Patent GB-190314702-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Rope Railways for Bridging Horizontal and Vertical Spaces.
Inventor: SAYER ROBERT COOKE
Filed: 1903-07-02
Granted: 1904-06-30
Abstract: 14,702. Sayer, R. C. July 2. Rope railways.-Relates to rope railways for bridging horizontal and vertical spaces and consists essentially of one or more cars c suspended by ropes d, d<2> passing round winding-drums e carried by supports a. Fig. 1 shows the apparatus adapted to connect two harbour piers, and Fig. 3 shows it arranged for crossing an estuary, intermediate columns or supports a<3> being used in this case for carrying the additional winding-drums. The supports a are hinged at the bottom and held in an inclined position by front and back ties b, b<5>, the lower ends of which pass through tubes and are secured in underground chambers. The forward ties b<5> are divided, and the parts connected by loops and springs, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The winding-drum e, Fig. 6, upon each support is driven in either direction by an electric motor g through chain gearing g<3>, g<4> and worm gearing f, f<2>, f<3>. The vertical shafts g<2>, f<4> are mounted in bearings fitted with several concave discs h<2>, h<3> h', Fig. 14, of gradually increasing area, which are adjusted for wear by the screwed block h<5>, h<6>. The bearing is closed by a spring collar and cushion h<8>. This form of bearing, when worn does not affect the concentricity of the rotor and stator of the motor g. The cars c are fitted with guides, which receive slides on a framework carrying a tube k, Figs. 16, 17, and 18, which forms the hinge for the suspending ropes d, d<2>, and hydraulic cylinders m, m<2> and n, n<2> for compensating for the varying angles of the ropes and thus maintaining the car in a horizontal position. The ends of the ropes d, d<2> are looped and secured round the tube k. Segments l, l<2>, to which the hydraulic cylinders are connected, are attached by clamps having trunnicns to the rope d<2>, and they are guided by pulleys on the rope d and on bars d<11>, d<12>. When the angles of the ropes vary, the movement of the segment l<2>, which is toothed, rotates a pinion l<4> and thus moves a piston working in the cylinder k<2>, through an adjustable crank-pin and connecting- rod. The piston draws liquid from one cylinder and forces it into the other, thus keeping the car level, through a special arrangement of valves and connections. The electrical connections are carried by the ropes d, d<2> to contacts on the guides and slides of the car, and also to interlocked regulator switches, by which the speed of the drums can be set. When intermediate supports a<3> are used, platforms p are provided to enable the cars to be transferred from one set of suspending ropes to another. Fig. 24 shows a plan of one of the platforms having two cars c, c<5> resting thereon. The platform has inclines p<2> at its edges to guide the cars into position, and it is fitted with a motor r for moving the cars by means of chains workiug round pulleys, and with stages q, q<2> for receiving the top frames of the cars. When the cars c, c<5> arrive at the platform, they are guided into position by the inclines p<2> and the top frames, carrying the hinges for the suspension ropes, electrical connections, levelling-rams, &c., are drawn by the chains r<8> fitted with loops r<11>, on to the stages q, q<2> ; the detached cars are then traversed to the positions c c<6> and c c<7>, shown in dotted lines, by other chains and hooks s<3>, s<5>, s<6> ; and finally the top frames are drawn back again on to opposite cars by the chains r<8>, the cars being thus transferred from one set of ropes to another. In a modification, the cars c are suspended at two points by two ropes d d, as shown in Fig. 30, in which case the winding-drums e are carried on swivelling rings, so that they can move round into any plane, and the bottom bearings for the vertical shafts are similarly supported or mounted, the movement of the bottom support being controlled by hydraulic cylinders as described above. The level ling-devices on the cars may be connected directly to the ropes, or through diagonal tie ropes d, d<3>. The pump working in conjunction with the hydraulic cylinders is operated from a curved arm e, e<3>, Fig. 28, on the drum axle e<2>, through the sliding block e, e' and linkage, the position of the sliding block on the curved arm, and consequently the throw of the pump piston l<11>, being regulated by a screw device e e'‹, e e<11>, e e<12>. The ropes supporting the cars are made long enough to enable them to be slackened out and sunk below the surface of the water, for ships to pass.