Improvements in Lifts for Letters and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Aug., 1899-Accepted, 14th Oct., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lifts for Letters and the like.
I, JOSEPHINE BIEHLER, of 4011, Freibadstrasse, Munich, in the German Empire,
Gentlewoman, 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 relates to a lift for letters and the like, which transmits the
postal letters or packets and like articles automatically to the different stories
of a building, and discharges the same into letter boxes provided for the pur-
pose, the addressees being advised simultaneously, if desired, by electrical or
other signals.
This lift consists essentially of a frame and receptacles to receive the postal
articles and the like, which is raised by the rotation of a screw by a water or
turbine wheel, the descent being effected by the rotation of the screw in opposite
direction either by a water or turbine wheel rotating oppositely to the previous
one, or by the gravity of the frame and receptacles. In either case the reversal
of rotation is effected automatically by suitable devices, dependent if desired
upon the movement of the lift door.
In order that this invention may be the better understood I now proceed to
describe the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the
letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 shows a central vertical section of the first mentioned form of
construction.
Figure 2 shows a central vertical section of the second form of construction.
Figure 3 is a view of a detail drawn to a larger scale.
Figure 4 is a corresponding transverse sectional view on the line x-x,
Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a part of a corresponding side view.
In the vertical axis of a shaft A is pivotted a screw B of suitable material,
Figure 1, and connected at the lower part of the shaft with two oppositely acting
turbine or equivalent wheels C and D). A frame E is adapted to move up and
down on the screw B by the parts e thereof being formed as nuts on the screw B.
The frame E carries receptacles F, as shown in the drawings, two are arranged
on each side of the frame E. The frame E is prevented from rotating on the
screw E by guide rods a provided on opposite sides of the shaft, which guide the
receptacles F and frame E by means of rollers a¹.
The receptacles F may be provided with an oblique inner plate f and a flap
Hoor retained by a catch f¹ or they may be constructed in any other suitable
manner. The catches f are formed as double levers, the rear ends of which are
of different length. Orifices 6 are arranged in the sides of the shaft A at the
evel of the different stories, and are provided with letter boxes c, electric bells
or other signalling devices may be provided near the orifices b.
of the receptacles F into the letter boxes c is effected on each storey by the
The discharge
utomatic opening of the flap doors f2. This is effected by the catch fi striking
gainst a pin g provided in the wall of the shaft A in such a manner that only
he catch of the receptacle F intended for a certain story strikes against the
Dies Q77

page_text: ping provided on the story, so as to open the flap-door. The flap doors may be
closed at the descent of the frame E by striking against elastic pushing devices h
arranged sideways in the shaft.
The lift is intended to be worked by hydraulic pressure, the water impinging
through nozzles alternately against two oppositely acting. turbines or paddle
wheels C D.
As soon
When the door A¹ of the shaft is opened the main tap i of the hydraulic
service is opened simultaneously, the key or handle of the tap being rotated by
the movement of the door and secured in its new position. This may be effected
by a rope k, carried over rollers, to the weighted end of which rope the tap
handle or key is attached. The hooked end of a balanced lever
engages under
a catch attached to the rope and holds the rope
and tap handle. The postman simultaneously pulls a rope n carried
over rollers and weighted at one side until the same is fixed by a balanced
hook m engaging under a hook on the rope. The pulling of the rope n has the
effect that the handle of a three-way cock o connected to one end of the rope
has been turned so that the water is directed against the turbine or paddle
wheel C. The screw B is now turned so that the receptacles l'ascend.
as the latter have arrived at the upper end of the shaft A, a projection 2 of the
upper receptacle F pushes against the hook m the rope is disengaged and
the weight thereon causes the reversal of the three-way cock o in such a manner
that the water now acts against the second turbine D, and the screw B is rotated
in the opposite direction. When the receptacles F have arrived below through
the rotation of the screw B, a projection g of the lower receptacle F strikes
against the lever whereby the rope is disengaged, the weighted end of the
rope descends and the main tap i is closed by the turning of the tap handle i¹.
If the descent of the receptacles F is to be effected by gravity, the before-
mentioned construction of the lift is modified in the manner shown in Figures
2-5. Instead of two turbines or paddlewheels, a single one, C, is provided at
the lower end of the screw B. When the door A¹ of the shaft is opened con-
veniently to a limit provided by a bar or stud, for the purpose of placing the
postal packets or articles into the receptacles, the main tap is opened, and the
auxiliary tap is closed by a lever also connected with the door A¹. When
the postal packets or articles have been deposited and the shaft door A¹ is closed,
the main tapi remains opened through the chain and the lever opens the
auxiliary tap 22, so that water is admitted to the wheel C and the screw is
rotated so as to raise the frame until it strikes against a ring m adapted to move
vertically on the upper end of the screw B and prevented from rotating by
suitable means. To the ring m is connected a rope h, carried over a roller o,
the other end being attached to the tap handle ¹.
to
When thus the frame E has obtained its highest position and presses against
the ring m, the main tap i is closed by the rope h, so that the rotation of the
screw B in the same direction ceases, and the screw is rotated in the opposite
direction by the weight of the frame E and receptacles F, thus causing the same
to descend. It is obvious that the ring m which has been pushed upwards will
fall back into its original position as shown in Figure 2, causing the rope
occupy the relaxed position shown in the same figure, so that when the door A¹
is opened the main tap i is moved into the open position by means of the
handle and chain k. To prevent the sudden striking of the frame E and
receptacles F against the bottom when obtaining the lowest position, a spring n
is arranged at the lower end of the screw B.
In the form of construction shown in Figures 2-5, the receptacles F are
suspended so that only the filled ones are acted on by the pins g or by the devices
operating the signal bells. The upper edge of the receptacle F, Figure 3, is
attached to the frame E by connecting pieces p and the lower part by a bent
hinge rod q. The square parts r of the latter are acted on by springs s arranged
on the frame so that the receptacles F is held in the position when unfilled, and

page_text: also in the position when filled shown in dotted lines. The pins g for the
catches f¹ and also the angle pieces u, acting on contact pins t, and operated
by pins of the receptacles F are arranged in the shaft in such a manner that
they are only operated by filled receptacles Fi.e. by receptacles brought by
pressure on their upper edge into the position shown by dotted lines see
Figure 3. Therefore any storey which has no postal packets or articles to receive
at any give occasion will not be disturbed by signalling, when other stories
receive postal packets. When the receptacles F descend, those which had been
filled are still in the position shown by dotted lines; the pins then strike
against the angle pieces causing the receptacles to return into the normal
position of unfilled receptacles.
In this form of construction the disengagement of the catch f¹ and the flap
door and the automatic closing of the latter, are the same as in the first men-
tioned form of construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
:-
1st. A lift for letters and other articles in which the receptacle frame adapted
to move on a screw is raised by a turbine or other power wheel C, which is auto-
matically engaged and disengaged by a shaft door A¹ or the receptacle frame
respectively, substantially as described.
2nd. A lift for letters and other articles in which the ascent of a receptacle
frame adapted to move on a screw is controlled automatically by a turbine or
other power wheel C, automatically engaged and disengaged by the door of the
shaft A or the receptacle frame respectively the descent of the receptacle
frame being caused by a second turbine or power wheel D which by means of
suitable arrangement is automatically engaged and disengaged by the receptacle
frame, substantially as described.
Brd. A lift for letters and other receptacles in which the ascent of a receptacle
frame adapted to move on a screw is effected by a turbine or paddle wheel C,
which is automatically engaged and disengaged by the shaft door A¹ or the
receptacle frame respectively, the descent of the receptacle frame being caused
by the disengagement of the turbine or other wheel C and by the gravity of the
receptacle frame, the screw B being rotated thereby in the direction required
substantially as described.
4th. A lift for letters and other receptacles in which the ascent of a receptacle
frame adapted to be moved on a screw is caused by a turbine or other wheel C,
automatically engaged and disengaged by the shaft door A¹, or the receptacle
Frame respectively, the descent of the receptacle frame being effected after the
simultaneous disengagement of the turbine or other power wheel C, by the
gravity of the receptacle frame causing a corresponding rotation of the screw,
he receptacles F being arranged movably on the frame E so that only the
illed receptacles F, brought into corresponding position, are operated by the
levices 9 and u, respectively, which operate catches f¹ and the contact pins t,
ubstantially as described.
5th. The arrangement and construction of a lifting device for letters and other
rticles substantially as described and illustrated in and by the accompanying
rawings.
Dated this 1st day of August 1800