US1100304A - Safety appliance for mine-hoists. - Google Patents

Description

W. E. HOUSMAN.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOB. MINE HOISTS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.30, 1912.

' Patented June 16, 1914.

2 SHEBTSSHEET 1.

o N a o u r h m o m o m m 5 O \o o \O I o I o F GE 0 O M, \O o o \m Q o o o o o a 0 UE o 0 INVENTOR COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.,wAsHlNu'mN, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER E. HOUSMAN, 0E SGOTTIDA'LE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR MINE-I-IOISTS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER E. HOUSMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scottdale, in the county of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Safety Appliance for Mine- Hoists, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to safety appliances used in connection with mine hoists and more particularly relates to the construction of appliances for use at the ground level of such hoists.

One object of this invention is to provide apparatus for use on the hoists of mine shafts having means whereby the possibility of opening the safety gates used at such mine hoists is overcome and prevented at all times, except when the mine cages are at the ground level or top of the mine shaft or hoist.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking device for the safety gates at mine hoists having novel means whereby the gates are automatically locked in their closed position at all times when the mine cages are not in their raised position at the ground level or head of the mine shaft.

A further object of my invention is to provide a gate locking device having novel operating mechanism whereby the latches for locking the safety gates are actuated and released when the cages are in lifted position at the top of the mine shaft or hoist.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation showing the novel safety appliance and operating mecha' nism forming this invention as applied for use in locking the safety gate in closed position at the top of a mine hoist. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing the latch device by which the safety gates are automatically locked in closed position in accordance with this invention.

In the drawings, the numeral 2 designates a mine shaft or hoist in which the hoisting cage 3 is mounted. The sides of the shaft are provided with guides 4 for the cage 3 constructed and arranged in the usual manner.

The top of the cage 3 is equipped with rails 5 forming a track on the cage on which the mine cars are supported while being car- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 30, 1912.

Patented June 16, 1914. Serial No. 674,253.

ried between the top and bottom of the shaft. The rails 5 are located to be in alinement with the track rails 5 when the cage is in lifted position at the top of the shaft and, when in lowered position, to be in line with the corresponding track rails located at the bottom of the shaft.

The top of the shaft is inclosed in such manner that the only entrance thereto is between the posts 6 and 6*, when the gate 7 1s swung into its open position. The gate 7 is hinged to the post 6 in the usual manner, so as to swing from the closed position shown in full lines in the drawings into the dotted position shown, when entrance to the shaft from the top thereof is desired.

Secured to the post 6 is a latch 8 which is pivoted intermediate of its ends and on the adjoining end of the gate 7 a keeper 9 is secured, with which one end of the pivoted latch 8 engages in looking the gate in its closed position. The opposite end of the latch 8 is connected by a reach rod 10 to the outer end of one arm 11 on the bell crank 12 which is pivoted by the pin 13 to the pivot support 14.

Pivotally connected at a point intermediate of its ends to the outer end of the arm 12 of the bell crank 12 by a bolt 15 is a lever 16. The lower end 16 of the lever 16 is pivoted to one end of a link or reach rod 17, and the opposite end of this reach rod is pivoted to one arm 18 of the bell crank 18. The bell crank 18 is pivoted at one side of the mine shaft 2, on a pin 19, so that the outer end 18 of the bell crank 18 swings over the mouth or top of the shaft 2.

A counterweight 16 is provided on the arm 16 projecting from one side of the arm 16 so as to counterbalance and normally move and hold the levers 16 and 22 in the position shown in the drawings.

The arm 11 on the bell crank 12 is provided with a counterweight 20, suspended therefrom, this counterweight being of sufficient size to maintain the bell crank 12, the reach rod 10, and the latch 8 in its locking position (that shown in the drawings), and prevent the latch being lifted manually by taking hold of the latch itself.

The outer end 18 of the bell crank 18 is located and arranged to swing into engagement with the side of the mine cage 8 when the cage is in the position shown at the top of the shaft, as will be readily seen by reference to Figs. 1 and 2. After the mine cage has been lowered a short distance in the shaft the lever arm 18?" will freely swing above the upper end of the mine shaft 2. The upper end of the latch operating lever 16 is connected by means of the reach rod or link 21 to. the upper end of the lever arm 22, the arm 22 being pivoted by its lower end on the outside of the inclosure surrounding the mine cage in position so that the looking mechanism can be operated thereby.

l/Vhen the mine cage is at the top of the shaft in the position shown in the drawings, the lever 16 is rocked about the pin 15 by pulling on the lever 22. The lower end of the lever 16 through the reach rod 17 swings the bell crank 18 until the outer end 18 of the bell crank strikes or engages with the side of the mine cage 3. The mine cage then acts as a stop or heel so as to prevent further movement of the bell crank 18 and upon further movement of the hand lever 22 the bell crank 12 is moved so as to depress the outer end of the arm 11. This downward movement of the arm 11 depresses one end of the latch 8 through the medium of the connecting reach rod 10, and lifts the latch out of engagement with the keeper 9 on the gate 7 so as to release the gate and permit it to be swung outwardly on its hinges from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 intothe position shown dotted in this figure.

When it is desired to lower the cage in the mine the first step is to close the gate 7. The lever 22' is then again moved into the position shown in the drawings which causes the latch to be again lowered into locking engagement with the keeper 9 on the gate 7. The cage ofthe hoist is then lowered' into the shaft. of the mine and as long asthe cage is not in itsupper or raised position, the; outer end 18 of, the bell crank 18 cannot engage with the mine cage and will swing freely, when the levers-22 and 16 are rocked or moved.

In the absence of the cage to form a stop for the bell crank 18, should the lever 22 bezmoved from the position shown in Fig. 1, the lever 16 will swing on the pin 15 and its lower end will through the reach rod 17 move the bell crank 18. The outer end 18 of the bell crank 18 in such case will swing freely over the mouth of the shaft and not meeting with any obstruction, such as is afforded when the cage is in its raised position there will be no movement of the bell crankj1;1, so that the lever 16 will swing idly and it will be impossible to lift the latch 8 until such time as the cage 3 is again brought to its raised position.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The apparatus is simple and is easily kept in repair. By constructing the locking apparatus as shown and described, a safety ap- 'pliance for mine cages is provided which effectually prevents any possibility of accident due to or caused by the gate remain- I ing open and thereby permitting access through the door way formed between the 5 posts 6 and 6 when the cage is not at the top of the shaft, and the possibility of miners or other workmen falling into the shaft is thereby avoided and overcome.

Modifications in the construction and arrangement of' the parts may be made without departing from my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A safety appliance for hoists comprising a. safety gate pivoted to swing into and out of closed position, means for securing the gate in closed position, manually operated means for actuating the gate securing means, said manually operated means being operatively engaged by the hoist cage in moving the gate securing means to release the gate, and being freely movable but inoperatively connected to the gate securing means when disengaged from the hoist cage.

2. A safety appliance for hoists comprising a safety gate pivoted to swing into and out of closed position, means for securing the gate in closed position, manually operated means for actuating the gate securing means, means on said manually operated means engaging the hoist cage in actuating the gate securing means to release the gate, said means being arranged to permit movement of the manually operated means without releasing the gate when the cage is not positioned at the top of the hoist.

3-. In a safety appliance for mine hoists, the combination with the hoist and a safety gate therefor of a latch to lock the gate in closed position, a bell crank for actuating said latch to release the gate, a hand lever to actuate the bell crank, and means connected to said bell crank arranged to engage with the mine cage in lifting the latch and controlling the gate releasing movement of said latch.

4. In a safety appliance for mine hoists, the combination with the hoist and a safety gate therefor of a latch to lock the gate in closed position, a bell crank for actuating said latch to release the gate, a hand lever to actuate the bell crank, means on said bell crank for holding the latch in locking position, and means connected to said bell crank arranged to engage with the mine cage in lifting the latch and controlling the gate releasingmovement of said latch.

5. A safety appliance for mine hoists comprising a safety gate therefor, a keeper on said gate, a latch engaging with said keeper to lock the gate in closed position, a bell crank operatively connected to said latch, a counterweight on said bell crank to hold the latch in locked position, a lever for actuating said bell crank to move the latch in releasing the gate, and means connected to said lever engaging with the mine cage in causing movement of said bell crank in lifting the latch.

6. A safety appliance for mine hoists comprising a safety gate therefor, a keeper on said gate, a latch engaging with said keeper to lock the gate in closed position, a bell crank operatively connected to said latch, a counterweight on said bell crank to hold the latch in locked position, a lever for actuafting said bell crank, and means connected to said lever operatively engaging with the mine cage to cause movement of said bell crank in lifting the latch, said means being arranged to swing freely without actuating the latch when the cage is lowered below the top of the mine shaft.

7. In a safety appliance for hoists, the combination with the hoist and a swinging gate therefor pivoted to move into and out of closed position, of means for locking the gate in closed position, and means operatively engaging with the hoist for manually actuating said locking mechanism to release the gate when the hoist cage is positioned in front of said gate, said operating means being constructed and arranged to move idly when the cage is not positioned opposite the gate at the top of the hoist.

8. A safety appliance for hoists comprising a safety gate mounted to move into and out of closed position, means for securing the gate in closed position, and manually operated means for actuating the gate securing means, said manually operated means being operatively engaged by the hoist cage in moving the gate securing means to release the gate, and being freely movable but inoperatively connected to the gate securing means when disengaged from the hoist cage.

9. A safety appliance for hoists comprising a safety gate mounted to move into and out of closed position, means for securing the gate in closed position, manually operated means for actuating the gate securing means, and means on said manually operated means engaging the hoist cage in actuating the gate securing means to release the gate, said means being arranged to permit movement of the manually operated means without releasing the gate when the cage is not positioned at the top of the hoist.

10. In a safety appliance for hoists, the combination with the hoist and a gate therefor mounted to move into and out of closed position, of means for locking the gate in closed position, and means operatively engaging with the hoist for manually actuating said locking mechanism to release the gate when the hoist cage is positioned in front of said gate, said operating means being constructed and arranged to move idly when the cage is not positioned opposite the gate at the top of the hoist.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WALTER E. HOUSMAN. Witnesses:

HARRY LAUGHREY, G. E. HINNEMAIER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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