Year: 1886

page_text: I EDWARD PRITCHARD of 2 Storey's Gate Westminster and of 37 Waterloo
Street Birmingham in the County of Warwick Civil Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object to provide an improved construction of cable
tramway in which the parts are so combined and arranged that they are bound
together as a whole and so that the strains are efficiently borne and a strong
and durable cable tramway results which is not liable to get out of order readily
and to the pulleys and other parts of which access can be readily had they
being also readily removeable and replaceable without disturbing the roadway.
According to my Invention lengths of ☐ shaped girders or bars are placed
opposite each other so as to form the upper part of the channel in which the rope
is situated the said girders at their upper ends presenting between them the groove
through which the shank of the gripper on the car passes. The lower ends of
these girders are secured by bolts and nuts fixed to the bent in ends of inverted
loops situated at intervals along the line and fixed at their sides by means of
rivets to inverted U pieces extending below and embracing the said loop pieces
and having at their upper ends horizontally and outwardly projecting parts to
which the rails are fixed-The pieces extend between the girders forming the
central groove and the rails on each side each of the said tie pieces being preferably
formed with a head or grooved portion at its inner end so that it can be passed
through a long slot in the side of the girder and then be turned at right angles so
that the head or part beyond the grooves bears on the inside of the girder the
outer end of the said tie piece being formed with right and left handed screws the
said outer end being passed through the web of the rail so that one portion of
the screw is on one side and the other portion of the screw is on the other side of
the said web, screw nuts on the said screws being employed to hold the rail between
them. At intervals in the trough in the roadway beneath the central groove and in
the straight portion of the line are cross bars upon which the plummer blocks of the
cable carrying pulleys are supported The said blocks are not bolted in the usual
way to the cross bars but have holes in their ends which are passed over upwardly
projecting pins fixed to the cross bars. Or the pins may be on the plummer
blocks and the holes in the cross bars. A layer of wood or other equivalent
material may form a seat for each of the plummer blocks The bearings for the
plummer blocks are in halves being divided horizontally the upper part being

page_text: curves.
hinged so that it can be turned back for lubricating or other purpose and when
closed forms a dust proof bearing. The pulley is fixed to its axis which axis turns
in the bearings in the plummer blocks the said axis preferably not extending the
whole width of the plummer block but leaving a space for the reception of
lubricant. The periphery of the pulley upon which the rope runs is preferably
formed by white metal cast into an undercut groove in the body of the pulley.
The pulleys thus mounted can be lifted from their bearings and afterwards the
plummer blocks can be lifted from the supporting cross bars (through suitable
covered openings provided in the roadway) without undoing any fastenings. The
pulleys for the curved parts of the road are also arranged so that they can be
readily removed these pulleys being situated horizontally inside the curve in
recesses formed for them the bearing or bearings of their axles being in a bracket
piece secured to suitable blocks or holders under the roadway. The pulleys turn
upon their axles which are so arranged that they can be removed or turned into
such a position as to enable the pulley to be withdrawn therefrom or therewith by
a man for whose accommodation a subway is made beneath the roadway at the
The plan I prefer for this purpose is to make the bearings for the axle
open at their outward sides to allow of the axle being withdrawn in a direction
the reverse of that in which the strain of the rope passing over the pulleys occurs.
The lower part of the axle I make square and I insert it into a squared recess in
the supporting bracket and I pass a pin through the sides of the bracket and the
squared part of the axle so that by removing this pin the axle can be removed side-
ways when the pulley is to be taken out. These pulleys are preferably flanged
only on the lower edge of their periphery forming a rounded seating for the rope.
The supports for the line and girders at the curves are preferably made by lower
supporting bars bridging the subway upon which bars are supported distance
bracket castings intervening between these lower supporting bars and upper
supporting bars extending across the width of the line and carrying the rails and
girders above. Inverted T bars for strengthening supports longitudinally from
upper strengthening to upper strengthening bar and an inverted L bar forms a
means for keeping the gripper in position. To lubricate the bearings of the
pulleys on their axles I make a hollow between their bosses and the axles and
I form a groove in the upper side of the pulley around its periphery which can be
readily got at from the subway-A tube or tubes extend from this groove to the
hollow in the boss so that lubricant can be placed in the groove and will pass by
the tube or tubes to the hollow in the boss.
J. HENRY JOHNSON,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London,
Agent for the said Edward Pritchard.

page_text: I EDWARD PRITCHARD Civil Engineer of 2 Storeys Gate Westminster and of
37 Waterloo Street Birmingham in the County of Warwick 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 has for its object to provide an improved construction of Cable Tram-
way in which the parts are so combined and arranged that they are bound together
as a whole and so that the strains are efficiently borne and a strong and durable
cable tramway results which is not liable to get out of order readily and to the
pulleys and other parts of which access can be readily had they being also readily
removable and replaceable without disturbing the roadway.
I will describe my Invention with reference to the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 of which represents a transverse section and Figure 2 a plan of a Cable
tramway constructed according to my Invention. Figures 3 and 4 are views at
right angles to each other, (Figure 4 being partly in section) of one of the
supporting sheaves or pulleys for supporting the Cable, and Figure 5 is a plan of
one of the bearings of the said pulley. Figures 6 and 7 are transverse and hori-
zontal sections respectively representing the construction of the curved portions of
the tramway and Figures 8 and 9 represent in views at right angles to each other
(Figure 8 being partly in section) one of the sheaves or pulleys employed for con-
ducting the Cable round curves.
According to my Invention I form the upper part of the channel in which the cable
is situated with lengths of ✓ shaped girders or bars A A placed opposite each
other as shewn in Figure 1 the said girders at their upper ends presenting between
them the groove a through which the shank of the gripper on the car passes. The
lower ends of these girders are secured by bolts and nuts or by rivets or other
suitable means to the bent in ends c of inverted loops C situated at intervals along
the line and fixed at their sides by means of rivets or otherwise to U pieces D
extending below and embracing the loop pieces C and having at their upper ends
horizontal and outwardly projecting parts d to which the rails E are fixed. Tie
pieces F extend between the girders A and the rails E on each sile. Each of the
tie pices F is preferably formed with a head or grooved portion at its inuer end fƒ
so that it can be passed through a long slot in the side of the girder and then be
turned at right angles so that the head or part beyond the grooves bears on the
inside of the girder. The outer end of the said tie pieces is formed as a screw and
is supplied with two nuts g the said outer end being passed through the web e of
the rail E so that one portion of the screw is on one side and the other portion of
the screw is on the other side of the said web the nuts g on the said screw being
employed to hold the rail between them. At intervals in the trough in the road-
way beneath the central groove a and in the straight portion of the line are cross
bars G upon which the plummer blocks H of the Cable carrying pulleys I are
supported. These plummer blocks are not bolted in the usual way to the cross
bars G but have holes in their feet or ends which are passed over upwardly pro-

page_text: jecting pins fixed to the cross bars. Or the pins i may be on the plummer blockS
and the boles in the cross bars. A layer of wood or other equivalent material may
form a seat for each of the plummer blocks. The bearings in the plummer blocks
are in halves being divided horizontally the upper part h³ being hinged to the lower
part so that it can be turned back for lubricating or other purpose and when closed
form a dust proof bearing. The Cable supporting pulley I is fixed to its axis k
which axis turns in the bearings in the plummer blocks H the said axis preferably
not extending the whole width of the plummer blocks but leaving a space
at for the reception of lubricant. The periphery of the pulley upon which
the rope runs is preferably formed of white metal cast into an undercut groove
in the body of the pulley as shewn at L in Figure 4. M represents one of
a series of covered openings provided at suitable intervals in the roadway
through which the pulleys mounted as described can be lifted from their bearings
and afterwards the plummer blocks can be lifted from the supporting cross
bars without undoing any fastenings. The Cable supporting pulleys for the
curved parts of the road are also arranged so that they can be readily removed
when required These pulleys which are arranged to turn horizontally are situated
in recesses formed for them in the inside of the curve as shewn in Figures 6 and 7
the bearing or bearings of their axles being in a bracket piece N' shewn more
clearly in Figures and 9 secured to suitable blocks or holders O under the road-
way. These pulleys turn upon their axles shafts or supports n which are so
arranged that they can be removed or turned into such a position as to enable the
pulley to be withdrawn therefrom or therewith for which purpose a pit or subway P
is made beneath the roadway at the curves to admit of ready access to the said
pulleys. I prefer to make the bearings for the axle of these pulleys open at their
outward sides as shewn at I to allow of the axle being withdrawn in a direction
the reverse of that in which the strain of the rope passing over the pulleys occurs.
The following is a convenient mode of securing the axle in position so that it can
be readily unfastened. The lower part of the axle I make square as at m and
insert it into a squared recess in the supporting bracket N' and I pass a pin or
cotter p through the sides of the bracket and the squared part of the axle so that
the axle with the pulley can be turned thereon at an angle, or by removing the
pin or cotter the axle can be removed sideways when the pulley is to be taken
out. These pulleys N are preferably flanged only on the lower edge of their
periphery forming a rounded seating for the rope. The rails E and guides A at
the curves are preferably supported by lower supporting girders R bridging the
subway P upon which girders are distance brackets or castings S intervening
between these lower supporting girders and upper supporting girders T extending
across the width of the line and carrying the rails E and bars or girders A above.
Inverted T bars q form strengthening supports arranged longitudinally upon the
upper strengthening girder T and an inverted L bar U is provided to form a
means for keeping the gripper in position. To lubricate the bearings of tho
pulleys N a hollow or recess r is provided between their bosses and the axles shafts
or supports and a recess & is formed in the upper side of the pulley near its
periphery which recess is readily accessible from the subway. A tube or tubes t
extends or extend from the recess & to the hollow or recess in the boss, so that
lubricant placed in the recess 8 will pass by the tube or tubes t to the hollow in the
boss for the purpose of lubricating the axle.
g
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that
what I claim is
First In Cable tramways the combination with the rails upon which the cars
run of the Girders or bars A forming the groove through which the gripper passes,
the loops or supports C, and the U pieces D and tie bars F the whole being
constructed arranged and connected or bound together substantially in the manner
herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

page_text: Second-In Cable tramways the combination of the loops C and U pieces D
secured together and respectively forming supports for the central girders or their
equivalents and for the rails substantially as herein before described.
Third For Cable tramways divided or open plummer blocks and bearings for
the sheaves or pulleys the upper part being hinged to or removable from the lower
part thereof substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and illus.
trated by the accompanying drawings.
Fourth For Cable tramways divided or open plummer blocks and bearings for
the sheaves or pulleys the upper part being binged to or removable from the lower
part and the plummer blocks being held by plain pins to their supports so that
they can be at once lifted therefrom without undoing any bolts or fastenings
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the
accompanying drawings.
Fifth-In Cable tramways the combination at the curved portion of the line of
a pit or subway P with recesses on the inside of the curve for the reception
of pulleys and their bearings all being so constructed or arranged that the pulleys
can be got at for lubrication repair removal or replacement substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
Sixth For Cable tramways for conducting the Cable round curved or angular
portions of the line, sheaves or pulleys mounted upon axles or pins fitted to frames
so that they can be removed or turned into such position as to enable the pulleys
to be readily withdrawn therefrom or therewith substantially as herein before
described with reference to Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
Seventh For Cable tramways the combination of the bracket N2 with open
sided or fronted recesses for the reception of the shaft or support upon which the
pulley rotates the said shaft being squared or equivalently shaped to fit into the
recesses (or one of them) in the bracket and being secured therein so as to be
readily removable substantially as described and illustrated in figures 8 and 9 of
the accompanying drawings.
Eighth For Cable tramways the combination with the pulleys N of the
recesses and s and conducting tube or tubes extending between them substan-
tially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 8
and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
Ninth In Cable tramways for supporting the rails E and the girders A at the
curved portions of the line the bars or girders T, R and supports S all combined
and arranged substantially in the manner herein before described with reference to
Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
Tenth The general construction combination and arrangement of parts of
Cable tramways substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 6
to 9 inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
1000