IMPROVEMENTS IN TELPHERAGE
Year: 1884

page_text: I FLEMING JENKIN of 3 Great Stuart Street Edinburgh Civil Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TELPHERAGE" to be
as follows:-
My Invention consists in the improvement of rod or road so as to adapt it better
to the gripping wheels of the locomotive and the simultaneous improvement of the
gripping wheels so as to adapt them better to the road.
The road and driving wheels being two parts of one contrivance.
The improvement in the road consists of a special form of support for suspended
iron or steel rods used as the road on which suspended Telepher trains run so as to
allow greater freedom in swinging to the locomotives and trains as they pass the
supports and so as to obtain the maximum strength of construction at least
expense.
°
With this object I construct each span between the supporting posts of one rod
having ends welded to it or forged on it with a vertical web considerably narrower
than the circular rod so that the road is as it were undercut.
This web gives a strong and easily secured holding piece which may then be bolted
cottered or secured in any convenient way to the cap of the insulator if insulation is
required or directly to the post head or any fitting on the post head where no
insulation is required.
One especial object of this form is to allow the horizontal gripping wheels of my
locomotives freedom to roll across the line without fouling the supporting web
as has hitherto been the case Also to allow the second part of my improvement to
be carried out.-this second part consists in so tapering the rims of the driving
wheels that the interval between them is wider at the top than at the bottom of the
rim.-they are thus enabled to exert a resistance to vertical displacement and are
less apt to leave the line, this cannot be done without the undercutting of the road
which has been described. The same undercutting also allows greater freedom to
the swinging of the trucks supported on ordinary V wheels.
At the point of junction between the comparatively flexible rod and the stiffweb.
there would be a danger of a sudden bend occurring as the load passed over and this
гд •

page_text: sudden bend would greatly weaken the line. I provide against this by placing a
rigid horn plate, as I call it slightly curved in a vertical plane under the rod at the
place where the stiff web ceases-When a load comes on the span the rod bending
downwards takes the curve of the horn plate and no sudden bend or change of
curvature can occur.-This horn is conveniently made flat at the top and does not
serve the purpose of a horizontal guide. The horn plate may be a prolongation of
the web though detached from the rod above it or may be an independent structure
but it is nowhere to be thicker than the web welded to the rod.

page_text: "
I, FLEEMING JENKIN of 3 Great Stuart Street, Edinburgh, Civil Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TELPHERAGE
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to the improvement of the rod or road to adopt it to the
gripping wheels of the locomotive and the simultaneous improvement of the gripping
wheels to adapt them better to the road.-the road and driving wheels being two
parts of one contrivance.
The improvement in the road consists of a special form of support for suspended
iron or steel rods used as the road on which suspended Telpher lines run so as to
allow greater freedom in swinging to the locomotives and trains as they pass the
supports and so as to obtain the maximum strength of construction at least
expense.
With this object I construct each span between the supporting posts of one rod
having ends welded to it or forged on it with a vertical web considerably narrower
than the circular rod so that the road is as it were undercut. This web gives a
strong and easily secured holding piece which may then be bolted, cottered or
secured in any convenient way to the cap of the insulator if insulation is required
or directly to the post head or any fitting on the post head where no insulation is
required. One especial object of this form is to allow the horizontal gripping
wheels of my locomotives freedom to roll across the line without fouling the
supporting web as has hitherto been the case-also to allow the second part of my
improvement to be carried out. This second part consists in so tapering the rims of
the driving wheels that the interval between them is wider at the top than at the
bottom of the rim-they are thus enabled to exert a resistance to vertical
displacement and are less apt to leave the line, this cannot be done without the
undercutting of the road which has been described. The same undercutting also
allows greater freedom to the swinging of the trucks supported on ordinary
V wheels.
At the point of junction between the comparatively flexible rod and the stiff web
there would be a danger of a sudden bend occurring as the load passed over and this
sudden bend would greatly weaken the line. I provide against this by placing a
rigid horn plate, as I call it, slightly curved in a vertical plane under the rod at the
place where the stiff web ceases. When a load comes on the span the rod bending
downwards takes the curve of the hornplate and no sudden bend or change of
curvature can occur. This horn is conveniently made flat at the top and does not
serve the purpose of a horizontal guide. The horn plate may be a prolongation of
the web though detached from the rod above it or may be an independent structure
but it is nowhere to be thicker than the web welded to the rod.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a side elevation and Figure 2 a cross section of one form of a
welded end for a Telpher line. The undercutting is shown in the cross section at
CD. The rigid horn plate is shown at F. it can be prolonged to different distances,
as shown by the dotted lines, to suit various degrees of curvature corresponding to
various spans and dips. The end in this form is firmly held by two pins or bolts
attached to the saddle, giving no freedom of motion in any direction.

page_text: Figures 3 and 4 show a side elevation and cross section of a design where the
welded end consists of T iron intended to be bolted against a post or other vertical
support.
The drawings are sufficiently clear without further explanation.
Figures 5, 6 and 6* show the side and end elevations of a third form of welded
end. The horn plate is omitted as unnecessary for a small span-The end is pinned
to the saddle at A and rests upon it between two cheeks at B.
Many more or less similar forms may be designed and the very variety serves to
show the utility of welding, forging or fashioning the end of the rods to receive the
attaching pins or bolts instead of treating these as ropes would be treated.
+
The undercutting may be omitted with certain forms of locomotive and trucks.
In Figure 2 are shown a pair of driving wheels with rims tapered so as to hold on
to the road. In Figure 4 is shown another arrangement of driving wheels with
taper rims so arranged that the upper parts may be pressed together by two rollers
as in one form of my right angle nest gear, while the lower parts roll on the road.
The welded ends have a further advantage over plans which I have previously
adopted for securing the ends of flexible rods by bending these and securing them
with a nut or cotter.
It is most important that the rods should be joined electrically in such a way as
to introduce no unnecessary resistance such as occurs from what is called imperfect
contact. It is easy with the welded end to drive into the solid metal when it is
fresh drilled a bar of brass or copper to which wires may be soldered, or a tube of
brass to which wires may be bolted, and in this way very perfect electric connection
is secured, whereas, if we attach these wires to a saddle or cap on which the rod
rests the oxide at the surface interposes a very injurious resistance.
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:-
First. In a Telpher line or road the complete welded or fashioned end undercut
with rigid curved horn plate.
Second. In a Telpher line or road the welded or fashioned undercut end.
Third. In a Telpher line or road the welded or fashioned end with a rigid horn
plate.
Fourth. In a Telpher line or road the use as electric conductors of flexible rods
with rigid welded or fashioned ends.
Dated this 17th day of Novemba 1901