IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC OR OTHER RAILWAYS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, THEOPHILUS P. CHANDLER Jr., of the City and County of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Architect, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC OR OTHER RAILWAYS," and in what manner the same.
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
.
My invention has reference to milways, in general, but more particularly to
those employing electricity as the motive power; and consists in certain improve-
ments fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying
drawings which form part thereof.
The object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap and durable con-
struction adapted to railway purposes, especially for the conveyance of the mails
and small meerchandise in large cities or between cities.
In the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved railway, and its electric motor.
Fig. 2 is a cross sectional elevation of saine on line xx of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the railway showing how a large number of
tracks are arranged one above the other, and
Fig.4 is a side elevation of a inodified form of car or motor.
A is the lower rail upon which the motor and car runs, and may be made of
metal bars or of wire rope as shown and is supported at intervals by brackets C¹
which are secured to upright posts B. When wire rope is used, to prevent a sharp
curve at the point of support I provide the long tapered trough shaped supports C
which are secured to the brackets C' and to which the wire rope is secured. A¹ is
the guide rail and may be made similar to rail A in all material respects.
When used as an electric railway the positive current from the electric generator
or dynamo electric machine T is convered by wire t¹ to the rail or wire rope A and
the negative current by wire t to rail or wire rope A' as shown.
The motor D is constructed as follows: E is the large drive wheel and has a
grooved flange which runs upon the rail A. E' is the wheel shaft and is journalled
in the frame F, and its outer end is provided with a large bevel gear N with which
meshes the pinion secured on the end of the armature shaft of the electric
motor M which is secured to and is carried by said frame F.
To prevent the wheel E from leaving the rail A place below the same two
small grooved wheels G G which are secured to the frame F by a spring H. This
"
D

page_text: arrangement, while it prevents the wheel E from jumping the track also increases
the traction of anid wheel upon the rail and enables it to pull heavy loads
The positive current is conveyed from the rail A through wheels E and a to
frame F and from said frame to the motor M by a wiro S.
To prevent the motor D as an entirety falling over to one side I provide the
throo wheels I II' to run upon the guide rail A', and said wheels I are secured to
the frame F by spring J, and wheel I' by spring K, so that when running over any
obstruction, enlargement as at joints or the supports the said wheels 1 I inay
separate from wheel I'. This same effect takes place with the wheels E and G Ó
on the lower rail A. The frame is insulated from frame F, but is carried
thereby, and the negative current passesfrom rail A' through wheels I I', frame I,
and wire R to the motor M.
It is evident that two sets of wheels might be coupled together to form a car
if desired.
While I have shown the rail A above the wheel E, it is evident that it might be
much lower, as at one side, or below it as shown in Fig. 4 but I prefer to place it
above as an increased loverage is obtained which insures its more ready guidance,
and again the arrangement of the driving wheel E between the rails A A¹ facilitates
switching from one track to another.
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-
1st. The rails A. A' made of wire rope and supported at different levels above
the ground in combination with n electric generator, wires connecting the positive
and negative currents of said generator with said rails respectively, and an electric
car or motor arranged to ruu upon said rails and receive its electric current
therefrom, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2ud. The rails A A' made of wire rope and supported at different levels above
the ground in combination with the long metal supports C tapered at each end to
which wire ropes aro secured and a car or motor provided with supporting and
guide wheels arranged to run upon said rails, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
3rd. The combination of rails A.A' and car D consisting of wheel' E, frame F F,
wheels O, I and I', substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4th. The combination of rails A A and car 1) consisting of wheel E, frame F F¹
wheels 0, 1 and 1' and springs H J and K, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
5th. The combination of electric conducting rails & A and car D consisting of
wheel E, frame F F wheels G, I, and I', electric motor M and gearing connecting
said motor with said wheel E, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 10th day of September 1884.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.