Improvements in Hoists.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 8th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 7th Jan., 1899
Improvements in Hoists.
We, SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & COY. LIMITED, Manufacturing
Engineers, EDWARD WILLIAM LLOYD, formerly a Commander in the Royal Navy,
and LEONARD NEWITT, Engineer, all of Elswick Works, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows: --
This invention bas for its object improvements in winch gear for hoists, and is
applicable more especially to hoists such as ammunition hoists, where it may be
necessary to lift by turning the winch gear in either direction, and where consequently
it is convenient for the sake of safety to apply an automatic system by which the
weight being raised can never fall by overcoming the winch gear.
In ordinary winch gear it is common to find a system of pawls to provide against
such an accident, but these pawls have to be put in and out of gear whenever it is
necessary to reverse the direction in which the winch is to work; also it is open to
the inconvenience that the winch has to be worked in order to take the weight before
the pawl can be removed in preparation for lowering.
Now our invention gets over these objections, no adjustments are required before
reversing, and yet there is always a pawl in gear. Nor is it necessary to work the
winch or take any measures to relieve the pawl gear of the weight before lowering.
To effect this two ratchet wheels set in opposite directions are mounted on the drum
spindle, or a spindle directly connected with the drum, it is generally convenient to
mount these ratchet wheels one at each end of the drum. On the same spindle as
carries the ratchet wheels are loosely mounted two brake sheaves one alongside of
each ratchet wheel. The pawls for engaging with the ratchet wheels may either be
carried by the brake sheaves, and the ratchet wheels be connected to the drums or
the pawls may be connected to the drum and the ratchet wheels to the brake
sheaves.
Each part of the rope, chain or wire used for lifting, is led, as it passes off the
drum, round a pulley at one end of a brake lever to the other end of which is attached
a brake preferably a strap passing partly round one of the brake sheaves. The
working part of the chain then passes by the necessary pullies to its work.
For the service of ammunition we generally attach two cages, boxes, hooks, eyes,
or some other similar attachment to the working parts of the chain in such positions
that when one attachment is in the upper position near the gun deck with a
load on it ready for removal, the other is at the lower position, where it can be loaded
at the same time as the ammunition is removed from the upper attachment. To
serve ammunition rapidly the directions of motion of the chain are alternately
reversed. At the same time ammunition can be readily lowered from the upper to
the lower position. It is thus that our invention in providing a winch capable of
safely performing all these functions is an improvement on former systems, and
although applicable to almost all hoisting devices, is specially applicable to ammu-
nition hoists.
When a weight is being lifted a tension must be thereby produced on one part of
the chain whereas the other part will be slack. The tension is applied to one of the

page_text: pullies at the end of a brake lever and the brake is so applied to one of the brake
sheaves. This sheave therefore is held and the pawl in connection with it rides over
the teeth of the ratchet wheel and prevents it and the drum attached to it from
running back. If the motion of the winch be reversed the other brake lever is
brought into action with a similar result. Should it be desired to lower by winch it
is only necessary to reverse the motion of the drum when much of the friction due to
the brake lever will be relieved.
Lastly, if it be required to lower without the use of the winch handle levers or other
means are provided for relieving at will some or all the tension on the brake strap,
and thus allow the brake drum, pawl, ratchet wheel and drum to revolve at a speed
which will always be perfectly under control.
Improvements in Hoists.
We, SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH, & COY., Limited, Manufacturing Engineers,
EDWARD WILLIAM LLOYD, formerly a Commander in the Royal Navy, and LEONARD
NEWITT, Engineer, all of Elswick Works, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 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 has for its object improvements in winch gear for hoists, and is
applicable more especially to hoists such as ammunition hoists where it may be
necessary to lift by turning the winch gear in either direction, and where conse-
quently it is convenient for the sake of safety to apply an automatic system by which
the weight being raised can never fall by overcoming the winch gear.
In ordinary winch gear it is common to find a system of pawls to provide against
such an accident, but these pawls have to be put in and out of gear whenever it is
necessary to reverse the direction in which the winch is to work; also it is open to
the inconvenience that the winch has to be worked in order to take the weight before
the pawl can be removed in preparation for lowering.
Now our invention gets over these objections, no adjustments are required before
reversing, and yet there is always a pawl in gear. Nor is it necessary to work the
winch or take any measures to relieve the pawl gear of the weight before lowering.
To effect this two ratchet wheels set in opposite directions are fixed on the drum
spindle, or a spindle directly connected with the drum, it is generally convenient to
mount these ratchet wheels one at each end of the drum. On the same spindle as
carries the ratchet wheels are loosely mounted two brake sheaves one alongside of
each ratchet wheel. The pawls for engaging with the ratchet wheels may either be
carried by the brake sheaves, and the ratchet wheels be connected to the drums or
the pawls may be connected to the drum and the ratchet wheels to the brake
sheaves.
Each part of the rope, chain or wire used for lifting, is led, as it passes off the
drum, round a pulley at one end of a brake lever to the other end of which is attached
a brake preferable a strap passing partly round one of the brake sheaves.
working part of the chain then passes by the necessary pullies to its work..
The

page_text: For the service of ammunition we generally attach two cages, boxes, hooks, eyes,
or some other similar attachment to the working parts of the chain in such positions
that when one attachment is in the upper position near the gun deck with a load on
it ready for removal, the other is at the lower position, where it can be loaded at the
same time as the ammunition is removed from the upper attachment. To serve
ammunition rapidly the directions of motion of the chain are alternately reversed.
At the same time ammunition can readily be lowered from the upper to the lower
position. It is thus that our invention in providing a winch capable of safely
performing all these functions is an improvement on former systems, and although
applicable to almost all hoisting devices, is specially applicable to ammunition hoists.
When a weight is being lifted a'tension must be thereby produced on one part of
the chain whereas the other part will be slack. The tension is applied to one of the
pullies at the end of a brake lever and the brake is so applied to one of the brake
sheaves. This sheave therefore is held and the pawl in connection with it rides over
the teeth of the ratchet wheel and prevents it and the drum attached to it from
running back. If the motion of the winch be reversed the other brake lever is
brought into action with a similar result. Should it be desired to lower by winch it
is only necessary to reverse the motion of the drum when much of the friction due
to the brake lever will be relieved.
Lastly, if it be required to lower without the use of the winch handle levers or
other means are or may be provided for relieving at will some or all the tension on
the brake strap, and thus allow the brake drum, pawl, ratchet wheel and drum to
revolve at a speed which will always be perfectly under control.
An example of winch gear for hoists constructed in the above manner is shewn in
the drawing annexed.
Figure 1 is an end view and Figure 2 a side view; in this figure one only of the
ratchet wheels and pawls is shown. Figure 3 is a vertical section shewing the other
ratchet wheel and pawl.
A is the drum which can be driven either by hand or power. B is an endless rope,
chain or wire a portion of which is wound around the drum. C, C¹ are ratchet
wheels on opposite sides of the drum and fast with it. D D¹ are brake sheaves
loose on the drum spindle. E E¹ are pawls carried by the brake sheaves.
F Fare
friction bands passing around the brake sheaves, one end of the bands being fixed
at G G¹ and the other connected to one arm of brake levers H H¹. I I' are pulleys
carried at the end of the other arm of the levers.
The two portions of the rope chain or wire passing from the drum are led over these
pulleys then downwards and under guide pulleys at the bottom of the hoist and
afterwards the chain passes upwards and over a pulley at the top of the hoist. KL
are cages or other connections on the rope chain or wire.
When one is in its highest position the other is in its lowest position.
If the cage L is loaded the tension on the portion of the rope which passes over
the pulley I tightens the brake strap F around the brake sheave D and holds this
sheave fast and the pawl E consequently locks the drum A from turning in a direction
to lower the cage L but if the drum is turned in a direction to raise this cage the
pawl E rides over the teeth of the ratchet wheel C. Similarly if the cage K is loaded
it brings into action the brake strap F¹ but if say the cage K is to be lowered when
loaded and the drum is turned in a direction to lower it the turning of the barrel
relieves the tension on the portion of the rope chain or wire which passes over the
pulley I and leaves the brake sheave D' free to turn and it is then turned with the
barrel by the pawl E¹.
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
1. The combination of the winding drum, two brake sheaves loose on its spindle
or a spindle geared with it, two oppositely acting pawls and ratchet wheels, the
ratchet wheels being either fast with the drum or a spindle geared with it and the

page_text: pawls carried by the brake sheaves or vice versa, an endless rope chain or wire a
portion of which passes around the drum, and a brake for each of the brake sheaves
one brought into action when there is tension upon one portion of the rope chain
or wire passing to the barrel and the other when there is tension upon the other part
of the rope chain or wire passing to the barrel.
2. The construction of hoists substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in the drawing annexed.