IMPROVEMENTS IN ROPE TRACTION TRAMWAYS OR RAILWAYS AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George James Chapman of Enfield in the County of
Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROPE TRACTION TRAMWAYS
OR RAILWAYS AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
"2
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George James Chapman at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th January 1883.
GEORGE JAMES CHAPMAN of Enfield in the County of Middlesex IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ROPE TRACTION TRAMWAYS OR RAILWAYS AND APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH
"
My invention relates to rope traction tramways or railways and apparatus, that
is to say, tramways or railways made with an underground tube or channel in
which travels a rope that is connected by a gripping apparatus passing through a
continuous slit of the tube to the vehicle above. In constructing the tube or
channel and its slit I employ two side plates rolled to approximately semielliptical
form joined together at their lower lips so as to form the bottom of the tube,
but fixed with their upper lips sufficiently far apart to form the continuous slit,
the sides being maintained in their form and position by angle iron framings
secured to them at intervals. Usually the channel is formed at some depth under
the level of the roadway so as to admit paving above it, but I prefer to carry
it up nearly to the road level covering it with roughened chill castings, thus
avoiding unnecessary depth of excavation and shortening the connection to the
vehicle above; also form the sides with projecting external flanges to support
the paving. In some cases, instead of making the channel with a slit always
open, I make it with a number of hinged or sliding covers, which are moved aside
successively by a plough guide in front of the gripper connection and are moved
back again behind it. Guide pullies are mounted in the usual way to carry and
guide the rope, and in some cases where there is a single line of tramway, the
channel is made of increased width with two sets of guide pullies carrying two
ropes running in opposite directions. I construct the apparatus for gripping the
rope and connect it to the vehicle in the following manner. On a bar having
eyes or bearings at its ends fitting two axles of the vehicle, about midway between
Price 6'1

page_text: those axles, I fix the gripper frame, which being thus held independently of the
springs of the vehicle, is kept at a constant height relatively to the road and
the channel. In this frame which is of considerable width longitudinally but
sufficiently thin to pass freely along the slit, is fitted a central vertical slide which
can be raised or lowered by rods extending from levers or handles at either end of
the vehicle. At the lower part of the frame are mounted grooved pullies or rollers
projecting laterally from the frame above the travelling rope. The middle slide
carries a grooved pulley or roller which projects laterally under the travelling rope.
By raising the middle slide this roller bends the rope between the other two rollers
thus effecting the gripping of the rope with more or less firmness. according as the
rope is thus bent more or less upwards. For the purpose of taking hold of the rope
the axis of the projecting central roller is hinge-jointed to a vertical secondary slide
fitted in the middle of the central slide in such a manner that by raising this
secondary slide the roller can be turned on the hinge joint so as to hang with its
axis in a vertical attitude clear of the rope at the side thereof, then upon lowering
the secondary slide the roller is caused to sweep round laterally and vertically so
as to come under the rope and engage it in its groove. In cases where there are
two ropes in the channel travelling in opposite directions, the hinge jointing of the
axis of the middle roller is modified so that by the movement of the secondary
middle slide the roller can be made to sweep round in a semicircular path to engage
either rope, that is to say either the rope on the one side or that on the other sido
of the gripper frame. In this case also the two other rollers have their axes hinge-
jointed to slides of a similar kind so that they can be made to sweep round and
project above the rope on either side of the gripper frame. Thus, when the vehicle
is travelling in the one direction with the one rope engaged between the rollers on
the one side of the gripper frame, it can be stopped and have its direction reversed
by lowering the central slide so as to disengage the one rope, then moving the three
secondary slides so as to cause the three rollers to sweep round to the other side of
the gripper frame, the middle roller passing under and raising the reverse rope
which can then be gripped by raising the central slide.
fit
In some cases it is of advantage to make the vehicle capable of travelling along
an ordinary tramway, the rope traction being employed only on parts of the line
where there are difficult gradients. For this purpose, instead of fixing the gripper
frame to the longitudinal bar extending between the axles, as above described,
the frame on the bar so that it can be slid vertically upwards to a sufficient height
to clear its lower edge from the ground. Thus the vehicle can run along an
ordinary tramway until it comes to the place where the action of the rope is
required; the gripping frame can then be lowered into the tube so as to grip the
rope, and at the termination of the tube, when the rope is let go, it can again
be raised clear of the ground and the vehicle can proceed along the ordinary
tramway.

page_text: In pursuance or the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George James Chapman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th July 1883.
GEORGE JAMES CHAPMAN of Enfield in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ROPE TRACTION TRAMWAYS OR RAILWAYS AND APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH
"
My invention relates to rope traction tramways or railways and apparatus, that
is to say, tramways or railways made with an underground tube or channel in
which travels a rope that is connected by a gripping apparatus passing through a
continuous slit of the tube to the vehicle above. I construct the tube or channel
and its slit as shewn in fig. 1 which is the section of a tube for a single rope and
fig. 2 which is the section of a tube for the double rope or a wide gripper. It
consists of two side plates A and B rolled to the curved form shewn and having
their lower lips joined together at C to form the bottoin of the tube. and their
upper lips sufficiently far apart to form the continuous slit D. The plates A B are
maintained in their form and position by angle iron framings E secured to them at
intervals and their upper flanges are steadied by brackets F. The brackets and
framings are made at joints of the side plates sufficiently wide to fish them, and
some of the framings may be extended each way and attached to the rails to serve
as ties. Usually the channel is formed at sufficient depth to admit of paving G
above its haunches. I prefer, however, to carry it up nearly to the road level, as
shewn in figs. 3 and 4, covering its haunch or haunches with roughened chill
castings H, as shewn in the plan fig. 4a., thus avoiding unnecessary depth of
excavation and shortening the connection to the vehicle above. I also form the
sides with projecting external flanges K to support the paving. Guide pullies are
mounted within the tube or channel in the usual way to carry and guide the rope,
and in some cases, the channel is made of increased width, as shewn in figs 2 and 4,
to accommodate a wide gripper or two sets of guide pullies, carrying two ropes
running in opposite directions.
I construct the apparatus for gripping the rope and connect it to the vehicle as
shewn in the general side view, partly in section, fig. 5, and by figs. 6 to 16
inclusive, which shew details to an enlarged scale, that is to say, fig. 6 is a front
view, Fig. 9 is an end view and fig. 10 is a plan on E F of the gripper frame,
Fig. 7 and 8 are sectional plans on CD and A B respectively, Fig. 11 is a part
elevation of the middle slide, and figs. 12 and 13, sectional plans of it on G. H and
I J respectively and figs 14, 15 and 16 are sections of the lower part of the gripper
frame showing the gripping pullies in three different attitudes. On a bar a having
at its ends eyes or bearings fitting two axles bb of the vehicle, between those
axles, I mount the gripper frame, which, being thus held independently of the
springs of the vehicle, is kept at a constant height relatively to the road and the
channel. The frame may be fixed to the bar a, but in cases where it is desirable
to have the gripper frame out of the way, so that the vehicle may run over parts
of the road where there is no rope tube, I mount the gripper frame on the bar by
a pivot c, and provide on it a toothed segment d gearing with a pinion e on a shaft
extending across the vehicle, so that by turning the shaft and its pinion, the gripper
frame can be turned upon its pivot to such an attitude that its lower end shall be
clear of the ground. The gripper frame has two side limbs f. g tied together by
cross straps and having mounted at their lower ends grooved pullies fg in front,
and, in cases where the gripper is intended to take hold of a rope on either side,
there are similar pullies f₁ g³ mounted on the hinder sides of the limbs I,
Between the two limbs ƒ and g is fitted a vertical slide h, which is connected by a
link to a crank on the axis of a disc h³, which has on it two crank pins, from

page_text: When
which rods i extend respectively to hand levers jj mounted at the ends of the
vehicle. These levers are provided in the usual way with spring catches engaging
in racks k k¹. When the one lever j¹ is in use, connected to the rod i¹, so that the
driver standing by j¹ can seize or let go the rope, the other lever j is for the time
disconnected from its rod i, and in order that the rack k may not stand in the way
of passengers, I mount it on a trunnion so that it can be turned aside, as indicated
in the part end view Fig. 5a. On the lower end of the slide h, is mounted a grooved
pulleys, which, by means that I will presently explain, can be made to take any
one of the three attitudes shewn in figs, 14, 15 and 16. When it is held in the
attitude fig. 14, projecting on the front side of the gripper frame under the rope r,
then, on pulling in either of the levers ; or j', and thereby drawing either of the
rods, the slide h is raised and the pulley h³ is made to bend the rope between
the pullies f¹ and g¹, giving sufficient frictional hold to draw the vehicle.
the pulley is hanging in the attitude shewn in fig. 15, it is clear from ropes on
both sides of the gripper frame, and could be raised without engaging these, but if
it be turned to the attitude shewn in fig. 16, it can now be raised so as to grip a
rope on the hinder side of the gripper frame. In cases, therefore, where there are
two ropes moving in opposite directions, the gripping pulley h³ can be made to grip
either, sweeping round from under the one to under the other, and thus the
movement of the vehicle can be reversed. The apparatus for giving this sweeping
movement to the pulley h³ and for holding it in any of the attitudes shewn in
figs 14, 15, and 16, is arranged as follows. In the central slide h are fitted two
vertically sliding bars, the one behind the other, their lower ends being so
shaped that if either is made to descend while the other ascends, the descending
slide acts on a T shaped collar on the pin which carries on the pin which carries the
pulley h³ and which is hinged to the slide h, and first turning the pin half round on
its hinge, finally descends and bears against the flat back of the pin collar so as to
hold the pin projecting at the one side or the other at right angles to the slide h, so that
it can be raised in that attitude to grip the rope. In order to give the reciprocally
ascending and descending motion to the slides ll, each of them is made with rack
teeth at its edge, gearing with one of two pinions which are respectively fixed on
the axes of two pinions n n¹ that are mounted on h so as to gear with each other
and also to gear with racks on opposite sides of a horizontal slide o that can move
between guides fixed on h. This slide o is loosely linked to a lever p, by moving
which, the slide can be moved to right or left causing the pinions n n¹ to move in
opposite directions, and the pinions on their respective axes acting on the racks of
the slides cause them to move in opposite directions, the one ascending and
releasing the pin of h³, while the other descends, and turning the pin of h³ half
round, holds that pin projecting under the rope on the one side or the other of the
gripper frame, or if the slide o is moved only half way, the pulleys is allowed to
hang in the attitude shewn in fig. 15.
1 2 is
In cases where the width occupied by the duplicate pullies f¹ f² and g¹ g
objectionable, I use single pullies and mount and work them by slides fitted in the
side frames fand g in the same manner as I have described with reference to the
pulley hs. It is obvious that, instead of pullies f¹ f², g¹ g² and h³, which allow the
rope to run when it is free, with comparatively little friction, single gripping pieces
or jaws may be mounted and moved in the manner described.
Having thus described the nature of my invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim in respect of rope traction tramways or railways-
First: Constructing the rope tube or channel of two rolled side plates, having
their lower lips joined, and their upper lips separated to form the slit, and
kept in form and position by frames and brackets fixed to them at intervals,
substantially as described with reference to figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4.
:
}
Second Constructing the rope tube or channel in the manner referred to in the
preceding claim, but with side flanges projecting under the paving and with
roughened chill castings covering its haunches, substantially as described
with reference to figs. 1, 3, 4 and 4a.

page_text: Third. Mounting the gripper frames on a bar bearing on two axles of the vehicle
in such a manner that it can be turned up in a longitudinal plane clear of
the ground substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth
Fourth Mounting and moving the grip-pullies or jaws so that they can be made
to sweep half round, and held in position for gripping a rope on either
side of the gripper frame, substantially as, and for the purposes herein set
forth.
In Witness whereof, I the said George James Chapman have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twenty sixth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
GEO. JAS. CHAPMAN (LS.)