An Apparatus for Preventing the Fall of a Cage in a Pit Shaft in any case where the Winding Rope Breaks.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 11th July, 1894-Accepted, 2nd Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Apparatus for Preventing the Fall of a Cage in a Pit Shaft in
any case where the Winding Rope Breaks.
GEORGE ARCHER 48 Awsworth Road Ilkeston Lace Manufacturer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In cases where a winding rope in a pit shaft breaks the proposed apparatus
prevents the cage from falling to the bottom of the shaft.
The guide ropes now in use are gripped by cams, the levers attached to them
are put in action instantly on the breaking of the winding rope, the cage is by this
means retained and held up at any point in the shaft.
Dated this 4th day of June 1894.
:
GEORGE ARCHER.
An Apparatus for Preventing the Fall of a Cage in a Pit Shaft in
any case where the Winding Rope Breaks.
GEORGE ARCHER 54 Awsworth Road Ilkeston, Lace Manufacturer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performned, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to an apparatus capable of being used with pit cages
which are guided by ropes, the object of my invention being the provision of
means which will prevent the cage falling to the bottom of the shaft should the
winding rope or mechanism connected thereto break.
In pit cages of the kind referred to the guide ropes pass through guides which
are generally fitted to the top and bottom of the cage at the corners of the
same.
Now according to my invention when applied to cages guided by four ropes
the four top guides are made with top and bottom bearings which encircle the
guide ropes and with a central bearing to the outside of the ropes, and I use
levers weighted by springs or otherwise and having eccentric cam shaped ends
which normally form central bearings to the inside of the guide ropes. The
weighted ends of these levers are connected by chains or their equivalents to
the winding rope and if this breaks, the weighted ends of the levers immediately
fall and cause the eccentric ends of the same to nip the guide ropes upon the
fixed central outside bearings and thus prevent any further movement of the cage.
It will also be seen that if desired the cage might be fitted with more or less
than eight guides and that all of the guides might be fitted with the weighted
eccentric levers.

page_text: --
In order however that my invention may be more readily understood and carried
into effect I have attached hereto one sheet of drawings which are referred to in the
following detailed description of my invention.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1. is a side elevation showing a pit cage with my invention applied.
Fig. 2. is a half plan of the same.
Fig. 3. is an elevation showing the position of the lever as the cage ascends or
descends with the winding rope unbroken.
Fig. 4. is an elevation showing the position the lever takes up when the winding
rope breaks, and
Fig. 5. is a section through the lever and guide.
C
In the arrangement shown the cage a is supposed to be guided by four ropes b
which pass through top guides and lower guides d, these being made in halves
to facilitate their application and removal. The cage is suspended from the ring e
It will be seen from
by chains and the winding rope is attached to.the ring e.
Figs. 3 and 4 that the inside central part of the guides c are cut away so as form
two guides c¹ and c² which encircle the guide ropes, and a central piece c³ at the
outside of the ropes. Fitted upon axles g and to each bearing c is an eccentric
cam which is grooved to partly encircle the rope as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5
and has attached to it a lever which may be weighted, or be attached to a
spring, or the eccentrics may be brought into action by levers having both weights
and springs. These levers are connected by chains or their equivalents to the
winding rope attachment e and so long as the winding rope remains unbroken, the
eccentrics are held in the position shown in Fig. 3 that is clear of the guide rope.
Should however the winding rope break the levers would immediately fall to
the position shown in Fig. 4 causing the eccentrics to turn on their axles and nip
the guide ropes against the bearing with a force sufficient to stop the falling
of the cage, and it will be seen that after the lever has fallen the weight of the
cage and its inertia would have a tendency to further turn the eccentric, a wedge
like action taking place between the rope, the bearing c³ and the eccentric.
In the drawings the eccentrics are shown as grooved to the same radius as the
rope, but the shape of the groove may be made to clip the sides of the rope, or
the grooves may be roughened by the formation of a number of saw-like teeth or
serrations in the same.
When the cage reaches the top or bottom of the shaft and is brought to rest
on its props or supports there will be a slackening of the winding rope and if this
was sufficient to allow the eccentrics to grip the rope, it is evident that since
this grip would always take place at or about the same place on the rope the latter
might be worn. This may be obviated by the use of an arm worked from the
prop lever or of a slide fitted to the cage, both being arranged to support the
levers and prevent the eccentrics nipping the rope when the cage is brought to
rest on its supports.
Although I have described my invention as applied to pit cages, it will be
understood that the same appliance may also be applied to hoist and other cages
which are guided by ropes or their equivalents.
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. In pit cages guided by ropes or their equivalents, the use of cams or eccentrics,
and levers weighted by springs or other means and so arranged and connected to
the winding rope, that upon the breakage of the latter the levers turn the cams or
eccentrics and cause them to grip the guide ropes upon fixed bearings between
guides for the ropes, and support the cage substantially as shown and described in
the accompanying drawings and Specification.
2. In pit cages guided by ropes the combination and arrangement of the

page_text: apparatus shown and described in the accompanying drawings and Specification,
for the purpose therein set forth.
..
CT1100+
W. H. POTTER, M.I.M.E.,
Patent Agent,
Nottingham, Agent for the Applicant.