IMPROVEMENTS IN ROPE in the City, for an Invention of TRAMWAYS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Herbert Montague Smith of 9 Fenchurch Street
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROPE
in the City London, for an Invention of
TRAMWAYS." A communication to him from abroad by Andrew Smith
Hallidic of San Francisco California United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Herbert Montague
Smith at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th August
1882.
33
HENRY HERBERT MONTAGUE SMITH of 9 Fenchurch Street in the City of
a communication to me from
London "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROPE TRAMWAYS
abroad by Andrew Smith Hallidie of San Francisco California United States of
America
This Invention has reference to rope or cable tramways and the more efficient
working of the rope or cable in the tube when the direction is changed
horizontally in either direction especially when lines are constructed in which the
Cars move in both directions over one line of rails and the two parts of the endless
rope are travelling in opposite directions in the same tube.
The pulleys or sheaves are ordinarily so shaped and situated that when the
direction of the ropes travel is changed horizontally there are required sheaves
whose axes are vertical to prevent the rope from running against the side of the
tube and to keep it from coming off those sheaves which are placed with a horizontal
axis. Ordinarily the grooves in the sheaves are made very shallow and dependence
is placed upon the side sheaves or pulleys so called to prevent the rope from giving
off either side of the supporting pulley. This is effectual when there is but a
single rope in the tube and the rope is not lifted above the face of the side pulleys
but when there are two ropes running in opposite directions in the same tube the
rope must be lifted above the side pulleys so that as the grip passes along the side
strain may pull the rope over by the face of the side pulleys to the serious injury
of the rone or cable.

page_text: This is obviated according to this Invention by constructing the supporting
sheave with a deep recess for the rope and at the points along the tramway where
it is curved the sheaves have their axes inclined from a horizontal so that the
resultant of the strain of the rope is at right angles or nearly so to the axis of the
sheave. The inclination will be in one direction or the other according to the
direction in which the tramway curves where the tramway is straight the sheaves
will be vertical, That these pulleys or sheaves may be adjusted in the tube at any
point without much cost a long frame is made for carrying the pulleys and this
frame has extensions or lugs on each end which rest on curved surfaces of the yokes
of the tube the flange having holes cored in the casting so that the yokes may be
used without change for either straight or curved portions of the tube.
The Invention also relates to an arrangement or construction of rails by which
a better or more efficient brake can be applied than by the construction in common
use as well as giving a more extended wear of the rail together with an improved
construction of the tube in which the rope is carried. The form of rail employed
for this purpose is made up of two parts each like the one half of a double headed
rail divided by a line passing vertically through the centre of the web and the two
half rails are arranged one on each side of a chair with a slight inclination of the
two flat sides being nearer at the top than the bottom the object of this is to have
a narrow groove at the top and a sufficient strength of metal at the bottom of the
chair.
The halves of the rail when worn can be taken up and the bottom placed
upwards for new wearing surface. These half rails are placed so that the end of
one comes at the middle of the other and a continuous rail is formed giving the
requirements of solidity continuity lightness of section and maximum amount of
wear per unit of weight of rail. The chairs may be cast with the other parts set
in the roadway.
The construction of the tube is as follows:-
.
The yoke or body and the cover are formed of separate parts and bolted together,
the yokes being first set up in position and connected together by the two sheet or
boiler iron sides and then afterwards the two parts forming the top and slot as well
as the chair for the rail are laid down and bolted to the yokes thus making a
simply manufactured and easily constructed tube The bottom of the tube is
formed of cement and sand reaching to the height of the bottom of openings in
the yoke so that any material or water may flow uninterruptedly along the tube
or be drawn to any of the openings which are provided for access to the tubes.
The Invention also relates to the arrangement of the large pulleys or sheaves at
the ends of the line when the rope or cable is returned through the same tube; the
width and area of the roadway is much reduced by placing the sheaves vertically
instead of horizontally. The usual arrangement is to have a large sheave placed
horizontally or with its axis vertical around which the rope returns thus requiring
an additional tube for a short distance. This is dispensed with by arranging two
sheaves tandem fashion with their axes at a slight angle to cuch other horizontally,
the rope passing from above partly around the end one and then up and over the
other sheave.
The Invention also relates to an arrangement of gearing for taking up the slack
of the rope entirely in the Engine room instead of as heretofore taking it up in
the street this improvement making a more efficient and less costly construction.
One or more sheaves are placed, on carriages so that they may be drawn back by
gearing whilst a clip drum and sheave or sheaves are arranged respectively just
before and between the moving sheaves. The rope from the street is led first
around one moving sheave and then around the clip drum and then back again
around the stationary sheave and then around the clip drum and then around the
other moving sheaves and then out into the street It will be seen, that any slack
that may occur can be taken up by either gear, as may be required causing the
sheave carriages to be pulled back and this at any time while the machinery and
rope or cable are in motion.

page_text: The Invention also relates to an improved construction of grip by which in
connection with the arrangement of pulleys or sheaves in the tube for carrying
the rope a more efficient and less complicated construction is obtained when the
line of tramway is curved in either or both directions-The said grip, is so con-
structed that instead of lifting the rope or cable from four to seven or eight inches
above the sheave it is only raised above it about one quarter of an inch-According
to this improvement the gripper jaws are hung upon arms swinging on centres
carried by the shank of the gripper The rod by which the gripper is operated is
connected by an arrangement of toggle levers to these jaws so that when the
operating rod is worked the gripping jaws are forced inwards to grip the rope By
this arrangement thepe is kept so close to the sheave and the groove in the
sheave being quite deep it will drop into the groove before the grip has passed the
pulley far enough to allow the side strain to pull the rope away from the pulley
In addition the shaft of the pulley is set on springs (so that the grip in passing
over will depress the pulley and the spring will immediately force up the pulley
keeping the rope in the groove. In adjusting the pulley or sheave in the tube for
a curve it is inclined so that as the rope descends it moves laterally a little in the
direction of the side strain thus by this arrangement the tendency of the strain on
the rope is to keep the rope down into the groove of the sheave.
The Invention also relates to an improved brake system by which the driver
controls the brakes on the whole train simultaneously.
The improved brake system is on the pneumatic principle and suitable pillows
or bags for air are arranged between rods and breaks either on the wheels and
track or on both and by flexible pipes each car or carriage of the train is connected
and within a convenient distance of the foot of the driver is placed an air pump
or bellows which can be operated at any time by the driver and thus the brake be
applied simultaneously through the whole train a most important feature in
thoroughfares when the traffic is liable to impediment.
By construction and arrangement of rails above described a brake can be used
which will have much more power than the ordinary wheel or track brake It is
arranged as follows:-
Levers are hinged strongly to the frame of the dummy or car their lower ends
projecting down into the groove between the rails these levers can be forced
outward or inward against the rails by means of right and left hand screws and
nuts operated through a wheel which may be worked by the foot This virtually
clamps the dummy or car to the rail.
The Invention relates further to the employment of Tongue support (at the parts
at which tongues or switches are used) consisting generally of a rocking stand
located near the end of the tongue and suspended some distance above its centre of
gravity the grip in passing moves this stand in the direction that the train may be
moving and having passed the stand by the weight of the lower part resumes its
vertical position.
According to a further part of the Invention the wheels will be made with
flanges of thin discs of steel bolted between the body parts of the wheels and
projecting from the periphery thereof A very narrow groove in the rail will be
used to receive these flanges which flanges can be readily removed and replaced
when worn.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Herbert Montague Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th February 1883.
HENRY HERBERT MONTAGUE SMITH of 9 Fenchurch Street in the City of
London "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROPE TRAMWAYS" a communication to me from
abroad by Andrew Smith Hallidie of San Francisco California United States of
America
This Invention has reference to rope or cable tramways and the more efficient
working of the same and of the rope or cable in the tube when the direction is
changed horizontally in either direction especially when lines are constructed in
which the cars move in both directions over one line of rails and the two parts of
the endless rope are. travelling in opposite directions in the same tube.
The pulleys or sheaves are ordinarily so shaped and situated that when the
direction of the travel of the rope is changed horizontally side sheaves are required
whose axes are vertical the said sheaves being for the purpose of preventing the
rope from running against the side of the tube and for keeping it from coming off
those sheaves which have horizontal axes.
Ordinarily the grooves in the sheaves are made very shallow and dependence is
placed upon the said side sheaves or pulleys to prevent the rope from running off
either side of the supporting pulleys This is effectual when there is but a single
rope in the tube and the rope is not lifted above the face of the side pulleys but
when there are two ropes running in opposite directions in the same tube the rope
must be lifted above the side pulleys so that as the gripper passes along the side
strain is liable to pull the rope over past the face of the side pulleys to the serious
injury of the rope or cable.
This is obviated according to this Invention by constructing the supporting
sheave as shewn in Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings with a deep recess a
for the rope or cable and at the points along the tramway where the line forms a
curve these sheaves have their axes inclined from the horizontal as also shewn in
the said Figure 1 so that the resultant of the strain of the rope is at right angles
or nearly so to the axis of the sheave. The inclination will be in one direction or
the other according to the direction in which the tramway curves where the
tramway is straight the sheaves will be vertical That these pulleys or sheaves may
be adjusted in the tube at any point without much cost a frame b is made for
carrying the axis of the pulley and this frame has extensions or lugs c on each end
by which it is secured through the bolts and nuts f to the curved surfaces d of the
yokes or connecting pieces D of the tube formed by the plates E. The said curved
surfaces have slots de formed therein for the reception of the said bolts. The same
pattern of yoke may thus be used without change for either straight or curved
portions of the tube the pulley frames being adjusted to the requisite vertical or
inclined position and fixed by the said nuts and bolts f.
The improved construction of the tube in which the rope is carried and the other
parts in the roadway is also illustrated by Figure 1 of the drawings. The form of
rail employed is or may be made up of two parts g and h which may be each like
the one half of a double headed rail divided by a line passing vertically through
the centre of the web. These two half rails are arranged one on each side of a
chair I with a projection the sides of which may be vertical or have a slight
inclination being nearer at the top than the bottom the object of this being to
obtain a narrow groove at the top and a sufficient strength of metal at the bottom
of the chair. The halves of the rail if of a double headed section can be taken up

page_text: .
For
when worn and the bottom placed upwards for new wearing surface These half
rails should be placed so that the end of one comes at the middle of the other and
a continuous rail is thus formed giving the requirements of solidity continuity
lightness of section and maximum amount of wear per unit of weight of rail.
the purpose of reducing vibration it may be found desirable to insert wood or India
rubber between the rails and the chair The chairs may be cast with the other
parts J set in the roadway. The construction of the tube is as follows.
The yoke
or body portions D to which the plates E are attached and the cover parts J are
formed of separate parts and bolted together (as at 1) the yokes D being first set up
in position and connected together by the sheet or boiler iron sides E and then
afterwards the two parts J forming the top and slot (and also if desired the chair
for the rail) are laid down and bolted to the yokes thus making a simply mann-
factured and easily constructed tube The bottom of the tube is preferably formed
of cement and sand as shewn at k reaching to the height of the bottom of
openings in the yokes D so that any drainage water and dirt may flow
uninterruptedly along the tube or be drawn to any of the openings which are
provided for access to the tubes In place of using a divided rail as herein described
with this construction of parts in the roadway there may be used rails of saddle or
other form which may be found convenient.
The Invention also relates to the arrangement of the pulleys or sheaves at the
end of the line when the rope or cable is returned through the same tube by which.
arrangement the width and area of the roadway and the cost of construction aro
much reduced The usual arrangement is to have a large sheave placed horizontally
or with its axis vertical around which sheave the rope or cable returns thus
requiring an additional or special tube for a short distance This is dispensed with
by arranging two (or it may be more than two) smaller sheaves tandem fashion
(as shewn in elevation in Figure 2 and in plan in Figure 3 of the drawings) with
their axes at a slight angle to each other horizontally the rope or cable 7 passing
from above partly around the end sheave L and then up and over the other
sheave L (or sheaves if more than two be used).
The Invention also relates to an arrangement of gearing for taking up or
adjusting the slack of the rope entirely in the Engine Room instead of as heretofore.
taking it up in the street this improvement making a more efficient and less costly
construction It is illustrated in plan in Figure 4 of the drawings.
Sheaves mare placed on carriages m² so that they may be drawn back by
rollers m³ (which may be operated by a worm and worm wheel or other gearing)
whilst an clip drum n and sheaves are arranged respectively just between and
before the moving sheaves m The rope from the street is led first around one
moving sheave m and then back again around one of the stationary sheaves p and
then around the clip drum n and then around the other stationary sheave p then
around the other moving sheave m and then out into the street It will be seen
that any slack that may occur can be taken up by either roller and gear as may
be required causing either or both of the sheave carriages m² to be pulled back and
this at any time while the machinery and rope or cable are in motion.
The Invention also relates to an improved construction of gripper by which
(especially when used with the deep grooved pulleys or sheaves hereinbefore
described and shewn in Figure 1) a more efficient and less complicated arrangement
is obtained when the line of tramway is curved in either or both directions.-The
said gripper is so constructed that instead of lifting the rope or cable from four to
seven or eight inches above the sheave it is only raised above it about one quarter
of an inch.
According to this improvement which is illustrated by Figure 5 of the drawings
the gripper jaws are hung upon arms q swinging on centres carried by the
shank of the gripper. The rod q³ by which the gripper is operated is connected
by an arrangement of toggle levers or rods q' to these jaws so that when the
operating rod q³ is worked the gripping jaws q are forced inwards to grip the
rope By this arrangement the rope is kept conveniently close to the sheave and

page_text: the groove in the sheave being quite deep the rope will drop into the groove before
the gripper has passed the pulley far enough to allow the side strain to pull the
rope away from the pulley In addition the shafts of the pulleys may be set on
springs (so that the gripper in passing over will depress the pulley and the springs
will immediately force up the pulleys keeping the rope in the groove. In adjusting
the pulley or sheave in the tube for a curve it may be inclined so that as the rope
descends it moves laterally a little in the direction of the side strain By this
means the tendency of the strain on the rope is to keep the rope down into the
groove of the sheave or pulley This gripper may be operated by any known or
convenient means.
An arrangement of brake by which the brakes can be moved outwardly against
the wheels and by which the driver can control all the brakes on a train of cars
simultaneously is illustrated by Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings The said
brake is on the pneumatic principle and a suitable pillow or bagr (or pillows or
bags) for air is or are arranged between rods sliding in guides and carrying
brake blocks to bear on the wheels (or it may be on the track or on both). By
the flexible pipe the bag is connected with the means for gaining the air
pressure which is placed within a convenient distance of the foot of the driver. It
may consist of an air pump or bellows which can be operated at any time by the
driver and thus the brake be applied. If a junction be made in the pipe as
shewn at 7 and be extended so as to be connected with any coupled car or cars the
brakes of all the cars of the train will be applied simultaneously a most important
feature in thoroughfares where the traffic is liable to impediment
The Invention relates further to the employment of a tongue support for the
tongue or switch (at the parts at which tongues or switches are used) This is
illustrated by Figure 7 of the drawings It consists of a stand or support s rocking
on the centre 82 and located near the end of the tongue t and suspended some
distance above its centre of gravity the gripper in passing moves this stand or
support 8 in the direction in which the train may be moving and having passed;
the stand or support 8, by the weight of the lower part, resumes its vertical
position to support the tongue t.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part recited
Letters Patent is.―
First In rope tramways the combination with the tube containing the rope or
cable, of deep grooved pulleys or sheaves for carrying the said rope or cable the
said pulleys or sheaves being carried in frames adjustable upon a curved or inclined
surface or support so as to be suited for carrying the rope or cable along straight
portions or around curved portions of the tube substantially as herein before
described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings
Secondly In rope tramways the combination of parts for forming the tube and
permanent way consisting of the yokes D, supporting the top parts and chairs
(JI), and of the plates E, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly In rope tramways the employment of sheaves or pulleys arranged
tandem fashion for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 2
and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
Fourthly The employment in rope tramways of the arrangement of parts con-
stituting the means for enabling the slack in the rope or cable to be taken up or
adjusted in the engine room substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings
Fifthly In rope tramways the employment of a gripper or gripping apparatus
constructed substantially in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore described
and illustrated in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings

page_text: Sixthly-The employment of a support for the tongue rails or switches of rope
tramways the said support being constructed or arranged as hereinbefore described
and illustrated in Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings
In witness whereof I the said Henry Herbert Montague Smith have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal this Fifteenth day of February
One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
(L.S.)
TITIS JOINOW ALL
TATTTTT
Witness
C. F. PARRY DOWSETT,
57 Coleshill St. S W.