IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAVELLING HOISTING GEAR
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1887
Complete Left, 24th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 13th Apr., 1888
WILLIAM GEORGE SCOTT of the Cheshire Lines Railway, Liverpool in the
County of Lancaster Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAVELLING HOISTING GEAR to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in travelling hoisting gear and the chief
object of my Invention is to enable the mechanism to be operated entirely from
the ground floor or level upon which the loading takes place and so to dispense
with the necessity for an attendant travelling to and fro overhead with the hoist
carriage also to provide means whereby the traverse of the hoist is stopped
automatically near either end of its traverse or at any other point desired.
In carrying my improvements into effect I mount the frame of the hoist on
wheels arranged to run on rails bolted on the flanges of an I girder secured to the
roof or the rails may be otherwise suitably supported; on a cross shaft which
forms part of the hoist framework I mount a loose sleeve on which is secured the
grooved or other driving wheel. Also secured on the sleeve is a pinion which gears
into a spur wheel secured to the axle of the chain barrel or equivalent winding
mechanism. On the cross shaft near the driving wheel is fitted an adjustable
slotted lever connected at one end by links or toggles to two cross levers also
centred on the shaft each of which lovers carries at each end a binder or tension
pulley for tightening the driving rope or chain and pressing it on to the periphery of
the driving wheel. The other end of the slotted lever is hinged to a fulcrumed
lever connected to the starting lever which is operated from the ground or floor by
means of a rope or equivalent to draw down the slotted lever and by the toggles to
force apart the ends of the cross levers thereby causing the tension pulleys to press
or bind the rope on to the driving wheel both above and below and so to give
motion to the chain barrel and hoist the load. The levers are so weighted or
counterpoised that when the starting lever is released the slotted lever assisted by
the tension of the ropes is raised and the binders are withdrawn a brake being
simultaneously applied to stop the driving wheel.

page_text: By a slight pressure on the rope connected to the starting lover the slotted lever
can be drawn down sufficiently to withdraw the brake from the driving, wheel and
allow the chain on the barrel to unwind and descend by gravitation without the
binders being moved so much as to press the rope on to the driving wheel.
The traversing motion is obtained from a separate rope or equivalent which
passes through two gripping dies placed one above and the other below the centre of
a grooved wheel which can be turned in either direction by means of a chain secured
to its periphery. Each gripping die has one loose jaw secured to a plate mounted
in slideways in the frame. To the grooved wheel is secured an eccentric which is
partially surrounded and is gripped by a leaf spring secured to the sliding plate.
When the wheel with the eccentric is in its normal or initial position the gripping
dies are open but when either end of the chain is pulled the wheel moving forces the
eccentric in one direction or the other to actuate the sliding plate and close one of
the dies which grips the rope whereby the hoist carriage is caused to traverse until
the other end of the chain is pulled down to open the die and release the rope and if
required by pulling the chain further to close the other die and traverse the carriage
in the reverse direction.
In addition to the foregoing arrangement for stopping the traverse of the carriage
I propose to employ stationary stops or catches by means of which the gripping die
is automatically released as the carriage approaches the end of its traverse or at any
other point desired.

page_text: I WILLIAM GEORGE SCOTT of the Cheshire Lines Railway Liverpool in the County
of Lancaster Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAVELLING HOISTING GEAR, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to improvements in travelling hoisting gear and the chief
object of my Invention is to enable the mechanism to be operated entirely from the
ground floor or level upon which the loading takes placo and so to dispense with the
necessity for an attendant travelling to and fro overhead with the hoist carriage also
to provide means whereby the traverse of the hoist is stopped automatically near
either end of its traverse or at any other point desired.
In carrying my Improvements into effect I mount the frame of the hoist on
whools arranged to run on rails bolted on tho flanges of an I girder secured to the
roof or the rails may be otherwise suitably supported on a cross shaft which forms
part of the hoist framework I mount a loose sleeve on which is secured the grooved
or other driving wheel. Also secured on the sleeve is a pinion which gears into a
spur wheel secured to the axle of the chain barrel or equivalent winding mechanism.
On the cross shaft near the driving wheel is fitted an adjustable slotted lever
connected at one end by links or toggles to two cross levers also centred on the
shaft each of which levers carries at each end a binder or tension pulley for tightening
the driving rope or chain and pressing it on to the periphery of the driving wheel.
The other end of the slotted lever is hinged to a fulcrumed lever connected to the
starting lever which is operated from the ground or floor by means of a rope or
equivalent to draw down the slotted lever and by the toggles to force apart the
ends of the cross levers thereby causing the tension pulleys to press or bind the rope
on to the driving wheel both above and below and so to give motion to the chain
barrel and hoist the load. The levers are so weighted or counterpoised that when
the starting lever is released the slotted lever assisted by the tension of the ropes is
raised and the binders are withdrawn a brake being simultaneously applied to stop
the driving wheel.
By a slight pressure on the rope connected to the starting lever the slotted lever
can be drawn down sufficiently to withdraw the brake from the driving wheel and
allow the chain on the barrel to unwind and descend by gravitation without the
binders being moved so much as to press the rope on to the driving wheel.
The traversing motion is obtained from a separate rope or equivalent which passes
through two gripping dies placed one above and the other below the centre of a
grooved wheel which can be turned in either direction by means of a chain secured
to its periphery. Each gripping die has one loose jaw secured to a plate mounted in
slideways in the frame. To the grooved wheel is secured an eccentric which is
partially surrounded and is gripped by a leaf spring secured to the sliding plate,

page_text: When the wheel with the eccentric is in its normal or initial position the gripping
dies are open but when either end of the chain is pulled the wheel moving forces
the eccentric in one direction or the other to actuate the sliding plate and close one
of the dies which grips the rope whereby the hoist carriage is caused to traverse
until the other end of the chain is pulled down to open the die and release the rope
and if required by pulling the chain further to close the other die and traverse the
carriage in the reverse direction.
In addition to the foregoing arrangement for stopping the traverse of the carriage
I propose to employ stationary stops or catches by means of which the gripping die
is automatically released as the carriage approaches the end of its traverse or at any
other point desired.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will deseribe the two Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed reference being
had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a plan Figs. 2 and 3 are side elevations and Figs. 4 and 5 are end
elovations of an arrangement of travelling boisting gear embodying my Improve-
ments, and Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are detail views of parts of the same.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
In these views. a designates the girder upon the lower flanges of which are bolted
the rails a' upon which the four wheels b of the hoist frame or carriage are free to
rune is the grooved driving wheel secured on the loose sleeve d supported on a
cross shaft or stay forming part of the hoist carriage and also secured on the sleeve d
is a pinion e which gears into a spur wheel secured on the axle of the chain barrel g.
On the cross shaft upon which the sleeve d is mounted is fitted the adjustable slotted
lever h connected at the upper end by links or toggles ¹ to two cross levers i also
centred on the aforesaid cross shaft. Each lever i carries at each end a tension pulley
or binder for tightening the driving rope ; which is kept constantly travelling in
the direction of the arrows Fig. 2. The lower end of the lever h is hinged to a
lever fulcrumed at k on a hanger k secured to the frame of the hoist carriage
and the other end of the lever k is connected by a lever to the starting lever m
which is fulcrumed on the hoist carriage at m and operated from the floor by
means of the rope n to draw down the slotted lever h. This causes the toggles
force apart the cross levers i and by the binders to press the driving rope on to
the driving wheel c and so give motion by the pinion e and spur wheel to the chain
barrel g whereby the latter winds on the chain yl and the load is hoisted. The levers
are so counterpoised in this case by means of the weight o on the starting lever m
that when the last named lever is released the lever h is raised into the position shown
on the Drawings whereby the binders are withdrawn from the driving wheel c the
motion of which is instantly stopped by means of a brake shoe q which is pivoted to
the carriage at ' and is drawn against the periphery of the wheel e by a link q
connected to one of the cross levers i. By a slight pressure on the rope n the lever h
can be drawn down sufficiently to withdraw the brake shoe q from the wheel c and
allow the chain g' to unwind from the barrel g without the binders being moved
sufficiently to cause the ropej to actuate the wheel c.
to
The traversing motion for the hoist carriage is taken from the rope p which is kept
constantly travelling in the direction indicated by the arrows. This rope p passes
through two gripping dies s s' each of which has one jaw fixed on a sliding plate t
which is free to be moved in slideways a secured to one side of the carriage frame
and the other jaw is fixed upon the frame u. The sliding plate t has a leaf spring th
fixed upon it see Fig. 6, which leaf spring embraces a cam or eccentric w¹ formed
on the boss of a grooved wheel w as shown best in the detail view Fig. 8. The wheel w
is mounted loosely upon the previously mentioned cross shaft and is free to be turned
in either direction from the floor by means of a chain or rope w² secured to its
periphery.
When the wheel w and eccentric ware in the position shown in the Drawings
both the gripping dies s s¹ are open but when either end of the chain to is pulled and
the wheel wis moved on its axis the eccentric w' acting on the leaf spring forces the

page_text: sliding plate t either up or down according to the direction in which the wheel is
turned whereby the rope p is gripped between one or other of the dies s s' and the
hoist carriage is traversed by the said rope in one direction or the other until by
again pulling the chain to the wheel and eccentric w are operated and the sliding
plate t is moved to open the gripping die and release the rope p and stop the traverse
of the carriage or by pulling the chain we still more to close the other gripping die
and traverse the carriage in the opposite direction.
On each side of the wheel w is mounted a small roller x or ¹ and secured to the
girder a by brackets are two rails or inclines y y'.
y
These rails y' are secured one near each end of the traverse of the hoist carriage
and agree in position with the rollers respectively. When the grooved wheel w
is moved on its axis to close one or other of the gripping dies s or sand traverse the
hoist carriage as described the movement of the wheel has the effect of raising one
of the rollers or into such a position that when the carriage is approaching the
end of its traverse the said roller comes in contact with its corresponding rail y or y¹
whereby the wheel w is turned back on its axis to open the gripping die release the
rope p and automatically stop the traverse of the carriage until the chain w³ is again
actuated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim.is-
1. The arrangement of travelling hoisting gear herein shown and described which
dispenses with the necessity for an attendant riding overhead with the hoisting gear
and enables the said gear to be operated and controlled entirely from the floor on
which the loading is effected.
C
2. The combination with the chain and barrel or other overhead travelling hoisting
mechanism gearing for driving the same the driving wheel and the driving rope j
or their equivalents, of the cross levers carrying binders or tension pulleys i¹ and
operated from the floor by means of a rope or equivalent and an arrangement of
balanced levers substantially as and for the purposes herein described and as
illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
3. The combination with the rope or its equivalent for traversing the hoist
carriage and a pair of gripping dies placed one above and the other below the centre
of a wheel free to be turned on its axis by a rope or equivalent from the floor, of a
leaf spring secured to a sliding plate for opening and closing the dies and engaging
an eccentric on said wheel substantially as and for the purposes herein described and
as illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
4. In overhead travelling hoisting gear the combination with an arrangement of
mechanism for regulating from the ground or floor the hoisting of the load, of an
arrangement of mechanism for regulating from the ground or floor the traverse of
the hoist carriage substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
5. The arrangement for automatically stopping the traverse of the hoist carriage
at any desired point substantially as shown and described.
6. The several constructions combinations and arrangements of parts embodying
my improvements in travelling hoisting gear substantially as herein described and as
illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.