Improvements in Gravitation Railways.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Apr., 1888
Specification Accepted, 11th May, 1888
Improvements in Gravitation Railways.
I, HENRY SKELLEY of 23 Crosscliffe Street, Moss Side, Manchester in the county
of Lancaster, Artist 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 invention relates to that class of Railways used for recreation purposes, where
motion is imparted to the car by gravitation; the tracks usually being laid upon
elevated trestle work forming ascending and descending planes, the gradients of the
slopes being such that the momentumn acquired during the passage down one slope,
being sufficient to drive the car up the opposite slope; two tracks or sets of rails
being usually employed side by side, one set for the outward journey and one set for
the return journey; and various means being adopted at the terminal points or stages
for reversing the car and starting it upon its return journey either way, usually
known as Switch-back Railways.
.
My invention consists in certain improvements-Firstly-In the construction of a
terminal platform or staging in combination with a turntable of peculiar construction
mounted with rollers upon a circular inclined arrangement of rails and balanced to
remain in a certain position until the arrival of the car which releases a catch, and by its
weight overcomes the balance and gives the table its gyratory motion until the point
for the discharge of the car is reached, when it runs off and the balance brings it
again to its former position.
Secondly-In the application of a guard rail along the centre of each track, the
said guard rail acting in conjunction with guard wheels and a safety catch upon
the car.
Thirdly. In the construction of the car with two or more deep grooved wheels
which engage with the guard rail and prevent the main wheels from jumping the
tracks.
Fourthly. In the application of certain forms of safety catches for engaging
with the guard rail and preventing a retrograde movement of the car, hereinafter
described.
I have attached hereunto a sheet of drawings to which I will now refer.
Figure 1. is an elevation of the terminal platform or stage, shewing the turntable in
position.

page_text: Figure 2. is a plan of the terminal platform or stage and turntable.
Figure 3. is an elevation of the car.
Figure 4. is a plan of the under-car.
Figure 5. is an end elevation of the car.
Figures 6. and 7. are two views of an automatic catch for preventing the back-
ward movement of the car.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, which represent the upper portion of the terminal
platform or stage of the elevated railway, partly in section in order to shew the
position of the turntable and mounting of the saine. In these said Figures the plat-
form or stage is indicated by the letters (A) (A). This platform which is mounted
upon trestlework is specially constructed for the application of my improved turn-
table. Upon the platform the two tracks or sets of rails composing the up and down
lines, converge towards the centre of the turntable. Each track consists of three
lines of rails, the outer rails (c) (c) being for the wheels of the car to travel upon,
and the inner or centre rail (c2) which I propose to employ as a guard rail. This
guard rail (c) I make of deeper section than the outer rails, but it may be of any
suitable section and material. A portion of the guard rail (e) on the turntable I
make to stand higher than the remaining portion and to hinge at (f); the other
extremity is carried below the table and forms with a corresponding portion affixed to
the platform at (g) a catch. This catch is released by the contact of one of the guard
wheels on the car, which depresses the rail at (e) and puts the turntable in motion.
The turntable (B) has a continuation of one track or set of rails upon its surface, and
is sunk in the platform to bring it to the same level. This turntable is shewn partly
in section, and is 'mounted upon rollers (a) (a) preferably four in number. Imme-
diately under the turntable another stage or platform having rails (b) in circles upon
which the table turns. I prefer to arrange these rails as concentric circles two in
number, but more or less may be employed as may be desired. Each circle forms
two separate tracks (6) (62), and each track consists of an inclined curve the inclina-
tion of each track being in the same direction round each circle, the summits of the
inclines of the outer circles (63) (63) being at right angles to those of the inner circle.
The arrangement of the turn-table and inclined curves is such that the surface of
the turntable at its highest level is the same as that of the platform, and the position
of the trackway upon the table is in line with the up line of rails to the platform
marked (C). The down line (C) is upon a lower level than the upline-the difference
being the same as the fall in level of the turntable in its gyration from point (*)
to (a) in Figure 2, caused by gravitation down the inclined curves (b) (b). In the
centre of the turntable underneath is a guide pin (¹) which moves in a guide (3)
fixed to the lower platform (A³) Figure 1. At the lower extremity of the guide-pin
is a shoe or socket (6) to which is connected a balance movement of levers and
weights, or as shewn, of pulleys and weights to assist the table to regain its higher
level. For this purpose is also shown another arrangement of pulley and weight
at (m) Figure 1. In Figures 1 and 2 (d) (d) is a guide rail to prevent the car
from running off the table until in the right position.
Recurring to Figures 3. 4 and 5, which represent three views of the car. In the
said Figures (a) (a) are friction rollers which I propose to employ to act upon the
guide rail (d) Figures 1 and 2. In Figures 3 and 5. (c) represents the outer rail
upon which the car travels; (c³) the guard. rail which I purpose making deeper than
the outer rails. The rollers or deep grooved wheels (c³) in Figures 3 to 5 are
the guard wheels which I purpose employing. These guard wheels are applied to the
under-car and engage with the guard rail (c) and prevent the car from leaving the
rails. (d) Figures 3 and 4 represents a safety catch or pawl which acts automatically
and prevents the car from running backwards.
The guard rail (c³) I intend to employ also for the use of the back catch or pawl to
operate upon and for this purpose I provide it with teeth or notches upon its surface
wherever deemed necessary as shewn (c³) Figure 3. The catch or pawl (d) is hinged
to fall freely either way upon the guard rail. In order to allow the pawl to swing
past the centre to act in the opposite direction, without having first to tilt the car, a

page_text: portion of the guard rail and floor if necessary is cut away as shewn by broken lines
at (e) Figure 3. Figures 6 and 7 shew another form of catch; (a) represents the
bottom of the car, to which a box (b) having a hinged bottom (c) is affixed. The
extremities of the hinged bottom are prepared to serve for the pawl. A free ball
rolling by gravitation cause the extremity of the hinged plate to fall and engage in
the teeth of the guard rail, which are only employed on ascending slopes.
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
clain is:
1st. The application, construction and general arrangement of the turntable,
mountings, circular inclined railway and operating mechanism thereof, and the
terminal platform or staging and parts thereof, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth and indicated herein before and in and by the accompanying drawings.
2nd. The application and arrangement of the guard wheels in the construction of
the car, and of the guide rollers as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth and
indicated.
3rd. The application and arrangement of a guard rail in the centre of the track,
prepared to receive the thrust of the catch or pawl, and to act in conjunction with
the guard wheels of the car, substantially as and for the purposes set forth and
indicated.
4th. In the track or permanent way of Gravitation Railways used for recreation
purposes, the application of a turntable having a gyratory movement and operated in
any suitable manner for the purposes herein described.
5th. The application of the several forms of catches for preventing a retrograde
movement of the car substantially as set forth and indicated.
Dated this 5th day of April 1888