IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR RAISING, LOWERING, OR SUSPENDING WEIGHTS OR HEAVY BODIES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Aldridge Weston, of Ridgewood, Bergen
County, New Jersey, in the United States of America, and of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR RAISING,
LOWERING, OR SUSPENDING WEIGHTS OR HEAVY BODIES."
Sealed the 24th April 1874, and dated the 25th October 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Aldridge Weston,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
on the 25th October 1873.
I, THOMAS ALDRIDGE WESTON, of Ridgewood, Bergen County, New
Jersey, in the United States of America, and of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR RAISING,
LOWERING, OR SUSPENDING WEIGHTS OR HEAVY BODIES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the mechanical arrangements herein-after
described, having for their object to effect the suspension at any required
height of the weight or body carried by the machinery or apparatus,
:

page_text: body.
I will describe my Invention by way of example as applied to a single
sheave pulley block. Near the lower part of the periphery of the sheave
I place a curved or wedge shaped shoe, which in its normal position has
its acute end pointing upwards and occupying partially the angular space
between the curved face of the sheave and the free or hauling end of
the cord where it leaves the pulley face. This curved shoe has its inner
or concave side next the sheave adapted in form to engage with and fit
snugly the grooved or corrugated, or otherwise formed face of the sheave,
and its outer or convex side grooved like the face of the sheave for
receiving or engaging with the hoisting rope or cord, and it is pivoted
loosely to the outer ends of a pair of radial guides or arms, which turn
loosely upon the axis of the sheave. The said arms or levers retain the
shoe from falling too far outwards or too far below the sheave face, but
do not prevent the shoe from being pressed closely to the groove or face
of the sheave when it is brought into action, as herein-after described. A
short distance above the upper part of the sheave is pivoted or fixed to the
pulley frame a curved brake block having its inner or concave face at
such distance from the sheave that the hoisting cord may pass freely in
either direction when the curved shoe is in its normal position, but when
it is desired to arrest the backward motion of the cord and the descent of
the load, the hauling side of the cord is brought downwards into a
vertical or nearly vertical position until it lies within the grooved outer
face of the shoe and presses the said shoe-into close contact and engage-
ment with the grooved face of the sheave, and by now paying out the
cord the shoe is carried upwards upon the pulley face and underneath the
brake block, against which it presses the cord, until further motion is
arrested through the space below the brake block being too small for the
passage of the thicker. or hinder portion of the shoe and the super-
imposed cord.
The holding or check action may be obtained by giving a curvilinear
wedge.form to the shoe in the manner described, or by making the shoe
concentric throughout its length, that is, of uniform sectional figure,
and the brake block capable of a vibratory motion on its pivot or axis,
in which case the said brake block becomes a curved lever, one end of

page_text: cord, the other end is correspondingly forced inwards against the sheave
and cord thereon.
By making the first named or rising end of the brake block a greater
length from the pivoted axis than the other or pressing end, its leverage
and brake action for stopping the motion of the cord is intensified. The
holding or check action is removed by a downward pull upon the hoisting
cord, by which motion the curved shoe is carried back upon the sheave
to its normal position.
In place of the radial guides or arms the shoe may be guided and
retained in a similar course by means of curved grooves or channels in
the inner faces of the pulley frame, in which grooves the studs or pivots
upon the shoe may traverse.
When the radial guides are employed one of them may have its
opposite end extended outwards from the pulley axis a convenient
distance for carrying at its extreme end a separate light cord, by pulling
upon which the shoe may be raised from its normal position and up into
contact with the under side of the hoisting rope, and then brought into
action therewith, so as to suspend the load by paying off the said cord,
but without deflecting the same or varying its tangential line with
regard to the pulley. If desired, a spring may be employed to press the
shoe into action constantly, or to press it back to its normal position out
of action, where its gravity cannot be relied on to effect that object, or
the guide arms may be weighted to produce corresponding effects.
Although in the foregoing description of my Invention a rope or cord.
is referred to, a band or a chain or other wrapping connector may be
substituted therefor.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Aldridge Weston in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th April 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS.
ALDRIDGE WESTON, of Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey, in the
United States of America, and of Birmingham, in the County, of
Warwick, Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in
the thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Aldridge Weston,
Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Aldridge Weston, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Aldridge Weston, my executors, administrators, and 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 MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR RAISING, LOWERING, OR SUSPENDING WEIGHTS OR HEAVY BODIES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Aldridge
Weston, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Thomas Aldridge Weston, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of the mechanical arrangements herein-after
described, having for their object to effect the suspension at any required
height of the weight or body carried by the machinery or apparatus,
and to control and regulate the descent of the suspended weight or
body.
I will describe my Invention, by way of example, as applied to a
single sheave pulley block. Near the lower part of the periphery of the
sheave I place a curved or wedge-shaped shoe, which in its normal
position has its acute end pointing upwards and occupying partially the
angular space between the curved face of the sheave and the free or
hauling end of the cord where it leaves the pulley face. This curved

page_text: shoe has its inner or concave side next the sheave adapted in form to
engage with and fit snugly the grooved or corrugated, or otherwise
formed face of the sheave, and its outer or convex side grooved like the
face of the sheave for receiving or engaging with the hoisting rope or
cord, and it is pivoted loosely to the outer ends of a pair of radial guides
or arms, which turn loosely upon the axis of the sheave. The said arms
or levers retain the shoe from falling too far outwards or too far below
the sheave face, but do not prevent the shoe from being pressed closely
to the groove or face of the sheave when it is brought into action, as
herein-after described. A short distance above the upper part of the
sheave is pivoted or fixed to the pulley frame a curved brake block,
having its inner or concave face at such distance from the sheave that
the hoisting cord may pass freely in either direction when the curved
shoc is in its normal position, but when it is desired to arrest the back-
ward motion of the cord and the descent of the load, the hauling side of
the cord is brought downwards into a vertical or nearly vertical position
until it lies within the grooved outer face of the shoe, and presses the
said shoe into close contact and engagement with the grooved face of the
sheave, and by now paying out the cord the shoe is carried upwards
upon the pulley face and underneath the brake block, against which it
presses the cord until further motion is arrested through the space below
the brake block being too small for the passage of the thicker or hinder
portion of the shoe and the superimposed cord.
The holding or check action may be obtained by giving a curvilinear
wedge form to the shoe in the manner described, or by making the shoe
concentric throughout its length, that is, of uniform sectional figure, and
the brake block capable of a vibratory motion on its pivot or axis, in
which case the said brake block becomes a curved lever, one end of
which being forced upwards by the entrance beneath it of the shoe and
cord the other end is correspondingly forced inwards against the sheave
and cord thereon.
By making the first named or rising end of the brake block a greater
length from the pivoted axis than the other or pressing end, its leverage
and brake action for stopping the motion of the cord is intensified. The
holding or check action is removed by a downward pull upon the hoisting
cord, by which motion the curved shoe is carried back upon the sheave

page_text: In place of the radial guides or arms the shoe may be guided and
retained in a similar course by means of curved grooves or channels in
the inner faces of the pulley frame, in which grooves the studs or pivots
upon the shoe may traverse.
When the radial guides are employed, one of them may have its
opposite end extended outwards from the pulley axis a convenient
distance for carrying at its extreme end a separate light cord, by pulling
upon which the shoe may be raised from its normal position and up into
contact with the under side of the hoisting rope, and then brought into
action therewith, so as to suspend the load by paying off the said cord,
but without deflecting the same or varying its tangential line with
regard to the pulley. If desirable a spring may be employed to press
the shoe into action constantly or to press it back to its normal
position out of action where its gravity cannot be relied on to effect
that object, or the guide arms may be weighted to produce corresponding :
effects.
My Invention will be understood by the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a single sheaved rope pulley block
to which my Invention is applied. A is the descending side of the ropo
carrying the load, and B the loose end or hauling side; C is the curved
shoe or wedge shewn in longitudinal and transverse section Figure 2,
and it has studs or projections D rivetted loosely into the outer ends of
the arms or radial guides E. These arms turn freely upon the central
axis E¹, and in their normal position out of action the arms and shoe
occupy the position shewn in dotted lines Figure 1, and a pin or stop is :
inserted in the cheek or side frame to prevent the arms and shoe from
falling further downwards. The central holes or bearings of the arms
are oblong or very loosely fitted on the shaft to permit the shoe to fall
away a little from the sheave when out of action, and to permit a slight
inward motion towards the centre under the pressure of the rope when a :
load is sustained. F is a curved brake block capable of a vibratory
motion on its axis F³, and its ends F³, F³, are formed for pressing upon
the rope on the sheave.
The action is as follows:-When the hauling rope B is held away
from the sheave at an angle, as shewn in dotted lines, it may pass freely
in or out over the sheave, but when it is desired to sustain a load the
end B must be brought downwards towards a vertical position, where it

page_text: lies within the groove of the shoe C and presses the shoe closely against
the sheave, and by now paying out the cord the shoe is carried with it
upwards and underneath the end F2 of the brake block when further.
motion ceases through the space underneath the brake block being too
small for the thicker portion of the wedge and cord thereon to pass.
The forcing upwards of the end Fs of the brake block produces further
brake pressure by forcing the end F inwards upon the cord and sheave.
Figure 3 represents the inner face of a side plate or cheek of a pulley
block, upon which are cut or formed curved channels or grooves G,
which take the place of the arms or radial guides E, Figure 1, as herein-
before referred to. Both inner faces of the pulley frame being thus
grooved the studs D, D, upon the curved shoe C may traverse therein
with the same effect as obtained by the radial guides E, E. If desired,
the lever action of the end Fs may be augmented by moving the fulcrum
F¹ nearer to it, and at the end F' placing a roller to receive the lifting
motion of the wedge C.
The wedge or shoe a man he commucated or ribbed inside as shown in