AN IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR AIRIAL TRANSIT BY WIRE ROPE OR LIKE CABLES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Byrnes of Liverpool in the County of Lancaster
for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR AIRIAL
TRANSIT BY WIRE ROPE OR LIKE CABLES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Byrnes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th October 1883.
FRANCIS BYRNES, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster "AN IMPROVED
MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR AIRIAL TRANSIT BY WIRE ROPE, OR LIKE
CABLES.
My Invention has for its object to provide a ready and convenient means for
transporting passengers, goods, substances and materials by means of a suspended
and inclined wire rope, or like cable, and consists of arranging the cable, so as to
span from the place of departure to the place of arrival at an incline, the cable
being so arranged that the departure end can be lifted with the body to be
forwarded and also can be lifted at the arrival end for the return of the body, or
empty conveyance.
In construction, the cable at each end, is attached to a raising and lowering
chain, or rope, which leads through a block, or sheave, which is attached to the
end of a crane jib, or like contrivance. The chain, or rope passes over and round
the crane barrel, and through a sheave at the base of the crane, or the chain, or
rope may lead through a block, or sheave on the top of a scaffolding, or bank of
ground, or any other elevated position, and over the barrel of a winch, and through
a sheave at the base of the winch. By this means the cable can be elevated at
either end, so as to form an inclined cable from one point to another, or from the
place of departure to the place of arrival, or vice versa. Instead of attaching the
cable to the chain, or rope, the ends may be attached to a running ring or its
equivalent on a vertical pole, or rope, so that either end of the cable can be hauled.
up, or down with the load, by a chain, rope, or their equivalent from a winch.
The carriage waggon, truck, cage, skep, barrow, or equivalent device, by which
the passengers, goods, or materials are to be conveyed, are fastened to a sheave, or,
sheaves, which run on the wire rope cable, and the departure end of the cable with

page_text: the load is then raised by the crane, or winch, so that the cable is inclined from
the departure end to the arrival end, and the conveyance travels down the inclined
cable by its own gravity. The return is effected by elevating the opposite end of
the cable and lowering the departure end.
It is not necessary that a means shall in all cases be provided for raising the
cable at the arrival end for returning the conveyance, as under some circumstances
the point of attachment at the arrival end can be positioned midway between the
ground level of the departure end and the point to which the departure end of
the cable is elevated. Thus the whole working of the apparatus can be effected
from the departure end The departure and arrival ends can also be provided
with platforms at different elevations to suit the circumstances of the locality.
It will be seen that my Invention provides a ready means of transit across
rivers and valleys, and from one locality to another for general purposes, and is
particularly applicable for contractors and mining work, as a means of removing
material from one place to another.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Francis Byrnes in the Patent Office on the 3rd April 1884.
FRANCIS BYRNES, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster AN IMPROVED
MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR AERIAL TRANSIT BY WIRE ROPE, OR
CABLES
LIKE
My Invention has for its object to provide a ready and convenient means for
transporting passengers, goods, substances and materials by means of a suspended
and inclined wire rope, or like cable, and consists of arranging the cable so as to
span from the place of departure to the place of arrival at an incline, the cable
being so arranged that the departure end can be lifted with the body to be
forwarded and also can be lifted at the arrival end for the return of the body, or
empty conveyance.
In construction, the cable at each end is attached to a raising and lowering
chain, or rope which leads through a block, or sheave, which is attached to the end
of a crane jib, or like contrivance. The chain, or rope passes over and round
the crane barrel and through a sheave at the base of the crane, or the chain, or
rope may lead through a block, or sheave on the top of a scaffolding, or bank of
ground, or any other elevated position and over the barrel of a winch, and through
a sheave at the base of the winch. By this means the cable can be elevated at
either end, so as to form an inclined cable from one point to another, or from the
place of departure to the place of arrival, or vice versa. Instead of attaching the
cable to the chain, or rope, the ends may be attached to a running ring, or its
equivalent on a vertical pole, or rope, so that either end of the cable can be hauled
up, or down with the load by a chain, rope, or their equivalent from a winch.
The carriage, wagon, truck, cage, skep, barrow, or equivalent device by which the
passengers, goods, or materials are to be conveyed is fastened to a sheave, or
sheaves, which run on the wire rope cable and the departure end of the cable with

page_text: departure end to the arrival end and the conveyance travels down the inclined
cable by its own gravity. The return is effected by elevating the opposite end of
the cable and lowering the departure end.
It is not necessary that a means shall in all cases be provided for raising the
cable at the arrival end for returning the conveyance as under some circumstances
the point of attachment at the arrival end can be positioned midway between the
ground level of the departure end and the point to which the departure end of the
cable is elevated. Thus the whole working of the apparatus can be effected from
the departure end. The departure and arrival ends can also be provided with
platforms at different elevations to suit the circumstances of the locality.
It will be seen that my Invention provides a ready means of transit across rivers
and valleys and from one locality to another for general purposes, and is
particularly applicable for contractors and mining work, as a means of removing
material from one place to another.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 illustrates two derricks arranged with the wire rope cable and back
guy ropes and according to my Invention for transporting substances or material
from one place to another and returning the empty packages under the circumstances
of the departure and arrival points being on the same level.
Figure 2 illustrates my Invention as applied when the departure and arrival
points are at different levels
Figure 3 illustrates an apparatus according to my Invention for transporting
passengers, particularly applicable as pleasure transport, the wire cable being shown
broken.
Figure 4 is a section through X X Figure 3.
Upon reference it will be seen that a is a wire rope cable which is attached at
one end to the block of the raising and lowering chain 6 of the derrick d and is
attached at the other end to the block of the raising and lowering chain e of the
derrick h. The block of the chain b of the derrick d is provided with the back guy
rope f and the block of the chain e of the derrick h is provided with the back guy
rope k. is the bucket, or tub by which the material, or substance is conveyed
from the derrick d to the derrick h. m is a hook, or shackle which is provided
with a sheave, or roller and by which the bucket, or tub is suspended and runs
on the wire rope cable a The Drawing Figure 1 shows the tub in the act of
travelling from the derrick d to the derrick h and the dotted lines show the tub
in the act of returning from the derrick h to the derrick d. It will be seen that
the guy ropes fand k so draw in the derrick chains 6 and e that the wire rope
cable a is prevented from sagging and provides an inclined way from the derrick d
to the derrick h, or from the derrick h to the derrick d as required for forwarding,
or returning the tub l.
Where the departure and arrival points are at different levels, I use the
arrangement shown at Figure 2. In this case I only require the derrick d at one
end and I use the post in lieu of the derrick h at the higher level. The cable a
travels on the guide rope, or wire g and is raised by the chain b from the winch ď¹
and lowered by the guy rope f which prevents the cable a from sagging. The full
line shows the package travelling from d to h and the dotted lines show the package
sheave m returning from h to d. By this arrangement the whole working of the
apparatus is effected from the departure end d.
In Figure 3, the wire rope cable a is connected to a running block a¹ which
slides on the guide rail g. The post d is provided with the hoisting winch d², the
chain b of which passes over sheaves at the top of the post d and is connected to
the running block a¹. The carriage l is suspended from the sheave m and travels
on the cable a between the post d and the post h, the movement being given to
the carriage 1 by the raising, or lowering of the chain b and travelling block a¹ so

page_text: that the carriage is caused to travel from the post d to the post h, or from the
post h to the post d as required. By giving a certain amount of sag to the cable a
the carriage will stop before it reaches the post h, or to stop the carriage a
brake n worked from the carriage and in connection with the sheave m and cable a
.may be provided. This apparatus affords a simple and inexpensive overhead
pleasure transport suitable for use in fairs and places of holiday resort.
It will be seen that my Invention provides a ready means of transit across
rivers and valleys and from one locality to another for general purposes and is
particularly applicable for Contractors and Mining Work as a means for removing
material from one place to another and returning empty packages
Having now described my Invention, I claim-
First The combination of the wire rope cable a and the tub, or package with
the derricks d h and the guy ropes f k arranged and working as herein described
and shown at Figure 1 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
Second The combination of the wire rope cable a and the package with the
derrick d and post h and the ropes f g arranged and working as herein described
and shown at Figure 2 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
Third The combination of the wire rope cable a carriage with the post d and
post h and the rail guide g chain b and winch d as herein described and shown at
Figure 3 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
In Witness whereof, I, the said Francis Byrnes have hereunto set my hand and
Beal this second day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.