IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC ELEVATORS FOR RAILWAYS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur William Lovell Reddie of the Office for Patents
66 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlosex, Patent Agent for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC ELEVATORS FOR RAILWAYS”
Communicated to him from abroad by Charles Austin Needham of the City
and State of New York United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur William Lovell
Reddie at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th October
1882.
ARTHUR WILLIAM LOVELL REDDIE of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex, Futont Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC
ELEVATORS FOR RAILWAYS." [Communicated to him from abroad by Charles
Austin Needham of the City and State of New York United States of America.]
This invention is intended to be used either for railways which are elevated
above the neighboring streets or roads, or for those which are underground or at
a level below the neighboring streets or roads; its object being for railways of the
former class to lift passengers to the level of the elevated stations and lower
them therefrom, and for railways of the latter class to lift the passengers from the
level of the stations and to lower them thereto.
The invention may however be applied in any situations and under any
conditions in which it may be desired to lift or lower passengers or other loads to
and from railways.
The invention consists in the combination with an air shaft or tube, an
elevator car or platform fitting and capable of working as a piston therein, and a
railway track, of a pump or pumps adapted to be operated by passing trains on
said track to compress air; a pipe or conduit for conducting the air so compressed
to the air shaft or tube below the car or platform, and valves for controlling the
admission of air to said air shaft or tube, and the egress of air therefrom.

page_text: The invention also consists in the combination with an air shaft or tube, an
elevator car or platform fitting therein, a railway track and a pump or pumps
adapted to be operated by passing trains on said track to compress uir, of an
accumulator or pressure equalizer in which the air so compressed is stored, a pipe
or conduit connecting said accumulator or pressure equalizer with said air shaft
or tube, and valves for controlling the admission of air to the said shaft or tube
and the egress of air therefrom.
The valve for the egress of air from the said air shaft or tube below the piston-
like car or platform of the elevator may be arranged in the floor of the said car or
platform where it may be opened by pressure of the foot of an attendant within
the car or upon the platform for the purpose of permitting and controlling such
egress of air, and thereby permitting and controlling the descent of the platform
or car, and this arrangement of such valve constitutes another feature of the
Invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Arthur William Lovell Reddie in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th April 1883.
ARTHUR WILLIAM LOVELL REDDIE of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC
ELEVATORS FOR RAILWAYS" Being a communication to me from abroad by
Charles Austin Needham of the City and State of New York, United States of
America.
This Invention is intended to be used either for railways which are elevated
above the neighbouring streets or roads, or for those which are underground, or at
a level below the neighbouring streets; its object being, for railways of the former
class, to lift passengers to the level of the elevated stations and lower them therefrom;
and for railways of the latter class, to lift the passengers from the level of the.
stations and to lower them thereto.
The invention may however bo applied in any situations and under any
conditions in which it may be desired to lift or lower passengers or other loads to
and from railways.
T'ho invention consists in the combination with an air shaft or tube, an elevator.
car or platform fitting and capable of working as a piston therein, and a railway
track, of a pump or pumps adapted to be operated by passing trains on the said
track to compress air, a pipe or conduit for conducting the air so compressed to
the air-shaft or tube below the car or platform, and valves for controlling tho
admission of air to said air-shaft or tube, and the egress of air therefrom.
The invention also consists in the combination with an air-shaft or tube, an
elevator car or platform fitting therein, a railway track and a pump or pumps.
adapted to be operated by passing trains on the said track to compress air, of an
accumulator or pressure equalizer in which the air so compressed is stored, a pipe
or conduit connecting said accumulator or pressure equalizer with the said air-shaft
or tube; and valves for controlling the admission of air to the said shaft or tube.
and the egress of air therefrom.
The valve for the egress of air from the said air-shaft or tube, below the piston-
like car or platform of the elevator, may be arranged in the floor of the said car or
platform, where it may be opened by pressure of the foot of an attendant within
the car or upon the platform for the purpose of permitting and controlling such
egress of air, and thereby permitting and controlling the descent of the platform
or car; and this arrangement of such valve constitutes another feature of the
invention.
The accompanying drawing represents a vertical elevation of a part of an
elevated railway structure and an elevator and appurtenances embodying the
Invention.
A designates a portion of an elevated railway structure, and B designates the
track along which cars are to travel, as indicated by the truck C.
D designates an air tube or elevator shaft extending upwards to and above the
track B, and provided near the bottom with a door D₁; and E designates an
elevator car, adapted to move upwards and downwards in the said tube or shaft
and fitting therein as a piston. The car may be provided with friction rollers a to
cause it to travel easily and freely in the tube or shaft D, and it is provided with
a packing s, of leather or other material, or is otherwise so constructed as to form
an air tight or nearly air tight fit between itself and the said tube or shaft. Hence.

page_text: When compressed air is admitted under the car its pressure will force the car
upwards in the tube or shaft.
F. F. designate two pumps arranged adjacent to the track B. These pumps are
here shown as of the bellows form. The invention is not however confined to
pumps of this form as pumps of other construction may be used, and one or more
may be used, as may be necessary.
These bellows pumps are arranged in such relation to the track B, that the cars,
in passing, will operate upon their movable boards to compress air and they may be
provided with springs t, whereby they may be expanded after they have been
so collapsed by the passage of the cars. The trucks C of the cars may be each
provided with a roller b, adapted to operate on the movable boards of the bellows
pumps, and the latter may be provided with covers or hoods G, for protecting them
from the weather. These covers or hoods must however be constructed so as to
operate on the pumps as the cars pass.
Instead of employing rollers b, to act upon the pumps the cars or engine may be
provided with any other devices adapted for the purpose, and where pumps of
other forms or constructions are employed the mechanism through which the
passing trains operate them may be modified in various ways to suit different
circumstances. The air compressed by the two pumps F, may be conducted through
pipes, c. to an accumulator or pressure equalizer H, which is constructed so that it
may be expanded by air pressure, and has weights H' applied to it for inaintaining
the air under pressure.
I designates a conduit or nir pipe for conducting compressed air to the lower end
of the air shaft or tube D, below the car E. At the bottom of the air tube or
shaft D, is a valve controlling the admission of air to said tube or shaft, and the
valve J, here shewn is pivotted at d, but any other valve of suitable form may
--be-used.
The valve J may be operated-in-the usual way by a hand rope e, passing
through the car, and over a wheel f, at the upper end of the tube-or-shaft D.
In the floor of the car E is an opening g. which is controlled by a downwardly
opening valve h, and on this valve is a push pin or piece i which projects through
and above the floor of the car, and may be operated by the foot of the elevator
attendant to open the valve.
Passengers are admitted to the elevator car E through the door D¹ in the side
of the tube or shaft D, and the door should be provided around the edges with
packing which may be of any suitable character, to prevent the escape of air,
when it is admitted to the tube or shaft.
When it is desired to raise the elevator car, the valve J. is opened, and compressed
air is admitted to the tube or air shaft D; and when it is desired to lower the car,
the valve J. is closed, and the foot is pressed on the pin i. and the valve h. is opened
to allow the air to escape from below the car through the car.
Passengers may leave the elevator car through an opening or doorway D'
provided in the upper part of the tube or shaft D. The opening g. may if desired
be provided with a trunk extending through or beyond the car, so that the
occupants of the car will not be subjected to the blast of escaping air.
It will be seen that the elevator lierein described, is advantageous, because it may
be operated without an independent motor, and it is absolutely safe because the
car cannot fall while there is air pressure below it.
"
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention of "Improvements in
Pneumatic Elevators for Railways as communicated to me by my Foreign
Correspondent and explained in what manner the same may be carried into
practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim.
First The combination with an air-shaft or tube, an elevator car or platform,
fitting and capable of working as a piston therein, and a railway track, of a pump
or pumps for compressing air, adapted to be operated by trains passing on said
track, and a pipe or conduit and suitable valves for controlling the admission of

page_text: air compressed by said pump or pumps to said air shaft or tube, and the egress
of air therefrom, substantially as herein described and for the purpose set forth.
Secondly-The combination with the air shaft or tube, the elevator car or platform,
a railway track, and a pump or pumps all adapted for operation as herein described,
of the accumulator or pressure equalizer for compressed air, and the pipe or
conduit and valves for controlling the admission of air from the accumulator or
equalizer to the air shaft or tube, and the egress of air from the air shaft or tube,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Thirdly: The arrangement of the valve for controlling the egress of compressed
air from the air shaft or tube, at the floor of the elevator car or platform, where it
may be operated by the foot of the attendant to permit the escape of air through
or past the car or platform substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof I tho said Arthur William Lovell Reddio have hereunto
set my hand and seal the twenty fourth day of April in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
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BARDZO