Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 8th Feb.. 1889
Complete Specification Accepted. 30th Mar., 1889
We CHARLES HIRD of Number 3 Castle Street Hall Lane Shipley in the County
of York Mechanic and WILLIAM HOWARTH of number 25 Hall Lane Shipley afore-
said Brushmaker do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
We securely fix an upright post or two or more posts in the form of a crossleg of a
suitable length and dimensions (hereafter called the long crossleg) either in the ground
or in a platform which may be fixed or moveable opposite to the long crossleg and at
a suitable distance from it we firmly affix another post or two or more posts in the
form of a crossleg hereafter called "the short crossleg" of considerably shorter length
and preferably placed in a slanting position. We then take a flexible or other rail
cable or rope made of wire or other suitable material (hereafter called "the cable")
and of sufficient strength for the purpose for which it is to be used. We fix one end
of the cable at the rear of the short crossleg and pass it over or through a groove or
hollow at or near the top of the short crossleg and we carry the cable then over
or through a groove or hollow at or near the top of the long crossleg after which we
fasten it by a joint to a male screw which enters one end of a right and left hand nut
with a similar screw at the other end which is then fastened to the ground or platform
in a secure manner. The screw and right and left hand nut are used as a convenient
method of tightening and slackening the cable as occasion requires. By the side of
the long crossleg we place steps in the form of a ladder or otherwise with a landing
place at the top and so arranged as to be either immediately under or otherwise in
convenient proximity to the cable. The remainder of the invention consists of a
pulley or wheel with a groove therein which enables it to run with safety up and down
the cable: the pulley is affixed to a strap or frame made of wood or iron or other
suitable material and with an adjustable spring at one of the lower sides which
enables the pulley to be speedily placed in position on and removed from the cable
as need requires. At the base of the strap we affix a moveable seat or other contrivance
in which passengers may sit or stand or we may use a transverse bar or bars which

page_text: a passenger or passengers may use as a horizontal bar for the purposes of descent.
The passenger ascends the steps to the landing place and either places himself in
the chair or suspends himself from the transverse bar and the pulley descends by
force of gravity down the inclined plane of the cable from the long cross leg to the
short cross leg where he alights. The approach to the short cross leg is preferably
made sloping so that the passenger may stay his rate of progression gradually. The
invention may either be used singly as above described or in such numbers and in
such relative positions to each other as circumstances may require. The invention
.may as before stated either be fixed to the ground or to a platform which may be
made of wood or other. suitable material and which platform may itself be either
moveable or fixed. We may also use the cable single or double and we may in the
latter case use either pulleys chairs or cars or other similar contrivances for the
purposes of descent. The object of the invention is to provide a trapeze railway
for purposes of amusement and recreation.

page_text: We CHARLES HIRD late of Number 3 Castle Street Hall Lane Shipley in the
County of York Mechanic but now of Number 29 Richard Street Liverpool Road
Islington London in the County of Middlesex and WILLIAM HOWARTH of Number
25 Hall Lane Shipley aforesaid Brushmaker do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to a trapeze railway which is designed chiefly to be used for
purposes of recreation and amusement.
Figure 1 Sheet 1 and Figures 1 and 2 Sheet 2 show the general arrangement of
the trapezo railway.
Figure 2 Sheet 1 shows a form of transverse bar and pulley which may be used
with the railway. Another form of pulley is shewn by figure 3 Sheet 2
letters O. J. J.
A
A Cable wire or rail C is suspended over two uprights or crosslegs A and B
which are securely fixed in position and may be stayed if necessary by stays S the
cable passes over the two uprights A and B and may be secured by attaching it to
two anchors or hooks R R fixed in the ground or in any convenient manner.
right and left handed screw coupling D to which the rope is attached by means of
joints or swivels may be used for the purpose of tightening or slackening the rope
or the rope may be attached at one or both ends to a drum or windlass or otlier
similar device. The transverse bar H is hung upon the rope by a grooved pulley J
and the pulley is secured in a frame or strap provided with a spring K which permits
of the pulley and transverse bar being readily taken off and put on the cable and at
the same time prevents the pulley from slipping off accidentally. The cross bar or
handle H may be grasped by a person using the railway, so that he is suspended
therefrom whilst traversing the cable. The pulley is moved from end to end of the
railway by the force of gravity. The velocity is gained by the pulley in descending
being preferably sufficient to carry it to the end of the cable. To secure this result
one upright A must be higher than the other upright B in order to give sufficient
velocity to compensate for the loss by friction of the air and pulley. The difference
of height and other matters being preferably adjusted so that the impetus acquired in
the descent is just sufficient to carry the pulley to the end of the cable. If the arrange-
ment is such that the velocity acquired is more than sufficient for this purpose a buffer
A ladder or steps E
or cushion M should be provided in order to provent accidents.
and a landing stage F are provided at the starting point and a landing stage.L may
be provided at the other end. A safety net N may also be used. The trapeze railway
may be used in the simple form above described or two or more may be arranged so
as to provide a return line or in such other relative positions as circumstances may
require, a departure stage and landing stage being in such case provided at each end,
the cables or rails being placed side by side so that a passenger can cross on one line,

page_text: mount the return stage and return by the other line to the starting point. The
invention can also be used in either of the ways shewn by figure 3 sheet 1 or figures
1 and 2 sheet 2. In this case the rail is preferably made of T iron or other suitable
material. Figures 1 and 2 Sheet 2 shew the latter arrangement in detail. In this
case the uprights A and B are constructed in such a manner that the rail is supported
by them without interfering with the progress of the passenger who traverses the
journey underneath the intermediate uprights as many as are necessary and of
graduated length being placed at convenient distances along the line of rail so as to
afford a secure support. These uprights are constructed as shown by figure 3 sheet 2.
The rail is supported by an adjustable screw P. The crossbar H is connected with the
pulley wheels JJ by an iron or other frame O. The leg R Q is made in two parts, the
parts R being tubular and of larger diameter than the part Q which slides within
the part R and has an arrangement S for clamping the parts together so as to make
a secure support for the rail capable of adjustment to any required length. W is an
iron or other bar connecting the legs QQ R R at the top and carrying the rail by
means of the adjustable screw P.-T. is a shoe or base upon which the legs rest and is
fastened to the ground by a spike U. N is a safety net. The arrangement here
described is adaptable either for the use of the invention shewn by figures 1 and 2
sheet 2 or in the circular form sheet 1 and in either case the pulley used is of a form
adapted to the requirements of such arrangement. Figure 3 sheet 2 shews such a
pulley distinguished by the letters O. J J.-O is an iron or other pulley frame open
at the top. There are two wheels J J which run parallel with each other along the
Tiron rail which latter has a slot or opening at each end to permit of the pulley being
placed in position at the commencement of the journey and to drop out when the
journey.is ended.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is-
1. The manufacture and use of a trapeze railway substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to figures 1 and 3 Sheet 1 and figures 1 and 2 sheet 2.
2. A railway consisting of a cable wire or rail such as supported on two or more
aprights such as A and B, RR and QQ and provided with a suitable departure stage
such as F and a pulley such as J and O. J J running on the cable the whole being
arranged so that the pulley inay be propelled by the force of gravity substantially as
described.
3. The use in combination with a trapeze railway such as hereinbefore described
of a buffer or cushion such as M as and for the purposes described.
4. The use in combination with a trapeze railway such as is hereinbefore described
of pulleys transverse bars and uprights such as are hereinbefore described.
Dated this Eighth day of February 1889.
CHARLES HIRD.
WILLIAM HOWARTH.