Self-aligning skip hoist for use in sinking shafts

Claim 1

A SKIP HOIST FOR USE IN SINKING A SHAFT HAVING GUIDE RAILS TERMINATING SHORT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE SHAFT AND A HOISTING DEVICE LOCATED AT THE TOP OF THE SHAFT, SAID SKIP HOIST COMPRISING A CROSSHEAD HAVING GUIDE-RAIL-ENGAGING MEANS ADAPTED TO ANCHOR SUCH CROSSHEAD ADJACENT TO THE LOWER ENDS OF THE GUIDE RAILS OF THE SHAFT; A SKIP HAVING GUIDE SHOES ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID GUIDE RAILS AND TO BE DISENGAGED THEREFROM WHEN SAID CROSSHEAD IS ANCHORED ADJACENT TO THE LOWER ENDS OF THE GUIDE RAILS; MEANS FOR RELEASABLY ATTACHING SAID SKIP TO SAID CROSSHEAD; A CABLE GUIDE MEMBER CARRIED BY SAID SKIP; MEANS, INCLUDING A HOISTING CABLE FOR RAISING AND LOWERING SAID SKIP BELOW THE GUIDE RAILS AND FOR MOVING SAID SKIP AND SAID CROSSHEAD TOGETHER ALONG THE GUIDE RAILS; GUIDE MEANS CARRIED BY THE CROSSHEAD; MEANS FOR ATTACHING ONE END OF SAID HOISTING CABLE TO THE HOISTING DEVICE, SAID CABLE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID CROSSHEAD AND THE GUIDE MEANS CARRIED THEREBY AND AROUND SAID CABLE GUIDE MEMBER; AND MEANS FIXING THE OTHER END OF THE SAID HOISTING CABLE TO SAID CROSSHEAD.