AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS IN WINDING FROM PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION FROM MINES, WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Knowles, junior, of Saint Helen's in the
County of Lancaster, Mining Engineer, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS IN WINDING FROM
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Knowles, junior,
at the Office of the. Commissioners of Patents, with, his Petition, on
the 14th October 1856.
I, JOHN KNOWLES, jun, of Saint Helen's in the County of Lancaster,
Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENT IN WINDING FROM
MINES, WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES," to be
as follows
My Invention is designed for the prevention of accidents caused by the rope
or other winding medium running too far over the winding drum or pulley,
and consequently carrying the weight attached to it against such pulley, to the
danger of life and property; and is equally applicable, whether used in mines
or in other situations where weights are suspended and wound by ropes, &c.,
either with or without winding pulleys.
The Invention consists in the use of a pair of lever-like arms, each having
the centre of motion at a point about the middle; these arms are each
furnished at one extremity with a projecting pin or stud, which are forced

page_text: and held together by means of springs at the opposite diverging or widening
ends of the arms, and are embraced at the point of contact by an eye
or fork situated between the two arms, so as to form a strong bearing for
the link which they clasp. Supposing the apparatus to be properly secured
at the required situation in the chain, &c., that is, one link being secured
in the clasp at the upper end, and the other link being attached by means
of intermediate connected links or rods to the centre of suspension, and
an upward motion is imparted to the chain and weight as it is wound over
the pulley, when the weight has reached the required height the lower
diverging ends of the levers will strike against the bearings of the winding
pulley (if so desired and applied), which will have the effect of closing these
ends and opening the jaws or clasp retaining the link, by which means the
chain, &c. will be set free at the upper part of the weight entirely disconnected
before reaching the pulley, and thus prevent accidents. It will be evident
that this apparatus may be of different constructions, all so contrived as to
embrace the principle of a self-acting detaching clasp for winding from mines
and other similar purposes; and also that details may be added, such as stops,
to prevent the jaws opening too wide; and also the centres of suspension may
either be above. or below that of motion, and may be strengthened by inter
posing rods and links in any required form.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Knowles, junior, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th April 1857.
-TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
KNOWLES, junior, of Saint Helen's, in the County of Lancaster, Mining
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date, the Fourteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Knowles, Her especial licence that I, the said John Knowles, .my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Knowles, 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 AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE

page_text: PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS IN WINDING FROM MINES, WHICH I DENOMINATE ' A SELF-
DETACHING CLASP,' WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER SIMILAR PUR-
POSES," upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the said John Knowles, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 John Knowles, 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
and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:
My Invention is designed for the prevention of accidents caused by the rope
or other winding or suspending substitute running too far over the winding
drum or pulley, and consequently carrying the weight attached to it against
such pulley, to the danger of life and property; and is equally applicable;
whether used in mines or in other situations where weights are suspended and
wound by ropes, &c., either with or without winding pulleys.
:
་
The Invention consists in the use of a pair of lever-like arms, each having the
centre of motion at a point about the middle; these arms are each furnished at
one extremity with a projecting pin or stud, which are forced and held together
by means of springs at the opposite diverging ends of the arms, and are em-
braced at the point of contact by an eye or fork situated between the two arms,
so as to form a strong bearing for the link which they clasp. Supposing the
apparatus to be properly secured at the required situation in the chain, &c.;
that is, one link being secured in the clasp at the upper end, and the other link
being attached by means of intermediate connecting links or rods to the centre
of suspension, and an upward motion is given to the chain and weight as it is
wound over the pulley; when the weight has reached the required height
the lower diverging ends of the levers will strike against the bearings of
the winding pulley (other bar placed for the purpose) if so designed and
applied, which will have the effect of closing these ends and opening the jaws
or clasp retaining the link, by which means the chain, &c. will be set free at
the upper part, and the weight entirely disconnected before reaching the
pulley, and thus prevent accidents. It will be evident that this apparatus may:
be of different constructions, all so contrived as to embrace the principle of a
"self-acting detaching clasp" for winding from mines and other similar purposes;
and also that details may be added, such as stops, to prevent the jaws opening
too wide; and also the centres of suspension may be either above or 'below that

page_text: of motion, and may be strengthened by interposing rods and links in any
required form.
In order that this Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made about half the
real size, and having similar letters of reference marked upon corresponding
parts of the apparatus throughout all the Figures.
Figs. 1, 2, and 3 exhibit the different forms in which the clasp may be
made, each Figure shewing a front and side view of each clasp; Fig. 4 shews
the clasp as opened and detached from the chain by coming in contact with
the beam shewn in section.
"
Fig. 1 illustrates that description of clasp in which the connecting links and
centre of suspension is above that of motion; Fig. 2, where the arrangement
is reversed; and Fig. 3, in which the centre of suspension is below that of
motion; but differently connected by links or rods to that shewn in Fig. 2. In
the various Figures, a, a, are the arms or levers, in the upper part of which
are the pins or studs b, b, which, when forced together by the springs c, c, 'and
the weight upon the chain clasp, the link d thus forming a firm joint at the
upper end, the fastening at the lower end being formed by means of the
connecting rods e, e, attached to the link f.
.:Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together
with the manner of performing the same, I wish it to be distinctly understood
that I claim,
First, the novel application and use of the levers or arms and the pins or
studs for clasping the link of the chain at the upper end of the clasp, together
with the various methods of attaching the chain or rope at the lower extremity
of the clasp.
.
And, secondly, the general arrangement and construction of the apparatus
constituting the "self-acting detaching clasp," as herein-before described, set
forth, and fully exhibited in the accompanying Drawings..
In witness whereof, I, the said John Knowles, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
JOHN KNOWLES, JUN. (L.B.)