Improvements in Lifts.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 10th Mar., 1894
Improvements in Lifts.
We, ALEXANDER SHEPHERD, and JOHN MALCOLM SHEPHERD, both of
111 Princes Street, Edinburgh, Merchants 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in lifts and has for its object to minimise
the possibility of accidents.
In accordance with our invention the doors in the various flats cannot be opened
unless the lift is stopped opposite to them. The lift cannot again be put in motion
until the door at which it is stopped be again closed when it is locked until the next
visit of the lift.
The rope whereby the lift is worked is, if inside the lift, enclosed in a box in which
there is a hole cut large enough to allow of the hand passing through and working
the lift. If the rope be outside the lift a hole is all that is necessary. Over this
opening a sliding shutter works which when pushed over the opening entirely
precludes the possibility of reaching the rope. To this shutter is attached a rod.
Each door when closed is locked by an automatic bolt which can only be raised by
the rod attached to the shutter. The said invention is applicable to all kinds of
horizontal or vertical sliding doors, as well as to hinged or swinging doors of hoists,
lifts and the like.
But in order that our invention may be more readily understood, and easily carried
into effect, we will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings-
Figure 1 is a part elevation, and Figure 2 a part sectional plan, showing our
invention as applied to a collapsible lattice work door.
Figure 3 is an elevation, and Figure 4 is a plan of the lock in its open position,
and Figure 5 is an elevation of the lock in its shut position.
Figure 6 is a part elevation showing our invention as applied to a hoist having a
sliding door and a lower compartment of the cage for luggage.
Figure 7 is a modification of the lock arranged so as to enable it being operated
whether the cage be a little above or below the floor level.
Figure 8 is a part elevation, and Figure 9 a part plan, of the invention as applied
to a lift up door.
Referring to the said drawings we suitably mount in one of the upright posts of
the lift's framework a lock A of a rectangular box shape in which is pivotted a lead,
iron, or other bolt B the front end of which is tapered or inclined so as to enable
the front end, which is correspondingly tapered, of a sliding rod C to lift up the
said bolt B so as to permit of the doors sneck or bolt D being passed through the
lock and so open or unfasten the door. The sliding rod C is formed or provided at
its inner or rear end with a sliding shutter C¹ which is formed with an opening c
through which the operating rope E of the lift may be actuated; said shutter C¹
being mounted in such a manner. that its opening c corresponds with the main
opening for the rope in the side or wall of the lift, when the lock is shut and the
door locked, and at the same time the shutter C¹is made sufficiently large so as
that when the bolt or rod C is pushed into the lock, so as to unfasten the door, the
rope opening in the wall or side of the lift will be covered up, so as to prevent
access being had to the rope E during the time that a door is open.
The action of the foregoing is such, that on the lift being brought opposite the
door that it is desired to open, the operator pushes forward the shutter C¹ so as to
cover up the opening to the rope E, this pushing forward of the shutter C' also

page_text: causes the front end of the sliding rod or bolt C to pass through the opening a of
the lock A and lift up the pivotted bolt B into the position, shown in Figures 3
and 4, and so permit of the sneck or bolt D of the door being passed through the
openings a' of the lock A, and opening c¹ of the rod C, shown more particularly
in Figures 3 and 4, so as to unfasten the door and so that it can be opened, that is say
folded пр close against the side of the post. It will thus be seen that when the door
is opened or unlocked the rope of the lift is covered up by the shutter C¹, so as to
prevent access being had to same for starting purposes, and the shutter C¹ is kept
in that position as long as the bolt C remains through the opening c¹ of the rod C,
that is to say, as long as the door is open, thereby precluding the possibility of
starting the lift as long as the door is open, since the shutter and the door are
interlocked. Likewise when the shutter is drawn back so as to permit of access
being had to the rope no door can be opened as the end of the sneck or bolt D will
only impinge against the side of the lock's bolt B, and so prevent the door from
being opened, owing to the said bolt B being in the position shown in Figure 5,
that is to say lying down across between the openings a' of the lock through which
the sneck or bolt D passes.
In order to prevent the locks bolt B being tampered with when used in an open.
framework lift, as shown, we provide a metal or other cup or cover F outside the
post opposite the openings a' of the lock A, as shown in Figure 2. And to prevent
the sneck or bolt D of the door being passed through the lock A before the
shutter C¹ has been moved sufficiently to cover up the opening for the rope E, we
form or provide the front end of the sliding rod or bolt C with a projection or
web e, against which the end of the sneck or bolt. D would come if tried to be.
passed through the lock.
When our invention is applied to a lift in which the cage is provided with a
separate portion for luggage, as is illustrated in Figure 6, we form, or provide the
shutter C¹ and sliding rod C with a depending rod or arm C² the lower end of
which after passing through the floor of the cage being provided with a corre-
sponding sliding rod C so as to enable the lift to be stopped or started either at
or from the passenger or luggage level, this being effected by one or other of the
sliding bolts or rods C, C, working in recesses or hollow cups F in the wall,
that is to say, the bolt which is not operating the lock A.
When it is desired to allow for the cage not being stopped exactly opposite or
level with the floor, as is sometimes the case, we form the sliding rod or rods C,
Figure 7, of a broader section and form the opening larger than the bolt D of
the door, so as to permit of the sliding rod C entering into the lock A, through the
opening a, which is also made larger and so actuate the bolt B of the lock A; the
said bolt B, being in this case kept in its normal position by means of a pin or
projection b³.
Our invention may also be applied to lifting or sliding up doors, as is illustrated
in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, in which case the bolt B of the lock A,
would be mounted vertically, that is to say, it would hang down from its pivot, in
such a manner, as to permit of its lower end 6' bearing on the top end of a rib or
flange D', which in this case, forms the sneck of the door, and extends down the
side or edge of the door from the level of the lower end of the lock's bolt B, to
the bottom of the door. The sliding rod C and shutter being prevented from
moving when the door is open by means of the flange or sneck D₁ of the door
engaging with and working vertically in a slit or groove 3 formed in the sliding
rod or bolt C, there being corresponding slits or grooves formed in lock and
upright for the flange or sneck to work in.
Our said invention may also be applied to hinged or swinging doors, as for
example, when applied to such a door as is formed in two halves, the action of
which are sympathetic, that is to say, in which the two halves open out from each
other simultaneously, the sneck or bolt of the door would extend across the joint
of said doors, and be provided with a suitable hinge or joint, so as to enable it to
swing out with one half of the door, during the time the door is being opened.

page_text: The foregoing thus provides an appliance for lifts, hoists and the like, whereby
the possibility of accidents is greatly diminished, owing to the fact, that, if a door
s open the lift or cage has to remain in a stationary position opposite the said door
until the door is closed and locked, before the actuating rope can be operated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is-
1st. In lifts, hoists and the like, the arrangement whereby no door giving access
to the lift can be opened unless the lift is brought stationary opposite the said door
and whereby when once the door is opened, the lift cannot again be started until
the door is closed, and whereby the door remains closed until the next visit of the
lift, substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying
drawings.
2nd. In lifts, hoists, and the like, having sliding, hinged or swinging doors, the
lock A, having pivoted bolt B, working in conjunction with the sliding rod and
shutter C, C, and bolt or sneck D, substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described, and shewn in Figures, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 of the accompanying
drawings.
3rd. In lifts, hoists, and the like, having an under or luggage compartment, the
lock A, having pivoted bolt B, working in conjunction with the sliding rods C, C',
and shutter C, recesses F' and bolt or sneck D, substantially as hereinbefore
described and shewn in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.
4th. In lifts hoists and the like, having lift up doors, the lock A, having pivoted
bolt B, working in conjunction with the sliding rod C, having groove and
shutter, and the flange or sneck D, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described, and shewn in Figures 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 14th day of December 1893.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicants' Agents.