Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 22nd Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 25th Oct., 1887
ROBERT COOKE SAYER 3 Summer Hill Villas, Maindee Newport, Monmouthshire
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The
Where the streets are narrow it is intended to have light girders reaching from
house to house across the street, but where available to fix columns in a line with the
present lamp posts (or trees where grown) each pair being opposite one another and
connected by light girders at a high level to clear the Cars and at the least allow a head-
way equal to that specified by Act of Parliament for Railway "Over Bridges."
columns are sunk in the ground within a casing of concrete, and the girders carry
pairs of vertical wheels grooved and where the street is approximately straight the
several pairs are fixed in a line at the ends of the straight portions pairs of horizontal
flanged wheels are fixed which shall connect them.
:
The pairs of wheels carry a continuous wire rope running each way and forming a
circuit composed of pieces of straight (taken as an average of the curvature of the
street) being deflected at the angles where the horizontal wheels are, or where more
suitable the wheels are to be curved parallel with the Tramway at the one end of
the Tramway the rope passes round a grooved wheel, and at the other round a clip
drum (which is set in motion by an engine) and a grooved wheel which is to be
supported on proper guide slides with a second rope properly attached at its ends to
the axle of the wheel and passing over pulleys forms a vertical loop hanging in a
well to which is suspended a weight sufficient to keep the whole circuit of rope in
tension.
2
The connection between the Cars and the rope is by means of a special "grip
fixed on a hinge so as to work laterally and allow for the difference between the straight
portions of the rope and the slight curvature of the line of Tramway and is formed
so as to be turned round in the case of a single line and act for "up" and "down"
traffic, in the one case passing between the wheels and in the other outside the upper
portion of it is screwed into a strong socket above the hinge, on
the top
it is bent
over in the form of a hook and carries the upper rigid part of the "grip" while just
below slides the lower part of the "grip" which is raised or lowered by turning a
horizontal wheel handle that is threaded on the inside and travels up and down the

page_text: :
22
main bar it is strutted on either side from a loose collar fixed round the latter, the
lower ends of the struts being hinged similarly to the main upright: the "
grip
proper is of considerable length and hinged (both upper and lower parts) to give
laterally at the angle horizontal wheels: the height is to be adjusted so as to raise
the rope at the wheels for the "grip" to pass but not sufficient to raise it above the
higher flange of the wheels.
The passing places on single lines are dealt with in a similar manner to other
curves.
22
The "grips are to be connected to the underframe of the Cars by a strong iron
frame passing round the Car longitudinally, the part on top having branches which
pass down the door jambs and strutted cach side at either end.
In the case of heavy gradients and short wheel base, small wheels are fixed each
side at either extreme end to take the leverage.
In the case of squares and very wide spaces the columns are to be fixed as close to
the Cars as possible.
At undulating ground the rope is to pass sometimes over and sometimes under the
vertical wheels.
Dated this 22nd day of January 1887.

page_text: Improvements in Cable Tramways.
ROBERT COOKE SAYER 11 Clyde Road, Redland, Bristol, late of 3 Summer Hill
Villas, Maindee, Newport, Monmouthshire Civil Engineer, 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:-
Where the Streets are narrow it is intended to have light girders reaching across
from house to house, but where sufficiently wide, to fix columns in a line with the
present lamp posts (or trees where grown) each pair being connected by light girders:
sce Sheet 1 Fig. 2 where a and a show the verticals or columns and the girder, the
drawing shows them in one in the form of a rolled joist. a are carried down into
the ground fitted into a shoe socket c and surrounded with concrete to make it firm:
the plate d is rivetted to a flange and increases its surface and gives the lateral
stiffness required, bis bent to the form given and is trussed by the rod E (each side)
for the same purpose, E is supported in the centre by the struts f: bin all cases
carries the horizontal wheels G upon which the endless rope runs, except where the
roadways are so wide that it is more advisable to carry the ropes and wheels by means
of columns and cantilevers each side of them, with a line of way each side. See
Fig. 1 which gives a sketch plan (for compactness) and shows its adaptation for a
single line of way with "turnouts," where H is the endless rope running each way
that passes round and is carried upon the flanges of the wheels G: where the course
of the tramway is straight H is carried each side of a single wheel as at G² with
occasionally two wheels at G³ and G placed closer together with the rope passing
inside them, so that any tendency for the rope to slip off the flanges may be counter-
acted upon curves H is carried on the same side of each of the pairs G as at G³:
at "turn outs" the course of H is shown from H³ to H³ diverging and contracting
again at the end it passes round the large drum G and returns, the course being
shown by the arrows: at the driving end it passes over vertical wheels J (shown in
detail at Fig. 4) below the drum K above and over J round the clip drum L which
is driven by an Engine as usual and back over and under J and K and J to the
road, J and J are on one axle and also K and K², the axle K and K² also carry a
pair of links to which is suspended the weights M for taking up the slack from
expansion and wear &c.: M is suspended over the pit N and the girders and masonry
supporting the framework carrying the drums is arranged so that K and K may pass
them and enter the pit where desirable. At Fig. 1 the arrow heads show the direction
of the thrust of the rope against the wheels G, where it will be seen that except upon
curves as shown between H and H there is either no thrust or where there is there
is another that counteracts it and thus the strains upon the uprights & Fig. 2 are
nearly eliminated. See Sheet 2 where at Figs. 3 and 4 the pair and single wheels
are shown supported by the light joists intended for straight portions: the rope a is

page_text: carried by the wheels G that are supported by spindles pendant from the bars H: the
ends of H have enlargements J upon which they are carried within the spring cases K
and the springs L act against J. K are carried by the girders 6 H has attached by
the horns H2 a guide M, somewhat similar to those at M. shown in plan Fig. 2 and in
each case these pass close beneath G and are connected to the spindles by the plate N
Fig. 1 (in section). Figs. 1 and 2 show in elevation and plan respectively the wheels
and guides &c. as attached upon the girders b where curves occur and similar parts
are lettered the same as Figs. 3 and 4: the guides M. are horizontal from M to M²
where they are bent up over G and strutted to H as shown at H³ Fig. 1 Sheet 1
where the wheels are a considerable distance apart they are carried by two bars H.
The mode of connecting the Cars to the rope is by means of the grips shown
generally at Fig. 1 Sheet 3 where a is the rope, c are the struts connecting it with
the framework ad that passes along the top of the Car down the sides of the door
jams each end and below being strutted securely together is shown in detail at
Fig. 2 and 3 in side and end sectional elevations where a is the rope the grip that
embraces it at the sides with the jaws and 2, these are formed at (bb) as shown in
sectional plan at Fig. 9 and 6 and bare double hinged at 63 upon the head of the
bolt E and have long arms 64 and 6 the former has a rod 67 hinged to it at 6, this is
threaded the other end and carries a lever 8 to work upon it: the latter (65) is slotted
up and formed as shown so that may pass up into the slot, and the two arms are
drawn together by revolving and tightening band 62 upon a thus E and also the
whole grip work freely horizontally and vertically E within the collar sockets and G
and rests upon the former: f and G are bolted to vertical portions of the diagonals c
as shown, these are connected by H and c hinge at c².
:
"
"
Thus the Car is attached to the rope by raising into the slot of b³ and screwing it
tight, and as it traverses the road and approaches the wheels G Fig. 1 Sheet 1 (bb)
Fig. 2 Sheet 3 takes against the guides M Sheet 2 and the springs L and also the
pliability of the rope giving allows the grip to draw out the rope sufficiently to pass
on either side of the wheels as the case may be, and is drawn back again by the
tension of rope and springs upon undulating ground when the rope is working
against the upper flange this flange is enlarged as shown dotted Fig. 4 Sheet 2 so that
the rope does not pass beyond it. When passing round curves and over turn outs
&c. the wheels G are so placed with respect to the permanent way that the ropes take
an average line and the grip is drawn over laterally and raised vertically and allows
for any differences both for curvature and undulations of the ground within the
prescribed limits. When the Car has to be detached from one and attached to the
other part of the rope opposite to reverse its motion, after slackening, the grip 8,
Fig. 3 Sheet 3, falls when either jaw is lowered clear of a by raising its lower arm,
and when it is tilted over on the hinges c that arm is lowered and the other raised so
as to clear the other part of the rope and grasp it.
To prevent the Car dipping upon heavy gradients the pair of wheels J shown at
each end at Fig. 1 Sheet 3 and in detail at Figs. 4 and 5 in front and side elevation:
J are fixed upon the axle K and have one central bearing L: the horn plates d are
prolongations of the frame work: it has a central bolt M with a spring N adjust-
able by the nut O so that as either end of the Car dips N gives, and upon curves L
traverses K.
:
The brake adopted for the heavy gradients is shown generally at Figs. 1 and 6 and
in detail at Figs. 7 and 8 where P are the wheels, Q are the steel or iron brake straps
that are held in position by means of the spring steel strap R and the connecting
link R2 S is a transverse rod upon which the levers are fixed S2 and S3 work the
compression links T shown in detail at Fig. 8: S work the tension rods T2: S' is
worked by the lever handles U on the top of the Car being connected by the rod U2
that passes through the tube U³: S2, S3, S4 and S are pairs of straps kept in position
by rings chilled upon S and outer nuts, they carry at each end small blocks T
threaded (Fig. 8) that have short bolts with nuts, through which the ends of T and T2
screw and are adjustable, so that as U is turned T are thrust against all the wheels

page_text: on the one side and T are pulled against all on the other side, R and R² giving as
required upon reversing U the levers releave the sides while R raises it "(Q)
from the top.
:
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 general arrangement for hauling Cars by means of a rope always in motion
above them, and the means adopted for counteracting the side thrust upon the supporting
columns, substantially as described.
2nd. The means of supporting the rope upon the flanges of wheels whereby it is
kept in position upon straight and curved portions, and when the course is level or
undulating, and carrying the wheels upon girders and columns over the centre of the
roadway, or columns and cantilevers at the sides of them, or attached to masonry or
other work when in tunnels or under bridges substantially as described.
3rd. The grip for connecting the Cars and rope whereby the inequalities of ground
and curvature are allowed for, and the rope is drawn from and returned to the wheels
when passing them substantially as described.
4th. The means adopted for counteracting the dip or pitching of the Cars by the end
wheels substantially as described.
5th. The means adopted for stopping and retaining the Cars upon the heavy
gradients intended to be worked, by the brake straps acting upon the greater part of
the periphery of the tyres of all the wheels each wheel being acted up (a) by a
compressive (b) by a tensive force thereby giving no strain to horn plates, springs or
axles substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of September 1887.