IMPROVE- MENTS IN POINTS OR SWITCHES FOR SIDINGS AND BRANCHES OF TELPHER LINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I ALEXANDER CHALMERS JAMESON of 53 Old Broad Street in the City of
London, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN POINTS OR SWITCHES FOR SIDINGS AND BRANCHES OF TELPHER LINES
to be as follows:-
-
My Improvements consist in arranging the point or switch so that it moves in a
vertical plane instead of a horizontal one thereby avoiding certain inconveniences
in the construction and working of the same.
If an ordinary point or switch moving in a horizontal plane be employed for a
Telpher Line it is necessary to make the line discontinuous: the point or switch
being a short section of the line which may either connect the two sections of main
line or may connect one section of main line with the siding or branch. Such an
arrangement necessitates abutment posts or posts capable of withstanding the whole
horizontal tension of the line at each end of the switch and the fitting must be
accurate to ensure the train running on & off the point without serious jolting.
By causing the point or switch to move in a vertical plane so that when it is
desired to shunt a train into the siding, the switch lies on the top of the rope rod or
bar forming the line, these inconveniences are avoided: the main line may be
continuous past the switch thereby avoiding the necessity for abutment posts and
the fitting does not require to be accurate, the switch when down tending to fall
into its correct position by gravity.
The switch is so formed as to lift the locomotive and skeps in a vertical plane
above the line to a sufficient height to allow the gripping wheels of the locomotive
and other overhanging parts to clear the main line as the train follows the curve of
the switch into the siding and the switch is overhung so as to allow free passage
for the hanging skeps below.
Proper electric connections either permanent or automatic are provided so that
the locomotive does not cease to pull till the train is all in the siding and it is
desired that it should so cease to pull.

page_text: .
I ALEXANDER CHALMERS JAMESON of 53, Old Broad Street in the City of
London Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN POINTS OR SWITCHES FOR SIDINGS AND BRANCHES OF TELPHER LINES
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
My improvements consist in arranging the point or switch so that it moves in a
vertical plane instead of a horizontal one thereby avoiding certain inconveniences
in the construction and working of the same.
If an ordinary point or switch moving in a horizontal plane be employed for a
Telpher line it is necessary to make the line discontinuous; the point or switch
being a short section of the line which may either connect the two sections of main
line or may connect one section of main line with the siding or branch. Such an
arrangement necessitates abutment posts or posts capable of withstanding the whole
horizontal tension of the line at each end of the switch and the fitting must be
accurate to ensure the train running on and off the point without serious jolting.
By causing the point or switch to move in a vertical plane so that when it is
desired to shunt a train into the siding, the switch lies on the top of the rope rod
or bar forming the line, these inconveniences are avoided; the main line may be
continuous past the switch thereby avoiding the necessity for abutment posts and
the fitting does not require to be accurate, the switch when down tending to fall
into its correct position by gravity.
The switch is so formed as to lift the locomotive and skeps in a vertical plane
above the line to a sufficient height to allow the gripping wheels of the locomotive
and other överhanging parts to clear the main line as the train follows the curve
of the switch into the siding and the switch is overhung so as to allow free passage
for the hanging skeps below.
Proper electric connections either permanent or automatic are provided so that
the locomotive does not cease to pull till the train is all in the siding and it is
desired that it should so cease to pull.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a plan and Figure 2 an elevation of one end of a siding.
A, A, A, are three sections of the main telpher line, their electrical connections
are alternately positive and negative as indicated. B¹ and B₂ are two sections of
the sidings insulated from one another and having an insulated gap piece at W:
The point of the switch S is hinged at C so as to move in a vertical plane, and is
worked by a handle D.: The two segments of the whole section B, are electrically
connected by a spring as shewn.at T. When the point S is down any train or
bucket coming from A, will run on to that point and be lifted off the flexible rod A.
The siding is necessarily placed outside the main line; i.e. on the side away from the
supports. The section B, when the point is down is in electrical connection with A,
so that a train driven by Professor Eleeming Jenkin's cross over system will con-
tinue to be driven when it enters the siding. If B, is electrically connected with A,
the train will continue to be driven while on B₁ and B₂; but if the next section
be insulated, even roughly, the train will stop on reaching it being then deprived
of its driving current. The man in charge of the siding by making or breaking the
electrical connections can stop or start the train at will without interfering in any

page_text: way with the main line traffic.. The cross connections are shewn dotted at F
and G; these come down at one post and up the other. The siding is by
preference made of stiff angle iron as shown. Figure 3 shews an end elevation
of the post supporting the hinge C of the point. By reversing the direction of
motion of the motor the train can run back from the siding or branch to the main
line, or the other end of the siding can join the main line and the train pass on the
main line again after running over a loop. When the point is up, the main
line is open for traffic through the gap left between the main line and the post
supporting D.
Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 shew details of the hinge at C with the post, and counter-
balance W; Figures 9, 10 and 11 shew details of the point with the guide pieces
at A B and C D by which the proper position of the point is secured relatively to
the main line. Figures 12, 13 and 14 shew the arrangement of the point when it
leads on or off a rigid bar, lifting the train up a small incline.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
(1). The complete switch as described with the electrical connections required to
drive the train when on the branch and siding.
(2). The switch as described independently of the electrical connections.
(3). A switch for telpher lines with the point caused to descend on to the telpher
line to receive the vehicles and raised from it in order to allow the vehicles to pass
without interference along the telpher line.
Dated this 25th day of November 1884.