Improvements in and connected with Cars for Elevated Structures.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Cars for Elevated Structures.
We, HENRY WILLIAM KIRCHNER Gentleman and GEORGE NATHAN CHASE,
Gentleman both of No. 304 North Eighth Street in the City of St. Louis, and
State of Missouri, United States of America, 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 accompanying drawings, forming a part of this Specification,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one end of our improved form of car;
Figure 2 is a top plan-view, with the top of the car removed to more clearly show
the interior mechanism;
Figure 3 is a bottom plan;
Figure 4 is a cross-section of the car, showing the same in position on an approved
form of elevated way;
Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of the operating rod for the aeroplanes, the
twin-link connection therebetween, and the guide for the rod;
Figure 6 is a cross-section through the operating rod and its guide ;
Figure 7 is a detail view, illustrating the means for actuating the operating rods
for the aeroplane simultaneously;
Figure 8 is a vertical section through one "bank" of aeroplanes ;
Figure 9 is a front elevation of the same;
Figure 10 is a diagrammatical view of the means of applying the resistance, or
friction, brake-wheels to the lower rails;
Figure 11 is a sectional view of the vertically movable trolley, and the means for
holding it in contact with the wire ;
Figure 12 is a cross-section through the "post" block, taken at right angles to
the section shown in Figure 11, to more clearly show the binding posts;
Figure 13 is a perspective of the bearing or journal box, for the shaft of the
vertically-movable trolley;
Figure 14 is a side elevation of a detached portion of our improved form of
elevated way;
Figure 15 is a cross-section through one side thereof, looking toward one of the
supporting posts;
Figure 16 is a horizontal section through the post, taken just above the lower.
rail, showing the rail-supporting stirrup in position;
Figure 17 is a perspective of the stirrup, with a detached portion of the lower
rail attached.
Our invention has relation to a new and improved car, adapted to run on elevated
structures, and has for its object the adaptation of the principle that air, striking
against an inclined surface, such as an aeroplane placed at an incline, will be
deflected, and such deflection, or the contact of the air against the surface, will
exert a force opposing that of the air deflection line, which force or pressure we
utilize as a lifting medium, not only to relieve the weight of the car from the
wheels, and thereby overcome track friction, but, also, as a medium to overcome, to
a certain extent, the repellant law of gravity exerted upon a body moving up an
incline.
This underlying principle of a law of nature forms the primary object and
essential feature of our invention; but there are other and minor details, whose
functions, conjoined with that above set forth, are also important, and tend, in their

page_text: .
way, to accomplish the best results in the application of this principle to a car or
other means of transportation, as hereinafter described.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like parts
wherever they occur,
1 indicates a car, or other suitable means of transportation, which car is preferably
pointed at its ends (one, only, being shown), having its top curved or crowned, and
extending downwardly at its ends; which form we have adopted as the most
convenient in this instance, to "cut" the air, when the car is moving at a high
rate of speed.
This car is provided with a series of supporting track-wheels 2 near its top, whose
axles are provided with a suitable propelling medium, which, in this instance, is
illustrated as a motor 3 mounted directly upon the axles to obtain more power.
The motors 3 are supplied with electricity through a trolley running on a trolley-
wire 5, supported by brackets on the elevated way.
This trolley and its associate parts is illustrated in detail in Figures 11, 12,
and 13, wherein the trolley 4, being of copper or other suitable conduction material,
is mounted upon a
hollow sleeve of similar conduction material 6, which sleeve is
supported by, and runs in, a vertically-movable bearing or journal-box 7, mounted
in a way 8 in the side of the car. To insulate the sleeve 6 from the box 7, we
surround the same at its bearing point with the box, by a rubber or other non-
conducting material 8, provided with flanges 9, between which flanges is clasped a
metallic bearing ring 10, which runs in the box 7. The box is preferably of that
class commonly known as split boxes," as shown in Figure 13.
66
To yieldingly hold the trolley in electrical contact with the wire 5 and still
maintain connection with the service wires running to the motors, we extend the
sleeve 6 inwardly a short distance, where it is mounted in a " post "block 11, to
which the binding-posts 12 (see Figure 12) are attached. Connected to this
"post" block 11, and insulated therefrom by a rubber section 13, is a sleeve 14
which extends upwardly and surrounds a stud 15 suspended by a bracket from the
top of the car. Between the bottom of this stud and bottom of the socket in the
sleeve 14, is interposed a compression-spring 16, whose function is to always tend
to force the trolley 4 downwardly on the wire 5.
As the construction above referred to only extends a short distance from one side
of the car, and as the opposite side is provided with a similar trolley, we connect
the two, for obvious reasons, by a shaft 17, which is insulated from the sleeve 6 by
a rubber sleeve 18 extending throughout the length of the same.
Mounted upon the sleeve 6 (see Figure 2), is a distribution disk 19, from which
run service wires 20 to the several motors, the current in said wires, however, being
controlled by a regulator 21, in the forward end of the car.
Mounted in eyes, or otherwise hinged to a standard 22 secured to the top of the
car, are aeroplanes 23, which are preferably braced by ribs 23ª on their upper
surfaces, so as to offer no obstruction to the deflection of air from their underneath
sides.
These aeroplanes are inclined, as shown in dotted lines at the top of Figure 8,
by the upward movement of twin links 24, which are secured to, and actuated by,
the operating rods 25, which rods are preferably connected together at their upper
ends by a cross-piece 26, as shown in Figure 4, to add rigidity to the same.
To operate the rods 25 simultaneously, we provide each piece with a rack on its
lower end, which rack is operated by a gear-wheel 27, mounted upon a longitudinal
shaft 28 running the length of the car (see Figure 2). These shafts 28 are
provided with bevelled pinions 29 on their ends, which mesh with similar wheels 30
mounted on a cross-shaft 31. The shaft 31 is operated by skew-gears 32 and 33,
mounted, respectively, on the shaft 31 and vertical shaft 34, which shaft 34 is.
provided, at its lower end, with a wheel 35, which receives motion from a pinion 36
operated by a short shaft 37 mounted in a stand 38, which stand is provided with a
notched disk 39, with the notches of which engages a gravitating dog 40, mounted
in the end of the handle 41, secured to and adapted to operate the shaft 37. The

page_text: function of the gravitating dog 40 and its engagement with the notched disk 39 is
to prevent further movement of the train of parts just enumerated after the
aeroplanes have become once set.
To retain and guide the operating rods 25 in their vertical movement, we provide
the lower ends of the same with feathers 42 (see Figures 5 and 6), which run in
ways formed in a bracket 43 secured to the top of the car.
The elevated way, as illustrated in the drawings, and which construction we have
adopted as being best adapted to this form of car, consists of supporting standards
or posts A, of a cross-section, as shown in Figure 16, placed in pairs at a suitable
distance apart and cross-braced, as shown in Figure 4. In the inner channel of
these posts, is introduced supporting stirrups B of a form as shown in Figure 17.
To these stirrups, are secured the upper and lower rails C and I), by bolts or other
suitable means. To brace the rails between the posts, we utilize angle braces E,
and, at the points of connection of the braces with the rails, we place a tic-rod F,
as shown in Figures 14 and 15.
G indicates a bracket for supporting the trolley-wire 5.
To throw on resistance to act in the capacity of a brake, we place an air
cylinder 44 in the forward end of the car, and force air into the same, at the
desired time, by a force-pump (not shown).
This cylinder is provided with a piston-head whose rod 45 extends downwardly
through the bottom of the car and has connected thereto one end of a lever 46. which
lever is pivoted to a hanger 47, and has its opposite end connected to a link or
connecting-rod 48, which latter link or rod is connected to, and operates, the
brake-rod 49. This brake-rod, as shown in Figure 3, runs the full length of the
car, and has, connected thereto, a little to the rear of the brake-wheels 50, links 51,
whose opposite ends are connected to the axle of the brake-wheels.
We prefer to provide the hangers 52, which support the wheels 50, with
slots 53, which act as guides for the axles, and, in that way, limit the movement
thereof.
To apply the brake-wheels to the lower rail D and thereby generate a friction,
air is admitted above the head of the piston in the air cylinder, forcing the same,
its rod, and the forward end of the lever 46 downwardly, which forces the rod
or link 47 upwardly and rearwardly, as shown in dotted lines, which moves the
brake-rod backward.
As the brake-rod moves backward, the links 51 are carried with it, and they,
forming, with the brake-rod 49, a wedge, are forced up by the roller 54 suspended
by the bracket 55, and carry with them the wheels 50, which wheels, coming in
contact with the lower rail D, act as friction-brakes, and thereby stop the car.
We are aware, that, although we have shown and described particular
constructions for the utilizing and controlling the adaptation of aeroplanes to a car
or other means of transportation, still other constructions might, also, be as
advantageously used, without in the least departing from the nature and principle
of our invention.
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. In combination with a car or other means of transportation, of aeroplanes in
the form of blades, arranged one above the other, and means for controlling the
inclination of said aeroplanes, substantially as described.
2. In combination with a car or other means of transportation, of aeroplanes in
the form of blades, arranged one above the other, mounted above the car, and
means for controlling the inclination of said aeroplanes, substantially as described.
3. In combination with a car or other means of transportation, of an elevated
way in which said car runs, aeroplanes on the top of the car in the form of blades
arranged one above the other, and friction-brakes on the under side thereof,
substantially as described.

page_text: 4. In combination with a car or other means of transportation, of aeroplanes in
the form of blades arranged one above the other on top of the car, an elevated
way provided with four tracks, on which said car runs, and wheels on the under
side of the car adapted to be forced up by air pressure and engage the lower rails,
whereby they act in the capacity of friction-brakes, substantially as described.
5. In combination with a car or other means of transportation, of standards
mounted on the top of the car, aeroplanes hinged to the standards and provided
with stiffening ribs on their upper faces, an operating rod for said aeroplanes, and
means for actuating the operating rod, substantially as described.
6. In combination with a car or other means of transportation, of standards
mounted on the top of the car, aeroplanes hinged to the standards, a rod connected
to, and adapted to operate, the aeroplanes, through the medium of links, and means
for actuating the rod, substantially as described.
7. In combination with a car or other means of transportation, of standards
mounted on the top of the car, aeroplanes hinged to said standards, rods connected
at their upper ends by a cross-piece adapted to operate the aeroplanes, and means
for actuating the vertical sections of the operating rods simultaneously, substantially
as dsecribed.
8. In combination with a car or other means of transportation, of aeroplanes,
rods for operating the aeroplanes, racks on the lower ends of the operating rods,
actuating wheels meshing with the racks, and guides for the rods, substantially
as described.
"
9. In combination with a car or other means of transportation, of aeroplanes,
arranged in " " banks along the top of the car, and means for operating said
"banks" simultaneously, substantially as described.
10. In combination with a car or other means of transportation, of an air
cylinder provided with a piston-head and rod, the latter extending through the
bottom of the car, a lever connected to said piston-rod, a link connected to the
opposite ends of the lever and to the brake-rod, links arranged on the brake-rod
along its length, and having their opposite ends connected to the axles of
friction-wheels, and a fulcrum over which said latter links are drawn, whereby the
friction wheels are elevated, substantially as described.
11. In combination with a car or other means of transportation, of a brake-rod
and means for moving the same longitudinally, friction-wheels and their axles, links
secured to the axles of the friction-wheels and to the brake-rod, and a fulcrum
over which said links are drawn, whereby the friction wheels are moved toward or
from the body of the car, substantially as described.
Dated the 23rd January 1894.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Chartered Patent Agent, London, 4
For the Applicant.