Year: 1888

page_text: 1, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, M.I.M.E.
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 an improvement in grip mechanism for street cable railways,
and more particularly to an improved device whereby the cable will be lifted from a
plane below the clamping jaws of the "grip," be secured instantly and rigidly between
these jaws and also release and project the cable laterally from the jaws when it is
desired.
The object of the present invention is to simplify and improve the construction of
the cable gripping mechanism shown in any Complete Specification No. 8186, dated
7th June 1887, whereby the parts are rendered more compact, taking up less room in
the cable conduit, affording more ready access to working and wearing parts for
cleaning and repair, and cheapening the cost of construction of the grip apparatus.
With these objects in view the invention consists in certain features of construction,
and combination of parts, that will be hereinafter described.
Referring to the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of the gripping apparatus with a cable picked up and
gripped between the grip jaws.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the gripping mechanism with the cable raised and
gripped.
Fig. 3 is a rear view of the grip with the grip jaws separated and the pick up arms
in position to swing up and engage the cable.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the gripping apparatus taken on the line through
centre of slide bar K. showing the pick up arms depressed to lift a cable.
Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the grip jaws and connected parts.
га
071

page_text: Figs. 6, 6ª, and C", illustrate the construction of the vibrating uppur grip jaw and
connected cam arms edge and side views of the cam arms being shown.
Fig. 7 is a detached perspective view of a pick up arm and cable discharging
bracket limb that are integrally connected and supported by one shaft.
Figs. 8, 8ª, 8º and 8", are modified forms of the upper grip jaws and the cam arms
shown in figures G, G and 6 constructed to afford means of adjustment.
Figs. 9, 9 and 10 are views of a pick uparm and cable discharging limb, constructed
to permit a change of relative position of these devices.
The cable gripping apparatus is suspended by proper connections to a horizontal
frame of the grip carriage, this carriage in construction is idontically the same as is
described in the before mentioned specification and is therefore not illustrated in detail
here, only a portion of the grip carriage frame being shown, to which the vertical
cable gripping device is readily secured at such a point, as to allow the portion of the
grip that picks up the cable and clamps it, to be held in proper position in the under-
ground conduit, in which the cable is supported to travel when actuated by power at
a station.
In the drawings A, A are housings or frame plates of the gripping apparatus, they
are made parallel on their sides and edges, a proper distanco intervening betwoon the
inner edges to receive other working parts of the device.
The tower terminations (, are readily attached to the base block B. The base
block B is preferably made of metal and given the form shown, the lower portion is of
an ovate form in cross section, one side being inclined diagonally or outward and
downward at i to afford a gripping face on the block B.
The upper end of the plates A, A are secured by any suitable means to the
depending parallel limbs a, a slotted vertically to receive and neatly fit upon the upper
ends of the housing plates A, A as shown in figures 1 and 2.
Between the inner edges of the housing plates A, A, the parallel sliding bars G, G
are placed. These bars are held apart such a relative distance at their upper ends,
that their outer edges will have sliding contact with the inner or adjacent edges of the
housing plates A, A the spacing plates d which serve to hold the sliding bars G, G
apart but connected at their upper ends, are rivetted or holted upon each side of these
bars, two plates being provided that are attached in position by the rivets or bolts
passing through them as well as the intervoning upper ends of the bars G, G.
A proper relative distance below the horizontal frame V, of the grip carriage, to
which the housing plates A. A are rigidly secured, the cross bars J, Jare affixed to
the upright sliding bars G, G, see figure 2, those mated cross bars are placed directly
opposite each other, the holts or rivets passing directly through them and the
bars G, G.
The length of the cross bars J, J' is so proportioned that their outer ends will line
with the outer edges of the housing plates A, A and upon their front faces at or near
the lower edges of the cross bars J, J, the integral bosses J, J2 are formed and
made to extend laterally a short distance oniside of the edges of the housing plates A, A
as shown in figure 2.
The projecting edges of the hosses J2 are rounded to produce smooth true bearings
upon which are placed thimbles or anti-friction rollors J.
Between the upright bars G, G and having sliding contact with them the vertical
rack bar K is located, this flat bar is pivotally connected at its upper end to the lower
ond of the short link K by the bolt é.
Upon the front side of the depending limbs a of the yoke H, a lever I is pivotted
at g to have a vertical vibratory movement.
A quadrant Q is formed upon the edge of the limb a of yoke H, the curvature of
the quadrant conforming to the sweep of the lever I', so that the pawl p, see Figuro 2,
will engage with the notches I made in the quadrant to secure the lover 1, and tho
attached rack bar K in any desired position of vertical adjustment, it being understood
that the inner end of the lever is pivotod at el to the upper end of the short
link K'.
The inclined gripping face i of the baso block B has a longitudinal dovetail groove

page_text: through it from end to end in which is firmly inserted a wearing block F SCC
figure 3, that is intended to receive the cable when it is elevated and gripped.
The upper portion of the base block B is contracted and rounded to produce a
semi-cylindrical boss E which is centrally porforated throughout its length to receive
a rounded bolt E'.
The swinging upper grip jaw D is made of the same width as the base block 1,
it consists of two outer vertical and parallel limbs and a connecting block that is
or may bo bolted between the limbs near their outer ends to afford a gripping jaw,
the limbs being intended to give motion to the jaw, as will be more specifically
explained.
The vertical limbs U, U, of the swinging grip jaw D are shown in position in
figures 2 and 3 and detached in figures 6, 6 and 6. They are attached to the ends of
the jaw D by bolting the flanges D+ which are formed on the ends of the jaw to the
lower ends of the limbs as shown in figures 6, 6 and 6-figure 6 being a side view of
the grip jaw D, figure 6" an edge view of the two limbs U, U the side of one limb
being shown in figure 6. It is to be understood however that the swinging grip jaw
instead of being constructed in the last mentioned manner may be constructed other-
wise, for example the limbs U U and the jaw proper D may be cast or forged in one
piece.
The limbs UU are each provided with enlargements or rounded bosses that are rule
jointed to the outor ends of the perforated boss E, formed on the upper part of the
base block B, the rod E projecting at each side to engage the limbs at their rule
joints and thus afford journals upon which the limbs U U may be vibrated.
Each limb U is projected outward and downward to form inclined portions of the
grip jaw which is completed by the securing of the jaw proper D between them as has
been explained.
The jaw D and attached lower portions of the limbs U U are slotted to produce a
dove-tail groove into which the wear plate F, is introduced and fixed, this plate F
being directly opposite the similar plate F¹ that is insorted in a groove in the base
block B. Both the lower ends of the base block B and vibrating grip jaw Dare
rounded off from the lower edges of the wear plates F F to allow the cable when
lifted to readily enter between these wear plates.
It will be noticed that the relative position and manner of connection of the
swinging grip jaw and fixed lower jaw that is an integral portion of the base block B
will secure a parallel approach of the upper jaw towards the lower jaw considered
lengthwise of these opposed jaws and thus ensure a clamping with equal pressure of
the cable throughout the whole gripping surface when said cable is engaged by the jaws.
The upper portions of the limbs UU are forwardly inclined and widened sufficiently
to allow diagonal slots t¹ to be formed on their inner surfaces which slots extend
nearly through the body of the limbs and are of a width to receive the thimbles which
encircle the projecting ends of the bosses J³ and thus connect these cain slots t' or the
cam heads U in which these slots are produced with the vertical sliding bars G G.
In figure 8 is shown a method of constructing the upper grip jaw D and cam
limbs U U so that these cam slotted limbs may be adjusted in position with regard to
the grip surface of the jaw D.
To effect this the limbs are separated on the line -v figure 8 and the separated
pieces are joined by the bolts U U these bolts passing through the slotted holes in
the upper portion of the limbs see figure 8, and into threaded holes in the lower
portions of the limbs above the grip jaw D.
It will be seen that by making this provision the cam slotted portion of the
limbs U U may be changed in position so as to cause the wear plate F of the grip
jaw D to approach more closely toward the opposed wear plate of the lower grip jaw
that is formed upon the base block B.
This feature is important as it permits an accurate regulation of the upper jaw to
compensate for wear and also permits the grip jaw operating mechanism that will be
presently described to be suitably adjusted and made to assume proper relative positions
whereby the continuous effective operation of the gripping apparatus is assured.

page_text: About the centre of the plates d which connect and hold spaced apart the sliding
bars GG the links d³ are pivotied upon each side of these plates, and the upper ends
of the links are pivoited at d to the short horizontal arm of the hell crank lever O,
this lever being pivotted at d to the side of the yoke H. The upright limb of tho
lever O is provided with the ordinary tripping dog do which is made to engage the
teeth d, of the quadrant d', which latter is formed integral with the yoke plate H and
of proper arched form to allow the dog d" of the lever O to ongage with it and thus
lock the upper grip jaw D, either in open or closed adjustment as it is apparent that
by the connections of parts just described the movement of the lever O will operato
the swinging upper jaw D to open and receive a cable, or close upon a picked up cable
to grip and retain it securely.
"
The cable elevating or
pick-up" device and the pieces that push the cable
outwardly when the jaws of the gripping mechanism are separated to discharge the
cable from the grip jaws are both made together there being one of each of these
connected lifting and ejecting arms secured to one shaft or in the same axial line to
oporate simultaneously at each end of the grip jaws; or, as is obvious, though I do
not prefer such a construction, the shaft may be divided into two halves each half at
its outer end being provided with a combined pick up and ejecting device and at its
inner end with a pinion, the two pinions gearing with the saine rack which is formed
wide for the purpose.
The pick up and dropping or ejecting devices just mentioned, are operated by the
rack bar K, and its connected vibratory lever 12, tho bar K is cut or otherwiso
provided with gear teeth upon the front side of its lower end, and to allow it with
other parts to work freely the base block B is recessed about midway between its ends,
the space thus afforded being sufficient to admit the body of the bar K, to reciprocato
in it.
A perforation is made through the base block B, from one end to the other to
receive a round shaft L upon which is mounted and secured the pinion L, this pinion
from its position being made to engage the teeth of the rack bar K.
The shalt L projects far enough beyond the ends of the base block B, to receive at
each end, the cablo pick up and ejecting devices which are mounted upon and secured
to it.
In figure 7 a pick up arm and the jointed ejector limb are shown removed from the
grip apparatus. As seen it consists of a bracket N2, which is perforated at right
angles, and in fact is composed of two axially perforated cylinders N, N, that are so
joined at one end of each, that the bracket end which gives support to the rotating
thimble N, that is the pick up device, will lie in a plane below, and at right angles to
the porforated hub N of the cable ejector limb M, this lattor named piece being
projected upwardly, and adapted to rock in a plane parallel to that of the pick up arm,
the relative positions of the pick up arm N and ejector limb M being such that the
latter named piece will he projected vertically by a movement of the supporting
shaft L that causes the pick-up arm N to be carried up under the cable and elevate it
to a position shown in figures 1 and 2.
When the cable is ejected the pick up arms will hang depended vertically and the
ojector arins will move downwardly bearing against the cable which has been previously
released by an upward rocking of the top grip jaw D the cable will be ejected in this
manner the position of the grip jaws, pick up arms, and ojoctor limbs when this
operation is completed is shown in figures 3 and 4 these figures also illustrating the
relative position of the above named parts with regard to a cable which is to be picked
up and gripped.
In figures 9, 9 and 10 a modified and preferred form of construction of the
consolidated pick up arm and a cable ejector limb is shown.
It is of great advantage to be enabled to readily change the relative positions of
the cable discharger and pick up arm with regard to their anglo of divergence
from each other.
To effect this the hub of the ejector limb is separated at M and the adjacent
end surfaces of the separate parts of the hub are serrated radially with equal sized

page_text: teeth which should be so spaced and relatively located that the two sections of the
hub may be joined and the ratchet locking teeth just described be made to register
correctly as shown in figures 9 and 10 at M. By this arrangement of the connected
parts which when adjusted are secured together by any suitable means, the outer
ends of the ejector limb M and the pick up arm N may be adjusted toward or from
each other and the cable ejector be made to discharge the cable, sooner or later as
may be desired.
Upon each side of the base block B integral projections are formed to give support
to the loosely mounted pulleys T, T which latter are intended to protect the sides of
the grip apparatus from any improper frictional contact with the sides of the cable
conduit pipe or chamber as these rollers will first engage the conduit and check undue
vibration of the gripping device.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that the working parts are compact
and the upper grip jaw D rendered detachable from the limbs UU which latter are
made a part of this jaw so that the connection between the sliding bars G G and grip
jaw D, is direct and affords a powerful and effective control of the clamping jaw D
without complication of working parts.
The consolidation of the pick up and ejecting devices as herein shown and
described afford a compact and simple mechanism for the purposes named and it is
claimed that the present form of grip mechanism possesses all the advantages and
overcomes the objectionable features of other patented grip apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1
1. In a grip for cable railways the combination with a block or part such as D of
two cam grooved limbs such as U substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
2. In a grip for cable railways a pick-up arm and a cable-ejector limb both mounted
upon the same shaft or in the same axial line substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a grip for cable railways the combination with a stationary jaw such as B and
a swinging jaw such as D of a shaft such as L' supported in the jaw B and carrying
one combined cable pick-up and ejecting device at each end of the jaw B substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. The combination with a swinging upper grip jaw such as D of a movable cam
grooved limb such as U adapted to be adjusted and to regulate the pressure of the
upper jaw upon the lower jaw substantially as described and illustrated at figures 8ª, 8°
and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
5. The combination with a pick-up arm of a cable-ejector limb adapted to work in
parallel planes and be changed in regard to their angle of divergence substantially as
hereinbefore specified and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. The combination with a cable pick-up arm and a cable-ejector limb made to
move in parallel planes and have their angle of divergence changed, of a shaft
adapted to support and simultaneously rock the arm and limb substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
7. The complete cable gripping pick-up and ejecting mechanisin as a whole
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.