IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDUITS FOR CABLE RAILWAYS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT AND OTHER WIRES
Year: 1885

page_text: DHEUTTICATION.
J, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN of 67 Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONDUITS FOR CABLE RAILWAYS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT AND OTHER WIRES,
a communication to me from abroad by Edward Dyer Dougherty, Manufacturer,
of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania United States of America, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
The invention relates to improvements in Cable Railways the object being to
construct a tunnel for the travel of the cable, and of such construction, that the
danger of the slot irons, between which the grip travels, being forced together by
the weight of the earth upon them and upon their supports will be obviated and
thus prevent undue wear both upon the irons and grippers. A further object is to
provide simple and effective means whereby the irons may easily and readily be
forced toward and away from each other. A further object is to so construct the
slot irons, whereby all danger of horses slipping thereon will be obviated. A
further object is to provide means for supporting, separating and housing systems
of electric wires for the telegraph, telephone and electric light or any one or more
of said systems. A further object being to provide a box or conduit for said
systems, which shall be at all times accessible from the cable conduit.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig 1. is a view in perspective of a conduit
without the supports for the electric wires. Fig 2. is a transverse sectional view of
the same. Fig 3. is a perspective view, showing the wire conduit.. Fig. 4 is a
view in elevation of a bracket showing the wire conduit secured thereto. Fig. 5. is
a view of a corrugated slot iron and Figs. 6, 7, and 8 show different devices for
moving the slot irons toward and away from each other.
A represents one of the brackets supporting the rails B, and consisting of a base a,
from the ends of which extend the inclined supports b the said base and inclined
supports being centrally provided with a flange c to increase the strength thereof.
This flange is extended upwardly from the base and formed into vertical supports &
the upper ends of which are arched as shown at e. From the upper ends of the
supports 6 extend the horizontal pieces f which are also centrally provided with a
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page_text: Hange g and are connected with the upper curved ends of the supports d, which
latter are provided with flanges h on either side thereof to which is bolted the
sections of tubing C. On the upper horizontal pieces f, at the outer ends thereof,
are formed the upwardly extending flanges i between which are located the
beams j, to which latter are bolted the rails B of any desired construction. The
bolts securing the rails to the beams pass through the latter, and also the horizontal
pieces f, thereby securely holding the beams in their proper positions. It will be
seen that brackets, of this general construction, are very strong and stiff and
calculated to withstand the pressure of the earth against them, which has a
tendency to close together the side edges of the slot in the upper surface of the
bracket, and also the slot irons. The greater portion of the strain on the brackets
is exerted on the center of the base. In order to prevent breakage at this point,
I have increased the thickness of the base as shown at l. These brackets are
preferably made of cast metal, in one piece, thereby adding to. the strength and
materially lessening the cost and trouble in manufacturing the same.
To the inner edges of the horizontal pieces f, on opposite sides of the slot, are
bolted the slot irons E, flanges h¹ being formed on the ends of the pieces f against
which fit the said slot irons. These irons are so arranged that the ends of the
irons on opposite sides meet on different brackets in order that a smooth track will
always be opposite a joint in the opposite iron and prevent the gripper from
getting caught between the irons.
On the horizontal piece fare formed the upwardly extending lugs n provided
with holes through which pass the outer ends of the rods F, the latter provided on
their ends with nuts p, the inner ends of the rods being rigidly secured to the slot-
irons. By means of these rods, the slot-irons may be drawn apart or forced toward
each other as desired. When the ends of two irons are brought together, the
adjacent ends thereof are connected or secured by a yoke or fish plate and the end
of the rod F secured to the yoke, thereby permitting the rod to pull both rods
simultaneously. By securing the ends of the rods on the horizontal pieces f they
are easily reached by removing one or more paving stones and thereby avoiding
the necessity of tearing up the ground to manipulate the rods.
Instead of employing a screw threaded bar F to move the slot irons back and
forth, I can employ an ordinary bar having lugs or projections f³, which latter rest
on opposite sides of the lug n as shown in figs. 6, 7, and 8. In fig. 6, the lug n is
provided with beveled faces and the lugs fs of the rod F with correspondingly
beveled faces. Between these lugs are inserted the weights L. By loosening one
wedge, and driving in the other the bar and slot irons can be moved back and
forth as previously described. In fig. 7 the end of the bar F passed through a
slot in the lug n, while in Fig. 8 I have shown screws M, employed instead of the
wedges.
On the inner sides of the supports d are formed the lugs r adapted to serve as
bearings for the ends of the shaft s carrying a pulley t, over which the cable is
adapted to travel.
When it is desired to utilize the bracket above described as a support for
electric wires for any purpose whatever, I instead of leaving an open space between
the standards d and b as shown in figs. 1. and 2, cast a web of metal H integral
with said standards, through the web series of perforations h³, h³ etc of different
sizes are formed to accomodate wires for electric light, telephones and telegraphs as
may be found desirable. It is important that the wires for electric lights should
be separated from those for telephone and telegraph purposes by some insulating
material, and for this purpose I preferably construct the systems of perforations, as
shown, in which the large perforations h² are for groups of telegraph or telephone
wires, and the smaller perforations are for electric light wires.
Laterally extending flanges I and I¹ are formed integral with the web H and
extend partially about each set of perforation forming seats for the attachment of
the sides of the electric wire conduit, and for the support of the insulating or
、separating partition; between the electric light and the telegraph wires.

page_text: The
bracket to another and provided at suitable intervals, with perforations q through
which branch wires may lead to a house on the side of the road. J is an insulating
partition the ends of which rest on the portion of the flange I between the sets of
perforations h² h³. J' is the bottom section of the conduit and J the cover.
inside of the conduit is formed by one side of the cable conduit C and is provided
with man holes at suitable intervals apart to admit the arms or body of a man as
may be found expedient. By providing the side of the cable conduit with man or
arm holes, any repairs or adjustments of the wires can be accomplished or any new
wires laid by a person in the cable conduit without the necessity of tearing up the
street. The wires may be designated by figures or letters and thereby expedite
the attachment of branch wires.
Instead of constructing the slot-irons with plane or smooth upper surfaces, they
can be corrugated or roughened as shown at o, the corrugations being inclined as
shown, whereby the corrugations on the two irons will be at an angle with each
other and form a safe and sure footing for horses. The corrugations are preferably
formed. U shape in cross-section to permit of the easy removal and escape. of ice,
snow and dirt.
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 claim is
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1st The combination with a bracket, of slot irons supported on the same and
adjustable bolts, forming a direct connection of the slot to the bracket, whereby by
the adjustment of one or both of said bolts, one or both of the slot irons may be
shifted so as to regulate the width of the slot through which the gripper extends,
substantially as set forth."
2nd The combination with the bracket of angular slot irons having one of their
wings resting upon the bracket, and adjustable bolts connected at one end to the
vertical wings of the slot irons and at the other to the bracket, substantially as set
forth.
3rd The combination with a bracket and angular slot irons having oblong
openings in their horizontal wings, of bolts passing through said openings, and
adjustable bolts connected to the slot irons and to the bracket for adjusting the
Blot irons, substantially as set forth.
4th The combination with a supporting bracket for cable railways of electric
wire supports formed integral therewith, and means for attaching an electric wire
conduit thereto.
5th The combination with a supporting bracket for cable railways of a per-
forated web formed integral therewith for supporting a system of electric wires.
6th. The combination with a supporting bracket for cable railways of a perforated
web provided with flanges for supporting electric wires, and the conduit enclosing
the wires, substantially as set forth.
7th The combination with cable railway supporting brackets, of an electric wire
conduit supported by said brackets, said conduit being accessible from the cable
conduit.
8th The combination with cable railway supporting brackets, of electric wire
conduits composed of sections. extending between each two successive brackets,
said conduits being accessible from the cable conduit.
9th The combination with cable railway supporting brackets, of electric wire
conduits, supported by said brackets, the walls of said wire conduit being per-
forated for the attachment of branch wires and for access from the cable conduit,
substantially as set forth.
•
10th The combination with a cable railway supporting bracket, of a web formed
integral with the bracket, the web being perforated in groups for the passage of
different wires and the groups separated by projections for securing a partition wall,
11th In a cable railway slot irons having corrugated upper surfaces.
•

page_text: 12th In a cable railway slot irons provided on their upper surfaces with U
shaped corrugations.
13th The combination with brackets constructed substantially as described and
the tubing secured to the vertical walls of the brackets, of the rails, rail supports
bolts securing the rails and rail supports to the brackets, and slot irons adjustably
secured to said brackets, substantially as set forth.
14th The combination with the brackets constructed substantially as described
and provided at its ends with the lugs forming the seat for the rail support, and at
its central portion on opposite sides of the slot with upwardly projecting lips
forming a limit of inward movement for the slot irons, of slot irons adjustably
secured to the upper surface of the bracket on opposite sides of the slot, substan-
tially as set forth.
15th The combination with a bracket provided with upwardly projecting lugs
and slot irons secured on said brackets on opposite sides of the slot therein, of rods
rigidly secured to the slot irons and provided with projections adapted to rest on
opposite sides of the lugs, and devices bearing against said projections and the
opposite faces of the lugs, for moving the rods longitudinally in opposite directions,
substantially as set forth.
16th The combination with a bracket provided with upwardly projecting lugs,
and slot irons secured on the brackets, of rods secured to the slot irons and
provided with projections adapted to rest on opposite sides of the lugs and wedges
adapted to be inserted between said lugs and projections, substantially as shown.
17th The combination with a bracket having upwardly projecting lugs thereon,
the latter being provided with beveled faces, and slot irons secured to said brackets,
of rods secured to the slot irons and provided with projections having beveled
faces, and wedges inserted between the beveled faces of the lugs and projections,
substantially as set forth.
18th The combination with a bracket having upwardly projecting lugs, the
latter having openings formed therein, and slot irons secured to said bracket, of
rods secured to the slot irons and passing through the openings in the lugs, and
provided with projections and wedges inserted between the lugs and projection,
substantially as shown.