An Improved Apparatus for Retaining a Lift Car or Cage at any Point of its Travel.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1891-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1891
COME LEID OL PIET
An Improved Apparatus for Retaining a Lift Car or Cage at any
Point of its Travel.
I, FREDERICK GILES, of Fawkner Street South Yarra near Melbourne in the
Colony of Victoria Australia, Merchant, 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:-
The object of this invention is to stop lifts, and especially passenger cars at any
point of their travel and is particularly for use in stopping them firmly and
securely at the floor, and for the time during which the passenger is alighting from
or entering into the car. The means at present in use (namely the closing of the lift
cylinder valve by pulling the rope actuating the same) are found insufficient, as
when the conductor, by said rope stops the car, the latter jerks either upwards or
downwards with the result that nervous or other persons, unacquainted with lift
travelling, are frightened and consequently the utility of lifts is considerably reduced.
Where this invention is in use the conductor in stopping the car by the valve rope
before referred to simultaneously (by turning a handle conveniently placed in
the rear of the car) operates mechanism which results in the ends of transverse bars
proceeding into the skids along which the car works, and the latter is thus made
immovable during pleasure, so that the passenger can alight without the dis-
agreeable and dangerous jerks which at present are caused by the means in use.
Especially will this invention be found of great value and utility in cases where the
conductor is either inexperienced or inattentive, as in the former case considerable
practice is required to be gained to know the exact point at which to pull the valve
rope so as to bring the floor of the car and landing level with each other.
The invention consists in having a vertical rod which is provided with a handle
conveniently placed at and suitably affixed to the back of the car and so out of the
way of the passengers. To this rod is attached by means of guide brackets, another
rod which forms a lock and which is surrounded by a spiral spring and provided
with a thumb piece termination, said rod enters a base plate for the purpose of
retaining the apparatus in the open or shut position. To the lower end of the
vertical rod is affixed a lever provided with a jointed end into which fits a
connecting rod the same at its other end being secured to a disc suitably fixed at a
To this disc is attached
central position to the underside of the floor of the car.
by pins, or otherwise, two transverse rods which work in guides bolted to the floor
of the car, said rods being provided with springs, the ends of these bars when
actuated proceed into and remain while desired, in the skids against which the car
works. On these transverse bars shoulders are formed between which and the
guides aforesaid the springs exert their force for accelerating the result caused by
the car conductor turning the handle and putting the apparatus in action.
Reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings, in which—
Figure 1, is an elevation of the apparatus as erected in a passenger lift car, the
door of the latter being removed for clearness sake.
Figure 2, is a plan of same, the car floor being removed for a similar reason.
In this figure the open and locked positions of the mechanism are shown by dotted
lines.
Figure 3, is an elevation illustrating the vertical rod and levers.
In these figures, A is the vertical rod provided at its upper end with the
handle A 1 and suitably mounted in bearing guide A 2, bolted to the back A 3
of the car.
To this rod A are attached guide brackets B in which the locking
rod B1 works provided with a thumb or band piece B2 and spiral spring B 3
which operates between one of the aforesaid guides B and a shoulder B 4, formed

page_text: on the rod B 1, the end of the latter rod B 1 locks into a base plate B 5, which
also serves as lower bearing for the vertical rod A. This plate B 5 is fastened to
the floor of the car and if preferred can be made flush with same. The rod A
proceeds downwards through the floor of the car and at its lower end is attached to
a lever (, this lever at its other end is formed with a joint or bifurcation C 1, in
which the end of a connecting rod D is held by pin D 1, the other end of this rod D
is affixed to the underside of a disc E, said disc being attached to the floor of the
car in such manner that it rotates the desired distance. To this disc E at its
upperside are held the transverse bars F by pins F 1, or otherwise and made of a
bent form as shown. These bars work in guides F 2 bolted to the car floor and
are provided with spiral springs F 3, which work between the guides F2 and
shoulders F4 formed on the bars, the ends F5 of the latter, when actuated, proceed
into the holes or other formations in the skids G. H is the car, J being the shaft of
the building in which it travels.
The modus operandi of this invention is as follows:-
Assume a passenger is in a lift car and desires to alight at the third floor of the
building; the conductor, upon being notified, pulls the valve rope herein referred
to and so stops the car, he also grips the handle A I simultaneously pressing the
thumb piece B2 closely thereto, which action lifts roa B1 out of the hole in the
base plate B5, thus rod A. is released so as to be sufficiently rotated by handle A 1
and by means of lever C, connecting rod D and disc E, the ends F5 of the
transverse bars F are inserted into the holes in the skids G, (said result being
accelerated by the spiral springs F3) said ends F5 remaining therein until such
time as withdrawn by reverse action of handle A 1, which in practice would be when
the passenger has alighted from the car H. In case when a passenger is entering
or about to enter a car and the conductor being duly notified he accordingly anchors
the car at the desired position in similar manner as above referred to.
It will thus be seen that during the time a passenger is either entering or leaving
the car the latter is made immovable and no disagreeable feeling is experienced or
danger incurred by jerkings or vibrations.
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. In elevator cars:-Two or more horizontal metal bars so arranged that by
the movement of a handle by an operator, said bars will proceed outwards from the
car and enter holes formed in the guide beams or skids, substantially as and for the
purposes herein explained and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In elevator cars :-A handle, rod and lever attached to a disc in combination
with transverse bars working in guides and provided with springs so that when the
handle and rod are actuated the ends of said bars sufficiently enter the skids (along
which the car works) substantially as and for the purposes herein described and as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Twenty-third day of September 1891.
FREDERICK GILES.