Improvements in or connected with Gravity Railways of the kind known as Water Chutes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 21st June, 1894-Accepted, 28th July, 1894
Improvements in or connected with Gravity Railways of the kind
known as Water Chutes.
1, Captain PAUL BOYTON, of Warwick House, Warwick Road, Kensington, in
the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with gravity railways
of the kind known as water chutes and has mainly for object to provide means
whereby the chute may be utilised in winter as a slide or run for ice sleighs.
"
With water chutes as hitherto constructed the inclined way is provided with
tracks having runners the tracks and the spaces between them being adapted for
the passage of a body of water. The boats or toboggans used with these "chutes"
are generally formed with flat bottoms having the front part curved upwards to
form the bow, these boats or toboggans are preferably provided with skids adapted
to slide on the tracks or runners and also with guard rails.
According to my invention I provide an extra track within those now ordinarily
employed for summer use; the skids, when skids are employed, are removed from
the boats and the guard rails at the bottom of the boats are shod with steel.
Between the two tracks water can be run to form ice when the boats can be used as
ice sleighs instead of as in the ordinary manner.
When the boats are provided with skids for water use I have found it
advantageous to lubricate them and for this purpose I form them hollow to contain
a suitable lubricant.
The framing supporting the inclined way or chute carrying the tracks is formed
of uprights and struts constructed so as to be readily taken to pieces and packed
for transport, and easily re-erected.
The boats may be hauled up from the lower ends of the tracks by endless ropes,
cables or chains provided with suitable means for attaching them to the boats and
in some cases the tracks are provided with racks into which fit pawls or detents
attached to the boats or toboggans to prevent them running back while being
hauled up.
In cases where my chute is to be used on rivers or on the sea coast I erect it on
floating pontoons of wood, iron or steel, the pontoons being available for storage of
properties, engine, boiler, coals etc. for use in working or managing the chute, or
may also be transported on land in wagons by a steam or electric traction engine,
such engine being used for haulage of boats or any purposes required for working
the chutes.
The framing is provided with a suitable platform j at the highest end for the
accommodation of persons using the boats and toboggans, and the platform may
be provided with a lift or lifts for conveying passengers or raising the boats or
toboggans.
The platform may be provided with waiting rooms and other apartments for
the accommodation of persons using the boats and toboggans and may have a roof
or awning.
To allow of passing under bridges the upper part of the framing is made so that
it can telescope into the lower part.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Gravity Railways of the kind
known as Water Chutes.
I, Captain PAUL BOYTON, of Warwick House, Warwick Road, Kensington, in
the County of London, 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 relates to improvements in or connected with gravity railways
of the kind known as water chutes and has mainly for object to provide means
whereby the chute may be utilized in winter as a slide or run for ice sleighs.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figures 1, 2 and 3 are respectively a side elevation, a plan and an end elevation
of a water chute constructed according to my invention.
Figure 4 is a plan of a portion of one of the tracks drawn to au enlarged scale:
Figure 5 is a side elevation of a boat or toboggan provided with hollow skids for
containing lubricant and with pawls adapted to engage with a rack on the track;
and,
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of one of the hollow skids drawn to an
enlarged scale:
Figures 7 and 8 are respectively a side elevation and an end elevation of a water
chute erected upon pontoons whereby it is adapted for use on rivers or the
sea coast.
Figure 9 is a similar view to Figure 7 of part of the water chute shewing the
upper part of the framing telescoped into the lower part to enable it to pass under
bridges.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
With water chutes as hitherto constructed the inclined way a Figures 1 to 4 is
provided with tracks b, b the spaces between which are adapted for the passage of
a body of water. The boats or toboggans c (one of which is shewn at Figure 5)
used with these "chutes" are generally formed with flat bottoms d having the
front part curved upwards to form the bow, and are preferably provided with
runners or skids e adapted to slide on the tracks b and also with guard rails f.
According to my invention I provide an extra track 9 within each of the
tracks b, b now ordinarily employed for summer use; the skids e when employed being
removed from the boats or toboggans and the guard rails f at the bottom of the
said boats shod with steel. Between the two tracks b, g water can run to form ice
when the boats can be used as ice sleighs instead of as in the ordinary manner.
When the boats are provided with skids e for water use I have found it advan-
tageous to lubricate them and for this purpose I form them hollow as shewn in
Figure 6 to contain a suitable lubricant, perforations e¹, el being provided in the
bottom of each skid to allow the lubricant to pass to the track b, and a hole e³ in
the bottom of the boat through which the said lubricant may be passed into
the skid.
The framing supporting the inclined way or chute carrying the tracks is formed
of uprights and bracing i whereby it is adapted to be readily taken to pieces and
packed for transport, and easily re-erected.
The framing, i of the chute is provided with a suitable platform ; at the highest
end for the accommodation of persons using the boats or toboggans, and the said
platform may be provided with a lift or lifts for conveying passengers or raising
the boats or toboggans.
The platform may be provided with waiting rooms and other apartments for
the accommodation of persons using the boats or toboggans and may have a roof or
awning k.

page_text: The boats may be hauled up from the lower ends of the tracks by endless ropes,
cables or chains provided with suitable means for attaching them to the boats, and
in some cases as shewn in Figure 5 the tracks are provided with racks / into which
fit pawls or detents m attached to the boats or toboggans to prevent them running
back while being hauled up.
In cases where my chute is to be used on rivers or on the sea coast I erect it on
floating pontoons n, n of wood, iron or steel, as shewn in Figures 7, 8 and 9, the
pontoons being available for storage of properties, engine, boiler, coals etc., for use
in working or managing the chute, or may also be transported on land in wagons
by a steam or electric traction engine, such engine being used for haulage of boats
or any purposes required for working the chutes.
To allow of passing under bridges the highest part of the framing is made so
that it can telescope into the lower part as shewn clearly in Figure 9, its bracing i
being first removed, and for this purpose is advantageously formed of rods or
tubes o, o working within cylinders p, p the said rods being raised by hydraulic or
other pressure within the cylinders p, p or by other suitable means.
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. Forming the tracks of inclined water chutes of the kind herein referred to
double, the spaces being utilised for the formation of ice therein whereby the chute
can be employed in conjunction with ice sleighs, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. The combination with a chute of the kind herein referred to of boats having
hollow skids for containing a lubricant, substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The use with an inclined way or chute and boats such as are herein referred
to of racks and pawls as and for the purpose herein before described.
4. A portable chute adapted to be transported to various places on rivers or sea
coasts the power employed for transport being utilised for working the chute when
moored substantially as herein before described.
5. A portable chute adapted to be transported on land, the power employed being
utilised for haulage for working the chute when fixed substantially as herein-
before described.
6. A portable chute mounted upon pontoons the upper part of the framing of
such chute being adapted to telescope into the lower part substantially as and for
the purpose herein before described and illustrated in Figures 7, 8 and 9 of the
accompanying drawings.
7. The use with an inclined way or chute of the kind hereinbefore referred to of
framing for supporting the said chute formed of uprights and bracing substan-
tially as herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated the 21st do-