IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE USE OF CABLES for HAULING TRAMWAY OR OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake of the firm of Haseltine Lake
& Co, Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention of
すく
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE USE OF CABLES for
HAULING TRAMWAY OR OTHER VEHICLES" Communicated to him from
abroad by Samuel Hopkins Terry of Guthrie, Missouri United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th September 1882.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, " IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FACILI
TATING THE USE OF CABLES FOR HAULING TRAMWAY OR OTHER VEHICLES [A
communication to him from abroad by Samuel Hopkins Terry of Guthrie, Missouri
United States of America.]
This Invention relates to apparatus for facilitating the use of cables for hauling
tramway or other vehicles. The said Invention consists mainly in forming cross
ties with the main tube; in providing the said tube with enlargements or pockets,
so that large bearing or anti-friction wheels may be used with a small tube; in
providing the horizontal bearing wheels with a device for retaining the cable in
position; in providing the main tube at the pockets, or near the vertical bearing
wheels with inclines for lifting the gripper, or easing it over the vertical bearing
wheels; in providing the tube with a side pipe or passage for conveying the water
around the box, and in the several devices hereinafter described.
According to this Invention the main tube is made of cast iron and is formed
with cross ties attached, which not only form the supports for the stringers of the
track but also for the tube itself. Instead of casting the cross ties with the tube
they may be made separate therefrom in two parts and be bolted to the tube or
they may be flexibly connected with the said tube. The said tube is provided
with strengthening flanges or ribs which may be placed as frequently as desired,
and their number should be somewhat in accordance with the thickness of the
main plate, which thickness for ordinary purposes will be about three eighths of an
inch. This tube is made in sections, and one end may be reduced in size to fit a
corresponding socket on the end of the adjoining section, or both ends may be
Price 6d1

page_text: reduced in size and fitted into a corresponding but separate socket, or the said ends
may be secured by providing them with flanges which can be bolted together, with
or without intervening packing material. Alternate sections, or as many sections
as may be needed for that purpose are provided with depressions or pockets for
the purpose of inserting large vertical anti-friction bearing wheels, whenever it is
desired to run a cable rapidly small bearing wheels cannot be used, as their motion
becomes so rapid that they wear quickly, and are liable to heat. Their situation
also is such that they are not easy of access and running as they do, where dirt
and dust is always liable to accumulate or settle, this difficulty is a serious one.
I avoid it by the use of the said pockets which enable me to insert bearing wheels
two or three feet in diameter so that the cable may have a travel of six or nine
feet to each revolution of the said bearing wheels, and thereby allow the cable
much greater speed with a small or ordinary sized tube, than has heretofore been
practicable.
These vertical bearing wheels are supported in the said pockets preferably on
non-rotating hollow axles as they are less liable to accumulate dirt, and are much
more easily lubricated, for, by extending one end upwards oil can be applied without
opening a man hole covering or door, so that the said door is only required to be
opened when changes or repairs are necessary. The hollow axles are provided
with small or fine perforations, when oil is used for the lubricant, if however heavy
oils or tallow are to be used, then they are made somewhat larger, but still not
large enough to pass the said oil or tallow too easily.
The perforations,are also used for the horizontal wheel axles and their position
is such that sufficient oil or lubricating material will flow down and lubricate the
lower shoulder or bearing. These axles may also be projected upwards so that
they may be oiled through the opening at the top of the main tube
In order to prevent any water which may gather within the main tube from
running into and remaining in the pockets of the vertical bearing wheels, I
provide a side tube or passage which conveys the water around the pocket. This
passage may be cast with the tube, or sections of round iron pipe may be used, and
in some localities it may be advisable to run a side tube the whole length of the
main tube, and connec it with the said main tube by side openings so as to relieve
the main tube from water throughout its entire length but for ordinary purposes
the passages around the pockets will be sufficient.
Inclines are provided near the pockets of the vertical bearing wheels to cause
the water to pass into the said side passages or tubes. These inclines also serve to
gradually raise the gripper so that in its approach to the vertical bearing wheels it
will not strike them so as to injure either wheel or gripper. For this purpose one
of the inclines would be sufficient, but I prefer to ease the gripper down, instead of
allowing it to drop so that I place these inclines on both sides of the pockets of
the bearing wheels. This causes the gripper to pass each vertical bearing wheel
with an easy movement..
Doors or man hole covers are provided which may be made single and fit into
the tube, but I prefer to make them lap over the tube and therefore form them
with a flap or secondary hinged portion. By this arrangement the said flap can
be turned back from inspection or oiling and the entire door will only require to be
opened when a new wheel or axle is to be introduced. A door or cover of the
same shape as the main tube may be used in connection with the horizontal
bearing wheels, its position being such that it does not require any special fastening.
The door or cover for the vertical wheels is fastened by a staple and key or by a
lock, if desired.
Whenever a curve in the main tube becomes necessary as in turning street
corners, or at junctions the bearing wheels are placed horizontally. In this case,
the bearing wheel pockets or enlargements, extend horizontally. The said hori-
zontal bearing wheels are provided near their upper edges with a groove to hold
and carry the cable when in its ordinary travel, but as the gripper lifts the cable
out from the groove and is liable to lift it away from the wheel, I provide these

page_text: horizontal bearing wheels with guide plates which are attached to the wheel axles,
and are formed with two prongs or projections.
When the gripper coines against one of these projections it is so inclined as to
turn the plate back and bring the opposite projections out over the cable, and as
the gripper passes away from the wheel it strikes the other projection and thereby
throws the first one back again over the cable, so that it is impossible for the
gripper to lift the cable away from the bearing wheel, while at the same time, it
readily passes the said bearing wheel in its travel.
The wheel pockets may be provided with openings for the escape of any water
that may accumulate therein while the cable is not in motion; the ordinary
movement of the cable gives the bearing wheels a sufficient movement to throw
any water out of the pockets.
The cross ties are provided with sockets for holding the stringers in place, but
they may be left with inner shoulders, and the stringers to be bolted down, if
desired.
The bars of the main tube, from the boundaries for the opening or passage into
the tube through which the gripper passes, and by their use a smooth finished
boundary is given to the groove or opening by making them of wrought iron they
are less liable to be chipped or broken by the passage of heavy teams over or across
them than they would be, if made of cast iron. The said bars are bolted or
rivetted on, and may be made to lap joints with the casting or not as desired for
when bolted on they may be made longer than the cast iron sections.
In turning a curve the cable passes from wheel to wheel in a straight line.
Great difficulty has been experienced in gripping on a curve when the gripper has
been released by stopping, which was frequently necessary in order to avoid
collisions. I obviate this difficulty by projecting the horizontal bearing wheels
somewhat beyond the tube slit or opening, and by providing the interior of the
tube on its longest side with the guide. This guide may be an interior plate, when
the form of the tube is preserved, or it may be made in the tube itself.
By this construction and arrangement and the use of a yielding or jointed
gripper, the cable can be grasped at any point along the cable, except at a bearing
wheel, the guide plate guides the gripper to the cable, and by carrying the bearing
wheels beyond the opening the effect of the tendency of the cable to run in a
straight line is divided between the two sides of the slit or opening. For large or
easy curves, it will not be necessary to project the bearing wheels across the opening,
but it is important in short curves.
Where heavy T or other strong rails are used, stringers may not be necessary,
and in that case all that will be required will be to place some wooden plank ends
or blocks in the openings to avoid undue solidity of the structure, it is obvious
that in dispensing with the stringers the outer ends of the ties will be made higher;
so as to give the sails their proper position, and when stringers are used, blocks
may be placed with their grain vertical, between the ends of the stringer sections,
which will prevent any settling or bending of the rail at the points of junction
in the timber and when stringers are not used, the said openings may be formed
into suitable chairs to hold the rail, or may be made large enough to admit of the
insertion of wrought iron or other suitable chairs.
If the gripper should inadvertently be released on a curve when against one of
the horizontal bearing wheels or under the plate thereon I prevent the gripper from
being drawn up so that it cannot be again applied and also so that it will not
throw the cable off from the wheel, by providing the main tube with ledges or
shoulders. With some forms of grippers, one of the ledges or stops will be sufficient,
in other forms it will be desirable to use both.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th March 1883.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FACILI
TATING THE USE OF CABLES FOR HAULING TRAMWAY OR OTHER VEHICLES
communication to me from abroad by Samuel Hopkins Terry, of Guthrie, Missouri
United States of America.
This invention relates to apparatus for facilitating the use of cables for hauling
tramway or other vehicles. The said invention consists mainly in forming cross
ties with the main tube; in providing the said tube with enlargements or pockets
so that large bearing or anti-friction wheels may be used with a comparatively
small tube; in providing the horizontal bearing wheels with a device for retaining
the cable in position; in providing the main tube at the pockets, or near the vertical
bearing wheels, with inclines for lifting the gripper, or easing it over the vertical
bearing wheels; in providing the tube with a side pipe or passage for conveying
water around the box; and in the several devices and combinations of devices
hereinafter described.
- In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a plan of a tube constructed according to this invention
Figure 2. is a section on the line x x Figure 1
Figure 3 is a section on the line y y Figure 1 drawn to an enlarged scale.
Figure 4 is perspective side elevation of a portion of the tube drawn to an
enlarged scale
.
:
Figure 5 is a plan partly in section of a curved portion of the tube
Figure 6 is a section on the line z, z Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section, showing a method of constructing the tube,
where the anti-friction or bearing wheels are placed, and
. Figure 8 illustrates a modification of the main tube, for better adapting it to
paving blocks.
A. indicates the main tube, B the cross ties, C the stringers or longitudinal
timbers upon which the rails for the cars are fastened, D the vertical, and D' the
horizontal bearing anti-friction wheels E, the water passage around the bearing
wheel pocket. F and F¹ pockets for the vertical and horizontal bearing wheels.
G, G¹, and G doors or man hole covers for obtaining access to the bearing wheels,
or into the tube, H hollow axles for the bearing wheels, and H₁ and H" bent
portions of the axles, or tubular connections therewith for lubricating the wheels.
I indicates the cable. J the inclines at the pockets, and within the main tube.
K shields or guards by which the cable is prevented from getting above the
horizontal bearing wheels on curves. a strengthening flanges or ribs on the main
tube. b boundary plates, c interior projections for keeping the cable on the bearing
wheels. d bearings for the horizontal wheels. e perforations for lubricating the
bearings or shafts H, f openings at the bottom of a pocket for the escape of any
water which may get therein, g grooves in the bearing wheels D¹. h fastenings
for the door or manhole covering, i points or projections on the guard plate K. ja
curve guide and k a ledge or stop.
:
The main tube A is preferably made of cast iron and is formed with the cross
ties B attached, which not only form the supports for the stringers of the track,
but also for the tube itself. Instead of casting the cross-ties with the tube they.
may be made separate therefrom, in two parts, and be bolted to the tube or they
may be flexibly connected with the said tube. The tube is provided with
strengthening flanges or ribs a which may be placed as frequently as desired, and
their number should be somewhat in accordance with the thickness of the main
plate, which thickness for ordinary purposes, will be about three eighths of an inch.
The tube is made in sections, and one end may be reduced in size as shown at A',

page_text: in Figure 4 to fit a corresponding socket on the end of the adjoining section, or both
ends may be reduced in size and fitted into a corresponding but separate socket
wide enough for both ends, or the said ends may be secured by providing them
with flanges which can be bolted together, with or without intervening packing
material.
Alternate sections or as many sections as may be needed are provided with
depressions or pockets F, for the purpose of inserting large anti friction bearing
wheels. Whenever it is desired to run a cable rapidly small bearing wheels cannot
be used, as their motion becomes so rapid that they wear quickly and are liable to
heat. Their situation is also such that they are not easy of access and running as
they do, where dirt and dust is always liable to accumulate or settle, this difficulty
is a serious one, I avoid it by the use of the said pockets which enable me to insert
bearing wheels two or three feet in diameter so that the cable may have a travel
of six or nine feet to each revolution of the said bearing wheels and thereby allow
the cable a much greater speed with a small or ordinary sized tube, than has
heretofore been practicable. These bearing wheels D are supported in the said
pockets as shown in Figures 3 and 4 and preferably on the non-rotating hollow
axles H as shown as they are less liable to accumulate dirt, and are much more
easily lubricated, for, by extending one end H¹ of the axle upwards, oil can be
applied without opening a manhole covering or door, so that the said door is only
required to be opened, when changes or repairs are necessary. The hollow axles
are provided with small or fine perforations e, when oil is used for the lubricant;
if however, heavy oils or tallow is used then they are made somewhat larger but
still not large enough to pass the said oils. or tallow too easily.
The perforations e are also used for the axles of the horizontal wheel D', and
their position is such that sufficient oil or lubricating material will flow down and
lubricate the lower shoulder .or bearing d. These axles may also be projected
upward as shown at H" Figure 6, so that they may be oiled through the opening
at the top of the main tube.
In order to prevent any water which may gather within the main tube, from
running into and remaining in the pockets F I provide a side tube or passage E
which conveys the water around the pocket as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 7. This
passage may be cast with the tube, or sections of round iron pipe may be used;
in some. localities, it may be advisable to run a side tube the whole length of the
main tube, and connect it with the said main tube by side openings, so as to
relieve the main tube from water throughout its entire length, but for ordinary
purposes the passages E around the pockets F will be sufficient.
provide inclines J (Figures 3 and 7) to prevent the water from entering the
pockets F and to cause it to pass into the side passages or tubes E. These inclines
also serve to gradually raise the gripper, so that, in its approach to the bearing
wheels D it will not strike so as to injure either wheel or gripper. One of the
inclines would be sufficient for this purpose but I prefer to ease the gripper down,
instead of allowing it to drop, therefore place these inclines J on both sides of
the pockets of the bearing wheels, as shown at Figure 7. This causes the gripper
to pass each vertical bearing wheel, with an easy movement.
'
The doors or manhole covers may be made single, and fit into the tube as
shown at G Figure 4, but I prefer to make them lap over the tube as shown at G
and provide them with a flap or secondary hinged portion G¹. By this arrangement
the portion G' can be turned back for inspection or oiling and the entire door
will only require to be opened when a new wheel or axle is to be introduced.
The form of door or cover shown at G may be used in connection with the
horizontal bearing wheels. Its position being such that it does not require any
special fastening. The door or cover G¹ is fastened by the staple h and a key, or
by a lock, if desired or any other suitable means.
Whenever a curve in the main tube becomes necessary as in turning street
corners or branching, off from the main track the bearing wheels are placed
horizontally as shown in Figures 5 and 6. In this case the bearing wheel pockets

page_text: or enlargements, extend horizontally, as at F¹. The bearing wheels D' are shown
in Figure 6 and are provided near their upper edges with a groove g to hold and
carry the cable I when in its ordinary travel, but as the gripper lifts the cable out
from the groove, and is liable to lift it away from the wheel I provide guide
plates K, which are attached to the wheel axles, and are formed with two prongs
or projections i as shown in figure 5.
When the gripper comes against one of these projections, it is so inclined as to
turn the plate back and bring the opposite projection out over the cable and as
the gripper passes away from the wheel, it strikes the other projection, and thereby
throws the first one back again over the cable, so that it is impossible for the
gripper to lift the cable away from the bearing wheel, while, at the same, time, it
readily passes the said bearing wheel in its travel.
The wheel pockets F, F, may be provided with openings f, for the escape of any
water that may accumulate therein while the cable is not in motion; the ordinary
movement of the cable gives the bearing wheels a sufficient movement to throw
any water out of the pockets.
The cross-ties are provided with sockets B' for holding the stringers in place,
but they may be left with inner shoulders and the stringers be bolted down, if
désired.
The bars b of the main tube, form the boundaries for the opening or passage
into the tube through which the gripper passes and by their use a smooth finished
boundary is given to the groove or opening, by making the bars of wrought iron,
they are less liable to be chipped or broken by the passage of heavy teains over
or across them, than they would be, if made of cast iron. The said bars are
bolted or rivetted on, and may be made to lap joints with the casting, or not, as
desired, for when bolted on they may be made longer than the cast iron sections
In turning a curve the cable passes from wheel to wheel in a straight line.
Heretofore great difficulty has been experienced in gripping on a curve when the
gripper has been released by stopping which was frequently necessary in order to
avoid collisions. I obviate this difficulty by projecting the bearing wheels D¹
somewhat beyond the tube slit or opening, as shown in figure 5 and by providing
the interior of the tube on its longest side with the guide j the position of which
is shown in dotted lines in the said Figure. This guide may be a plate arranged
within the tube, when the external form of the tube is preserved; or the tube
itself, may have the form shown by the dotted line.
By this construction and arrangement and the use of a yielding or jointed gripper,
the cable can be grasped at any point along the cable, except at a bearing wheel.
The guide plate j guides the gripper to the cable, and by carrying the bearing
wheels beyond the opening, the effect of the tendency of the cable to run in a
straight line is divided between the two sides of the slit or opening. For large or
easy curves it will not be necessary to project the bearing wheels across the
opening, but it is important in short curves
Where heavy T or other strong rails are used, stringers may not be necessary,
and in that case all that will be required will be to place some wooden plank ends or
blocks in the openings B¹, to avoid undue solidity of the structure; it is obvious
that in dispensing with the stringers, the outer ends of the ties will be made higher,
so as to give the rails their proper position, and when stringers are used, blocks
may be placed with their grain vertical, between the ends of the stringer sections,
as shown in Figure 1 which arrangement will prevent any settling or bending of
the rail at the points of junction in the timber and when stringers are not used
the said openings B¹ may be formed into suitable chairs to hold the rail, or may be
made large enough to admit of the insertion of wrought iron or other suitable
chairs..
If the gripper should inadvertently be released on a curve, when against one of
the wheels D or under the plate K, I prevent the gripper from being drawn up
so that it cannot be again applied and also so that it will not throw the cable off
from the wheel, by providing the main tube with ledges or shoulders k as shown in

page_text: figure 6 which will prevent the lifting of the gripper and the consequent lifting of
the cable. These ledges are made in the form shown in cross-section, and are of the
length of the plate K with its projections. With some forms of gripper one of the
ledges or stops k will be sufficient, in other forms it will be desirable to use both
as shown. By this arrangement it is impossible to lift the gripper away from the
cable, at a point where it cannot be re-attached, and the cable is secured against
being lifted out of or upon its bearing wheel.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondent and the manner of performing the same I wish it understood
that I claim
First. The tube A in combination with the cross-ties B connected therewith so
as to form the base or support for the tube and a support for the stringers or rails,
substantially as specified.
Second. The pockets F in combination with the main tube A and the enlarged
bearing wheels D, substantially as, and for the purpose, described
Third. The side passages E in combination with the pockets F and the main
tube A, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The inclines J in combination with the bearing wheels D and main
tube A substantially as specified.
Fifth. The inclines J in combination with the pockets F, the main tube A, and
the side passages E, substantially as, and for the purpose described.
Sixth The interior projections c for keeping the cable upon the bearing
wheels D in combination with the said bearing wheels and the main tube A
substantially as set forth.
Seventh-The hollow axle H having the perforations e, in combination with the
wheels D and the tubular extensions H', substantially as, and for the purpose,
specified.
Eighth The combination of the horizontal wheels D' with the side extensions or
pockets F¹ and the vertical hollow axle H and H" substantially as specified.
Ninth The oscillating plate K having the projections or arms i in combination
with the horizontal bearing wheel D₁ substantially as, and for the purpose,
described.
Tenth The boundary plates or bars b in combination with the main tube A
substantially as set forth.
Eleventh The gripper guide j in combination with a curved main tube and
constructed and operating substantially as specified.
Twelfth. The gripper guide; and the curved main tube, in combination with the
wheels D located within, or partly within, the said main tube, and projecting
across the gripper slit or opening of the same substantially as, and for the purpose
specified.
Thirteenth The stop or stops k in combination with the oscillating plate K, and
the horizontal bearing wheel D¹ substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
Fourteenth The stop or stops k in combination with the main tube A and a
horizontal bearing wheel, substantially as set forth.
Fifteenth. The combination of a curved main tube having the guide ; and the
stop or stops with the horizontal bearing wheel D' and the oscillating plate K
substantially as specified.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty seventh day of March in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty three