Improvements in Apparatus for the Automatic Delivery or Passing of Trucks or Wagons on Inclined Railways and Tramways in Mines and Collieries,
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1690-Accepted, 24th Jan., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Automatic Delivery or Passing
of Trucks or Wagons on Inclined Railways and Tramways in
Mines and Collieries, which said Apparatus is also applicable
for Controlling the Delivery or Passing of Wagons or Trucks
out from the Cages used in Raising the Various Materials from
Mines, Collieries, and the like Places.
BENJAMIN WOODWORTH, 34 Grove Road, Fenton, Staffordshire, Mechanical
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:-
This my invention relates to a new or improved apparatus for use in automatically
controlling the delivery or passing of loaded or empty wagons or trucks on inclined
tramways or railways in mines and collieries, by placing one of the said apparatus
against the inside face of each of the rails exactly opposite each other, and operating
the same by means of a lever or series of levers placed adjacent to the outside of the
rails, or at some distance therefrom.
In carrying my invention into practice I construct a framing of metal of any
suitable size and configuration, within the said framing I fix or fit a bolt or shaft on
which a metal stop lever of any suitable shape and size is fitted or fixed and capable
of being oscillated. At a convenient distance from the said stop lever shaft, and
within the framing 1 fit another shaft on which a star or fingered wheel, a cam,
and a brake block are fitted, fixed or cast, and rotate with the said shaft. On the
inside bottom face of the framing, I place a metal bolt of any suitable shape and
size, which by means of a lever or a series of levers can be slid backwards and
forwards, for the purpose of throwing the said stop lever into, or out of a locking
position when required. When in its normal position the stop lever is always in a
locked position by reason of the lower end of such lever being heavier than its upper
part, so that any trucks or wagons placed behind same on an incline will be retained
on such incline, until the said stop lever is thrown from its normal position into its
passing or unlocked position by nieans of a lever or levers.
By means of the said lever or levers which move the sliding bolt, the wedge shaped
or fore end of the sliding bolt is caused to travel forward and lift the lower end of
the stop lover, which action causes the said stop lever to oscillate on its axle or
shaft, and lower the upper end of the said stop lever from its normal or locking
position so that the axles of the trucks or wagons can pass over the upper end of the
said stop lever.
When working heavy loads, the sliding bolt has a tendency to "kick" at its rear
end, to obviate which I place a friction roller of metal or other suitable material on
a metal shaft above the said sliding bolt; but not quite touching the said bolt, and
to prevent the star-wheel, cam, and brake block revolving too freely, I attach to one
of the inside faces of the framing in a suitable position by means of screws, rivets or
other convenient means, a metal spring of suitable shape and size, the free end of
which spring bears against the said brake block.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood and explained in detail,
I have hereunto annexed two sheets of drawings, on which letters of reference are
marked on corresponding parts on all the figs. alike.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
On Sheet 1. Fig. 1. is a sectional elevation through the framing enclosing the
entra chasing the said anuaratus in its normal or locking

page_text: Fig. 2 is a complete plan view of Fig. 1.
The above views Figs. 1 and 2 being drawn about one-half of the full size.
On Sheet 2. Fig. 3 is an elevation of a tilting double deck cage such as is used in
mines and collieries, shewing my improved apparatus adapted thereto, and Fig. 4 is a
plan view of the lower deck in Fig. 3. The said views Figs. 3 and 4 being drawn
about one-sixteenth of the full size.
In these figs. a is the metal framing of my improved apparatus, within which a
bolt or shaft 6 is fitted or fixed, and on which shaft bis fixed or cast a metal stop
lever c.
At a suitable distance from the stop lever shaft b, and within the metal
framing a I fix another shaft or axle d' on which a star wheel having four
fingers e, e, e, e; a cam f with one tooth f2 and a brake block g are fitted or fixed.
On the bottom of the framing I place a suitably shaped bolt h, having a slot or
aperture formed in and through same, in which slot i the free end j³ of a lever jon
a shaft or axle works.
And to
To prevent the rear end of the lever "kicking" when working heavy loads, 1
place a metal friction roller k fitted on an axle cr shaft within the framing a and
just above the said sliding bolt h so that it does not quite touch the said bolt.
prevent the shaft d on which the star wheel, cam f, and brake block g are fixed or cast
revolving too freely when caused to rotate by the axles of the trucks knocking against
the fingers of the star wheel, after the lever j is moved by the lever or levers to the
position shewn by dotted lines, I attach by screws, rivets or other suitable means, it
metal spring to the inside of the framing a, the free end 12 of the said spring /
pressing against the under side of the brake block y, so that the said shaft d will only
rotate one-fourth of a revolution each time an axle strikes against one of the fingers
of the star wheel.
On reference to Sheet 2, Fig. 3 is an elevation of a tilting double deck cage, on the
upper deck of which the rails m are shewn inclined, and between which rails (see
plan of lower deck Fig. 4.) my improved apparatus is shewn in position for working,
the upper end of the lever c, is by means of a lever or levers attached to the shaft
tilted downwards, so that the axles of the wagons or trucks can travel forward, the
second or hind axle 5 of the fore truck as it moves forward knocks against the
finger e of the star-wheel, causing the shaft d to rotate one-fourth of a revolution, and
leave the fingere in the position previously occupied by the finger e, the fore axle 6
of the second truck in travelling forward then knocks against the finger e causing the
said star-wheel and shaft d to rotate, and leave the finger e³ in the position just vacated
by the finger e, the hind axle 7 of the second wagon then knocks against the finger e
of the star wheel, causing it and the shaft d to rotate, and cause the finger e of the
star-wheel to take the position vacated by the finger e³, at the same time the
tooth on the cam knocks against and pushos the rear ond h² (shown in dotteri
lines at Fig. 1.) of the sliding bolt h to the end of its backward travel, or normal
position, as shewn by the full lines, this action withdraws the fore end h³ of the sliding
bolt from beneath the lower end c of the metal stop lever, and allows the said end c
of the stop lever to fall by its own weight, and the upper end of the said stop
lever to rise to its normal or locking position, as shown by the full lines at Fig. 1. and
on the lower deck of the cage at Fig. 3 on Sheet 2. It will be understood that the
upper ends c² of the stop levers, when the said apparatus is placed between the rails on
a railway or tramway incline in a similar position to that shewn at Fig. 4. of the
drawings hereunto annexed, will not permit more than two wagons or trucks to pass
over the said stop levers c³, until the fore ends of the sliding bolts h, tilt the ends c
of the said stop levers below the axles of the trucks or wagons, as shewn in dotted lines
at Fig. 1, and in full lines on the upper deck of the cage at Fig. 3; which positions
are attained by means of a lever or levers p, p³ attached or connected to the shaft on
which the levers ; are fixed. The said apparatus can by means of a lever, rods, piping
or a series of levers connected to the shaft 3 of the apparatus be worked from a box
or shed situate at any suitable distance from the apparatus, similar to the working of
railway signals, or the lever or levers may be adjacent to the line of rails. The stop

page_text: blocks n shewn at Figs. 3 and 4 behind the axle 7 of the second truck, prevent the
said trucks running backwards off the cage deck.
On the drawings hereunto annexed the Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 of my improved apparatus,
and the foregoing description refer to one form of the said apparatus for delivering
or passing two wagons or trucks each time the lever j, and stop lever are moved
from the position shewn in full lines, to the position shewn in dotted lines.
Should it be desirable to pass or deliver only one wagon at a time, or each time
the lever j, sliding bolt h and stop lever c are moved from their normal positions
shewn in full lines to the passing or unlocked positions, shewn by dotted lines at
Fig. 1 on Sheet 1 of the drawings, I use a cam with two teeth, on the shaft d instead
of a cam having but one tooth.
To pass or deliver three wagons at each operation of the lever j, I use a star
wheel with six fingers, and a cam with one tooth, on the shaft or axle d. To pass
or deliver more than three wagons at each operation of the lever j, I fit or fix the
cam on a separate axle or shaft, and connect the said separate shaft by gearing or
toothed wheels, proportioned to the number of wagons to be passed or delivered from
the incline, each time the lever j, sliding bolt h and stop lever c are moved from
their normal positions, to the positions shewn by dotted lines at Fig. 1 on Sheet 1 of
the drawings hereunto annexed.
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
claim is: :-
1st. In apparatus such as described, the combination of the pivotted, and curved
or cranked stop-lever having its lower end c heavier than its upper end o³, the sliding
bolt h, having its fore-end 3 wedge-shaped or rounded, and its rear end 2 bent, or
cast upwards as shewn, the friction roller k, the star-wheel with four fingers e, e²,
, and e, the brake block g, spring 1, cam with two teeth, and push lever j mounted
on a shaft arranged within a framing or casing of any suitable material, to be
used for the purpose of delivering or passing of one truck or wagon from the
inclined railways or tramways, or from the decks of cages as used in, or at mines
and collieries, each time the said stop lever, sliding bolt h, and push lever or
levers are moved or operated by a lever or levers attached to a shaft j³, from their
normal positions, to their passing or unlocked positions, as herein substantially
described and set forth.
с
2ndly. In apparatus such as described, the combination of the pivotted, and curved
or cranked stop-lever having its lower end c heavier than its upper end, the sliding
bolt h, having its fore-end wedge shaped or rounded, and its rear end h² bent, or
cast upwards as shewn, the friction roller k, the star wheel with four fingers e, e², e³,
and the brake block g, spring 1, cam f with one tooth f, and push lever i,
mounted on a shaft arranged within a framing or casing of any suitable material,
to be used for the purpose of delivery or passing of two trucks or wagons from the
inclined railways or tramways, or from the decks of cages as used in or at mines and
collieries, each time the said stop levers, sliding bolts h and push levers ; are moved
or operated by means of a lever or levers attached to shaft *, from their normal
positions indicated by full lines, to their passing or unlocked positions as shewn by
the dotted lines, ac Fig. 1 of the drawings hereunto annexed, and herein substantially
described, and set forth.
3rdly. In apparatus such as described, the combination of the pivotted, and curved
or cranked stop-lever having its lower end c heavier than its upper end c³, the
sliding bolt h, having its fore end wedge shaped or rounded, and its rear end h³
bent, or cast upwards as shewn, the friction roller k, a star wheel with six fingers,
brake block 9, spring 1, cam f with one tooth f³, and push lever j, mounted on a
shaft arranged within a framing or casing of any suitable material, to be used for
the purpose of delivering or passing three trucks or wagons from the inclined railways
or tramways, or from the decks of cages, as used in or at mines and collieries, each
time the said stop-levers, sliding bolts and push levers are moved or operated by

page_text: means of a lever or lovers attached to shaft from their normal positions, to their
passing or unlocked positions, as horein substantially described and set forth.
4thly. In apparatus such as described, the combination of the pivotted, and curved
or cranked stop-lever having its lower end c heavier than its upper end c, the sliding
bolt h, having its fore end ³ wedge shaped or rounded, and its rear end bent, or
cast upwards as shewn, the friction roller k, brake block g, spring 1, with a star
wheel geared to a separate shaft on or to which a cam is fitted or fixed, the gearing
being proportioned to suit the number of trucks or wagons above three, to be
delivered or passed each time the said stop-levers, sliding bolts h and push levers j
are moved or operated by means of a lever or levers attached to a shaft j³ from
their normal positions to their passing or unlocked positions, as herein substantially
described and set forth.
Dated this 15th dove of Documber 1800
JOHN NEWTON,
Agent for Applicant.