railways.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 10th June, 1887.
[Communicated from abroad by ToM LOFTIN JOHNSON, of Cleveland, Ohio, United
States of America, Manufacturer.]
railways.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
The object of this invention is to overcome certain difficulties which practice has
shown to exist in the use of traction-discs or sprocket-wheels and double cables as
heretofore constructed, for the propulsion of cable railway cars.
The invention consists partly in a specially constructed traction disc or sprocket
wheel and double cable and appurtenances therefor as hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the sprocket wheel or traction disc, and its
operative mechanism, showing all axles, cross-shafts and the double cable in vertical
section.
Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section through Figure 1 at the line A, A.
Figure 3 is a plan of the parts shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4, is an enlarged side view of one half of the compound sprocket-wheel
detached, showing two of its sprockets engaged by the cross-stops (shown in cross-
section) of the cable.
Figure 5 is a side view, enlarged, of the compound sproket-wheel detached, showing
but one of its sprockets engaged by the cross-stops of the cable.
Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional plan of the compound sprocket wheel taken at the
line x, x of Figure 5.
1
The results attained by this invention, and its mode of operation, hereinafter more
particularly set forth, may be better understood by first considering the following brief
statement of the difficulties heretofore encountered and above alluded to.

page_text: First In all cable railways, the cable is free to swing up and down or to sag
between its carrying pulleys as fixed points, and the frame carrying the erection disc
(where such discs, instead of grips, are used) is also made movable vertically. It is a
well known fact, in the running of gearing such as that of a rack and pinion, that
when a heavy load is applied there is a tendency in the pinion to jump out of gear and
leave the rack unless the pinion shaft and rack are rigidly held in place, and this
principle is found to exist between the sprocket-wheels and traction cables of cable
railways. When a heavy load is placed on a car, or when the car is on a steep
up-grade, or if the car wheels be braked, or chocked, after a certain amount of power
is applied, there is a tendency in the cable to be depressed from the teeth of the
sprocket-wheel, rather than to move the load in proper line of traction, or a like
tendency in the sprocket-wheel to rise vertically out of contact with the cable. This
same tendency in wheel and cable to separate is also present when first starting the car,
due to its inertia, which of course is greater, the greater its load. This tendency is
obviously a serious objection to the use of a sprocket-wheel, unless such tendency in
wheel and cable to separate can be successfully overcome.
Second Where the sprocket-wheel and cable are used as heretofore, the weight not
only of the cable but also the weights of said wheel (through the medium of said cable)
its frame and appurtenances, rest upon the carrying pulleys. The cable too, hanging
in a series of curves between said pulleys, compels the sprocket-wheel or traction-disc
to follow its undulatory path and mount over the crests of such wavy path formed by
the fixed positions of the carrying pulleys. In thus mounting over said pulleys a
blow or jar is transmitted by the traction disc through the cable to each successive
pulley passed over, and to their supports or hangers. These objectionable features,
heretofore unavoidable, necessitate stronger pulleys and hangers and add much to the
cost of construction as a consequence.
But by my invention all of these objectionable tendencies have been obviated by the firm
hold and support of the cable stops taken by the sprockets or teeth, so that in practice any
load regardless of its inertia, can be started without difficulty or danger of disen-
gagement of wheel and cable, and the jar between the cable-stops and sprockets
prevented.
The carrying-pulleys are also by this arrangement relieved of the weight and jar or
blows of the wheel and its appurtenances, as well as of much of the weight of the
cable itself.
These desiderata are accomplished in the following manner. In order that the
traction disc or wheel shall properly engage the cable and thus propel the car, when
clamped so as to be incapable of revolution by the travelling cable, said disc or wheel
is not only provided with sprockets, but such sprockets are given a rearward bend, or
set so that the travelling cable will run up or mount such teeth and thus be practically
picked up and carried by said teeth-The wheel moreover is double or composite, that
is, it consists of two or more dentated wheels mounted on a common centre and
provided each with similar teeth, each side-tooth being inwardly off set to enter the
slot-way for the cable and centrally engage the cable-stops. The double cable
carrying said stops is also made, each cable, of wires having an opposite lay, that is,
the wires composing one cable are given a lay to the right, the wires in the other cable
a lay to the left, so that all tendency in the double cable to twist or kink, is obviated,
the lay of one cable neutralizing the lay of the other, as each tends to impart an
opposite twist to the whole.
°
Each of the individual cables forming the double cable, may be spun or laid up by
any approved method of manufacture, but it will be of advantage to make the several
strands, composing each individual cable, of single wires of about one quarter inch
diameter that is solid strands, instead of built up strands of fine wires. The completed
cable as a whole is thus rendered more durable, sufficiently elastic and less liable to
injury by abrasion, and if desired the necessary helical twist may be imparted to the
individual solid strands before being spun or laid up into a cable.
With this explanation the parts in detail as illustrated in the several Figures of the

page_text: accompanying drawings will now be described, and the mode of operation in general
and detail set forth.
In said Figures the number 1 indicates the car-wheels, 2 their axles, 3 the sprocket
wheel or traction disc, composed of the two parts a, b, secured to a common shaft 4.
Said shaft is journalled in a frame 5 mounted on shaft 6, so as to both slide laterally
and turn thereon as a centre vertically, said shaft 6, being secured fast in hangers 7
depending from side bars 8, carried by the main axles 2 and tied together by the rods r.
The end of the frame 5, opposite the shaft 6, is supported by its jaws or hooks 9,
resting on the rod 10, so as to slide laterally thereon, secured in hangers 11 depending
from the side bars 8. The double cable is indicated by the number 12, composed of
the two cables €, connected by the cross stops 13. Said cable runs on pulleys (not
shown) in the cable-way between the slot rails 14 supported and clamped in chairs or
seats 15 secured to the cross ties 16, like ordinary rail-chairs or otherwise as may be
desired. The car-wheels 1. 1. run on the track rails 17 secured in chair 18, spikes or
otherwise fastened, to the cross ties 16.
. One of the bosses of the frame 5 through the eye of which bosses the shaft 6 passes,
is provided with an arm 18 articulated to and leading from which is.the rod 20 which
terminates in any suitable land-lever (not shown) by moving which lever over a
suitable radius bar, the arm 19, may be rocked and thus lifts the sprocket-wheel 3 up,
clear of the cable slot (the hooks 9 resting upon the shaft 10) and the wheel rising by
reason of its carrying frame 5, rotating upon the shaft 6, as a fixed centre. Each
outer half or disc of the sprocket-wheel 3 is provided with a boss or drum e, e having
any suitable friction-surface such as wood or other friction-material; said drums are
spanned by brake-straps g, preferably of metal sufficiently flexible for the purpose.
Said straps may be provided with friction surfaces of wood or other suitable material
instead of the circumferences of the drums e, e. The lower ends of said friction straps
are secured to studs k, k fast in bosses m, in the sides of the frame .5, 5. The upper
ends of said friction-straps are jointed each to a link n, n which at its other end is
jointed to the end of a beam 21, jointed at its centre to an excentric strap 22 spanning
an excentric 23, loosely mounted on the shaft 6, and operated by the arm 24 and
rod 25, by any suitably attached hand lever (not shown). It is evident that by
turning said excentric arm 24 as above indicated, said friction-brake straps will be
tightened or loosened at pleasure and thus simultaneously clamp or release each
part a. b of the traction disc 3..
The said parts or individual discs a, b, have each similar shaped teeth or sprockets 8, s,
inclined rearward, as shown in side-view, and offset inwardly as shown in Figure 6.
Said individual discs are normaly held with their teeth s, s, in a nearly uniform or
regular pitch by a pin p, fast in one part b, but projecting through the side of the other
part a, in a slot therein, between a pair of spring-boxes y, y, on the part a, and
provided with rubber, or other springs u, u. The springs u, u, allow said pin p to be
centered with some play between them, and thus the teeth s, s, are held in practically
uniform pitch, until said teeth are radially displaced, as will.now be described.
The shape of the pin p, is indicated, in plan, in Figure 6, by the dotted lines p', and
the outer dotted lines p², corresponding to the full lines, similarly lettered in elevation
in Figure 4, said sides of the pin thus forming radial lines, which if prolonged would
meet in the centre of the wheel.
The letter indicates the dotted lines, showing the square head of the pin p,
rivetted in the disc or wheel b. The slot in the disc a, wherein the pin p is permitted
to travel is bounded by the lines indicated by the letters s¹, s². Said slot is shown in
full lines in Figure 4, and in partly full and partly dotted lines in Figure 5.
A compensating pitch is necessary to allow the hooked-shaped-teeth to enter
between the cable-stops without striking a stop, which would otherwise happen owing
to the fact that each tooth is so hooked. The practical working of this arrangement,
therefore, is that the outgoing teeth are wide apart, and the incoming teeth
correspondingly close together. This action is caused by the friction-brakes retarding
the revolution of each disc or wheel as soon as the point of a tooth is left by an outgoing
stop.

page_text: Hence the traction disc or wheel, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is
made of two or more dentated discs or wheels placed side by side, each movable on a
central shaft in common, by which means a changeable, adjustable, or compensating
pitch of teeth is secured. Said teeth being hooked or curved in two directions, both
radially rearward and laterally, will securely engage and pick up the cable under its
stops, when the several discs composing the complete traction disc, are locked or
retarded by the friction brakes shown, said disc being held from descending below a
certain plane, but permitted to rise as hereinbefore explained. Thus the strongest
tension or pull, may be exerted upon the car by the cable, without any tendency in the
curved teeth to clip off or leave the stops of the cable or for the cable to slide or slip
off the teeth, while at the same time much of the weight of the cable is thus carried
suspended by the car supported upon the rails of the track. The carrying pulleys are
thus relieved of much of such weight, as well as from the weight and jar of the
traction disc and its frame, when said disc passes over them, and said disc is carried
along in a plane instead of in an undulating path, as heretofore explained it would
otherwise necessarily travel.
It will be observed that, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, but one tooth and stop are
engaged in one Figure and two teeth and stops in the other Figure. Thus by the
arrangement shown there is always engagement of one tooth and stop and not more
than two of such engaged. The teeth in the two discs forming the sprocket-wheel
are limited in play past each other by the compression of the springs acted on by the
pin p, or by the edges of the boxes or guides within which said springs are secured.
All lost motion and jar between stops and teeth are prevented, and great smoothness of
movement and efficiency of operation of all parts of the mechanism are thus obtained.
Lateral motion of the sprocket-wheel is permitted in rounding curves, or in changing
the direction of the slot-rails by the whole frame 5, sliding automatically upon the
shaft 6, and rod 10. Said frame may also be slid laterally by a hand-lever (not shown)
suitably placed and jointed to the rod 26, which at its opposite end is connected by a
link 27, and eye-bolt and pin 28 to one side of the frame 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign.
correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. A compound dentated traction-wheel for cable-railway-cars, consisting of two
or more discs or wheels adapted to independently rotate and having teeth or spurs
peripherally disposed thereon and rearwardly inclined, so that the cable may run up
thereupon, whereby the weight of the cable may be partially taken from its carrying-
pulleys and the cable carried, when so held by said disc, in a plane parallel to the
plane or planes passing through the centres of the successive carrying pulleys,
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Second. A compound rotary traction-wheel for cable railway cars consisting of
two or more dentated wheels, each outer wheel offset laterally, for engaging a travelling
cable, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Third. A compound traction-disc or wheel for cable railway cars, consisting of two
or more independently rotary parts a, b, each provided with curved teeth or spurs,
ass, s, for engaging a traction-cable, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fourth. In combination with a double-traction wire-cable, consisting of two single
cables provided with cross-stops, a compound traction-disc or wheel, consisting of two
or more dentated discs or wheels free to rotate on a central shaft independently of
each other, whereby said cable and traction wheel are caused to run true to each
other and a compensating pitch secured between the teeth of said disc and the stops
of said cable, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fifth. In combination with a traction-cable for cable-railways, provided with
driving-stops, a compound rotary traction-disc or wheel, constructed or two or more
dentated discs or wheels, each of which are provided with friction brakes for locking
or clamping said parts and with an adjusting lever therefor, whereby when the teeth
on said wheels are brought into engagement with said cable-stops and said wheels

page_text: clamped, the requisite pitch or variation in pitch, of said teeth and cable stops is
automatically established by the travel of the cable, substantially as, and for the
purposes, set forth.
Sixth. In combination with the car-wheel-axles of a cable railway car, a frame
as 8, secured to said axles, substantially as described, and an oscillating frame for
supporting a rotary traction disc, for connecting the car and cable, substantially as,
and for the purposes, set forth.
Seventh. A compound rotary disc for a railway-traction-cable, consisting of two or
more independently rotary discs as a, b, connected by a stop-pin and springs on the
sides of said discs, whereby a limit of motion past each other is provided for said
discs, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Eighth. In a cable-car-mechanism, a traction-disc, or sprocket-wheel, mounted in
an oscillating and laterally-sliding frame as 5, pivotted at one end on a horizontal
shaft and resting upon a horizontal rod, at its other end, on jaws or hooks, whereby
said frame is adapted to raise said wheel vertically and slide the same horizontally,
substantially, as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Ninth. In a cable-car-mechanism, a traction-disc, or sprocket-wheel mounted in an
oscillating frame as 5, pivotted at one end on a horizontal shaft and resting upon a
horizontal rod at its other end on jaws or hooks, whereby a limit is fixed to the
depression of said wheel, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Tenth. A compound rotary disc for a railway-traction-cable, consisting of two or
more independently rotary discs as a, b, each provided with friction-brake-straps
as g, g, for clamping said discs, in combination with rods as n,'n, a double ended lever
as 21, and an excentric strap as 22, and excentric as 23 operated by an arm as 7,
whereby said brake-straps are simultaneously tightened or loosened at will,
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Eleventh. The combination of two single cables united by cross-stops secured
through the strands of each cable said strands being laid up in one cable with a
right-hand-lay and in the other cable with a left-hand-lay, whereby said opposite
lays are caused to neutralize the effect of each other in tending to twist the cable
in opposite directions and the same is thereby completed and preserved free from
kinks and twists in the direction of either lay, substantially as, and for the purposes,
set forth.