Elevators.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Apr., 1887
Complete Left, 16th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 16th May, 1888
or Elevators.
FELIX LÉON EDOUX, of 95 Boulevard, Beaumarchais, Paris, France, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved apparatus for operating hydraulic lifts or elevators,
and has for its object to control by electric currents and by means of valves, suitably
disposed and actuated, the admission and discharge of the water so as to dispense
with muscular strains and also the arrangement of rods, levers, handles, cords,
counter-weights, studs and other operative parts which serve to transmit these strains.
I proceed to describe successively the two principal elements which constitute this
apparatus.
The said apparatus comprises a distributor having two valves or slides for controlling
the admission and discharge of the water. Each of these two parts is placed near the
entrance to a cylinder and actuated by a hydraulic motor having a piston, calculated
to supply the force adapted to the determined extent of the opening.
The mevements thus imparted can be circular or rectilinear according to the system
and the structure of the valves or slides. The motor is actuated by the water arising
from the pressure at disposal for the elevator itself, which receives or discharges it by
means of a small three-way cock having a spring or counter-weight, disengaged for
the opening by an electric current and moved back for the closing by rods fixed to
the piston itself.
Each of these three-way cocks terminating in the interior of the motor to which it
is applied, must be capable of causing at will either the introduction or the discharge
of the water under the piston. Accordingly it must communicate through a pipe with
the water under pressure and by another with the discharge.
The casing of each cock terminates exteriorly in a plate carrying pins suitably
disposed in order that two levers that are independent of each other and loose upon
the axis determine by their descent, caused by two electrical disengagements, the
motion of the water in one or the other direction. After its descent each of the

page_text: electric disengaging bolt.
1050 upon
The motion thus obtained of the auxiliary motors determines at will the operation
of the admission slide for effecting the ascent and stoppage of the ascent of the
elevator; or that of the discharge slide for effecting the descent and the stoppage of
the elevator in descending.
Instead of two independent valves or slides as above described use can be made of
a single distributor having flaps.
It consists of a metallic box having a tight partition, in which box four pistons
connected by two rods can move.
One compartment of the box communicates through a pipe with the cylinder of the
elevator, a second compartment receives through water under pressure through
another pipe. A pipe also passes from a third compartment to the discharge.
The three-way cocks (of similar arrangement to those that have been above described)
terminate in the interior of two compartments in communication with the water under
pressure and with the discharge and consequently I provide means for conveying at
will the water under pressure to one of the compartments or of passing to the discharge
the water contained therein.
A small pipe providing communication between the first and second compartment
and having a valve suitably regulated, is designed to permit the elevator to descend
slowly in case pressure of the water should be wanting in the pipes even during the
upstroke, the outflow not discontinuing to be free there.
Another pipe provided with a cock controlled by hand, has for its object to ensure
likewise the descent of the cage in case pressure of the water should be wanting in
the feed pipe, but any outflow becomes at the same time impossible.
In addition to the number of different arrangements which the intermediate motor
can have, I will describe a third by reason of the facility of its application to the
operation of the existing distributors, and which for the most part are actuated by a
lever having these different positions the upper corresponding to the descent of the
elevator; the lower corresponding to the rise, and the intermediate position corre-
sponding to the stoppage.
This kind of motor comprises only one cylinder with a single piston.
A cock fixed upon this cylinder can by means of orifices suitably arranged in its
box permit, by the motion of one of its levers, water to be introduced above the
piston and at the same time the water that is below to be let off to the discharge.
The piston therefore descends, and if it is supposed to start from half its stroke, in
which position it corresponds to the closing of the distributor in its descending motion,
it lowers the lever of the distributor and will open it for the admission and con-
sequently for the rise of the elevator.
When it has arrived at any desired point of its stroke, the disengagement of the
other lever of the cock introduces the water below the piston and causes the water
which is above to be discharged. This piston accordingly makes an inverse movement
and moves the lever of the distributor into the closing position.
During every half-stroke of the piston each of the levers being automatically
moved back into its position of stoppage, I can by the same disengagements, but
acting in an inverse order, cause the piston to perform its two other half-strokes
corresponding to the descent of the elevator and to the stoppage of this descent.
This arrangement comprises only two electromagnetic disengagements, because I
have only to effect the motion of one piston in one or the other direction, and the
stoppage in the middle of the stroke, which is caused by the raising of each of the
two levers to the position for the closing of the cock, by means of small rods
participating in the motion of the. piston and small buffers placed at suitable
heights.
The interruption and the establishing at will of electric currents is effected by
knobs and springs placed at all the accesses to the elevator on the (several) floors
thus replacing the operating handles at present placed near the doors of access, and
also in the cage which is kept, if so desired, in constant communication with the

page_text: circuits, even during its movement. For this purpose the covered wires can either be
wound upon or unwound from a drum placed in the cellar or in the cage itself, or
they can surround a sleeve pressed by springs upon thick wires insulated at their
supports and pulled at their extremities.
The determined stoppages on the floors, heretofore caused by the combined action
of the operating knobs and catches, are obtained by similar arrangements, with this
feature that the parts thereof are much smaller being designed only to effect contacts
when arriving at the levels where their action is foreseen. They can be reduced to a
simple key adapted to be placed vertical and then crosswise to effect a stoppage then
returning automatically to its former position as soon as the desired contact has been
effected.
I obviate contrary actions which might be produced at the same time, even without
inconvenience in these various operations, by effecting the simultaneous interruptions
of the circuit. Thus one cock cannot operate, while the other is open.
Likewise any one of the rising or descending motions will paralize the other during
its entire duration thereby freeing the elevators from the inconvenience of a sudden.
reversal of their motion through any unforseen and extraneous intervention.
The batteries, wires and contacts as well as the disengaging devices, controlled by
coils and their armatures and also the commutators and circuit breaks are similar to
those heretofor employed and do not offer any feature of novelty.
It is to be observed that one advantage of this system is the simplification or rather
the complete suppression of the means for stopping the operation by the doors for the
access. It will be easily understood in fact that if the currents (and only those for
the motion) are controlled through the movement of these doors, the least opening
thereof will cause the interruption and consequently stop the operation.
Likewise the automatic closing of the doors on the floors can be obtained by a small
supplementary bolt actuated electrically, to open only when the cage permits it by its
presence in proximity to these doors.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Apparatus for Operating Hydraulic Lifts
or Elevators.
I, FELIX LEON EDOUX of 95 Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, France, Engineer,
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 improved apparatus for operating hydraulic lifts or
elevators, and has for its object to control the admission and discharge of the water
that works the said lifts by electric currents and by means of valves suitably arranged
and actuated, so as to dispense with manual labour, and also to do away with the
arrangement of rods, levers, handles, cords counter weights, studs and other operative
parts by which the said manual labour is transmitted.
The improved apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings the Figures of
which are hereinafter referred to.
I will describe separately the two principal elements which constitute this
apparatus.
1st. The distributor Fig. 1 may consist of two valves or slides representing in a
measure half of an ordinary distributor that is to say of one part A to admit the water
from the pipe to the cylinder the other part D, for the discharge of the water, from
the cylinder to the discharge pipe. Each of these two parts is placed near the
entrance to the cylinder and actuated by a hydraulic motor B having a piston
constituting a small lift designed to furnish the necessary force for any determined
extent of opening which may be that of the distributors at present in use and in that
case correspond to a force of from 6 to 8 kilogrammes. The movements thus imparted
may be either circular or rectilinear, according to the plan and construction of the
valves or slides. The motion is effected by the water arising from the pressure at
disposal for the elevator itself, which receives or discharges it by means of a small
four way cock R having a spring or counter weight disengaged for the opening by
an electric current, and moved back for the closing by rods fixed to the piston itself.
Figs. 10, 11 and 12 represent different positions of the cock R.
Each of these four-way cocks R serving as distributing apparatus to the small
motors B, must be capable of causing at will either the introduction or the discharge
of the water on the surfaces of the pistons. Accordingly it must communicate
through a pipe with the water under pressure and by another with the discharge.

page_text: The casing of each cock terminates exteriorly in a plate carrying pins suitably
disposed in order that two levers loose upon their axes and working independently
of each other may determine by their descent, which is caused by two electrical
disengagements, the flow of the water in one or the other direction. After its descent
5 each of the levers is brought back by the piston itself into its position of rest upon
the small electric disengaging bolt.
The motion of the auxiliary motors thus obtained will determine at will the operation
of the admission slide A for effecting the ascent and stoppage of the ascent of the
elevator, or that of the discharge slide D for effecting the descent and the stoppage of
the elevator in descending.
Instead of two distinct distributors A and D serving respectively for the admission
and expulsion of the water in the cylinder of the lift, as shown in Figure 1, use can
be made of a single distributor having baffles, of which Figures 2 and 3 represents
one arrangement. These baffles are formed of pistons A¹ B¹ provided with packing
as at A² B² to obtain an hermetic joint, when they have descended against the partition
which separates them from the spaces or compartments D and E.
It consists of a metallic box having a tight partition, in which box four
pistons A A B B₁ connected by two rods a and b can move.
One compartment C of the box communicates through a pipe c with the cylinder of
the elevator, the compartment D receives through the pipe d water under pressure,
finally the pipe e leads from the compartment E to the discharge.
The three-way cocks F and G (of similar arrangement to those above described)
terminate in the interior of the compartments I and J and communicate with
the water under pressure and with the discharge through the pipes g, g¹f, f¹ and
consequently I provide means for conveying at will the water under pressure
to one of the compartments H or J or for passing to the discharge the water contained
therein.
If, for example, water under pressure is introduced into H, the ascent of the
pistons A A¹ and consequently the passage of the water under pressure from D to C,
and therefore the ascent of the elevator are caused. The stoppage is determined by
the motion of the second lever of the cock F setting H in communication with the
discharge, and causing the descent of the pistons A A¹ and the closing of the
communication between D and C.
In the same way by the operation of the cock G is also obtained the rise or descent
of the pistons B B₁ opening or closing the communication between E and C and
causing the descent and stoppage of the elevator.
It may sometimes happen that in the upstroke the water fails in the supply pipes.
It is very certain that the pistons A A' will then descend and close the communication
between C and D. The lift or elevator might then be stopped at any point of its
stroke which cannot be allowed, it is absolutely necessary that it shall be capable of
descending to its starting point. For this purpose a small pipe K which contains
a valve establishes communication between D and C. Under normal circumstances
the valve is closed by the pressure that exists in D, but if as we have supposed this
pressure fails, the piston of the elevator or lift exerts in Ca sufficient pressure to
lift the valve in the pipe K and permit the water to flow freely from C to D so that
the elevator or lift descends.
The effect of the pipe K and its valve can only be produced in proportion as the
discharge is free through the pipe d. If it were otherwise the water could not pass
from C to D and the elevator or lift would not descend. This case can occur and it
is provided for by means of the pipe 7 which contains a small cock m adapted to be
operated by hand. As this pipe sets C in communication with the discharge, E the
water contained in C by the opening of the cock m, can always be let out, and
consequently the elevator or lift caused to descend.
Amongst the numerous modifications that might be applied to the intermediate
motor will shortly describe a third (Figure 4) on account of the facility of its
application to the operation of the existing distributors and which for the most

page_text: part are actuated by a lever I having three different positions; the upper L'
corresponding to the descent of the elevator, the lower L¹ corresponding to the rise,
and the intermediate position L corresponding to the stoppage.
This kind of motor only admits of the use of one cylinder C with a single piston P.
A cock R fixed upon this cylinder can by means of orifices suitably arranged in its
case permit, by the motion of one of its levers, water to be introduced above the piston
and at the same time the water that is below to be let off to the discharge.
The piston will then descend, and if we suppose it starting from the middle of its
stroke, in which position it corresponds to the closing of the distributor in its descent,
it lowers the lever of the distributor and will open it for the admission and consequently
the rise of the elevator will follow.
When it has arrived at any desired point of its stroke the disengagement of the
other lever of the cock introduces the water below the piston and causes the water
which is above to be discharged. This piston accordingly makes an inverse movement
and moves the lever of the distributor into the closing position.
At every half-stroke of the piston each of the levers being automatically moved back
into its position of rest I can by the same disengagements, but acting in an inverse
order, cause the piston to perform its two other half-strokes corresponding to the
descent of the elevator and to the stoppage of this descent.
2nd. I have shown in Figures 6 and 7 in plan and elevation, a suitable arrangement
of an auxiliary motor having electric disengaging devices.
Upon a frame a are fixed the cylinder ẞ the two disengaging boxes y y¹ and the
ring & which guides the levers hereinafter described. R is a four way cock. are
levers mounted loose upon the axis of the casing of the cock R, each carrying at its
extremity a hammer resting upon lock bolts jj. Each of the levers carry at its
extremity on the side of its axis a kind of tail piece or projecting boss. Between them
is placed a disc O keyed upon the axis of the casing and carrying upon each of its
back and front surfaces two projecting pins by means of which when the levers fall,
the casing of the cock is carried away in one or the other direction. A piston rod X
placed in the interior of the cylinder ẞ is attached by a connecting rod to the extremity
of the lever of the distributing device. n is a rigid rod which is in firm connection
with the piston rod X being guided at i and i¹ and carrying two cams μ v.
According as by the disengagement of the hammers ? water is introduced into
the cylinder above or below its piston, the motion of the latter is caused in one or
the other direction. The rod n which is attached to the piston rod and takes part in
this motion acts by means of its cams μ upon the tail piece or boss of one or the
other of these levers & ¹ and moves it back, by causing it to swing upon its joint to
the position of rest upon the bolt of its disengaging box y or y¹.
A small safety cam & which is under the action of a spring and is provided with a
notch keeps the cock in the position corresponding to the stoppage or rest owing to
the penetration of a small index of the disc O into the notch in the cam¿ and the
motion of the cock is rendered possible only when it is pushed back by one or the other
of the tail pieces of the levers &', when the latter fall in consequence of the disengage-
ment of the boxes y y', this recoil of the cam¿ disengaging the index of the plate O¹
from the notch in the aforesaid safety cam d.
E
It will be seen that this arrangement only comprises two electromagnetic disengaging
devices since I have only to effect the motion of a piston in one or the other direction,
the stoppage in the middle of its stroke being caused by the lifting of either of the
two levers to the position in which the cock is closed by means of small rods
taking part in the motion of the piston and projections arranged at suitable
heights.
The interruption and the establishing at will of the electric currents is effected by
knobs and springs placed on all the landings to the different floors as shown in
Figure 5, thus replacing the operating handles at present placed near the landings and
also in the cage which is kept, if so desired, in constant communication with the
circuits, even during its movement. For this purpose the covered wires can be wound

page_text: upon or unwound from a drum placed in the cellar or in the cage itself, or they can
surround a sleeve pressed by springs upon thick wires insulated at their supports and
stretched at their extremities.
The latter arrangement is hereinafter described.
The three wires I I¹ I¹¹ designed to establish the circuits for the two currents
actuating the two disengaging boxes are stretched, in a fixed and invariable manner,
the entire height of the stroke of the elevator or lift, without intermediate supports.
Each of them is embraced by a metallic slide or runner M, M¹, M" fixed upon the
cabin in the movement of which it participates. The contact between each wire and
its slide is permanent. Upon another side of the cabin is secured the bolt box N
upon the side of which is mounted the commutator D¹, and which is connected by
wires to the slides or runners M M¹ M¹¹.
This commutator consists of a disc P of insulating material, upon which is fixed a
metal strip that is constantly in contact with the spring W. It is mounted upon
an axis which traverses the box N and which is in the form of a lozenge maintained
by a spring in the position shown in Figure 8.
By pushing one of the bolts V V₁ of the box, the projection T T' effects a circular
movement of the commutator P and the electric current is established through the
contact of the strip Q with one or the other of the springs U U₁, and by this means
the disengagement of one of the boxes is effected.
Therefore by pushing one of the bolts, the elevator or lift is caused to move upwards,
and by pushing the other bolt, it is caused to descend.
When one of the bolts has been pushed and the cabin rises or descends, the bolt
encounters a fixed cam X placed in a suitable position, which pushes it back and
determines the movement of the commutator and consequently the discontinuance of
the motion.
เ
The stoppages at the floors, hereto caused by the combined action of the operating
knobs and catches can be obtained by a similar arrangement to that above described,
with this exception that the parts thereof are much smaller because their only
function is to effect contacts when arriving at the levels where the action has been
foroseen. They can therefore be reduced to a simple key or tappet which is usually
vertical and which is placed crosswise to encounter the electric knob which must cause
the stoppage by sending a current through one of the disengaging boxes for the
lever of the actuating cock R (Figure 6) this tappet then returns automati-
cally to its former position as soon as the desired contact has been effected. I also
employ an arrangement for effecting momentary interruptions of circuit so as to render
impossible, without inconvenience, any contrary actions which might be produced at
the same time, in these various operations; thus the cock R Figure 1 connected with
the stop knobs 2 and 4 cannot operate, while the cock R opened by the knobs 1 and 3
Figure 5 is not closed.
E
This arrangement will thus prevent the admission and discharge in the cylinder
of the lift being open at the same time, which would have the inconvenience of losing
water without a useful effect, because this water would pass through the cylinder
without pushing the piston of the lift.
Thus also any one of the rising or descending motions 1 and 3 will effect the
other during its entire duration, thereby freeing the elevators from the inconvenience
that they actually present of enabling a sudden reversal of their motion through any
unforeseen and extraneous intervention.
The batteries, wires and contacts as well as the disengaging devices, controlled by
coils and their armatures, and also the commutators and circuit breakers are similar
to those heretofore employed and do not offer any feature of novelty.
It is to be observed that one advantage of this system is the simplification or rather
the complete suppression of the system of stopping the operation by the entrance
doors. It will be easily understood in fact that if the currents (and only those for
the motion 1 and 3) are controlled through the movement of these doors, the least
opening thereof will cause the interruption and consequently stop the operation,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In a lift or elevator as above specified the application of electro-magnetism and
hydraulic pressure to produce, either from the interior of the said lift or from the
different floors it serves or from any other more or less distant point the starting as
well as the stopping of the said lift, the stoppage at will of the gear, in short all that
has heretofore been effected by the action of persons and the various parts employed
for this purpose substantially as above specified.
1
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
15, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.
Agents for the Applicant.