MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR LIFTING, LOWERING, HAULING, AND REMOVING MOVEABLE ARTICLES BY THE DIRECT ACTION OF EITHER WATER, STEAM, OR GASEOUS VAPOUR
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Morrison, of the Town and County of the
Town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR LIFTING, LOWERING, HAULING,
AND REMOVING MOVEABLE ARTICLES BY THE DIRECT ACTION OF EITHER WATER,
STEAM, OR GASEOUS VAPOUR."
Sealed the 24th March 1857, and dated the 29th September 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Morrison at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th September 1856.
I, ROBERT MORRISON, of the Town and County of the Town of Newcastle-
upon-Tyne, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR LIFTING, LOWERING,
HAULING, AND REMOVING MOVEABLE ARTICLES BY THE DIRECT ACTION OF EITHER
WATER, STEAM, OR GASEOUS VAPOUR," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to apparatus for lifting, lowering, hauling, and removing
moveable articles, and which will work more effectively than the apparatuses
now used for those purposes, and at less cost.
Instead of the present arrangement of spur wheels, and pinions, and barrel,
and frames, and crane post, I make the crane post the cylinder, and use a flexible
piston rod, such as wire rope, or any other suitable substance, and attach it to the
piston direct. The said flexible piston rod runs over a sheave at the top of the
crane post or cylinder, and over another at the point of the jib in the usual way,

page_text: and form the crane, chain, or rope I attach a short length of chain to the end of
the flexible piston rod to receive the hook; I make the length of the cylinder
to equal the distance I have to haul or lift the weight. In cases where there
is not sufficient height or depth for the length of cylinder it may be laid in a
horizontal position. In lifting a weight, the piston is at the top of the cylinder
or crane post, and the chain or flexible piston rod lowered to the ground or
weight to be lifted. The steam, water, or other vapor is admitted above the
piston, and forces it towards the bottom of the cylinder or crane post until the
weight is at the proper height; the valve is then closed, and the steam is
admitted into a cylinder placed at the foot of the jib, fitted with a disc cast
on the post. The steam acting on this disc turns or swings the crane round
until the weight is in its proper position. The disc valve is then closed, and
the cylinder exhaust valve opened, and the weight lowered, and then the crane
can be turned back for another lift. The disc cylinder is made tight round the
post by stuffing boxes in the usual way. In this Invention the power applied
to the piston is equal to the weight of the lift and friction.
Where a short cylinder is preferable or desirable, I multiply the travel of
the piston, by making the connection with the piston pass over a small drum,
and the crane, chain, or rope over a large drum, two, three, or four to one, as
the case may be, still making the crane post the cylinder, or otherwise;
according to circumstances. The cylinder or crane post may be made a fixture,
and the jib with the disc case may be made to travel or swing round,. if
preferable.
Another arrangement is by using a chain barrel in the usual way, and
attaching a cylinder direct to work at each end, with large sheaves to act as fly
wheels, but without spur gear, and I make the said cylinder and barrel and
also the disc case stationary, and turn round the crane post and jib.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Morrison in the Great Seal. Patent Office on the
28th March 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
MORRISON, of the Town and County of the Town of Newcastle-under-Tyne,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six; in the twentieth year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Robert Morrison, Her special license that I, the said Robert Morrison, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert
Morrison, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF APPARATUS FOR LIFTING, LOWERING, HAULING, AND REMOVING MOVEABLE.
ARTICLES BY THE DIRECT ACTION OF EITHER WATER, STEAM, OR GASEOUS VAPOUR,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Morrison, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 I, the said Robert Morrison, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of
apparatus for raising, lowering, moving, or transporting moveable articles, such
apparatus working more effectively and at a less cost than those at present in.
ordinary use.
According to my improvements, the present arrangement of spur wheels and
pinions, barrel and frames, and crane post is dispensed with, and I substitute
therefor a piston fitted with a flexible piston rod working steam-tight within
the body of the crane post, which is made cylindrical for that purpose. The
flexible piston rod may be composed of wire rope or other suitable material; it'
is attached direct to the piston, and passes through a stuffing box at the top of
the crane post. A sheave or pulley is fitted to the top of the crane post for the
purpose of guiding the flexible rod to the top of the jib, where it passes over a
second sheave or pulley placed there for that purpose. A short length of chain
is attached to the end of the flexible rod for the purpose of connecting the hook
thereto. The length of the cylinder or stroke of the piston is equal to the
greatest amount of lift, haul, or travel required; and in cases where there is
not sufficient height or depth for the length of cylinder required, the cylinder
may be laid horizontaily. When beginning or preparing to lift or haul a

page_text: weight the piston will be at the top end of the cylinder or crane post, and then
the chain or flexible piston rod will by the aid of steam or other power be
lowered to the ground, or to the body or article to be raised or lifted, and vice
versa in case of lowering. The power applied to the piston should of course
exceed the weight of the lift and the friction combined. Steam, air, gas, water,
or other power is for lifting or hauling purposes admitted inside the cylinder
above the piston by means of any suitable valvular arrangement, whereupon
the piston is forced down towards the bottom or opposite end of the cylinder or
crane post until the weight is elevated to the desired height. The first valve
is then close, and the steam, air, water, or other power, vapour or fluid, is
admitted through another valve into a cylinder placed at the foot of the jib and
surrounding the crane post, which latter carries on one side a projecting disc or
steam stop, fitting accurately the annular space formed between the exterior of
the crane post and the interior of the cylinder herein-before referred to. The
steam, air, gas, water, or other vapour or fluid acting on one side of this disc
or stop turns or swings the crane round until the suspended weight is in a
proper or convenient position. The second valve is then for the purpose of
lowering the articles closed, and the cylinder exhaust valve opened, whereby
the article or body is lowered, and then the frame may be turned back again
for another lift.
The disc cylinder at the foot of the crane post is made steam-tight round
the crane post by the aid of stuffing boxes and glands in the usual manner.
When a short cylinder is found desirable, the small stroke of the piston is
multiplied by causing the connection with the piston to be passed or wound
round a small drum, whilst the hauling chain or rope which may be of the
ordinary construction is wound on to a larger drum, the crane post being still
used as the cylinder or otherwise, according to circumstances.
And in order that my said Invention may be clearly understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents an elevation of one modification of my
hoisting, lifting, or hauling apparatus applied to a floating barge or on board a
ship for the facility of transport in unloading ships in dock, at a quay, or in a
river; but if on a quay, the deck of the ship represented in the Figure would
represent the surface line of the ground, wherein would have to be sunk or
built a well to receive the crane post. Figures 2, 3, and 4 are enlarged
sectional details of the crane post and valve arrangement.
A is the cylinder or crane post, which may be either cast in one length or in
several pieces bolted together, as may be found most convenient in practice.

page_text: It is cast hollow, and is bored to a size suitable for the desired power of the
crane and steam pressure employed.
The length of the bored portion of the crane post corresponds in this case to,
the amount of lift required. Within the cylinder, formed by boring out the
crane post, works accurately a light piston B, which is firmly connected to a
flexible rod C, composed of iron or copper wire, or of any other suitable material.
This flexible rod passes over the respective sheaves or pullies D and E, the
one being carried in suitable brackets F, F, at the top of the crane post, and
the other fitted to the extremity of the jib. A hook or sling G is attached by
means of a short length of chain to the pendant end of the flexible rod for
the facility of attachment to the weights or bodies to be raised or lowered.
The rod C passes through a stuffing box H at the top of the post, such box
being fitted with a gland I, pressed down by a helical spring, as clearly shewn
in the enlarged detail, Figure 2.
By this arrangement the packing in the stuffing box is always kept well
pressed up to and around the rod C, without the necessity for constant tight-
ening or screwing up, as is the case with ordinary stuffing boxes. K (Figures
2, 3, and 4) is the steam chest, which is fitted with two slide valves L and M,
the steam being admitted thereto by the steam pipe N. When the slide L is
depressed by the screw spindle O and hand wheel P, a clear way for the steam
is opened through into the circular channel or passage Q, which is so arranged
that in whatever position the crane may be there will always be a direct com-
munication therefrom into the vertical passage K, leading up the side of the
post to the top of the cylinder above the piston.
By thus raising or lowering the slide L to a sufficient extent, the steam or
other medium or power may be either shut off from or let into the top of the
cylinder, so, as in the latter case, to press down the piston and raise the weight
required; or, as in the first-mentioned case, to allow the steam to escape
through the exhaust passage S into the exhaust pipe T.
The second slide M, which is placed in the same box by the side of the first
slide L, and is worked by a screw spindle O' and hand wheel P¹, in a similar
manner to the slide L, serves to admit steam or other medium or power into
either of the passages or ports U and V, leading to each side of the partition W
of the turning cylinder X.
By this arrangement the steam may be made to act on either side of the
steam stop or piston Y, which is cast or keyed on to the crane post, and which
fits accurately the interior of the turning cylinder X, the crane being thus
turned easily and readily in either direction.
I may here observe, however, that I do not confine or restrict myself to any

page_text: particular form or arrangement of valves for the purposes herein-before
described, as various kinds of valves may obviously be applied and modified to
suit the desired end without interfering with the main features of my
Invention.
"
Figure 5 of the Drawings represents the application of my apparatus to a
warehouse. A is a cylinder, which is of a length corresponding to the greatest
lift. It is fitted vertically inside the building, passing up through the several
floors B, B. If found desirable, it may be laid in a horizontal or inclined
position, according to circumstances. The lift is effected by means of steam or
other power or pressure acting on a piston connected with a flexible rod, in the
manner herein-before described. The turning apparatus may in this case be
dispensed with, the crane jib C being independent of the cylinder, as shewn in
the Drawing, but made capable of being swung round if found desirable.
A pair of horizontal guide pullies or sheaves may be fitted at D, for the purpose
of guiding the flexible. rod, whatever may be the position of the crane jib.
The steam or other acting. power or medium may be admitted either at the
top or bottom of the cylinder; when admitted at the lower end, as shewn in the
Drawing, a passage E is made up the side of the cylinder opening into the top
end thereof. F, F, are the hand wheels for regulating and working the slide;
and in order that it may be worked from any of the floors of the warehouse,
the hand wheels are fixed on to a common spindle G, which extends up through
all the floors from the basement of the building, as shewn.
Figure 6 represents a slight modification, whereby the piston may be allowed.
to make a less stroke than the amount of lift given to the weight. This is
effected by connecting the flexible rod A to the small drumi B, whilst the
vertical hauling rope or chain C is attached to and wound round the larger
drum D on the axis of the small drum.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to:
describe or refer to, as many variations in detail may be made therefrom
without deviating from the principles or main features of my said Invention;*
but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Inven-
tion secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,---
First, the general construction and arrangement of machinery or apparatus,
as herein-before described, for raising, lowering, moving, or transporting
moveable articles.
Second, the application and use to and in hoisting or hauling machines of-a

page_text: flexible piston rod in conjunction with a piston working within a cylinder of
length equal to the greatest amount of lift or travel required.
Third, the application and use to and in hoisting or hauling machines of a
flexible piston rod, such rod forming part of the lifting or hoisting chain or
rope.
.
Fourth, the construction of cranes, wherein the crane post forms the
cylinder for giving the desired lift or haul, as herein-before described.
Fifth, the system or mode of raising weights by the employment of a piston
in direct connection with the lifting rope or chain, the acting pressure on such
piston being just sufficient to overcome the friction and the weight to be lifted.
Sixth, the system or mode of swinging the crane round by the aid of steam
or other equivalent pressure acting on one side or the other of a disc or piston
connected to the crane post, and revolving within a cylinder for that purpose.
Seventh, the application and use of a large and small drum for multiplying
the traverse of the piston to any desired extent, as herein.before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Morrison, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of March, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-seven.
ROBERT MORRISON. (L.S.)