Improved Means or Apparatus for Transporting Passengers and Goods by Air Pressure.
Year: 1890

page_text: •
Date of Application, 20th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 18th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means or Apparatus for Transporting Passengers and
Goods by Air Pressure.
I, EDWARD LOCHER, of Zurich, Switzerland, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in the system of transporting
passengers and goods in which a vehicle is caused to travel through a tube by
pressure of air therein, which pressure is made greater upon one end of the vehicle
than at the other.
This method of transporting passengers and goods is according to this invention, .
carried out by means of an improved construction of hollow cylindrical carriage
adapted for the reception of persons and goods and to travel in a cylindrical tube.
This carriage, which is strengthened in any suitable manner and fitted internally
with the requisite seats, frames and so forth is provided on the outside at its ends
with platforms for the attendants, and with brake mechanism adapted to act upon
carrying or guiding wheels mounted at the ends of the carriage and arranged to
travel against longitudinal guide rails arranged at the periphery of the tube and
parallel to the axis thereof. The carriage is caused to make a tight joint with the
interior of the tube by means of a series of peripheral rings arranged one behind
another on the cylindrical outer periphery of the carriage and extending close up to
but not touching the inner surface of the tube. These rings form a series of annular
chambers at the periphery of the carriage, and only allow differences of air pressure
to pass gradually and very slowly over the whole length of the carriage.
In the annexed drawings:-
Fig. 1 shews partly in longitudinal section and partly in side elevation a hollow
cylindrical carriage according to this invention situated within a tube, that is shewn
in longitudinal section.
Fig. 2 is a section through two adjacent tubes with carriages therein; one of the
carriages being shewn in end elevation, the other in transverse section.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the carriage, drawn to a larger
scale, illustrating the construction adopted for making a tight joint between it and
the interior of the tube.
The carriage W which is situated in a tube R of medium gradient provided with
guide rails s parallel to the axis of the tube, consists essentially of a hollow
cylindrical body with end walls a and furnished internally with the requisite stiffen-
ing parts, and furniture, such as for instance, the necessary seats as shewn in Fig. 1,
and at the right hand side of Fig. 2.
The end walls of the carriage are provided with doors. The cylindrical carriage
is of smaller diameter than the tube, and is provided with a series of peripheral
rings k, of suitable material, for example metal arranged a short distance apart, and
extending near to the wall of the tube, but so as not to touch the same.
These rings
are secured at intervals to the periphery of the carriage by suitable supports, such
as angle irons kº, (see Fig. 3).
By this arrangement of peripheral rings annular air spaces are formed around the
carriage along the length of the same, these air spaces rendering an equalisation of
the air pressure between the two ends of the carriage very difficult, if not impossible.
It is not essential that the series of rings should extend throughout the whole length
of the carriage in some cases the rings may extend only along one portion of the
carriage, and in other cases along two or more separated portions.
On the outer sides of the end walls a are the platforms b, carrying the lower
guiding rollers or wheels c. The end walls a also each carry upper guiding rollers or

page_text: wheels C¹ and the brake mechanism. These wheels c and C¹ may be connected
directly or indirectly with the end walls as desired, and are in the example shewn,
(see the left hand side of Fig. 2) situated in the connecting lines between the rails &
and the axis of the carriage; any other suitable arrangement may however be
adopted.
Adjacent to the wheels, that is to say between the respective wheel and the axis
of the carriage, are situated brake shoes d that are caused to bear against the
peripheries of the wheels by any known or suitable means.
on
"
In the present example the brake blocks are arranged to be moved into the "
and "off" positions as desired, by means of a handwheel e fixed upon a screw
threaded spindle that is mounted in fixed bearings and works in a nut fi by means
of which and the arrangement of rods a, i, a toggle action can be exerted so that
when the handwheel e is rotated in the direction to put on the brakes, pressure will
be exerted upon the brake blocks which are then forced against the peripheries of
all the wheels situated at one end of the carriage, and thus braking the motion
thereof.
Furthermore not only is a pressure exerted between the brake block and the
peripheries of the wheels, but the arrangement of the brake blocks on the sides of
the wheels opposite to the rails is such that the guide wheels c, which have each a
slight play in its bearings in the direction between the rail against which it travels
and its brake block, are pressed upon the rails and thus caused to produce a further
braking action.
In the example shewn, the lower toggles i are guided by a radius rod h, and the
upper toggle is guided by a radius rod g' (pivotted at 9°) and on which the brake
blocks for the two top wheels c, are mounted.
The brake apparatus at both ends of the carriage may be so connected together,
as to allow of the brakes being either put on or taken off at both ends as desired
by one handwheel or equivalent device located at one end only. Also any suitable
arrangement of automatic brake can be employed.
The system of transport herein described can be employed within all angles
from 0° to 90%
For railways with steep gradients, or even for vertical railways, compressed air is
caused to act upon the lower end wall of the carriage. For horizontal or nearly
horizontal railways compressed air is caused to act on that side of the end wall
which is opposite to the direction of travel. Or instead of employing compressed
air, a sucking action due to the production of a partial vacuum at one side of the
carriage can be employed.
For railways with steep gradients such as shewn in Fig. 1, where compressed air
is forced in behind the vehicle, fans and compressors may be employed for supplying
àir under pressure, but fans are preferable, because they can be readily regulated to
produce any desired pressure by varying the rate at which they run.
For this reason fans are particularly suitable for a downward journey where the
pressure of the air must be maintained exactly.
The maintenance of the pressure of the air during the downward journey could
however be effected even without the use of fans, that is to say, by means of air-
escape apparatus or governors only.
Dated this 20th day of May 1890
EDWARD LOCHER,
Por L W
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means or Apparatus for Transporting Passengers and
Goods by Air Pressure.
I, EDWARD LOCHER, of Zürich, Switzerland, Engineer, 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 :-
This invention has reference to improvements in the system of transporting

page_text: passengers and goods in which a vehicle is caused to travel through a tube by
pressure of air therein, which pressure is made greater upon one end of the vehicle
than at the other.
This method of transporting passengers and goods is according to this invention,
carried out by means of an improved construction of hollow cylindrical carriage
adapted for the reception of persons and goods and to travel in a cylindrical tube.
This carriage, which is strengthened in any suitable manner and fitted internally with
the requisite seats, frames and so forth, is provided on the outside at its ends with
platforms for the attendants, and with brake mechanism adapted to act upon
carrying or guiding wheels mounted at the ends of the carriage and arranged to
travel against longitudinal guide rails arranged at the periphery of the tube and
parallel to the axis thereof. The carriage is caused to make a tight joint with the
interior of the tube by means of a series of peripheral rings arranged one behind
another on the cylindrical outer periphery of the carriage and extending close up
to but not touching the inner surface of the tube. These rings form a series of
annular chambers at the periphery of the carriage, and only allow differences of air
pressure to pass gradually and very slowly over the whole length of the carriage.
In the annexed drawings,
Fig. 1 shows partly in longitudinal section, and partly in side elevation, a hollow
cylindrical carriage according to this invention situated within a tube, that is shown
in longitudinal section.
Fig. 2 is a section through two adjacent tubes with carriages therein; one of the
carriages being shown in end elevation, the other in transverse section.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the carriage, drawn to a larger
scale, illustrating the construction adopted for making a tight joint between it and
the interior of the tube.
The carriage W which is situated in a tube R of medium gradient provided with
guide rails s parallel to the axis of the tube, consists essentially of a hollow
cylindrical body with end walls a and furnished internally with the requisite
stiffening parts, and furniture, such as for instance, the necessary seats as shown in
Fig. 1 and at the right hand side of Fig. 2.
The end walls of the carriage are provided with doors. The cylindrical carriage
is of smaller diameter than the tube, and is provided with a series of peripheral
rings k, of suitable material, for example metal, arranged a short distance apart,
and extending near to the wall of the tube, but so as not to touch the same.
These
rings are secured at intervals to the periphery of the carriage by suitable supports,
such as angle irons &°, (see Fig. 3).
By this arrangement of peripheral rings, annular air spaces are formed around the
carriage along the length of the same, these air spaces rendering an equalisation of
the air pressure between the two ends of the carriage very difficult; if not
impossible. It is not essential that the series of rings should extend throughout
the whole length of the carriage; in some cases the rings may extend only
along one portion of the carriage, and in other cases along two or more separated
portions.
On the outer sides of the end walls a are the platforms b, carrying the lower
guiding rollers or wheels c. The end walls a also each carry supports for the upper
guiding rollers or wheels cand the brake mechanism. These wheels c and c¹ may
be supported directly or indirectly by the end walls as desired, and are in the
example shown, (see the left hand side of Fig. 2) situated in the connecting or
radial lines between the rails s and the axis of the carriage; any other suitable
arrangement may however be adopted.
Adjacent to the wheels, that is to say between the respective wheels and the axis
of the carriage, are situated brake shoes d that are caused to bear against the
peripheries of the wheels by any known or suitable means.
In the example shown the brake blocks are arranged to be moved into the " on
and "off" positions as desired, by means of a hand wheel e fixed upon a screw

page_text: threaded spindle that is mounted in fixed bearings and works in a nut f¹ by means
of which and the arrangement of rods g, i, a toggle action can be exerted so that
when the handwheel e is rotated in the direction to put on the brakes, pressure will
be exerted upon the brake blocks which are then forced against the peripheries of
all the wheels situated at one end of the carriage, and thus breaking the motion
thereof.
Furthermore not only is a pressure exerted between the brake blocks and the
peripheries of the wheels, but owing to the brake blocks being arranged on the
sides of the wheels opposite to the rails, the guide, wheels c and e, which have each
a slight play in its bearings in the direction between the rail against which it travels
and its brake block, can be pressed against the rails, so as to produce a further
braking action.
In the example shown, the lower toggle rods i are guided by radius rods h, and
the upper toggle g is guided by a radius rod g' (pivoted at y) and on which the
brake blocks d for the two top wheels are mounted.
The brake apparatus at both ends of the carriage may be connected together in
any suitable manner, so as to allow of the brakes being either put on or taken off at
both ends, as desired, by one hand wheel or equivalent device located at one end
only. Also any suitable arrangement of automatic brake can be employed if
desired.
The system of transport herein described can be employed within all angles
from 0° to 90°.
For vehicles for steep gradients, or even for vertically moved vehicles, com-
pressed air is caused to act upon the lower end wall of the carriage. For horizontally
or nearly horizontally moved vehicles compressed air is caused to act on that end of
the vehicle which is opposite to the direction of movement. Or instead of employing
compressed air, a sucking action due to the production of a partial vacuum at one
end of the carriage can be employed.
For railways with steep gradients such as shown in Fig. 1, and for vertical
railways or for lifts where compressed air is forced in behind or below the vehicle,
fans and compressors may be employed for supplying air under pressure, but fans
are preferable, because they can be readily regulated to produce any desired
pressure by varying the rate at which they run, this advantage being of particular
importance when making the downward journey, where the pressure of the air must
be maintained exactly. The maintenance of the pressure of the air during the
downward journey could however be effected even without the use of fans, that is to
say, by means of air escape apparatus or governors only.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In apparatus of the kind herein referred to for transporting passengers and goods
in which a hollow piston like carriage or vehicle is caused to travel by the pressure
of air in a horizontal inclined or vertical tube provided with guiding rails.
1. The hollow cylindrical carriage W provided externally to its end walls a with
carrying or guiding wheels and capable of being braked, and brake blocks
arranged to act on the side of the wheels opposite to the rails against which the
wheels travel as and for the purpose specified.
2. The combination with the wheels c and e¹ for guiding the carriage, of the brake
blocks d and the toggle lever mechanism f', i, g, for actuating the said brake
blocks as and for the purpose specified.
3. The brake mechanism comprising the screw, nut, toggle rods i, radius
or guide rods and g' and brake blocks d.
4. For making a practically air tight joint between the outer periphery of the
cylindrical carriage and the tube in which it travels, providing the said carriage
with a number of peripheral rings k arranged a short distance apart and extending

page_text: nearly to but so as not to touch the inner surface of the said tube substantially as
herein described for the purpose specified.
Dated this 10th day of February 1901
E. LOCHER,
By L. W., per F. B.