US431003A

US431003A - Store-service apparatus

Info

Publication number: US431003A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1890-06-24
Anticipated expiration: 1907-06-24

Description

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

0. W. MQOORMIOK. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 431,003. Patented June 24, 1890.

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STORE SERVICE APPA.B.ATUS.- No. 431.003. Patnted June 24,, 1890.

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STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

PatentedJune 24, 1890.

amounts a v Charles 7110 GormdaZa UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES IV. MCCORMICK, OF EMPORIA, KANSAS.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,003, dated June 24, 1890.

Application filed August 20, I889 Eerial No. 321,337. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES IV. MCCOR- MICK, of Emporia, in the county of Lyon and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Store-Service Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to that class of storeservice apparatus in which the track, fixed at one end by a pivot and adapted to be raised and lowered at the other end, so as to propel a car by gravity, is employed.

The object of my invention is to provide certain improvements in this class of storeservicc apparatus, which I point out in detail below by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an elevation of a part of my apparatus at the vertically-movable end of the wire track as it-would appear in use. Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of a part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, but drawn on a larger scale. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the pivoted connection of one of the bails to the. basket detached. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a stop and saddle detached. Fig. 4 is a plan view of an upper pulley and its fastening detached. Fig. 5 shows a part of a brace or stay mechanism detached. Figs. 6 and 7 show different views of a guide-loop detached. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the parts of the apparatus at the longitudinally-movable end of the track. Fig. 9 is another view of the same. Fig. 9 shows a part of the carframe having inclined shoulders to keep the car-wheelon the Wire track properly. Fig. 10 shows another view of the mechanism at the longitudinally-movable end of the track. Fig. 11 shows still another view of the same. Fig. 12 shows a modification of the mechanism at the longitudinally-movable end of the track for regulating the tension of the track, in which a screw, instead of a lever, is employed. Fig. 13 shows another modification in which a pulley may be employed. Fig. 14 is an enlarged plan View of a part of what is shown in Fig. 13.

Referring to the letters upon the drawings, A indicates an ordinary wire track pivoted ner at its upper end to the ceiling of a room and provided with a stay or brace E.

F indicates a pull-cord for raising the free end of the track, which is ordinarily lowered by gravity, but may be lowered by the pullcord.

IVith this mere outline of my apparatus in View, I will now proceed to describe in detail the parts that I deem to be novel and desire to secure patent protection for.

The wire track is secured not directly to a fixed support, but to a special longitudinallymovable support at its pivoted end, which support is adapted to regulate the tension of the track and to receive and retain and also at the proper time release the car. Referring to this tension-regulating mechanism, Gindicates a horizontal pipe secured to the ceilings or walls of a building in any suitable manner by means of supports H or otherwise. Upon this horizontal pipe is rigidly fitted a sleeve I, preferably made in two parts K and L, and clamped to place firmly by means of screws M; but any other suitable means of rigidly fastening the sleeve to the horizontal pipe may be employed. The part K of the sleeve projects out and returns by a lug N, which bears upon the surface of the horizontal pipe. This part K forms the fulcrum of the lever O, pivoted at P. The short arm of the lever is pivoted to a clevis or connectingpiece Q by means of a pin R. Several pin-holes S are provided in the lever and also in the end of the clevis, by means of which the clevis and lever can be connected together at different points, and the tension of the track can be adjusted and the angles of the clevis with reference to the horizontal tube can be changed.

In practice it is important that the trackwires at their longitudinally-movable ends all come in as near together as practicable-for example, at the cashicrs desk. They will therefore all have dilferent angles with reference to the horizontal pipe. The construction of the lever and clevis with the different pin-holes S provides fully for all the movements and adjustments necessary to accomnodate this condition of things in practice.

Pivoted to the clevis at T is a stiff or rigid section of track T, to which the wire track is secured in the manner illustrated or otherwise. This end section of the track is provided with stops U to stop the car and also with a curved spring V. As the car approaches on the track, it will ride onto the rigid end section, and then the car-frame will impinge against the curve of the spring V, by which means frictional resistance is established, whereby the velocity of the approaching car with its load will be gradually checked before it strikes against the stops. This rigid section of track is provided with shoulders W, which, together with the end of the clevis at X, constitute a rule-joint. The clevis and the rigid end section of the track are so adjusted that said end section will be in line with the track when the movable end of the track is at its lowest position. The result is that the clevis and rigid end section serve to support the weight of the car and its load as well as the end of the track. The object of this arrangement is that when the tension of the track is relaxed for the purpose of releasing the movable end of the track from its retaining device, as will appear farther on, the weight of the car and its load will not be upon the track, and will not therefore sag and bear the track down and take up its slack.

The vertically-movable end of the track is provided with a special support Y, pivoted at Z to the frame of a trolley a, which moves up and down the support D, so as to change the incline of the wire track A. The vertically-movable end of the wire track is securedto the pivoted end holder or support Y in the manner illustrated in the drawings or in any other suitable way.

1) indicates lugs with holes through them projecting above and below from the frame of the trolley, to which the ends of the pullcord F are fastened.

3 indicates the end of the pivoted support Y, which serves as a buffer to stop the car,

- and it has an opening, through which the spring d, firmly secured to the frame of the trolley, extends.

f indicates an upper stop to limit the elevation of the track. It is adjustable up and down, and preferably consists of saddle h, provided with a lower inclined side i. The stop f is provided with a set-screw g, by which or by any other suitable means it may be secured to the support D. The stop f and the support It may be formed in separate parts; but'it is generally desirable to have them in one piece. Together they form a retaining device. The object of this inclined extra section of the trolley-track is to change the angle of the trolley-frame with respect to the wire track in operation, for a purpose that will be explained farther on.

7t" indicates a slight opposite incline at the upper end of the saddle, so as to leave a ridge Z between the two inclines. As the upper wheels of the trolley pass over this ridge, the tension of the wire track will be sufficient to hold the wheels of the trolley in place above the ridge until the tension is released. The ridge therefore acts as a catch tohold the trolley in its elevated position'until it is released by means provided for the purpose.

The car-frame is provided with a stud m, adapted to entera hole at through the spring d, which serves as a latch to hold the car in place at the vertically-movable end of the track.

0 indicates clips for fastening the bails 0' of the basket pivotally to the bottom of the car-frame. The opposite ends of the bails are pivoted at o to the basket by hooks 0 or in any usual way. These bails are fastened near opposite ends of the basket and cross each other, as shown. The object of this arrangement of the bails is that as the car moves along and comes to a stop the basket will be tilted more than it otherwise would be, and will thus better prevent the load from being thrown out by the shock of sudden stopping. The bails crossing each other, one of them tends to lift one end of the basket, while the other tends to lower the opposite end as the basket swings by inertia. The basket thus gets tilted, so that its bottom is in the path of the motion of the goods more completely than it would be if it moved in the arc of a circle upon a single bail or upon two bails, both pivoted to the bottom of the carat the same point. The pull-cord passes over the upper pulley q and under the lower pulley r and through a combined guide-loop and stop 8.

10 indicates a spring, to which the lower pulley-block is secured to the floor or to any suitable fixed object. This spring serves to keep the tension of the pull-cord what it should be, but allows it to be slightly yielding. Thus Variations occasioned by contraction or expansion of the cord can be accommodated, and in case a pull upon the pull-cord is necessary the spring will yield somewhat and allow the cord to move away from the hanger far enough to free the hands.

The guide-loop s is provided with a large openingv and a small opening 10, and the loop inclines upward, as shown. The object of this construction is that the pull-cord will run in the small opening, and when the stop-button strikes the stop, the downward movement of the trolley will cease. This will always occur at the limit of downward movement of the trolley or track support for the purpose of causing gravity to operate the car. The downward movement of the track in practice should be such that the basket and its load will not strike the heads of people; but in order that an attendant may lower the basket further it is only necessary to draw the pull-cord out of the small opening in the loop into the through the large opening.

large opening through which the stop-button will readily pass and permit the descent of the trolley as far as desired. The upward incline 0f the loop always insures the stopping of the stop-button in the small opening and at the same time prevents its stopping when moving upward, because in moving upward the button will slide outward and readily pass The brace E should be attached to the vertical bar or support D low enough down to hold it firmly.

Referring to the brace E,y indicates a piece that is mortised into and extends through said bar D vertically and is provided. with shoulders z, and is keyed to place by a pin A B indicates an internally-screw-threaded section of a rod (the screw-threads not being shown in the drawings) pivoted at z to the piece 3 C indicates a plate adapted to be secured to a wall or ceiling by means of screws or bolts D E indicates another internally-screwthreaded section of pipe pivoted to the plate, the screw-threads not being shown in the drawings. F indicates another section of pipe externally screwthreaded, which serves to connect the two internallythreaded sections just described. The piece 3 is provided with two or more fan-shaped projections, to which the braces E may be pivoted. By this construction as many braces as necessary can be applied at the same point of elevation on the vertical track to stay it in dilferent directions and hold it firmly for service.

In order that the trolley-frame may pass the piece y, I provide an opening through it at G Fig. 5.

In order to prevent the track-wire from getting between the car-wheels and the frame of the car, I provide shoulders H projecting from the inside of the frame, so as to cover the edges of the flanges of the wheels. Their faces are inclined, and they are in such position with reference to the wire track that in case the car should be lifted up they will cause the car to settle back onto the track.

Thevertically-movable end of the wire track may be raised or lowered by an attendant opperating the pull-cord; but it is desirable that the cashier or attendant at the longitudinallymovable end shall be able also to lower the vertically-movable end at will. In order that that may be done, I have provided at the longitudinally-movable end of the wire track the means for releasing the tension of the track above described, and have also, at the vertically-movable end of the track, provided the means for latching the trolley in its upper position, as described. Now suppose an attendant has placed goods in the basket and elevated the vertically-movable end to the upper stop, so that the trolley will catch there and the basket will travel by force of gravity to the cashiers desk. As soon as the cashier has attended to his part, and it is desirable to have the basket returned to the Verticallymovable end of the track, it is necessary of course to have that end lowered; but meantime the attendant may have forgotten it or have'gone to attend to some other business.

In practice, with devices of a different kind, in which it is not provided that the cashier can also lower the vertically-movable end of the track, much difficulty of this nature has been encountered. With my present device the cashier, by moving the lever O on its fulcrum, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. can release the tension of the wire track, so that thetrolley will, by force of gravity, pass over the ridge Z of the retaining device and drop to its lower position, where it Will be stopped by the stop-button. If it were not for the rigid end section T, however, supporting the car, this means for releasing the tension of the track would be ineifective, for the reason that the weight of the car and basket would cause the track to sag enough to take up what slack the lever would produce and the strain upon the trolley would not he sufficient to release it and permit itto drop. As the car nears the limit of its travel toward the vertically-movable end of the track, the car-frame will strike against the curved end of the spring at, which will tend to check its motion gradually. As the car advances, the stud m will strike against the curved end of the spring and raise it, so that the stud will enter the hole in the spring and latch the car at the limit of its travel. Now when the trolley is elevated, so that its upper wheels ride upon the ridge Z of the retaining device, the spring will be lifted elf from the stud and the car thus released, so as to be ready for a return trip.

There are many ways in which the details of my apparatus may be modified without departing from the substance of my invention. For example, any mechanismfor instance, an ordinary pulley or screw, (see Figs. 12, 13, and 1et)adapted to tighten or slacken the wire track at its longitudinally-movable taining device at the pivoted end of the track and letthe track fall, may be employed.-

hat I claim is 1. The combination of a track having a longitudinally-movable support at one end and a vertically-movable support at the other end, a retaining device at its vertically-movable end to hold the track in its elevated position, and mechanism at the other end of the track for relaxing the tension to free the track from the retaining device, all substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a wire track pivoted at one end and movable up and down at the other end, of a horizontal pipe G, a sleeve I, secured thereto, having a projecting part K, to which is pivoted a lever O, which in turn is pivoted to a clevis Q, to which the pivoted end of the wire track is secured, so arranged that the tension of the track may be adjusted and varied, substantially as set forth.

end, so as to release the trolley from the re- 3. The combination, with a wire track pivoted at one end and movable up and down at the other end, of a horizontal pipe G, a sleeve I, secured thereto, having a projecting part K, to which is pivoted. a lever O, which in turn is pivoted to a clevis Q, to which .the pivoted end of the wire track is secured, so arranged that the tension of the track may be adjusted and varied, the lever and the clevis being provided with pin-holes S, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with a wire track, of a stiff section of track T, to which the wire track is secured, a clevis, to which the stiff section is pivoted, a lever, to which the clevis is pivoted, and a sleeve which forms the fulcrum of the lever and is secured to a horizontal pipe G, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a wire track, of a stiff section T, to which the end of the wire track is secured, pivoted to the clevis Q, which is movable endwise, the end section being provided with shoulders which bear against the end of the clevis at X and limit the pivotal movement of the end section downward, substantially as set forth.

(3. The combination, with a wire track having a rigid end section for supporting it, of stops U and curved spring V upon said end section, the spring V being adapted to press upon a part of the car and gradually to check its motion by frictional contact, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of a car-track having a movable end, a support Y, secured to the track and pivoted to the frame of the trolley, which moves upon a vertical track, and a spring secured at one end to the trolley-frame and curved at the other end to press against the car and gradually to check its motion by frictional contact, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with the movable end of the wire track, of the support Y, to which the track is secured, pivoted to the frame of a trolley, a spring (I, secured to the frame of the trolley and extending through an opening in the end of the support Y to form agradual stop for the car, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with the movable end of a wire track, of a support Y, pivoted to the trolley-frame, a spring (I, rigidly secured to the trolley-frame and extending through an opening in the end of the support, and a carframe provided with a stud 0%, adapted to enter a hole 0?, through the spring d, substantially as setforth.

10. The combination, with the vertical support D, of a saddlef, having an inclined part i and an opposite inclined part 70 at its upper end, so as to leave a ridge Z between the two inclines, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. The combination, with the car, of a basket having cross-bails pivoted to the car and to the basket, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination, with the support D, of the braces E and the piecey, passed through and secured to the support D and provided with fan-shaped projections, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

CHARLES W. MCCORMICK.

Witnesses:

MARCUS S. HOPKINS, JOSEPH L. ATKINS.