IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDING AND SAFETY APPARATUS FOR MINES, WHICH APPARATUS IS PARTLY APPLICABLE TO HOISTS OR LIFTS FOR HOTELS, FACTORIES, AND OTHER BUILDINGS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Wilson, of the Firm of Nasmyth, Wilson, & Co.,
Engineers, of Patricroft, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDING AND SAFETY APPARATUS FOR MINES,
WHICH APPARATUS IS PARTLY APPLICABLE TO HOISTS OR LIFTS FOR HOTELS,
FACTORIES, AND OTHER BUILDINGS." A communication from abroad by Martin
Neuerburg. of Cologne, Germany.
Sealed the 14th February 1879, and dated the 3rd September 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Wilson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd September 1878.
ROBERT WILSON, of the Firm of Nasmyth, Wilson, & Co., Engineers, of Patri-
croft, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDING
AND SAFETY APPARATUS FOR MINES, WHICH APPARATUS IS PARTLY APPLICABLE TO
HOISTS OR LIFTS FOR HOTELS, FACTORIES, AND OTHER BUILDINGS." [A communi-
cation from abroad by Martin Neuerburg, of Cologne, Germany.]
This Invention is partly designed to increase the efficiency of the apparatus
described in the Specification of Letters Patent, dated November 19, A.D. 1877,
No. 4322.
This apparatus in some instances has to be used in connection with different
depths and winding levels, I therefore provide the same with means whereby the
position of the cages on the endless winding rope may be changed as required to
the extent of the difference between the depths or of the winding levels.
For this purpose I provide one of the said cages with two pulleys at the top and
two similar pulleys at the bottom of the same. Around these pulleys the said
winding rope is conducted in a peculiar manner, that is to say, it passes around, or
upon, one quarter of the periphery of one of the top and one of the bottom pulleys,
[Price 8d.1

page_text: and around or upon three quarters of the periphery of the other top and bottom
pulleys, and it extends upwards from the top pulleys and downward from the
bottom pulleys. In combination with these pulleys I arrange worms geared with
worm wheels fixed on the shafts of one of the bottom and one of the top pulleys,
the said worms being fixed on the upper and lower extremities of a vertical shaft
provided with a crank handle or other means for turning the same.
The worm gearing holds the said pulleys and prevents the turning of the same
when the apparatus is working; but when it is desired to adjust or change the
position of the said cage upon the winding rope such adjustment or change is
effected by turning the said vertical shaft, and thereby through the said worms and
worm wheels raising or lowering the cage upon the rope.
To relieve the rope of strain one of the said top or upper pulleys has its shaft or
axis supported in levers, whose fulcrum is at one end, and whose other end is
connected with and pressed down by a spring attached to part of the framework of
the cage.
According to another part of my Invention I provide means for increasing the
safety of such apparatus as follows:-I pass a safety rope over a pulley whereon
the weight of the moving part of the apparatus will be borne if the winding rope
should break, but this rope is to be so connected with the catch mechanism of the
winding cage as to ensure the action of the said mechanism before the safety rope
breaks.
Another part of my Invention comprises excentric catch mechanism for winding
cages. The said catch mechanism has excentric toothed pieces connected by angle
levers and rods with a cross bar arranged in combination with a strong spring.
This cross bar and spring are connected with the rope by a vertical rod or bar.
When the cage is stopped, or when the rope breaks, the said angle levers will bo
pressed outward by the connecting rods under the pressure of the spring upon the
said vertical rod or bar. The said excentrics are then pressed against the wood
This mechanism is
guides, their teeth biting or taking a firm hold of the same.
extremely simple and efficient, and more certain in its action than the ordinary
devices employed for this purpose.
To adapt the apparatus described in. the said former Specification for use in
hotels, factories, and the like, I modify the same as follows. On the pulley of the
winding apparatus I suspend by a wire rope on one side a cage or carriage, and on
the other side, a counterbalance or weight. An endless lifting rope is passed under
two pulleys at the bottom of the apparatus, and around a driving pulley placed
on or connected with the shaft of any suitable engine or motor. I provide the
said apparatus with two additional ropes passed over brake pulleys at the top of
the apparatus, and which ropes also support the said cage and counterweight. The
shaft of the said brake pulleys is supported in bearings carried by a spring or
springs, which permit a limited movement of the same in a vertical direction, and
which, if the rope should break, will act in the same manner as the safety apparatus
described in the said former Specification. I prefer that the aforesaid pulleys
should have their peripheries covered with wood to increase their frictional
capacity.
My Invention also comprises a novel construction of horse-power mechanism for
working the lift. This mechanism has a driving pulley fixed on an axle rotated by
the horses, which are harnessed to suitable poles or bars.
In a convenient position in a frame extending from this pulley and axle are two
guide pulleys working in the same horizontal plane as the turning pulleys. A belt
or band passes from the said driving pulley around these guide pulleys, to pulleys
arranged at the top of the shaft or pit, and from which the power is transmitted to
the winding drum or pulley. The aforesaid mechanism is provided with a brake,
consisting of blocks arranged in connection with a wheel on the driving shaft, and
which are pressed on, or withdrawn from, the said wheel by means of lovers and a
screw shaft or by other suitable devices.

page_text: Another part of this Invention relates to a device which I term a power econo-
mizer, or air brake, to be applied to the aforesaid apparatus as follows:-On the
axle or spindle of the lifting pulley I fix two cranks at right angles to each other,
and which are connected with the plungers of single-acting air pumps. These
pumps are connected with a pressure pipe, which is connected with an air reservoir
by a pipe provided with a cock or valvo.
By means of this cock or valvo the communication of this pressure pipe with the
reservoir is cut off, and the devico acts as a brake when the loaded cage or truck
arrives at the bottom of the shaft.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd March
1879.
ROBERT WILSON, of the Firm of Nasmyth, Wilson, and Co., Engineers, of Patri-
croft, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDING
AND SAFETY APPARATUS FOR MINES, WHICH APPARATUS IS PARTLY APPLICABLE TO
HOISTS OR LIFTS FOR HOTELS, FACTORIES, AND OTHER BUILDINGS." A communi-
cation from abroad by Martin Nuerburg, of Cologne, Germany.
This Invention is partly designed to increase the efficiency of the apparatus
described in the Specification of Letters Patent, dated November 19th, A.D. 1877,
No. 4322.
This apparatus in some instances has to be used in connection with different
depths and winding levels; I therefore provide the same with means whereby the
position of the cages on the endless winding rope may be changed as required to
the extent of the difference between the depths or of the winding levels.
For this purpose I provide apparatus as shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, of the
Drawings, Figures 1 and 2 being elevations and Figure 3 being a plan of the
BДmе.
A is one of the cages, which has two pulleys a, b, at the top, and two similar
pulleys c, d, at the bottom of the same. Around these pulleys the said winding
rope e is conducted in a peculiar manner, that is to say, it passes around or upon
one quarter of the periphery of the top pulley b and the bottom pulley d, and
around or upon three quarters of the periphery of the other top and bottom
pulleys a, c, and it extends upward from the top pulleys, and downward from the
bottom pulleys, as clearly shewn in Figure 2. Worm wheels f are fixed on the
shafts of the bottom pulley c and the top pulley a, and are geared with worms g
fixed on the upper and lower extremities of a vertical shaft g₁ provided with a
crank handle g or other means for turning the same.
This worm gearing holds the said pulleys and prevents the turning of the
same when the apparatus is working, but when it is desired to adjust or change
the position of the said cage upon the winding rope c, such adjustment or change
is effected by turning the said vertical shaft g, and thereby through the said
worms g and worm wheels f, without moving the rope, raising or lowering the
cage upon the said rope.
To prevent injury to the rope, the pulley a has its shaft or axis supported in
levers a', whose fulcrum a' is at one end, and whose other end is connected with,
and pressed down by, a spring a³ attached to part of the framework of the cage, as
clearly shewn in Figure 2.
According to another part of my Invention I provide means for increasing the
safety of such apparatus.
This part of my Invention is shewn in elevation in Figure 4. I pass a safety
rope over a pulley i, whereon the weight of the moving part of the apparatus
will be borne if the winding rope e should break, but this rope is to be so connected
with the catch mechanism of the winding cage as to ensure the action of the said
mechanism before the safety rope h breaks.
Another part of my Invention comprises excentric catch mechanism for winding
cages, and is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, which are elevations partly in section.
The said catch mechanism has excentric toothed pieces j, connected, by levers j' and
rods, with a cross bar & arranged in combination with a strong spring . This
cross bar and spring are connected with the rope e by a vertical rod or bar e¹.
While the cage is suspended by, or is exerting its weight upon, the rope, the spring
has no effect upon the said excentrics and they are inoperative, but when the cage
is stopped, or if the rope e should break, the said spring acting through the medium
of the connecting rods ♬ upon the levers will press the excentrics j against the

page_text: wood guides, and the said excentrics by their teeth, bite or take a firm hold of, the
same, thereby immediately acting to prevent any further descent of the cage. This
mechanism is extremely simple and efficient, and more certain in its action than tho
ordinary devices employed for this purpose.
To adapt the apparatus described in the said former Specification for use in
hotels, factories, and the like, I modify the same, as shewn in Figures 7, 8, and 9,
Figures 7 and 8 being sectional elevations, and Figure 9 a horizontal section of the
anme. On the pulley a of the winding apparatus I suspend, by a wire rope e, on
one side, a cage or carriage A, and on the other side a counterbalance or weight m.
An endless lifting rope n is passed under two pulleys n' at the bottom of the appa-
ratus, and around a driving pulley o placed on, or connected with, the shaft of any
suitable engine or motor. I provide the said apparatus with two additional ropes p
passed over brake pulleys p' at or near the top of the apparatus, and which ropes p
are also connected with, or support, the said cage and counterweight. The shaft p³
of the said brake pulleys is supported in bearings carried by a spring or springs,
which permit a limited movement of the same in a vertical direction, and which, if
the rope should break, will act to press the said pulleys upon the brake beam or
block q, in the same manner as in the safety apparatus described in the said former
Specification. I prefer that the aforesaid pulleys should have their peripheries
covered with wood to increase their frictional capacity.
My Invention also comprises a novel construction of horse-power mechanism for
working the lift.
A plan of this mechanism is illustrated in Figure 10, which shows the arrange.
ment of the same in connection with the shaft of the winding apparatus. It has a
driving pulley fixed on an axle or shaft rotated by the horses, which are
harnessed to suitable poles or bars 7 extending from the said axle to the path in
which the horses walk. In a convenient position in a frame 8, extending from
this pulley and axle, are two guide pulleys 8', 82, working in the same horizontal
plano as the driving pulley r. A belt or band passes from the said driving
pulley around these guide pulleys 8', 83, to pulleys arranged at the top of the shaft
or pit, and from which the power is transmitted to the winding drum or pulley a.
The aforesaid mechanism is provided with a brake, consisting of blocks t arranged
in connection with a wheel on the driving shaft r, and which are pressed on or
withdrawn from, the said wheel by means of levers t¹ and a screw shaft t², or by
other suitable devices.
Another part of this Invention relates to a device which I term a power econo-
mizer, or air brake to be applied to the aforesaid apparatus as follows:-
This part of my Invention is illustrated in Figures 11, 12, and 13, Figures 11
and 12 being elevations and Figure 13 a plan of the same.
According to this part of my Invention, on the axle or shaft a of the lifting
pulley a I fix two cranks u, u, at right angles to each other, and which are con-
nected with the plungers of single-acting air pumps u¹, u'; these pumps are
connected with a pressure pipe u³, which communicates with an air reservoir by a
pipe us provided with a cock or valve ut. It will be obvious that the said cranks
rotate with said pulley a, and in rotating, move the plungers of the pumps to and
fro. And to permit this movement of the plungers the said cock inust be open.
Therefore this cock is opened to permit the movement of the cage, but when tho
said cage reaches the bottom of the shaft, by means of this cock or valve the com-
munication of the said pressure pipe with the reservoir is cut off, and as the move-
ment of the plungers is thereby stopped the said device acts as a very efficient
brake on the winding pulley.
Having thus fully described the said Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
-
First. The apparatus for adjusting or changing the position of the cage on the
winding rope, as above set forth, and for the purpose specified.
Second. In combination with the cage and winding rope and other parts of the

page_text: winding apparatus, the employment of the safety rope, arranged and operating in
connection with the catch mechanism, as and for the purposes specified.
Third. The catch or locking mechanism, wherein the toothed excentrics are con-
nected with, and actuated by, a spring arranged in combination with the cage and
the winding rope, as and for the purpose specified.
a
Fourth. The arrangement or modification of my apparatus, wherein I suspend
cage on one side and a counterbalance or weight on the other side of the winding
pulley, in combination with an endless lifting rope passed under two pulleys at the
bottom of the shaft, and around a driving pulley, and with the two additional or
auxiliary ropes passed over the brako pulleys and arranged to operate the brake, all
as and for the purposes specified.
Fifth. In combination with the pulleys of the winding apparatus, the improved
horse-power mechanism, constructed and operating as and for the purposes
specified.
Sixth. The improved power economizer or air brake, constructed and arranged to
operate in combination with the pulley of the winding apparatus, as and for the
purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Wilson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.