, and when
it moves away again, either up or down, it leaves the levers and valves free to

page_text: permit the latter to be opened by the springs h³. There is also another valve
in the inlet g¹¹ from the accumulator as a still further means of safety against
shifting the car. It is located in the range of the cam f' and the free ends of
levers g³, so as to be closed by them when the push rod shifter comes to the middle
position, and is provided with a spring, to open it when the cam shifts away from
said middle position either up or down; but this valve and the valves ¹ may be
omitted if desired.
In Fig. 5 I represent a modified arrangement of the valves p and gt, the
valves and being omitted. They are connected for the operation of the liquid
on the piston of cylinder m in just the same way, the principal difference being that
the valves of each pair ps and qt are arranged in the opposite ends of a duplex
cylinder, having a partition at the middle, and instead of the push rod n' acting
directly against the stems of the valves gt it is made to operate them by its bevel
sides being forced against the ends of rods 1, coupled to the stems of said valves
by the levers m³, and the valves ps are so placed relatively to the shaft w that a
separate army is employed for working them. The inlets of these valves
connected to inlet passages u¹ by branches j', about the same as in Figs. 1 and 3,
but without the extra stop-valves i¹, as before stated; but in this case I prefer to
arrange the exhaust the same as with the valves Thus the exhaust passage fl
of valve q exhausts from the upper end of cylinder m, and the corresponding exhaust
passage of valve t exhausts from the lower end of said cylinder, these exhaust
passages being respectively connected with the inlet of the other valve between
the said valves and said cylinder by the pipes f³.
3.
t are
1
In Figs. 6 and 7 it will be seen that I may also use ordinary D slide valves,
as n³, for shifting the main valve either up or down for working the car
in either direction, according as it is shifted one way or the other by
the arm of the shaft w, and valve o for shifting the piston back from either
end of cylinder m to the middle for stopping and holding said valve in the
middle position, according as it is worked in either direction by the push
rod n' through rods and levers m³, substantially the same as the valves qt are
operated. These valves are provided with springs p' to return them to the middle
position for closing both the inlet and exhaust passages. u¹ represents the inlet
pipe to the valve n³, the same as to the valves p, s, and g', the inlet to valve o³,
the same as to valves 9 t, and the exhaust pipes may be similarly designated v
and represents the passages from these valves to the upper end of cylinder m,
and q the passages to the lower end. While I prefer for some purposes to employ
the shaft w, as I have represented it, for working this valve gear, I am not limited
to it, for the rope w³, commonly employed for working the main valve, may be used,
if desired, by arranging it in the guide pulleys and around a pulley y' on shaft w,
as I have represented it in Fig. 10, said rope being preferably fastened to the
pulley, as at 2, to prevent slipping.
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. The combination, with the main valve controlling the car in a lift, of the
main-valve-actuating piston, one or more valves in the control of the conductor's
valve-shifter and controlling said valve-actuating piston for opening said main
valve in either direction, and one or more valves, also in the control of the con-
ductor's valve-shifter and controlling said valve-actuating piston, for closing said
main valve in either direction and holding it closed, substantially as described.
2. The combination, with the main valve controlling the car in a lift, of the
main-valve-actuating piston, one or more valves in the control of the conductor's
valve-shifter and controlling said valve-actuating piston for opening said main valve
in either direction independently of and while the devices for closing said main
valve remain in the normal conditions and one or more valves, also in the control
of the conductor's valve-shifter and controlling said valve-actuating piston, for

page_text: closing said main valve in either direction independently of and while the devices
for opening said main valve remain in the normal conditions substantially as
described.
3. The combination, with the main valve controlling the car in a lift, of the
main-valve-actuating piston, one or more valves in the control of the conductor's
valve-shifter and controlling said valve actuating piston, for opening said main valve
in either direction, one or more valves, also in the control of the conductor's
valve shifter and controlling said valve-actuating piston, for closing said main valve
in either direction and holding it closed, and springs which close said auxiliary
piston-valves when relieved of the action of the conductor's valve-shifter,
substantially as described.
4. The combination, with the main valve controlling the car in a lift, of the
main-valve-actuating piston, one or more valves in the control of the conductor's
valve-shifter and controlling said valve-actuating piston for closing said main valve
in either direction independently of and while the devices for opening said main
valve remain in the normal conditions and one or more valves, also in the control
of the conductor's valve-shifter and controlling said valve-actuating piston, for
opening said main valve in either direction independently of and while the
devices for closing said main valve remain in the normal conditions substantially as
described.
5. The combination, with the main valve, main-valve-shifting piston, and the
valve or valves for actuating said piston to close the main valve, of the push-rod
adapted to actuate said valve or valves to close the main valve froin either
direction, the conductor's valve-shifter adapted to actuate said push-rod alike in
either of its directions of movement, and the push-rod shifter connected with and
actuated by the valve-rod and adapted to direct said push-rod to
said valve or valves to close the main valve from either direction, substantially as
described.
50 actuate
6. The combination, with the conductor's valve-shifter and the main valve,
piston for actuating said main valve, and valve or valves for controlling said
piston, of the sliding and vibrating push-rod and the push-rod shifter connected
to and moving synchronously with the main valve and having the reverse inclines
respectively arranged with and acting on the opposite sides of the said vibrating
and sliding push-rod, substantially as described.
7. The combination, with the main-valve-shifting piston and the conductor's
valve-shifter, of the independent valves ps, each connected by inlet and exhaust
passages with the opposite ends of the cylinder of said main-valve-shifting piston,
respectively, for actuating it in opposite directions, said valves independently
operative by said conductor's valve-shifter and having springs independently closing
them, substantially as described.
8. The combination, with the main-valve-shifting piston and its cylinder and
with the conductor's valve-shifter, of the independent valves p s, normally main-
tained in position to prevent the escape of the water from said cylinder, each
connected by inlet and exhaust passages with the opposite ends of the cylinder
of said main-valve-shifting piston for working the piston in opposite directions,
respectively, said valves independently operative for being opened by said
conductor's valve-shifter acting directly on them and having springs independently
closing them, substantially as described.
9. The combination, with the main-valve-shifting piston and its cylinder and
with the conductor's valve-shifter, push-rod, and push-rod shifter, of the inde-
pedent valves qt, normally maintained in position to prevent the escape of the
water from said cylinder, each connected by inlet and exhaust passages with the
opposite ends of the cylinder of said main-valve-shifting piston for working
the piston in opposite directions respectively, said valves independently operative
for being opened by said conductor's valve-shifter, subject to the control of the
push-rod shifter, and having springs independently closing them, substantially as
described.

page_text: 10. The combination, with the main-valve-shifting piston and the conductor's
valve-shifter, of the independent valves qt, each connected by inlet and exhaust
passages with the opposite ends of the cylinder of said main-valve-shifting piston
for working the piston in opposite directions, respectively, and the auxiliary stop-
valves in the inlet-passages of the cylinder of said main-valve-shifting piston,
and the closer of said stop-valves coupled with and actuated by the rod of the said
main-valve-actuating piston, substantially as described.
11. The combination, with the main-valve-shifting piston and the conductor's
valve-shifter, of the independent valves ps, each connected by inlet and exhaust
passages with the opposite ends of the cylinder of said main-valve-shifting piston
for working the piston in opposite directions, respectively, also the valves qt, each
similarly connected with said cylinder for working the piston in opposite directions,
respectively. and the auxiliary valves in the inlet-passages to said cylinder for
opening the main valve and coupled with and actuated by the rod of the said main-
valve-actuating piston, substantially as described.
12. The combination, with the main-valve-shifting piston and the conductor's
valve-shifter, of the independent valves qt, each connected by inlet and exhaust
passages with the opposite ends of the cylinder of said main-valve-shifting piston
for working the piston in opposite directions, respectively, and the auxiliary stop-
valve in the inlet-passage to said valves qt, and the closer of said stop-valve
connected with and actuated by the rod of the said main-valve-actuating piston,
substantially as described.
13. The combination, with the main-valve-shifting piston, of the independent
valves ps, respectively connected by inlet and exhaust passages with the opposite
ends of the cylinder of said main-valve-shifting piston for actuating it in opposite
directions, valves 9 t, also respectively connected by inlet and exhaust passages
with the opposite ends of said cylinder for working said pistons in opposite
directions, the conductor's valve-shifter, and the levers controlled by said shifter
for working said valves, said levers and shifter adapted to open one or the
other of valves gt intermediately to opening valves ps, substantially as
described.
Dated this 17th day of August 1891.
F. W. BARKER,
Applicant's Agent.