IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDLASSES AND OTHER HOISTING OR HAULING MACHINES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Betts Brown, of Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Engineer, for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Betts Brown at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st May 1882.
ANDREW BETTS BROWN, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian Engineer,
IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDLASSES AND OTHER HOISTING OR HAULING MACHINES
"
This Invention has for its object to combine hydraulic cylinders with the parts
of windlasses or other hoisting or hauling machines in an improved manner and so
as whilst making in each case a simple and compact machine, to obtain a practically
continuous motion.
In carrying out the Invention two double-acting hydraulic cylinders are used or
four single acting cylinders and when the double-acting cylinders are employed
the side of the piston from which the piston rod or ram proceeds is always subject
to the pressure of the water or other liquid employed. The cylinders may be
placed in horizontal or inclined positions but in a preferable modification there are
two inverted vertical double-acting cylinders, and the piston rod of each is con-
nected by links to a pair of levers centered towards diametrically opposite sides of
the shaft or barrel of the windlass or other machine. Ratchet pawls or frictional
gripping pieces are used for imparting motion to wheels or disks on the main shaft,
such pawls or gripping pieces being attached to the levers in a manner admitting
of their being set for turning the shaft in either direction; and motion is imparted
by both the upward and downward strokes of each piston one of the levers acting
on one side of the wheel or disk and the other on the other side. The valve of
each cylinder is worked from one of the levers of the other cylinder, in such a way
that the strokes of the two cylinders commence alternately so that the motion
imparted to the shaft is practically continuous. A similar action of the valves may
also be obtained by employing one or two eccentrics or cams on the main shaft.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Andrew Betts Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st October 1882.
ANDREW BETTS BROWN, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North
Britain, Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDLASSES AND OTHER HOISTING
HAULING MACHINES
"
"
OR
My said Invention has for its object to combine hydraulic cylinders with the
parts of windlasses or other hoisting or hauling machines in an improved manner,
and so as whilst making in each case a simple and compact machine, to obtain a
practically continuous motion.
In carrying out my Invention two double-acting hydraulic cylinders are used, or
four single-acting cylinders; and when the double-acting cylinders are employed
the side of the pistons from which the piston rod or ram proceeds is always subject
to the pressure of the water or other liquid employed. The cylinders may be
placed in horizontal, inclined, or vertical positions; and in a preferable modification
there are two double-acting cylinders placed parallel to each other in a plane
passing through the axis of the windlass or of the shaft to be turned, and the
piston rod of each cylinder is connected by links to pawls or engaging or gripping
devices acting upon diametrically opposite parts of a wheel or disk fixed on the
shaft or barrel of the windlass or other machine. The pawls or engaging or
gripping devices are arranged so as to admit of being set for turning the shaft or
barrel in either direction; and motion is imparted by both the inward and the
outward strokes of each piston. The valve of each cylinder is worked from the
piston rod of the other cylinder or in an equivalent manner so that thic strokes of
the two cylinders commence alternately thereby rendering the motion imparted to
the shaft or barrel practically continuous. A similar action of the valves may also
be obtained by employing one or two eccentrics or cams on the main shaft.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append two sheets of explanatory drawings
to be hereinafter referred to and representing two modifications of my improved
machines
Figures 1, and 2, on sheet 1, of the accompanying drawings are a plan and an
elevation of one modification of my improved hydraulic windlasses. Figure, 3, on
sheet 2, is a transverse vertical section and figures 4 and 5, are a sectional
elevation and a vertical section showing details of the frictional gripping device
employed in the same modification. Figure 6, is an end elevation of a second
modification of the windlass. In these drawings the same reference numerals are
used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
In the hydraulic windlass shown in figures, 1, to 5, there are two double-acting
cylinders, 7, placed horizontally in the plane of the windlass shaft, 8, their piston
rods or rams, 9, working out through stuffing boxes at their outer ends and formed
or fitted with crossheads, 10, working in guides, 11-Each crosshead has jointed to
it two double links or pairs of links or connecting rods, 12, the other ends of which
are connected to upper and lower frictional gripping boxes, 13, fitted to the rim of
a disk, 14, on the shaft, 8. Each gripping box, 13, consists of a pair of cheeks
bolted together, and fitted with a short spindle, 15, (figure, 5) formed with a short
lever to which the links or connecting rods, 12, are jointed. The spindle, 15, of
each gripping box has also fixed on it a lever or arm, 16, which extends towards
the shaft, 8, and enters a recess in a kind of clutch, 17, which is loose on the shaft
but which can be set in either of two positions by means of a hand lever, 18.
With the clutch, 17, in the position shown in figure, 4, the disk, 14, will be gripped
and turned when either gripping box, 13, is moved in the direction of the arrows,
each gripping box slipping round the rim when moving in the other direction; but

page_text: if the clutch, 17, is shifted to bring the other ends of the recesses against the
levers, 16, the disk, 14, will be turned in the opposite direction to that of the
arrows.
The outer ends of the hydraulic cylinders, 7, the effective cross-sectional areas of
which are diminished by the stout piston rods or rams 9, are, when the machine is
working in communication with the water or other liquid under pressure, the
double action being obtained by alternately admitting the water under pressure to
the inner end where acting on the full area of the piston it overcomes the
diminished area on the other side, and then exhausting it from the inner end and
thereby allowing the pressure to act in the other end. The valve of each cylinder
which has thus simply to control the admission into and exhaust from the inner
end of the cylinder, is for convenience of working placed on the other cylinder, and
the communications between the valve casings, 19, and the cylinders are made by
pipes, 20, crossing between the cylinders. For working the valves each cross-
head, 10, has jointed to it a link 21, connected to a lever 22, on a short rocking
shaft having also on it a short lever, 23, connected directly to the valve rod; and
in this way each cylinder works the valve of the other cylinder,
The windlass is shown as fitted with gearing to admit of a capstan upon an
upper deck being worked by the hydraulic cylinders. For this purpose the
disks, 14, are made with shrouded teeth so as to act as spurwheels, and are in gear
with pinions, 24, on a horizontal shaft 25, which is geared by bevil wheels 26, to
the vertical capstan shaft, 27, a clutch and lever, 28, being provided for throwing
this shaft into or out of gear as required.
The parts of the windlass not herein before referred to are or may be constructed
like existing windlasses.
In the modification shown in figure, 6, the two hydraulic cylinders, 7, (only one
of them being seen in the figure) are placed vertically and are inverted. The valve
details which are not fully shown, are substantially the same as in the first
modification. The links or connecting rods, 12, are jointed to levers 29, centered
on external bearings, 30, on opposite sides of the windlass, and these levers, 29, are
fitted with reversible pawls, 31, which engage with teeth on the disk or wheel, 14,
on the shaft, 8.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated but that what I believe to be novel and
original and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
1. The improved inode herein before described of combining hydraulic cylinders
with the parts of windlasses or other hoisting or hauling machines.
2. The arrangement of connecting rods or links in a manner to act on
diametrically opposite parts of the hoisting or hauling machine so as to produce
motion in one direction from the reciprocating motions of the pistons as herein-
before described.
In Witness whereof I, the said Andrew Betts Brown have hereunto set my
hand and seal this thirtieth day of October in the year of our Lord One
thousand night hundred and nights haven
Witness
EDMUND HUNT.
Patent Agent.
Glasgow.
ANDREW BETTS BROWN (L.S.)