US549542A

US549542A - smith

Info

Publication number: US549542A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 1912-11-12

Description

2 SheetsSheet 1.

(fio Model.) I H. B. SMITH.

ELEOTRIG ELEVATOR. No. 549,542. Patented Nov. 12, 1895.

- (No Model Q 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

" H. B. SMITH.

ELECTRIC ELEVATOR.

1%., 549,542. Patented Nov. 12, 1895..

v l yazr 9? 2M WfiM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUMPHREY R. SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE lVINSLOlV BROTHERS ELEVATOR COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,542, dated November 12, 1895.

A li ti fi1 d March 4, 1895. Serial No. 540,455. (No model.)

T 0 to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUMPHREY E. 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 Improvement in Electric Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric elevators.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for controlling elevators electrically.

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

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, and to the various views and referencesigns appearing thereon, and wherei-n Figure 1 illustrates, diagrammatically, an apparatus constructed and arranged in accordance with and embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a detached detail view, in side elevation, of the electric clutch employed to couple the motor-shaft to the cable-winding drum-operating shaft. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 4 is an end view of the armatureshaft, showing the arrangement of the magnets thereon constituting the jaw of the electric clutch. Fig. 5 is a detailed view of a modified form of retarding device for the circuit-breaker.

The same part is designated by the same reference-sign wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

In carrying out my invention 1 provide an electric motor 1 for operating the mechanism for controlling the movement of the car, and to reverse the action of the motor or to bring the motor to a stop in order to raise or lower the car at will, or to arrest the same at a landing when required, and to automatically control the action of the motor 1 provide the following construction: Upon a suitable shaft or other rocking support t, arranged in any convenient or desirable location, is mounted a brass arm K, having upon one end thereof a threaded portion K adapted to re ceive adjustably a weight K, and also carrying a series of segmental or other suitablyarranged contact-plates a 00 0c 00", and also soft-iron bars or rods E E. In the form shown these soft-iron bars are cylindrical in shape and are bent or curved in the direction of their length concentric with the axis of the support t. The contact-plates 00 and :0 are electrically connected with each other, and the contact-plates 00 42: are electrically c011- nected with each other; but all of said plates are insulated, and the set 00 x is insulated from the set no. N designate solenoids suitably arranged in fixed position with respect to the soft-iron bars E E for said bars to form the core of said solenoids, respectively. From this construction it will be seen that when a current of electricity traverses the solenoid N the core E will be attracted thereby and will move in a direction to enter the solenoid, thereby turning the arm K to the right from its medial position, as shown in Fig. 1, and wit-l1 it the contact-strips 00 as above described. When a current of electricity is caused to traverse the solenoid N the core IE will thereby be attracted and move longitudinally into the solenoid, and thereby effect a rocking of the arm K and the shaft 25 to the left from the position shown in Fig. l, carrying therewith the contact-points x m m 00 The purpose of the adjustable weight K is to impose upon the rocking bar K an increasing resistance, tending to impede or retard its rocking movementthat is to say, as said bar is rocked more and more out of a vertical position, either to the right or to the left, gravity acting upon weight K will be exerted through an increasing leverage with respect to the axis of the shaft T and in a direction to oppose the rocking of the arm K, thereby counterbalancing the attraction upon rods E or E due to the action of the solenoids N or N as the case may be. This opposition to the rocking of bar K is made adjustable in order to accommodate for varying conditions of 9 J strength of current or of speed or load upon the elevator.

It is a well-known rule of action of solenoids and solenoidal constructions where coil and core are straight and one or both move in a straight line that if the exciting-current is suiiicient to move the core or coil at all it will move such coil or core to a point such that itwill occupy a medial position relative to the ends of the solenoid or core-that is to say, until the ends of the core project equal distances from the respective ends of the solenoid. By the circular form and the provision above described of the adjustable weight K this normal action of the solenoids N N is overcome and a varying current can be passed through either solenoid N or N sufficiently to move the cores E E respectively, therein a varying distance, depending on the strength of the current. In order to assist the action of the adjustable weight K in impeding, retarding, or resisting the action of the solenoids N N and, further, to control such resistance or opposition variablythat is, varying with the strength of the current employedI provide a soft-iron core E and attach the same to the arm K and arrange the same similarly to the arrangements of the cores E E. A solenoid N arranged similarly to the arrangement of solenoids N N is adapted to receive the rod E as a core, the arrangement being such that the core E is normally in its central position with respect to the coils of the solenoid N when the bar K is in its medial or normal positionthat is to say, the normal position of core E relative to its solenoid N is the position it would assume by the excitation by an electric current of the coils of the solenoid. Therefore any passage of a current through solenoid N would act to maintain the core E in its normal position, and hence would act to maintain arm K in its medial position, and before said arm K can be rocked about its pivot T by the attraction exerted upon cores E or E by the solenoids N N the attraction upon said cores E E must overcome the attraction exerted by solenoid N upon core E. In Fig. 5 I have shown a modified form of apparatus for accomplishing the same result. In this construction instead of the core E, I suitably mount upon arm K a friction or brake strip E and in place of the solenoid N, I provide an electromagnet N, to the armature of which is secured a lever N suitably pivoted to a fixed part and carrying a brake-shoe N arranged to bear against the friction-strip E* It will be seen that when the coils of the electromagnet N are excited by the passage of an electric current the brake-shoe N 8 will bear against the friction-strip E", and hence will resist any rocking motion of arm K. In either of the above constructions the action is the same. The action of the solenoids N is resisted and retarded.

In order that the retardation may vary directly with the strength of the current applied to the motor-armature, I arrange the coils of solenoid N or of the electromagnet N in the circuit for supplying current to the motor-armature, and I also include in said circuit a resistance-box 0", automatically ar ranged, so as to decrease the resistance to the current as supplied to said solenoid or electromagnet and the commutator of the armature as the strength of the current increases.

In the form of apparatus shown, embodying the principles of my invention, the field-magnets of the motor-armature are excited by a shunt-current from the main supply-current, and in order to adapt the apparatus for the purpose for which it is intended and to satisfy the varying conditions of speed and load upon an elevator it is important that the strength of the current exciting the field-magnets be varied to suit the conditions of load and speed. In order to accomplish this purpose and to provide an automatic means for elfecting this variation, I arrange in the shun t-circuit to the field-m agnets of the armature a resistancebox adapted to cut in greater resistance as it is desired to increase the speed of the motor with light loads, and a convenient form of apparatus for accomplishing this result will now be described. 7

Mounted upon the rocking support if of the arm K to rock therewith is a cam-plate 0, arranged to engaged and to move a bar (2. The cam or plate 0 is arranged to slide the bar a in the same direction whether the rocking support 6 is rocked in one direction or the other, as shown in Fig. 1. This bar 0 carries a series of brushes or contact-points b b and 19 arranged to engage the contact-strips 00 r r and r and a, respectively, and to complete the several circuits therethrough, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

The contact-strip r is arranged in the circuit for supplying current to the field-magnets of the motor and comprises a resistanceboX arranged to cut into the circuit a greater number of the resistance-coils the greater the distance through which the bar 0 moves, and the contact-strip r is arranged in the arma ture-circuit through the solenoid N and comprises a resistance-box arranged to cut out a greater number of resistance-coils the greater the distance through which the bar 0 moves, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

I will now describe the switch apparatus by which the various circuits and devices hereinabove described are controlled. At a point Z, arranged in any suitable or convenient position, but preferably in elevator constructions midway the length of the elevator well or shaft, is connected a positive mainsupply line X. Mounted upon and traveling with the car is a switch and resistance mechanism designated generically by the referencesign H and arranged to be under the control of the elevator-conductor, and comprising a switch-lever R of suitable construction and arrangement, but preferably a pivoted lever, and of suitable conducting material and suitably insulated. Carried by and constituting a part of the switch or resistance mechanism on the car are a pair of contact-strips 0c 00 connected, respectively, through electrical connections 2 3, with suitable plugs or jacks in the block Z; also, carried by and forming part of the switch and resistance mechanism on the car are a series of contact-points arranged in sets, each set suitably insulated, the corresponding members of each set being electrically connected with each other and a suitable resistance-coil being interposed between each pair of coupled-up points, as indicated in Fig. 1. For instance, the points a :0 it 50 a of one set are coupled electrically with the points 00 00 00 00 00 00 respectively, of the opposite set. It will be understood, however, that any suitable or desirable number of contact-points may be employed as may be required in any given case. The two sets of contact-points, and also the contact-strips 00 50 are suitably insulated from each other, respectively, and are arranged so that lever B may occupy a position wherein it will be out of contact with any of its contact-points. The contact-point a is connnected, through electrical connection 1, with a suitable plug in the block Z, as shown. In the form shown in the drawings, when the lever B is moved to the left, for instance, a closed circuit is established from the set of contact-points on the left of said lever, as shown in Fig. 1, through said lever to the strip at and electrical connection 2. It will be seen that the farther the lever B is rocked the greater will be the resistance cut out by said lever, as the electrical connection 1 is connected to the first contact-point 00 of the series of the contacts. The same is true when the lever B is moved in the opposite dire ction or to the right from a position as shown in Fig. 1.

Assuming that the lever B is moved to the left from the position shown in Fig. 1 in order to close the circuit between the set of strips 50 90 &c., to strip at", the current will take the following course: from the positive supply-line X to the block Z, through connection 1 to contact-point 00 thence through the resistance-coils a 00 00 &c., according to the position or amount of rocking imparted to the lever R, thence through the lever B to strip :0, through connection 2 to the plug in block Z, thence to and through the solenoid N thence to an electromagnet N", thence to the negative wire Y of the main circuit. The action of the current traversing the solenoid N will cause the core E to be attracted and to move therein, thereby rocking the arm K to the right from the position shown in Fig. 1, and with it the contact-strips 00 .20 0c 00 and the support or rock-shaft 15, causing the cam c to move the piece 0 in a direction for contact-points b b carriedthere byto engage, respectively, the contact-strips 1' 7' and T In the construction the brush Z9 between contact-strips and the resistance-box 1" by the movement of the bar 0, as above described, cuts out a greater number of resistance-coils in the resistance-box r as the brush 1) advances, due to the rocking of the support tand the cam 0 carried thereby. Arranged adjacent to but insulated from strips 00* 00 are a series of contact-points b b Z2 Z2 Therefore when arm K is rocked to the left, as above described, contact-points b and b are electrically connected to each other through the electrical contact of strip with contact-point Z9 and the contact between the contact-strip 00 and the contactpoint I), said contact-strips 00 and being electrically connected with each other. Similarly contact-point I) is electrically connected to contact-point Z2 through contact-strips 00, respectively, when said arm K is rocked to the right, as above described. The contactpoint I) is in the circuit leading to the brush b of the motor-armature. Therefore when arm K is rocked to the right, for instance, the current from the positive wire of the main line X passes to contact-strip 0a, through the brush 5 through resistance-box a" and the several resistance-coils therein, thence through solenoid N, thence to contact-point b thence through the contact-strips w to contactpoint I), thence to the brush b of the motorcommutator, thence through the armature of the motor through the brush 1) of the commutator, thence to contact-point 12 through contact-strips 00 to contact-point b thence out through the negative wire Y of the main circuit. As the switch-lever R, carried by the car, is moved farther and farther to the left, more and more resistance is cut out in the resistance-coils forming the resistance box in the car, and hence the strength of the current passing through the connections 2 and the solenoid N is increased, and hence the greater attraction upon core E and the greater the amount of rocking of arm K, and hence the more resistance is cut out of resistance-box r, and thereby exciting the action of the solenoid N and also intensifying the current passing through the motor-armature. The same movement of rock-arm K cuts in more and more resistance in the resistancebox 0*, which is arranged in the circuit shunted from the positive wire X of the main circuit through contact-point 00 brush b 5 resistance-boX 0' to and around the field-magnets of the motor. Therefore the greater the current applied to the armature of the motor the farther the arm K will be rocked and the less will be the current applied to the field-mag nets of the motor.

\Vhen the lever B in the car is turned in the opposite direction-that is, to the right from the position shown in Fig. 1the reverse of the action above described takes place. The currentin such cases passes from the positive wire of the main circuitX through contact-point 00 of the resistance-box carried upon the car, thence to the contact-point m of such resistance-box, thence through the various points and resistances of the set, in-

IIO

eluding point 00 dependent upon the position of lever B, thence through the lever B to strip @0 thence to the plug in the box Z through connection 3, thence through the coils of the solenoid N and out through the coils of the electromagnet N thence out through the negative wire Y of the main circuit, thereby attracting the core E and hence moving arm K to the left from the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby bringing into electrical connection the contact-points Z)" 5 through the strips 00 and 0a, respectively, and the contact-points D Z) through the contact-strips 02 00 respectively. In that case the current to the armature of the motor passes from the positive wire X of the main line through contact-plates x, brush 1), resistanee-boXr, the coils of the solenoid N or eleetromagnet N, as the case may be, through contact-point D strips as to contact-point Z), thence to the brush b of the motor-commutator, thereby reversing the direction of rotation of the armature, thence out through the brush If to the point I), through strips 00 to point 6 thence out the negative wire Y of the main or supply circuit. The same movement in either case of the rock shaft or support eifects identically the same action in the circuit through the contact-strips r and r r and the contact points or brushes b Z) as that above described withreference to the movement of the arm K in the opposite direction.

I have provided a construction and arangement wherein the arm K may be locked in its medial position-that is, the position wherein all the contact-points 12 Z) b 12 are insulated and the circuits therethrough broken. In order to secure this result, I provide the end of the bar K with a suitable notch, and I arrange in suitable guides adjacent thereto a bolt L, comprising a soft-iron portion constituting the armature of the electromagnet N", whereby when the circuit through the coils of said magnet is closed the bolt L is withdrawn from engagement with the end of the arm K, therebypermitting said bar to be rocked by the action of the solenoids N N as the case maybe. The moment the circuit through the electromagnet N is broken the bolt L again engages the bar K and locks the same against movement.

I will now describe the construction and arrangement of an electrically-operated clutch for automatically coupling the armature-shaft S, upon which is mounted the worm IV for actuating the hoisting-drum IV.

Reference-sign O designates a hub mounted upon to rotate with the armature-shaft S, but attached thereto by means of a spline S so as to be capable of longitudinal movement thereon. Bolted to the face of this hub is a plate or ring A, suitably insulated from said hub by means of suitable insulating material '2'. Carried by the ring or plate A is a series of electromagnets M, the coils of which are connected up in series, and are also electrically connected to the insulated rings 1; b constituting the positive and negative contact-strips, on which bear the brushes a a by which the current is led to and from said electromagnets. Mounted upon to rotate with the drive-shaft S is a disk or wheel B, having secured to the face thereof presented toward the magnets M a soft-iron plate or disk P, constituting the armature for the poles of the electromagnets M. \Vhen a current is sent through the coils of the electromagnets said magnets are attracted towards the plate or disk P, and hence the pole-pieces of said magnets engage said plate or disk P frictionally by reason of the fact that the hub C is movable longitudinally upon shaft S, and thereby effects a coupling of the shafts S and S. Of course it will be understood that, if desired, the wheel B may be made movable upon drive-shaft S and the hub 0 fixed upon the armature-shaft S, and substantially the same movement will be effected. The coils of electromagnets M are included in a branch or shunt circuit from the positive wire X of the main supply-circuit, the circuit leading from the contaetplate 00 through brushes 11 Zr to resistance-box r, thence to the positive brush a and ring D upon hub O, thence around the coil of the electromagnets M, and out through the negative brush a and ring Z), and hence in a circuit the making or breaking of which is effected by the rocking of arm K and its shaft 6 and the movement of the cam c and the rod or bar 0.

It is important that the strength of the current passing through the magnets of the clutch may vary directly as the current through the motor-armature varies, in order to adapt the strength of the electromagnetic clutch to the varying conditions of speed and load in elevator constructions. In order to secure this result, I include in the circuit for supplying current to the magnets M aresistancebox W, the resistance being so arranged that more and more of the coils comprising the same are cut out as the brush iis moved therealongthat is to say, the stronger the current to the 1notor-armatureand hence the farther arm K is rocked from its normal or medial positionthe greater will be the number of resistance-coils out out of the resistance-box r and hence the stronger will be the current passing through the magnets M, thereby increasing the magnetic attraction of said magnets upon plate P.

I will now describe a convenient arrange ment of brake mechanism, whereby I may apply an electrically-controlled brake to the drive-shaft S. Suitably pivoted or otherwise supported adjacent to the wheel or pulley B is an arm G, carrying a brake-shoe D, adapted and arranged to engage the wheel or pulley D and also carrying a weight comprising a soft-iron bar E, constituting the armature or core of a solenoid N the coils of which are included in the circuit through the IIO field-magnets F and also the clutch-circuit,

the circuit through said field-magnets and solenoid N and thence out through the negative wire Y of the main circuit. In the form of brake mechanism shown the weight E is suspended from the end of the lever G by a suitable non-magnetic connection E and normally acts to cause the brakeshoe D to bear upon the surface of the wheel B and brake the same. hen the coils of the solenoid N are excited, however, the weight E is drawn into the coils of the solenoid,and hence the braking action of the shoe D is relieved. A suitable dash-pot E is provided to cushion the fall of the weight when it is relieved from the solenoid N by the interruption of the current therethrough.

From the above description it will be seen that by suitably regulating and adjusting the several dependent parts a fixed or proportionate relation between the movements of arm K and the lever B can be securedthat is to say, the parts may be so adjusted and regulated that lever B and arm K may occupy relatively dependent positions with respect to each other, the position of the lever B being an indicator or index to the corresponding position of the arm K and the several devices controlled thereby.

Many variations in the construction of details and the location and relative arrangement of parts would readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art to which this invention relates and still fall within the spirit and scope of my invention. I do not desire, therefore, to be limited or restricted to the exact details of construction and arrangement shown and described; but,

Having now explained the principles of my invention and a form of apparatus embodying the same and having described the function, purpose, and mode of operation of such apparatus, what I claim as new and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an electric elevator system, the combination with a car, an electric motor, an electric switching device arranged in the motor circuit, a circuit for controlling said switching device, and means carried by the car for varying the current in said switch controlling circuit; as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an electric elevator system the combination with a car, an electric motor, a switching device arranged in the motor circuit, a circuit for controlling said switching device, a circuit for the field of said motor, means for controlling said field circuit, actuated by said switching device, and means carried by the car for varying the current through said switch controlling circuit; as and for the purpose set forth.

In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a switching device arranged in the motor circuit, an independent field circuit,

means actuated by said switching device for controlling said field circuit, a circuit for said switching device, and means carried by the car for varying the current through said switch circuit; as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor and circuits. therefor, a switching device arranged in said circuits, means actuated by said switching device for controlling said field circuit, means for varying the current through said switching device and means for varying the current in said field circuit inversely as the current in the switch circuit is varied; as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor and circuits therefor, a switching device arranged in said circuits, a circuit for said switching device, means carried by the car for varying the current through said switching circuits, and means for varying the motor current accordingly as the switch current is varied; as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a switching device arranged in the motor circuit, a circuit for said switching device, including a solenoid, means carried by the car for controlling said switch circuit, and means for variably opposing the action of said solenoid; as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a switching device arranged in the motor circuit, a circuit for said switching device including a solenoid adapted to actuate said switching device, means carried by the car for controlling said switch circuit, and adjustable means for opposing or resisting the action of said solenoid; as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a switching device arranged in the motor circuit, comprising a pivoted arm, a solenoid, arranged to rock said arm about its pivot, a circuit for said solenoid, means carried by the car for controlling the circuit through said solenoid, and means for interposing a variable resistance to the action of said solenoid; as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a circuit therefor, a switching device arranged in said circuit, comprising a pivoted arm carrying the core of a solenoid, a solenoid arranged to move said core, a circuit therefor, means carried by the car for varying the current through said solenoid, and means for opposing or resisting the action of said solenoid; as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a circuit therefor, a switching device arranged in said circuit comprising a pivoted arm carrying a soft iron bar, a solenoid, an independent circuit therefor, means carried by the car for varying the current through said solenoid, whereby said arm is rocked through varying distances to make or break the circuit through said motor, and means carried by said bar for opposing or resisting the action of said solenoid; as and for the purpose set forth.

11. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a circuit therefor, a switching device arranged in the motor circuit, comprising a pivoted bar carrying a soft iron rod, a solenoid, a circuit therefor, means carried by the car for varying the current through said solenoid, said soft iron bar constituting the core for said solenoid, whereby when said solenoid is excited, said bar is rocked more or less as the current through said solenoid is varied to make or break the circuit through said motor, a field circuit and means actuated by the rocking of said bar for making or breaking said field circuit; as and for the purpose set forth.

12. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a circuit therefor, a switching device arranged in the motor circuit comprising a pivoted bar carrying a soft iron rod, a solen oid, a circuit therefor, means carried by the car for varying the current through said solenoid circuit, said iron rod constituting the core of said solenoid, whereby when said solenoid is excited, said bar is rocked to make or break the circuit through said motor, a field circuit, and means actuated by the rocking of said bar for varying the current through said field circuit inversely as the current through said solenoid is varied; as and for the purpose set forth.

13. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a circuit therefor, a switching device arranged in said circuit, a circuit for said switching device, means carried by the car for controlling said switch circuit, and electrically operated means for locking said switching device; as and for the purpose set forth.

1&. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a switching device arranged in the motor circuit, a circuit for said switching device, means carried by the car for controlling said switching circuit, an electrically-controlled locking device for said switching device, arranged in said switch circuit; as and for the purpose set forth.

15. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor and circuit therefor, a switching device arranged in said circuit, a circuit for said switching device, means carried by the car for controlling said switch circuit, an electro-magnet arranged in said switch circuit, and a locking bolt actuated thereby for locking said switching device in inoperative position; as and for the purpose set forth.

16. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a circuit therefor, a switching device arranged in said circuit, comprising a pivoted bar carrying means for making or breaking the circuit through said motor,a bolt arranged to lock said bar in position to break the circuit through said motor, a circuit for said switching device, an electro-magnet arranged in said switch circuit, and adapted when energized to withdraw said bolt from engagement with said bar, and means carried by the car for controlling said switch circuit; as and for the purpose set fort-h.

17. In an electric elevator, a car, operating mechanism therefor, a motor for actuating said operating mechanism, an electrically operated clutch for connecting said motor and operating mechanism,a circuit for said motor, an independent circuit for said coupling, and means actuated by the car for controlling both circuits; as and for the purpose set forth.

18. In an electric elevator, a car, operating means therefor, an electric motor for operating said operating means, an electric clutch arranged to couple said motor and operating means, independent circuits for said motor and coupling, a switching device arranged in the motor circuit, means carried by the car for controlling said switching device, and means actuated by said switching device for making or breaking the circuit through said coupling; as and for the purpose set forth.-

19. In an electric elevator, a car, operating means therefor, an electric motor for actuating said operating means,an electrically-operated coupling for connecting the motor to said operating means, comprising a movable hub carrying magnets, arranged upon the motor shaft, and a soft iron pole piece carried by said operating means, and means operated from the car for controlling the motor circuit and the coupling circuit; as and for the purpose set forth.

20. In an electric elevator, a car, driving shaft therefor, an electric motor, an electrically-operated clutch or coupling to connect the motor shaft with the car operating shaft, comprising a hub mounted to slide upon but to rotate with one of said shafts, and carrying a series of electro-magnets, a soft iron plate or disk carried by the other of said shafts and adapted to rotate therewith, and means carried by the car for varying the current through said electro magnets; as and for the purpose set forth.

21. In an electric elevator, a car, an operating shaft therefor, an electric motor, a clutch for coupling the motor shaft to said car actuating shaft, comprising a hub, mounted to rotate with but to slide longitudinally upon one of said shafts, one of said hubs carrying a series of electro-magnets and the other of said hubs carrying a soft iron pole piece presented to the cores of said magnets, and means car ried by the car for varyi ng the current through said magnets; as and for the purpose set forth.

22. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a circuit therefor, a solenoid arranged in said motor circuit, a movable bar acted upon by said solenoid, a second solenoid for moving said bar, the core of said second solenoid carried by said bar, a circuit for said second solenoid, means carried by the car for controlling the current through said second solenoid for moving said bar, and means carried by said bar for making or breaking the motor circuit when said bar is moved; as and for the purpose set forth.

9-3. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a circuit therefor, a switching device arranged in said circuit, comprising a pivoted bar having a screw-threaded portion, a solenoid for moving said bar, a circuit for said solenoid, means carried by the car for controlling said solenoid circuit, a weight carried by the screw-threaded end of said bar, and means actuated by the movement of said bar for making or breaking the motor circuit; as and for the purpose set forth.

2i. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a circuit therefor, and a switching device arranged in said circuit, a field circuit, an electric coupling, a circuit therefor, and a circuit for said switching device, means carried by the car for controlling said switch circuit, and means actuated by said switching devices for making or breaking the circuits through said motor, field and coupling; as and for the purpose set forth.

25. In an electric elevator, acar, an electric motor, a circuit therefor, a switching device arranged in said circuit, comprising apivoted bar, a field and a coupling circuit, a bar carrying brushes adapted to make or break the circuit through said field and coupling, and means actuated by the rocking of said bar, for moving said brush bar, a circuit controlling said switching apparatus, and means carried by the car for controlling said switch circuit; as and for the purpose set forth.

26. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a switching device arranged in the motor circuit, a circuit for controlling said switching device, a pair of solenoids arranged in said switching circuit, and means carried by he car for variably energizing either one or the other of said solenoids at will, whereby the circuit through the motor is opened or closed; as and for the purpose set forth.

27. In an electric elevator, a car, a motor, a circuit therefor, a switch device arranged in said circuit comprising a pivoted lever, earrying contact points arranged to make or break the circuit through said motor and to reverse the current through said motor, a pair of soft iron rods carried by said bar, a pair of solenoids, a circuit through said solenoids, and means carried by the car for variably energizing either solenoid at will, whereby said bar is moved more or less, according to the variations in the energizing current in either direction to make or break the circuit through the motor; as and for the purpose set forth.

In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a circuit therefor, switching devices arranged in said circuit, comprising a pivoted bar carrying soft iron rods on opposite sides thereof, a pair of solenoids, each arranged to receive one of said soft iron rods as a core, and means carried by the car for energizing either of said solenoids at will, and means for varying the energizing current whereby said bar is rocked about its pivot in either direction; as and for the purpose set forth.

29. In an elevator apparatus, a car, means for controlling the same, a motor for actuating said means, an electrically operated clutch device for coupling said motor and controlling means, and devices carried by the car for varying the current through said clutch devices; as and for the purpose set forth.

30. In an electric elevator, a car, an electric motor, a switching device arranged in the motor circuit, and comprising a movable bar, electrical connections for moving said bar in opposite directions, whereby the circuit through said motor is opened or closed and the current therethrough reversed, an electric coupling device, a circuit therefor, and means for closing said circuit, actuated by said switching device, in whichever direction the same is moved; as and for the purpose set forth.

81. In an electric elevator, a car, a motor, a switching device arranged in the motor circuit, comprising a rocking arm carrying soft iron bars on opposite sides thereof, a pair of solenoids arranged to receive said rods as cores, a circuit for said solenoids, means carried by the car for energizing either one or the other of said solenoids at will, means for varying the intensity of the energizing current through said solenoids, and means actuated by said switching device for varying the current through the motor circuit inversely, as the current through said solenoids is varied in whichever direction said switching device may be moved; as and for the purpose set forth.

32. In an elevator apparatus, a car, means for controlling the movements of said car, including an electrically operated clutching device, and devices for varying the current through said clutching device; as and for the purpose set forth.

In an elevator apparatus, a car, means for controlling the same, a motor, an electrically operated clutch device for coupling said motor, and controlling means, and devices carried by the car for varying the current circuit through said clutch device; as and for the purpose set forth.

34. In an elevator apparatus, a car, controlling means therefor, including an electric motor and an electric clutch, independent circuits for said motor and clutch, and means controlled from the car for varying the current through said circuits; as and for the purpose set forth.

In an elevator apparatus, a car, controlling means therefor, including an electric motor and an electric clutch, independent circuits for said motor and clutch, means for varying the current through the clutch circuit according as the current through the motor is varied; as and for the purpose set forth.

36. In an electric elevator, an electric motor, a car, a switching device arranged to eontrol and vary the current through said moa switching device, a control device carried 10 tor, a control device mounted upon the car, electrical connections between said control devices and said switching devices, and means whereby the movement of the switching device is dependent upon and proportional to the movement of said control devices; as and for the purposes set forth.

37. In an electric elevator, a motor a car,

by the car and electric connections whereb the action of the switching device is synchronous with respect to the action of said control device; as and for the purpose set forth.

HUMPIIREY R. SMITH. Vitnesses FRANK T. BROWN, M. I. CAVANAGH.