CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DESCENDING AND ASCENDING THE SHAFTS OF MINES OR OTHER DEEP PITS, THE DESCENT AND ASCENT OF WHICH IMPERILS THE LIVES OF THE MINERS OR OTHERS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Bowen Barnes, of Summer Lane, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Cruet Frame Manufacturer, and John Loach,
Japanner, of Caroline Street, Birmingham, as aforesaid, for the Invention
of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DESCENDING AND ASCENDING
THE SHAFTS OF MINES OR OTHER DEEP PITS, THE DESCENT AND ASCENT OF
WHICH IMPERILS THE LIVES OF THE MINERS OR OTHERS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 20th August 1858, and dated the 25th February 1858. .
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left-by the said John Bowen Barnes and
John Loach at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 25th February 1858.
We, JOHN BOWEN BARNES, of Summer Lane, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Cruet Frame Manufacturer; and JOHN LOACH, Japanner, of
Caroline Street, Birmingham, as aforesaid, do hereby declare the nature of
our said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DESCENDING
AND ASCENDING THE SHAFTS OF MINES OR OTHER DEEP PITS, THE DESCENT AND
ASCENT OF WHICH IMPERILS THE LIVES OF THE MINERS OR OTHERS EMPLOYED THEREIN,"
to be as follows (that is to say):-
Our Invention consists in a circular skip, fitted with a door in the side for
ingress and egress, with a seat or otherwise around on the inside for the men
to sit on. To the centre of the bottom of this skip an upright shaft is secured.

page_text: This skip works between a strong bottom and top rim, connected together
with three or more strong stretchers, which are fitted with friction rollers, that
the skip may not only work up and down freely between them but also
between the walls or sides of the pit or other shaft. In connection with the
lower end of the stretchers three or more lateral levers are placed, that when
the skip is resting on or near the bottom rim, these levers are pressed out, and
per contra when the skip is pulled up towards the top rim these levers fall
down in an angular position. From the top of the top rim three or more
small radial bars are secured in connection with a concentric boss, through
which the shaft (in connection with the bottom of the skip, as before referred
to) works, which shaft stands up beyond the boss and is fitted with a hook or
shackle, to which the pit rope, chain, or band is attached for the purpose of
lowering or drawing up the skip from such mines or other like places where
such skips may be applied..
The object of this Invention is, that a skip so contrived shall possess in
itself self-acting means of being staid or jammed in mine shafts, or such like
places, when required, by the sudden breaking of the pit rope, chain, or band
to which it may have been attached, thus preventing the fearful sacrifice of
life attending such accidents.
.Sometimes we fit on the top rim of this apparatus three or more strong
buffers, connected by chains or other means to the centre shaft, so that when
the skip is in suspension these buffers will be drawn in by the general weight
of the skip; but when freed by the accidental breaking or parting of the
means of suspension these buffers are forced out by strong springs in connection
with them, thus greatly assisting the lateral action of the levers below in
sustaining or holding the skip and its human contents in the shaft of the pit.
These levers and buffers are immediately freed the moment the means of
suspension is again completed, thus allowing of its free action either for
ascending or descending the pit or other shaft where such skip may be used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed s
by the said John Bowen Barnes and John Loach in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 24th August 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, Joпn.
BOWEN BARNES, of Summer Lane, Birmingham, in, the County of Warwick,
Cruet Frame Manufacturer, and JOHN LOACH, Japanner, of Caroline Street, 3
Birmingham, as aforesaid, send greeting..

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said John Bowen Barnes and John Loach, Her special license that
we, the said John Bowen Barnes and John Loach, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Bowen Barnes
and John Loach, our executors, administrators, or 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 Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DESCENDING AND ASCENDING THE SHAFTS OF MINES OR.
OTHER DEEP PITS, THE DESCENT AND ASCENT OF WHICH IMPERILS THE LIVES OF THE
MINERS OR OTHERS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said John Bowen Barnes and John Loach, by an instrument in
writing under our 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 we, the said John Bowen Barnes and John
Loach, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement (that is to say):-
:-
Our Invention has for its object the construction of a safety skip for
raising and lowering miners and others working in coal and other pits, whereby
the miners and others so employed are rendered perfectly secure and safe from
injury from the accidental breaking of the rope or chain to which such skip
may be suspended, nor are the occupants while ascending or descending liable
to be injured by any debris falling down the pit during the time they may be
in it, and while we secure this perfect safety from the consequences of such
accidents (as herein stated), we are enabled to carry out our improvements.at
comparatively little cost, as we entirely avoid the use of a continuous frame-
work or system of guide rods, which are attended with considerable expense,,
not only in their first construction, but also in the continuous repair: necessary
for the safe working of the skips when such guide rods or frames are used..
The construction of our safety skip consists of a circular frame and conical-
roof connected with three or more standards, to which the bottom frame or

page_text: rim is attached. Within the standards a cage is placed, provided with seats for
accomodating the miners or other occupants during ascending or descending,
and which cage is held or supported by being connected with the hook by
which the skip is held in suspension. Connected with the top frame from
below the roof, expanding radial arms or buffers are fixed, and at the bottom
three or more radial levers are applied or fixed in such a way that when the
rope or chain, or principle of suspension, is destroyed, the weight of the inner.
cage with its occupants not only presses on the radial levers, causing them to
extend out, but simultaneously allows the radial arms or buffers to extend
also, thus making the skip from its own weight and construction to jam and
hold itself in the pit shaft, through which it might have been ascending or
descending, rendering it impossible for any injury or fatal consequences to
befall the miners from the breaking or parting of the pit chain or rope, which
has been hitherto a fruitful source of serious and lamentable accidents.
attending mining operations. The skip thus safely jammed will continue to
sustain itself until a fresh rope or chain may be lowered down, when either of
the occupants by passing through or reaching out of a hole in the roof of the
skip (provided for that purpose) is enabled to connect it to the central bar or
hook of the skip, and the moment the skip is again in a free state of suspen-
sion, the levers and radial arms or buffers contract so as to allow. the skip to
freely pass up or down in the pit shaft; friction rollers being arranged around
the skip, suitably placed to assist in guiding and regulating its action, and
keeping it as near as convenient concentric with the walls or surface of the
pit shaft through which it passes.
But in order that we may be well and fully understood as to the nature
and character of our Invention, we will proceed to describe the Drawings
hereunto annexed, but which, although it displays the general mechanical
character of our apparatus, by no means renders it essential that we should
adhere to the proportions or number of arms, levers, or supports therein
exhibited, as the whole may be greatly diversified and varied according to
the size, capacity, and shape of the pit shafts in which such skip may be
required to work.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a safety skip as in a state or position
of suspension. A is the roof, resting on the top frame marked B, B, which
frame is united to the under part C, C, by the vertical connected uprights
D, D, D, D, which connected uprights are so arranged that the levers E, E,
work between them, as also the friction rollers F, F, and the arms G, G, that
carry the friction rollers H, H, and although but two of these connected,

page_text: uprights are seen in this view, it will easily be seen from their position that
four are intended to be used. At the bottom of the skip four wheels are
placed, two only of which are seen edgeway in this view, marked I, I, for
moving the skip on the tramroad when out of the pit, the ring J being
applied for the purpose of attaching a chain that it may be pulled by a horse
in the usual way. To the top frame marked B, B, four radial cylinders are
placed, two being shown in side view in this Figure marked K, K; these
cylinders are for holding strong helical springs or elastic packing, the force
of which is exerted in projecting out the buffers, marked L, L, L, hereafter
to be referred to. The central frame or cage marked N, N, N, N, may be
made, as here represented, of vertical rods of iron, secured to the top and
bottom with a suitable floor; within this cage a circular seat is provided,
marked M, M, for the miners or others to sit on during the period of descend-
ing or ascending the shaft. The vertical rails marked O, O, O, and 0, 0, 0,
are united together by a top and bottom rail, at the ends of which holes are
formed for the vertical upright P to pass through. By this simple contrivance
a door is formed for ingress or egrees to or from the interior of the cage, and
which door by préference is made to open inward, and is secured by the catch
at Q. The central bar R, R, passes down through the interior of the cage,
and is secured to its bottom, the top end of this bar being fitted with a suitable
shackle for suspending it to the pit rope or chain. Having before stated that
the skip in this Figure is represented as in a state of suspension, we will proceed
to describe the effect produced, supposing that the principle of that suspension
was suddenly destroyed, as by the parting or breaking of the pit chain or
cable, and to produce this change the weight of the skip is sufficient to effect
the desired result, but which result is rendered more certain and enduring in
its nature by an increase of weight within the cage as by the greater or less
number of the miners or other occupants it may be holding at the time the
suspension is destroyed, at which moment the cage, with its occupants, will
descend between the vertical standards before described, aided by the friction
rollers F, F, and bearing on the levers E, E, which levers, working on their
fulcrums at S, S, causes the outer ends to rise and thereby extend themselves
until stopped by coming in contact with the sides or wall of the pit shaft, as
indicated by the irregular lines x, x; and, into this position they will continue
as long as the cage continues to rest on their inner ends. Their outer ends
are made crutch-like and curved to the same radius as the pit or shaft. The
surface of their extreme ends, we purpose covering with thick hide or tawed
leather or other suitable material that will have the effect of readily
adapting itself to an uneven pressure.

page_text: Having explained the action produced on the levers, and its consequent
resistance to the downward tendency of the skip, we will now describe how in
the same manner the buffers are brought simultaneously into action with them.
To the inner ends of the buffer rods chains are attached, which work under
friction rollers, and is continued up and secured to the central bar R in such a
way that when the skip is in a state of suspension its weight shall be sufficient
to overcome the power of the buffer springs, allowing them to be pulled into
the position shown in this Figure; and when not suspended, the springs
within the cylinders K, K, will force the buffers out in their radial course, until
like the crutch end of the levers below they are stopped by the walls of the
pit shaft; the combined force of the springs and the weight of the cage and
occupants acting on the lower levers will be sufficient to jam and hold the
skip until suspension is again completed; and to effect this with safety we
have provided a hole in the top part of the roof, covered over by a shield
marked U, for the purpose of allowing a miner or other person within the
cage to climb up from the inside and reach sufficiently out to enable him to
attach a fresh rope or chain to the skip hook or shackle.
Having given this general description of the skip as here shown, with its
action, and use of the several parts as they would appear (as before observed)
when the skip is in a state of suspension, we will describe Fig. 2, which is a
top view of Figure 1, with the buffers and levers in a state of extension, the
several parts being marked with the same letter with which they are defined
in Figure 1, the outer irregular circular line being merely drawn to represent
or define the pit shaft. Fig. 3 is a view of the top plate with the roof removed
for the purpose of showing the chains attached to the inner ends of the buffer
rods and the friction rollers under which they pass before being secured to the
circular plate V, which is secured to the central shaft here shown in section
marked R; the holes marked W, W, &c., are for bolts to pass through for
uniting this part to the vertical uprights marked D, D, one of which (union.
uprights) is shown in detached direct side and front view at Fig. 5 and 6,
with the lower lever, middle and top friction roller, as also the arm to which it
is attached, marked with the same letters as in Figure 1; and Fig. 4 is an
edge view of Figure 3, drawn simply for the purpose of exhibiting (as at
Figure 3) the means of connecting the chains-with-the-buffers-and-main or
central bar R.
Having thus fully described our Invention as exhibited here, with all the
parts as they are shown in the several views, we will observe that we do not
purpose confining ourselves to the general details as here exhibited, as the
whole can be considerably modified without departing from the general principle

page_text: and character of our Invention, as, for instance, the position of the levers at the
bottom and the buffers. at the top may be entirely reversed, and the same
result produced, or levers may be used in preference of buffers at the top as
well as at the bottom, or the levers may be made to extend further out than
here shown by passing the pin or fulcrum on which they work into the holes
placed nearer their inner ends; so also with the buffer rods, provided it may be
necessary for them to extend further; the extreme top and bottom of the skip
may be placed further apart that the inner cage may have further to drop, as it
is the space between the suspension and quiescent position of the cage that
regulates the quantity of chain required to fully operate on the buffer rods;
nor are we compelled to adhere to the circular form, as it is evident that the
same result may be produced if the skip was made oval, square, or other
form; but what we do claim and wish to protect by these our in part recited
Letters Patent is, the construction of skip to. work without guide rods, as
herein described and exhibited, or its equivalent, the same being capable
(at the moment of destruction of the principle of suspension) of sustaining
itself in the pit shaft without for a moment endangering the lives of the
miners or others it may contain.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Bowen Barnes and John Loach
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-third day of
August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-eight.
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
JOHN BOWEN BARNES. (L.S.)
JOHN LOACH.
(L.S.)