Improvements connected with Railways for Recreation.
Year: 1895

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Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1895:
Complete Specification Left, 27th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 29th Feb., 1896
Improvements connected with Railways for Recreation.
I, RALPH NELSON GRACEY Dental Surgeon of "Roslyn" Fortis Green Road,
East Finchley London do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention consists of a railway down which passenger cars travel by the action
of gravity substantially of the form described below.
My railway is formed by a track laid upon two cones in the following manner. The
cones are placed obliquely or otherwise so that their apices are near together. The
track has a general slope downwards but variations in the gradients such as occasional
elevations may be introduced. The track begins at or near the top of one cone and
first describes a curve on that cone in one direction say to the right and then crosses
over to the second cone on which it describes a curve to the left. The track passes
thus between one cone and the other until the base is reached. After the base is
reached the track may describe a circular course round which the car may travel
until its momentum is exhausted or until stopped by suitable means. But my
railway may end in a straight course a gradient an ascending spiral or other
preferred manner without departing from the spirit of my invention.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day of April 1895.
-
Improvements connected with Railways for Recreation.
I, RALPH NELSON GRACEY, Dental Surgeon of Roslyn, Fortis Green Road,
East Finchley, London, 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 my
invention has reference to that class of railway used for the amusement
of the public at exhibitions and similar places.
The object of the invention is to provide a railway of the kind referred to, in
which the track is varied by describing increasing curves in alternate directions,
for the purpose of destroying the tendency to giddiness induced by a continuous
circular movement, and at the same time providing the passengers with a more
pleasant and varied form of motion.
I now proceed to describe my said invention, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked
thereon.
The drawing shews a railway constructed in accordance with my invention.
My improved railway is built of wood or metal, but preferably the latter, and it
consists of a suitable number of stanchions A which are properly braced and arranged.
to support a platform B.
The arrangement of the structure is such as to form two or more distinct
erections C, D, (two only being shown in the drawing) divided by a space E.

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A. series of inclined girders or the like F extend radially and partly around each
erection C, D, and support the railway track G.
The railway track G commences upon the platform B and thence extends around
the erection D in one direction, passes through the space E, and then around the
erection in the opposite direction; the alternate directions being repeated until
the base is reached. It will however readily be understood that, if desired, the
track may extend twice or any number of times around' one of the erections C, D,
before following a course in the opposite direction on the other one.
Moreover three, four or more erections similar to those indicated by the
letters C, D, may be combined and arranged to permit of the track passing around
or partly around each in succession in any direction alternated as desired. It is
...not essential that the track be even inasmuch as it may undulate more or less
suddenly at various places, thus providing great variety in the movement of the cars
and consequent excitement of the passengers..
The platform B may be surmounted by a pavilion H where refreshments and the
like may be sold, and which moreover, provides a place for the reception of the cars
which are raised to the platform by a lift or the like as represented by broken lines
and indicated by the letter J.
Lit.
In operation, the cars are started from a station, near the structure from
whence they descend a slightly inclined way to the lift J situated in one of the
erections C, D, and by which they are elevated to the platform B, from which
they descend by the force of gravity along the inclined track G to the base of the
structure, after which they may pass through a tunnel K, and finally stop at the
starting station.
"
1.
"
I am aware that gravity railways have heretofore been constructed and protected
by Letters Patent, and I do not claim such as my invention; but I am not aware
that railways have heretofore been constructed to permit of the variations in the
direction of a descending track as herein before described. T..
+3.
:...
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
A railway for recreation consisting of an entire structure comprising two or
more erections combined and arranged substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 25th day of January 1896.
"
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