in Gravity Railways for Recreational Purposes
Year: 1888

page_text: I, ARCHIBALD WILLIAM MCMURDO, of Southview, Lazonby near Carlisle, in the
County of Cumberland, England, Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention, which relates to improvements in Gravity Railways for Recreational
Purposes, consists as regards the running tracks of the Cars, in the employment of
two corresponding down and up inclines, the inclines being preferably that of a
simple curve and I employ a shunting arrangement from the one track to the other so
that the journeys of the Car or Cars may be practically continuous.
When the Car has reached the end of its first run, and is therefore at the top of the
up incline, I shunt the car to the return line of rails by the following arrangement.
At the top of both a down and up incline in a position common to both line of Rails,
1 pivot a movable section of rail which acts after the manner of a turn-table; as soon
as the Car has run upon the said turn-table, the turn-table is by a motion of partial
rotation brought over to the other line of Rails so that in each case it forms a
continuation of either line of Rails; the table rests upon rollers which travel
upon a curved portion of Rail corresponding to the radius described by the
table.
In order to automatically move the table from the one line to the other after the
car has left the table, I provide an arrangement of a weight and pulley so that when
the table is released from its catch the falling of the weight draws over the table to
form the terminus of the other or return line of Rails.
may
be
The Catch for the purpose of locking the table any suitable arrangement,
such as a weighted or balanced lever, the trigger of which may be released from the
Catch of the table either automatically by a projection of the end of the car disengaging
the trigger as it just leaves the table or by a cord and pulley actuated from any
convenient part of the track so that the Car on its return journey may find the table
n position as the car reaches the top of its return run.
A similar arrangement is applied at both ends of the two tracks.

page_text: The end of the turn-table, that is to say the pivoted portion thereof, is provided with
an ordinary buffer beam, the said beam being provided, if necessary, with a link for
holding the car.
'
In the carrying out of my said improvements in Gravity Railways, I employ a
safety locking piece, or Scotch, in order to prevent the Car running back should the
momentum be insufficient to carry it to the top of the gradient. The Scotch hangs
loosely below the centre of the car and trails upon a central rail of wood or other
suitable material, its mounting being such that its extremity bites into its rail instantly
that the car attempts to run hack. The Scotch, as constructed in accordance with my
Invention, is double acting, that is to say it can be brought into play upon either the
down or up incline of either line of rails. It is mounted on a shaft running across the
underside of the car, the extremities of the said shaft being provided with means for
reversing the Scotch from either side of the car. The position of the Scotch is adjusted
and held by the employment of a quadrant in which a small lever or arm, keyed upon
the shaft at the one side of the car, works, the position of the lever in the said quadrant
being kept by a stop-piece which is held in action by the pressure of a spiral spring
at the opposite side of the car through the medium of a rod, the rod being so arranged
that the stop can be withdrawn by manipulating the rod at either side of the car and
the Scotch reversed from either side by actuating the levers at either side of the car ;
in order to regulate the movements of the loose hanging Scotch, I prefer to key two
bracket portions upon the shaft and between which the Scotch moves freely but the
extent of which free movement is regulated between two stops situated between the
two bracket plates.
In the carrying out of my said improvements, I employ antifriction rollers upon
the side framing of the car for the purpose of employing guard rails, in order to check
any liability of the car leaving the line and under this arrangement I may dispense
with flanges upon the car wheels; the antifriction rollers may be mounted either at
the extremities of the longitudinal frame of the car or in a position immediately above
the car wheels.

page_text: Improvements in Gravity Railways for Recreational Purposes.
I ARCHIBALD WILLIAM MCMURDO, of Southview, Lazonby, near Carlisle in the
County of Cumberland, England, Mechanical Engineer, 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 said Invention relates to various improvements in gravity Railways for recrea-
tional purposes and has for its object to facilitate the shunting operations in the working
of a double line, and my Invention also relates to improvements in the construction of
the tracks and in the construction and running of the cars in order to render the
running of the cars as smooth as possible and to render the running perfectly safe by
providing against any accidents from overturning, erratic running or back running of
the cars.
Figure 1, shows a plan of pivoted end rail sections.
Figures 2 and 3 are a part plan and end elevation respectively, drawn to a large scale
and shewing the details of the construction and workings of the same in accordance
with my improvements.
When the car has reached the end of its first run and is therefore at the top of the
up incline, the car is shunted to the return line of rails by the movable section of
Rail A, pivoted at a.
As soon as the car has run upon the said rail section, the rail section is by a motion
of partial rotation brought over automatically to the other line of rails.
The section is mounted upon Rollers or wheels B, which travel upon a curved portion
of rail b, corresponding to the radius described by the rail section.
In order to automatically move the rail section from the one line to the other, after
the car has left the rail section, I provide an arrangement of a weight and pulley C,
so that when the rail section is released from its catch D, the falling of the
weight draws over the rail section to form the terminus of the other or return line
of rails.
The catch 1), as shown more particularly in figure 2, is in the form of a bell-
crank pivoted at d, and provided with a weight d'. The catch is released automatically
by a projection of the end of the car as the car leaves the rail section; or as shown in
Figure 2, a cord and pulley E, may be actuated from any convenient part of the
track, so that the car on its return journey, may find the rail section in position as
the car reaches the top of its return run; the said automatic arrangements enable
my Railway to be worked with greater facility and with a less number of hands than
hitherto.
A similar arrangement is applied at both ends of the two tracks.
In the carrying out of my said improvements in gravity Railways I employ a safety
locking piece or scotch F, figures 4 and 5, in order to prevent the car running back
should the momentum at any time be insufficient to carry it to the top of the gradient.
The scotch hangs loosely below the centre of the car and trails upon. a central rail of

page_text: •
wood or other material G, its mounting being such that its extremity bites into its
rail instantly that the car attempts to run back. The scotch as constructed in
accordance with my Invention is double acting, that is to say, it can be brought into
play upon either the down or up incline of either line of rails. It is mounted on a
shaft f, figure 5, running across the underside of the car, the extremities of the said
shaft being provided with means for reversing the scotch from either side of the car,
the position of the scotch is adjusted and held by the employment of a quadrant f¹, in
which a small lever or arm f³, keyed upon the shaft at the one side of the car works,
the position of the lever in the said quadrant being kept by a stop piece f³, which is
held in action by the pressure of a spiral spring f4, at the opposite side of the car,
through the medium of a rod f, which is so arranged that the stop can be withdrawn
by manipulating the rod at either side of the car and the scotch reversed from either
side by actuating the levers at either side of the car; in order to regulate the move-
ments of the loose banging scotch I prefer to key two bracket portions f, upon the
shaft and between which the scotch inoves freely but the extent of its free movement
is regulated between two stops f7, situated between the two bracket plates.
. In the further carrying out of my improvements I employ an improved arrange-
ment and mode of mounting anti-friction Rollers H, upon the side framing of the car
as shown in figure 4, for the purpose of checking any liability of the car to leave the
line;
the guard for these rollers to run upon when brought into action is shewn in
figure 6, sheet 2 of the Drawings.
It is to be understood that in the mounting of the said check rollers there is a
clearance between the said rollers and the guard rails so that the rollers do not come
into action against their guard rails until there is any tendency of the car to leave the
track, so that there is no useless friction of the rollers with the rails so long as the car
is running properly; for this purpose I construct the tracks J,-with a margin of
width as shown in Figure 6, so that the flange of the car wheels even if it is jolted out
of the rut between J, and K, will run quite freely on the top of J.
The guards or rails are marked ; under this arrangement. I may dispense, if
desired, with flanges upon the car wheels; the said arrangement of rollers and check
rail instantly checking any tendency of the car to run off the rails and give my
Railway a maximum of safety and allow very high speeds to be used with safety.
Figure 7, shows in part end elevation of a car, an arrangement of under rollers H³,
which I may employ as a modification of the side rollers, the said rollers, preferably
in sets at each end of the under framing, acting against each side of the central scotch
rail G, when steadying the car.
Figure 6, also shows the arrangement in accordance with the working of my
several improvements, of the rails J, scotch rail G, and wheel-flange guiding rails K.
In the working of my Railway may employ tracks of a simple curve or tracks
having several undulations for the purpose of giving variety to the journey.
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 :-
1st. In gravity Railways for recreational purposes, the general arrangement and
mode of operating automatically or partly automatically, the pivoted end sections of
rails substantially as hereintofore described, and shown in Figures 2, and 3, of the
accompanying drawings.
2nd. The arrangement of automatically drawing over the pivoted section by the
weight C, or the mechanical equivalent of same.
3rd. The arrangement of automatically disengaging the catch D, by the agency of
the car as it passes over the said catch.
4th. The arrangement of actuating the catch by the cord and pulley E, for the
purpose as described, or the mechanical equivalent of the said arrangement.
5th. The arrangement and construction of parts constituting the double acting
scotch and scotch rail G, substantially as and for the purposes herein before described,
and shown with reference to Figures 4, and 5, of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 6th. The particular arrangement and mode of mounting the safety rollers H,
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and shown with reference
to Figure 4, of the accompanying drawings.
7th. In combination with the scotch rail G, the check rollers H', substantially as
and for the purposes herein before described and shown with reference to Figure 7, of
the accompanying drawings.
8th. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting my improved
track, and consisting of central rail G, wheel check rail K, and roller check rail h, as
shown in Figure 6, of the accompanying drawings.
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