US653940A - Clutch mechanism for mine cages or lifts. - Google Patents

Description

No. 653,940. Patented luly I7, I900.

R. SCHULZ. CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR MINE GAGES 0R LIFTS.

(Application filed Jan. 16, 1900.)

(No Modei.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD SCHULZ, OF HERNE, GERMANY.

CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR MINE CAGES OR LIFTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 653,940, dated July 17, 1900. Application filed January 16, 1900. Serial No. 1,618. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD SCHULZ, miner, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of Bahnhofstrasse 1-9 Home, in the Province of Vt estphalia and Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutch Mechanisms for Mine Cages or Lifts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in myimproved clutch mechanism. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. i is a detail end view of a central buffer. view of the same, partly in section. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a corner-pocket. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a clutch lever frame,

0 shows the shaft-timbers, and 71 shows the central guide-bars.

c is the hoisting chain or rope, connected by chains 0' withthe cage or lift. Connected with the hoisting chain or rope c by means of a short chain c are ropes a, supporting an upper plate 1), lower plate 17, and a spring 2, compressed between the plates by the weight of the cage or lift on the central supportingbar (2, on which the cage or lift is suspended.

2' shows four separate two-armed clutch-levers whose upper ends 2" engage with the lower plate, so as to be tripped thereby when the hoisting-chain breaks and unloads the spring and whose lower beveled ends normally rest on stops Z, projecting inwardly from the cageframe. The clutch-levers are pivoted to the upper bars at of the cage or lift by means of rods or shafts 1). At the four upper corners of the cage or lift are pockets 0, each containing buffers 0, of soft elastic rubber, located Fig. 5 is a detail side over the lower arms 70 of the clutch-levers and open towardthe sides of the shaft. To these pockets 0 are hinged flaps 0 against which the lower arms of the clutch-levers are adapted to come in contact. The bearings of the clutch-levers are so arranged that if the hoisting chain or rope is broken their lower arms describe the segment of a circle upwardthat is to say, the ends of the lower arms move from underneath the pockets upward, and therefore of course move outward. In consequence of this they move outside of the cage or lift.

0 shows central pockets each having hinged flaps 0 and containing buifers 0 of soft elas tic rubber, formed with flanges 0, adapted to bear on and embrace the guide-bars 01-. Each pair of clutches arranged on one side are connected with one another by means of a cross-barsof angle shape, the arms of which project upward diagonally from the connecting-points. The tops of these cross-bars are adapted to bear against the flaps o of the central pockets.

The operation of my improved safety-clutch is as follows: If the hoisting chain or rope breaks, the spring 6 is released and presses down the lower plate I), so that the four twoarmed clutch-levers are rocked, and the lower armsmove out of the angle-irons m of the cage or lift and place themselves under the flaps o of the corner-pockets containing the rubber buffers o. The bearings for the cushions are sloped ed at the bottom, so that there is an equal contact on the whole lower surface of the cushions or buffers. Simultaneously with the rocking of the clutch-levers their lower arms press up the cross-bars, the arms of which come in contact with the flaps o of the central pockets 0 and press their buffers o outwardly against the guide-bar n, so that the flanges o of the buffers embrace the cen- .t-ral bar. The guide-bars are so arranged that they offer as large a contact-surface as possible to the central rubber buffers, and the bearing is preferably set so that the contact with the cushions commences at the point of rotation and increases in front,in consequence of which an increased projection of the mass of the pressed buffers results. As all the pockets are only open in front, it is obvious that the bufiers can only yield in that direction. It is also to be noted that the cornerbuffers can serve for braking, together with the central cushions, as the rubber presses against the shaft-ti mbers, or they maybe used merely as elastic bearings for the clutch-levers. As the cage or lift slides down farther all the rubber bufiers are compressed and are pressed more and more against the sides of the shaft and against the guide-bars, which causes increased friction as the cage or lift moves downward. The central cushions, which, as already mentioned, hold the guidebars as closely as possible, instantly begin to produce their braking action at the least com pression from this part before the speed at which the cage or lift is falling has increased to any extent. When the side buffers are compressed to their maximumpoint, the lower arms is come out of the cage or lift, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, so far that they rest over the ledges 7', extending across the shaft-timbers, outside of the shaft. The corner-buffers are preferably arranged so that the clutch-levers when they come into contact with the corner-buffers already project from the cage or lift, and when these rest on the next ledge immediately bear thereon, and as the cage or lift slides farther down they are thrust upward. cushions are more strongly compressed, they act as a still stronger brake on the shafttimbers.

This clutch mechanism is not only operated by the breaking of the rope, but also by its slipping or jerking, whether the cage or lift is traveling up or down.

As the rubber buffers are readily replaceable, it rests with the person in charge to see As at the same time thewhether they are renewed at the right time and do not become sufficiently worn to render them useless.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The-combination, with a cage or lift of the corner-pockets, the hinged flaps beneath the corner-pockets, the-buffers located in the corner-pockets, and the clutch-levers, pivoted to the cage or lift, and having lower arms adapted to bear upwardly against the hinged flaps.

2.' The combination, with a cage or lift of the central pockets, the hinged flaps beneath the central pockets, the bufiers located in the central pockets, and the clutch-levers pivoted to the cage or lift, having lower arms and an angular cross-bar adapted to bear upwardly against the hinged flaps.

3. The combination, with a cage or lift of the corner-pockets, the hinged flaps beneath the corner-pockets, the buffers located in the corner-pockets,the central pockets,the hinged -fiaps beneath the central pockets, the bulfers located in the central pockets and the clutchlevers pivoted to the cage or lift having lower arms adapted to bear against the flaps of the corner pockets, and an angular cross -bar adapted to bear upwardly against the hinged flaps.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD SGI-IULZ.

Witnesses:

HENRY HASPER,

WOLDEMAR HAUPT.

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