IMPROVEMENTS IN CABLE, CHAIN, OR ROPE-TRACTION RAIL OR TRAM- ROADS AND IN DEVICES FOR ACTUATING OR PROPELLING CARRIAGES OR WAGONS THEREON A
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of Lancaster and of
323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex Civil Engineer for an invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CABLE, CHAIN, OR ROPE-TRACTION RAIL OR TRAM-
ROADS AND IN DEVICES FOR ACTUATING OR PROPELLING CARRIAGES OR
WAGONS THEREON A communication from abroad by Worcester Haddock
and Jacob Frank both of Cincinnati in the state of Ohio and Isaac Frank of
the city county and state of New York
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd April 1882.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord
Street Liverpool in the county of Lancaster and of 323 high Holborn in the
county of Middlesex Civil Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN CABLE CHAIN OR ROPE-
TRACTION RAIL OR TRAM-ROADS AND IN DEVICES FOR ACTUATING OR PROPELLING
CARRIAGES OR WAGONS THEREON," a communication from abroad by Worcester
Haddock and Jacob Frank both of Cincinnati in the state of Ohio, and Isaac
Frank of the City County and State of New York
This invention relates to railways upon which the cars are propelled by means
of an underground cable, and more especially to the box or tubo in which the cable
travels and the devices for grasping this cable.
The box or tube preferably consists of two sides with arched bottom all of cast
iron in 10 foot lengths flanged and bolted together it is also provided with internal
strengthening ribs and ribs in the bottom arch at intervals.
The brackets sup-
porting the pulleys are preferably cast on the bottom of the box. The upper ends
of the internal ribs are provided with flanges as also are the sides of the trough or
box with horizontal flanges and upon these two rest the top plates secured by bolts
to them. These top plates have downwardly projecting flanges fitting into corre-
sponding grooves in the horizontal flanges of the box. A series of lugs could
1

page_text: replace the horizontal flanges if desirable The top plates have also upturned
flanges and form the cover of the box leaving only a narrow opening for the rope
to pass through, about 7/8 inch in width at top but widening below. In this
opening travels the shank of the gripper which grasps the cable. The vertical
ribs of the box have openings through which pass the telephone wires of the
company (attached to wooden strips). On each side of the box at intervals the
rail supporting brackets are cast or bolted. On these brackets in dovetailed
flanged shoes rest the stringers fixed by wedges upon which the rails rest. On the
top flanges of the thin ribbed side brackets are the planks forming the foundation
for wooden or other pavement laid between the rails The top plates are also
filled in with wood The bottom has perforations in lowest corners to let out the
rain connected with the sewer if necessary. For this purpose the side flanges are
cut away at bottom to allow free passage for the water to the perforations. Dirt
can: consequently be hosed out. In cold weather salt can be put in to dissolve
ice or snow.
The perforations are narrowest above to prevent the dirt lodging
& stopping them up. When the track is curved vertical rollers keep the cable
from the box side. They are supported in brackets on the convex side of the box.
When the box of a crossing track meets the box of the main track the sides of the
main box are cut away to leave an opening similar in shape to the space between
-the-vertical-flanges of the main box, and to either side of the main-box-is-bolted-
one of the sections of the cross box. In this case the pulleys are arranged so that
the rope of the main box is slightly above that of the crossing track so that the
two will not rub against each other Where the rails cross the boxes the sides of
the latter are each provided with a shoe in which is placed the end of the stringer.
A-gap-is-left of course-over-the-contral opening in the trough. The outer ends of
the shoes are supported by brackets in the box sides These shoes also have side
flanges and end Banges to hold in the stringer. These shoes may be varied. in
form by cutting off either end Where one rail crosses another the stringers are
preferably halved together In regard to the gripping apparatus-if-there-are-no
cross tracks only one gripper need be used, otherwise two are required duplicates
of each other. To the underside of the car a compound bracket is secured. This
consists of a body and wings or arms. The manner of connecting the brackets to
the car is as follows. One pair of arms are hinged to a shoe plate bolted to the
car, the other pair are bolted to the underside of the car by bolts with rubber
springs or buffers round them to give elasticity of movement; other modes of
suspending with elastic connection could be used
The body of the bracket is provided with an opening in which is placed the
shank of the gripper which is provided with a longitudinal slot. Through this
slot and through the body of the bracket passes a bolt thus retaining the shank in
the opening in the body but permitting it to be raised or lowered in said opening.
The lower end of the shank terminates in two arms or prongs To the first arin of
the shank is pivoted a shoe, one end of which is provided with the first grooved
pulley which is preferably covered over with a hood formed on the end of the shoe.
To the other end of the shoe is connected a stirrup in the lower part of which is
journalled a second grooved pulley This stirrup is suspended from the end of the
shoe by a plate which rests on top of the shoe and is retained in position by a bolt
but is permitted to turn on the shoe so that the second grooved pulley shall be
directly under the shoe or turned aside. The means of turning this stirrup consists
of a rod connected at bottom to the stirrup and higher up journalled in a brace
fixed to the main compound bracket To the rod last mentioned is fixed a lever
which is worked by a rod through the agency of a suitable crank connected to a
crank rod operated by a wheel or crank lever located at the platform or other
*suitable point on the car. When the driving cable is between the second pulley
stirrup and the first grooved pulley of the shoe the preferred means for causing the
cable to be gripped between said pulleys consist in a lever fulcrumed to the arm
of shank which carries the first grooved pulley and arranged so that when its upper
end is drawn forward through the agency of a cord and drum turned by a shaft

page_text: and hand wheel or hand lever the lower end of the said lever fulcrumed on the
arm of the shank will depress the rear end of the shoe thus forcing the first grooved
pulley against the cable and elevating the forward end of the shoe will cause the
second pulley to press up the cable the latter being thus firmly gripped between
the said pulleys by their opposing and simultaneous pressure When desired the
two grooved pulleys may be omitted and rubber or other nonfrictional device bo
substituted for said pulleys. Where the cable of this track does not cross other
cables the foregoing devices are all that are necessary to be employed The reason
for this statement will become apparent from the following description of the
manner of starting running and stopping the car.
Let us suppose the cable to be moving and the lever to be thrown back and
the first pulley to be raised from off the cable and the second pulley to be lowered
down away from the cable The car is now stationary. To start the car the drum
is rotated the cord wound thereon and the upper end of the lever brought forwards
causing the lower end of the said lever to tilt the shoe as aforementioned and the
two pulleys to grip the cable, whereupon the car will be moved forward by the
cable. When it is desired to stop the car the cord is unwound from the drum and
the lever will from the upward pressure of the shoe upon its lower end be moved,
its upper end moving rearward and its lower end moving forward thereby releasing
the shoe from pressure and releasing the pulleys from gripping contact with tho
cable. The car will now be in a condition to be stopped and for the purpose of
stopping it as quickly as desired it should be provided with a brake.
When the cord is unwound should the lever not readily move so as to rolenso
the shoe from pressure it can be made to do so by a weight or spring suitably
located. For example a spring might be placed between the upper part of the
lever and the edge of the shank. Should the shoe not readily tilt when the
pressure of the lever is removed it can be made to do so by a weight or spring
suitably located.
When it is desirable to remove the gripping devices altogether from the cable
the shoc being first released from the pressure of the lever the pivoted stirrup is
turned to one side through the agency of a hand lever and connections and the
gripping device becomes free from the cable.
The shank is so constructed that it is vertically adjustable in its bracket and is
capable of being raised and lowered by the attendant.
One end of the shank cord is attached to the upper end of the shank, and this
cord after passing over a sheave is wound on a drum rotated by a shaft which wo
will call shaft No 3 turned by a hand wheel by which means when the hand wheel
is turned the shank cord is wound on the drum and the shank is thus raised
preferably the shaft No. 3 and also another which we will call No. 6 are both
hollow the latter being located within the former and another shaft No 5 by which
the stirrup is turned being located within shaft No 6 thus placing them all in a
compact form The shafts No 6 and 3 are provided with ratchets and pawls by
which the shafts may be connected and made to turn as one shaft or be permitted
to turn independently of each other. A ratchet is attached to the shaft No 3 and
a pawl attached to the floor of the car engages with this ratchet and controls the
rotation of the shaft and a pawl on the hand wheel engages with the ratchet
secured to the shaft No. 6 thus connecting the two shafts or permitting them to
turn independently of each other.
Where two grippers are used each gripper together with its operating mechanism
is an exact duplicate of the other and each is operated independently of the other.
Supposing now the lower of the two crossing cables to be grasped by the
forward gripper and the car moving in a forward direction as the car approaches
the crossing cable and before the forward gripper has reached said cable, the shafts
numbers 6 and 3 are rotated so as to slacken their cords causing the lever to
release the shoe upon the cable and also permit the shank to drop down allowing
the cable to rest upon the pulleys in the bottom of the box. The crank and
shaft No 5 are now turned so as to turn the stirrup till it occupies the required

page_text: position with relation to the shoe The shaft No 3 is now turned so as to wind its
cord on the drum and thus raise the shank and its attachments The forward
gripper is now in a position to pass over the crossing cable The rear gripper
which has heretofore been elevated is now lowered by rotating the shafts Nos 6
and 3 belonging to it until the first pulley rests upon the cable when the stirrup is 5
turned by means of the crank till it is under the cable and a cord is then wound
on the drum by turning the shaft No. 6 and this causes the lever to depress the
end of the shoe and the cable is thus grasped. The cable now moves the car
forward until the forward gripper has passed the crossing cable, when it is lowered
and caused to grasp the cable and the rear gripper released and raised.
For the purpose of taking the strain from the shank cord, and holding the
shank without its being supported by said cord I preferably employ a pin catch
pivoted to the bracket and operated by a rod attached to a crank worked by a
shaft which latter in turn is operated by suitable mechanism as for example a crank
operated by a treadle. When the shank is lowered the catch enters a notch in the
edge of the shank. The drum carrying the shank cord may now be turned to
slacken the cord and thus all strain upon said cord be removed. This notch is
placed in such a position that when the cable is grasped by the gripper and the
shank raised till the catch enters the notch the cable will be held above the pulleys
and the gripper-bo-free-to-pass_the_same. When preferred both forward and rear
grippers may be used in-drawing the car in which event-when-approaching a cross
cable the forward gripper is disengaged from the cable and lifted-until it has_
crossed the cable when it is lowered and caused to grip the cable and the rear
gripper released and raised in a like manner
In going around a curve it will be advantageous to use both grippers as this
will enable both ends of the cable-to-bo.equally drawn or subjected to an equal
strain and will prevent any tendency of one end of the car to swing-away from..
the centre of the curve more than the other end and therefore the car will be less
liable to jump-the-track
My invention is applicable to various railways-other-than_before_mentioned as
for example it may be applied to inclined planes and elevated roads In the latter
instance the box may easily be supported by the trestlework and will be as
thoroughly operative as though it were in the ground.
The shank of the gripper is preferably made in one piece by which construction
it may be made very simple and strong and is therefore not liable to get out of
order. The shoe is preferably made with the edges slightly concave thus per-
mitting it to move smoothly around a curve as it comes in contact with the
vertical rollers on the side of the tube.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st October 1882.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors
6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of Lancaster and of 323 High Holborn in the
county of Middlesex Civil Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN CABLE, CHAIN OR ROPE-
"
TRACTION RAIL OR TRAM-ROADS AND IN DEVICES FOR ACTUATING OR PROPELLING
CARRIAGES OR WAGONS THEREON A communication from abroad by Worcester
Haddock and Jacob Frank both of Cincinnati in the State of Ohio, and Isaac
Frank of the city, county, and State of New York
This invention relates to railways upon which the cars are propelled by means
of an underground cable, and it relates first to the construction of the box or
tube in which the cable travels, and second to the construction of the devices for
grasping this cable.
The nature of the various features of the invention and the advantages arising
therefrom will be apparent from the following description and the drawings forming
a part of this specification in which
Fig 1 is a plan view of a track representing a curve and illustrating a part of
the invention
Fig 2 is an end view of one of the sections of the tube or box in which the cable
travels
Fig 3 is an elevation of one side of the interior of the tube.
Fig 4 is a sectional view, the section being taken at the line x, x, of Fig. 1.
Fig 5 is a plan view representing two tracks crossing at right angles illustrating
certain other features of the invention
Fig 6 represents a section taken through the line y, y, of Fig 5 showing the
method of connecting the Stringers and rails of the cross-track to the tube.
Fig 7 is a vertical longitudinal section through a street car and the tube, showing
the gripers attached to the car and in position in the tube.
Fig 8 is a perspective view of one of the gripers and its supporting bracket,
detached from the car.
Fig 9 is an elevation of the mechanism by which the attendant manages the
gripers.
Fig. 10 is a vertical central section through one of the standards and its drums,
shown in Fig. 9.
Fig. 11 is a front view of the lower part of the griper.
Fig. 12 is a view of the top of the shoe of the griper.
A is the box or tube in which the cable travels and which consists of the two
sides & and the arched or V-shaped bottom d' preferably cast in one piece. This
box or tube is made (preferably cast) in sections usually of about ten feet in length,
each end of the various sections being provided with flanges b connected to the
sides d and with the flanges b' connected to the bottom d¹, by means of which the
sections are bolted together to form a continuous tube in which the cable B travels.
At intervals of from three to five feet, the interior of the box is provided with the
inwardly projecting ribs C, and below the bottom d¹, in the concave formed by
its arched shape is a rib C², the purpose of these ribs being to give strength to the
box or tube. The rib C, when preferred may be made shorter and in bracket form.
Brackets C¹ for the support of the grooved pulleys D, are cast on the bottom of
the box, the space between the various brackets varying accordingly, as the grade
of the street inay require, the pulleys requiring to be closer together when the

page_text: street is rolling, than when the street is level.-The upper ends of the ribs C are
provided with the flanges e, and the sides & are provided, at the same level of the
flanges e, with a continuous ridge e' and upon this ridge e¹ and the flanges e on
the ribs C rest the top plates E, which are secured by bolts passing through the
flanges e. The outer edge of the plates E are each provided with downwardly
projecting flanges e which fit into corresponding grooves or channels in the upper
side of the ridge e¹ which construction serves to hold the plates more securely in
position Instead of the continuous ridge e¹, it will be obvious that a series of
lugs may be employed to accomplish the same object as the continuous ridge, but
this construction is not so desirable as the continuous ridge The central edges of
each of the plates E, are provided with an upturned flange f and when these plates
are in position they form the cover to the box, leaving only a narrow opening f¹
which extends the entire length of the box-This opening in the present
instance is directly over the centre of the box its sides being formed by the flanges f,
and is about seven-eighths of an inch in width at the surface of the ground, but
the flanges extending obliquely downward from the surface, the opening widens
towards the interior of the box, the narrowest portion being at the surface of
the ground, as shown in the drawing. In this opening travels the shank C³
of the griper, which grasps the cable, the upper end of said shank being suitably
connected-to-the-car..
The ribs are-provided near their junction-with_the_sides of the box, with
openings g, through which are passed the telegraph-or telephone wires g-for-the-
use of the company owning or operating the road, these wires being attached to
wooden strips g, which are secured to the sides of the box.
At either side of the box A are the brackets F which are formed of one piece of
metal, and either cast-with,-or-bolted to the box, the preferable method being to
cast them in one piece with the box.
These brackets extend out on either side to form a support for the stringers
upon-which tho rails are placed the ends of each bracket being provided with. a
shoe F formed with a bottom and two-dove-tailed_flanges in which rests the
stringers G, on which rails H are laid, and these stringers are retained-in-the-
shoe F by a dovetailed wedge h which is driven between the side of the stringer
and one of the flanges of the shoe. These brackets F being secured to the box A
and the stringers G being secured in the shoes F¹ the track and the box are always
in the same position with relation to each other. The main upright portion of
the bracket F is quite thin, and its upper edge between the shoe F1 and the box
is provided with a flange h¹ projecting from either side of the thin portion, upon
which the planks 1, may be laid and secured, these planks forming the foundation
for wooden or other pavement, which is laid between the rails. In the drawing is
shown that description of pavement which is known as "Nicholson pavement."
But any description of pavement may be laid on these planks. When desired the
planks may be omitted, and any kind of pavement, except those which require n
plank foundation may be laid directly upon the ground. Above the plates E
between the upright flanges fand the upper edges of the sides of the box, are laid
the planks J which are secured by bolts passing through the flanges e or through
the plate E on the upper ends of the ribs C. The bottom d' being higher along
the centre than at either side, any water or dirt which falls into the box through
the opening fis conducted away from the pulleys D and tho cable and is carried
out through the drain outlets L, which are connected with the sewer or the drain
pipe.
The lower ends of the ribs C are cut away at the angle between the sides a, and
the bottom a', leaving an opening as through which any water or dirt may pass to
the drain, outlets any water of course will run out of its own accord, but in dry
weather, any dust or dirt which may accumulato in the box may be easily washed
In cold
out by letting water into the box from the hydrant or other source.
climates; ice and snow may fall through the opening and collect in the bottom
of the box, but from the shape of the bottom it falls towards the drain outlets, and

page_text: by scattering salt in the box, the ice or snow is melted, and runs out through the
drain outlets. The shape of the opening f' being narrowest at the surface of the
ground, prevents any dirt or small stones from becoming lodged in the opening, as
any thing which will enter the opening from above will fall through to the bottom
of the box and be carried out through the drain outlets L. When the track makes
a curve, it is necessary, to prevent the cable from coming in contact with the sides
of the box, to place a number of vertical rollers M on the side of the box towar.ls
which the track curves. The number of these rollers will of course vary according
to the extent of the curvature of the track, the rollers being secured in brackets m.
Each box or tube A to be used for a curved track is cast like the box for a straight
track, except that it is given the proper degree of curvature, one of the sides
being provided with brackets m for reception of the vertical rollers M.
Figs 5 and 6 represent the construction and arrangement as applied to a track
crossing. The plates E forming the top or cover of the boxes being removed in
Fig 5.
Where the box A of the crossing-track meets the box of the main track, the
sides d of the main box are cut away to leave an opening similar in shape to the
space between the ribs C on the interior of the box, and to either side of
the main box is bolted one of the sections of the cross-box, by passing bolts through
the flanges b on the end of the said sections, and through the sides of the main
box, By this means there is formed a continuous box in either direction, and a
cable may be run in both the main and cross boxes at the same time. It is
desirable however to place the grooved pulleys D, which are nearest the crossing
of the boxes, in such a position, that one cable will be held slightly above the
other, so that they will not rub one against the other, when they are in motion.
At the points where the rails cross the boxes, the sides of the latter are each
provided with a shoe N in which is placed the end of the stringer as shown in
Figs 5 and 6. The central ends or bearings p of the shoes N, on opposite sides of
the boxes, do not quite meet, but leave a space equal to the width of the
opening before described so that this opening may romain continuous through-
out the entire length of the track, not being in any way interfered with by
cross-tracks.
The outer ends or bearings p' of the shoes N extend slightly beyond the sides of
the box, and these projecting ends are supported by brackets n'.
This shoe N is provided with side flanges n, which extend upon the sides of the
stringer, and an end flange o against which the end of the stringer rests. These
end flanges o stand at the same angle with reference to the rail as the flanges f of
the plate E, so that the shape of the opening f' is maintained throughout.
While it is desirable to, form the shoe N, as above described it may if preferred,
be formed without the outer end p', leaving only the inner end 2; or the inner
end pinay be dispensed with, the stringer resting on the outer portion p' the ends
of the stringers extending partly over the top of the box, but this construction is
not so desirable as that shown in the drawings.
Where one rail crosses another the stringers upon which the rails are laid are
preferably halved together in the usual manner, The drawing represents one single
track crossing another at right angles, but the crossing inay be. made at any other
angle as may be required by the direction of the streets. So also a double track,
that is, two tracks running in each direction may be crossed, without in any way
interfering with the operation of either.
That feature of the invention which relates to tho devices for grasping the cable
is represented by Figs 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. and 12
This feature of the invention is applicable either to continuous tracks not inter-
rupted by cross-tracks or to tracks which cross one another. Where there are no
cross-tracks it will only be necessary to use one griper
In Fig 7 of the drawing, two gripers are shown attached to the car, as in this
figure the track upon which the car is placed is shown as crossing another track
and in such cases it is preferred to employ two gripers, and when two gripers aro

page_text: 50 employed one is preferably a duplicate of the other so that a description of one
will suffice for both
To the under side of the car is secured the compound bracket B, which consists,
of a body a³ and the wings or arms a*, a'. The manner of connecting the brackets B
to the car is as follows;-The arms a are hinged to the plate B³ as shown, and
this plate is in turn bolted to the underside of the car. The arms a³ are bolted to
the underside of the car by the bolts 62, a spring of rubber or other material
surrounds each bolt 6, and thus a certain amount of elasticity of movement is
imparted to the bracket and to the devices it supports. Any other desired modes
of imparting elasticity of movement to the bracket and its devices may be employed
instead of the one specified. When preferred, the bracket may be rigidly attached
to the car
The body as of the bracket B' is provided with an opening a in which is placed
the shank C-of the griper which is provided with a longitudinal slot d³. Through
this slot d and through the body a³ of the bracket passes a bolt d³ thus retaining
the shank in the opening in the body but permitting it to be raised or lowered in said
opening The lower end of the shank CS terminates in two arms or prongs d², d³.
To the arm of the shank is pivoted the shoe D³, one end of which is pro-
vided-with-the-grooved_pulley, which is preferably covered over with the
hood formed on the end of the shoe D-To-the-other_end_of the shoe D² is
connected the stirrup e, in the lower part of which is journalled a grooved
Falles e This stirrup is suspended from the end of the shoe D2, by the plate e
which rests on the top of the shoe D³, and is retained in position by a bolt c', but
is permitted to turn on the shoe so that the pulley shall be directly under the
shoe D as shown-in-Fig--8-or turned aside as shown at the left hand side of
Fig. 7 The means of turning this stirrup consist of a rod-f-connected_at_hottom
To
to the stirrup and higher up journalled in a brace f³ fixed to the bracket B,
-the-rod-fis fixed lever gs which is worked by a rod g' through the agency of a
suitable crank, as g³ connected to a crank-rod-y-operated by a wheel or crank
lever g' located as here shown at the platform, or other suitable point on the car.
When the driving cable E' is between the pulley es of stirrup o' and the pulley e²
of the shoe D², the preferred means for causing the cable to be griped between said
pulley's consist in the lover h' fulcrumed at h³ to arm d of shank C³ and arranged
so that when its upper end is drawn forward through the agency of cord * and
drum h³ turned by shaft h, and hand wheel or hand lever h7, the lower end of the
said lever will depress the rear end of the shoe D³, thus forcing pulley e³ against
the cable and elevating the forward end of the shoo will cause the pulley e to
press up the cable E² the latter being thus firmly griped between the said pulleys
by their opposing and simultaneous pressure. The cord is suitably connected to
drum. When desired pulleys and may be omitted, and rubber or other
non-frictional device be substituted for said pulleys. Where the cable of this
track does not cross other cables, the foregoing devices are all that are necessary
to be employed. The reason for this statement will become apparent from the
following description of the manner of starting running and stopping the car.
Let us suppose the cable E², to be moving and the lever h² to be thrown back in
the position shown in the rear griping device of Fig 7. and the pulley e¹ to be
raised from off the cable and the pulley to be lowered down away from the cable.
The car is now stationary. To start the car the drum his rotated, the cord h
wound thereon, and the upper end of the lever h³ brought forward causing the
lower end of said lever to tilt the shoe as aforementioned and the pulleys e² e³ to
grip the cable whereupon the car will be moved forward by the cable. When it is
desired to stop the car, the cord his unwound from the drum h, and the lever h²
will from the upward pressure of the shoe upon its lower end be noved, its upper
end moving rearward and its lower end moving forward, thereby releasing the
shoe from pressure and releasing the pulleys from griping contact with the cable.
The car will now be in a condition to be stopped, and for the purpose of stopping
it as quickly as desired, it should be provided with a brake or brakes of any

page_text: When
desired form and construction and operated by any preferred mechanism.
the cord h* is unwound, should the lever h², not readily move so as to release the
shoe from pressure it can be made to do so in a variety of ways. One convenient
means for causing it to properly release the shoe is a weight or spring suitably
located. For example a spring might be placed between the upper part of the
lever and the edge of the shank C. Should the shoe 12 not readily tilt when the
pressure of lever ² is removed, it can be made to do so by a weight or spring
suitably located.
The aforedescribed operations to grip and release the operating cable E' are
repeated during the trip of the car, as often as necessary.
When for any reason it is desirable to remove the griping devices altogether
from the cable, for the purpose of lifting the car from the track, or removing the
cable, the shoe being first released from the pressure of lever the pivoted
stirrup is turned to one side through the agency of the rod, lever g³, rod g*,
crank g, crank rod g, and hand lever g' and the griping device is now altogether
free from the cable.
The shank C is so constructed that it is vertically adjustable in the bracket B²
and is capable of being raised and lowered by the attendant.
One end of a cord is attached to the upper end of the shank C³ and this cord
after passing over the sheave ', is wound on the drum rotated by the shaft ³,
turned by a hand wheel, by which means when the hand wheel ', is turned,
the cord is wound on the druin k³, and the shank C is thus raised.
The preferable form of construction and arrangement of the parts for operating
the griper is that shown in Figs 9 and 10, the shafts hº, and ³, which rotate the
drums h³, and h, being both hollow the shaft ho, being located within the shaft k³
and the shaft g³, by which the stirrup e, is turned, being located within the
shaft he, thus placing them all in a compact form.
The shafts, and are provided with ratchets and pawls by which the shafts
may be connected and made to turn as one shaft. or be permitted to turn inde-
pendently of cach other. A ratchett is attached to the shaft ³, and a pawl t¹
attached to the floor of the car engages with this ratchet and controls the rotation
of the shaft, and a pawl V on the hand wheel k*, engages with the ratchet V₁
secured to the shaft. thus connecting the two shafts, or permitting them to turn
independently of each other.
When as shown in the drawings one track crosses another, two gripers are
preferably employed as before stated, one located in the rear of the other
In this caso each griper together with its operating mechanism is an exact
duplicate of the other, and each is operated independently of the other
H² indicates a cable travelling in a box, crossing the one in which the cable B
travels, the cable H being above the cable B. Supposing now the cable B to be
grasped by the forward griper, and the car moving in a forward direction. As the
car approaches the crossing cable H, and before the forward griper has reached
said cable, the shafts h, and ³, are rotated so as to slacken the cords h, and k,
causing the lever h² to release the shoe D' upon the cable, and also permit the
shank C to drop down allowing the cable to rest upon the pulleys D in the bottom
of the box
The crank g and shaft g³ are now turned so as to turn the stirrup e* till it
occupies the position with relation to the shoe shown in the rear griper of Fig. 7.
The shaft is now turned so as to wind the cord k on the drum ³ and thus
raise the shank Cs and its attachments. The forward griper is now in a position
to pass over the crossing cable H³.
The rear griper which has heretofore been elevated as shown in Fig 7 is now
lowered by rotating the shafts he and belonging to it until the pulley e² rests
upon the cable, when the stirrup is turned by means of the crank g6 till it is
under the cable, and the cord his then wound on the drum h³ by turning the
shaft h, and this causes the lever h² to depress the end of the shoe D³, and the
cable is thus grasped

page_text: The cable now moves the car forward, until the forward griper has passed the
crossing cable, when it is lowered, and caused to grasp the cable, and the rear
griper released and raised. The parts now assume the position shown in Fig 7
For the purpose of taking the strain from the cord kand holding the shank
without its being supported by said cord, a catch p², may be employed, pivoted
at 23, to the bracket B2, and operated by a rod 2 attached to the crank p³, worked
by a shaft p, which latter in turn is operated by suitable mechanism as for
example, a crank p', operated by a treadle p³,
When the shank C³ is lowered the catch enters the notch S2, in the edge of the
shank as shown in Fig 7.
The drum carrying the cord k may now be turned to slacken the cord and thus
all strain upon said cord be removed. This notch is placed in such a position that
when the cable is grasped by the griper and the shank raised till the catch 23
enters the notch S, the cable will be held above the pulleys D and the griper be
free to pass the same.
When preferred both forward and rear gripers may be used in drawing the car,
in which event when approaching a cross cable as H2, the forward griper is
disengaged from the cable and lifted until it has crossed the cable, when it is
lowered and caused to grip the cable B, and the rear griper released and raised in
a like mauner.
The particular construction of the griper and its operating mechanism-is-such-
that this operation of grasping and releasing the cable may be very easily and
quickly accomplished by the attendant.
In going around a curve it will be advantageous to use both the forward and
_rear gripers as this will enable both ends of the cable to be equally drawn or
subjected to an equal strain and will prevent-any-tendency of one end of the cur
to swing away from the centre of the curve more than the other end and therefore
the car will be less liable to jump the track.
By the above-described-construction many advantages are gained over the cable
railways now in use among which advantages may be mentioned-the-following.-
The box in which the cable travels, and the supports for the stringers being
entirely of metal, there is no decay of material and therefore cable railways con-
structed according to this invention are more durable and consequently more
economical than the cable railways heretofore constructed.
The box being cast or otherwise made in sections, does not require a large
amount of excavation to place it in position as is the case with the cable roads
now in use. This is a very important feature in the construction of this class of
railways as by this construction an ordinary street railway may be changed into a
cable railway without interfering with the travel to any considerable extent, as
the only excavating necessary is between the tracks, and just sufficient to contain
one section of the box which may be put in position and bolted to the sections
already in position.
It often becomes necessary to examine the interior of the box at various points
and where this invention is used any part of the interior of the box may be
examined without interfering with the street all that is required being to remove
one of the plates E
This invention is applicable to various railways other than before mentioned as
for example it may be applied to inclined planes and elevated roads. In the latter
instance the box may easily be supported by the trestlework, and will be as
thoroughly operative as though it were in the ground
By the employment of this invention any number of cross tracks may be
constructed and the cable in one track will not interfere with the cable in the
cross track.
The shank C3 of the griper is preferably made in one piece by which construction
it may be made very simple and strong and is therefore not liable to get out of
order.
The shoe D is preferably made of the form shown in the drawings, the edges

page_text: being slightly concave as shown in Fig. 12 thus permitting it to move smoothly
around a curve as it comes in contact with the vertical rollors M on the side of
the tube
Having now described this invention as communicated to me I wish it to be
understood that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is.
1st The box or tube A, provided with rib or bracket C and opening f¹ substantially
as and for the purposes specified.
2nd The box or tube À provided with rib or bracket C and supporting flange
of lug e¹ and top plate E substantially as and for the purposes specified.
3rd The box or tube A provided with rib or bracket Ċ flange e and top plate E
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
4th The box or tube A provided with rib or bracket C supporting flange or lug e¹
flange e and top plate E substantially as and for the purposes specified.
5th In combination with the track H and an underground cable, the plates E
provided with downwardly projecting flanges & and the upwardly projecting oblique
flanges f forming openings for the reception of the clutch or griper substantially
as, and for the purposes specified.
6th The tube or box A provided with the flanges or brackets c¹ and the flanges b
substantially as and for the purposes specified
7th The tube or box A, provided with the rib or bracket C, and flange b,
substantially as and for the purposes specified
8th The tube or box A, provided with rib or bracket C and flange or bracket b and
flange b' substantially as and for the purposes specified.
9th The combination at cross-tracks of the crossing tube or box A, and the
flange band rib or bracket C fixed on said box or tube, the sides a of the main
box being cut away to form openings a substantially as aud for the purposes
specified.
10th The tube or box A provided with an upwardly projecting, convex or arched
bottom a, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
11th The tube or box A, provided with the upwardly projecting, or arched
bottom a and drain outlets Ĺ substantially as and for the purposes specified.
12th The tube or box A provided with the upwardly projecting, or arched bottom,
and passage openings a² substantially as and for the purposes specified.
13th The tubes or box A, provided with the upwardly projecting or arched
bottom, and passage openings a³ and drain outlets, substantially as and for the
purposes specified
14th The combination of the tube or box A, and the rib or bracket C, and tho
bracket C, and roller D, cable B substantially as and for the purposes specified.
15th The combination of the tube or box A, and the rib or bracket C, and
bottom a¹ and roller D, suitably supported, and cable B, substantially as and for
the purposes specified.
16th The combination of the box or tube A, provided with interior rib or
bracket C and the brackets F substantially as and for the purposes specified.
17th The brackets F suitably secured to the box A, and provided with the dove-
tailed shoe F', in combination with the stringers G held in said shoes by a dovetailed
wedge h substantially as and for the purposes specified.
18th The combination of the brackets F provided with shoes F and the
stringers G held in said shoes by the wedge h substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
19th In a cable-railway the combination of the tube or box A, and the telegraph
or telephone wires g¹, running in the interior of the said tube, substantially as and
for the purposes specified.
20th The box or tube A provided with the interior ribs C, in combination with
the telegraph or telephone wires g¹ said wires passing through the openings g, in
said ribs, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
21st The cable box or tube A, provided with the interior ribs C, in combination
with the telegraph or telephono wires g¹ said wires being connected to the wooden

page_text: strip g, and passing through openings g in said ribs, substantially as and for the
purposes specified.
22nd The combination of the main box or tube A, and a cross-box or tube, the
ends of the latter being bolted to the former by bolts passing through the flanges b
of the cross-box or tube, and the sides of the main box or tube, substantially as, and
for the purposes specified.
23rd The combination of a cable tube or box, bearing p, and rail H, and the rail
bearing G, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
24th The combination of the cable tube or box, and the bearing p² and rail H,
and bearing G for rail, substantially as, and for the purposes specified.
25th The combination of a cable tube or box, and the bearing p and bearing p',
and rail H and bearing G for rail, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
26th The combination of a cable box or tube, the bearing p, and bearing p', and
rail placed at an angle to the length of the box or tube, substantially as, and for
the purposes specified.
27th The combination of a cable tube or box, and the bearings p, and ends o
forming openings f' substantially as and for the purposes specified.
28th The combination of a cable box or tube, and the bearings p, and flanges n,
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
29th. The combination of a cable-box-or-tube,-and-bearings n' and flanges n,
substantially as and for the purposes specified
30th The combination of a cable box or tube, the bearings n¹ and ends o,
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
31st In combination with a cable box or tube, the shoe N, substantially as and
-for-the purposes-specified._.
32nd The combination of a cable box or tube, and shoes-N-and-ends_o, forming
openings, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
33rd In a cable box or tubo, the upwardly arched or inclined bottom in
combination with the pulleys D,-located-over_the_highest point of said arch
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
34th In cable railways, the combination of one cable and the car, and two
griping devices, one located at the forward portion of the car, the other being
located in the rear of the forward one substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
35th In combination with suitable supporting devices, the shoe D provided with
pulleyse, e, and a device for causing the cable to be griped between them, or
released therefrom substantially as and for the purposes specified
36th In combination with suitable supporting devices, the shoe D³, provided
with suitable frictional devices, and the lever h³, substantially as and for the
purposes specified.
37th In combination with suitable supporting devices, the shoe D², provided
with pulleys e, e³, and the lever h³, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
38th In combination the shank C³, provided with slot d², and supporting
bracket, provided with bolt d³, and suitable devices for griping the cable,
substantially as described.
39th The combination of the bracket B³, and shank 0%, and devices for griping
the cable, substantially as described.
40th The combination of the bracket B², hinged at one end, and provided with
bolt 63, and spring b³, for supporting cable griping devices, substantially as and for
the purposes specified.
41st The combination of the bracket B', shank C³, adjustable therein, shoe D³,
and lever h³, said lever being provided with means for causing it to depress the
rear end of the shoe, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
42nd The shoe D³, provided with stirrup et, and suitable non-frictional devices
for griping the cable substantially as described.

page_text: 43rd The combination of the shoe D³, pulleys e², e³, and stirrup e³, substantially
as and for the purposes specified.
44th The combination of the shoe D³, stirrup e', and rod f³, substantially as
described.
45th The combination of the shoe D³, stirrup e¹, rod f², lever g³, rod g', lever g³,
rod go and hand lever g7, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
40th The combination of the bracket B³, provided with brace f³, shank C³,
shoe D², stirrup e', and rod f, substantially as described.
47th The combination of the shank (³, vertically adjustable, and catch p²,
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
48th The combination of the vertically adjustable shank C, and catch p², and
rod p*, crank p³, shaft på, lever p7, and treadle p³ substantially as and for the
purposes specified.
40th The combination of the shoe D³, non-frictional devices as pulley's e², e³,
lever h², cord, drum h³ shaft hand hand wheel 7 substantially as described.
50th The combination of the shoe D³, non-frictional devices as pulleys e², e³,
lever ², cord h*, shank C³, cord k, drums ³, and, shafts hº, and and devices for
turning the latter substantially as described.
51st In combination with shoe D³, non-frictional devices as pulleys e², e³, lever h²,
cord, shank C³, cord k, pulley k¹, drum ², and devices for turning the latter
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
52nd In combination with two separate and independent sets of griping
attachments, substantially as set forth, the rod 9', cords h³, cords k, pulleys k¹,
drums, and, and shafts h, and ³, shaft rod go, and devices for turning said
shafts, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
53rd In combination with the two independent and separate sets of griping
attachments, substantially as set forth, the rods g', cords, and shafts, and
and devices for turning said shafts, and catches p³, rods p', levers p³, shaft p",
levers p' and treadles ps substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
54th The bracket B, provided with several arins or wings at, a³, affording a
broad light bearing, and the slotted centre piece a³ for receiving shank C,
supporting the devices for immediately griping the cable, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
55th The bracket B², provided with wings or arms a³, a³, and the slotted centre
piece a³, for receiving the shank C³, and made with closed sides for keeping out
the dirt substantially as and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof I, the said William Phillips Thompson have hereunto set
my hand and seal this nineteenth day of October in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
13