An Improved Turn-table for Inclined Rail Roads.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1899- Accepted, 1st Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Turn-table for Inclined Rail Roads.
I, PAUL BEST, of 34, Richard Wagnerstrasse, Koln a/Rh. Germany, Mine
Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:--
In the working of mines difficulties are experienced when changing the direc-
tion of travelling trucks from an inclined road to a horizontal track which is at
an angle to said road, and vice versa. These difficulties are increased whenever a
truck, laden with minerals, has to be transferred from an inclined road on to a
horizontal one which is at right angles to such road. Even when various kinds of
auxilaries are used at such crossings, for changing the direction of the truck, yet
they are but very primative makeshifts and often give occasion for difficulties at
other times.
The object of this invention is the provision of a turn-table for inclined roads
which, owing to its peculiar construction, can, by a simple turning of its axle, be
readily brought into the desired horizontal or inclined position. The manufacture
of the turn table presents no special technical or constructive difficulties.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have here-
unto appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon,
Fig. 1 is a diagram explaining the principle of the invention.
Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional and plan views showing the action of the turn-table.
Fig. 4 is a section and Fig. 5 is a plan of the turn-table.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the turn-table, as provided with a truck stopping
device.
The principle underlying the invention is explained by a reference to Fig. 1
of the drawings annexed. If a plane E, having three sides one of which, E, is
supposed, for the moment, to be in a horizontal position, whilst the other side, E².
is in an inclined position (with reference to the lower horizontal plane), be rotated
with this latter side as axis then the triangular plane will describe the outline of
an oblique cone in its rotation and consequently the side E will present, in each
position, a different angle to the horizontal. If, now, the upper horizontal
plane 3 be supposed to be secured rigidly to the side E, then it is quite clear,
without further explanation, that this plane E will adopt the various inclined
positions assumed by the side E' in its rotation.
Further considerations naturally require to be taken into account before putting
the above principle into practice. In the first case it has to be noted that, as
in mines the angles of inclination of the haulage galleries are not constant but
vary generally between from 5° to 25°, it is necessary, on this account, that the
angle enclosed by the two sides E and E should be capable of varying, within
corresponding limits, relatively with the plate E³ which is attached to it. Presum-
ing that this factor has been taken into account and that the angle enclosed by
the sides E and E2 has been so formed that at a certain position of the plate E³
its angle of inclination corresponds accurately with that of the haulage gallery,

page_text: then, if the principle is to be followed out, a vertical plane passed through the
side E², as axis of the oblique cone described, must bisect the angle which
the haulage gallery makes with a horizontal track branching off from it. If the
angle, which may be called y formed between the haulage gallery and the branch-
ing off track amounts to 90°, then it would be divided in to two angles of 45° each
by a plane passed vertically through the axis.
What has been said will be more easily understood if the illustrations Figs. 2
and 3 are considered which figures show the simplest mode. of constructing the
turn-table. If B represents the inclined road or the haulage gallery, S the rails
of the road, St a branch horizontal line which deviates at an angle of 90° from
the direction of the road B, a the turn table and b the inclined axle secured
to the table, then the turn table, when in the position shown in the figures, must
take a horizontal position, corresponding to the position of the rails S¹, and a plane
passed vertically through the centre line of the axle 6 will bisect the angle between
the incline B and the horizontal branch track, and, because that angle is 90°, will
cut it into two angles of 45° each. The line t, Fig. 3, cutting the axial line
of the axle b, at c, indicates the vertical plane. The magnitude of the angle
between the turn-table a and the axle 6 depends also upon the angle of inclination
of the gallery which angle may be called With these data and taking the
angle y at 90° we have the equation cot a=-
B
cos 45°
cot B
a
A construction of the turn-table, arranged so that its angle a may be varied,
is shown at Figs. 4 and 5. In this case the turn-table is not secured directly
to the axle 6 but is provided, at the centre, with an inner piece a² which consists
of a plate fitted obliquely and provided with a number of curved slots a¹ arranged
in a circle. The under face of this plate a² is made with a smooth surface and rests
upon the circular head b₁ of the axle which latter, as shown, is. also arranged
obliquely to the head. The plate a² can be moved upon the head b¹, after the
screws have been loosened, to an extent limited by the length of the slots a¹.
When the plate a² has been moved round upon the head to the desired position
it can be finally clamped in place by screwing up the screws d. Owing to the
fact that the plate a² is set obliquely in the table and the head b¹ is set
obliquely upon the axle, it follows that whenever the plate a² is shifted in
position the magnitude of the angle will be changed.
be forgotten that through such change the rails S2, upon the table, alter
their position and that, as a consequence, with the horizontal position of
the table a, the direction of the rails S2 remains no longer at an angle of 90°
with the direction of the haulage gallery. In order to prevent this the
flange, by which the plate a² is attached to the table, is provided with concentric
slots a through which the fastening screws d' are passed, so that, by correspond-
ingly shifting the flange upon these screws, the incorrect position of the rails S
can be remedied. It is perfectly evident that an action similar to the sliding
movement of the plate a² on the head can be effected by means of a ball and
socket joint or such like contrivance but such an arrangement would not be so
efficient for the present purpose in view and, would, in any case, cause compli-
cations.
fL
It must not
The contrivance for altering the position of the turn-table instead of being
applied to the turn-table itself can, with great advantage, be applied to the sule
or foot plate e.
Further it is necessary that the distance of the turn-table a from the base
plate e should be adjustable because, on the one hand, in certain circumstances,
when the magnitude of the angle à is being changed, the outer edge g of the
periphery of the table would, owing to the inclined position, be pushed out on the foot
plate or on the level of the haulage gallery, and as, on the other hand, owing to
practical reasons the distance between the level of the horizontal section of the haulage
gallery and the underside of the turn-table a cannot be made too great. As a conse-
quence a contrivance must be introduced by means of which the distance between

page_text: the foot plate and the table can be regulated. In the arrangement just described
this is effected by means of a bolt i which traversés a hole made in the axle b. from
end to end and which, at its upper end, is so made that it can be turned by, means
of a key. The lower end of the bolt is made of square shape and fits into a screw
nut capable of turning within the screwed part e¹ of the foot plate e.
-
Fig. 6 of the drawings shows, by way of example, a contrivance which, whilst
being capable of holding a truck or trolley on the inclined turn-table, does not
constitute an obstacle when it is not in use. The contrivance consists essentially
of a latch 7, whose upper end, when being used by the miner, is directed upwards
but which is usually pushed back so that trucks which have to be let down from
higher levels may not be stopped. To actuate the stopping or holding apparatus
the foot plate of the bent lever is raised up until the rod m comes in front
of the lower end of the catch and thus constitutes a resting point for it. Should
a truck W now descend along the haulage gallery its axle box Wwill catch
against the upper end of the catch whose lower end will, as a consequence,
press against the lever m; consequently the truck W will be held in position upon
the table. The table can now be turned round through an angle of 90° in a
horizontal plane so that its rails may meet the rails of the branch horizontal
gallery when the truck can be removed from the table without any hindrance
owing to the fact that the catch will now be on the opposite side of the table from
the direction in which the truck is to be travelled. After the first truck has been
taken off a full truck can be run upon the table without moving the latter or its
catch and the front axle of the truck will be caught by the still elevated catch and
thereby held in position upon the table. The table can now be turned round again
into its former position and the haulage rope hooked to the truck whereupon the
lever n can be depressed, in the direction of the arrow shown on the drawing, with
the result that the rod m will be moved towards the left hand side and the arm 12
of the catch set free. As a result of this action combined with the action of the
spring bearing upon the spur the truck will be left free to override the arm /¹
of the catch and descend the incline. Should a truck happen to be ascending
the incline the catch would be overridden and forced down towards the left but
immediately its rear axle box would have over ridden the catch the latter would
spring back again, under the action of the spring o, into the vertical position
and thereby prevent the truck W moving backwards.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
consider novel and desire to claim is :-
(a)
1. A turn table for inclined rail roads which is so connected with its axle that
whenever the latter is turned through a complete revolution from any desired
starting point at the periphery of the turn table the base of an oblique cone will
be described, with the result that, on the one hand, the angle of inclination
between the surface of the turn-table and the direction of the axle, and, on the
other hand, the inclination of the axle itself, can be so gauged that the rails (S2)
on the surface of the table will, when the table is turned into the inclined position,
fall into line with the rails (S) of the inclined road, whilst, when the table is turned
into the horizontal position, they will fall into line with the lines of a horizontal
track branching off from the said inclined road, substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the drawings annexed.
2. A modification of the turn table claimed in Claim 1, in which the necessary
alteration, within certain limits, of the angle (a) between the surface of the
turn-table and the direction of the axle is effected (1) by shifting the plate (a²)
upon the axle head (61) through the agency of the curved slots (a¹) made in the
plate (2) and (2) by altering the relative positions of the table (a) and plate (a2)
by means of the curved slots (a) made in the flange (at) of said plate, substantially
as herein before described with reference to the drawings annexed.
3. A modification of the turn-table claimed in Claim 1, in which the distance
between the sole or foot plate (e) and the turn-table can be varied according to

page_text: circumstances by means of a bolt (i) which passes down through the axle and is
attached to a screw-nut (k) working therein, substantially as herein before described
with reference to the drawings annexed.
4. A modification of the turn-table claimed in Claim 1, having a truck stopping
or holding device consisting of a system of levers (n, m, 12, 13, 14) arranged upon
the table, substantially as herein before described with reference to Fig. 6 of the
drawings annexed.
Dated this 25th dow of Tana 1000