Improvements in Locking Apparatus for the Doors of Hoists and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 16th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 15th Oct., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locking Apparatus for the Doors of Hoists and
the like.
I, JOHN CHARLES ETCHELLS, of Heaton Chapel, near Stockport, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention is designed to provide improved mechanism for locking the doors
of hoist wells and insuring them being maintained closed when the cage is at a
different level.
Below the doors I place a rocking shaft operated by the passage of the cage
which carries two sets of bolts or catches with which the doors engage one set to
lock or hold the doors closed and the other set to hold the doors open against the
force of a spring or weight when the cage is stopped opposite the doors.
The rocking shaft is preferably square except at the journals and carries at or
near its centre a lever which when the shaft is partly rotated acts upon the locking
bolts (which are of bell crank or other suitable form) to draw them down and allow
the doors to open. The same movement throws up the second set of bolts above
the floor lever to hold the doors open. The reverse movement withdraws the
second set of bolts and allows the doors to be closed by a spring or weight.
The rocking shaft is operated by a striker on the side of the cage which engages
a wheel or runner on a lever affixed to the shaft. The bolts and the shaft being
moved in the reverse direction by spring or springs attached therein in any con-
venient position.
The apparatus may be fitted either above or below the doors of the hoist.
Improvements in Locking Apparatus for the Doors of-Hoists and
the like.
I, JOHN CHARLES ETCHELLS, of Heaton Chapel, near Stockport, in the County of
Lancaster, 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 is designed to provide improved mechanism for locking the doors
of hoist wells and insuring them being maintained closed when the cage is at a

page_text: different level. The cage when level with the floor automatically releases or dis-
engages the locking gear permitting the doors to be opened by the attendants.
It consists essentially in the application to or combination with the doors of
the hoist of a rocking shaft (operated by the passage of the cage) which actuates
two sets of bolts or catches which engage the doors, one set to lock or hold the
doors closed when the cage is absent, and the other set to hold the doors open
against the force of a spring or weight when the cage is stopped opposite the
doors and release them again when the cage moves away.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
the invention is shown applied both to the bottom and top the hoist doors.
Fig. 1. Front elevation (with doors closed) showing the
the doors, unlocked.
invention placed below
doors
Fig. 3. Transverse section with cage removed from level and doors locked.
Fig. 4. Plan of Fig. 1, showing locking device.
Fig. 4. Sectional plan on line - Fig. 1.
Fig. 5. Perspective view of the apparatus as arranged for the bottom of the
doors...
Fig. 6. Front elevation showing the invention placed above the doors.
Fig. 7. Transverse section of same.
Fig. 8. Plan of Fig. 6.
Across the bottom or across the top of the doorway A is fitted a rocking shaft B
preferably square in cross section and mounted in bearings b in a suitable frame-
work or casting C, so as to be capable of part of a revolution about its axis first
in one direction and then in the other.
At or near the centre of the rocking shaft B is fixed a lever D which is oscillated
or caused to rise and fall at its free end by the rotary movement of the shaft. To
the casting or framing C two bolts E E¹ are pivoted with the lower ends of which
the free end of the oscillating lever D engages. The bolts E E¹ are preferably of
bell crank or other suitable form. Instead of being pivoted the bolts E E¹ may be
made to slide up and down in a rectilinear path. To each bolt is attached a
spring eel by which it is moved in one direction whilst it is operated or moved
in the opposite direction by the end of the lever D. The bolts EE hold the doors G
when closed.
To the rocking shaft B are also connected two additional bolts F F¹ mounted on a
radial arm or spring ff bolted to the shaft B. These bolts engage the doors
when open and hold them against the closing force or pressure of the springs g.
A lever H is affixed at one end or other convenient position upon the rocking
shaft B carrying a wheel or runner h at the end to engage a cam or striker K
on the cage L by which the shaft is oscillated.
In operation the bolts E E' which engage the doors G to hold them closed are
held by the springs e e¹ in the normal position to lock the doors when the cage L
is absent when the cage comes opposite to the doorway A and level with the floor
the cam or striker K comes in contact with the wheel on the lever H and rotates
the shaft B part of a revolution, this movement moves the lever D which acts
upon the inner ends of the bolt levers EE and causes them to release the doors G.
The same movement of the shaft B projects the bolts FF1 to engage the doors when
opened and hold them open. The cage when passing a floor level without stopping
simply unlocks the doors and immediately locks them again.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. Apparatus for automatically locking the doors of hoists constructed with a
rocking shaft set below or above the doorway oscillated by the passage of the
cage, two spring bolts or catches to engage the doors when closed a lever attached

page_text: to the rocking shaft to withdraw the catches and a cam plate or striker on the
hoist to operate the rocking shaft, substantially as described.
2. Apparatus for automatically locking the doors of hoists when the cage is
absent, having the several parts constructed and arranged in combination, sub-
stantially as described.
Dated this 15th day of August 1898
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool and London, Patent Agents.