Improvements in Elevated Railways.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 31st Mar., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elevated Railways.
I, FREDERICK P. DINKELBERG, of Lincoln Building, Union Square, New York,
in the County and State of New York, United States of America, Architect, 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 elevated railway systems, and has for its object to
provide a railway structures of this kind, particularly constructed for rapid
transit, and in which the car body can be made of a very light weight, whereby
to materially decrease the cost of propulsion over that of surface railways.
My invention also comprehends a novel construction of trucks for traversing
the overhead track-way and pendent hanger frames adapted to carry the car.
combined with the said truck frames in such manner as to insure a safe transit of
the cars, particularly when rounding curves, and whereby the cars can always
be maintained in a substantial straightway position and lateral or twist strain
thereon during running is reduced to the minimum.
Another and important feature of my invention lies in the construction of the
car supporting frame so that it can be made up of very light material, and yet
possess great strength, and be capable of being economically manufactured, such
construction also including a novel means for connecting the hanger frame
with. the truck frame, whereby the said hanger frame can he readily detached
from the said truck frame and permit different frames adapted for supporting
different size passenger cars to be interchangeably connected and supported from
the truck frame or frames without removing the said truck frames from the track-
way, or in any manner disconnecting any of the parts thereof.
With other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, this invention, in its
subordinate features, consists in certain combinations and peculiar arrangement
of parts; all of which will hereinafter be first described in detail and then
specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a view illustrating the general idea of my improved elevated railway
structure, the same being shown adapted for inter-city travel.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the general arrangement of the truck
frames, the suspended car and the pendent or hanger frame therefor, the motor
of one of the trucks being omitted.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of one of the truck frames and a portion of the
hanger frame.
Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3, portions being in
section.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the truck frames.
Figs. 6 and 8 are detail views hereinafter specifically referred to.
Fig. 7 is a detail view illustrating the manner of connecting and supporting
the hanger frame from the truck frame,

page_text: to.
Fig. 9 is a detail section of one of the buffer spring supports, hereinafter referred
Fig. 10 illustrates a preferred form of super-structure or track-way used in
connection with my invention, particularly adapted for city travel.
Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic cross section of the said structure shown in Fig. 10.
Fig. 12 shows another form of elevated structure particularly adapted for my
form of car supporting and propelling means, and Figs. 13 and 13 illustrate a
further modification of my invention particularly as to the arrangement of the
cage buffer springs.
In its practical construction my improved railway comprises an elevated track-
way mounted upon suitably arranged braced pillars 2; a plurality of trucks
adapted to travel on the track members 1: a truck frame having guides for holding
the trucks from lateral movement when in transit, and a hanger frame pendently
supported from each truck frame and rotatable thereon, said hanger frames
supporting the car.
Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, it will
be observed that each truck comprises a frame with axles 3, and carrying at each
end a truck wheel 4.
It should be here stated that my elevated railway structure is especially adapted
for electric propulsion means and I have so illustrated the same in the drawings,
but the motive power might be cable, steam or of other propelling energy.
As all of the truck frames and the pendent hangers are constructed alike, a
detailed description of one set of truck frames and the pendent hanger will be given.
The truck frame may be of either square or rectangular shape and consists
of the upper longitudinal bars 6, the transverse bars 6, the lower side bars 7,
and cross bars 7, the vertical bars 8, the omiral vertical bars 9, and the strut
braces 10.
All of the several bars constituting the truck frame are made up of tubular
rods brazed or otherwise joined at the end, the whole forming a light but strong
metal framing. If desired the bars, instead of being made tubular may he made
solid with angle braced webs, as shown in Fig. 8.
The upper transverse bars 6-6, are fixedly held and the bars 6 have their
ends extended to form the axles which receive the truck wheels 4.
The vertical bars 8, have their lower ends projected downwardly below the
bars 7, which ends form stout axles 8ª, upon which the horizonially held rollers 12,
are journaled, the purpose of which will presently appear.
In the drawings the truck frame is shown as supporting an electrically pro-
pelled motor 14, which may be of any well known construction, said motor having
drive gears 16, mounted on its drive shaft. 15, that mesh with the cog rims 17,
on the inner face of the track wheels 4, as clearly shown.
The track wheels 4, in my construction of railway are made with flat rims
having cushion tires 18, and the tracks 1, are preferably made of T or I beams as
shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 & 6 having their upper flat tread faces terminating in pendent
side flanges 19. with which the horizontally disposed wheels or rollers 12, engage,
said wheels serving as lateral roller guides for holding the truck frame steady,
and also the pendent frames together with the car from swinging laterally or
having sidewise jolting.
To render the truck travel over the rails substantially noiseless and to assist
in overcoming the jarring, the wheels 4, have rubber tires or rims, as shown in
Fig. 6. By providing flat tire wheels and wide tread rails, it is manifest that the
truck wheels will have a slight creeping movement sidewise upon the rails when
turning curves, thereby in a measure overcoming the torsional strain such as
is incident in the ordinary form of tracks and rails when rounding curves.
The lower bars 7-7 of the truck frame, it will be observed, form the square
base portion of the said truck frame and to these bars 7, is secured a supple-
mental horizontally disposed circular bar 70, made fast upon the under side of
the bar 7.

page_text: The circular bar 70, forms a means for rigidly and firmly securing upon the
truck frame a pendent circular rim 20, the said rim 20 being detachably bolted
or otherwise made fast to the circular bar 70, and the said rim 20, terminating
in an inwardly bent concaved flange 21, that forms a ball race to receive the
bearing balls 22.
The hanger frame comprises the vertical front and rear side bars 23-23, joined
at their upper ends with the square rim formed of the bars 23b, the lower ends of
the said bars 23–23ª, joining with cross bars 23, that are adapted to pass under
the car and support it.
23 indicates a circular bar secured to or integrally formed upon the upper
face of the square frame bars 23b. To the aforesaid circular bar 23, is detachably
connected an upwardly projecting annular rim 29, the upper edge of which ter-
minates in an inwardly projecting flange or rim 30, which laps over the pendent-
rim 20, and rests upon the bearing halls 22.
This means of connecting the pendent rim with the truck frame provides for
effectively suporting the said hanger frame and also allows for a free rotation
of such hanger frame.
All of the bars forming a part of the hanger frame may be made of tubing
suitably brazed and braced and if desired the several side bars may have angle
web portions 23, to facilitate the ready attachment of the flat diagonal brace
bars 238, and to further brace the hanger frame additional horizontal brace
bars 23, 23, are provided as shown.
The hanger frame is of a width to permit the end of the car passing snugly
therebetween, the vertical side bars of said frame forming the lateral bearing
supports for the car as clearly shown in Fig. 1. and to provide a cushion bearing
for the car body to overcome jarring, etc., the hanger frame carries at its bottom.
inwardly projecting side pieces 25, having vertical pintles 25, adapted to project
up into the sockets 26, of the car bottom, the said pintles also forming guides for
steadying the car body from lateral or twist strain.
27 indicates stout coil springs fitted on the pintles 25, and forming buffer
bearings upon which the car body rests.
To further hold the car steady within the hanger frame and particularly from
longitudinal movement, the car body may have lateral forked guards 28, that
embrace the outer vertical end bars of the frame (see Figs. 1 and 2).
By supporting the hanger frame in the manner stated and shown, it is obvious
that it will have rotary motion independent of the truck frame and thereby
permit the car body to transversely adjust itself to the curves of the track-way
without the slightest danger of accident or jarring.
In the practical application of my invention it is designed to provide but two
hanger frames for each car, each frame being hung from a truck frame above
it and the said hanger frames are intended to support the car at its opposite
ends as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, of the drawings, and to hold the car
from longitudinal movement: the ends of the said car have lateral lugs or
keepers 28, that engage the outer pendent bars of the said hanger frames, as
shown.
By supporting the cars in the manner hereinbefore described and as shown
in the drawing I am enabled to use a car of very light weight and by reason
thereof it is obvious that the cost of conveying the cars is materially reduced
and the speed of travel capable of being materially increased over that attainable
with the ordinary system of tramways or elevated railways.
Another and important advantage of my invention is that by arranging the truck
frame and the car supporting frame as described, my system is rendered particu-
larly adapted for rapid transit in cities.
The car body may be of any approved pattern, but I prefer to provide one
constructed of light steel metal frame suitably brazed; as illustrated diagram-
matically in Fig. 2.
The many advantages of my construction of railway system will; it is thought,

page_text: be manifestly clear to those skilled in the art to which it appertains. It will
De noticed that the torsional strain in rounding curves is taken up by the truck
frames and transmitted back to the elevated structure and in no way transmitted
to the car or its hanger supports. the car in all conditions of track curvature
maintaining an easy position, free from the side thrust common in railways having
the cars suspended in supports rigidly or semi-rigidly connected with the wheeled
supporting rims that travel on the elevated structure.
While I have shown in the drawing a plurality of trucks for supporting the
car body. it is obvious that for short cars but a single hanger frame need be
employed and a single truck. as illustrated in Fig. 10.
Figure 11. illustrates in cross section the form of structure shown in Fig. 1.
In this form is shown a series of inverted T-rails, hung pendent from transverse
beams supported on masonry piers, this form of structure being especially adapted
for inter-city travel.
Figure 12, illustrates a still further modification of the track rails and supports
therefor. In this form the motor carriages ride on top of the rails as shown in
Fig. 2.
Instead of placing the buffer springs under the car body, as illustrated in Figs. 1
and 2. said springs may be disposed over the top of the car body in the manner
clearly shown in Figs. 13 and 13ª by reference to which it will be seen the cage
consists of pendent T beams, the upper ends of which terminate in bifurcations 60.
fulcrumed on the eye bolts 61, slidably held in sockets 62, in the hanger beams 63.
pendently secured to the lower turn frame, said, bolts having disk heads 61, that
rest on the coiled cushion spring 65, as shown.
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:-
1. In an elevated railway of the character described, the combination with
the trackway, of a truck frame, said frame comprising upper and lower sets of
side and cross bars, the cross bars of the upper set forming the truck wheel carry-
ing axles, vertical bars connecting the upper ends of the said cross bars, said
vertical bars having downward extensions forming stub shafts, horizontal rollers
mounted upon said stub shafts, said rollers engaging the inner sides of the track-
ways, and forming lateral guides for the truck frame, and a car-supporting
frame hung pendent from the truck frame, all being arranged substantially as
shown and described.
2. In an elevated railway of the character described, the combination with
the track-way, of a plurality of truck frames held to travel upon the track-way
said frames each having a pendent annular rim, a car supporting frame for each
truck frame, said supporting frame consisting of sides formed of a plurality of
vertical bars, and longitudinal cross bars connecting each set of vertical bars,
transverse cross bars connecting the side bars at the lower end to form rests for
the car body, supplemental transverse bars connecting the side bars near their
upper ends, an annular rim connected to the upper part of each supporting frame,
said rim being held to engage with and rotate upon the pendent rim of the frame,
all being arranged substantially as shown and described.
3. An improved elevated railway construction, comprising in combination, a
track-way, a plurality of truck frames having drive wheels formed with flat bearing
surfaces to engage the upper faces of the track rails, horizontally disposed laterally
projecting roller bearings mounted on said truck frames, adapted to engage the
inner sides of the track rails, said truck frame having a pendent annular rim
formed of detachable sections, a car-supporting frame for each truck frame, said
supporting frame being in the nature of a cage adapted to straddle the end of the
car, said car-supporting frame having an upwardly projecting sectional annular
rim adapted to engage with and rotate upon the truck frame annular rim, all
being arranged substantially as shown and described,

page_text: 4. The combination with the track-way and a truck frame adapted to travel
thereon, said frame including a base formed of bars 7 and 7ª, and a pendent
circular bar 70, and an annular pendent member terminating in an inwardly
projecting concaved rim forming a ball race, of a car-supporting hanger frame,
having an annular portion at the upper end that terminates in an inwardly pro-
jecting convexed rim adapted to lap over the pendent rim frame and the bearing
balls all being arranged substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of October 1899.
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant,