Improvements in Pleasure Railways.
Year: 1890

page_text: CUMLELEID TEULFICATION.
Improvements in Pleasure Railways.
I, LA MAROUS ADNA THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at'
914 Walnut Street in the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
PLEASURE RAILWAYS, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention in general relates to continuous railways for affording pleasure and
amusement to persons at seaside resorts, parks and other places.
My invention relates more especially to railways in which passenger coaches or
cars of various designs are by means of stationary engines or other prime movers
caused to travel continuously over a course or road-bod.
Heretofore motion has been transmitted to the coaches or cars of such type of
railways by means of an endless cable propelled by motive power gripped by devices
provided underneath each car or coach. Although in practice said mode of propelling
cars and coaches over such railways has operated satisfactorily still some disadvantages
have been encountered and more especially in respect to the failure of the grip to
always engage with the cable and thus ensure uniformity and certainty in the
movement of the cars or coaches over the course.
The principal objects of my invention are first to overcome the disadvantages
incident to the use of a cable and gripping devices in connection with the cars or
coaches, second to provide efficient and durable mechanism to transmit motion from
a stationary engine or other suitable power to the coaches or cars and to cause the
same to traverse the course with a uniform gliding and exhilarating motion; and
third to mount the coaches or cars upon trucks so as to form a solid train extending
over the entire course and thus ensuring safety, smoothness and an easy movement
of the entire train of coaches or cars over the course.
My invention consists firstly of a continuous course or roadway built preferably
upon trestle-work whereupon a train of coaches or cars of different designs travel
by means of positively driven mechanism contacting with means applied to the cars
or coaches.
My invention consists secondly in mounting adjacent ends of two coaches or cars
by means of separate king-bolts upon one truck; and
My invention, consists thirdly of certain novel features in the construction
of the roadway and of coaches or cars as hereinafter more particularly described.
In the accompanying drawings forming part hereof.
Figure 1, is a perspective view of the undulating course of the continuous
roadway and an endless. belt for driving mechanism to cause the friction rolls to be
actuated.
Fig. 2, is a top or plan view of the same showing the general arrangement of the
track and position of the friction rolls.
Fig. 3, is a plan or top view of a modified form of the superstructure and continuous
road way thereof.
Fig. 4, is an elevation of a portion of the rails and of two passenger coaches or
cars with the front portions thereof removed and showing also the adjacent ends of
two coaches or cars mounted on the same truck by means of separate king bolts and
the vertical strip with which engages the friction rolls.
Fig. 5, is a plan or top view of the friction rolls and of the means for driving them
and in dotted lines the strips secured to the underside of the passenger coaches or
cars and in frictional contact with a series of rolls, whereby motion is imparted
thereto.
Fig. 6, is an elevation of a solid train of passenger coaches or cars mounted upon
rails and showing the metal strips secured to the underside of the coaches or cars and

page_text: also the seats for passengers and the animals or other similar configurations mounted
thereon; and
Fig. 7, is a top or plan view of the same with the platforms of the coaches or cars
removed but showing adjacent ends of two coaches or cars secured to a single truck
and arranged in such manner as to permit the train to traverse the curves in the
roadway..
.
Referring to the drawings and more particularly to figs. 1, 2 and 3 thereof,
A, represents the superstructure preferably constructed of wood, but the same may be
constructed of iron or other suitable material. This superstructure may be supported
upon trestle-work resting upon the ground or upon suitable hangers and brackets
secured to the walls of a building; the trestle work and hangers have not been shown
as such will be understood without illustration. The superstructure may be arranged
in the form of a figure 8, or in any other preferred form. Upon the top of the
superstructure A, is formed a course for the reception of the rails. Contignous to the
curve or curves of the superstructure is or are a platform or platforms A¹ which may
be provided with suitable benches for the use of persons desiring to witness the passage
of the coaches or cars over the course, or the platforms A', may be used for dancing,
roller-skating or other amusements or purposes. Access is had to these platforms A¹,
by means of stair-cases A leading from the ground. Upon the course of the
superstructure A, are secured rails a, either T-shaped or of any other preferred
form to constitute the roadway for the train of coaches and cars to travel over.
The passenger coaches B, may be of various designs, for example, in the form
of chariots, howdahs, gondolas, ships or other similar designs provided with benches
or seats B¹, and ornamented with griffins and other figures B². The platforms B³,
of the passenger coaches or cars B, are curved or cut away at their ends B, as
clearly shown in fig. 7, in order to permit the train of coaches or cars to adapt
itself to the curvature of the road and thus be permitted to freely travel around-or
over the course. C is a truck-provided with wheels c. These trucks are adapted to
receive the king-bolts. The adjacent ends of two platforms B³ of the cars or
coaches are supported by and pivotally connected with one truck C, by means of
two separate king-bolts c² as clearly shown in figs. 4 and 7, and each-king-bolt c³,
is inserted through one extremity of the platform 13 of a coach or car B.
D is a thin strip of metal or other suitable material of such length as to permit
of the train being propelled along or over the roadway. This strip is preferably
secured in a vertical position to the king-bolts c², passing through each end of the
coaches or cars B, and the truck C, in order not only to apply the traction force
imparted to the train directly to the trucks but also to permit of the trucks C, turning
independently of both the strips D, and the coaches or cars B. The strips D,
may however, be secured to the underside of the coaches in any other preferred
manner.
At a suitable point in the course x, for example at the summit of the steepest
grade in the roadway or at any other more convenient point is located one or more
sets of positively driven friction rolls E, adapted to contact or firmly bear against the
strips D, and thereby propel the train of passenger coaches or cars around or over
the course continuously as may be desired.
The frame-work F (figs. 4 and 5,) is secured in a rigid manner either .to the
superstructure A, or to any suitable foundation, and is preferably located between
and beneath the rails a. The vertical shafts e, suitably mounted to prevent ond play,
carry friction rolls E, at one extremity and gear-wheels rel and bevelled gear-
wheels at or near the opposite extremity. These shafts e, revolve in the bearings e³
secured to the frame-work F. The gear-wheels e¹ of each set of two or more
friction rolls E, mesh with each other so that the exact rotary movement of one
friction roll is transmitted to the other roll or rolls of the same set and hence running
in unison. The horizontal shaft G, suitably mounted to prevent end play, revolves
in hangers 9, secured to the frame-work F, and carries bevelled gear-wheels 9,
which mesh with the bevelled gear-wheels e, and also a pulley 92, around which and
a pulley in connection with suitable motive power passes a belt g³, for imparting

page_text: motion to the entire mechanism. Each of the bearings e³, is bolted to the frame-
work F, by means of bolts et, and in order to insure the strips D, while in frictional
contact being drawn between the friction rolls E, a rubber or similar spring gasket e,
is inserted between the head of the bolts e, and the bearing ea. The faces of the
friction rolls E, or the strips D; or both may be roughened in any suitable manner
in order to prevent slipping, but good results may be obtained by providing them
both with smooth surfaces.
The mode of operation of the continuous pleasure railway, is as follows:
The series of passenger coaches or cars B, are connected together by means of the
king-bolts c, with the trucks C, to form a solid train extending over the entire course.
The vertical strips D are secured to the underside of the series of passenger coaches
or cars B, and form with the exception of small spaces beneath the extremities B*,
of the coaches or cars B, an endless band which is constantly in engagement with
the friction rolls E. The passengers reach the elevated platforms A³, by means of
the stair-cases. A...
The engine or other preferred type of motive power is then started by the
attendant-in-charge and motion communicated by means of the pulleys 9 and g², in
connection with each other by a belt g³ to the bevelled gear-wheels g¹ meshing with
the bevelled gear-wheels e², to impart motion to the respective sets of friction rolls E.
The respective sets of rolls E, in frictional contact with the strips D, impart motion
to the train of cars or coaches and when desired to stop the respective coaches or
cars to discharge passengers or for any other purpose, the same may be readily
effected by the attendant-in-charge either stopping the engine or other motive power
or shifting the series of bevelled gear-wheels out of engagement with one another or
shifting the belt g in any well understood manner.
It will be manifestly obvious that the mechanism as to many of its details may be
modified without departing from the spirit of the invention, for example, electro-
motors may be employed as a means for propelling the series of cars or coaches;
and then spur-wheels may be availed of in lieu of the bevelled gear-wheels shown,
to revolve the respective sets of friction rolls E, and hence I do not wish to be
understood as limiting myself to the exact form and arrangement of the parts shown
herein to permit of the actuation of the mechanism for propelling the cars or
coaches over the undulating or circular course or roadway.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner it is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A railway provided with cars or coaches having adjacent ends thereof connected
by separate king bolts with a truck, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. A pleasure railway provided with cars or coaches having adjacent ends thereof
connected by separate king bolts with a truck and said cars or coaches provided
with a strip or strips, one or more sets of rolls in frictional contact with said strip
or strips and means for imparting motion to said rolls, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
3. A railway having a train of cars or coaches with adjacent ends of every two of
the train pivotally connected by a single truck, and means for propelling said cars or
coaches, substantially as and for the purposes described.
4. An undulating pleasure railway having one or more platforms within the
structure, a series of cars or coaches having adjacent ends of every two of the series
connected by separate bolts with a single truck, a strip supported beneath said cars or
coaches, rolls frictionally contacting therewith, motive power for actuating mechanism
to impart motion to said rolls and thereby propel said cars or coaches over the course,
substantially as described.
5. In a pleasure railway, the combination of a train of cars or coaches united with
each other by a truck having separate swivel bolts, a strip or strips, means in
frictional contact with said strip or strips and motive power for actuating said means
for propelling said cars or coaches, substantially as and for the purposes described.

page_text: 6. In a pleasure railway, the combination of one or more sets of positively driven
friction rolls, a series of cars or coaches provided with one or more vertical- strips
connected with bolts extending into trucks which connect adjacent ends of every two
cars or coaches of the series together and form a continuous belt in engagement with
said rolls and motive power for imparting motion thereto, substantially as and for the
purposes. described.
7. A train of railway cars or coaches having adjacent ends thereof, mounted on
and pivotally connected with a single truck and forming the coupling and connecting
means of said cars or coaches.
LA MARCUS ADNA THOMPSON.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant...