improvements in Apparatus for conveying money or Goods to and from Different Parts of Shops, Warehouses, and the like.
Year: 1887

page_text: improvements in Apparatus for conveying money or Goods to and
from Different Parts of Shops, Warehouses, and the like.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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:
:-
The object of the invention is to provide a cheap, simple and effective device for the
conveyance of money or goods, said device being operated upon a horizontal wire
track between two stations without the employment of springs, air pumps, or other
similar devices for imparting motion to the carriage.
The invention consists in the peculiar construction and combination of the various
parts, as more fully hereinafter described, shown and claimed.
Figure 1, is a side elevation of my improved store service.
Figure 2, is a top plan view of the same.
In the accompanying drawings
A, represents the standards or hangers which support the single wire track B, at each
end-one standard for instance, being the salesman's station, and the other the
cashier's station, as is usual in such devices. At each end of the line there is secured
to the standards or hangers, by means of a thimble a and set screw b or other
analogous device, by means of which the same can be vertically adjusted, a double
track section of railway B', its free ends c being so constructed as to be flaring
outwardly and downwardly. This double track is located above the single track, and
in such position that the latter is central to the former, on the lower plane. C, is the
carriage, consisting of a suitable frame having two axles d, upon the centre of which
are secured the grooved faced main traction wheels e, adapted to run upon the single
wire track, and within the frame; upon the overhanging ends of the axles, outside
the frame, there are secured smaller flat surfaced wheels h, adapted to run upon the
rails of the double track. Upon the sides of this double track, and at distances apart
from centre to centre equal to the distance from axis to axis of the two axles, and with
their upper surfaces above the plane of the double track line, there are secured short
rails or blocks k, the surfaces of which are preferably slightly dished, or curved
downwardly between the two ends thereof. D), represent two pulleys or grooved
sheaves, suitably journalled upon short stub shafts n at the entrance of the free end
of the double track section, preferably so that their inner or adjacent sides are in line

page_text: with the inner faces of the rails of this section. E, is a cord loop extending around
the rear end of the carriage frame when in the position shown in figure 1, and leading
thence over the pulleys D, where the loop terminates in a single cord m provided with
pulling handle s. I do not desire to confine myself to this particular arrangement
of the cord, as many analogous devices or arrangements may be adapted to the
purpose.
e,
In practice, the carrier being at one of the stations as shown in figure 1, the over-
hanging ends of the axles on either side of the carriage, rest upon the short rails or
blocks, both sets of wheels being now out of contact with their respective tracks.
The operator now gives a quick, sharp pull upon the cord m grasping the handles for
that purpose. This starts the carriage forward, and off the blocks when the wheels h
run upon the rails of the double track, their motion owing to the difference in their
which are
respective sizes, gives a very rapid motion to the periphery of the wheels
not in contact and consequently without friction, until the carriage has travelled over
the double track supplemental line where the impetus given drives the carriage at a
rapid rate over the single track until it arrives near the opposite station, when the
smaller wheels run up onto the supplemental track at that end of the line, lifting
the carriage out of contact with the wire track. The carriage continues along this
supplemental track until the overhanging ends of the axles run upon the blocks k and
drop into the depressions in their upper surfaces and arrest the further progress of the
carriage. As the carriage starts, the cord loop follows it until arrested by the sheaves,
and in the return of the carriage its approaching end strikes the "bight of the cord
and carries it along until the progress of the carriage is arrested, when the cord is
ready to be again employed for starting the carriage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent I declare that what I claim is :—-
First. The combination of a single wire track connecting two stations, with a supple-
mental double track at each station, located above such single track, and a carriage
provided with wheels of two different sizes of tread substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
Second. The combination of a single wire track connecting two stations, and a
supplemental double track at each station located above such single track, with the
means as described for vertically adjusting the plane of such double track with
relation to the plane of the single track, and a carriage provided with wheels of two
different sizes of tread, substantially as described.
Third. A carriage consisting of a frame, axles upon which are secured wheels of
two different diameters the larger running within the frame and adapted to run upon
a single rail track and the smaller running on each side of the frame, and adapted to
run upon a double track rail substantially as and for the purposes described.
Fourth. The combination with the main track, of the double track, having outwardly
and downwardly inclined ends, and the carriage provided with wheels of two different
sizes of tread on the same axle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Fifth. An apparatus comprising the tracks B and B suitable supported, and a
carriage C, having axle d, wheels e and h, stop blocks k, and propelling cord, the parts
being constructed, combined and operating substantially as and for the purposes
specified.