Improvements in Pleasure Railways and Cars therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pleasure Railways and Cars therefor.
I, LA MARCUS ADNA THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at
No. 5649 Cottage Grove Avenue, in the City of Chicago, in the County of Cook,
and State of Illinois, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature and objects of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN PLEASURE RAILWAYS AND CARS THEREFOR,
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statements :-
My invention relates in general to that type of pleasure railways in which cars
or coaches, either singly or coupled together in train, are propelled to the highest
portions of the courses by means of a cable or other suitable motor power and are
then permitted to travel over the descending and undulating portions of the courses
by gravity; and it relates more particularly, first, to certain improvements in the
form of the structure and to the disposition and arrangement of the courses thereof;
second, to the construction and arrangement of the gripping mechanism attached
to the cars and adapted to automatically engage and release a positively driven
cable; and third, to improvements in the construction and arrangement of the
parts comprising the break mechanism for permitting the attendant in charge of
the cars to check and otherwise control the motion and speed thereof.
The principal objects of my present invention are first, to provide a pleasure-
railway structure which shall have a maximum length of course or roadway and
which shall occupy a minimum amount of ground or floor space; second, to
simplify the construction and improve the operation of the automatic gripping
mechanism attached to the respective cars and adapted to engage and disengage a
positively driven cable; third, to provide simple, durable and efficient brake-
mechanism adapted to be operated by the attendant in charge of the car or coaches
for checking and otherwise controlling the motion and speed thereof; fourth, to
afford the patrons of a pleasure-railway a longer and more entertaining and varied
ride than las heretofore been possible with this class of structures; and fifth, to so
improve the form and details of construction of a pleasure railway and its acces-
sories as that the same may be operated with greater safety and with more freedom
from liability to accident than has heretofore been possible.
My invention consists of a pleasure-railway structure comprising two straight
parallel and undulating outgoing courses, two straight parallel and undulating
incoming courses crossing said outgoing courses, loops comprising two concentric
courses connecting the adjacent extremities of the outgoing and incoming courses,
and said incoming courses being crossed near the crossing of the outgoing and
incoming courses to form a continuous course, having the starting and terminal
points thereof located in one of the courses of one of said loops, whereby safe access
may be had to the cars for loading and unloading the same.
My invention further consists of a pleasure railway structure comprising two
straight parallel and undulating outgoing courses, two straight parallel and
undulating incoming courses crossing said outgoing courses, a starting pavilion at
one end of said courses, an auxiliary pavilion at the other end thereof, said
auxiliary pavilion being provided with two concentric courses connecting the
adjacent extremities of the two outgoing and incoming courses at one end of the
structure, and said starting pavilion being provided with two concentric courses
connecting the outgoing and incoming courses at the other end of the structure,
and said incoming courses being crossed near the starting pavilion to form a con-
tinuous course having the starting and terminal points thereof located in one of the
concentric courses appertaining to the starting pavilion, whereby safe and convenient
access may be had to the cars for loading and unloading the same.

page_text: My invention further consists of a pleasure-railway course provided at or near
the highest parts thereof with a positively driven cable and having cars or coaches
adapted to travel either singly or in train over said course and provided respectively
with automatic gripping mechanism comprising a fixed jaw having a cheek, a
movable jaw provided with a cheek and pivoted to the fixed jaw, an operating
lever attached to said movable jaw, a suitable fork or stirrup for guiding said
lever and a spring interposed between said lever and car for normally closing said
jaws.
or
My invention further consists of a pleasure railway course having cars
coaches adapted to travel thereon and provided with brake mechanism comprising
spring-strips located on opposite sides of the truck-frame above the car-wheels and
provided with brake shoes, a transversely ranging beam connected at the respective
extremities thereof with said spring strips and a hand-lever provided with an arm
for operating said transversly ranging beam; and
My invention further consists of the improvements in pleasure railways herein-
after described and claimed.
The nature and objects of my present invention will be more fully understood
from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings
forming part hereof, and in which
Figure 1, is an elevation of a portion of the superstructure of a pleasure railway
embodying features of my invention, showing the starting pavilion and portions of
the outgoing and incoming undulating courses.
Fig. 2, is a continuation at the right hand side of Fig. 1, showing the central
portion of the superstructure and also showing a building for containing the boiler
and engine or other prime mover used for actuating the cables.
Fig. 3, is a continuation at the right hand of Fig. 2, showing the auxiliary
pavilion and also portions of the undulating courses of the structure.
Fig. 4, is a plan view of Fig. 1, showing the two incoming courses crossed over
the two outgoing courses in different planes, and also a connecting-loop comprising
two concentric courses, and also illustrating the manner in which the incoming
courses are crossed over each other in different planes in order to permit the cars
or coaches to start from and return to the outer course of the loop.
Fig. 5, is a top or plan view of Fig. 2, showing portions of the two straight
outgoing courses provided respectively with cables and arranged adjacent to and
parallel with each other and with the two incoming courses.
Fig. 6, is a top or plan view of Fig. 3, showing a loop comprising two con-
centric courses connecting the outgoing courses with the incoming courses.
Fig. 7, is an elevation on an enlarged scale, showing two cars coupled together
by means of a truck provided with automatic gripping mechanism for engaging and
disengaging the positively driven cables and with brake mechanism for permitting
the attendant in charge of the train to check or otherwise control the motion of the
same.
Fig. 8, is a transverse section on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 8-8 of
Fig. 7, showing a bridge piece or board attached to the superstructure and adapted
to contact with and automatically release the gripping mechanism; and
Fig. 9, is a central section of Fig. 8.
In the accompanying drawings a and a¹, are outgoing courses and 6 and ¹, are
incoming courses. Each of these courses is supported upon suitable trestle-work or
other form of superstructure and is provided with one or more undulations, as at c.
The cars or coaches, either singly or coupled together in train, are automatically
connected with and drawn by means of one or more positively driven cables d
and d', to the highest portions of the outgoing courses and are then automatically
released and permitted to travel by gravity over the descending and undulating
portions of the outgoing courses and over the incoming courses.
The outgoing courses a and a', are preferably straight and are disposed side by
side and the incoming courses and are arranged in a similar manner, so that
the pair of outgoing courses a and a', are located adjacent to and parallel with the

page_text: pair of incoming courses 6 and 6', throughout the greater part of the length of the
courses of the superstructure.
The ends of the outgoing straight parallel courses a and a', are united respectively
to the ends of the incoming courses 6 and 61, at one end of the structure by means
of a loop E, comprising two concentric courses e and e¹. Near the starting and
terminal points, that is, at the other end of the structure, the outgoing courses «
and a, cross the incoming courses and b, in different planes, and one of the
incoming courses b, crosses over and above the other incoming course b', as is
shown at 2, in Figs. 1 and 4, and the outgoing and incoming courses a and b, are
connected together by the inner course, appertaining to a loop F, and the out-
going and incoming courses a', and b, are connected together by means of the
outer course, of the loop F. The object in causing the outgoing and incoming
courses to cross each other in the manner above described is to avoid grade
crossings and to cause both the starting and terminal points of the continuous
course to lie in one of the concentric courses of the loop F, so that passengers
may board and leave the cars without crossing any of the courses, whereby
danger from accidents is obviated. In the present instance the starting and
terminal points both lie in the course f; but, if preferred, they may be caused
to lie in the course. Moreover, the above-described arrangement of the various
courses affords the passengers a longer and more varied ride than was heretofore
possible, because each car or train of cars during one trip traverses the course four
times; as is indicated by the arrows.
Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 4, G is a starting pavilion built
over and around the loop F, and inclosing a portion of the concentric courses f
and f¹. This pavilion G, may be constructed in any desired manner, and is
preferably provided with the usual accessories of an amusement center, such as a
dancing-floor or apartment g', a music or band stand 2, a ticket-office g³, and suit-
able stairways and platforms g, for the accommodation of patrons and spectators.
9, is a platform adjacent to the outgoing course a', and arranged so as to permit
the passengers to board the cars at the starting point a², located upon the course f
g, is a platform disposed adjacent to the incoming course b, and so arranged as to
permit the passengers to alight from the cars at a point 3, located upon the
course, in rear of the starting point. h, is an engine-house disposed at any suit-
able point of the course, and adapted to contain machinery for operating or driving
the cables with a positive motion. I, is a pavilion built around the concentric
courses e and e', and wholly or partially inclosed or boarded up so as to form a
tunnel i, through which the cars or coaches pass in traversing the course. J, are
cars preferably coupled together in pairs by means of a truck j', and adapted to
traverse suitable rails j, attached to the respective courses of the structure. These
cars are provided with seats j, for the accommodation of passengers and also with a
seat, for the attendant-in-charge. To the under-side of the truck j is bolted
or otherwise secured a gripping device comprising a fixed jaw k, a movable jaw k¹,
pivoted to the fixed jaw k, an operating lever k², connected with the movable jaw
and provided with a roller 3, ranging transversely of the car, a fork or stirrup k',
for guiding the operating lever k², and a spring s, interposed between the under
side of the truck and the operating lever, and adapted to normally force the jaws k
and k¹, into contact with eacli other. N, is a bridge-piece or board extending
upward from the structure and provided with sloping extremities n.
This bridge-
piece contacts with the roller ³, and trips and elevates the extremity of the
operating lever k, whereby the jaws & and k', are automatically forced apart into
position for receiving or releasing the cable. and, are cheeks depending
from the jaws and k, and adapted to guide the cable into position between the
gripping surfaces of the jaws k and k¹. In operation the advance motion of the
causes the operating lever 2, to be tripped by the bridge-piece N, and
the motion of the operating-lever opens the jaws for receiving or releasing the
cable. As soon
as the operating-lever, has passed the bridge-piece N, the
car

page_text: spring, again forces the operating-lever downward, whereby the jaws are brought
together into position for gripping the cable. 1, are spring-strips attached to the
extremities of the frame-work of the truck, by means of slotted connections,
and disposed above the wheels, of the truck. Each of these spring-strips is
provided with brake-shoes 12, adapted to contact with the wheels of the truck.
m, is a beam ranging transversely of the truck and connected at or near its
respective extremities with the spring-strips l. m, is a hand-lever pivotally con-
nected with the upper portion of the truck ¹, and having an arm m², in contact
with the transversely ranging beam. It being understood that when the hand-
lever m', is shifted in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 7, the arm in²,
thereof depresses the transversely-ranging beam m, and this motion of the
transversely ranging beam depresses the spring-strips 1, and thus forces the brake-
shoes, into contact with the wheels, of the truck ¹, and checks the velocity or
motion of the train. Whenever the hand-lever m¹, is released, the resiliency of
the spring-strips 1, shifts the break-shoes 12, out of contact with the wheels, of the
truck, and also automatically returns the various parts of the brake mechanism to
their normal position.
Cars or coaches may be employed singly or coupled together in train.
However, it may be remarked that excellent results have been attained in practice
by employing them in train, comprising two cars provided at one of their respective
extremities with swivel-trucks J, and having the other extremities thereof.
pivotally connected with a centre truck, because such an arrangement permits the
train to traverse the curved portions of the course with an easy gliding motion and
without shock or jar.
:
The mode of operation of the hereinabove described pleasure-railway is as
follows A train of cars, for example, such a train as is illustrated in Fig. 7, is
brought opposite the platform g³, and the passengers are permitted to board the
same, whereupon the train of cars is released and descends by gravity in the
direction indicated by the arrows 1, over the courses f, to the course a', whereupon
the gripping mechanism automatically engages the cable d', located at a suitable
I point in the course a', and the motion of the cable elevates the train of cars or
coaches to the highest portion of the outgoing course, whereupon the gripping
device is automatically released by means of a suitable bridge-piece N, located at
the summit of the grade and the train of cars or coaches is permitted to descend by
gravity. After traversing the course a', partly by gravity and partly by cable, the
train of cars or coaches runs by gravity over and around the course e, which
reverses the direction of motion of the train, so that it proceeds by gravity toward
the starting-pavilion G, in the direction indicated by the arrows 2, over the
course, and around the loop-shaped course f¹, and then the train proceeds by
gravity and cable away from the starting pavilion G, over the outgoing course a, and
then by gravity around the loop-shaped course e¹, in the direction indicated by the
arrows 3, and finally over the incoming course b, back to the starting pavilion in the
direction indicated by the arrows 4. It being understood that the first outgoing
and the last incoming courses a¹, and b, are so arranged that the train of cars starts
from the starting point a² on the course, and returns to the terminal point b³, which
is also located on the course f, slightly in rear of the starting point. When the
train has reached the course f, after having traversed the courses a¹, e, b', f¹, a, e¹, b
and of the structure, in the manner hereinabove set forth, it may be stopped
opposite the platform go by the attendant-in-charge through the instrumentality of
the brake mechanism hereinbefore described, in order to permit the passengers to
alight. After the passengers have alighted from the train of cars or coaches the
latter may be permitted to proceed forward by gravity to the starting point and
reloaded for another trip.
It will be understood that two or more trains of cars or coaches may be employed
instead of one. In such cases one of the trains may be loaded while the others are
traversing the courses of the superstructure.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and objects of: my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I déclare that what I
claim is:
1. A pleasure railway structure comprising two undulating outgoing courses, two
undulating incoming courses crossing said outgoing courses, and loops comprising
two curved courses connecting the adjacent extremities of the outgoing and
incoming courses and said incoming courses being crossed, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
2. A pleasure railway structure comprising two straight undulating and parallel
outgoing courses, two straight undulating and parallel incoming courses crossing
said outgoing courses at different planes, and loops comprising two concentric
courses connecting the adjacent extremities of the outgoing and incoming
courses and said incoming courses being crossed the one over the other in different
planes, substiantally as and for the purposes set forth.
3. A pleasure railway structure comprising two straight and undulating outgoing
courses, two straight and undulating incoming courses crossing said outgoing
courses, a starting pavilion at one end of said courses and a terminal pavilion at the
other end thereof, said terminal pavilion being provided with two concentric courses
connecting the adjacent extremities of the outgoing and incoming courses, said
starting pavilion being provided with two concentric courses connecting the other
extremities of the two outgoing and incoming courses and said incoming courses
being crossed near the starting pavilion to cause the starting and terminal points to
lie in one of the concentric courses, substantially as and for the purposes set.
forth.
4. In a pleasure railway course provided with positively driven cables extending
from the bottom to the top of the highest slopes thereof, cars or coaches provided
at one of their respective extremities with swivel-trucks and pivotally connected
at the other extremities thereof with a centre-truck, and automatic gripping
mechanism connected with said centre truck and comprising a
fixed jaw
having a cheek, a movable jaw having a cheek and pivoted to the fixed jaw, an
operating lever attached to said movable jaw, a stirrup for guiding said lever, a
spring interposed between said lever and centre truck, and means for actuating
said operating-lever, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
5. In a pleasure railway provided with positively driven cables extending from
the bottom to the top of the highest slopes thereof, a car provided with a gripping
device comprising a fixed jaw having a check, a movable jaw having a check and
pivoted to the fixed jaw, an operating lever connected with said movable jaw, a fork
for guiding said lever, and a spring interposed between said lever and car for
normally closing said jaws, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
6. A pleasure railway provided with positively driven cables extending from the
bottom to the top of the highest slopes thereof, and a car provided with automatic
gripping devices comprising a fixed jaw, a movable jaw pivoted to the fixed jaw, an
operating lever connected with said movable jaw, a fork for guiding said lever, a
spring interposed between said lever and car, and a bridge-piece connected with the
structure and adapted to contact with said operating lever, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
7. In a pleasure railway, cars provided with break mechanism supported by one
of the trucks of said cars and comprising spring-strips connected with the truck-
frame, break-shoes applied to said spring-strips and adapted to contact with the
car-wheels, a beam connected with said spring-strips and a pivotally supported
hand-lever provided with an arm for engaging said beam, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
8. In an undulating pleasure railway course provided with positively driven
cables extending from the bottom to the top of the highest slopes thereof, cars adapted
to travel thereon and having the trucks thereof provided with break-mechanism
comprising spring-strips attached to the front and rear members of the truck-frame

page_text: by slotted connections, break-shoes applied to said spring-strips and adapted to
contact with the car-wheels, a transversely ranging beam connected with said spring-
strips and a pivotally supported hand-lever provided with an arm engaging said beam,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
9. In an undulating pleasure railway provided with positively driven cables
extending from the bottom to the top of the highest slopes thereof, cars provided
at one of their respective extremities with swivel-trucks and pivotally attached at
the other extremities thereof to a centre-truck, brake mechanism, spring-strips
attached by slotted connections with the front and rear members of the centre-
truck, brake-shoes applied to said spring-strips and adapted to contact with the
car-wheels, a transversely ranging beam connected with said spring-strips and a
pivotally supported hand-lever provided with an arm for engaging said beam,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 9th day of July A.D. 1892.
LA MARCUS ADNA THOMPSON.