CONSTRUCTING IMITATIONS OF SNOW SLOPES OR 'MONTAGNES RUSSES,' AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR MOVING VEHICLES THEREON
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Hodgson at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th May
1875.
I, CHARLES HODGSON, of Clement's Lane, in the City of London, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CONSTRUCTING
IMITATIONS OF SNOW SLOPES OR 'MONTAGNES RUSSES,' AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR
MOVING VEHICLES THEREON," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the construction of inclined planes of
asphalt, timber, metal rails or plates, or other suitable material, so as to
provide artificial slides in imitation of the snow slides on which dwellers
in northern countries are in the habit of taking recreation.
The Invention consists in forming two similar or approximately
similar inclines facing each other, down one of which sledges or wheel
or roller carriages may be caused to slide or run, and by their momentum
ascend a portion of the opposite incline.
:
The Invention further consists in applying near the upper part of
each incline an endless rope, chain, or pitch chain driven by manual or
other power, on to which moving rope or chain the sledges or carriages

page_text: may easily be attached, so as to cause them to ascend the remaining
portion of the upward incline, which may be straight, curved, or of
spiral form.
Further the Invention consists in so constructing the sledges or
carriages that they shall not run back when their momentum is
expended, that they shall run or be guided in the necessary direction,
and that the attachment to the above described ropes or chains shall be
easily effected.
And lastly, the Invention consists in so constructing the upper
portions of each inclined plane that they can be raised or lowered at
pleasure, so as to maintain the end of the incline towards which the
sledge or carriage is running at a low level till the arrival of said sledge
or carriage, and then raise it so as to give the required inclination for
starting it on a return journey, thus obviating the necessity of providing
ropes or chains to haul the sledge or carriage to the upper end of the
incline.
In carrying out my Invention as above described, I construct two
inclined planes facing each other, the surfaces of which may be formed
of asphalte, concrete, or cement, or they may be laid as a railway on
timber with smooth surfaced rails or plates for the vehicles to slide or
roll upon, and I provide a suitable sledge or carriage with runners or
wheels on which to travel..
In the case of smooth plains of asphalte, I provide wood or iron sides
or slips extending the whole length of the two planes, and so placed as
to confine or guide the vehicle.
In the case of using rails or plates I provide the runners of the sledge
with flanges to guide them on the rails, or in the case of wheel carriages
I provide the wheels with flanges in the ordinary way:
In order to attach the carriages readily to the means of hauling
provided at each end of the inclines I prefer to employ for hauling
either an endless wide pitch chain or an endless wire rope placed
beneath the centre of the carriage and extending down a portion of each
incline.
In the first case I provide a latch depending from the bottom of the
carriage, which shall catch upon the bars of the pitch chain, and so
attach the carriage to it automatically.

page_text: In the second case I provide an arrangement similar to a pair of
smith's tongs, either fixed to the carriage or free for use in the hand, by
means of which one of those in the carriage may seize hold of the rope
as the carriage comes over it. Otherwise I would provide running ropes
at one or both sides of the slide at a convenient height for the passengers
in the carriage to catch hold of and so haul themselves up.
Or lastly, I simply place fixed ropes or hand rails at the sides by
which the passengers may haul themselves up.
For the purpose of preventing the vehicle from running back if it has
not reached the chains or other hauling arrangement, I attach to it one
or more cams of india-rubber or other suitable material to trail on the
surface of the plane or rail, but so formed that if a reverse motion
commence the vehicle will ride up on the cam or cams, which from their
greater adhesion will prevent motion.
As an alternative for the various methods of mounting the end of the
inclines above described I propose to make the upper portion of each
plane hinge on to the lower portion, so that on the approach of the
vehicle this hinged portion can be lowered to a level, thus practically
reducing the height to which the carriage is required to mount before
parting with its momentum.
At each end I provide any suitable mechanical arrangement for raising