Ar IMPROVED SAFETY APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS FROM THE' BREAKING OF CHAINS OR ROPES OF HOISTING GEAR
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS "PATENT to Paul Joseph Edouard Caron, of Paris, in the
Empire of France, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "Ar
IMPROVED SAFETY APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS FROM THE'
BREAKING OF CHAINS OR ROPES OF HOISTING GEAR."
Miv
PROVISIONAL, SPECIFICATION left by the said. Paul Joseph. Edouard
+ Caron at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition; on, the 26th September 1868.
I, PAUL JOSEPH EDOUARD CARON, of Paris, in the Empire of France,
Civil Engineer, dó hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED SAFETY APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS FROM THE
BREAKING OF CHAINS OR ROPES OF HOISTING GEAR," to be as follows:-
*
..j
My Invention, relates to an apparatus for preventing accidents arising
from the breaking, of chains and ropes in windlasses and other apparatus
used for raising or supporting heavy bodies.

page_text: One example of the manner in which my Invention is carried into effect
is shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing, which is a front
view of the apparatus applied to an ordinary hoisting tackle. P is a
pulley turning on an axis O in a cast-iron block C, to which is connected
the apparatus of my Invention. The block is provided with two arms
B, B', rising on each side of the pulley and connected at their upper
part; these arms form an integral part of the block and may be cast
therewith; they are further provided with lugs carrying the small axes
d, d', of the jaws M, M'; these jaws are moulded on the outsides of the
form of the chain, and are provided at their lower parts with hooks c, c¹,
to which are attached springs R, R', whose other-ends are connected to
the block at the lower parts of arms B, B'. Levers L, L, of peculiar form
are fixed to the upper part of the movable jaws M, M', which levers are
provided with friction rollers G, G₁, at their forked ends embracing the
chain.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Supposing the pulleys and
chain are arranged as in Figure 2 in relation to the windlass, P repre-
sents the pulley block provided with my improvements; P¹, turning
pulley; T, windlass, the parts being arranged as in Figure 1. So long as
the chain is in action, the lever L being acted on by the spring R¹ tends
to assume a horizontal position and the movable jaw M' to close, but is
prevented by the resistance offered by the chain to the lever L. Supposing
however the part 1 of the chain or rope, Figure 2, to break, the jaw
being acted on by the spring, and the lever arm no longer having any
resistance to overcome, the jaw will be closed on the chain 2 gipping it
in the block and so keeping the load suspended. 2ndly, supposing the
part 2 of the chain should break the jaw M will act in its turn and
assume the position shown in red lines in Figure 1. 3rdly, supposing the
part 3 of the rope or chain to break, the jaw M³ will retain the part 2
in the block and prevent the fall of the weight in suspension. 4thly,
supposing the rope or chain to break both at parts 1 and 3, the jaw M'
will still act, the load being suspended from part 2. 5thly, supposing
the chain to break at points 4 or 5 on the pulley both the jaws will then
act and the load will remain suspended from the two ends of the chain or
rope. 6thly, if the chain be allowed to run off the drum or is not stopped
in time, the part 1 becomes freed and the jaw M³ will come into action
as before. Thus by moulding the faces of the jaws of a corresponding

page_text: shape to 'the links of the chain's employed; whether they be ordinary
chains or chain cables, endless chains or ropes, the fall of the load and
block will be effectually prevented in:all cases.
The apparatus from its simplicity is capable of application in various
ways, especially in raising heavy bodies by means of a windlass, and also
in-mine shafts to arrest the descent of the skips or cages. in case of
accident,. also in raising ships' anchors; in the latter case-by-modifying
the form without varying, the principle of the apparatus, which consists
in securing that part of the chain or rope which remains intact to
the pulley block by aid of a lever and spring jaw as herein-before
described..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,.
filed by the said Paul Joseph Edouard Oaron in the Great Seal.
Patent Office on the 24th March 1869:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PAUL.
JOSEPH EDOUARD CARON,, of Paris,, in the Empire of France, Civil
Engineer, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty. Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of September,, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Paul Joseph Edouard Caron,.
Her special licence that I, the said Paul Joseph Edouard Caron, my.
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the. said
Paul Joseph Edouard Caron, my executors, administrators, 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 Ohannel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED SAFETY APPARATUS FOR THE
PREVENTION, OF ACCIDENTS FROM THE BREAKING OF CHAINS OR ROPES OF HOISTING
GEAR," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Paul Joseph.
Edouard Caron, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in.

page_text: 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 Paul Joseph Edouard Caron, 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, reference being had to the Sheet of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and, to the letters and figures. marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
:-
My Invention relates to an apparatus for preventing accidents arising
from the breaking of chains and ropes in windlasses and other apparatus
used for raising or supporting heavy bodies.
One example of the manner in which my Invention is carried into
effect is shown in front view, Figure 1, and edgewise, Figure 2, of the
accompanying Drawing, supposing the apparatus applied to an ordinary
hoisting tackle. Pis a pulley turning on an axis O in a cast-iron block C,
to which are connected the various parts of the Invention. The block is
provided with two arms B,B', rising on each side of the pulley and con-
nected at their upper part. These arms form an integral part of the
block and may be cast therewith; they are further provided with lugs
carrying the small axes d, d', of the jaws M, M'; these jaws are moulded
on the outsides of the form of the chain and are provided at their lower
parts with hooks c, c², to which are attached springs R, R¹, whose other
ends are connected to the blocks at the lower parts of arms B, B¹. Levers
L, L, of peculiar form are fixed to the upper part of the movable jaws
M, M', which levers are provided with friction rollers G, G¹, at their forked
ends embracing the chain.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Supposing the pulleys and
chain are arranged, as in Figure 3, in relation to the windlass, P repre-
sents the pulley block provided with my improvements; P¹, turning
pulley; T, windlass. The parts being arranged as in Figure 1, so long as
the chain is in action the lever L being acted on by the spring R' tends to
assume a horizontal position and the movable jaw M¹ to close, but is
prevented by the resistance offered by the chain to the lever L. 1st,

page_text: supposing however the part.1 of the chain or rope, Figure 3; to break, the
jaw, M being acted. on by the spring R'; and the lever, arm L no longer
having any resistance. to overcome, the jaw will be closed on the chain 2
gripping it in the block and so. keeping the load suspended. 2ndly, sup-
posing the part 2 of the rope or chain to break the jaw M.will act in its turn
and assume the position shown in red lines in Figure.1. 3rdly, supposing
the part 3 of the rope or chain to break the jaw M will retain the part 2
in the block and prevent the fall of the weight in suspension." 4thly,
supposing the rope or chain to break both at parts 2 and 3 the jaw M
will still act, the load being suspended from part 1. 5thly, supposing the
chain to break' at points 4 or 5 on the pulley both the jaws will then act
and the load will remain suspended from the two ends 1 and 2 of the
chain or rope. 6thly, if the chain be allowed to run off the drum or is
not stopped in time the part 2 becomes freed and the jaw M. will come
into action as before. Thus by moulding the faces of the jaws M, M³, of
a corresponding shape to the links of the chains employed, whether they
be ordinary chains or chain cables, endless chains or ropes, the fall of the
load and block will be effectually prevented in all cases.
The apparatus from its simplicity is capable of application in various
ways, especially in raising heavy bodies for building purposes, by means of
a windlass, and also in mine shafts to prevent the fall of the skips or cages
in case of accident; also in raising ships' anchors, and in the two latter
cases by modifying the form without varying the principle of the appa-
ratus, which consists in securing that part of the chain or rope which
remains intact to the pulley block by aid of a lever and spring jaw, as
herein-before described. I might instead of the springs R, R', mako use
of only one spring or steel blade spring curved in the shape of a horseshoe,
which by extension would act on the heels of both the jaws at once. I
might even suppress the springs altogether, the jaws would then lower
down in due time by the action of their own weight. For blocks of large
dimensions I might connect the two arms B, B', to each other by a core
or cast-iron bridge, whereby a greater rigidness would be obtained.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be distinctly under-
stood that I do not confine myself to the precise details nor to the strict
form of the apparatus or portions of the apparatus herein described, as
such may be varied or modified without departing from the principle of

page_text: action thereof, but I claim as new and my Invention, forming a block C.
in combination with the jaws M, M', levers L, L, and rollers G, G³, in
the manner specified and shown so as to constitute an apparatus, so
ealled parachute block, applicable to the chains or ropes of hoisting
machines in general.
In witness whereof, I, the said Paul Joseph Edouard Caron,
have hereunto. set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-nine.