A Safety Apparatus for Lifts.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 30th May, 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
A Safety Apparatus for Lifts.
ALFRED HUGH TYLER and JOHN STUART ELLIS DE VESIAN both of 5 Crown
Court Cheapside E.C. London, Engineers do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the provision of means for preventing accidents
to passengers and attendants travelling in hydraulic and other fifts.
We accomplish our object in the following manner :-In addition to the usual
gear or means for operating the starting and controlling mechanism of the lift
we add a suitable arrangement of weight and lever or springs or other suitable
device for causing the said gear to return to a central or neutral position so that
immediately upon the hand line or other corresponding means of controlling the
motion of the lift being released by the operator the lift will be automatically
brought to rest.
A. H. TYLER.
J. S. E. DE VESIAN.
A Safety Apparatus for Lifts.
ALFRED HUGH TYLER and JOHN STUART ELLIS DE VESIAN both of 5 Crown
Court Cheapside London E.C. Engineers 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:-—
This invention has for its object the provision of means for preventing accidents
to passengers and attendants travelling in hydraulic and other lifts. We accomplish
our object in the following manner. In addition to the usual gear or means for
operating the controlling mechanism of the lifts we add certain parts the object of
which are to cause the said controlling mechanism to automatically move to that
position in which it stands when the lift is at rest, and to remain in that position
unless moved from it by the person operating the lift. Referring to the drawing
herewith which shows the application of our invention to an hydraulic lift,
A is the car B is the valve regulating the admission and emission of the water
from the working cylinder C is a lever centered at c, moving the valve B by the
link D. E E E is the hand line by which the attendant in the car operates the
controlling valve B. The line E passes round the sheave F which is connected to
the lever C by the links G. H and J are counterweights for keeping the line E
taut being suspended from the end of the line E and the lever C respectively and
thus produce no tendancy to move the lever in one direction or the other.
K is a lever centered at k carrying a weight L at one end and connected to the
lever C by means of the slotted links M and N in such a manner that whichever
way either up or down the lever C is moved from the position shown which is that
corresponding with the closed position of the valve B the weight L will be raised
above the position in which it is shown. This weight tending to return by the
action of gravity to the position shown will therefore always cause the lever C to
return to the central position unless it is held in some other position by the operators
hand upon the hand line E. The valve will therefore be automatically closed and

page_text: the lift brought to rest thus preventing the valve being left accidentally in the
ascending or descending position and thereby causing accident. The car A
valve B, lever C, link D, hand-line E, sheave F, links G and weights H and J are
similar to those commonly used in connection with hydraulic lifts but it is usual to
fasten one end of the line E to a fixed point instead of to the side of the car as
shown in the drawing. We fix it to the car so that the line does not run through
the operators hand when the valve is being held in the desired position while the
car is moving. The stops O and P are fastened upon the hand-line in such
positions that upon the car reaching the furthest position to which it is intended to
travel in an upward or downward position these stops will come in contact with the
brackets Qor R and thereby prevent the operator opening or keeping open the
valve and so causing the car to run past the extreme position to which it is intended
to travel.
In the case of an electric or steam lift the slotted links M and N will be
attached to the switch or reversing lever or other part controlling the motion of
the car.
The weight L might be replaced by a spring or any other means of
causing the lever K to return to the position shown on the lever K and the links M
and N may be dispensed with and two springs may be applied one on either side of
the lever C or part corresponding thereto so that whichever way it is moved from
the central position the said springs will be compressed and thereby tend to force
it back to that position. Or in place of these said springs any other convenient
source of force may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :
1. The lever K, the weight L and the slotted links M and N attached to the
controlling mechanism of a lift for the purpose set forth.
2. Springs or other convenient source of force acting upon the controlling
mechanism of a lift in such a manner as to automatically cause the lift to be
brought to rest when the hand-line is released by the operator either in com-
bination with the lever K and the slotted links M and N or otherwise as described.
3. The lever K actuated by a weight or its equivalent in combination with these
slotted links M and N and the hand-line E attached at one end to the car and
provided with the stops O and P and the brackets Q and R substantially as
described and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 30th day of May 1894.
A. H. TYLER.
J. S. E. DE VESIAN.