Improvements in Chain Rail or Tramways.
Year: 1887

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by CONSTANTIN CARL KLINIK, FRIEDRICH PINKOWSKI
and ANTON SOLLMANN, all of Konigshütte, Germany, Mechanical Engineers.]
Improvements in Chain Rail or Tramways.
1, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the county of Middlesex, M.I.M.E.
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 relates to improvements in chain rail or tramways in which the
chain runs on rollers in a peculiarly constructed guideway underneath the trolley or
waggon.
To this end the chain is composed of movable links and between each two links a
roller is inserted in such a manner that the rollers are alternately vertical and
horizontal.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 represents the chain in side elevation.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a detail of two links and
Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section showing the arrangement of the whole
apparatus and the construction of the chain guide way.
The links of the chain of cast or wrought iron or other suitable material are formed
in such a manner that each consists of a vertical and a horizontal part a¹ and a". The
links are connected together in such a manner that always two horizontal and two
vertical parts are opposite each other and turn on a common axis 6' or 6" passed
through openings formed in the links and held in position by nuts d.
Each of these axes 6 or 6 forms at the same time the axis for a roller e¹ or ell and
it follows that the roller between the vertical parts of the link is also vertical, and the
roller between the horizontal parts is also horizontal. The chain can therefore move in
all directions and is always guided and supported underneath and at the sides by the
rollers and e¹¹.

page_text: The vertical propelling arms fare formed by elongating the vertical axes b¹ or by
fixing the arms thereto these arms engage in a suitable manner with the trolleys W
and propel them.
In fig. 1 both are represented, the arm f on the left being a direct elongation of the
axis 6' while the arm f on the right is fixed onto the axis b¹ by means of the nut g.
The latter form is preferable as a broken arm can be replaced without breaking or
opening the chain.
The guide way for the chain (see figure 4) consists of two angle irons h¹
between which is placed a channel iron " and this arrangement supports the vertical
rollers e¹ in the channel iron while the horizontal rollers e¹ bear against the
sides of the angle irons being steadied upon the vertical sides of the channel
iron h¹¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
as communicated to me by iny foreign correspondents, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
1. A chain rail or tram way in which the trolleys are propelled by vertical propeller
arms fastened to the chain and engaging the said trolleys from underneath.
2. A link chain provided with links such as a' a" guided by alternate vertical and
horizontal rollers such as e¹ ell, and vertical propeller arms f consisting of the direct or
indirect prolongation of the roller axes & substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
3. The guide way for the chain consisting of the angle and channel irons h¹ "
in which the vertical rollers e¹¹ of the chain bear upon the bottom while the
horizontal rollers e¹ run between the sides of the angle irons h' and at the same
time are guided by the vertical sides of the channel irons " the whole constructed
and operating substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.