IMPROVEMENTS IN CAGES, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH USED IN MINING
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Davies at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 24th September 1879.
WILLIAM DAVIES, of Treharris, Quakers Yard, Merthyr Tydfil, in the County of
Glamorgan. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CAGES, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
USED IN MINING."
The Invention relates to the adaptation and combination of cages and parts
connected there with used in mining.
In ordinary cages the rails are fixed to the bottom thereof, the latches or bolts
which prevent the trams getting off while the cage is in motion are likewise
attached to the bottoin of the cage. The latches are worked by a lever which is
moved right and left horizontally by the foot locking or unlocking as the case
requires. As soon as the cage is wound to the level of the surface the "fangs" fall
under the cage and support it while the man knocks back the latches by moving
the lever with his foot. After which the tram is pushed off.
According to my Invention a lifting bottom is also employed which consists of
a bed plate, to one end of which are fixed two brackets or projections which
project through the fixed bottom of the cage, the other end of the bed plate being
hinged to the fixed bottom so that as the cage "sets" the brackets or projections
rest on two lever stops or fangs while the cage itself lowers to its landing taking
with it the hinged end of the lifting bottom so that the lifting or tilting bottom is
inclined by the end to which the brackets or projections are attached being raised
while the other end rests on the fixed bottom of the cage.
To the bed plate is secured a wooden framing to which the tram rails are secured.
To this bed plate is affixed a shaft or axis nearly of the length of such bottom and
which is supported to work in suitable bearings. To this shaft or axis are affixed
arms connected by connecting rods with latches or bolts to lock the wheels of the
trams fast. To one of these arms also is fixed a bolt which passes through the
fixed bottom of the cage, and at its end is fixed a plate which strikes the fixed
bottom of the cage when the lifting bottom is raised, thereby acting on the shaft or
axis to cause the latches or bolts to be drawn within their sockets releasing the
wheels of the tram or trams, which are then free to run off at once by the incline of
the lifting bottom. To another of these arms from the shaft or axis of the lifting
bottom is fixed another bolt which acts to give a partial rotation to such shaft or
axis as the cage sets on the bottom of the pit, so that in the event of the cage
bottom not being required to tilt at the bottom of the pit this other bolt causes the

page_text: latches to shut back so that as soon as the cage sets the full tram can be sent on
pushing the empty one from off the cage as the latches are already back. This other
bolt sets upon a fang or stop lever which can be drawn back as soon as the latches
are open so as to close them again by pressing a foot on one of the handles or arms
from the aforesaid shaft or axis.
The fangs or stop levers are fixed on other shafts or axes, two for the hinged end
and three for the other or lifting end of the lifting bottom. These fangs or stop levers
at the hinged end are keyed to one of these other shafts, and the other fangs or stop
levers on which rests the brackets or projections of the lifting bottom are also
keyed on the other shaft, while another fang or stop lever is loose on this same
shaft and has a pin fixed in it which works in a slot formed in a short arm, which
short arm is keyed on the shaft last referred to. The extra fang or stop lever supports
the weight of the cage on the bracket end and is fixed in the centre between the
two other fangs or lever arms at that end; to one end of this last shaft is fixed a
hand lever which works in a quadrant, and as this lever is drawn back it acts upon
the fixed fangs or stop levers at the rising end of the loose bottom only at first
until the aforesaid pin in the extra fang or stop lever is brought home in the slot
of the short arm, the lever not being drawn further at the time this fang or stop
lever remains under the cage while the other fangs have been drawn from under
the brackets or projections to. the rising end of the false bottom, consequently
the lifting end drops to its place and is again ready for loading.
To one end of each of these latter shafts are fixed other arms, the outer ends of
which are connected by an adjustable connecting rod, hence the fangs or lever stops
at the fixed end are not acted upon until the pin in one of these last mentioned
arms next the rising end of the cage is brought home in the slot in this adjustable
rod. Thus the outer fangs or lever projections at the rising end only are acted
upon by the lever until the pins in the extra fang or lever projection and the
arm actuating it are home in their respective slots, after which the whole are acted
upon.
The fangs or lever projections differ from the ordinary fangs by having each
a tusk or toothed projection which comes against the supporting girders and
prevents such fangs from closing too far under the cages.
The adjustable connecting rod above mentioned is in two pieces, one of which is
slotted while the other has pin holes the slots coming over the holes. The pieces are
connected by bolts and nuts, by which means it can be adjusted to the proper
length. The shafting which works the latches may be entirely enclosed or boxed
in the handles at each end of the shafting working in a slot which limits their
circuit. To the fixed botton are attached india rubber washers so that when the
fangs are drawn from under the brackets and the lifting bottom falls to its place
the washers will lessen the jar.
When the cage is to be used for raising up men or animals a pin is put in a hole
in the quadrant referred to, which prevents the tram lever from closing home
so that the outer fangs at the rising end of the cage are kept from going under
the brackets to prevent tilting of the cage bottom for the time being.
.