Store Service Apparatus.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1889--Accepted, 8th Feb., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Store Service Apparatus.
I, EDWARD ALOYSIUS RORKE of 191 Montague Street City of Brooklyn in the
County of Kings and State of New York United States of America Artist do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention relates to store service railways, in which tracks and carriers
to travel thereon, are employed to transmit cash and parcels to and from the
Cashier's desk and the point where the goods are wrapped up, to different parts
of a store.
The invention has for its object to provide in a store service apparatus a system
of this kind of tracks, and carriers to travel thereon, with switches for branch tracks,
and carriers so constructed and arranged that different carriers may be sent over the
main line and onto branch lines by the automatic action of the carriers on different
switches, thereby enabling a particular carrier to be sent to a designated point.
The invention consists in a store service railway having a main track, a series of
branch tracks and switches therefor, and a series of carriers which are automati-
cally switched to their particular station or constructed and arranged as hereinafter
described and claimed.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all
the views.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the main track and branch tracks
with switches, and a carrier on the main track, constructed in accordance with this
invention;
Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;
Figure 3 is a plan view thereof, showing the position of the carrier and switches,
after the carrier has passed a branch track and is about to pass from the main line
and enter on a branch track ;
Figure 4 is a side view of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, with a portion
broken away; and
Figure 5 is a side view of the invention shown in Figure 3.
In carrying out the invention; tracks consisting of two rails, carriers with rollers
or wheels to travel on the tracks, and switching arms of different lengths and on
different planes projecting in front of the carriers, and switches for branch tracks
with projections of different lengths to be engaged and automatically operated by
the switching arms on the carriers, are employed.
For the purpose of illustrating and describing the invention, a portion of the main
track 1 is shown and portions of branch tracks 2, 3.
The tracks consist of the rails 3¹ preferably formed of flat strips of metal or wood
on edge, and mounted in a store in any suitable manner and may be horizontal or
inclined, according as it is desired to transmit the carriers, either by impelling then
by force, applied at the starting point, to their destination over the horizontal-
tracks, or permitting them to move by their own gravity over the tracks arranged
at an incline.
Any number of branch tracks 2, 3, &c. may be employed as desired, in connection
with the main line 1, entrance of a carrier from the main track onto a branch track
being governed by switches 21, 31, etc., also preferably formed of a vertical strip of
wood or metal on edge.
Each switch is hinged to the junction of one of the rails of the main track 1 with
the inner rail of a branch track by a hinge 31, and is supported at its hinged end on

page_text: a shelf 4, forming the support also of the junction of the main track rail with the
inner branch rail just referred to, the end of the switch baving beveled edges 4¹ to fit
anugly against the rails.
The outer or swinging end of each switch rests upon a shelf or projection 5, at the
bend 6 of one of the main track rails with an outer rail of a branch track and abuts
against the bend 6, so that the switch forms a continuation of the main track rail,
when the main track is open.
When the main track is closed and a branch track open, the swinging end of the
switch rests on a shelf or projection 7, on the main track rail opposite to the bend 6
and abuts against said rail.
8, indicates a carrier, consisting of a frame constructed in any suitable manner and
having flanged rollers or wheels 9, which rest on the rails 31 and are adapted to roll
thereon.
The carrier 8 may be provided with a receptacle for cash, or parcels. As here
shown, the carrier is provided with a hook 10 from which a basket or other receptacle
for parcels may be suspended.
A series of carriers is employed, each carrier being provided with a depending arm
or bracket 11, having a number of switching arms 12, 13, &c. of different lengths
bolted or otherwise secured to arm 11, and in different horizontal planes and projecting
forward of the car.
The switches 21, 311, &c., are provided with dopending arms 14, 15, &c. of different
lengths secured to the switches by bolts or in any other suitable manner. The
switching arms 12 and 13 may be made of such length that each succeeding arm on
a lower plane will be longer than the arm above it, as for example the arm 13 being
longer than the arm 12.
The depending arms 14 and 15 may be made of such length that each succeeding
arm will be longer or shorter than the preceding one, as for example, the arm 15 being
longer or shorter, than the arm 14.
By having the above mentioned arrangement of switching arms 12, 13, &c., on the
carriers and the depending arms 14, 15, &c., on the switches, with the switch 2¹ closing
the main track as shown in Figures 1 and 2, upon a carrier approaching switch 21,
the switching arın 13 will advance beneath the lower end of switch arm 14 and the
switching arin 12 will be brought into engagement with the switch arm 14 and as the
carrier advances will move the switch 21 over to close the branch track 2 and open
the main track 1 thereby permitting the carrier to proceed on the main track.
If the carrier is intended to be moved onto the branch track 3, instead of continuing
on over the main track 1, and the switch 31 is in the position shown in Figures 1
and 2, closing the branch track 3, upon the approach of the carrier to the switch 31,
the projecting switching arm 13, which is located in a horizontal plane to engage
the lower end of the switch arm 15, will act on the latter and move the switch 3"
to open the branch track 3, thereby permitting the carrier to pass onto the
latter.
In this way, with a series of carriers having projecting switching arms of different
lengths and arranged in different horizontal planes, and a series of branch tracks
with switches having depending switch arms of different lengths, certain carriers
may be selected and employed to be sent to designated points or stations, by having
the depending arms on the switches of such graduated lengths, and the projecting
switching arms on the carriers of such different lengths and arranged in such different
horizontal planes as regards the depending switch arms, that a particular carrier
will automatically operate certain switches only, so as to direct the carrier into and
over certain tracks to its designated point or station.
In order that the projecting switching arms on the carriers may operate effectively
the depending switch arms, the projecting arms 12. and 13. are formed with the curved
ends 12 and 13¹ projecting in opposite directions to each other, and to one side of the
line of travel of the carrier.
The depending switch arms 14 and 15 are formed with recessed or cut-away
portions 14' and 15' on opposite sides thereof; the recess 14' permitting the ready

page_text: engagement of the switching arm 12, if a switch is closing the main track, and the
recess 15 permitting the ready engagement, of the other horizontal switching arm
when the switch is closing a branch track.
The arm 15 is also provided with a recess 16, located at the proper height to
permit the projecting switching arm 12 to pass the switch arm 15 after it has been
acted upon by the projecting switching arm 13.
In the case of carriers intended to operate the first switch only, to be carried on
to a side track, only one projecting arm in front of the carrier is employed.
By means of this invention it will be seeu that an effective store service railway
system of tracks, switches and carriers which automatically operate the switches is
provided, whereby any particular carrier or number of particular carriers with
projecting switching arms of different lengths and located in different horizontal
planes may be sent to a particular or designated point, depending switch arms of
different lengths being arranged on the switches and having such graduated lengths
relatively to the projecting switching arms on the carriers, which are also arranged in
different proper horizontal planes, that a particular carrier will automatically operate
only the proper switches to switch it to its designation.
Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by
Letters Patent,
1. A store service railway apparatus, comprising a main track, branch tracks, and
switches with depending arms of different graduated lengths, and a series of carriers
with switching arms of different length, projecting in advance of the carrier and
arranged in different horizontal planes relatively to the depending switch arms of
different graduated length, substantially as shown and described.
2. In a store service railway, a main track 1, and branch tracks 2, 3, consisting of
double rails 31, and having the switches 2 and 3, with their hinged ends resting on
shelves 4, with shelves 5 and 7 on the main track rails 31 for the support of the
swinging end of the switches, and graduated arms 14 and 15 of different length
depending from the switches, the arm 14 having recesses 14¹ and 15¹ and the arm 15
having recesses 14', 151 and 16, substantially as shown and described.
3. In a store service railway, a carrier 8 having flanged wheels 9, a depending
arm 11, and arms 12 and 13 with ends 12 and 13' curved in opposite directions from
the line of travel of the carrier, of different lengths and arranged in different
horizontal planes, substantially as shown and described.
4. In a store service railway, a carrier having flanged wheels to rest on a double
railed track, and a horizontal switching arm suspended from the carrier to be located
below the track, projecting forward from the carrier and curved in a horizontal plane,
substantially as shown and described.
5. In a store service railway, a carrier having a bracket arm depending below the
track, and switching arms of different graduated length, arranged in different
horizontal planes, and projecting forward of the carrier, substantially as shown and
described.
6. In a store service railway, a main track and branch tracks with switches having
depending switch arms of different graduated lengths, and recessed to be operated
by switching arms on the carriers, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 5th day of De
1000
EDWARD MCHUGH,
12, Rosemary Street, Belfast, Agent for Applicant.