Improvements in Self-acting Apparatus and Arrangements for the Transit of Bales, Packages, or Parcels from Place to Place.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 17th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-acting Apparatus and Arrangements for the
Transit of Bales, Packages, or Parcels from Place to Place.
I, DAVID CUNNINGHAM, of Harbour Chambers, Dundee, in the County of
Forfar, North Britain, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this.
invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said invention relates to apparatus and arrangements of the kind described in
my Patent Specification No. 9591 of 1889, and has for its object to render the
action of the apparatus more perfect, and to diminish liability to derangement.
One improvement consists in modifying the devices, which, at the discharging
stations, cause the waggon platforms to cant, so that the platform of any one
waggon will be kept canted until that of the succeeding one has been canted,
in order that any package which may be lying partly on one waggon and partly on
the next may be properly discharged. The waggon platforms may be arranged to
cant to either side, and the rear cross bars on the platforms may be dispensed
with.
By a second improvement the apparatus at any station for effecting the canting
of the waggon platforms is made easily removable and replaceable by hand.
By a third improvement there are provided at a loading station a series of rollers
in contact with which the waggon platforms or projections thereon may pass, and
which serve to keep the platforms in the horizontal position when receiving
packages, and to prevent disengagement of the catches which hold them in
position.
If
Other improvements relate to parts having to do with the gripping levers for the
hauling rope at the part of the tramway where the rope deviates to the gear which
drives it. The gripping levers are opened by means of a sprocket wheel which is
made with comparatively few teeth and which engages with a stationary rack; and
one or more of the first teeth or pins of this rack are held by springs so as to
yield on the first contact of the sprocket wheel, and prevent a too violent engage-
ment and undue straining. To prevent the gripping levers from opening further
than is necessary stationary brakes are provided to act on the sprocket wheels or on
pulleys or bosses on the sprocket wheel shafts. Some of the last teeth of the
closing rack are upon a quadrant or other suitable piece which is movable but is
weighted or acted on by a spring so as to resist movement to a certain extent.
the gripping levers become quite closed on the hauling rope before the sprocket
wheel is quite clear of the rack it will move the movable part of the
rack out of its way; whilst a definite degree of gripping action will always
be applied by the levers notwithstanding inequalities in the hauling rope.
The sprocket wheels are prevented from moving excepting at the part where
the hauling rope deviates to the driving gear, by means of a ratchet wheel
fixed on their shaft, with which ratchet wheel a smooth-rimmed hand wheel
is combined. The ratchet wheel is prevented from turning (in the direction for
opening the gripping levers) by a pawl carried by a movable piece on the bogie,
this piece being arranged to be acted on by a stationary guide bar at the place
where the hauling rope deviates, which bar moves and keeps the piece with the pawl
out of gear from the ratchet wheel so that the sprocket wheels can then be acted on
by the stationary racks.
Dated this Eighteenth day of March 1891.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-acting Apparatus and Arrangements for the
Transit of Bales, Packages, or Parcels from Place to Place.
I, DAVID CUNNINGHAM, of Harbour Chambers, Dundee, in the County of-
Forfar, North Britain, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
My said invention relates to apparatus and arrangements of the kind described
in my Patent Specification No. 9591 of 1889, and has for its object to render the
action of the apparatus more perfect, and to diminish liability to derangement.
I hereunto append three sheets of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred
to in describing my improvements. Figures, 1, to 4, on Sheet, 1, relate to the
waggon platforms and their canting arrangements. Figures 5, to 7, on Sheet, 2,
and 8, to 10, on Sheet, 3, relate to the rope gripping devices of the bogies, and
Figures 11 to 13, relate to the station devices for effecting the canting of the
waggon platforms. In these drawings the same reference letters and numerals are
used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
One improvement consists in modifying the devices, which, at the discharging
stations, cause the waggon platforms to cant, so that the platform of one waggon
will be kept canted whilst that of the next one is canted, in order that any package
which may be lying partly on one waggon and partly on the next may be properly
discharged. In carrying out this improvement I prefer to arrange the waggons in
sets of three each, a train consisting of one or more such sets, with hauling bogies at
the front and rear of the train, and between the sets of waggons when there are two
or more sets. With this arrangement I provide only the middle waggon of a set
of three with a canting or tilting piece, to be acted on by the inclined bar at a
station, or discharge place and I arrange parts by means of which the canting of the
platform of the middle waggon causes that of the platforms of the other two
waggons. Figure, I, is a plan, and Figure, 2, is a side elevation of a set of three
waggons; whilst Figure, 3, is a plan showing the waggons on a curved part of the
tramway. The platform, A 2, of the middle waggon has fixed to its underside the
angular canting piece, B, which encountering an inclined bar, B 1, such as is shown
in Figures 11, 12, and 13, at the station at which the waggons are to be discharged,
causes the canting of the platform. At the corners of this middle platform, A 2,
there are fixed on the under side of it plates, A 4, which extend under the plat-
forms A 1, A 3, of the other two waggons and cause them to be canted or set horizontal
whenever the middle platform, A 2, is canted or made horizontal. Only the middle
platform, A 2, requires to have applied to it a catch, A 5, to retain it in the horizontal
position. This catch as I now have it made is shown enlarged in Figure, 4. It is
constructed with a heavy lower end tending to keep it in a vertical position, its
upper end being shaped with a curved incline so as on being encountered by a
pin, A 6, fixed to the platform, A 2, to be turned aside to allow the pin to engage
in the hook. As formerly, the catch, A 5, is released by its lower end encountering
the inclined bar, B 1, at the station at which the waggons are to be discharged.
To allow of the waggons with the ends of their platforms nearly in contact
passing round curves, the corners of the platforms or of some of them are cut
angularly as shown in Figures, 1, and 3, to suit the curves of the particular
railway on which the waggons are to work, the corners being thus cut angularly on
both sides when required. The platforms of different sets of waggons may be
arranged to cant to different sides, and the rear cross bars formerly on the platforms
may be dispensed with.
By a second improvement shown in Figures, 11, 12, and 13, the inclined bar, B 1,
for effecting the canting of the waggon platforms at a station, is made easily

page_text: removable and replaceable by hand, with the object of allowing any set of waggons
to pass on to a further station having a similarly placed bar. For this purpose each
inclined bar, B 1, is made with feet, B 2, indicated by dotted lines in Figures, 11,
and 12, which feet enter sockets formed for them in the stool, B 3.
Other improvements relate to parts having to do with the gripping levers for the
hauling rope at the part of the tramway where the rope deviates to the gear which
drives it. Figure, 5, is a sectional plan of a bogie with its gripping levers, C ;
Figure, 6, is a side elevation; and Figure, 7, is a sectional end elevation. The
gripping levers, C, which are centred at the lower part of the bogic are opened by
means of a sprocket wheel, D, on a shaft, D 1, having right-hand and left-hand
screw threads to act oppositely on screw nuts, D2, which act on the levers, C. The
sprocket wheel, D, which is made with few teeth engages when about to open the
levers, C, with a lower stationary rack, E, shown in plan and side elevation in
Figures, 8, and 9, and one E 1, (or it might be more) of the first teeth of this
rack is held by springs, E 2, E3, so as to yield on the first contact of the sprocket
wheel, and prevent a too violent engagement and undue straining. The tooth, E 1,
which is of an elongated inclined form is at the outer end of an arm centered on a
vertical stud, E 4, on which stud is one, E3, of the springs arranged to bear on
the arm, the other spring, E 2, controlling the turning of the arm on the stud and
bringing it back to its normal position. The arm of the tooth, E 1, works between
blocks or stops which limit the extent of its movement.
To prevent the gripping levers, C, from opening further than is necessary
stationary brakes are provided at the end of the lower or opening rack, E. These
brakes may consist of wire brushes, F, held in boxes or frames, there being one on
each side of the tramway. The one, F, shown in Figures, 8, and, 9, on the same
side as the rack, E, is encountered by the sprocket wheel, D; and the one on the
other side is encountered by a handwheel or pulley, D3, on the other end of the
shaft, D 1.
To further prevent improper turning of the sprocket wheel, D, there is
fixed on the shaft, D 1, a ratchet wheel, D 4, with which there engages a pawl
lever, D 5, having one end centered on a stud on the frame of the bogic, and fixed
to its other end a projecting bar, D 6. The pawl lever, D 5, acting on the ratchet
wheel, D4, keeps the shaft, D 1, from turning in the direction to open the levers, C,
until the bogie approaches the lower or opening rack, E, and then a stationary cam
guide bar, G, indicated by dotted lines in Figures, 9, and, 10, is encountered by the
bar, D 6, which lifts the pawl lever so as to set the ratchet wheel free. At a
point, G 1, close to the end of the opening rack, E, the guide bar, G, has its
upper edge recessed so as to allow the pawl lever, D 5, to fall into gear and stop
further turning of the sprocket-wheel shaft, D 1.
The upper or closing rack, H, which is shown in side elevation in Figure, 10,
has its first tooth, H 1, movable and controlled by springs and stops like the first
tooth, E1, of the opening rack, E. Two (or it might be more) of the last
teeth, H 2, of the closing rack, H, are upon a quadrant or piece, H 3, which is
movable, being centered on a stud, H 4, fixed to a stationary bracket, H 5. This
quadrant, H3, is more or less counterbalanced by a weight, H 6, and it is held by
a spring, H 7, indicated by dotted lines. If the gripping levers, C, become quite
closed on the hauling rope, J, (Figures, 5, 6,) before the sprocket wheel, D, is quite
clear of the closing rack, H, it will move the movable teeth, H 2, with the
quadrant, H3, out of its way whilst a definite degree of gripping action will,
through the action of the spring, H 7, and preponderating weight of the quadrant,
always be applied by the levers, C, notwithstanding inequalities in the hauling rope.
Whilst the sprocket wheel, D, is engaged with the closing rack, H, the pawl
lever, D 5, is lifted out of gear from the ratchet wheel, D4, by the cam guide
bar, G, of which the continuation is shown by dotted lines in Figure, 10, and which
has its upper edge at that part high enough to lift the pawl lever out of gear.
Near the point at which the levers, C, begin to grip the hauling rope it passes over
a small guide roller which keeps it at the proper level.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :
1. The arrangement of the waggons of my system of automatic transit apparatus in
sets of three or other convenient small number, with appliances for the simultaneous
canting of all the platforms of each such set substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. The constructing of the inclined bars for effecting the canting actions at
stations substantially as hereinbefore described so as to be easily removable and
replaceable by hand.
3. The constructing, arranging, and combining of the parts having to do with the
rope-gripping levers and their action at the part of the trainway where the rope
deviates to the gear which drives it, in the improved manner substantially as herein-
before described.
Dated this Sixteenth day of December 1891
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.