A Method of Propelling Vehicles over Moderate Distances and Apparatus for that purpose
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Feb.,
1897
• Complete Specification Left, 4th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 4th Dec., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
"A Method of Propelling Vehicles over Moderate Distances and
Apparatus for that purpose."
I, WILLIAM WALKER, of Saltburn-by-the-Sea, in the County of York, Mining
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to means of propelling trucks, cars or other vehicles over
moderate distances, such as a few hundred yards, as for example in conveying coals
or minerals in mines or in carrying goods or passengers over short tramway lines.
For this purpose, I propel the vehicle by an engine worked by compressed air
conveyed to it by a flexible pipe which is coiled off and on a drum as the vehicle
travels. This drum is mounted preferably about midway of the course, on a
tubular axle which is supplied with compressed air and communicates with the
flexible pipe. The drum has attached to it a rope loaded by a weight.
As the Hexible pipe is unwound from the drum by the pull of the travelling
vehicle the rope is wound on it raising the weight, and as the vehicles gives out
slack of the pipe, the weight descending coils the pipe again on the drum.
By the side of the track a number of rollers are arranged at intervals on which
the pipe travels as it is pulled by the vehicle in the one direction or by the drum
in the other.
The drum may be mounted on the vehicle itself, the pipe being in that case led
to a stationary union preferably about midway of the course where the compressed
air is supplied.
1007
ABEL & IMRAY
. Agents for the Applicant.
"A Method of Propelling Vehicles over Moderate Distances and
Apparatus for that purpose."
I, WILLIAM WALKER, of Saltburn-by-the-Sea, in the County of Yorkshire,
Mining 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.
My invention relates to means of propelling trucks, cars, or other vehicles over
moderate distances, such as a few hundred yards, as for example in conveying
coals or minerals in mines or in carrying goods or passengers over short tramway
lines
i

page_text: For this purpose I propel the vehicle by an engine worked by compressed air
conveyed to it by a flexible pipe which is coiled off and on a drum as the vehicle
travels. This drum is mounted preferably about midway of the course, on a
tubular axle which is supplied with compressed air and communicates with the
flexible pipe.
The drum has attached to it a rope loaded by a weight. As the flexible pipe
is unwound from the drum by the pull of the travelling vehicle the rope is wound
on it raising the weight, and as the vehicle gives out slack of the pipe, the weight
descending coils the pipe again on the drum.
By the side of the track a number of rollers are arranged at intervals on which
the pipe travels as it is pulled by the vehicle in the one direction or by the drum
in the other.
The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention as it may be applied in
the workings of a coal or other mine.
Fig 1 is a plan of part of a mine,
Fig 2 is a side elevation of the drum and weight, with an end view of the truck,
Fig 3 is a side view of the truck and Fig 4 is a plan of the drum and truck.
The drum D is mounted in any convenient part of the mine adjoining the
rails R for trucks T. On the drum is wound the hose pipe H which is attached
to the compressed air engine E on the truck. On the axis of the drum is a
barrel B on which is wound a rope connected to a weight W having wheels
running on inclined rails. The axis of the drum is tubular being connected by
a union U with a pipe supplying compressed air, and having communication with
the end of the hose pipe. As the truck moves away from the drum it unwinds
the hose pipe from the drum causing it to revolve drawing up the weight W,
and when the truck moves towards the drum, the weight W descending turns the
drum winding the pipe hose on it.
Suitable guide pullies P are mounted beside the drum to give direction to the
hose pipe which is supported on rollers Q mounted at suitable intervals along
the track.
The drum may be mounted on the vehicle itself the pipe being in that case
led to a stationary union preferably about midway of the course where the com.
pressed air is supplied.
In this case the drum would be connected by a clutch to the engine shaft and
provided with a brake so that when the truck moves towards the stationary union
e drum is driven by the engine winding on the hose pipe, and when the truck
moves away from the union the drum is caused to revolve by the unwinding of
the hose pipe at a speed controlled by the brake.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The herein described method of propelling a vehicle over moderate distances
by employing an engine on the vehicle communicating with a supply of com-
pressed air by a hose pipe wound on and off a drum as the vehicle proceeds in the
one or the other direction.
2. For propelling a vehicle as above set forth, apparatus arranged and operating
substantially as described.
Dated thin 9.1
T
1008