Improvements in Means for Transporting Loads from One Place to Another, for Instance, Across a River.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in Means for Transporting Loads from One Place to
Another, for Instance, Across a River.
We, FERDINAND JOSEPH ARNODIN Mechanical Engineer of Chateauneuf-sur-Loire,
in the Republic of France and MARTIN ALBERTO DE PALACIO Architect of 18 Gran
Via Street Bilbao Spain 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 :-
Our invention refers to improvements in the means employed for the transport of a
load from one point to another whilst leaving a valley watercourse river or arm of the
sca free or where the conditions are not favorable for making a road or on the other
hand it is impossible or difficult to build a bridge of the ordinary construction.
This invention as applied say to transport across a river consists in the combination
of a bridge-like structure or girder or gantry (which may be of a suspension or any
other suitable form) built higher than the highest masts of large ships (or at any
other suitable height to suit the circumstances) and provided with rails on which runs
a framework mounted on rollers to which are attached metal rods or cables for carrying
a platform or basket above the water for instance at the height of the banks or quays.
The said platform is for the purpose of carrying passengers road or railway carriages
animals or merchandise which it is desired to transport from one bank to the other.
The platform or basket is put in motion by any suitable means, as hereinafter
explained in such manner that the travel may be effected in both directions.
The application of our system is especially useful for crossing rivers or waterways
where it is necessary to leave openings of the height of ships masts for the passage
of ships.
The transporting basket serves at once for a ferry boat which acts in the air and has
not to contend with the inconveniences from the influence of currents, tides fogs or
waves and other obstacles. Being always at the same height and following a regular
line in its progress it does not present the difficulties of embarkation and the drawbacks
that arise from the variations in the elevation of the ferry boats caused by the ebb
and flow of the tides; and it will work at night time with the same facility as it will
at day time.

page_text: The rods which carry the basket are attached triangularly and hereby withstand
the troublesome swinging produced by the wind in the passage.
This system is much more economical than ordinary bridges at a great elevation
which necessitate the erection of costly flights of stairs which are long and wearisome
to mount and to descend for those who wish to cross the bridge. The time occupied
in passing over is much less and the distance traversed is the shortest possible.
Revolving bridges drawbridges and rolling bridges do not offer the same advantages
for large river mouths or the like. Their construction is in this case very onerous
and they are only convenient for narrow openings; where they inconvenience the
shipping and compel the contraction and encumbrance of the navigable waterway,
upon which they have to be erected and necessitate the use of powerful machines for
working them, while our means for transport.allows free waterway in the whole
breadth and the only thing to be moved is a light carriage. In short this basket or
platform only traverses between the ships like a foot passenger between carriages and
as the movement can be effected in both directions it has the facility in its course of
being able to stop or to proceed as required if an obstacle should render this
necessary.
The system may be applied to light bridges of any type but which while light
should also be the most economical and most suitable for the long ranges at which the
bridge is suspended. It should be the lightest possible in itself and that which offers
least resistance to the wind.
From what has been said it will be very easy to readily understand the function of
the system by reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 Sheet 1 represents in elevation the whole of a suspension bridge carrying
a transporting basket.
Figure 2 Sheet 2 shews in elevation to a larger scale a set of rollers or flanged
wheels in detail.
Figure 3 Sheet 3 is a transverse section of part of a bridge shewing the mechanism
for actuating the rolling framework. The Figure 4 is a section of this mechanism on
line XX Figure 3.
Figure Sheet 4 shews in elevation a portion of the framing of the bridge with
two adjacent set of flanged wheels or rollers and Figure 6 is a plan of the same.
a
Referring to Figure 1 the bridge is a suspension bridge of the ordinary kind, but
so constructed that it only consists of the parts necessary for the passage or rolling
thereon of the flanged wheels and the moving of the travelling carrying frame sup-
ported thereby the chief parts of the structure are thus only necessary and there is.
no flooring, there is merely a narrow gangway z Figure 5 for the man who has to
grease and keep the rolling part of the apparatus in repair and in order. The rails d
which serve for the flange rollers e to run upon are supported by angle irons in the
lower parts of the plates Figure 3, on each side which are united by the cross'
girders. The flange rollers e are united two and two on the spindles and two pairs
of these rollers form a carriage as shown in plan Figure 6. Each spindle carries a
strap g Figures 2 and 3 and these two straps carry pins h from which again are
suspended straps the legs of which are bolted to the girder from which the travelling
transport frame is suspended. This frame is thus suspended from several carriages
by a system of straps. The number of carriages necessary for supporting depends
upon the size and weight to be supported. In Figure 1 we have supposed seven
carriages on each side or fourteen in all. The girders are united by trellis girders k;
Figure 6 are diagonal bars. From this rolling frame is suspended the basket m
Figure 1 by means of metallic rods or chains n attached triangularly; these chains
are attached to straps o on the girders of the rolling frame the straps resting in
bearings as shown in Figure 2.
We shall now describe the mode in which the rolling frame is moved and thereby
also the basket. The movement may be effected by a rope actuated by a motor placed
on the bank and of a construction suited for the circumstances such as a steam engine
a compressed air engine, or a hydraulic or electric motor.
In case of using an electric or compressed air motor the wind may advantageously.

page_text: be utilized as motive power by means of a windmill or other air motor placed for
instance on the top of the pillars of the bridge and accumulating the power in one or
more accumulators sufficient for the intermittent working or passage of the basket
and also for lighting by night by electricity if required. In case of a calm or
insufficient wind an auxiliary motor may be applied.
In case of using electricity the moving cord may be omitted and the motor made
to form part of the rolling frame and the electricity may be conveyed thereto from
the bank by suitable conductors; this motor would then set in motion a tooth wheel
on the rolling frame in gear with a rack fixed on the bridge. This arrangement.
admits of passing the conducting wires by way of the basket by means of guide
pulleys suitably arranged and the attendant in charge can thus freely manage the
conductors for working the motor and the rolling frame in one direction or the other
or stopping it.
Or as we prefer it and as assumed in the drawings the motor may be placed in the
basket itself where it is most easy to look after it and control its working; if it is an
electrical machine it is easy to convey electricity thereto by means of wires passing
down from the bridge to the basket and ascending around pulleys or accumulators
may be arranged in the basket. But whatever kind of machine be employed its driving
pulley will by means of a rope y turn the wheel Figures 3, 4 and 6 on a spindle s
which works in bearings on the trellis work k of the rolling frame. The spindle s by
means of tooth wheels t and u transmit the motion to a spindle which carries a tooth
wheel z engaging with a rack y formed of two U-shaped girders united by crosspins
and carried by the girders on the bridge.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is,
:
First The combination of a platform or basket for transport which is suspended
by a rolling frame; a rolling frame for carrying said platform and suspended by
wheels rolling on rails; a bridge or gantry carrying the said rails and which crosses
the opening to be traversed; and suitable means for moving backwards or forwards
and for stopping the rolling frame all substantially as herein before described.
Second The hereinbefore described modes of suspension of the rolling frame by
its rollers or wheels distinguished by the employment of two sets of straps g and i
which form double joints as described.
Third-The moving of the rolling frame by means of a tooth wheel thereon gearing
with a fixed rack on the bridge the rotation of the tooth wheel being produced by a
motor placed on the rolling frame or in the basket, the said motor if electrical being
connected to a source of electricity arranged on the bank or on the rolling frame or in
the basket.
Fourth The combination of a rolling frame with a motor placed on the bank
and working a cable connected to the basket substantially as described.
Fifth The arrangement, construction and combination of parts forming together
a system of bridge or gantry with transporting or crossing platform or basket
substantially as described and shown.
Data: 014
n
100:
FERDINAND JOSEPH ARNODIN.
MARTIN ALBERTO DE PALACIO.
By Jensen & Son,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents.