Improvements in Cranes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 3rd May, 1894-Accepted, 9th June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cranes.
We, EDWARD HENRY BECKETT, of Glan-eu-lan, Tau-y-grisiau N. Wales,
and CHARLES WARREN ROBERTS of Plas Weunydd Blaenau Festiniog, N. Wales
Civil Engineers do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:—
Certain details in the construction and arrangement of a device applied to the
ordinary winch crane to prevent the load running away when the pressure on the
handles is suddenly removed, and whereby the said crane is automatically
controlled and rendered safe.
To carry our invention into practice, we key on to, or fix on to the first motion,
A loose radial frame is
or handle, shaft of the winch, a grooved friction wheel.
mounted on to this same axis, which carries an eccentric cam, or pinion, provided
with circumferential grooves, the said grooves gearing with those in the wheel
before-mentioned.
The end of frame carrying the eccentric cam or pinion is fixed in a suitable
position by a connecting-rod or link. A handle & balance weight is fixed to the
axis of the excentric cam, whereby the same may be raised or lowered out of, or
into gear.
When adjusted in position for working, the excentric cam rests loosely
on the face of the friction wheel, and as the first motion shaft, upon which is fixed
the wheel, is revolved, the wheel slides easily past the cam, but, should the
pressure from the winch handles be removed, and the shaft tend to reverse its
motion, the friction cam immediately closes with the friction wheel, and prevents
movement in a backward direction.
The cam may be raised by the handle attached, and the gear thus disconnected
at any time.
1
1009
E. H. BECKETT.
C. WARREN ROBERTS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cranes.
We, EDWARD HENRY BECKETT, of Glan-eu-lan, Tan-y-grisiau, North Wales,
and CHARLES WARREN ROBERTS, of Plas Weunydd Blaenau Festiniog, North
Wales, Civil Engineers, 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 certain details in the construction and arrangement of
a device applied to the ordinary winch crane to prevent the load running away
when the pressure on the handles is suddenly removed, and whereby the said crane
is automatically controlled and rendered safe.
To carry our invention into practice, we key on to, or fix on to the first motion
A loose radial frame is
or handle shaft of the winch, a grooved friction wheel.
mounted on to this same axis, which carries an eccentric cam, or pinion, provided
with circumferential grooves, the said grooves gearing with those in the wheel
before mentioned.

page_text: The end of frame carrying the eccentric cam or pinion is fixed in a suitable
position by a connecting rod or link. A handle is fixed to the eccentric cam
When
whereby the same may be raised or lowered out of, or into gear.
adjusted in position for working, the eccentric cam rests loosely on the face
of the friction wheel, and as the first motion shaft, upon which is fixed the wheel,
is revolved, the wheel slides easily past the cam but should the pressure from the
winch handles be removed and the shaft tend to reverse its motion, the friction
cam immediately closes with the friction wheel and prevents movement in a
backward direction.
The cam may be raised by the handle attached, and the gear thus disconnected
at any time. In order to control the lowering we provide a strap brake on the
friction wheel, the said strap being fixed at one end, and the other end connected
on to the cam, or cam lever.
Our invention is clearly represented in the annexed drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the parts forming our invention with the cam in
frictional contact with the grooved wheel.
Figure 2 is a similar view with the parts in the position they occupy when the
cam is out of gear.
Figure 3 is an end view of Figure 1, and Figure 4 is similar view but with the
brake strap and side plates removed.
Figure 5 shows our invention applied to an ordinary winch crane, a portion of
which is only shown.
A is a grooved, or other friction wheel fixed on to the first motion or handle
shaft B of a winch or crane, the said shaft also carrying a loose frame C, to which
is mounted an eccentric cam or pinion D, either grooved or plain for gearing into,
or engaging with the friction wheel A.
The end of the frame C has a connecting rod, or link E for attachment to a
Pod F, or other device to prevent appliance revolving with shaft, preferably fitted
to the legs G of the crane, as shown in Figure 5.
The cam or eccentric D is provided with a handle H for applying the brake by
hand, or for removing the cam D out of gear with the pinion A when desired.
To the frame C, we connect a strap brake I for engaging the wheel A, and
connect the other end of said strap to the eccentric cam D, either direct, or to a
leg provided for the purpose, so that should it be desired to control the action of
the apparatus when say "paying out" the chain or lowering the load the handle
can be moved to cause the brake strap to engage the pinion A, and thus regulate
the motion of the winch, or other apparatus according to the power or pressure
applied to the handle.
It will be understood from the foregoing, that the friction wheel or pinion A can
be moved freely in one direction i.e. that of the direction of the arrow in Figure 2,
when, say, the winch is being moved for lifting a load, but should from any cause
the weight of the load overcome the power applied to the handle, the apparatus is
prevented revolving in the reverse direction by the friction pinion A automatically
engaging with the cam D thus causing an immediate and perfect bite or brake
between the two.
In Figure 5, we have shown our invention as applied to a portion of a crane used
principally in slate quarries for lifting heavy slabs of slate but it can equally be
applied to other forms of cranes, or winches.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
clain is-
1. The particular construction of appliances shown at Figure 1 of the annexed
drawings, and their application to winches, or other hauling gear of cranes, as
described for the purpose set forth.
2. In cranes, the improvements herein specified, and consisting of friction
wheel A affixed to the first motion shaft B, framing C, eccentric cam D having

page_text: handle H affixed, the whole being combined in the manner set forth for auto--
matically and instantly preventing the return motion of a load, as described.
The 3rd day of May 1894.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Edward Henry Beckett and Charles Warren Roberts..