NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR WORKING TRAFFIC OVER INCLINED PLANES AND PROAL
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sylvester Hughes, of Portmadoc, in the County
of Carnarvon, Civil Engineer, for an Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED
MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR WORKING TRAFFIC OVER INCLINED PLANES AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sylvester Hughes at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th December 1880.
JOHN SYLVESTER HUGHES, of Portmadoc, in the County of Carnarvon, Civil
Engineer. "NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR WORKING TRAFFIC
OVER INCLINED PLANES AND STEEP GRADIENTS ON RAILWAYS OR TRAMWAYS."
This Invention has for its object new or improved means or apparatus for
working traffic over inclined planes and steep gradients on railways or tramways.
For this purpose I adopt mainly the following arrangements :-
-
I lay one or more ropes of steel or other suitable material along the line, and fix
the end or ends at or near the top and bottom of the incline or steep gradient to a
screw anchor, coupling drum, or other suitable fastening. Holders to be fixed on
line for carrying and guiding the rope or ropes where necessary.
On the locomotive engine I fix a pulley or pulleys on one or more of the axles,
or on an axle or axles fixed at the leading and trailing end of locomotive, and
connected with the driving wheel by cranks or gearing. When an engine and
train arrives at the foot of the incline plane or steep gradient, the rope or ropes are
uncoupled from the fastenings and passed round the pulley or pulleys on the loco-
motive engine, and the ends of the rope or ropes are then made fast to the screw
anchor, coupling, or drum, and tightened up, the other end of the rope or ropes
being fast at the top of incline or steep gradient.
The locomotive with train then proceeds up the gradient, and is able to apply
its full tractive power through the adhesion of rope or ropes on pulley or pullies.
When the train reaches the top of incline or steep gradient the rope or ropes will
be uncoupled from anchor or other fastening and taken off the pulley or pullies
on locomotive and recoupled to anchor fastening. When a train is descending
a steep gradient the rope or ropes can be used as a brake power with locomotive
engine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Sylvester Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th June 1881.
JOHN SYLVESTER HUGHES, of Portmadoc, in the County of Carnarvon, Civil
Engineer. "NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR WORKING TRAFFIC
OVER INCLINED PLANES AND STEEP GRADIENTS ON RAILWAYS OR TRAMWAYS."
This Invention has for its object new or improved means or apparatus for
working traffic over inclined planes and steep gradients on railways or tramways.
For this purpose I adopt substantially the following arrangements :-
-
I lay one or more ropes or chains of steel or other suitable material along the
line, aud fix the ends near the top and bottom of the incline or steep gradient to
a screw anchor, coupling, drum, or other suitable fastening. Holders to be fixed
on line for carrying and guiding the rope or ropes where necessary. On the
locomotive engine I fix a pulley or pulleys on one or more of the driving axles, or
on an axle or axles fixed at the leading or trailing end of locomotive, and con-
nected with a driving wheel or axle by cranks or gearing. When an engine and
train arrives at the foot of the incline plane or steep gradient, the rope or ropes
or chains are uncoupled from the fastenings and passed round the pulley or pulleys
on the locomotive engine, or the rope, ropes, or chains passed under one pulley,
over a second, and under a third pulley, and the ends of the rope or ropes or chains
are then made fast to the screw anchor, coupling, or drum, and tightened up. The
other end of the rope or ropes or chains being fast at the top of incline or steep
gradient. The locomotive with train then proceeds up the gradient, and is able to
apply its full tractive power through the adhesion of rope or ropes or chain or
chains on pulley or pulleys. When the train reaches the top of incline or steep
gradient the rope or ropes or chains will be uncoupled from anchor or other
fastening, and taken off the pulley or pulleys on locomotive and recoupled to
anchor fastening. When a train is descending a steep gradient the rope or ropes
or chains can be used as a brake power with locomotive engine.
Having thus far described the nature of the said Invention, and incidentally
intimated in what manner the same is to be performed, I will now proceed, aided
by the accompanying Drawings, to further and particularly describe and ascertain
in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in practice, that is to
6012
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a locomotive on a steep gradient with pulleys,
ropes, and coupling and tightening gear.
Fig. 2 is a detailed plan of portion of locomotive with pulleys and ropes.
Fig. 3 is a cross section of locomotive and line showing pulleys, ropes, and
guides.
Figs. 4 and 5 show a side elevation and plan of locomotive with rope, ropes, or
chains passing under and over pulleys.
The same letters indicate corresponding parts throughout these Figures.
A, A¹, represent the ropes or chains; B, B₁, the pulleys round which the ropes
are passed; C, the locomotive with pulleys attached; D, D', coupling and tightening
gear; E, holder or guide; F, F1, F2, F3, F4, F³, pulleys over and under which the
ropes or chains are passed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in

page_text: practice, I hereby declare that I claim, the Invention of "New or Improved Means
or Apparatus for Working Traffic over Inclined Planes and Steep Gradients on
Railways or Tramways," wherein the important point or feature is the use of ropes
or chains acting on pulleys on locomotive or equivalent, which pulleys are driven
by locomotive or equivalent so as to gain adhesion, it being understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise description of gearing hereinbefore described, as
I claim any arrangement of gearing for carrying my Invention into effect, sub-
stantially as herein before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sylvester Hughes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.
JOHN SYLVESTER HUGHES. (L.S.)