IMPROVEMENTS IN HOISTING MACHINES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HOISTING MACHINES."-A com:
munication from abroad by John Scott, of Pontiac, Michigan,
United States of America.
Sealed the 25th July 1871, and dated the 6th June 1871.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 6th June 1871, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN

page_text: my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for
the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been com-
municated to me from abroad by John Scott, of Pontiac, Michigan,
United States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings
forming a part of this Specification.
]
This Invention relates to the construction of a simple but very
effective machine, by means of which bricks, mortar, and other material
required by builders may be readily and economically conveyed to them,
and by means of which they themselves with their labourers may be
raised to and lowered from their work with safety.
]
°
The said Invention consists in the combination of a reversing gear and
drum driven by any convenient power with a rope (or chain) so con-
nected with blocks or sheaves as to lead the said rope to and from the
said drum to a pair of platforms, chairs, or boxes attached to the rope,
and so combined with rollers and guides as to enable the said platforms 2
to move in opposite directions relatively to each other, so that while one
of these platforms shall be compelled to ascend to the upper stories of a
building with material the other platform will descend to the lower
story to receive a fresh load.

page_text: bevel wheel secured to the driving shaft H and meshing into the wheels.
I, J, which fit loosely on the shaft E; K is a frame provided with guides
and sheaves, and of sufficient strength. to carry safely the load to be
elevated or lowered on the platforms L; the said platforms are attached
to the rope M which runs on the sheave N and rollers O, the length of
the said rope being regulated by the latter, whilst its position relative to
the centre of gravity of the platforms is maintained by the former.
Guides P form vertical tracks for the rollers Q in each platform, and thus
steady and direct the course of said platforms. In adjusting the said
machine for operation the rope is coiled at the middle of its length
around the drum a sufficient number of times to attain proper adhesion
and is thence passed under the sheaves R. and over the sheaves S, after
which it is attached to the chairs as herein-before described. The
working length of the aforesaid rope should be such as to allow one of
said chairs to rest on the ground below while its mate is at the landing
above.
Suppose the upper platform to be empty and the lower one loaded and
ready to be hoisted, the latch T being drawn from its notch in the edge
of the platform and the wheels G, I, and J turning constantly in the
direction of the arrows in Figure 2; it will suffice, to shift the clutch
into either of the wheels I, J, or out of both to reverse the course of the
said rope, or to stop it altogether. Thus by shifting the clutch into the
wheel I the empty platform will descend and the loaded one ascend
until it reaches its landing which is indicated by the latch T dropping
into its notch and securing its platform when the clutch is thrown out
of gear by the operator, and the platforms rest until ready for another
trip; then the clutch is thrown into engagement with the wheel J and
the course of the platform is reversed. To reach another story higher
the frame is raised to the next floor and there fastened to the joists, as
before additional sections of guides being inserted into the breach left
open by the ascension of the said frame and tightened by wedges Ụ to
braces V and base of said frame, as shewn in Figure 3, after which the
rope is adjusted and the device is again ready for operation.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I claim, the combination of the
driving and reversing gear C, D, E, G, H, I, J, drum F, rope M, sheaves
R, S, N, rollers O, Q, guides P, platforms or chairs L, frame K, and

page_text: latches T when arranged substantially as specified for the purposes set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake have here-
_unto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
E. C. JACKSON.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)