IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR LIFTING AND LOWERING HEAVY BODIES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Cherry, of Aston, near Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR LIFTING AND LOWERING HEAVY
BODIES."
Scaled the 9th December 1875, and dated the 27th August 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Cherry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th August 1875.
I, HENRY CHERRY, of Aston, near Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR LIFTING AND LOWERING
HEAVY BODIES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in
machinery for lifting and lowering heavy bodies, by which improvements
the said machinery is made self-sustaining, that is, when the motive
power ceases to act in lifting, the weight raised will not reverse its
motion and fall, but will remain suspended at the point to which it has
been raised, while by reversing the direction in which the motive power

page_text: other equivalent means. To obtain these results I arrange the parts of the
machinery [so that the pressure of the heavy body or weight being lifted
or lowered acts on a rotatory part of the machine of such diameter or
with the intensity of the pressure applied to it so arranged with respect
to the other parts of the machinery that the weight itself will not
overcome the friction produced by itself in the machine, and the weight
consequently does not descend. In lifting, these frictional parts are
stationary, but in lowering they are turned, an ordinary pawl and ratchet
wheel or other like contrivance being employed to give them the required
motion.
In carrying my Invention into effect in the simplest way I make one
of the revolving shafts or spindles of the machine work in a hole bored
to fit it in a brake wheel or pulley which lics in a concavity in the
frame of the machine. This concavity is lined with wood, and fits the
periphery of the brake wheel. When the said shaft rotates in the
direction proper for lifting it does not turn the brake wheel, but, when it
rotates in the direction proper for lowering, its motion is communicated
to the brake wheel in consequence of the action of the pawl and ratchet
wheel or other equivalent mechanism, and the friction produced between
the brake wheel and the concavity in which it is situate arrests the
descending motion. Or I adopt the following arrangement for giving
the required motion to the brake wheel:-I form on the brake pulley a
conical ring concentric with the axis of the brake pulley. A second
conical ring capable by a sliding motion of engaging in or being dis-
engaged from the conical ring on the brake pulley is fitted on the shaft
so as to be able to slide thereon. Inclines or screw-like surfaces are
formed on the said sliding ring, and corresponding inclines or surfaces
are fixed on the shaft. When the shaft rotates in a direction proper for
lifting, the sliding conical ring does not engage with the conical ring in
the brake wheel; but when the shaft rotates in the direction proper for
lowering, the inclines on the shaft acting on the inclines on the sliding
ring, the latter is pressed into the brake wheel, and by the friction
produced the lowering motion is prevented. Or I form a recess in the
brake wheel, and fit therein a tangent screw, the threads of which are
of rapid pitch. The threads of this screw are on one of their faces
nearly perpendicular to the axis, but are much inclined on their other

page_text: faces. A worm wheel on the shaft gears with this tangent screw. When
the shaft turns in the direction proper to lift the worm wheel acts on
the square faces of the threads, and the tangent screw is readily turned
by the worm wheel; but when the shaft is turned in the direction
¡ proper for lowering the worm wheel acts on the inclined faces of the
threads of the tangent screw. The said tangent screw is thereby wedged
and fixed in its recess so that it cannot turn therein, and the brake
wheel is consequently carried round with the shaft. The same effect
may be obtained by making one end of the tangent screw conical, and
fitting the conical end into a conical recess, or by making one end of
the tangent screw of large diameter, and having a bearing of large
diameter, the other end of the tangent screw being of small diameter.
Or my Invention may be carried into effect by passing the chain from
the barrel of the lifting machine round a pulley running in a shaft. A
pinion runs on this shaft without turning it while the weight is being
lifted, but turns it by a pawl when lowering.. This pinion acts on a spur
wheel on the barrel shaft; the friction in the bearings and inside the
said pulley or barrel is sufficient to sustain the weight. By a properly
placed lever or equivalent the pressure of the pulleys or barrel may be
removed from the shaft, and the weight allowed to run down freely.
Or the barrel shaft may be carried by a frame resting on a brake wheel
arranged as previously described. Or a shaft may be placed inside the
lifting barrel, and carrying the whole weight, and so arranged as to
revolve only when lowering.
.
I construct a cheap and simple chain block according to my Invention
as follows:-A spindle is carried by the frame of the block; the said
spindle turns in suitable bearings formed in the frame; one of the
bearings of the said spindle is enlarged, and has a ratchet wheel formed
in it inside the frame. A hand chain wheel and a chain wheel carrying
the lifting chain turn together on the spindle, and a pawl attached to
them acts on the ratchet wheel, so that the weight cannot lower without
turning the spindle. The lifting chain passes around a bottom block,
and is then carried top and presses directly or by means of a lever or a
strap on the enlarged part of the spindle. The friction thus produced
prevents the weight from lowering. A lever works in the frame, so that
by means of it the pressure may be relieved from the spindle, and the
weight lowered rapidly, if desired.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Cherry in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th February 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
CHERRY, of Aston, near Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Mechanical Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-five,
in the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Cherry, Her
special license, that I, the said Henry Cherry, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Cherry, my
executors, administrators, and 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR LIFTING AND LOWERING HEAVY BODIES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Cherry,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Cherry, do hereby déclare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of the improvements, heroin-after described,
in machinery for lifting and lowering heavy bodies, by which improve-
ments the said machinery is made self-sustaining, that is, when the
motive power ceases to act in lifting, the weight raised will not reverse
its motion and fall, but will remain suspended at the point to which it
has been raised, while by reversing the direction in which the motive

page_text: power acts the weight can readily be lowered. Or the raised body may
be lowered without the use of the motive power by the action of a lever,
screw, or other equivalent means. To obtain these results I arrange the
parts of the machinery so that the pressure of the heavy body or weight
being lifted or lowered, acts on a rotary part of the machine, of such
diameter or with the intensity of the pressure applied to it, so arranged
with respect to the other parts of the machinery that the weight itself
will not overcome the friction produced by itself in the machine, and
the weight consequently does not descend. In lifting, these frictional
parts are stationary, but in lowering they are turned, an ordinary pawl
and ratchet wheel or other like contrivance being employed to give
them the required motion.
In carrying my Invention into effect in the simplest way, I make one
of the revolving shafts or spindles of the machine work in a hole bored.
to fit it in a brake wheel or pulley, which lies in a concavity in the
frame of the machine. This concavity is lined with wood and fits the
periphery of the brake wheel. When the said shaft rotates in the
direction proper for lifting it does not turn the brake wheel, but, when
it rotates in the direction proper for lowering, its motion is commu-
nicated to the brake wheel in consequence of the action of the pawl
and ratchet wheel or other equivalent mechanism, and the friction
produced between the brake wheel and the concavity in which it is
situated arrests the descending motion. Or I form a recess in the brake
wheel and fit therein a tangent screw, the threads of which are of rapid
pitch. The threads of this screw are on one of their faces nearly
perpendicular to the axis, but are much inclined on their other faces;
a worm wheel on the shaft gears with this tangent screw. When the
shaft turns in the direction proper to lift, the worm wheel acts on the
square faces of the threads, and the tangent screw is readily turned by
the worm wheel. But when the shaft is turned in the direction proper
for lowering, the worm wheel acts on the inclined faces of the threads of
the tangent screw. The said tangent screw is thereby wedged and fixed
in its recess so that it cannot turn therein, and the brake wheel is
consequently carried round with the shaft. The same effect may bo
produced by making one end of the tangent screw conical, and fitting
the conical end into a conical recess; or by making one end of the
tangent screw of large diameter and having a bearing of large diameter;
the other end of the tangent screw being of small diameter. Or my
:

page_text: Invention may be carried into effect by passing the chain from the
barrel of the lifting machine round a pulley running on a shaft. A
pinion runs on this shaft without turning it while the weight is being
lifted, but turns it by a pawl when lowering. This pinion acts on a
spur wheel on the barrel shaft, the friction in the bearings and inside
the said pulley or barrel is sufficient to sustain the weight. By a
properly placed lever or equivalent the pressure of the pulleys or barrel
may be removed from the shaft, and the weight allowed to run down
freely. Or the barrel shaft may be carried by a frame resting on a
brake wheel arranged as previously described. Or a shaft may be placed
inside the lifting barrel and carrying the whole weight, and so arranged
as to revolve only when lowering.
I construct a cheap and simple chain block according to my Invention
as follows: A spindle is carried by the frame of the block; the said
spindle turns in suitable bearings formed in the frame. One of the
bearings of the said spindle is enlarged, and has a ratchet wheel formed
in it inside the frame. A hand chain wheel and a chain wheel carrying
the lifting chain turn together on a spindle, and a pawl attached to
them acts on the ratchet wheel, so that the weight cannot lower without
turning the spindle. The lifting chain passes around a bottom block,
and is then carried top and presses directly or by means of a lever or a
strap on the enlarged part of the spindle. The friction thus produced
prevents the weight from lowering. A lever works in the frame, so
that by means of it the pressure may be relieved from the spindle and
the weight lowered rapidly if desired.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
doscribe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents a plan and Figure 2 a side elevation of a lifting
machine constructed according to my Invention.
a is a revolving shaft driven by the band pulley b¹; b² is a loose
pulley. The shaft a runs at one end in a hole bored in the boss of the
brake wheel c, serving as a bearing for the shaft. This brake wheel c
lies in a concavity d in the frame of the machine, lined with wood. e is
a pinion gearing into the spur wheel f. The pinion e is keyed on the
shaft a and turns the lifting barrel g by means of the spur wheel f.
When the pinion e is turned by the shaft a in the direction indicated by

page_text: the arrow in Figure 2 proper for lifting a weight the pressure induced
on the teeth of the pinion e presses the brake wheel c into the con-
cavity d. A ratchet wheel (shown on a larger scale and in elevation
in Figure 2*, but with external instead of internal teeth) is keyed on the
shaft a.
Into the teeth of this wheel the pawls i, i, take. When the
shaft a turns in the direction indicated by the arrow proper for lifting,
the brake wheel c remains stationary, in consequence of the action of
the pawls and ratchet wheel, but when the band is placed on the loose
pulley 6 so that the motive force no longer operates to raise the weight
) the weight tends to run down. But as by the action of the ratchet
wheel and pawls the shaft a cannot revolve without turning the brake
wheel c the pressure on the teeth of the pinion forces the brake wheel c
into the concavity d. If the brake wheel c be made of sufficient
diameter the friction so produced will be sufficiently powerful to prevent
the rotation of the shaft a and the descent of the weight. By means of
the lever j pivotted on the frame of the machine and acting by means of
the link on the end of the shaft a the pressure on the brake wheel
will be relieved, and the weight can be lowered rapidly or slowly, as
desired. Or by turning the shaft a in the direction contrary to that
indicated by the arrow the weight may be lowered, but it will be under-
stood that the weight cannot run down, that is, cannot.lower itself, as
in endeavouring so to do the friction it produces on the periphery of the
brake wheel (if the brake wheel be made of a diameter sufficiently
greater than that of the pinion) will be a resistance to rotation greater
than the effort of the weight on the pinion.
Instead of employing a ratchet wheel to permit the free rotation of
the shaft a when lifting I prefer for many purposes the arrangement
illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. c is the brake whccl; is a disc running
loose on the brake wheel; m is a disc keyed on the shaft a; n is a lever
pivotted on the disc ; the short arm o of this lever acts on the ring p
by means of the stalk q running on the boss of the brake wheel, and a
pin at the end of the long arm of the lever n takes into a slot in the
disc m.
The effect of this arrangement is that when the shaft a is
turned in the direction of the arrow, Figure 3, the disc mis carried with
it, and acting on the long arm of the lever n forces the disc 2 against the
internal periphery of the brake wheel c with a pressure proportionate to
the ratio of the long arm to the short arm of the said lever n. By
making this ratio sufficiently great the pressure so produced will cause
72

page_text: such friction between the disc and the brake wheel c as to compel it to
move with the shaft. If the shaft is turned in the opposite direction
the pressure is relieved and the shaft a turns freely without turning the
brake wheel c. Or I adopt the arrangement represented in Figure 5,
that is to say,
I form a recess f in the brake wheel and fit therein a
tangent screw b, the threads of which are of a rapid pitch. The threads
of this screw are on the face marked c nearly perpendicular to the axis,
but are much inclined on their other face marked d. A worm whiccl e
on the shaft a gears with the tangent screw b. When the shaft a turns.
in the direction proper to lift, as indicated by the arrow, the worm
whccl e acts on the square faces c of the threads, and the tangent screw
is readily turned by the worm wheel; but when the shaft a is turned
in the direction proper for lowering, the worm wheel acts on the inclined
faces d of the threads of the tangent screw. The said tangent screw is
thereby wedged and fixed in its recess so that it cannot turn therein,
and the brake wheel is consequently carried round with the shaft. The
same effect may be obtained by means of the modification represented
in Figure 6; that is to say, one end of the tangent screw is made
conical and its conical end fits into a conical recessi; or one end of the
tangent screw may be made of large diameter, with a bearing of large
diameter, the other ond of the tangent screw being of small diameter.
Figure 7 is a plan of a modification of the arrangement shown in
Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 8 is a part section of the same taken on
the line A, B, of Figure 7. In this modification the barrel g and spur
wheel of Figures 1 and 2 are dispensed with, and the weight is lifted
by a chain passing over the chain wheels; the chain wheel & is secured
to the shaft a and turns with it; the ratchet wheel is cast on the
chain wheel s. Pawls on the boss of the brake wheel c take into the
teeth of the ratchet wheel ; d is the concavity lined with wood; and
j the lever for relieving the brake wheel c from the pressure of the
weight; is a sprocket wheel for causing the shaft a to revolve. Or
Invention may be carried into effect in the manner illustrated in
Figure 9; that is to say, I pass the chain i from the barrel k of the
lifting machine round a pulley 7 running on a shaft o; a pinion m runs
on the said shaft o without turning it while the weight is being lifted,
but turns it by a pawl on lowering the weight; the pinion m acts on a
spur wheel n on the barrel shaft p; the friction in the bearings and
inside the said pulley or barrel is sufficient to sustain the weight. By
my

page_text: a properly placed lever or its equivalent the pressure of the pulleys or
barrel may be removed from the shaft and the weight allowed to run
down freely. q is a band pulley secured to the pinion m; and ris a
ratchet wheel acting so that the shaft o revolves with the pinion m only
in lowering.
Figure 10 represents the barrel shaft p carried by a frame u, which
rests at one end on the brake pulley c, and at the other end on the side
frame or plate of the machine; a is the pinion shaft corresponding to
that similarly lettered in Figure 1, and the arrangement of ratchet
wheel and other parts is essentially the same as that represented in the
said Figure 1. A lever, screw, or other well-known device may be
employed for relieving the brake wheel c from the pressure of the
frame u; w is the lifting chain or cord.
Figure 11 represents an arrangement of my Invention, in which the
tubular shaft c is placed inside the lifting barrel g, and is supported
in journals x, x², so that it supports the whole of the weight being
lifted. The shaft a' runs inside the tubular shaft c, and is driven by a
belt, pulley, or other convenient means. The pinion e' is keyed on the
shaft a', and gears with the spur wheel f2, which is keyed on the
shaft a³. A pinion e³ is also keyed on the shaft a², and gears with the
spur wheel f¹, which is keyed on the barrel 9. The tubular shaft c
carrics pawls i, i. The object and action of this arrangement are pre-
cisely similar to those of the other arrangements described, the tubular
shaft c replacing the brake wheel similarly lettered in the other
Figures.
Figure 12 represents a modified gearing for the arrangement repre-
sented in Figure 11. The spur wheel f¹ is made with internal teeth,
and the pinion e' gears into the idle wheel " runing on a fixed stud a²,
and gearing into the spur wheel f¹.
Figure 18 is a modified arrangement of Figure 11. In this modifi-
cation the barrel shaft p rests directly by means of the rod y on the brake
wheel c.
Figures 14, 15, and 16 represent arrangements by which the frictional
resistance at the periphery of the brake wheel can be increased.
In Figure 14 two wedge-shaped pieces z, z, grip the brake wheel c.
It will be seen by an examination of the Drawing that a downward

page_text: pressure will cause the pieces,, to grip the brake wheel c with an
intensity proportionate to the acuteness of the wedge.
In Figure 15 the brake wheel c is provided with V or wedge-shaped
grooves and projections, the said grooves and projections corresponding
with projections and grooves in the concavity d of the frame of the
machinc.
In Figure 16 a series of rings B, B, are secured loosely to the frame
of the machine, and a similar series of rings C, C, to the disc c running
loose on the shaft a, the latter scries of rings replacing the brako
wheel c of Figure 1; h is the ratchet wheel, and e, the pinion. The
other parts are marked with letters similar to those indicating like parts
in Figure 1. The rings B and C being only loosely fastened as by pins
in holes too large for them the pressure on the teeth of the pinion e is
transferred to each of the rings, and the frictional resistance is multi-
plied according to the number of the rings.
Figure 17 is a section, and Figure 18, an elevation of the chain block
arrangement of my Invention; and Figure 19 is an elovation, and
Figure 20, a plan of a modified form of the arrangement suitable for a
dinner or other lift. In Figure 17 s is a chain wheel, over which the
lifting chain w passes. The lifting chain is carried round a bottom a
pulley D, and then secured to the strap E, which presses on the brako
wheel c. The brake wheel c carries pawls i, i, which take into the teeth
of the ratchel wheel / cast on the hand chain wheel t. The hand chain
wheel t is keyed to the shaft a, which has a pinion e formed on it or
secured to it, gearing into the spur wheel f, which is cast on or secured;
to the chain wheel s. The spur wheel fand chain wheel & revolve on the
pin p, and the shaft a runs in a boss formed on the frame v. The brake
wheel c runs on the outside of this boss. The lever j serves to relieve
the brake wheel from the pressure caused by the weight when the
weight is to be lowered. The action of this arrangement is precisely a
similar to that of the modifications herein-before described.
In the arrangement, Figures 19 and 20, a hand rope wheol t, a lifting
rope wheels, and two ratchet wheels h¹, h², are keyed on the shaft a.
On a shaft u¹ a lever u³ is keyed and also two short levers E¹, E³. Two
brake wheels c¹, c², run loose on bosses formed on the side frames of the
machine v³, v². These brake wheels carry pawls which take into the
teeth of the corresponding ratchet wheels ', . The teeth of the

page_text: ratchet wheels are turned in opposite directions, so that in turning the
shaft a in one direction the brake wheel c¹ is compelled to move, and in
turning the shaft a in the other direction the other brake wheel c³ is
compelled to move. The lifting rope to passes over the rope wheel &
round two pulleys D', D³, secured to two boxes W¹, W², and the ends
are fastened to opposite ends of the lever u³. A lever j having two
brake cords is provided, so that either of the brake wheels c², c³, can be
relieved at pleasure from the .pressure put on them by the weight
lifted.
It will be understood that by turning the hand rope wheel in one or
other direction one of the boxes W', W¹, will be raised and the other
lowered. Again the lift is self-sustaining, that is, the loaded box cannot
run down, because if the box W' be loaded it will transmit half the weight
by means of the lifting cord w to the right-hand end of the lever u³, and by
means of the shaft u¹ and the short arm E³ to the periphery of the brake
wheel c¹. It will also transmit half the weight to the periphery of the
lifting cord wheels, but the teeth of the ratchet wheel ' are so formed
that the lifting rope wheels cannot turn under the influence of the half
weight acting at its periphery without turning also the brake wheel c¹;
but the brake wheel c¹ is held so firmly by the pressure of the short
arm E¹ (the ratio of the length of the shaft to the short arm E¹ being
made sufficiently great) that this half weight acting at the periphery of
the lifting rope wheels cannot turn it, and the weight is sustained
securely. Similarly, if the box W be loaded the brake wheel c² sustains
the weight. By pulling the brake cord at the right hand of the lever j
a weight in the box W' can be lowered, and by pulling the brake cord
at the left-hand end of the lever j a weight in the box W' can be
lowered.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that
I do not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illus-
trated, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of
my Invention; but I claim as my Invention of improvements in
machinery for lifting and lowering heavy bodies, the several arrange-
ments or combinations of parts, substantially as herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, by means of which lifting
and lowering machinery is made self-sustaining, that is, the weight
raised will not reverse its motion and fall when the motive or lifting

page_text: power ceases to act, but will remain suspended in the position to which
it has been raised, the weight however being readily lowered when
required by reversing the direction in which the motive power acts, or
by the action of a lever, screw, or other lifting appliances.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Cherry, havo hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
WILLIAM GEO. CAUSER,
Handsworth.
HENRY CHERRY. (L.S.)