Improvements in and appertaining to Cable or Rope Traction as Applied to Street Tramways.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 31st Aug., 1896-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and appertaining to Cable or Rope Traction as
Applied to Street Tramways.
I ALEXANDER BASIL WILSON of Holywood in the County of Down Ireland,
Consulting Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object, improvements in and appertaining to cable or
rope traction as applied to street tramways, and consists,
Firstly. In an improved method of constructing that part of the mechanism of
street tramway cars which is used for connecting the car to the operating cable,
whereby the motion of the cable is transferred to the car hereinafter called the
gripper motion," and
Secondly. To the conduit, within which the cable travels as referred to in my
Patent No. 17622, 1894.
With reference to the first part of my invention,
THE GRIPPER MOTION.
Heretofore it has been usual to attach the gripper to a slide moving in guides
through which it is raised or lowered to connect the cable, which slides are liable
to get choked with dust and dirt so as to hinder their free action, and owing to the
want of room between the car floor and the top of roadway, cannot be made long
enough to let the gripper be lifted clear of the conduit.
According to my invention I carry the gripper on a series of rods or parallel
motion bars anchored to the axles of the car, so that they are not affected by the
rise and fall of the car body on its springs, and so constructed that as the gripper
is raised or lowered it is maintained by the rods in a vertical or nearly vertical
position without the use of slides.
The fulcrum of the lever for raising and lowering the gripper is carried by a
frame which is also supported by the axles, the lever being worked by suitable gear
and connections from the driver's platforms at the ends of the car.
For opening and closing the jaws of the gripper I employ what is known as a
toggle jointed lever having one end attached to the gripper and the other end to
the jaws.
The toggle is worked by rods or equivalent mechanism from the driver's
platforms.
As an alternative to the toggle jointed lever I apply a small hydraulic cylinder
and piston, and close the jaws by forcing oil or other suitable liquid into the
cylinder by means of a plunger in a similar cylinder on the driver's platform the
connection being made by a flexible pipe leading from one to the other.
The opening of the gripper being effected either by a spring or springs
connected to the aforesaid piston by which the liquid is expelled from its cylinder
and returned to the plunger cylinder on the pressure therein being released.
The second part of my invention has relation firstly, to a special construction of
short portions of the cable conduit so as to enable that part of the gripper, which,
vhen a car is being operated by cable is within the conduit, and below the level of.
he roadway, to be conveniently removed from the conduit and retained above the
evel of the roadway, so that it can be operated by horses or other suitable means
f propulsion.

page_text: Whereas, in tram cars operated by cable heretofore that portion of the gripper
which projected into the conduit could not be lifted clear of same without discon-
nection of various parts, and whereas, to enable the cars to be moved on sidings or
into repairing sheds a slot had to be provided in the roadway to enable the gripper
to pass, although such slot did not contain a cable and was otherwise unnecessary,
and whereas, if repairs required to be done to the lower part of the gripper, the
car bad to be run off the main track into a specially constructed siding having
an open space between the rails for access to the parts.
And whereas, from the difficulty of disconnecting the lower portion of the
gripper or of removing it from the slot it was impracticable to actuate cars thus
constructed by horses as well as by cables.
Now, in my invention I so construct the gripper and connections and so construct
suitable parts of my patent conduit as described in the afore mentioned specifica-
tion, that the gripper can be lifted up entirely clear from the roadway out of the
conduit and I so construct that portion of the conduit at the spot where it is desired
thus to withdraw the gripper therefrom, that a short length of it can be lifted or
hinged up at one end sufficiently to let the lower part of gripper at its upper
position enter into it, while the other end of this portion of the conduit is at the
normal level of the conduit in the street.
This moveable portion of the conduit forming an incline down which the gripper
can pass from its upper to its lower position as the car advances from the direction
of the higher to the lower at where it can be actuated by the cable.
Similarly when it is desired to withdraw the gripper, the moveable portion is
lifted at one end, when the advance of the car enables the gripper to be lifted to
its upper position.
Such moveable portions of the conduit being constructed that they can be
dropped back to their normal position after the tram car has passed over them.
In my Patent No. 17622, A.D. 1894, I described a construction of conduit
consisting of side girders with rolled channels bolted on top thereof to form the
covers.
As an alternative to this construction and to enable the above mentioned work.
to be more conveniently carried out.
The third part of my invention consists in constructing the conduit as follows.
I form the lower part of the conduit of a continuous plate recessed or hollowed
in the centre so as to form a central channel along the whole length thereof. This
plate being bedded on a foundation, forms the bottom portion and has raised sides
on top of which I bolt or fasten continuous sections of metal angle bars with sides
inclined inwards so as to form an inbedded V, and leaving a gap in the centre
which forms the slot through which the gripper passes.
The edges of the inner rows of paving setts being trimmed to fit against the
inclined sides of angle bars.
Dated this 30th day of November 1895.
Improvements in and appertaining to Cable or Rope Traction as
Applied to Street Tramways.
I ALEXANDER BASIL WILSON of Holywood in the County of Down
Ireland, Consulting 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 :-—
This invention has for its object improvements in and appertaining to cable or
rope traction as applied to street tramways, and consists, firstly, in an improved

page_text: method of constructing that part of the mechanism of street tramway cars which is
used for connecting the car to the operating cable, whereby the motion of the cable.
is transferred to the car, hereinafter called the "gripper motion," and, secondly, to
the conduit within which the cable travels as referred to in my Patent No. 17622,
1894.
THE GRIPPER MOTION.
Heretofore it has been usual to attach the gripper to a slide moving in guides
through which it is raised or lowered to connect the cable, which slides are liable
to get choked with dirt so as to hinder their free action, and owing to the want of
room between the car floor and the top of roadway, cannot be made long enough to
let the gripper be lifted clear of the conduit.
"
According to my invention I carry the gripper on a series of rods or parallel,
motion bars, anchored to the axles of the car, so that they are not affected by the
rise and fall of the car body on its springs, and so constructed that as the gripper
is raised or lowered it is maintained by the rods in a vertical, or nearly vertical,
position without the use of the slides.
The fulcrum of the lever for raising and lowering the gripper is carried by a
frame which is also supported by the car axles, the levers being worked by
suitable gear and connections from the driver's platforms at the ends of the car.
For opening and closing the jaws of the gripper I employ what is known as a
toggle jointed lever having one end attached to the gripper frame, and the other
end to the jaw frame, which toggle is worked by rods or equivalent mechanism
from the driver's platform.
In Sheet No. 1, Fig. 1, is a general side view showing the method of carrying the
gripper. A, A, are the axles of the car to which are connected the bars and links
carrying the gripper B. The bar C. hung on the axle A¹ is connected to the top
of the inner frame D, of the gripper at C. The bar D¹ is also connected to the
inner frame at D2, and to the drag link E, hung on the axle A, and connected to
the bar C, near to its bearing on the axle A¹, by the connecting link E. The
gripper is bodily lifted and lowered in the conduit and lifted out clear of the road
into the position shown by the dotted lines, by means of the lever F, having its
fulcrum F, on the link E' and connected to the bar C, by the short link 2. The
spring G, which is adjustable by a screw and nut, is set to balance the weight of
the gripper, so as to sustain it in its normal working position.
The rods H, H¹, jointed to the top of lever F, are carried underneath the car andı.
connected to suitable levers on the driver's platforın at each end.
+
The gripper consists of four principal parts viz., the outer frame consisting of
two side bars J. J. connected together by the cross bar J¹ near the top and the jaw
bars J2, at the bottom; the inner frame D; the jaws K, K, pin jointed on the
inner frame; and the toggle joint and levers L, L. The jaws K, and jaw bars J³
are also shown in cross section, full size, in Figure. 2, showing, the jaws when closed
on to the cable and Figure 3, showing the jaws open and the cable dropped. The:
upper part of the toggle is connected to the inner frame at C', and the lower joint
to the outer frame by a pin in the cross bar J'. The toggle is actuated by suitable
levers from the driver's platform at either end through the rods M. M', the
levers N. NI, and the links O. O¹. It is obvious that by working the toggle.
inwards, the jaws will be closed and by moving it outwards, the jaws will be opened.
As an alternative to the toggle jointed lever I apply a small hydraulic cylinder
and piston, and close the jaws by forcing oil or other suitable liquid into, the:
cylinder by means of a plunger in a similar cylinder on the driver's platform, the
connection being made by a flexible pipe leading from one to the other.
The opening of the gripper being effected by a spring or springs connected to
the aforesaid piston by which the liquid is expelled from its cylinder and
returned to the plunger cylinder on the pressure therein being released.

page_text: This arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 4, Sheet No. 2 in which P, is a small
hydraulic cylinder connected to the upper end of the inner frame of the gripper;
P¹ is a hollow plunger connected through the cross bar J' to the outer frame of the
gripper, and P2 is the spring by which the jaws are normally held open. An
hydraulic pipe is tapped into the cylinder at P3 and leads to the driver's platforms
at each end of the car, where plungers worked by levers enable the driver to
transmit pressure to the cylinder P, and so operate the gripper in the same manner
as by the toggle apparatus already described.
The second part of my invention has relation,-
Firstly, to a special construction of short portions of the cable conduit so as to
enable that part of the gripper which when a car is being operated by cable is
within the conduit and below the level of roadway, to be conveniently removed
from the conduit, and retained above the level of the roadway, so that it can be
operated by horses or other suitable means of propulsion.
Whereas in tramcars operated by cable heretofore; that portion of the gripper
which projected into the conduit could not be lifted clear of same without dis-
connection of various parts, and whereas, to enable the cars to be moved on sidings,
or into repairing sheds, a slot had to be provided in the roadway to enable the
gripper to pass, although such slot did not contain a cable, and was otherwise
unnecessary, and whereas, if repairs required to be done to the lower part of the
gripper, the car had to be run off the main track into a specially constructed siding
having an open space between the rails for access to the parts. And whereas, from
the difficulty of disconnecting the lower portion of the gripper or of removing it
from the slot it was impracticable to actuate cars thus constructed by horses as
well as by cable.
Now in my invention I so construct the gripper and connections and so construct
suitable parts of my patent conduit as described in the above mentioned specifica-
tion that the gripper can be lifted up entirely clear from the roadway out of the
conduit, and I so construct that portion of the conduit at the spot where is it
desired thus to withdraw the gripper therefrom, that a short length of it can be
lifted or hinged up at one end sufficiently to let the lower part of gripper at its
upper position enter into it, while the other end of this portion of the conduit is at
the normal level of the conduit in the street.
This moveable portion of the conduit forming an incline, down which the gripper
can pass from its upper to its lower position, as the car advances from the
direction of the higher, to the lower, end, and to where it can be actuated by the
cable.
Similarly when it is desired to withdraw the gripper, the moveable portion is
lified at one end, when the advance of the car enables the gripper to be lifted to its
upper position. Such moveable portions of the conduit being constructed that they
can be dropped back to their normal position after the tramcar has passed over
them. This part of my invention is illustrated in Sheet No. 3, where Figure 5, is a
longitudinal elevation, Fig. 6, a plan, and Fig. 7, a cross section, of the
arrangement referred to, in which A, A, is a short section of conduit let into the
box B, B, in which it is hinged at B¹, and guided centrally by the grooves at B2
and by the central boss C, on the cams C', C. The conduit is opened for the
reception or discharge of the gripper by raising the sections A, A, into the position
shown by the dotted lines in the Fig. 5, which is done by a quarter turn of the
cams C, C, by means of a lever inserted in the socket C2, which is enclosed in the
side pocket D. covered in with the lid D'.
In my Patent No. 17622, A.D. 1894, I described a construction of conduit
consisting of side girders with rolled channels bolted on top thereof to form the
covers.
As an alternative to this construction and to enable the above mentioned
improvements to be more conveniently carried out. The third part of my invention
consists in constructing the conduit as follows.
-I form the lower part of the conduit of a continuous plate recessed or hollowed

page_text: in the centre so as to form a central channel along the whole length thereof. This.
plate bedded on a foundation forms the bottom portion and has raised sides on top
of which I bolt or fasten continuous sections of metal angle bars with sides.
inclined inwards so as to form an inverted V and leaving a gap in the centre which
forms the slot through which the gripper passes. The edges of the inner row of
paving sets being trimmed to fit against the inclined sides of angle bars.
This is illustrated by Fig. 8, Sheet No. 4, which represents a cross section of a.
portion of tramroad in which A, is the bottom recessed plate, bedded in concrete,
and having raised sides A¹, A', to which are bolted the angle bars or slot rails B, B,.
which are also tied to the rails by the tie bars B₁, B. The bottom plate A, inay
be made continuous, or it may be in short lengths, spaced a little apart, the
intermediate portions being filled up with cement mortar level with, and to the
same shape as the recessed plates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-.
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
First. Constructing the various parts of street tramway cars actuated by cables
and the conduit through which such cables pass so that the gripper can be removed
from the conduit, and replaced therein without disconnection of parts, substantially
as shewn & described.
Second. Supporting carrying and guiding the gripper suspended from the axles of
the car by jointed rods or links in manner substantially such as shown and
described in reference to Fig. 1, Sheet 1, of accompanying drawings.
Third. The method of operating the jaws of the gripper by the toggle levers.
worked from the platform of the car substantially as shown and described in
Figures 1, 2, & 3.
Fourth. The method of operating the jaws of the gripper by means of hydraulic
pressure, substantially as shown and described in reference to Fig. 4 Sheet No. 2.
Fifth. The mode of construction of conduit with hatchways or openings for
admission into or withdrawal from the conduit of the gripper substantially as.
shown and described with reference to Fig. 5 6 & 7 Sheet 3.
Sixth. The general construction of conduit substantially such as shown and
described with reference to Fig. 9, Sheet No. 4.
Dated this 29th day of August 1896.
A. BASIL WILSON.