US560208A - herdman - Google Patents

Description

(N0 Model.) F E 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

ELEVATOR Ptented May 19, 1896.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(:No Model.)

P. E. HERDMAN.

V ELEVATOR. No. 560,208. Patented May 19, 1896.

ANDREW 8 GRAHAM.PHOT0-UTHO.WASHINUTUN.D c

UNTTED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

FRANK E. I-IERDMAN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,208, dated May 19, 1896.

Application filed June 21, 1893.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK E. HERDMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at In dianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Elevators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object the automatic stopping of an elevator at the end of its travel, either up or down, and is particu larly applicable to elevators operated by a winding drum and ordinarily stopped by means of a friction-brake. The objection to the ordinary friction-brake is that by reason of its giving a certain definite amount of resistance to the further travel of the elevator the power cannot be proportioned to the speed of the elevator nor to the load in the car. The consequence is that if the load is heavy or the speed great the car will travel a much greater distance than it would were the load light or the car traveling slowly. Hence to prevent the possibility of the car striking considerable leeway must be given to itthat is, the friction-brake must be applied too long before the elevator reaches the end of its travel. My invention is designed to obviate this objection to the friction-brake by using mechanism in connection with the windingdrum whereby the car will be automatically stopped with certainty just before it reaches its extreme limit of movement independently of the friction-brake and without regard to the load in the car or the speed of its movement.

To carry out my invention, I use certain mechanism which I hereinafter particularly describe, but which may be varied radically without departing from my invention, the essential feature of which is a fluid-containing piston and cylinder to which is connected mechanism which is operated by the elevatorhoisting mechanism at a certain point of its revolution to cause the piston to travel in the cylinder and by the resistance of the fluid to the travel of the piston generally stop the elevator.

I will now describe the mechanism which I prefer to use to carry out my invention.

I do not illustrate the elevator -'car, the

Serial No. 478,352. (No model.)

power for revolving the drum-shat t, the stopping, starting, and reversing mechanism under the control of the operator in the car, nor the connections between them and the drumshaft, as these embody many different constructions well known to those familiar with elevator construction and form no part of my invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is afront elevation of the winding-drum and mechanism connected therewith embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detached sectional view of cylinder shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a View, same as Fig. 1, of modified form of piston-returning device. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of modified form of cylinder. Fig. 6 is a section on the line sc :1: of Fig. 5.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, N represents a portion of the bed-plate and supporting-frame of the drum. M is the drum; m, the drum-shaft. On the drum-shaft is keyed the gear A, which meshes with the gear B, larger than the gear A. The gear 13 is keyed to the shaft I), mounted on a bearing on the bracket 7). The shaft 1) has also keyed to it the gear B, smaller than the gear B. The gear 13 meshes with the gear 0, larger than the gear B. This gear 0 moves on a screw and has stops 0 upon it, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained. To the bearing carrying this gear 0 is pivoted the yoke E, which passes on either side of said gear, as shown in Fig.2. To theyoke Eis attached the piston-rod F of the piston F of the cylinder F. The cylinder F is pivoted to the bracket N at 'n, so as to permit its moving from side to side on its pivotal bearing.

Fig. 3 shows a section of the cylinder F.

observed that there is thus a passage formed from one side to the other of the piston and that the said passage will be gradually cut off when the piston moves toward the end of To the framework is attached the cylinder.

This cylinder has aseries of holes f from one one end of each of the springs G, which, at their other ends, are attached to an extension of the yoke E. (See Fig. 2.)

The operation of the above-described mechanism is as follows: As the drum revolves, the gear A revolves, which, through the gears B and B, revolves the gear 0, which travels much more slowly than the drum. In addition to this axial revolution it travels from one end to the other of the screw D, which forms its bearing. As it reaches the end of the screw-thread, one of the projections c is brought in line with the yoke E and moves it in the direction in which the drum is traveling. The arrangement of the gears and the length and pitch of the screw are such that the projection c engages the yoke E just before the car reaches its limit of movement in one direction. The normal position of the yoke and piston-rod is such that the pistonhead F is located centrally in the cylinder F. The yoke in its movement up or down carries with it the piston-rod F. The piston-head F forces the fluid in the inner chamber through the apertures f into the outerchamher. As the piston moves toward the end of the cylinder, one aperture after another is cut off, and as the outlets for the contained fluid are gradually diminished the resistance of the contained fluid to the movement of the piston-head is gradually increased, and the rate of travel of the piston is gradually diminished until when or just before it reaches the end of the cylinder its movement is stopped, thus stopping the stop 0, the gear 0, the drum, and the elevator-car. When the drum is traveling in the opposite direction, the gear D also travels in an opposite direc tion on its screw-bearings, and as the car nears the end of its travel the other projection 0 comes in contact with the other side of the yoke E .and operates the piston F in the other direction. versed, after being thus stopped, the stop 0 moves away from the yoke E, and the springs G act to return the piston to its central position. The check-valve at that end opens, which admits of an easy return.

It will be observed that the essential characteristic of my invention is that there should be some mechanism (in this case the gears A B B C, screw D, projection c, and yoke E) between the piston and the drum, which is adapted at predetermined intervals in the drums revolution to cause the .piston to travel in the cylinder and gradually cut off the passage from one side to the other of the piston. I

do not confine myself to the specific mechanism between the piston and the drum shown and described, as it is obvious that other mechanism may be substituted for that described without departing from the invention as I have claimed it in my broader claims.

The cylinder may be constructed in many dilferent ways. Instead of the holes f a thin slot may be used. In Figs. 5 and G I have \Vhen the elevator is reshown front'and side views of a slot which answers the purpose. F is the cylinder; f the slot, which, as will be seen, is largest at the central part of the cylinder and tapers toward each end, where it terminates. Vhen the piston commences to move, the avenue for the escape of the contained fluid is large, but gradually diminishes as the piston moves in the cylinder. This arrangement has the advantage of cheapness over that hereinbefore described.

In place of the spring G for returning the piston to its central position other and positive means may be employed. In Fig. 4 I show a front view of another device for accomplishing this result. To the upper end of the piston-rod are attached the prongs F and F. c is one arm of the yoke E. (Shown in Figs. 1 and c is the stop. The prong F is adjusted so that the stop 0 just clears it every time it passes it. "When the stop 0 comes in contact with the yoke E and moves the yoke and piston-rod upward, the prong F is moved upward with it and follows up the stop 0. vVhen the drum revolves in the opposite direction, the stop 0 immediately comes in contact with the projection F and moves it down, thereby returning the piston to its normal position. The prong F will act to return the piston-rod when the latter is at the opposite end of the cylinder to that just described. These prongs, of course, are bent, so that they will be on opposite sides of the gear-wheel C.

The arrangement of gears A, B, B, and C may be varied, as desired. If the travel is short and the strain is not too great, the gears may be so arranged or multiplied that the gear G will not make more than one revolution to the entire travel in one direction of the elevator. In such case the screw may be dispensed with, as the stops 0 would only come once in line with the yoke E. Under ordinary circumstances, especially if the travel of the car is great, it is difficult to arrange the gears so that the gear 0 will make but one revolution, while the strain upon it would be great. The advantage of the screw is that the gear may make several revolutions before the stop upon it operates the pistonrod, thus materially reducing the size and number of the gears and the strain upon the mechanism.

For the fluid-containing-cylinder buifer may be substituted any of the well-known types of spring-buffers, and I do not restrict myself, except where I particularly claim it, to a fluid-containing-cylinder buffer. This latter form of buifer is, however, preferable, its results in practice being decidedly more satisfactory.

I have shown merely the application of my invention to a winding-drum, although it is obvious that when other elevator-hoisting mechanism is substituted for the drum the invention is equally applicable thereto.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an elevator operated by a windingdrum, the combination with the drum of the buffer, a connection between said buffer and the drum, a gear-wheel revolved by the drumsliaft, a yoke connected with said piston and extending on each side of said gear-wheel, and a projection on each side of said gearwheel adapted to be brought in line with the corresponding arm of the yoke to move said connection against said butter.

2. In an elevator operated by a windingdrum, the combination with the drum of a buffer, a connection between said buffer and the drum, a threaded shaft operated by the d rum-shaft, a gear-wheel having its bearing on said threaded shaft, a yoke connected with said piston and extending on each side of said gear-wheel, and a projection on each side of said gear-wheel adapted to be brought in line with the corresponding arm of the yoke to move said connection against said buffer.

In an elevator operated by a windingdrum, the combination with the drum of a cylinder adapted to contain a fluid, apiston in said cylinder, there being a passage in said cylinder from one side to the other of the piston-head, a gear-wheel revolved by the drum-shaft, a yoke connected with said piston and extending on each side of said gearwheel, and a projection on each side of said gear-wheel adapted to be brought in line with the corresponding arm of the yoke to move said yoke and the piston in the cylinder and gradually cut off said passage.

4:. In an elevator operated by a windingdrum, the combination with the drum, of a cylinder adapted to contain a fluid, a piston in said cylinder, there being a passage in said cylinder, from one side to the other of the piston-head, a gear-wheel revolved by the drum-shaft, a yoke connected with said piston and extending on each side of said gearwheel, and a projection on each side of said gear-wheel adapted to be brought in line with the corresponding arm of the yoke to move said yoke and the piston in the cylinder and gradually cut off said passage, and means to cause said piston to return to its normal position.

5. In an elevator operated by a windingdrum, the combination with the drum, of a cylinder adapted to contain a fluid, a piston in said cylinder, there being a passage in said cylinder from one side to the other of the piston-head, a threaded shaft operated by the drum-shaft, a gear-wheel having its bearing on said threaded shaft, ayoke connected with said piston and extending on each side of said gear-wheel, and a projection on each side of said gcar-wheel adapted to be brought in line with the corresponding arm of the yoke to move said yoke and the piston in the cylinder and gradually cut off said passage.

6. In an elevator operated by a windingdrum, the combination with the drum, of a cylinder adapted to contain a fluid, a piston in said cylinder, there being a passage in said cylinder from one side to the other of the piston-head, a threaded shaft operated by the drum-shaft, a gear-wheel having its hearing on said threaded shaft, ayoke connected with said piston and extending on each side of said gear-wheel, and a projection on each side of said gear-wheel adapted to be brought in line with the corresponding arm of the yoke to move said yoke and the piston in the cylinder and gradually cut oft said passage, and means to cause said piston'to return to its normal position.

7. In an elevator operated by a windingdrum, the combination with the drum of a cylinder adapted to contain a fluid, a piston in said cylinder, there being a passage from one side to the other of the piston, a wheel, a stop on said wheel, a connection between the wheel and the drum, and a device connected with the piston in line of movement of said step, whereby at a predetermined point in the drums revolution the stop is caused to engage said device and operate the piston, substantially as described.

8. In an elevator operated by a windingdrum, the combination with the drum of a cylinder adapted to contain a fluid, a piston in said cylinder, there being a passage from one side to the other of the piston, a wheel, a stop on said wheel, a connection between the wheel and the drum, and a device connected with the piston in line of movement of said stop, whereby at a predetermined point in the drums revolution the stop is caused to engage said device and operate the piston, and means to cause said piston to return to its normal position.

9. In an elevator operated by a winding drum, the combination with the drum, of a cylinder adapted to contain a fluid, a piston in said cylinder, there being a passage in said cylinder from one side to the other of the piston-head, connection between said piston and the drum, and mechanism operated by said drum at predetermined points in its revolution to cause said piston to travel in said cylinder and gradually cut off said passage, substantially as described.

10. In an elevator operated by a windingdrum, the combination with the drum of a cylinder adapted to contain a fluid, a piston in said cylinder, there being a passage in said cylinder from one side to the other of the piston-head, connection between said piston and the drum, and mechanism operated by said drum, at predetermined points in its revolution to cause said piston to travel in said cylinder and gradually cut off said passage, and means to cause said piston to return to its normal position, substantially as described.

11. In an' elevator operated by a windingdrum, the combination with the drum, of a cylinder adapted to contain a fluid, a piston in said cylinder, there being a passage in said cylinder from one side to the other of the piston-head, an arm, one end connected with said piston, mechanism adapted to be operated by said drum at predetermined points in its revolution to move said arm and the piston in the cylinder and gradually cut off said passage, substantially as described.

12. In an elevator operated by a Windingdrum, the combination with the drum, of a cylinder adapted to contain a fluid, a piston in said cylinder, there being a passage in said cylinder from one side to the other of the piston-head, an arm one end connected with said piston and mechanism adapted to be operated by said drum, at predetermined points in its revolution, to move said arm and the piston in the cylinder and gradually cut off said passage, and means to cause said piston to return to its normal position.

13. In an elevator, the combination with the elevator-hoisting mechanism of a cylinder adapted to contain a fluid, a piston in said cylinder, there being a passage from one side to the other of said piston, and mechanism intermediate of the piston and the hoisting mechanism adapted to be operated at predetermined points in the operation of the hoisting mechanism and cause said piston to travel in said cylinder and gradually cut 0ft said passage.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK E. TIERDMAN.

Witnesses:

WM. N. DUNNINGTON, CHAS. A. SUFFRINS.

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