IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW AND LIFTING MACHINES FOR LIFTING, PRESSING, AND LOWERING
Year: 1857

page_text: AND LIFTING JACKB, AND
IN
LETTERS PATENT to Henry Charles Hill, of Croydon, Surrey, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW AND LIFTING
MACHINES FOR LIFTING, PRESSING, AND LOWERING."
Sealed the 29th May 1857, and dated the 7th January 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Charles Hill at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th January 1857.
1, HENRY CHARLES HILL, of Croydon, Surrey, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW AND LIFTING JACKS.
AND IN MACHINES FOR LIFTING, PRESSING. AND LOWERING," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of improved means of obtaining leverage or
mechanical force by a combination of levers, arranged in an angular
position in regard to each other, and connected together by pins or
bolts. This disposition of the levers constituting the mechanical
arrangement known as the "lazy tongs." I use one or more sets of
these compound levers to effect the raising, lowering, or pressing of
various bodies, motion being given to the levers by one or more screws,
by rack and pinion lever, steam or hydraulic power, or other mechanical
arrangement for communicating motion thereto. The direction in
which the levers are caused to move may be either vertical, horizontal,
or angular, according to the purpose to which the mechanical force is
La aliad

page_text: The foregoing mechanical arrangements, combined with suitable
means for giving motion thereto, are to be applied to the various
purposes of lifting, lowering, and pressing; for example, as an improve-
ment upon the ordinary crane, or as an addition thereto, as a substitute
for or addition to the ordinary windlass, screw jack, or crab; it is also
applicable to shears used for ship-building, to weighing machines and
weigh bridges, to pile-driving and dredging machines, and in a portable
form to lifting or removing casks, bales, and other goods to or from
carts, waggons, railway trucks, and to other like purposes; to lifting
and removing guns, mortars, and artillery; also elevating the breech of
the gun for adjusting its range; also for pressing or packing fibrous
materials and other substances; also as a flooring clamp, or for pressing,
tying, or bending timbers for ship-building; also for stationers', printers',
bookbinders, and embossers' presses, and to other purposes, not herein-
before named, where a mechanical power is required for lifting, lower-
ing, or pressing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Charles Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th July 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM
THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, HENRY
CHARLES HILL, of Croydon, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Henry Charles Hill, Her special licence that I,
the said Henry Charles Hill, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Henry Charles Hill, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 SCREW AND
LIFTING JACKS, AND IN MACHINES FOR LIFTING. PRESSING, AND LOWERING,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Charles
Hill, 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

page_text: 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 Henry Charles Hill, 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:-
My Invention consists of an improved means of obtaining leverage or
mechanical force by a combination of levers, arranged in an angular
position in regard to each other, and connected together by pins or bolts.
This disposition of the levers constituted the mechanical arrangement
known as the lazy tongs. I use one or more sets of these compound
levers to effect the raising, lowering, or pressing of various bodies,
motion being given to the levers by one or more screws, by rack and
pinion, lever, steam, or hydraulic power, or other mechanical arrange-
ment for communicated motion thereto. The direction in which the
levers are caused to move may be either vertical, horizontal, or angular,
according to the purpose to which the mechanical force is to be applied.
The foregoing mechanical arrangements, combined with suitable
means for giving motion thereto, are to be applied to the various pur-
poses of lifting, lowering, and pressing; for example, as an improve-
ment upon the ordinary crane, or as an addition thereto, as a substitute
for or addition to the ordinary windlass, screw jack, or crab; it is also
applicable to shears used for ship-building, to weighing machines and
weigh bridges, to pile-driving and dredging machines, and in a portable
form to lifting or removing casks, bales, and other goods to or from
carts, wagons, railway trucks, and to other like purposes; to lifting
and removing guns, mortars, and artillery; also elevating the breech of
the gun for adjusting its range; also for pressing or packing fibrous
materials and other substances; and also as a flooring clamp, or for press-
ing, tying, or bending timbers for ship-building; also for stationers',
printers', bookbinders,' and embossers' presses, and to other purposes,
not herein-before named, where a mechanical power is required for
lifting, lowering, or pressing; and to improvements in machines for the
application of power wherein screws are employed.
But, in order that my Invention may be better understood, I will
proceed to refer to the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Fig. 1 A shews what I call a telescopic screw lifting jack, in which a
series of compound screws, working one within the other, so that a
greater extent of lift can be obtained than with the ordinary screw
jack; two, three, or more lengths of screws may be used, according to

page_text: the purpose required. One screw is enclosed or encased in the other,
as is shewn in the Drawing.
Fig. 1 shews the screw jack, with the first length of the screw or joint
up. A is the screw lift; B, the tube or stand, made with two deep
collars or flanges (C,C,) fitted on and recessed or countersunk for the
boss of the screw wheel to work in; the screw pinion D is threaded in
and through the boss, with the required pitch of thread for the screw to
work in, similar to a screw nut, the wheel being recessed and fitted
between the two collars, so that it can rotate round the screw, so that
the screw will rise, and the wheel forming the nut will be retained in
its place between the two collars; on the side of the screw-toothed wheel
is a short screw (E) threaded to gear in with and worked the screw;
attached to the same is attached a crank handle F for working the
screw. Now, in order to raise the jack three times the height of the
stand, this screw-threaded wheel is arranged, as shewn in Fig. 1, on
the top part of the tube or stand; the first or larger screw is shewn as
if it were partly worked up or raised in its place; the diameter of this
screw is the same as that of the box of the screw wheel. This first or
large outside screw is hollow or tubular, and inside, on the upper part
of this first screw, is also a short length of screw thread, corresponding
to and gearing into the next and following length of screw, and so
increasing to the length required.
To illustrate the working of the intended screw lift, let it be supposed
that the screws are to be worked home or down in their stand or tube.
Now, in order to raise or work up the second, being the inner or smaller
screw of a lifting jack, the first or larger screw would be retained and
keyed in its place to the wheel, rotating with this screw wheel forming
the nut to the second or smaller screw, while working outwards with
the left by means of the so formed male and female screw on the inside
of the first or larger screw. This is accomplished, as Fig. 2, by having
one or two keys and key ways (H) cut on the face or crown of the screw
wheel, and also key ways made into the several screws on their upper
and lower parts, so that by slipping or shifting the key, the screws would
be keyed or fastened to the screw wheel, so that one or more would
rotate with the wheel when setting up another or inner screw, as only
one screw can be worked up at the time by this arrangement, so that
when the key is withdrawn the larger or first screw is then set up by
the screw wheel; when only short lifts are required, the screw wheel is
worked by another and a separate screw with a crank handle, as before
mentioned; this improved lifting jack is intended to be fitted with a
stand or tube, similar to the common screw jack, with or without a
frame or carriage to move or slide along.

page_text: Fig. 2 shews a series of levers toothed at their ends, and put together
in a diamond or connical form, actuated or put in motion by means of
a right and left-hand threaded screw B, passing centrally and working
through screw-threaded sockets or eyes (C, C,) attached to the levers,
and fastened by small pins or screws; upon the screw being put into
motion it will bring or cause the set of levers to travel and converge to
a centre laterally, by which the set of levers will rise from an almost
horizontal to a vertical to a vertical position; and in order to better
secure the levers from rocking or riding on their centres, or shifting
over from their positions, and to further insure the steady rising and
simultaneous working, the lever or levers are toothed, grooved, or fluted
at their ends, one or both D, in order that the end or ends of the
levers D may gear into each other when brought into contact, rotating
or controtating similar to cog wheels, turning on their centres while
the levers are being opened or shut by means of the screw. This mode
of gearing and working of levers or a lever lift forms another part of
this Invention. E, E, are two tables or shoes flanged on the under side,
to which the geared ends of the levers are bolted.
Fig. 3 shews a similar set of levers, toothed or geared, as before, at
their ends, and worked by another and a separate lever A, forming the
handle to put the same into motion; this forms an instantaneous lift,
and is intended likewise for lever hand presses.
Fig. 4 shews the same description of levers worked by a cross ratchet
lever movement, and set in motion by a rack a affixed to the cross lever",
and worked up by a tooth lever handle (c) with dogs D) to drop into the
rack as a catch to prevent slipping, and to take the weight off the lever
handle, and which are geared into each other top and bottom, as shown
in Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 shews the front elevation of a ratchett and lever lifting jack,
which can be formed with one or two vertical bars or guides toothed or
ratched, and bolted together top and bottom, as shown in the Drawing
(A). B is a crosshead, back and front, to which is affixed two c, c,
tongues or dogs to drop in the ratchet as it is lifted, as as the foot or jib
with the load on it D is being raised the tongue set out or in by means
of a spring, and set up by a screw E; attached to the cross head B are
two short arms F, F, bolted at one end to the cross head or bar between
the two upright bars, and the other end to the lever handle, from which
the lever takes its bearing as the prop of the lever, and which is
intended to shift or travel the whole height of the rack; the lever (G)
passes under the sliding shoe or jib, in which rests the load to be lifted;
as the whole is being lifted the dogs are passed by the springs into the
rack as the slide over the toothed surface, and there retain the load till

page_text: the next alternate lift of the lever raises it again. The short arms F, F,
attached to the cross head rest on the back edge of the vertical bars, as
well as being held by the dogs in the rack. This lift is not confined to
the purposes of a lifting jack only, but I intend to apply to my lifting
and lowering machines in conjunction with the levers and lever lifting
machines.
Fig. 6 shows side elevation of ratchet and lever lifting jack.
Fig. 7 shews an improved flooring cramp constructed with a series of
levers a, a, a, a, toothed and fitted together similar to Fig. 2, being
screwed up with a right and left-hand thread B screw working
centrally thro' sockets, the same as described in Fig. 2, the screw
turned or put in motion by means of a common ratchet brace C, B,
movement, with its handle; at each end of this series of levers is affixed
to deep flanges D, D. This form of lever cramp can be worked by a
rack or a lever handle, or other mechanical means.
Fig. 8 shews a similar form of flooring cramp, only with an extra
a, a, a, number of levers worked precisely the same as Fix. 7, with
the right and left-hand screw with a ratchet brace motion B to set it
up. The object of this elongated cramp is to tie a cramp up any length
required.
Fig. 9 shews a rack and ratchet cramp formed with one or two bars,
with rack (A) made either on the back or between the two bars, and
worked by means of the handle attached to the shoe or cane-head B,
sliding along either on or between the said bars towards the fixed cane-
head or shoe (C).
Fig. 10 shews another form of rack and lever cramp formed with two
bars made with affixed cane-head A or shoe fitted with a short screw B,
so that it may slide when required any distance in the length of screw,
and fitted on to the other end of the horizontal bars or two levers C, C,
one end being bolted to the bars as a fixture, and the other end of the
lever being bolted on to the moving or shifting cane-head, the other
ends of the two levers being bolted to a screw-threaded socket placed
centrally, through which passes a screw working between the two bars
on the opposite side to that where the levers are bolted, so that upon
the screw being turned by a ratchet, brace, or other mechanical move-
ment, the levers will be drawn up or distended in a line with the frame
of bars, so that it will push along or cause the moving cam head to be
pressed up to the other with great force, thereby cramping or pressing
anything between the two heads.
Fig. 11 shews an elongated lift or lifting and lowering machine formed
with a series of levers bolted at each end of a metal or wooden frame,
but a metal frame or carriage preferred, the power levers a, a, being

page_text: bolted to the supporting levers to the frame with their ends carried
down to the lower part of frame, and bolted to right and left screw-
threaded sockets B, B, through which works the screw, and turned by
a single or double ratchet, brace, or other mechanical moving power,
with the power levers travelling to and from the centre when lifting
and lowering.
Fig. 12 shews a similar elongated lifting and lowering machine
formed a series of levers, with the power lever worked or set up by a
rack and ratchet lever, or by the double ratchet brace movement, or
by any other mechanical moans.
Fig. 13 shews another form or arrangement of levers where a double
series of levers are employed for elongated lifts and lifting and lower-
ing machines where great power is required. This arrangement of
levers is also fixed to a frame or carriage, portable or otherwise, and with
the levers toothed on their ends to gear into each other, and attached
to or bolted on to the screw-threaded sockets with a right and left screw
passing through the whole series of levers centrally, and turned with a
single or double ratchet brace movement, or by any other of the known
mechanical movements.
Fig. 14 shews a lever, lifting scales, or weighing machine, by which
the scale of a weighing machine is lifted and lowered with the weight
or load on it. (A) is a series of levers, toothed on there ends to gear
into each other, and with their ends bolted to a frame which is sunk
under the scale, the other end of the levers being bolted to a screw-
threaded socket, through which passes a right and left screw, and by
a long lever ratchet brace movement; or this series of lifting levers or
mode of lifting can be put in motion more rapidly by another and a
separate lever forming handle, or by a rack and ratchet, or by a
pinion and chains. This mode of lifting applies to weigh-bridges as
well as to all kinds of weighing machines.
EL
Fig. 15 shews a lever pressing machinc, set in motion by a lever
handle, with a rack and catch or dog to drop as pressure is being given
to keep the pressure of the lever handle when in use. The series are
got up and arranged for working similar to the other parts of this
Invention. The same levers can be worked by a rack and pinion.
Fig. 16 shews a similar lever pressing machine, set in motion the
same as Fig. 15, only with the addition of its being formed in com-
bination with a lifting and lowering machine, so that the goods after
they have been pressed can be lowered or lifted at pleasure. This
lifting, lowering, and pressing can be made portable or fixed, but, if
portable, to be attached to a frame or carriage running on wheels, any

page_text: form of lift and pressure, and claim to use of this Invention to this
particular machine.
Fig. 17 shews a compressing machine formed with a series of levers
actuated and set in motion by a lever handle and ratch with catch or
dog, or with a rack and pinion, the levers being toothed on their ends
and bolted to stands or tables top and bottom, as before described.
Fig. 18 shews a compressing coupling formed with four or more levers
toothed on their ends, as before described, and bolted to two rings at
one set of their ends, and the other end bolted to screw-threaded socket,
through which passes a right and left-hand threaded screw to distend
or tighten up at pleasure centrally; two or any number of levers can
bc used.
Fig. 19 shows a folding or collapsing jib crane, with the jib distended
or collapsed by a series of joints or levers similar to the movements
of the lazy tongs, with a cross lever bolted to and running diagonally
from the pillar or upright shaft of the crane in the centre of the jib,
and forms a jib stay rod which is bolted to the arm of the jib, and is
made to travel on its centre, at the end of which is attached a powerful
screw passing through to a screw-threaded wheel, which is placed and
rotating by means of a screw gearing into a screw-tooth wheel, and
turned with a crank handle or wheel, so that the jib can be raised or
lowered, or expanded or distended at pleasure by the screw, and col-
lapsed or folded close against the wall or pillar. This crane can be
fitted with the usual spur and pinion wheel, with chain and chain barrel,
with the friction wheel, or fitted up with my improved chain gearing
fixed in the frame top e, c, and bottom of the screw. The chain passes
over the back friction wheel of the crane, and over the wheel and
through the eye of jib head D attached to the chain. Above the hook
is a ball weight E, the object of which is to weigh down the chain
when being let out. As this screw is worked up it takes up the chain,
or, in other words, uses up the length around the contracting and dis-
tending or expanding sheaves by means of the screw working out similar
to a telescope, so that this screw is worked up in or out or down, so is
the chain lengthened or shortened by shipping over the friction pulleys
in the sheaves. This mode of working collapsing sheaves or lifts I
claim as applied to cranes, crabs, pile-driving engines, and lifting and
lowering machines.
Fig. 20 shews the same description of collapsing chain lifts, but the
power is obtained from a series A, A, of levers, similar to Fig. 1 worked
by a central right and left-hand screw B, passing thro' screw-threaded
sockets; attached to the upper and lower ends of these levers is a frame
carrying a series of sheaves C, C, and friction pulleys over and around

page_text: which passes the chain; these levers expand and contract by means of
the screw and consumes or let out the chain, that is to say, it lengthen
or shorten the chain as the lever are raised or lowered or contracted.
This mode of of working the expanding and collapsing sheaves and lifts
is applicable to cranes, crabs, pile-driving engines, and other lifting
and lowering machines.
Figure 21 shews the application of the screw collapsing lifts A and
sheaves as applied to the folding or expanding crane B, with jib stays B,
rods worked or set up as before described, with the screw C, or with a
rack and ratchet pinion, and dogs, or catches, or otherwise.
Fig. 22 shews a improved folding and expanding slide jib crane
worked by a series A, A, of levers or joints, which form a number of
jib stay rods for the more substantially holding or distending the jib B,
and which is raised or lowered by the screw, as before described, or by
the chain by a bolt or stud attached to the lever (C), which is pressed
into one of the links of the chain in its passing over the jib, and catches
the chain, so that the lever being attached or jointed to the jib, it is
held fast, and the jib must rise with the chain till the stud or bolt in
the chain link is withdrawn; and in order to retain the jib to any angle
or position elevated, there is a short rack and ratchet pinion and lever
with a dog or catch with a handle, so as the jib is raised the dog or
tongue slips in the rack and holds it on the under side of the jib. This
extending and sliding jib B, B, is formed with two beams or bars made
into two parts, so that the half forming the jib head is fitted on two
rings or metal straps, so that they slide along on the other half, which
is jointed or bolted to the frame. This sliding or telescopic jib can be
worked by a rack and pinion, or ratchet, or by levers, or by a chain or
other mechanical movement.
Fig. 23; this shews a pendant crane formed by a series of folding
levers or joint with the jib B hanging from a bracket B arm, and made
to work out or in, that is, to expanded or distended by the folding of
the levers A, so that when not in use it can folded close against the
wall, frame, or a pillar, this folding or collapsing crane can be worked
by any ordinary crane gearing, or by any of the lifts or gearing herein
claimed as applicable for cranes.
Fig. 24 shews an improved folding or collapsing and expanding
derrick crane, arranged and constructed with a series A, A, of levers
or joints, which forms the jib stay rods for the more substantially hold-
ing and distending the jib. A is a cross or diagonal rod or joint bolted
on the crown or top of the upright pillar B or frame, and the other
ond C fastened midway on the jib, so that the jib can be raised or
lowered or set out and in by means of the screw D being centrally fixed

page_text: in a collar jointed to the jib; the screw passing or working through a
screw-threaded wheel F fixed in the upright pillar or frame of the crane,
so the screw can either be worked separately or in conjunction with the
winding-up gear, so that the jib can be lowered or distended, and can
be turned about as the ordinary crane with or without the load hanging
to it; and if required, the jib can be raised or collapsed while being
turned with the weight or load on or off by means of the screw and
screw pinion F; the screw wheel being a bevel toothed wheel, and
geared into by another corresponding bevel wheel G sliding on the
driving shaft, and moved in and out of gear by a lever and clutch, and
on the same shaft is fixed or keyed on another bevel wheel H of the
same pitch and size, which slides or moves with the shaft in and out of
gear. On this shaft is fixed the driving pinion I, which gears into the
spur wheel fixed on to the chain barrel K, and when lowering heavy
weights this driving shaft and pinion is intended to slide in and out
of gear. On this driving shaft is fixed a fly L wheel, turned with a
handle; the surface of the fly wheel is used as a friction wheel when
Buddenly lowering heavy bodies fitted with a lever break (M) with the
friction strap or block (N) pressing upwards on the under surface of
the wheel. When this pinion or driving shaft is thrown into gear the
spur wheel which is fixed on the same shaft as the chain barrel and in
work, the bevel wheels all thrown out of gear on the pinion shaft; but
when required to raise or to draw the jib in or to shorten the lift you
slide or move the lever (O) with the clutch, and slide the bevel wheel
H into gear with the other bevel wheel F on the screw, and when the
crane is required to be turned you have to raise a second lever P with
a clutch under a third bevil wheel (Q), in order to slide or raise the
this horizontal bevel wheel into gear, and which is made to slide on a
key-way up and down, in and on the upright or vertical shaft, and
which works in an upright or vertical position inside the pillar or
frame B of the crane, and centrally in a boss or collar in a cross head R
below the bevil wheel (Q) inside, and passing through to the latter part
of the foundation plate or frame, working in a metal clip or shoe. On
the lower part of this vertical shaft is fixed another cog wheel to work
in corresponding gear in the turntable of the crane (as shewn in the
section), that when the crane is required to be turned about, this
lever P with the clutch is raised with the bevel wheel, slide upwards on
the shaft into gear with the wheel, on the driving shaft being set in
motion by the fly wheel, so that by throwing all the bevil wheels into
gear the jib can be raised or collapsed, and crane turned round at the
same time the load is being wound up by the chain with a weight or
load attached or not by the driving shaft and fly wheel, so that either

page_text: one of the separate movements or the whole can be brought into action
by the one driving shaft in lieu of the crank handle, the periphery of
the wheel can be screw-toothed, worked by a screw; this I claim as used
to cranes.
Fig. 25 shews the application and form of gaining greater power in
chain barrels, and gearing to cranes to lift great weights speedily.
(A) being a straight barrel, and B a cone or conical barrel, over or on
the top, and the straight one below or underneath for quick lifts; and
again, I employ two conical (D), D,) barrels for the chain on the cones
being reversed for the small end to receive the chain off the larger end
or diameter of the other or upper cone or the fusee. The object of the
employment of this conical barrel or barrels or fusees is to obtain quick
or increased speed and power over the ordinary cranes; and what I
claim is the application of conical or fusees barrels to cranes, crabs,
pile-driving, and lowering and lifting machines.
Fig. 26 shews a screw lift A, similar to the common screw jack, fitted
into a frame with sheaves, and friction pulleys, being bolted or secured
on to the back part of the upright pillar or frame of the crane with the
chain passed round and over the sheaves B.
I wish it to be understood I do not claim the several parts taken
separately; but what I claim is, the combination only of the machinery
herein-before described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Charles Hill, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 7 day of July, A.D. 1857.
HENRY CHARLES HILL (L.S.)