IMPROVE- MENTS IN GRIPPERS FOR CABLE RAILWAYS
Year: 1885

page_text: We GEORGE BENJAMIN BRYANT and EDWARD DYER DOUGHERTY, residing at
917 North 29th St. and 1420 North 20th St. respectively, in the City of Philadelphia,
County of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania in the United States of
America, gentlemen, do hereby declare the nature of the invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GRIPPERS FOR CABLE RAILWAYS" and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in 'and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to an improvement in grippers, the object being to provide
a device of this character which shall be simple and economical in construction and
at the same time durable and efficient in use. A further object is to so construct
the grip that when from any cause the cable becomes disengaged therefrom it may
be easily and readily caught without the necessity of stopping the car, or engine
driving the cable, and with these ends in view my invention consists in certain
novel features of construction and combination of parts as will be hereinafter
described and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of my improvement.
Fig. 2, is a view in front elevation and
Fig. 3, is a view in rear elevation.
A, represents a plate preferably made of steel, the lower end of which is widened
and to the rear side of which lower end is secured the metal plate B, the lower end
of the latter being bent as shown at a, having the two horizontal sides b, b, and
the vertical side c. In the horizontal sides b, are secured the ends of bolts or
spindles d, d, carrying the pipes or rollers e, e, against which is pressed the cable
when the car is in motion.
On one corner of the plate B, is formed a perforated shoulder e¹, in which is
secured one end of a spindle or bolt f, at right angles to the spindles or bolts d, d,
on which spindle and bolt f, is mounted a roller g, the other end of the bolt or
spindle being headed to prevent the roller slipping off.
To the front of the plate A, and opposite the plate B, is rigidly secured a metal
plate C, the lower end of which at each corner being provided with a perforated
Jug or projection h, in which is secured the bolt or spindle i. On this spindle or
bolt is movably secured the depending jaw D, the lower end being bent around at
right angles as atj, and which is provided with a shoulder or flange k, in which
latter and the lower bent end j, are secured the ends of the vertical bolts or

page_text: spindles 7, carrying the pipes or rollers m, the said jaw D, being of such length
that the pipes or rollers m, will hang opposite the pipes or rollers e.
To the upper portion of the plate C, is securely fastened the metal plate E, on
the lower end of which are formed the depending curved arms F, the ends of
which are perforated and adapted to securely hold the ends of the bolt or spindle n,
the said end extending down opposite the jaw D. Instead however of forming the
plates A, B, C, separate they may be formed in one piece and the plate E, secured
thereto, or the plates C and E, may be formed integral and rigidly secured to the
plate A. We would therefore have it understood that we do not limit myself to
the exact construction of these plates shown and described but hold myself at
liberty to vary their construction in accordance to the dictates of circumstances.
On the said spindle or bolt is mounted a cam wheel G, to which is secured the
lower ends of the bifurcated pitman H, the said cam adapted to bear on the jaw D.
It will now be readily seen that by pushing down on the pitman H, the cam which
is secured near its periphery on the bolt or spindle n will be forced outwardly
away from the jaw D, which latter when the cam is in position will by gravity
hang in a vertical line and then separate the pipes or rollers m and e, between
which the cable passes, the roller or pipe g, being adapted to keep the cable in
position between the aforesaid rollers or pipes m and e, and prevent it from falling
down out of reach of the grip. As before stated when the pitman is pushed down
the cam is forced outwardly and allows the cable to pass between the rollers or
pipes and the grip to stand stationary, a groove o, being formed in the jaw in
which fits the cam allowing the cam to hang plumb. When however the pitman
is moved in the opposite direction the cam is forced inwardly against the swinging
jaw D, which impinges the rope and locks it tightly between the pipes or rollers m
and e.
The upper end of the pitman is secured to one end of a lever I, pivoted at P, to
the plate A, the opposite end of said lever being connected to the lower end of the
vertical rod J. This latter rod bears against one edge of the plate A, and is retained
in position by means of the horizontal arms 7, formed integral with the rod and
bearing on opposite sides is formed a vertical elongated slots in which fit the bolts
or spindles connecting the ends of opposite arms.
The plate A, and rod J, pass up through a slot in the floor of the car, the sides
of the slot keeping the plate and rod in position.
When it is desired to start the car the operator places his foot on the upper end
of the bar or rod J, which is provided with a foot piece v, and presses down on the
same, which lowers one end of the lever I, and raises the outer end, which in turn
raises the pitman H, thereby closing the jaw D, on the cable as before described.
When the foot is removed from the piece v, the jaws open the jaw D, assuming a
vertical position, which allows the cable to pass between the pipes or rollers
without removing the grip.
To the floor K, are secured the upper ends of the irons L, located on opposite
sides of the plate A, and having their lower end bearing on opposite sides thereof,
the said lower ends being connected by a bolt which passes through an elongated
slot u, formed in the plate, said bolts working in the slot being adapted to guide
the plate in a straight line during its vertical movement.
To the plate A, near its upper end is secured a cam wheel M, to which is secured
or formed integral therewith near its periphery an outwardly extending arm N.
When in its operating adjustment the grip is held up in position by means of this
cam which bears on the car floor, being thrown back against the piece v, and
prevented from turning thereby. When however from any cause the cable falls to
the bottom of the tubing, the grip is let down by simply putting the foot on the
arm N, and pressing the cam wheel around, the jaw being allowed to hang open.
After the grip has been let down and cable inserted between the jaws; the latter
are closed and the cam M, turned around raising the grip to its original position.
Therefore when from accident or wear on the cable, a strand or strands thereof
happened to break, the consequence was the "balling up" of the cable in the grip,

page_text: and the cable thereby prevented from passing between the jaws. In such case it
was impossible for the operator to detach the car from the cable and in other words
to stop the car. By means of my improved grip, if the cable should ball up it
would force the jaw D, open and pass through without further damages.
This invention is exceedingly simple in construction, is of few parts, and can be
applied to cars at small initial cost.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. The combination with a plate provided at its lower end with a stationary jaw
having rollers journalled therein, of a swinging jaw provided with rollers a cam
and devices for forcing the cam against the swinging jaw.
2. The combination with a plate formed at its lower end with a jaw provided
with rollers, of a swinging jaw attached to the plate, and also provided with rollers,
a cam connected on the lower ends of arms secured to the plate, and suitable means
for forcing the cam against or away from the said swinging jaw substantially as
described.
3. The combination with a plate formed at its lower end with a stationary jaw
provided with rollers, of a swinging jaw secured to the plate, and a lever indirectly
connected with the cam, and adapted to force it against or away from the swinging
jaw, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination with a plate provided at its lower end with a jaw, of a
swinging jaw secured to the plate, a cam mounted in arms secured to the plate,
a pitman secured to the cam, the said pitman connected to a lever, the opposite end
of said lever being connected with a vertical rod extending up through the car
floor, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination with a plate formed at its lower end with a stationary jaw
provided with rollers, of a swinging jaw secured to the plate, a cam, and a rod
indirectly connected with said cam, the said rod being provided on each side with
arms bearing on said plate, the inner ends of the arms being connected by bolts
working in an elongated slot in the plate substantially as set forth.
6. The combination with a plate formed at its lower end with a stationary jaw
provided with rollers, of a swinging jaw secured to the plate and also provided
with rollers, a bolt secured in the stationary jaw and provided with a roller at
right angles to Baid former rollers, a cam and means for forcing the latter against
or away from the swinging jaw, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination with a plate extending up through the car floor, and provided
at its lower end with a stationary jaw, of a cam wheel secured to the plate and
bearing on the car floor, said cam being adapted to raise and lower the plate, a
swinging jaw attached to the plate and means for forcing it against the stationary
jaw, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination with the plates A, B, and C, of the jaw D, cam G, pitman H
and levers I, and J, all of the above parts combined and adapted to operate
substantially as set forth.
9. The combination with the plates A, B, and C, of the jaw D, cam G, pitman H,
levers I, J, and cam M, the above parts combined and adapted to operate substan-
tially as set forth.