US310738A - smith - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) 1

1. S. SMITH, Sr.

ELEVATOR. No. 310,738. lPatented Jan. 13, 1885.

WITWESSES" 9C (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. I. S. SMITH, Sr.

-BLEVAT0R- 'Patented Jan. 18, 1885. Ema/YQ lUNTTTn dTaTns FaTmTT Cri-Ton.

ISRAEL S. SMITIL-SR., CF VASHINGTCN, DISTRICT CF COLUMBIA.

ELEVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,738, dated January 13, 1885.

Application filed May 17, 1884.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Beit known that L-IsnAnL S. SMITH, Sr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevators, of which the following is a specification, referencebeinghad therein to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a vertical section through a shaft or elevator-frame, showing my improved locking devices applied to the cage unlocked. Fig. 2 is a detail showing the locking devices locked, as they would appear if the suspension rope or chain should break, or if the attendant desires to stop the cage or platform. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the locking devices and guideways, looking upward. Fig. 4s is a detail perspective showing the gripping-head of of one of the locking-levers thrown into locking position. Fig. 5 is a modification of the device for positively throwing the grippinglevers into action.

The object of this invention is to combine with an elevator certain novel and simple means, whereby the sudden falling of the cage or platform is effectually prevented should the elevating rope or cable break.`

Irior to my invention several attempts have been made to prevent accident in the event of the cable breaking. Such devices have been practically tried and failed to accomplish the result sought, mainly, for the reason that they are complicated and require many supplemental devices, which of themselves are liable to break and to derangement. It will be shown from what follows that I dispense with toothed racks and pawls, and that I employ compound locking-levers lwhich are of such peculiar construction that each external lever, arm, or head will make a compound or double grip when the elevating-rope is slackcned or broken, and consequently said devices rigidly and positively arrest and hold the cage or platform at or near the position where the accident happens.

The nature of my invention consists in certain novel and simple contrivances which are applied to the cage or platform of a goods or passenger elevator and to the guides or upright ways thereof, wherebyI render it impossible that serious accidents can happen should the elevator rope, cable, or chain break, or should there be any derangement of the :machinery which actuates the elevator, as

(No model.)

will be fully understood from the following description, when taken in connection with the annexed drawings.

Before describing my improved elevator I premise by stating that it is not only applicable to store-houses, hotels, and the United States 6o buildings; but it is also applicable to mines or underground conduits, where it may be safely used for elevating coal and other subterraneous products.

In the annexed drawings, A A designate the uprights for the cage B, which are constructed with guides C, having a double L- groove, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. These double L-grooved guides or ways C constitue one of the essential features of my 7o invention. These guides consist of lips a a and back bearings, b b, which maybe made of metal or wood and faced with metal, or they may be of wood entire. The cage lor platform is suspended by a rope, cable, or chain which in the usual manner is passed over a pulley, preferably grooved, at the highest point of the shaft. This cage may be constructed as shown-that is to say, it may be housed in, except at its front cud, which is left open for 8o the purpose of entrance and exit at the different iioors.

It is obvious that I may use a simple platform. This platform is provided with guides c c', which bear against the outer portions of 85 the guides C C and keep the car steady in its upward and downward movements.

Cn the bottom ofthe floor of my elevator I employ the following contrivances, to wit: F F designate two levers, which may be acted 9o on by springs S S, and which have their fulcra at cl d in bearings c e, rigidly secured to the said floor and guided thereby. The inner endsv of these levers F F are pivotally connected by a link, F', through which a perforation is made 9 5 for the purpose of receiving the bifurcation of a lever, G. This lever G has its fulcrum at f on a boss or lug depending from the floor of the cab, cage, or platform above described. This lever G is actuated by a cranked lever, Ioo I, to the arm g of which is attached a helical spring, II, alsohaving its bearings on the bottom ofthe floor of the cage. The longest arm of the lever G is attached by a loop, lz', (or in any other suitable manner,) to a cord or chain, J, or its equivalent, having a spring, O, the action of which will be presently described, to the suspension rope or cable J, which latter is used for raising or lowering the platform cage. y I

It Will be seen that the lever G serves a double purpose. It serves positively as the means for holding the locking-heads free from their bearings, and it also serves,in connection with the angular lever and the spring aforesaid, to retract said locking-heads, and to cause them to be brought into position for locking, thus positively arresting the car, cage, or platform in its descent upon breaking of the hoisting rope or cable.

I now describe the locking-heads which are used in combination with the double L-shaped grooved guides on the uprights. I employ T- shaped devicesz'zon each outer end of thelevers, which I prefer to make of steel. These devices z' i are so constructed that they present angular gripping-edges adapted to engage one corner or edge with the back of the overlapping lip, and the other corner or edge with the front of the overlapping lip of the guiding groove. Posterior or back of the cruciform guide is a shoulder, a, which is a re-enforce of the gripping device or shoulder of the lever. Now,it will be seen that the edges or angles of the cross-piece, and also the edges of the shoulder above referred to, will bind and make a positive bite should the suspension rope or cable break.

The car or elevator is suspended as follows: To thetop of the cab is secured two bars hav, ing extensions J passing down and secured rigidly to its sides. Between these bars is the vertically-slotted block K, through whicha cross-bolt, 7c, passes, securing it to the bars. To the block K is attached one or more cables, J, and upon its under side is attached the cord J, passing over pulley n', that is fast to the car, and over pulley m, that is fast to bar L. Upon the cables J breakng,the block will descend, thereby slacking up the cord and permitting the springs to throw the gripping devices into action.

I also provide means by which the attendant can throw the gripping-levers into action at pleasure. The following is the description of the said device: To the lever G near its outer end I attach a rod, M, which passes up through the bottom of the Vcar orplatform, which in turn is attached to a lever thatmay be pivoted to the side of car at a convenient height for the hand, or it may be arranged to be operated by the foot of the attendant. .The cord J is attached to the lever G by means of a spring, O. This has just sufficient tension to keep the cord taut when the gripping-levers are held out of contact with the guides, and allowing the cord to slack up and operate the gripping-levers. The spring 0 also permits the lever G to be moved-by the hand or foot device in the car or platform when the cord and cables are taut.

I am aware of Patent No. 91,775, to Scott, in which a grooved guide and gripping-levers actuated by a weight are used, and con- Sequently lay no claim to such combination,

my device being much more simple and effective, as well as being less expensive in construction and economy of space by the use of springs, thus doing away with cumbersome weights and obviating the necessity of additional room in the well for such weights.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. An elevator having grooved guides for the cage or platform thereof, in combination with spring-actuated friction biting-levers, as specified.

2. An elevator having extension-levers spring actuated, and constructed, as described, to bite the guideways, substantially as described.

3. The combination of spring-actuated levers having gripping angular jaws with a guide having flanged lips, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in au elevator, of grooved guides and spring-actuated togglelevers, substantially as described.

5. The combination of spring-actuated levers having cruciform end and back shoulders with the double-L uprights, substantially as described.

6. rIhe combination, with a platform in an elevator, of the double compound grippinglevers, theguides therefor, a spring connected to a lever, which vis again connected to the main suspension rope or cable, as specified.

7. The spring-actuated levers connected by a link, as described, in combination with the suspension-rope, the cage and the cruciform heads and the shoulders on said levers, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the spring-actuated gripping-levers connected by a link, the intermediate lever, and devices substantially as described, for actuating said levers, substantially as described. I K

9. In an elevator, the means, substantially as herein described, for checking `or positively arresting a car, cage, cab, or platform should the rope or cable break, consisting in spring-actuated compound cruciform locking-` levers and double-L-shaped guides, substantially as described.

10. The combination, with the double gripping-levers, of a spring-actuated lever for keeping them out of action, and va lever attached to the spring-actuated lever in the car for positively throwing them into action at pleasure, substantially as shownI and described.

ll. The combination, with the lever G, of the cord J spring O, and the rod M, whereby the lever G may be automatically or positively operated, thereby causing the levers to impinge and arrest the car, cage, orplatform, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses: ISRAEL S. SMITH, SR.

CHARLEs E. CARTER, GEORGE S. NEWTON.

IOO

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