Improvements in Scenic Pleasure Gravity and Cable Railways.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Scenic Pleasure Gravity and Cable Railways.
I, JAMES ALEXANDER GRIFFITHS, a citizen of the United States, residing at
Collegeville, in the County of Montgomery, and State of Pennsylvania, Con-
structing 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 invention has relation to scenic pleasure gravity and cable railways for
parks, seaside and other resorts, in which cars or coaches either singly or in pairs
connected with each other are propelled to highest portions of the courses by a
cable or other motive power and permitted then to pass over descending undulating
portions of the courses by gravity; and it relates more particularly, first, to
certain improvements in the form of the structure and arrangement of the courses
of the same; second, to the construction and arrangement of grip mechanism for
the cars or coaches adapted to engage and to be disengaged from a positively
driven cable; and third, to improvements in the construction and arrangement
of the parts constituting the brake mechanism, to permit of the motion of the
cars being checked and to control the speed or stopping of the same.
main"
The principal objects of my invention are first, to provide a scenic pleasure
gravity and cable railway for parks, seaside and other resorts, which shall have
a maximum length of course or roadway and occupy comparatively a minimum
extent of ground or space; second, to simplify the construction and improve the
operation of the grip mechanisms for the cars or coaches designated as
and "auxiliary" grips, and which main grip when the speed of the cable is equal
to that of the cars or coaches is brought into positive engagement with the cable
by the auxiliary grip to impel the cars or coaches, and with means also to open
the auxiliary grip in advance of the engagement of the cable therewith to ensure
the subsequent positive engagement of the cable with both grip mechanisms;
third, to provide simple, durable and effective brake mechanism adapted to be
operated by an attendant from the cars or coaches for checking the motion or
controlling the speed of the cars or coaches in passing over the courses of the
structure and stopping the same; fourth, to afford patrons of such a railway a
longer and more varied ride than hitherto; and fifth, to improve the form and
details of such a railway and the parts or adjuncts of the same, whereby such a
railway may be operated with greater safety and freedom from liability to
accident than hitherto was possible.
My invention stated in general terms, consists of a scenic pleasure gravity
and cable railway, when constructed and arranged in substantially the manner
hereinafter described and claimed; and
My invention further consists of cars or coaches for such a railway provided
with suitable grip and brake mechanism for ensuring the safe travel of the
cars or coaches over the courses and for checking the motion of the cars or coaches
in transit as well as their stopping, when required.
The nature, scope, as well as the characteristic features of my present invention

page_text: will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection
with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which
Figure 1, is a side elevational view of a structure embodying main features of
my invention.
Fig. 2, is a plan view of the same.
Fig. 3, is a cross sectional view on the line ar, of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4, is a transverse sectional view of the pavilion of the railway structure.
Figs. 5 and 6, are respectively views in front elevation and cross-section of
the tunnel of the structure.
Fig. 7, is a side elevation of two cars or coaches of a pleasure scenic gravity
and cable railway provided with an intermediate truck pivotally connecting
adjacent ends of two cars or coaches with each other and having grip and brake
mechanisms embodying features of my invention.
Fig. 8, is a side elevational view enlarged of the intermediate truck with its
grip and brake mechanisms.
Fig. 9, is a longitudinal central section of Fig. 8.
Fig. 10, is a cross sectional view of Fig. 8.
Fig. 11, is a plan view partly sectioned of the underside of the truck frame
and grip and brake mechanisms illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10; and
Fig. 12, is a detail view, illustrating means for operating the jaws of the main
grip mechanism.
Referring to the drawings a and a¹, represent two outgoing undulating and
plain surface courses located side by side or substantially so; and 6 and 6¹, two
incoming undulating and plain surface courses arranged side by side or substan-
tially so and one of the said incoming courses, for instance, b, crossing the other
incoming course, b¹, at, near or adjacent to a pavilion B, from which pavilion the
cars or coaches C, are taken for a ride by passengers by ascending a suitable stair-
case 3, through openings or turn-stiles 63. The pavilion B, may be elliptical
or other shape and the respective courses are preferably built or laid upon trestle-
work A, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive. D, is a housing for containing
a prime motor for impelling by suitable well known mechanisms: continuously
or otherwise a cable e, passing over pulleys e¹, as illustrated in Fig: 7, for draw-
ing the cars or coaches C, singly or in train over ascending planés or portions
of the continuous or connected courses of the superstructure A. E, is a tunnel
located opposite or substantially so to the starting pavilion B, of the road, and
which tunnel is intended to be adorned internally with scenery and electrically
or otherwise illuminated to present varying scenes or incidents of a historical or
other nature, and also with a partition e, for dividing the tunnel into different
compartments and es, and thereby to cut off portions of the tunnel for different
purposes. The flooring a², of the superstructure A, is provided with rails a³,
for the cars or coaches to travel over, and with guard rails at, adjacent to the
said tracks to prevent the cars or coaches C, in transit from derailment. At the
tunnel end of the structure the same may be in the form of an irregular loop or
other shape thereat, according to the uses intended within the tunnel for required
effects: a and a, are incline planes provided in different portions of the road-
way for purposes to be presently explained. The cars or coaches C, are connected
by means of king bolts or pins c, with an intermediate truck c, which consists
of a platform or floor ², secured to and supported upon an open substantially
square frame provided with boxes, in which the axles of the wheels c6,
revolve. The frame ³, carries angle irons ², from which the "main" grip
mechanism C, is suspended. To the angle irons, is secured a plate 8, provided
with openings, through which pass bolts c¹0, engaged by a shifting bar ell.
These bolts co, are secured to grip jaws 13, carried by brackets e, on the under-
side of the plate. The grip jaws c, sliding in the brackets c13, are substan-
tially wedge-shape and have concave faces c¹, with which the cable is adapted to
engage. The shifting bar c, is secured to the plate 8, by means of brackets: 15,
in such manner as to be afforded a range of longitudinal movement therein.

page_text: The front end of the shifting bar c", carries the auxiliary grip mechanism C³,
consisting of two angular jaws d and d¹, pivotally connected with said bar, to
which are secured brackets d², carrying grooved rollers d³, provided with ratchet
wheels d', and which extend slightly beyond the jaws d'and d. These ratchet
wheels ds, are engaged by spring controlled pawls or detents do and do, to prevent
a rotation of the grooved rollers d³ and d, in an opposite direction to that of the
cars or coaches C, in transit. The jaws d and , which extend beyond the
frame-work c³, of the truck c', as illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 11, are provided
at the front of each of them with bolts and d³, which are engaged by a coiled
spring do, adapted to normally press the jaws d and d', towards each other.
The arms do and du, formed integral with the jaws d and , are engaged by
rods f and f¹, extending longitudinally of and beyond the truck-frame c³, and
engage the arms f2 and f³, secured to a shaft ft. This shaft is carried by
brackets f, which extend from the framework 3, of the truck c', as illustrated
in Figs. 8, 9 and 11. One of the arms f³, is provided with an extension project-
ing to near the road-bed a², having a roll 7, adapted to be engaged by a pro-
jection or incline a³, as illustrated in Fig. 8. When the roll fo, strikes the pro-
jection a³, the arm f³, is shifted rearward, and this movement is transmitted
to the shaft f, operating the arm f. This rearward motion by the rods f and f¹,
is transmitted to the arms do and ", of the jaws d and d¹, which will thereby
be opened against the tension of the spring do. When the jaws d and d¹, are in
an open or spread out condition under the expansion of the spring do, as above
explained, these jaws can be readily caused to clear the pulleys e, and cable e;
at the foot of an ascending plane of the road-bed a², and to grip thereafter the
positively driven cable e. As soon as the roll f6, of the arm 3, has passed the
projection or incline a³, of the road-bed a², by which time the auxiliary grip C³, has
cleared the pulley e¹, the spring, will close the jaws d and d', and cause the
grooved rollers and d to firmly engage the traveling cable e. When the speed of the
pivotally connected cars or coaches C, through the intermediate truck c¹, is greater
than the speed of the cable o, the rolls and, will freely rotate in the
brackets 2 of the jaws d and d¹. As soon as the speed of the cars or coaches 0,
becomes a trifle less than the speed of the cable e, the latter will have a tendency
to rotate the rolls and , m an opposite direction, which, however, is pre-
vented by the spring controlled pawls or detents do and do, engaging the ratchet
wheels d. In this instance the cable e, will take the grip-jaws d and d', along
with it and thereby the shifting bar c", which by means of the bolts clo, operate
the wedge-shape grip jaws c¹, of the main grip C¹, and thus bring the same into
firm engagement with the cable e, whereby over the ascending plane or planes
of the course will the pivotally connected cars or coaches be impelled by the said
cable e.
At or near the summit of the ascending plane or planes is provided a
projection or incline a6. To the frame of the truck c¹, is pivotally attached an
arm g, which is in pivotal connection at g', with the shifting bar c, of the main
grip mechanism C, and provided at its lower free extremity with a roll g³, adapted
to engage the projection or incline a. To the arm g, is álso secured
one end of a spring, the other end of which engages the bolt g,
in
the shifting bar c, and thereby is indirect connection with
When the roll 2, of the
the grip jaws c12, of the main grip C¹.
arm g, strikes against the projection or incline 6, this arm will be moved rear-
wards to cause by means of the springs g, a backward movement of the jaws c12,
to release the jaws from the cable e. The cars or coaches released from the cable e,
can now descend along the descending planes of the courses by gravity. The
main grip C, may be operated manually by means of a foot-lever h, pivoted at h¹,
to the truck c', and engaging the shifting bar cl, at h², as illustrated in Fig. 9,
of the drawings. It will be understood from Figs. 8 and 9, of the drawings, that
by depressing the foot lever h, the shifting bar c¹¹, and the wedge-shape grip
h, is a seat for
jaws c of the main grip C, will be released from the cable a
an attendant connected with the truck c¹, located between adjacent ends of the
or

page_text: pivotally connected cars or coaches C. In suitable brackets j, of the truck c¹, is
located a shaft, carrying at each end arms or links 2, which are pivotally con-
nected with bolts, and which arms or links carry brake-shoes j, located above
the rails a³, of the road-bed. To the shaft j¹, is also secured a hand-lever j³,
extending through the floor of the truck c¹. By operating the hand lever j³,
the shaft j, is revolved to actuate the brake shoes j, by means of the links 12,
and bolts 3, causing the brake shoes thereby to engage the rails a³, so as to retard
the motion or to stop the cars or coaches as required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and objects of
my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :-
1. A scenic pleasure gravity and cable railway, as herein described and as
illustrated.
2. In a scenic pleasure gravity and cable railway, two cars or coaches connected
by an intermediate truck having main and auxiliary grip mechanisms, substan-
tially as herein described and as illustrated.
3. In a scenic pleasure gravity and cable railway, cars or coaches at one end of
each pivoted to an intermediate truck provided with grip and brake mechanisms,
substantially as illustrated and as herein described.
4. In a scenic pleasure gravity and cable railway, a cable, motive power for
actuating the same, cars or coaches at one end of each connected with a truck
having main and auxiliary grip mechanisms, and means carried by said truck
and actuated by a projection or incline of the road-bed to release the cable from
said grip mechanisms, substantially as and for the purposes described.
5. In a scenic pleasure gravity and cable railway, cars or coaches connected by
an intermediate truck having main and auxiliary grip mechanisms and means
carried by said truck for opening the auxiliary grip jaws previous to the engage-
ment of the cable with the main grip, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
6. In a scenic pleasure gravity and cable railway, cars or coaches provided with
an intermediate truck having main and auxiliary grips as illustrated and described,
and means, as described, connected with said truck and adapted to be brought
into engagement with a projection or incline of the road-bed to spread apart the
auxiliary grip-jaws, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Dated at Philadelphia Pa this 20th day of June A D 1898
JAMES ALEXANDER GRIFFITHS
Per J. G. Lorrain, M.I.E.E., M.I.Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent.