US722364A - Elevator. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED MAR. 10,1903v w. L. HOLMAN.

' ELEVATOR;

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 8, 1902.

H0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE WILLIAM L I-IOLMAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,364, dated March 10, 1903.

Application filecl September 8, 1902. Serial No. 122,557. (No model.)

To to whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM L. HOLMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevators; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in elevators for raising and lowering passengers and goods and to certain improvements whereby the platforms or cages will be automatically locked and stopped in case the supporting mechanism breaks or fails, or in any other case when the platform or cage is to be stopped and held in a fixed position.

My improvements consist of a cross-shaft that spans the cage or platform and extends behind the guiding-jaws at each side. This shaft cut away or flattened at one side forms cams behind one jaw at each side, so that when slightly turned it will compress the jaws against the guides with great force; also consists in means to turn this shaft and stop a cage or platform automatically in case the latter falls or moves at a speed greater than intended, and in means to operate the stop or look the cage by an attendant. To attain these purposes in a practical way, I provide devices as illustrated in the drawings herewith, forming a partof this specification.

Figure I is an elevation of an elevator-cage for goods arranged with my improvement, one guide-post being broken away. Fig. II is an enlarged end view of the top or main guidingjaws at one side of the cage and the parts connected therewith. Fig. III is atop view of the main guiding-jaws, the locking-shaft, and a portion of the top cross-rails; and Fig. IV is a side view of Fig. III. Fig. V is an en larged diagram to show the manner of the cam action.

Referring to the drawings and the numerals of reference thereon, l and 2 are the main guide-posts, to which are attached the guideways 3, preferably of metal and .planed smooth on their bearing-surfaces. The main guiding-jaws are composed of two fixed members 4 and 5, cast integrally with the plate 16 and bolted to the cross-rails 7 and 8, and the movable members 9 and 10, that fit within the parts 4: and 5, having angular ledges to prevent vertical movement, as seen in Fig. 11. The movable part 9 of the jaw 4 is held outwardly by the screws 12 and 13 and is elastically pressed inward by the screw 14:, that bears upon the back of a block 15, of indiarubber or other elastic substance, that in turn bears upon the back of themember 9, giving an elastic pressure. At the other side of the ways 3 the jaw 10, when not pressed inward by the cam-shaft 11, is held outwardly in its seat by the screws 17, that pass loosely through the part 5 and are pressed outward by springs 21, that yield when the cam-shaft acts on the jaws 10, as indicated in the diagram, Fig. V. The movable parts 9 and 10 have on their inner faces renewable gib-lining pieces 18, made of brass or other suitable material, that bear upon the guideways 3 in the usual manner, and 19 is an elastic bearingblock of wood fiber or other suitable material held by a spring 20, so as to bear on the inner edges of the guideways 3 to prevent noise and lateral movement of the cage. The guidingjaws 22, end rails 23, and braces 24 are of the ordinary construction and do not need description, except to say that the compressing or main jaws can be placed at the top or bottom of the cage and the jaws 22 be reversed accordingly.

To clamp and stop the cage or platform 6, the shaft 11 is turned by a lever 25, fixed thereon and to which is connected a rope 26, that is attached to the outer end of this lever 25, passes from there around a pulley 27, called the governor, thence downward and around a movable pulley 28 at the bottom, and from there back to the platform 6, where it is attached to an eye or shackle 29, as shown in Fig. II. As the platform 6 moves upward or downward the rope 26 fo1lows, turning the pulleys or sheaves 2S and 27, a weight 30 keeping a slight tension on the rope 26, which is all the time within reach from the platform 6, as seen in Fig. I.

The pulley 27 at the top is provided with pivoted bars 31, that are held inward within the periphery of the pulley 27 by the springs 32 so long as the speed of revolution is within a certain limit; but as soon as the speed exceeds this limit the bars 31 are swung outward by centrifugal force and engage the fixed bar 33, instantly stopping the pulley 27. WVhen the pulley 27 is thus stopped, the traction on the rope 26 draws upward the lever 25 and by the cam movement, as indicated in Fig. V, presses inward the jaws and locks the cage or platform 6. To put the lever into equilibrium as nearly as possible, I apply thereon a sliding weight 37, that can be moved outward or inward to regulate the turningstring of the spring 35.

The upward movement of the lever 25 is limited by the curved extension 34: striking against the cross-rail 8, and when the bars 31 are disengaged and the lever 25 set free a coiled spring 35, attached thereto and to a bracket 36, returns the lever 25 to its normal position, as shown in Fig. II. This bracket, as will be seen, furnishes a middle support on the shaft 11.

It will be understood from this description that in case the platform 6 should fall or move downward at too great a speed this would cause the bars 31 on the pulley 27 to swing outward and stop it and lock the cage 6, as before described, and that an attendant on the platform 6 could by seizing and holding the rope 26 produce the same result. It will also be seen that there are no sliding or uncertain movements or parts to cause derangement or failure in case of accident.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention and the manner of its application, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an elevator, in combination with a cage and vertical guideways therefor, fixed cross members borne upon the cage, opposed clamping-jaws movably secured to said cross members, embracing the guideway, a crossshaft, a cam on the end of said cross-shaft, bearing against one of said clamping-jaws, an adjustment-screw for the opposed clampingjaw, a lever affixed to the cross-shaft, a centrifugal governor automatically acting to arrest motion beyond a predetermined limit, and flexible connecting means between said lever and said governor, imparting rotation to the latter by the normal movements of the cage, whereby the clamp is operated when the motion of the governor is arrested, substantially as specified.

2. In an elevator, in combination with a cage and vertical guideways therefor, fixed cross members borne upon the cage, opposed clamping-jaws movably secured to said cross members, embracing the guideway, a crossshaft, a cam on the end of said cross-shaft, bearing against one of said clamping-jaws, an adjustment-screw for the opposed clamping-jaw, a resilient backing for the latter, means to hold the cross-shaft to normal position, with clamp released, while unoperated, a lever afiixed to the cross-shaft, a centrifugal governor automatically acting to arrest motion beyond a predetermined limit, and flexible connecting means between said lever and said governor, imparting rotation to the latter by the normal movements of the cage, whereby the clamp is operated when the motion of the governor is arrested, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM L. HOLMAN. Witnesses:

ALFRED A. ENoUIsT, P. W. J. LANDER.

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