Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Nov., 1886.
Complete Left, 27th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 11th Oct., 1887.
RESER
I. WILLIAM SHAPTON of 8 Great George Street in the City of Westminster,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The
This invention has for its object improvements in rope traction on railways.
I divide the line into a series of comparatively short sections and in each section I
provide an endless rope and a hydraulic engine giving motion to the rope.
carriage or train is clipped to the rope and is drawn towards the hydraulic engine.
The several hydraulic engines, and it may also be hydraulic lifts and other
mechanism at the stations are supplied from a pressure main into which water
is forced by a steam engine and pumps.
I will describe my arrangements more in detail:-
Instead of employing a driving cable extending over a great length, serving
many stations and driving it continuously, the carriages being put in motion at the
stations by grasping the running rope, which produces excessive wear and tear and
has other disadvantages, I use short sections of comparatively light rope of sufficient
strength to drive one train-reaching from station to station, each section being quite
independent and driven by a separate hydraulic engine.
When the train is clipped to the rope and ready to start, a signal is passed
on to the next station where the driver starts the hydraulic engine.
When the train arrives at a point near the station the driver is made aware of its
position by an automatic signal and then stops the engine, the conductor being
at liberty to disengage from the rope when he chooses and to bring the train to rest
by the brakes. The engine is geared directly to the driving wheel by means
of a clutch with bevel teeth so that when the engine is stopped the driving rope and
its pulleys are free to run until the train is brought to rest. This is repeated from
station to station. The line can be extended by simply adding on additional
sections.
This system obviates the necessity of block signalling as two trains cannot be
on the same section at the same time.

page_text: The engine being at the advance station draws the load towards it, the lower
or return length of rope which has a tendency to run slack is kept taut by means of
usual tightening apparatus.
The arrangement described is more economical than driving the engines with an
accumulator which gives a constant pressure.
As often hydraulic power would in any case have to be laid at each station
for working lifts the same plant and pipes will suffice, and the necessity for an
independent and second installation is avoided.
Dated this 30th day of November 1886.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rope Traction on Railways.
I, WILLIAM SHAPTON of 8 Great George Street in the City of Westminster Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is 1
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention has for its object improvements in rope traction on railways.
1 divide the line into a series of comparatively short sections and in each section 1
provide an endless rope and a hydraulic engine giving motion to the rope. The 2
carriage or train is clipped to the rope and is drawn towards the hydraulic engine.
The several hydraulic engines, and it may also be hydraulic lifts and other
mechanism at the stations are supplied from a pressure main into which water
is forced by a steam engine and pumps.
I will describe my arrangements more in detail:-
2
Instead of employing a driving cable extending over a great length, serving
many stations and driving it continuously, the carriages being put in motion
at the stations by grasping the running rope, which produces excessive wear and tear
and has other disadvantages, I use short sections of comparatively light rope
of sufficient strength to drive one train-reaching from station to station, each section a
being quite independent and driven by a separate hydraulic engine.
When the train is clipped to the rope and ready to start, a signal is passed
on to the next station where the driver starts the hydraulic engine.
When the train arrives at a point near the station the driver is made aware of
its position by an automatic signal and then stops the engine, the conductor being a

page_text: at liberty to disengage from the rope when he chooses and to bring the train to rest
by the brakes. The engine is geared directly to the driving wheel by means of a
clutch with bevel teeth so that when the engine is stopped the driving rope and its
pulleys are free to run until the train is brought to rest. This is repeated from station
to station. The line can be extended by simply adding on additional sections.
If desired the train itself on approaching the station may actuate automatic gear
and so stop the hydraulic engine.
This system obviates the necessity of block signalling as two trains cannot be
on the same section at the same time.
The engine being at the advance station draws the load towards it.
The arrangement described is more economical than driving the engines with
an accumulator which gives a constant pressure but accumulators may be employed.
As often hydraulic power would in any case have to be laid at each station for
working lifts the same plant and pipes will suffice, and the necessity for an
independent and second installation is avoided.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
B is a terminal station.
c is the hydraulic engine and winding drum at the intermediate station A by which
the car or train is drawn to this intermediate station from a station further to
the right. c is a portion of the endless rope which serves for this purpose.
d is the hydraulic engine and winding drum at the terminal station B by which the
car or train is next drawn from the intermediate station A to the terminal station.
is the endless rope which serves for this purpose.
e is the hydraulic engine and winding drum at the intermediate station A which
takes the car or train back from the terminal station B to the intermediate station.
e is the endless rope which serves for this purpose.
is a part of the endless rope which afterwards takes the car or train away
to a station further to the right.
The car or train on first arriving at the station A is disengaged from the rope c¹;
brought to rest and then attached to the rope d' which takes it on to the terminal B.
On the car or train arriving at the station B it is disengaged from the rope c';
brought to rest and then attached to the rope e' which takes it back to A. Here the
car or train is transferred from the rope e to the rope and so the car or train
progresses along the line.
Figures 3 and 4 show how at the crossing the ropes drop through gaps in the rails
so that the car or train can run over the ropes which it has to pass.
If preferred a traverser may be provided at the terminal station to transfer
the car or train from one side to the other; in which case it will not be
necessary to cross over the ropes; Or again on entering the terminal station
the car or train may be allowed to overrun the rope which brings it into the station
and be stopped upon a rising incline which it will descend by gravity when permitted
to do so to bring it into position to be secured to the return rope.
Figure 5 shows an hydraulic clutch which is provided for each hydraulic engine to
connect it with its winding drum. When the water is turned on to start the
hydraulic engine it also enters the cylinder of the hydraulic clutch and causes
the clutch to engage.
When the supply to the hydraulic engine is stopped the water
is allowed to escape from the cylinder of the clutch and a weight draws the clutch out
of gear.

page_text: The ropes are supported along the line of railway by pulleys as is usual on railways
on which rope traction is employed.
Each pumping engine is supplied with a governor and as the desired speed is
attained the governor lessens the supply of steam preferably the engine is made
to work more expansively and in this way a reduction of pressure in the water main
is brought about, so that the hydraulic engine does not work under a constant
pressure, but under such pressure as may be necessary to cause it rapidly to attain
and then to maintain the desired speed.
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. A rope traction railway substantially as described in which the car or train
is drawn by a winding rope and hydraulic engine driving the same, and in which
such hydraulic engine is supplied direct by pumps worked by a steam engine
as herein set forth.
2. A rope traction railway substantially as described which is divided into sections
each furnished with a winding rope and hydraulic engine driving the same, and in
which the car or train is drawn by the rope on one section into position to lay hold
of the rope on the next station and so on as herein set forth.
3. My improved rope traction railway as herein set forth.