NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR BALANCING AND SUSTAINING IN POSITION SUSPENDED ARTICLES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marshall Arthur Wier, of Shepherd's Bush, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS
FOR BALANCING AND SUSTAINING IN POSITION SUSPENDED ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Marshall Arthur Wier at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th November 1876.
MARSHALL ARTHUR WIER, of Shepherd's Bush, in the County of Middlesex.
NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR BALANCING AND SUSTAINING IN
POSITION SUSPENDED ARTICLES."
My Invention relates to means and apparatus for balancing and sustaining in
position suspended articles which require to be raised and lowered and sustained in
any position in which they may be placed. The said Invention is applicable for
example to chandeliers, window sashes, window blinds, and other articles acting in
a similar manner.
The object of my Invention is to dispense with the cords, and chains, and weights,
or springs which have been heretofore employed for suspending and balancing
articles of the above-named character. In order to effect this object I employ the
pressure of the atmosphere acting. in conjunction with a vacuum or partial vacuum
to balance the weight of the article to be sustained, or instead of the atmospheric
pressure and a vacuum I sometimes employ compressed air. When employing
atmospheric pressure and a vacuum or partial vacuum for this purpose I propose to
employ a piston constructed of peculiar material, to be hereafter explained, sliding
in a tube closed at one end. The piston is attached to a piston rod, and the article
to be suspended may be fixed to the tube, and the piston rod attached to some fixed
point, or the article to be suspended may be fixed to the piston rod and the tube
attached to the fixed point. If now the piston be forced to the end of the tube and
the air before is suffered to escape and prevented from re-entering the tube, the
vacuum produced between the end of the tube and the piston when the latter is
drawn outwards. will sustain a weight proportionate to the area of the piston, and
the vacuum being once formed the said weight will be sustained whatever position
in the length of the tube the piston may be caused to occupy.

page_text: When employing compressed air I propose to use a suitable air chamber collapsible
by means of a spring or weight. When the piston is forced towards the end of the
tube the air is driven through another tube into the said air chamber raising the
weight or extending the spring, thus balancing the weight of the suspended
article.
The piston I prefer to employ in carrying out this Invention is composed of a
plug of gelatine material, such as is used in what are known as printer's rollers.
I find that the pistons in ordinary use for air and water pumps are not adapted to
the purposes of this Invention, but that the elasticity of the aforesaid gelatine
material renders it peculiarly applicable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Marshall Arthur Wier in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th May
1877.
ss
MARSHALL ARTHUR WIER, of Shepherd's Bush, in the County of Middlesex.
NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR BALANCING AND SUSTAINING IN
POSITION SUSPENDED ARTICLES."
My Invention relates to means and apparatus for balancing and sustaining in
position suspended articles which require to be raised and lowered and sustained in
any position in which they may be placed. The said Invention is applicable for
example to chandeliers, window sashes, window blinds, and other articles acting in
a similar manner.
The object of my Invention is to dispense with the, cords, and chains, and weights
or springs which have been heretofore employed for suspending and balancing articles
of the above-named character. In order to effect this object I employ the pressure
of the atmosphere acting in conjunction with a vacuum or partial vacuum to balance
the weight of the article to be sustained, or instead of the atmospheric pressure and a
vacuum I sometimes employ compressed air. When employing atmospheric pressure
and a vacuum or partial vacuum for this purpose, I propose to employ a piston
constructed of peculiar material, to be hereafter explained, sliding in a tube closed at
one end. The piston is attached to a piston rod, and the article to be suspended
may be fixed to the tube and the piston rod attached to some fixed point; or the
article to be suspended may be fixed to the piston rod and the tube attached to the
fixed point. If now the piston be forced to the end of the tube and the air before
it is suffered to escape and prevented from re-entering the tube, the vacuum produced
between the end of the tube and the piston when the latter is drawn outwards will
sustain a weight proportionate to the area of the piston, and the vacuum being once
formed the said weight will be sustained whatever position in the length of the tube
the piston may be caused to occupy.
When employing compressed air I propose to use a suitable air chamber collapsible
by means of a spring or weight. When the piston is forced towards the end of the
tube the air is driven through another tube into the said air chamber raising the
weight or extending the spring, thus balancing the weight of the suspended
article.
The piston I prefer to employ in carrying out this Invention is composed of a
plug of gelatine material such as is used in what are known as printers' rollers. I
find that the pistons in ordinary use for air and water pumps are not adapted to
these purposes, but that the elasticity of the aforesaid gelatine material renders it
peculiarly applicable.
In the Drawing Figure 1 represents the application of my Invention to the
purpose of suspending and maintaining in position a gas chandelier or gaselier, the
figure being a sectional elevation of the tube and piston herein-before referred to.
A is the tube, the lower end of which is closed by the plug B into which is

page_text: secured the tube C. D is another tube connected at the upper end to the ball-and-
socket joint or other fitting by which the gaselier is suspended from the ceiling.
The tube D is of such size that the tube A can slide freely over it. To the bottom
of the tube D is secured by screwing or otherwise the gelatine piston herein-before
mentioned, such piston being adapted to slide air-tight in the interior of the tube A
and round the exterior of the tube C.
<
The Drawing illustrates one method which I have found convenient of applying
the gelatine material to the purposes of the piston. The said gelatine material is
that known by printers' roller makers as the "durable." E is a body or core
composed of brass or other suitable material, upon which is moulded at one part the
gelatine or durable" material G intended to bear against the interior of the
tube A, and at another part the gelatine or "durable" material H which is intended
to bear against the exterior of the tube C, the material H being retained in place
and pressed against the tube C by means of the gland I screwed into the core E.
The gelatine or "durable" material G is moulded somewhat larger in diameter than
the tube it is intended to work in, so that when pressed into the said tube it tends
to expand so as to form an air-tight plug or piston therein.
If preferred the material G may be pressed and expanded by a gland or nut in a
manner similar to the material H. It will now be understood that if the piston
attached to the tube D be forced to the bottom of the tube A, the tube C passing
up through its middle the air in the annular spaces J between the end of the piston
and the plug B will be forced out through a hole left for that purpose, and that if
the said hole be then closed hermetically any effort to draw the tube A off from the
tube D will be resisted by the atmospheric pressure tending to force the bottom B
of the tube A against the end of the piston. If the whole of the air be forced out
from the space between the bottom of the tube and the piston a perfect vacuum will
be formed directly the bottom of the tube A is drawn ever so short a distance from
the piston, and it will be obvious that any increase of that distance will not affect
the vacuum. It follows from this that if the tube A be weighted sufficiently to
balance the pressure of the atmosphere tending to force the end of the said tube A
against the piston, the said tube A with its weight will be balanced whatever
position the piston may occupy in the said tube. Practically it is difficult to remove
all air from between the end of the tube A. and the piston, but it is easy to remove
so much that the small quantity remaining does not practically affect the action, or
if it does so at all the friction of the piston in the tube is sufficient to neutralize
any such effect.
From the above explanation it will be understood that the effective area of the
piston must be arranged in proportion to the weight of the tube A plus that of
the piston and the object it is intended to carry, and must in round numbers be
about one square inch for each 15 lbs. of the weight to be supported or balanced.
The lubrication of the piston is effected by means of oil poured into the cup A¹,
from whence it flows down the space between the tubes A and D to the piston.
According to the arrangement above described the weight to be supported is fixed
to the tube which slides over the fixed piston.
In Figure 2 is shown an arrangement similar to that described in reference to
Figure 1, but with the weight fixed to the rod or tube carrying the piston which in
this case slides in the fixed tube.
Figure 3 shows a double arrangement which is a combination of those shown in
Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 shows an arrangement similar to Figure 1, but in which the piston is
constructed in a somewhat different manner, as shown more clearly in enlarged
sections in Figures 5 and 6. K is a coupling which screws on to the end of the
pipe D; L, L, are rods preferably of metal secured at one end by soldering or other-
wise to the coupling K, and at the other to the cap or shoe M. which may con-
veniently be made in sheet copper; N is the gelatine or "durable" material moulded
round the rods L, L, and into the cap or shoe M, so as to be of the proper diameter

page_text: externally to work air-tight against the inside of the tube A, and internally to work
air-tight round the outside of the tube C. A similar construction of piston may be
applied to the arrangement shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
In the above-described arrangements the gas enters the gaselier through the small
pipes in a manner similar to that applied in ordinary water or hydraulic gaseliers,
and escape of gas is prevented by means of the air-tight gelatine or "durable"
pistons described, which in those cases serve both to prevent escape of gas and to
support and balance the weight of the gaselier.
In Figure 7 is illustrated an arrangement in which the escape of gas is prevented
by an ordinary stuffing box, the piston serving only to sustain and balance the
weight of the fitting. In this case the piston is secured to the small pipe C con-
nected to the ceiling; the lower end of this pipe is closed, but holes P, P, are
pierced through its sides just above the piston for the escape of gas into the interior
of the tube A, which in its turn is provided with holes Q, Q, for conveying the gas
into the annular space between the tubes A and A¹, by which it is conducted to the
passage R leading into the fitting screwed on at S. T is an ordinary stuffing box
secured to the tube A to prevent the escape of gas therefrom round the tube C.
[
Figure 8 illustrates the application of my Invention to the purpose of balancing
and sustaining in position rising and falling sashes, such as those used in railway
carriages. A represents the lower part of such a sash; B, à tube closed at one end
and fixed in a casing in any convenient position; in the boxing of the sash C is a
gelatine or durable" piston sliding air-tight in the said tube, and arranged to act
in a manner similar to those above described. D is a cord or chain fixed at one end
near the bottom of the sash A, and being carried over the guide pullies E and F
turning on centres fixed in the boxing of the sash; and over the pulley G connected
to the piston C is fixed at the other end to any convenient point in the boxing of
the sash. The area of the tube B and piston C being properly proportioned to the
weight of the sash having regard to the arrangement of cord or chain and pullies
by which the piston is connected to the sash, the latter will be balanced and
sustained (whether raised, or lowered, or placed in any intermediate position) by
the action of the vacuum and atinospheric pressure, as above described, in reference
to gaseliers.
Figures 9 and 10 illustrate a similar application for the purpose of balancing and
sustaining ordinary window sashes. A, A, are the sashes; B, B, are the tubes;
C, C, the pistons sliding therein; D, rods connecting the pistons to any suitable
fixed point.
"5
Figure 11 shews an arrangement in which compressed air is employed in con-
nection with the gelatine or "durable" piston instead of a vacuum. A is the tube
in which the piston B slides; C, a pipe, to one end of which the said piston B is
secured, and to the other end the gaselier or other fitting; the pipe C passes air-tight
through the stuffing box D, which I prefer to be packed with gelatine or durable'
material similar to that of which the piston is composed. The tube A is fixed to
the box E which contains a collapsible chamber or bag F acted upon by a weight G
or by a spring. A communication is established between the collapsible chamber
or bag F, and the space below the piston by means of a larger pipe A¹ sur-
rounding the pipe A, as shewn, or by other convenient means.
The said space
below the piston, the collapsible chamber or bag, and the passage uniting them are
filled with air more or less compressed, and the collapsible chamber is weighted in
proportion to the weight to be supported or balanced. It will now be understood
that on drawing down or pushing up the gaselier the compressed air will be
transferred from below the piston to the collapsible chamber, or vice versa, and the
gaselier will be balanced in all positions.
I have above explained the application of my Invention to the purposes of
balancing and sustaining chandeliers or gaseliers and window sashes, but it will be
obvious that similar arrangements may be applied to the purpose of balancing and
sustaining other articles usually balanced and sustained by counterbalance weights,

page_text: and I would have it understood that I make no claim to the mere application of a
vacuum or compressed air for these purposes; but what I do claim as the Invention
to be secured to me by the within in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The application and use of pistons composed of gelatine or "durable"
material acted upon by a vacuum and atmospheric pressure, or by compressed air in
a tube or cylinder, substantially as herein-before described, and for the purposes set
forth.
Second. The various arrangements and combinations of parts for holding and
supporting the gelatine or "durable" material so as to render it capable of acting
as a piston, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 1 to 6
of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Marshall Arthur Wier, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thou-
sand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
MARSHALL A. WIER. (L.S.)