IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING OR MITIGATING THE INJURIOUS EFFECTS. OF SLACK ROPES IN PIT-SHAFTS
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alfred Julius Boult at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd May 1882. Communicated to
him from abroad by Messrs. Gildemeister and Kamp of Dortmund in the
German Empire
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of the firm of W. P. Thompson & Boult, Agents for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, and
6 Lord Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING OR MITIGATING THE INJURIOUS EFFECTS. OF
SLACK ROPES IN PIT-SHAFTS "
Communicated to him from abroad by Messrs.
Gildemeister and Kamp of Dortmund in the German Empire
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for obviating the difficulties
which generally arise from slacknes of the suspension rope in the hoisting machinery
used in mining pits or shafts.
One form of apparatus embodying this invention is constructed as follows:
In the space within the shaft, say at the pits mouth, there is a movable frame
carried by bars engaging with links upon bolts on the four corners of the said
frame; the supporting bars are fastened upon and are capable of rotary motion
with shafts on which are fixed other levers that are connected with a crossbar on
the piston rod of a hydraulic cylinder in which there is a plunger piston
(Manschettenkolben) whose upstroke is limited by a suitable guide box in the
cylinder. A three way cock regulates the flow of water into and from the cylinder.
The distance through which the movable frame rises and descends is regulated by
the stroke of the piston. On the frame (whose motion is controlled by the
pressure in the hydraulic cylinder) are provided lever arms, supports or claws
entering within the pit shaft when a hand lever, which controls by means of the
threeway cock the pressure in the cylinder, is pulled in one direction. This
motion of said claws is effected by a roller which takes upon a lever so fixed on
the movable frame as to act, through connecting rods, upon the shafts which carry
said claws.
Now when the cage by reason of the slack in the rope, in descending passes
beyond the required level, the pressure in the cylinder is raised by admitting water

page_text: into the same and the claws being below the cage the upstroke of the piston raises
the cage to the required extent. When the change of corves or wagons has been
effected, the water is allowed to escape from the cylinder and the weight of the
cage causes the claws to descend with the latter till the rope is taut, and without
sudden strain upon the rope; when the cage is fairly suspended on the rope and
begins to rise, the claws are withdrawn by counterweights leaving the shaft free
for repeated operation. The same operations are repeated when the cage is raised
or lowered to receive another truck or when the next cage takes its place.
The flow of water can by means of the lever by which the three way cock is
operated be checked as soon as the claws are released from the weight of the cage
so that waste of water is avoided
Instead of rising one cylinder and connecting its piston rod with the movable
frame by levers four cylinders communicating with one another may be used and
their piston rods act directly upon the four corners of said frame, but in this case
the latter will require to be provided with suitable guides
In cases where by reason of the cages being arranged to receive three or four
trucks or wagons placed on the same in succession the load of one cage is not
capable at the beginning of the operation to exactly balance the other cage, the
following arrangement may be used at the pits mouth and will allow the cage to
pass without assistance from the claws.
With shafts capable of rotary motion in suitable bearings are connected claws
which receive the cage. A suitable lever arrangement so connects the shafts that
rotary motion of the one shaft causes similar motion in the opposite direction of
the other shafts. With the shafts are likewise connected two sets of levers which
on the other hand are connected with the hydraulic apparatus and serve to
determine the motion of the said shafts and claws. On one of the shafts is
mounted a handle and when this is pulled it causes by a bar with a nose, and
without the aid of the hydraulic apparatus the shafts to move the claws out of
the way of the cage; the handle does not affect the hydraulic apparatus between
which and the former extends a connecting rod in a slot of which a stud or the
like on the handle works
In the frame of the hydraulic apparatus one shaft is provided for each side of
the pit and on the last named shafts are pivotted levers having rollers at each
end; One arm of these levers extends below the piston a projection on the lower
face of which works in grooves in the rollers. In grooves on the rollers at the
other end of the lastmentioned levers work bars operated by the claw shafts so
that the motion of the claws can be transmitted to and modified by the piston
Whilst the cage rests on the claws and is to remain stationary they are caused to
maintain a horizontal position through the pressure in the hydraulic cylinder
which counterbalances the weight of the cage; when the latter is ready to ascend
or descend the water is allowed to flow out of the cylinder and the piston gradually
yields allowing the cage to descend gently till the rope is taut when the hoisting
engine is brought into operation as hereinabove indicated with reference to the
first described arrangement. A suitable counter weight arrangement closes the
outlet of the cylinder at the proper moment
As will appear from the above description the hydraulic apparatus of this
improved machinery or device only serves to prevent or modify the short fall of
the cage (when the rope is slack) after it has been attended to and just before the
hoisting engine has become operative but the arrangements above described do not
provide any means to correspondingly raise the cages a short distance which may
in some cases be necessary and it is desirable to provide for this in such manner
that the two contrivances shall work in unison.
In some cases where the slackness in the rope is liable to become considerable
such an arrangement will be used with advantage. This arrangement, now about
to be described is more especially designed for use at the pits mouth, though it may
conveniently be used at the bottom also.
The lower part of this form of apparatus is substantially the same as that first

page_text: herein described, the claws on its frame. are arranged substantially like those last
described.
A supplementary cylinder is provided and may be worked by water steam
compressed air or the like. By producing pressure under the piston in the same
the frame with the claws &c is raised as far as it can rise and such pressure
maintains the whole in its highest position whilst at the same time, the cock of
the main cylinder of this arrangement being closed, the claws are kept in horizontal
position.
If the cage resting on the claws is to be suspended in the pit a hand lever is
operated which is by a rod connected with another lever at the end of which there.
is a quadrant which works (by a cogwheel) the plug of the cock of the
supplementary cylinder. The last mentioned lever also works a rack frame having
a spring to ensure its gearing with a toothed wheel on the cock of the main
cylinder on which cock there is a counterweight; the hydraulic cylinder for
operating the claws in this arrangement rises and descends with the movable
frame.
When by operation of the handlever, as stated, the frame descends the rack
frame acts so that when the whole is at its lowest position the weight of the cage
will depress the claws and so enable the former to pass.
The claws will right themselves automatically when released by the cage.
By reversing the motion of the handlever the apparatus will again be ready for
operation
A similar effect to that above mentioned is caused by the following arrangement.
On the movable frame there are clawshafts running in bearings; on these shafts
are fixed the claws for receiving the cage frames.
There are likewise firmly connected with the shaft arms upon which are
mounted so as to be capable of rotation rollers, running on studs, At the sides of
the shaft there are fixed guide bars against which the said rollers bear by reason
of the effect of a counterweight
When in consequence of a dimminution of pressure under the piston in the
cylinder the frame moves downward the rollers arrive at inclines on the guide bars
and the claws are set.
In the opposite movement the rollers carry the claws into a horizontal position
so that they are inclined for receiving the cage; when the latter rises the claws
rise when it descends they go downward with the lowering cage so that the frame
thereon can slide past without being lifted off.
The outflow of water from the cylinder is effected by a single armed hand lever
at the pits mouth or by a two armed pressure lever viz: an angle lever placed as
stated and connected with an other angle lever on the shaft of the reversing lever
by a connecting rod.
When the lever for admitting the water is pulled at the pit bottom the angle
lever connected therewith exerts traction upon the connecting rod and the hand
lever at the top, rises or falls according as it is made two armed for pressure or one
armed for lifting or one angle lever moves in accordance with the other.
By pulling the connecting wire, by movement in the opposite direction of the
levers at the top, a corresponding movement, also in opposite direction, of the
reversing lever at the bottom will take place whereby the water can flow out and
the arrangement at the top can descend'