IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Fletcher, of Salford, in the County of Lan-
caster, Iron Founder, and William Fletcher, of the same Place, Mill-
wright, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
Sealed the 1st August 1856, and dated the 6th February 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Fletcher and William
Fletcher at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 6th February 1856.
We, JOHN FLETCHER, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Iron Founder,
and WILLIAM FLETCHER, of the same Place, Millwright, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
WEIGHING CRANES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ELEVATING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists simply in the application of the ordinary weighing
beam to the "jib" or head of the crane, or other lifting apparatus, the shorter.
or fulcrum end of the beam carrying the pulley, over which the chain or band
passes to the weight to be raised or lowered. The chain passes from the
winding drum under a guide pulley, suitably situated as to cause the chain to
rise perpendicularly on to the chain pulley upon the weighing beam; it then

page_text: passes over the chain pulley, and perpendicularly down to the weight. By this
arrangement, the weight of bodies may be ascertained during the operation of
raising or lowering them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Fletcher and William Fletcher in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th August 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
FLETCHER, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Iron Founder, and WILLIAM
FLETCHER, of the same Place, Millwright, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
John Fletcher and William Fletcher, Her especial license, that we, the
said John Fletcher and William Fletcher, our executors; administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said John Fletcher and William Fletcher,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF WEIGHING CRANES, OR OTHER SIMILAR ELEVATING MACHINES," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that we, the said John Fletcher and William Fletcher,
by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the-same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
:
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Fletcher and William Fletcher,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention; and in "what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
Our Invention consists in the application of the ordinary weighing beam to
the "jib "or head of the crane, or other lifting apparatus; the shorter or fulcrunt

page_text: end of the beam. carrying the pulley, over which the chain or band passes to
the weight to be raised or lowered. The chain passes from the winding drum
under a guide pulley, suitably. situated as to cause the chain to rise perpen-
dicularly on to the chain pulley upon the weighing beam; it then passes over
the chain pulley, and perpendicularly down to the weight. By this arrange-
ment, the weight of bodies may be ascertained during the operation of raising
or 'lowering them.
'In order that our Invention may be, more easily understood, and explained
in detail, we, have hereunto. attached a Sheet of Drawings, which are made
upon a scale of about one inch to the foot, and have marked similar letters
of reference upon corresponding parts of the apparatus in both the Figures
shewn.
Fig: 1. is a side elevation of an ordinary lifting crane, to which our improve-
ments (for weighing and lifting, simultaneously, if required,) are shewn
attached; and Fig. 2 is a detached. view of the "jib head," having one of the
sides or bearings removed, the more clearly to shew the position of the pulleys
and the lever for. locking the chain or rope upon the same; this view also
exhibits the two centres or bearing points of the weighing beam upon the
"jib head," the one becoming the fulcrum of such beam when the crane is
required to weigh, and the other merely bearing the weight of the weigh-beam,
and its pulley, when the crane is required to be employed alone.
In Fig. 1, a is the main upright of the crane; b, the "jib;" and c, the
jib head," which is furnished with two bearings, one for the reception of the
fulcrum d, and the other for the projecting stud e, both of which are fixed upon
the weigh-beam f; at the same end of the weigh-beam f is situated the
pulley g, upon which the whole weight of the goods bears; below the pulley g
is placed a guide pulley h, in such a position as to allow the chain or rope to
pass from it. on to the pulley in a direct perpendicular line, so as to ensure.
the whole weight of the goods to be weighed. being upon the end of the weigh-
beam: At a convenient place near the winding apparatus is fixed a small
graduated steel-yard i, in connection with the narrow end of the weigh-beam f;"
by this connection the weight of goods is transferred down from the beam f to.
the steel-yard, thus rendering the operation of adjusting the balance and.
weighing more convenient. Upon the rod k, connecting the beam and steel-
yard, is placed a sliding apparatus, worked by the handle in connection with
the 'excentric l, which, by drawing down the narrow end of the beam f, will
raise the stud-e, and throw the weight upon the fulcrum d, bringing the
beam fand sliding apparatus into the position shewn in red; thus the weight..

page_text: of the goods, being balanced upon the beam f, is transferred to a more con-
venient position for adjustment upon the steel-yard i. Upon the rod k, which
is attached to the beam f, is a counterbalance weight m, used to counter-
balance the weight of the rod k and apparatus thereupon, and the different
weights of grapnel irons, &c. for holding the goods upon the chain; the lever n
above the steel-yard i is also for the better adjustment of these incumbent
weights. When the goods to be weighed are attached to the chain, it will be
requisite, in order to ascertain the true weight of such goods, that they should
be suspended steadily, (that is, neither be raised or lowered during the process
of weighing); to effect this object, the chain passes through the wedge-shaped
cavity or recesso, shewn in Fig. 2, and rod p, running along the top of the
beam f, rests above the chain in such cavity; the handle at the lower extremity
of the rod q being drawn towards the main upright a, will turn upon its centre
or stud r, and force the end of the locking rod p into the recess o, thus locking
or wedging the chain between the rod p and the pulley g.
The operation of weighing goods, &c. by our improved weighing crane, will
be more clearly understood upon reference to the Drawings attached, and the
following description thereof :-
The chain or rope to which the goods are attached, having been properly
placed over the pulley g and under the pulley h, and thence on to the winding
apparatus, the goods are attached by the hook or otherwise to the chain, and
are raised or lowered, as required, by the winding apparatus; during their
suspension the lock rod p is forced into the cavity o in the "jib head," thus
holding the goods steady for weighing. The handle working the excentric / is
now moved, to draw down the rod connected with the narrow end of the beam
f, and throw it upon its fulcrum d, as indicated by the red lines; the weight
now being upon the weigh-beam f, is transferred or imparted to the steel-
yard i, upon which the adjustment of the balance takes place, and from whence
the true weight of the goods can be read or ascertained with greater readiness
than if the weight-beam f were graduated for such purpose, such principle
being equally practicable with the arrangement before described. The crane
can be thrown into its former position (namely, that of the ordinary lifting
crane without the weighing apparatus,) by raising the handle and excentric,
and thus allowing the beam f to bear upon studs e, in lieu of upon the
fulcrum d.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention, together
with the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, we wish it to be
distinctly understood that we claim,—

page_text: First the novel application of the steel-yard or weigh-beam f to cranes or
other similar elevating machines.
And, secondly, the general arrangement and employment of the apparatus
appertaining thereto, as herein-before particularly described, fully set forth, and
exhibited in the accompanying Drawings, and comprising our improvements
in the construction of weighing cranes, or other similar elevating machines.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Fletcher and William Fletcher,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
JOHN FLETCHER.
(L.B.)
WILLIAM FLETCHER. (L.S.)