US534701A - Automatic stop device for elevators - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 sneets4shee1; 1.

H; R. SMITH. AUTOMATIC STO?- DEYIGEf-QR ELEVATORS- .Na 534,701. 4 Patented Feb. 26. 1895.

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H. R. SMITH. AUTOMATIC STOP- DEVIGE PORBLEVATORS. Y Y No. 534,701. Patented Feb. 26, 1895.

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H rR. SMITH. AUTOMATIC STOP DEVICE FOR ELEYATORS. N QLT534J01.

Patented Feb. 26, 1895.

vm l@ f/ w W 7 Y YV C ,m f2 J o@ a M m f f /S Hlfh J` 4k @nu /w Unirrnn Sterns nrnN'r @wrong HUMPHREY a. SMITH, or oHIcAGo, ILLINOIS.

VAUTOMATIC STOP DEVICE FR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,701, dated February 26, 1895.

l Application filed September 27, 1894. Serial No. 524,2701 (No model.)

To all whom; t may concern:

Beit known that I, HUMPHREY R. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago,in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Automatic Stop Device for Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hydraulic elevator apparatus, and is designed as an improvement upon the construction set forth and claimed in a patent heretofore granted me, No. 523,242, dated July 17, 1894.

"I have found that in the order of the construction set forth in my prior patent satisfactory results are not accomplished unless the piston in the main cylinder moves each time to the extreme limits of its travel; that is to say, if the elevator car is called upon to go only to the first, or the second, or any intermediate floor from the bottom toward the top, and then return to the bottom floor without completing the trip, the automatic stop device set forth in my prior patent fails to effect a satisfactory cushion to automatically stop the elevator.

In the present construction I have devised an apparatus wherein the above noted defect is removed, and wherein the main operating piston is cushioned upon approaching the limit of its travel, whether it makes a complete stroke or not.

The invention consists substantially in the details of construction, location and relative arrangement of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and, finally, pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is had tothe accompanying drawings and to the several views and reference signs appearing thereon, and wherein- Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, parts being broken away, of an apparatus embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a vertical central, sectional view of the same on an enlarged scale, taken 'on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in horizontal section, taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical central sectional view, partly in side elevation, taken on the line 4-4,.Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view of the auxiliary piston and spring supports, taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 2. Fig.

6 is a sectional View, taken on the line iv-6, Fig. 3, showing the apertures in the sleeve registering with the passages communicating with the auxiliary cylinder.

The same reference signs are used to designate the same parts wherever they occur throughout the several views.

In'the drawings reference sign 6 designates 6o a fluid motor cylinder, vin which piston 7 is adapted to travel, being propelled by any suitable fluid in the usual manner, and any suitably arranged inlet and exhaust ports being provided for, admitting and exhausting the operating fluid to and from the cylinder. Piston rods 8 are suitably bolted orotherwise secured to piston 7 and are arranged to pass through suitable stuffing boxes ina cylinder head, and carry upon their upper ends a cross 7o bar 9, arranged to support the cable-operating sheave l0, in the ordinary manner.

Mounted upon the head of the main cylinder 6, or, and preferably, cast therewith, is a casting 11, having suitable cylindrical chambers 12,tormed therein, and also having suitable passage ways 13, to permit free passage therethrough of the piston rods 8, as shown. (See Figs. 3 and 4). Said casting 11, is also provided with an enlarged extension, 14, having So a cylindrical chamber 15, formed therein, eX- tending parallelr with the cylindrical chambers 12, and communicating with said chambers 12 through a series of passages 16. (See Figs. 3 and 6.) In said cylindrical chamber 15 85 is adapted to be received a tube or lining 17, provided lwith a series ot apertures 18, corresponding in number to and adapted to register with the passages 16, communicating with cylindrical chambers 12. Tube 17 is 9o preferably made in sections, as shown (see Fig. 4), one section ot the length adapted to control the openings throughout one-half of the length of cylindrical chambers 12, andthe other of said sections adapted to control the openings throughout the other halt of the length of said cylindrical chambers. Provision is made for rotarily adjusting the tubular sections 17, whereby-the area ot' opening otV passages 16 may be adj usted and controlled. A Ico simple and convenient method of effecting this rotary adjustment of said section 17 is shown in the drawings, wherein a lug or projection 19, is brazed upon each section of tube 17,

adapted to be engaged by set screws or bolts, 20, suitably seated in the jaws of the enlargement 14. The purposes of this construction will presently appear more fully. The enlargement let is preferably open-sided, as shown, and a cover, 21, is provided to admit of ready and easy access to the tubular sections 17.

In each cylindrical chamber 12 is arranged a piston 22, each having a piston rod, 23, 24E, 25, 26, projecting in opposite directions therefrom and through suitable stuffing boxes, as shown. The ends of each pair of projecting piston rods 23, 25, 24, 26, are joined by a crossbar, 27-28.

From the above construction it will be apparent that one pair of projecting rods, as for instance, 2-.t-2t, will project into the main operating cylinder 6.

In the practical operation of my invention the best results are obtained where provision is made for maintaining pistons 22 normally in a position midway the length of cylinders 12, and arranged to be operated in order to cushion the main operating piston 7 at the eXtreme upper or lower limit of its travel, whether a complete stroke is made or not. To accomplish this result it is important that provision be made for returning the pistons 22 to their normal position after they are actuated to effect the cushioning action. I will now describe the construction andl arrangement whereby this result is accomplished. Cast upon or suitably secured to casting 11, and on opposite sides thereof, are lugs 29, each provided with a suitable perforation therethrough, adapted to receive loosely therein a bolt 30, having` a nut 31, upon the end thereof. Rigidly secured at the opposite end thereof is a follower plate 32. A clevis or U shaped bracket 33, isprovided through aperforation 34C in which loosely passes said bolt 30. Follower-plate 32 is provided with perforations, through which the arms of the clevis or U- shaped frame 33 are adapted to pass loosely. The extending ends of cross head 27 are perforated and adapted to receive the ends of arms of clevis or bracket 33 loosely therethrough, nuts 35 serving to support said bracket therein. A spring 36, is mounted 'upon bolt 30, and is arranged to bear at one end against follower plate 32, and at the opposite end against the central portion of the U-shaped frame or bracket 33.

Piston rods 8 are provided with spring supported cross-bars, 37-38, similar to the construction more specifically shown and described in my former patent above referred to, similarly arranged, and for a similar purpose, namely, to engage respectively crossheads 27, 28, attached to rods 23, 24, 25, 26,in order to effect a movement of piston 22 in chambers 12.

1f desired, the passages, 16, opening communication between cylinders 12 and the chamber 15, may be formed of decreasing area from a point midway the length of the cylinders to the ends thereof.

The operation of the invention is as follows: Suppose the piston 7 to be traveling toward the upper end of the cylinder 6, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and fi, the lower crossbar 37 engages cross head 28, thus moving the pistons 22 from their normal position midway the length of their cylinders 12, toward the upper ends of said cylinders. By reason of the decreasing area of the connections or passages 16, the fluid contained in cylinders 12 is forced out of the upper portions of said cylinders against continually increasing resistance through passages 16, through the apertures in the upper sections of tubes 17-into chamber 15 and thence through the aperture in the lower section of tube 17, through passages 16 into the lower part of cylinders 12, thus effecting a cushioning of the piston 7 when it reaches the limit of its stroke. The same action causes through cross head 27 an elevation of U-shaped frame 33, and consequently a compression of spring 36 between the central portion of said U-shaped frame and the follower plate 32 which is maintained rigidly with respect to bolt 30. The compression of this spring tends to return pistons 22 to their normal position when pressure is relieved upon cross head 28 by piston 7 moving in an opposite direction to that just described. A similar action takes place when upper cross bar 37 carried by pistonrods 8 is caused to engage and move cross-head 27, that is when piston 7 is caused to travel toward the opposite end of its cylinder 6. Follower plates 32 being engaged by the respective ends of said cross head 27 are moved in a direction to compress springs 36 between said plate and the central portion of U-shaped bracket 33, which, in turn, takes bearing upon lugs 29, the perforations in the follower plate 32 and cross head 27 permitting the arms of U-shaped frame to pass loosely therethrough during the movement just described, and a similar construction of the perforations in the central part of the U-shaped frame 33 and the lugs 29 permitting bolt 30 to operate in the same manner with respect to these parts. By suitably manipulating the half-sections of tubes 17 the area of opening through piston 16 may be regulated, and hence the resistance with which the fluid contained in cylinders 12 is forced out of said cylinders IIO may be regulated for each end of said cylinder independently. This is an important feature of my invention, because in practice it may be, and often is desirable to provide a greater degree of cushioning forthe operating or main piston 7 at one end of the stroke thereof than at the other, and I provide an exceedingly simple and efficient apparatus for accomplishing this desired result.

The auxiliary cylinders 12 are designed to receive a supply of any suitable fluid. I have found that glycerine answers the purpose in a satisfactory manner, the tluid being supplied to the auxiliary cylinders l2 from any suitable source and in any suitable manner, the main idea being the displacement against increasing resistance of the liuid contained in said auxiliary cylinders from one end thereof to the other through the passages and openings as described, whereby the travel of the main piston 7 is arrested easily and without imparting jar to the elevator car.

While I have shown and described my invention as applied to one end of a motor cylinder, it is obvious that it is clearly applicable to either end thereof, and when applied to-the other endof the motor cylinder the same action takes place as has been herein described.V

Many changes and modifications in the details of construction and arrangement of parts would readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. I do not desire to be limited, therefore, to the exact details and construction shown and described; but,

Having now fully described a construction embodying my invention and having explained the principle thereof and a mode of its operation, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In an elevator apparatus, a main cylinder, and piston, an auxiliary cylinder adapted to receive a fluid, an independent piston therein, means for maintaining said piston normally midway the length of said auxiliary cylinder, and means, operated by the movement of the main piston for operating said independent piston, whereby the mot-ion of the main piston is arrested at its limits of stroke; as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an elevator apparatus, a main cylinder and piston, an auxiliary cylinder adapted to receive a fluid, an independent piston arranged therein adapted to displace said fluid against a gradually increasing resistance, as it approaches the limits of its travel, means for maintaining said independent piston midway the length of said auxiliary cylinder, and means operated by the main piston for moving said independent piston; as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an elevatorapparatus, a main cylinder and piston, an auxiliary cylinder adapted to receive a supply of Huid, a piston arranged in said auxiliary-cylinder, means for maintaining said piston yieldingly, midway the length of said auxiliary cylinder, and means, operated by the main piston, for moving the piston in the auxiliary cylinder, out of its normal position; as and for the purpose Set forth.

4. In an elevator apparatus, amain cylinder and piston, an-auxiliary cylinder, adapted to receive a Huid, a piston arranged in said auxiliary cylinder, normally maintained midway the length thereof, passages communicating with said auxiliary cylinder on opposite sides of said piston, means for controlling the area of said passages, and means for actuating said piston at the limits of stroke of said main piston; as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In an elevator apparatus and in combination with a main cylinder and piston an auxiliary cylinder and piston, a chamber, openings between said auxiliary cylinder and said chamber, and means for varying the area of said openings; as and' for the purpose set forth. Y

6. In an elevator apparatus and in combination with a main cylinder and piston, an auxiliary cylinder, a piston therein normally maintained' midway the length thereof, a chamber, openings between said chamber and each end of said auxiliary cylinder, means for independently adjusting Athe area of said openings at the respective ends of said cylinder, and means for actuating the piston in said auxiliary cylinder at the limit of stroke of said main piston; as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In an elevator apparatus and in combi` nation with a main cylinder and piston, a casting arranged adjacent to the head of said cylinder provided with an auxiliary cylinder and chamber, a piston arranged in said auxiliary v cylinder and yieldingly maintained midway the length thereof, passages opening communication between said chamber and said auxiliary cylinder,alining arrangedin said chamber provided with apertures adapted to register with said passages, means'for adjusting said lining whereby the area of opening of said passages may be varied, and means for actuating the piston in said auxiliary'cylinder at the limits of stroke of said main piston; as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In an elevator apparatus, a main cylinder and piston, a casting arranged adjacent to the head of said cylinder provided with an auxiliary cylinder and a chamber, a piston arranged in said auxiliary cylinder and yieldingly supported midway the length thereof, passages opening from said auxiliary cylinder into said chamber, a tubular lining arranged in said chamber and provided with apertures arranged to register with said openings, means for rotarily adjusting said sleeve, and means for actuating said piston in the auxiliary cylinder at the limits of stroke of the main piston; as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In an elevator apparatus, a main cylinder and piston, a casting arranged adjacent t0 the head ot' said cylinder provided with an auxiliary cylinder and a chamber, `a piston arranged in said auxiliary cylinder to be yieldingly supported midway the length thereof, passages between said chamber and each end of said cylinder, a sectional lining provided with apertures adapted to register with the passages at each end of said auxiliary cylinder, means for adjusting each section of said lining independently, and means for actuating the piston in said auxiliary cylinder from ICO said main piston; asl and for the purpose set forth.

10. In an elevator apparatus, a main cylinder and piston, a casting arranged adjacent to the head of said cylinder provided with auxiliary cylinders and a chamber, independent pistons arranged in each of said auxillary cylinders and normally maintained midway the length thereof, passages between said .chamber and each end of said auxiliary cylinders, a sectional lining mounted in said chamber and provided with apertures adapted to register with said passages, means for ad- Justing said sections whereby the area of opening of said passages may be varied, and means operated by the main piston for actuating said auxiliary pistons; as and for the purpose set forth.

' ll. In an elevator apparatus, a main cylinder and piston, an auxiliary cylinder adapted to receive a permanent supply of fluid, passages opening communication between the ends of said auxiliary cylinder, a piston arranged in said auxiliary cylinder, means for yieldinglysupporting said piston midway the length of said cylinder, comprising springs, means for compressing said springs when said auxiliary piston is moved in either direction from its normal position, and means operated by the main piston for moving said auxiliary piston; as and for the purpose set forth.

' l2. In an elevator apparatus,a main cylinder and piston, an auxiliary cylinder adapted to receive a fluid, a piston arranged therein, a piston rod projecting therefrom, a cross head carried thereby, a lug formed on said auxiliary cylinder, a spring interposed between said lug and cross head and means op.-

erated by the main piston for moving said 4o cross head; as and for the purpose set forth.

13. In an elevator apparatus,a main cylinder and piston, an auxiliary cylinder having a perforated lug, a piston mounted in said auxiliary cylinder, a piston rod therefor, a cross head carried by said rod, a movable piece arranged to pass loosely through the perforation in said lug, and having a follower plate rigidly attached thereto, a bracket loosely carried by said cross head, a spring 5o interposed between said bracket and follower plate, and means for actuating the auxiliary piston by the movement of said main piston; as and for the purpose set forth.

14. In an elevator apparatus, a main cylinder and piston, an auxiliary cylinder having a perforated lug, a piston mounted in said auxiliary' cylinder, rods projecting therefrom in opposite directions, cross heads carried by each of said rods, one of said cross heads 6o provided withk perforations, a bolt loosely mounted in the perforation in said lug, a follower plate rigidly secured thereto, a U- shaped frame, having its legs arranged to pass loosely through the perforations in said cross head, and also perforated for the pas` sage loosely therethrough of said bolt, a spring mounted upon said bolt and interposed between said follower plate and said U-shaped frame, and means operated by the main pis- 7o ton for moving said cross heads; as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of September, 1894.

HUMPHREY R. SMITH. In presence of- M. I; CAvANAGH, S. E. DARBY.

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