Improved Means or Apparatus for Raising and Lowering the "Gates” ог "Fences" at the Mouth of Pit Shafts and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 21st Sept., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means or Apparatus for Raising and Lowering the "Gates”
ог "Fences" at the Mouth of Pit Shafts and the like.
I, JOHN BOFFEY of Laurel Cottage, Alma Street, Newhall in the County of
Derby, Fitter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved method of raising the gates or fence used
as a protection at the top of pit shafts and the like.
As now generally raised the gates or fences are formed with projections over
the cage and the latter strikes against these when it is being raised and drops the
gates or fence at the top of the shaft when it is being lowered. This method
entails a lot of wear and tear of the lowering rope and tackle and also strains and
tends to rapidly destroy the gates or fence by continually dropping and snatching
the same up.
The object of my invention is to provide an improved apparatus or method of
raising and lowering the said gates or fence and at the same time minimise the
wear and tear of lowering ropes and tackle and the tendency to strain or destroy
the gates or fence.
My improved apparatus may be driven from either the second motion shaft or
the drum shaft of the engine, from either of these shafts motion is communicated
by any suitable gearing to a worm or screw mounted in suitable bearings and
adapted to move a nut backwards and forwards in suitable grooves or bearings,
at each end of the slide this nut engages an arm fixed on a spindle carrying a.
quadrant on its outer end to the outer end of each quadrant is attached a cord,
wire rope or the like the other end of which is attached to an arm fixed on another
shaft in any suitable position on the headstocks this shaft carries a toothed
quadrant the teeth of which engage a cog wheel on a shaft also upon the
headstocks upon which are pulleys having cords, wires or the like the other ends
of which are fixed to the gates or fence and raise or lower it as the sliding nut on
the worm operates the arm on the first shaft or shafts herein mentioned, suitable
guiding pulleys being employed as required. The sliding nut is made in such a
way that after it has raised the gate a given distance it will continue to traverse
the thread of the worm and allow the gate to remain in its raised position while
the cage is raised to its full height so that the same apparatus may be used for
single as well as double decked cages. The apparatus is arranged so that the gate
will be raised the given height upon the last stroke of the engine or so that it will
be of the required height above the top of the pit shaft, say six feet, when the
cage reaches the top of the shaft.
It is evident that the apparatus may be worked double in the case of a double
pit shaft that is to say that a shaft or spindle with arm and quadrant may be fixed
or arranged at each end of the worm or screw to operate or raise and lower the
gate or fence at the top of each shaft.
Dated this 20th day of December 1894.
W. SWINDELL,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improved Means or Apparatus for Raising and Lowering the "Gates'
or Fences at the Mouth of Pit Shafts and the like.
66
"
12
I, JOHN BOFFEY of Laurel Cottage, Alma Street, Newhall in the County of
Derby, Fitter, do hereby declare the nature of this 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 relates to an improved method of raising and lowering the gates
or fence used as a protection at the top of pit shafts or the like.
As now generally arranged for being raised and lowered, the said gates or
fences are formed with projections over the cage and the latter strikes against these
when it is being raised and drops the gates or fence at the top of the shaft when
it is being lowered. This method entails a lot of wear and tear of the lowering
rope and tackle and also strains and tends to rapidly destroy the gates or fence by
continually dropping and snatching the same up.
The object of my invention is to provide an improved apparatus or method of
raising and lowering the said gates or fence and at the same time minimise the
wear and tear of lowering.ropes and tackle and the tendency to strain or destroy
the gates or fence.
In describing my invention reference will be had to the accompanying sheet
of drawings which will be deemed to form a part of this Specification, and upon
which :-
Figure 1 is a side view of my improved apparatus.
Figure 2 is a plan of same.
Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section on line "a a" of Figures 2 and 4.
Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section on line "66" of Figures 1, 2 and 3.
My improved apparatus may be driven from either the second motion shaft or
the drum shaft of the engine, from either of these shafts A motion is communicated
by any suitable gearing B, C, to a worm or screw D mounted in any suitable
bearings U, the said screw or worm as it revolves in a forward or reverse direction
moves a nut E, which is mounted loosely thereon, to and fro in suitable grooves,
bearings or slides formed by aud between the side framings F; at or near one or
both ends of the framing F is mounted in suitable bearings a spindle H upon
which is keyed or otherwise fixed an arm, pawl or the like G, the depending arm
of which is arranged to come into contact with the top of the nut E as the latter is
moved from one end of the worm to the other, the spindle H carries a grooved
cam or quadrant I on its outer end which moves with it and one outer arm of the
said quadrant is made of shorter radius than the other to start the gate slowly in
its ascent; to the outer groove of each quadrant is attached a cord, wire, rope or
the like K the other end of which is attached to an arm L of a toothed quadrant M
mounted upon a shaft N in any suitable position, the teeth of the said toothed
quadrant M engage a toothed wheel O on a shaft P upon which is a pulley Q
having a cord, wire or the like R the other ends of which are fixed to the gate or
fence S and raise or lower it as the sliding nut E on the worm D operates the arm
or pawl G and with it the shaft H and quadrant 1, suitable guiding pulleys T
being employed as required. The sliding nut E is arranged so that after it has
raised the gate a given distance as shewn upon Figure 1 it will continue to traverse
the thread of the worm and engage the flat part G¹ of the arm G and so allow
the gate to remain in its raised position while the cage is raised to its full
height; the same apparatus may be used for double as well as single decked
cages.
The apparatus is arranged so that the gate will be raised the given height upon
the last stroke of the engine, it being thus of the required height above the top of

page_text: the pit shaft (say for example six feet) when the cage reaches the top of the said
shaft; the length of the screw or worm and pitch of the thread and also the
gearing being arranged to this end.
It is evident that the apparatus may be worked double in the case of a double
pit shaft that is to say that a shaft or spindle with arm and quadrant may be fixed
or arranged at each end of the worm or screw to operate or raise and lower the
gate or fence at the top of each shaft.
The apparatus is shewn double upon the right hand side of Figure 1, the
corresponding parts being indicated by the same letters of reference but for the
sake of convenience, only one shaft and gate are shewn on the left hand side of
the figure it will however be readily understood how another gate at the top of
another shaft may be operated by the means illustrated through the medium of the
rope or the like R' and suitable guiding pulleys mounted upon any suitable
framework.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved device for raising and lowering the gates or fences at the
mouths of pit shafts and the like operated from the drum shaft or second motion
shaft A of the engine, consisting of gearing B, C, worm or threaded spindle D,
nut E, traversing slides F and engaging arm or pawl G, G' on spindle H,
quadrant I, cord, wire, rope or the like K, toothed quadrant M with arms L, said
toothed quadrant engaging a toothed wheel O on shaft P, pulley wheel Q to which
is affixed the cord, wire, rope or the like R passing round or about suitable
guiding pulleys T and being secured to the gate or fence S substantially as
described and illustrated.
2. The double application of my invention substantially as and for the purposes
described and illustrated.
Dated this 90th day of Sentember 1895
W. SWINDELL,
Agent for the Applicant.