Improvements in Cable Tramways and in Apparatus Employed therefor.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1:91-Accepted, 20th June, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cable Tramways and in Apparatus Employed
therefor.
I, ALFRED DICKINSON, of Tramway Depôt, Darlaston, in the County of
Stafford, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has for its object: improvements in cable tramways and in
apparatus employed therefor: by which greater initial efficiency is obtained at a
reduced first cost and also a considerable reduction in the cost of maintainance. In
cable tramways many of the working parts such for instance as the gripper, the
pullies, the bearings, and the points are in almost continual use and are liable to
wear very rapidly and to soon deteriorate in the working parts and so become less
efficient besides the friction being increased and the consequent wear and tear upon
the cable also proportionately increased. In such tramways therefore, the efficiency
of such parts so as to obtain a maximum life accompanied with great facilities in
the construction of the frame-work, rails doors, and other parts easy of access and
renewals is of the utmost of importance. Also in the case of say right angled
curves hitherto the amount of excavations, foundations and plant required at such
curves have been enormous. My object has therefor been to make the whole of
the various members combine to minimise the first cost with increased efficiency
and endurance especially as regards the following important, leading features.
First: The particular formation and construction of the central rails.
Second: The particular formation and construction of the yoke for sustaining the
rails.
Third: The easy and effective adjustment of the pullies..
Fourth Special form of inclined pullies for curves.
Fifth The spring points and mode of operating the same.
:
Sixth The hinged hatchways their construction and particular means for
Jocking the same.
Seventh The bearings for the friction pullies.
Eighth The arrangement of bolts for securing the bearings.
Ninth The construction of sharp curves.
Tenth The construction of the gripper so as to work with a minimum amount
of elevation to the cable.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practice I have appended hereunto nine double sized sheets of drawings upon
which I have illustrated examples of the various parts herein referred to which will
serve to make the principles of construction clear so as to enable others to readily
adapt these improvements to the varying circumstances which occur in practice.
The same letters of reference refer to the same parts upon all the drawings and
it will therefore be unnecessary to refer to the various sheets after generally
enumerating the same as follows:
Sheet 1 of the drawings shews a transverse section through the roadway and
cable tunnel at a point where the section passes through the pulley and hatchway
cover. The yokes V are placed at required intervals and the tunnel X is formed
of the concrete Z and enlarged as seen at Y at intervals for the reception of the
bullies D. The yoke V is provided with the chair s' into which the bottom end
of the rail S fits and thus obviating the necessity of bolts at the bottom end. The
joke is also provided with the flange and strengthening gussett against which
he rail S is kept tight by the rod a. The ends of the rails may either be join al

page_text: 83
together by wings a¹² and nuts a¹³ or double chairs &¹ and flanges ³ may be provided
upon the yoke so that the end of each rail may rest in a chair s with the flanges ³
to support it. The end of each rail is bolted to the flanges, a wing plates in
that case being provided in front of the joint and the tie rods at instead of being at
the point where the yokes are placed are arranged intermediately with them while
two yokes placed side by side would answer in a similar way, The two flanges s³
side by side with their corresponding strengthening gussets so render it awkward to
fit the granite H at this point the paving block is therefore provided at this part
as shown at Figure 1. The yokes V are strengthened by the gussets v¹ and
flanges which enables the yokes to be formed of cast iron.
The pulley D is mounted upon the axle which revolves the lignum vita
bearings these bearings are cased in by the metal box d² being thus strengthened
and protected from dust & dirt. The lubricating chamber d is formed above the
bearings and this chamber is surmounted with the screw cap having the nut don
its head to receive a key for the purpose of turning it to press the lubricant on to
the bearings. To prevent the jarring loose of the screw stopper d' by vibration the
head is formed with a a series of notches me, one of which the spring engages. The
key may be so formed as to release this spring from the catch when the cap requires
to be turned. The pulley is supported by the stand E having the base plate e in
which are provided a number of slots circular on plan through which the pins et
pass so as to enable the pulley to be radially adjusted. The base plate el is made
to slide transversely in either direction in the plate and the plate e³ is bolted
through the concrete to the underplate e' by the nuts & bolts . The water is
drained away by the drain pipe U. To enable the pullies D to be reached with
case for attention, the hatchway as is provided and is hinged to the angle frame a¹
so that the edge of the hatchway forms the one side of the slot A and the angle
frame a' is tied by the tie rod as to the rail B which is in turn bolted to the yoke Z
by the bolt a¹¹.
On Sheet 2. a longitudinal sectional elevation of Sheet 1 is shewn. The ends of
the rails S are bolted to flanges formed on the frame a' of the hatchway a by the
bolts and the pivot pins upon which the hatchway is hung are bent or provided
with heads so as to be readily withdrawn and thus allow the hatchway lid to be
entirely removed and replaced. The lubricating chamber and top flange d² of the
pulley bearings are bolted down by the pins d' and to obviate the necessity of
gripping the head of the pin while the nut is being tightened which would require
to be done from the underside; the pin is provided, see Fig. 24, with the square
shoulder at and a square slot is formed to receive it so as to prevent it turning
with the nut. The pin is inserted in the lower gland from the sides and is
prevented from falling prior to the nut being applied by means of the bottom (10
of the cavity which is formed to support it. In this view the base of the pulley is
shewn in section so as to better illustrate the pins ef working radially in the slots e
while their heads slide transversley in the slots e" and which allows the position of
the pullies to regulate while the cable is at work so as to get the cable truly
on it.
On Sheet 3. a plan below ground of the two previous sheets is shown which will
help to make more clear the cap d to the lubricating chamber of the pulley as
also the slots e for radial adjustment and slides for transverse adjustment of
position.
On Sheet 4. a plan above ground of the three preceeding sheets is shown and
illustrated inore clearly the connection of the ends of the slot rails Sto the flange
on the frame of the hatchway a by the pins a shoulders a are formed at each
side of the hatchway with corresponding shoulders on the lid to prevent any.
possibility in case the hinges should give of the lid slipping forward and closing up
the slot. The hatchways are locked down by the pivoted bolts t and the ends of
which when locked enter slots in the frame a¹ but when unlocked" 'the bolts' project
into the slot A as seen at Figs. 44 and 4B in such a manner that the gripper in its
travel in the direction of the arrows automatically locks the hatchways when down.

page_text: The hatchway lid may be sunk and recessed to receive wood paving blocks or other
similar pavement instead of being of serrated metal.
Sheet 5. shews an enlarged section of a pulley suitable for curves and which is
provided with similar means for radial and transverse adjustment of position to
those described with regard to pulley D. The pulley M is mounted in an inclined
position and this in combination with the flanges m³ and m² form an arrangement
particularly well adapted to receive the cable the pulley is mounted to revolve upon
the spindle m³ which sits in the sleeve m this sleeve being strengthened by the
flanges m but the mode of mounting the pulley may be varied; grooves dio are
provided for conveying the lubricant to the bearing parts.
Sheet 6. shews a plan of a portion of a right angled or similar curve in which a
series of the pullies M are placed to receive the cable, the roadway being formed
above them by means of the removable iron frames K which are recessed sufficiently
to receive wood paving blocks k³ or other similar pavement. These frames find a
bearing upon the cross yokes N as will be more clearly seen by reference to Sheet 7
of the drawings on which Figure 7 shews a transverse sectional elevation and
Figure 7 a longitudinal elevation through one bay. The pullies and rails are
mounted and fixed in a similar manner to that before described but in place of the
hinged hatchway the whole of the space between the slot rails S and rails Bis
filled by the frame K which acts as a covering and forms the roadway. For atten-
tion to the pullies M a small hatchway & is provided which can readily be removed
for lubricating and other such purposes. A recess in the concrete is formed at me
to allow the pulley M to be removed and replaced. An angle iron guide Q is
secured by suitable bracket to any suitable part by countersunk screws and
receives the strain of the gripper.
On Sheet 8. Figure 8 is a longitudinal section, Figure 9 is a plan, and Figure 10
is a cross section of a slot point which does not require a supporting shoe. The
point P is pivoted at to the metal supporting heel the other end p² of the
point being extended to form an arm in the other direction at or near the extreme
end of which the lever pis pivoted at p and has its top end p bearing against the
arm of the point. The bottom end p² of the lever is flattened out and between
this and the casing 2 of the point a coiled or other spring p is placed so as to
operate the end of the lever against the point and return it to its normal position.
The top covering R is removable and retained in position by the screws 3. It will
readily be seen that by the reversal of the lever p³ and spring 8 the slot point may
be converted into either a left or right hand point as may be desired.
On Sheet 9 Figure 12 is a sectional elevation, Figure 13 is a back elevation
Figure 14 is a front elevation, and Figure 15 is a sectional plan of a gripper.
Figure 16 is a vertical longitudinal section through the bottom die, & Figure 17 is
a vertical cross section through same. The jaw is bolted to the lever by the
two pins and the jaw f3 is bolted to the side levers 2 by the pins and these
also pass through the plate f securing the whole together excepting the lever f
and jaw which slide within the former when operated, the slots 13 being formed
in the plate f to allow for the travel and the heads of the pins are countersunk.
Facings are formed on each side to bear against the curve guides. The dies fo
and are provided with the snags f12 and slots are formed in the jaws f1 and 3
to receive them and the screw pin "being tapped into the jaw enters the hole in
the snags and thereby retains the die in position, both dies being retained in
position in a similar manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion & in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
'
1st: The improvements in cable tramways and in apparatus employed therefor:
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and shewn upon the accom-
panying nine sheets of drawings.

page_text: 2nd In the improvements in cable tramways the mode of and means for radial
and latteral adjustment of the pullies: substantially as herein set forth & shewn.
3rd In improvements in cable tramways the combination of the yoke V, with
the central rails S, chairs and gussets and 8 such as herein set forth and
shewn.
4th: In the improvements in cable tramways the combination of a double yoke
with the central rail, the two bolted together with. the ties in intermediate
positions with the yokes: substantially as herein set forth & shewn.
5th In the improvements in cable tramways the pulley M mounted at an
inclination and having flanges m' and m substantially as herein set forth.
6th: In the improvements in cable tramways the mode of and means for
supporting & holding the pin in position: such as herein set forth and
illustrated.
7th In the improvements in cable tramways the casing of the lignum vitæ
bearings in combination with the adjustable lubricating device: substantially as
herein set forth and shewn.
8th: In the improvements in cable tramways, the hinged hatchway forming part
of one central rail and having the shoulders a and removable pivot pins a substan-
tially as herein set forth and shewn.
9th In the improvements in cable tramways the locking arrangements to the
hatchways substantially as herein set forth & shown.
10th: In the improvements in cable tramways the large removable frame K
filled in with suitable paving, and with small hatchway in same substantially as
herein set forth & shewn.
"
11th The combination of the yokes N, hatchway frames K, and pullies M for
forming a sharp curve: substantially as herein set forth and shewn.
12th In the improvements in cable tramways the spring slot point operated
substantially as herein set forth &, shewn.
13th In the improvements in cable tramways and in apparatus employed
therefor, the grip arrangement in combination with the means and mode of securing
the dies in the same: substantially as herein set forth & shewn.
Dated this 13th day of May 1891.
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.