IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFTS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Goddard and Joseph Robert Robinson, both of
No. 37, Camberwell New Road, in the County of Surrey, Engineers, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFTS."
Sealed the 16th April 1880, and dated the 30th October 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Goddard and Josephi
Robert Robinson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th:
October 1879.
.
FRANK GODDARD and JOSEPH ROBERT ROBINSON, both of No. 37, Camberwell
New Road, in the County of Surrey, Engineers. 'IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFTS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in lifts.
In hotels, warehouses, and other places it frequently happens that a lift with
small and light cages easily moved is required for the conveyance of parcels and
small articles from one floor to another, whilst another and larger lift is required to
convey heavier loads. According to our Invention we meet these requirements by
arranging two separate lifts to work in the same well hole.
We employ but one cage for the heavy lift, and it occupies the entire area of the
well hole, and we use for the smaller lift two cages which are able to pass each
other in the well hole, the one ascending and the other descending. The suspending
rope of the larger cage passes up centrally in the well hole over a pulley at the top,
and is attached to a counterpoise weight which can rise and fall between the guides
on one side of the well hole. This pulley is rotated to raise the cage by means of a
spur wheel on its axis which gears with a pinion upon an axis extending horizon-
tally from front to back of the well hole, and which receives motion from an endless
hand rope passing around a large sheave at its outer end, or in other ordinary and
convenient manner. A pulley from which the two cages of the lighter lift hang
suspended is mounted loosely on the same axis, but this pulley, when the light lift
is required for use, is made fast to the axis by means of a clutch. The clutch is
formed in connection with the driving pinion of the heavier lift, so that the pinion
slides out of gear with its spur wheel at the same time that the clutch renders the
suspending pulley of the light lift fast upon the axis. The suspending rope of the
lighter cages passes beneath small sheaves upon the cages, and is led up again to

page_text: the top of the well hole, where, by means hereinafter described, its ends are secured.
Thus it will be seen that when the suspending pulley, having been made fast with
its axis, is caused to revolve by the use of the hand rope, one of the light cages is
drawn up and the other is lowered, the one balancing the other. The larger cage
of the heavy lift always remains beneath the two cages of the lighter lift, and when
it is drawn up it carries before it either of the small cages which it finds in its
course to take up the slack of the light rope; when this occurs one end of it, after
passing over a sheave at the upper end of the well hole, is led down again beneath
a sheave upon the counterweight, and it is then again taken up to the top of the
well hole and made fast. The other end of the rope which suspends the lighter
cages is for purpose of more conveniently adjusting the length also led over a sheave
at the upper end of the well hole, and then is made fast to a short length of chain.
To secure the end a pin is inserted through one of the links of the chain, and by
changing the pin from link to link an adjustment of length is readily effected.
brake is provided to aid in controlling the cages.
A

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frank Goddard and Joseph Robert Robinson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th April 1880.
FRANK GODDARD and JOSEPH ROBERT ROBINSON, both of No. 37, Camberwell
New Road, in the County of Surrey, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFTS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in lifts.
1
In hotels, warehouses, and other places it frequently happens that a lift with
small and light cages easily moved is required for the conveyance of parcels and.
small articles from one floor to another, whilst another and larger lift is required to
convey heavier loads. According to our Invention we meet these requirements by,
arranging two separate lifts to work in the same well hole.
We employ but one cage for the heavy lift, and it occupies the entire area of the
well hole, and we use for the smaller lift two cages which are able to pass each
other in the well hole, the one ascending and the other descending. The suspending
rope of the larger cage passes up centrally in the well hole over a pulley at the top,
and is attached to a counterpoise weight which can rise and fall between the guides.
on one side of the well hole. This pulley is rotated to raise the cage by means of a.
spur wheel on its axis which gears with a pinion upon an axis extending horizon-
tally from front to back of the well hole, and which receives motion from an endless
hand rope passing around a large sheave at its outer end, or in any other ordinary
and convenient manner. A pulley from which the two cages of the lighter lift hang
suspended is mounted loosely on the same axis, but this pulley, when the light lift
is required for use, is made fast to the axis by means of a. clutch. The clutch is
formed in connection with the driving pinion of the heavier lift, so that the pinion
slides out of gear with its spur wheel at the same time that the clutch renders the
suspending pulley of the light lift fast upon the axis. The suspending rope of the
lighter cages passes beneath small sheaves upon the cages, and is led up again to
the top of the well hole, where, by means hereinafter described, its ends are secured.,
Thus it will be seen that when the suspending pulley, having been made fast with.
its axis, is caused to revolve by the use of the hand rope, one of the light cages is
drawn up and the other is lowered, the one balancing the other.
The larger cage of the heavy lift always remains beneath the two cages of the
lighter lift, and when it is drawn up it carries before it either of the small cages
which it finds in its course to take up the slack of the light rope; when this occurs.
one end of it, after passing over a sheave at the upper end of the well hole, is led
down again beneath a sheave upon the counterweight, and it is then again taken,
up to the top of the well hole and made fast. The other end of the rope which
suspends the lighter cages is for purpose of more conveniently adjusting the length,
also led over a sheave at the upper end of the well hole, and then is made fast to a
short length of chain. To secure the end a pin is inserted through one of the links
of the chain, and by changing the pin from link to link an adjustment of length is
readily effected. A brake is provided to aid in controlling the cages.
And in order that this our Invention may be fully understood we will now
describe it with reference to the accompanying Drawings, which illustrate a mode
of carrying the Invention into effect. Figure 1. is a front view, Figure 2 is an end'
view, and Figure 3 a plan of a lift constructed according to this Invention; Figure 4
is a perspective view of the lift as applied to the storeys of a building.
In the lift well are arranged a large cage A for heavy loads, and above it two
smaller cages B and B₁ for lighter loads, and arranged to pass each other, one
descending while the other ascends. The suspending rope a for the large cage A
passes over the guide pulley c and the pulley D which is fixed to a shaft d; the
other end of the rope a is connected to the counterweight N, which in Figure 4 is
shown in its highest position; on the shaft d is also fixed a spur wheel F, which in
Figure 3 is shown in gear with a pinion G on a shaft g. The latter is formed with

page_text: a feather, and the pinion G with a corresponding groove, so as to turn with the shaft
g. The pinion G can be moved out of gear with the spur wheel F by means of the
weighted bell crank lever H, to the one end of which a cord h is attached passing
down to the ground floor of the building, so that it can be worked from any of the
floors. On the shaft g is fixed a large sheave, round which passes the endless sus-
pended rope i, shown in Figure 4, for communicating motion thereto, and so raising
or lowering the cage A.
b
On the shaft g is also mounted a loose pulley K, from which the two light cages
B and B are suspended by a rope 6 passing over the said pulley. When the light
cages are to be worked only, and the heavy cage A is to be out of action, the pinion
G is by means of the lever H and cord h drawn out of gear with the spur wheel F,
and the clutch teeth G' on the pinion G are then made to engage with corresponding
clutch teeth or recesses formed on the boss of the loose pulley K, which is thereby
made fast with the shaft g. By pulling one side of the cord i one of the light cages.
is raised while the other descends, one cage thus balancing the other, or they may
be raised or lowered by the cord b.
The heavy cage A always remains beneath the light cages B and B¹, and will,
when raised, carry them before it when starting or in its upward course; the slack
of the suspending rope 6 of the light cages B and B¹ is taken up when this occurs.
One end of the rope b coming from the sheave P' on the cage B₁ is first led up over
a sheave L', then down again under the sheave M on the counterweight N, and then
The other end of the
up again to the top of the well, where it is made fast at o.
rope b is led over the sheave K, then down under the sheave P on the cage B, then
up over the sheave L and down to the hook, pin, or staple Q, to which it is made
fast.
As the rope stretches it can be taken in at this end, or the rope end may, as
stated, be connected to a short length of chain, which can be shifted from link to
link as required on the hook or pin Q. R is a brake drum on the shaft g fitted with
any ordinary brake, strap, or block and gear for actuating it from any part of the
lift well by a cord or chain when required. The rope a to which the heavy cage A
is suspended is at the other end connected to the counterweight N. The same
endless cord i used for working the light cages B, B', serves also to work the heavy
cage A.
And having thus described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,―
Firstly. The combination in one lift well of two cages for light goods, one cage
for ascending and one for descending, and one larger or heavy cage, or cage for heavy
goods; the light cages being worked direct, and the cage for heavy goods through
the intervention of gearing, but either the light cages or the heavy cage by the same
endless pulling rope, substantially as set forth.
Secondly. The combination in one lift well of two small cages for light goods and
onc larger cage for heavy goods, the former two counterbalancing each other and
the latter being counterbalanced by a weight, and all under control of the same.
pulley rope and brake, substantially as set forth.
Thirdly. The combination of parts for working the two cages for light goods and
the larger cage for heavy goods, substantially as described and shewn.
Fourthly. The combination of cages, counterweight, suspending ropes, sheaves,
pulleys, and clutch gear, substantially as described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Robert Robinson, for myself and on
behalf of the said Frank Goddard, have hereunto set my hands and seals,
this Twenty ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
J. R. ROBINSON. (L.S.)