Improvements in or relating to Suspended Railways.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2 st Aug., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 21st May, 1896-Accepted, 27th June, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Suspended Railways.
I DICK DIX of Saffron Walden in the County of Essex Builder and Contractor
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a novel arrangement of suspended railway, in which it
is proposed to use air under pressure as the propelling power.
The permanent way consists of a strong iron tube, open at its under side from
end to end, and supported at any desired height, by lattice girders carried, at
proper intervals, by pillars or posts. This suspended tube or permanent way is.
formed in sections, with openings at the end of each section closed by valves.
Each section supports one carriage only at a time, which may conveniently have
the capacity for carrying some fifty passengers and a guard.
The longitudinal opening in the tube provides for the passage, from end to end,
of a pair of pendent plates, from which the carriage is suspended.
These plates severally depend from trolleys which run within the tube, and
carry each a piston, which pistons fit the tube, and are provided at their periphery
with an elastic packing for making an air-tight joint with the tube.
The longitudinal opening in the tube is covered by an elastic valve, formed
preferably of india rubber, embedded in the face of which is a steel strip.
The pendent plates, which are attached to the carriage top, are formed with
lateral flanges, which join at the forward end of the trolley, and constitute a kind
of wedge for lifting the longitudinal elastic valve from its seat, to open a passage
for the pendent trolley plates.
The acting piston propelled by the compressed air is situate in rear of the
carriage, and to ensure that the longitudinal elastic valve is properly seated, in
order that the piston may pass smoothly over it, a roller set in advance of the
piston, will press down the valve which has risen to open a passage for the pendent
plates through the longitudinal opening of the tubular way.
For the escape of air from the tube, that end of each section which is in advance
of the driving piston remains open, and it may be found desirable, in addition, to
provide escape valves along the tube, which valves will be closed by the passing
trolley, at the near approach of the driving piston.
The trolley wheels may be fitted with elastic tyres to secure ease and silence of
motion.
The compressed air used as the motive power, is puinped at permanent stations
into receivers, and connected to the permanent-way tubes with pipes and taps.
A small high-pressure pipe fixed along the tube, serves, as the end valves are
closed and communication is opened between the pipe and suspended tube or
tubular way, to supply the compressed air to the back of the piston, and force
forward the carriage. This arrangement provides for the pressure being put on
at convenient points in the system. In long distances, additional pumping engines
may be erected.
At the junction of the sections, the tube will be open to the atmosphere, and the
impetus given to the trolleys will suffice, when desired, to pass the suspended
carriage from one section to the other, so that, on timing the closing of the end
valve in the new section reached, the propelling power, applied as before, will
continue the progress of the carriage without any intermission.

page_text: In order, however, to provide for the re-starting of the carriage when stopped
at a junction of two sections, the guard's van is fitted with a chain pulley to receive
an endless chain, which depends from a chain wheel on the axle of one of the
trolleys. A hand wheel attached to the chain pulley in the guard's van, will
enable the guard to move the carriage in either direction, and take a position
which will bring the rear piston of the trolleys in front of the closed valve of the
section which is to be traversed, and in advance also of the opening which admits
the propelling power to the tube. The end valves may be operated by mechanism
similar to that employed for setting railway signals, or by any other convenient
means.
The propelling pistons are fitted each with a valve under the control of the
guard, who, when desirous to stop interniediate of stations, will, from his com-
partment, open the valves, and allow of the escape of the compressed air past
the pistons.
Dated this 21st day of August 1895.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Suspended Railways.
I, DICK Dix of Saffron Walden, in the County of Essex, Builder and
Contractor, 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 a novel arrangement of suspendeḍ rail or tramway, in
which it is proposed to use air under pressure as the propelling power.
The permanent way consists of two strong iron tubes, one for the forward and
the other for the return journey, and connected together at their opposite ends in
the manner and for the purpose hereafter mentioned. Each tube is open at its
underside from end to end, and is carried at any desired height by bracket arms
from pillars or other suitable supports. The suspended tube or permanent way
formed with openings which divide it into sections. These sections are closed at
is
their rear end by valves operated automatically or otherwise. Each section supports
one carriage only at a time, which may conveniently have the capacity for carrying
some fifty passengers and a guard.
The longitudinal opening in the tube provided for the passage from end to end
of pendent plates, from which the carriage is suspended.
These plates depend from a pair of trolleys, which run within the tube, and are
propelled by compressed air. The rear trolley carries a piston which fits the tube
and is provided at its periphery with an elastic packing for making an air-tight
joint with the tube.
The longitudinal opening in the tube is covered by an elastic valve, which, by
means of the forward pendent plate, is raised from its seat, to open a passage for
the progress of the carriage.
In the accompanying drawings from Figs. 1 to 7, 1 have illustrated my invention
as applied to one suspended tube fitted to carry a passenger carriage from one
terminus to the other, its return journey being effected by transference to a second
and similar tube.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the tubular permanent way, shewing the
manner of supporting it, and the passenger carriage (which is partly in section)
pendent from the trolleys which run on the bottom of the tube.
Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same, taken in the line 1-2 of
Fig. 1.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the carriage
shewing it as pendent from the forward trolley in the tube; and
Fig. 4 is a plan view, on a corresponding scale, of the trolley and carriage, the
upper part of the tube being cut away to expose the interior.
Fig. 5 is a transverse section on a still larger scale, shewing the details of
construction of the tube, the trolley, and the manner of connecting it with the
carriage roof.
Figs. 6 and 7 shew, in plan and sectional elevation, the adjacent ends of two
sections of the tube, with the valve which closes the rear end; also the means for
simultaneously closing the valve and supplying compressed air to the tube.
A, Figs. 1 and 2, represents lattice supports for the permanent way.
B is a
portion of a tube in which trolleys C C run, for sustaining the passenger
carriage D. The lattice supports are each formed with bracket arms A¹, from
which the tube B is suspended.
The underside of this tube is slotted from end to end, and this slot is covered by
an elastic longitudinal valve B¹, which, when closed, completes the inner periphery
of the tube. The trolleys C. C* run on wheels c freely in the tube, and these
wheels are fitted with elastic tyres, to minimise the noise caused by their
movement.
C is a piston carried by the trolley C, and suitably packed to fit the tube B
air-tight.
The trolleys are formed of light open framework, to carry the axles of their
running wheels, and to support between them the carriage D by means of pendent
plates C, made fast to the strong roof of the carriage, as best shewn at Fig. 5.
These plates, it will be seen, take a zig-zag form in edge view, for the purpose of
allowing the plates to pass through the longitudiual slot without lifting the valve B¹
a greater height than is needed for the free passage of the plates.
The piston C is fitted with a valve c' (see Fig. 1), which is carried by a valve
rod C³, extending forward to the trolley C*, for the purpose of bringing it into
connection with mechanism in the guard's compartment of the passenger carriage,
by which means the valve c¹ is opened, to allow the propelling air to pass its piston,
and escape to the atmosphere, on the completion of the run through one section of
the tube.
B (see Figs. 6 and 7) shews the construction of a hinged valve used for closing
the rear end of the several sections of which the tube B is composed.
This valve is cast with a hollow trunnion b, on which it swings, one end of the
trunnion fitting into an ordinary bearing b¹ attached to the tube B, and the other
end terminating in a coned plug which fits into a case formed on the tube B.
In communication with this case, and with a similar case carried by each section
of the tube B, is an air pipe E, extending from end to end of the track. This
pipe takes its air from receivers set at suitable distances apart along the track,
and each in connexion with an air-pumping engine not shewn in the drawings.
Communicating with the hollow trunnion b, is a pipe 6, which is carried by the
valve B2, and closes a central opening in that valve; thus, a passage is provided
for supplying compressed air to the tube B, for the purpose of actuating the trolley
in the tube.
A tendency is given to the valve B' to remain open in the dotted position of
Figs. 6 and 7. This is effected by connecting to the valve a weighted cord or
chain &, which, as shewn in Fig. 7, passes over guide pulleys.
While the valve is in this position, the coned plug fitting the case will close
the pipe E, and prevent the passage of air through the hollow trunnion and valve
to the tube B.
So soon, however, as the trolleys have passed forward into the next section of
the tube, the valve must be closed. This may be done by the attendant, or, if
preferred, automatically.
Fig. 7 shews the valve fitted with a latch lever 66, it being pivotted to the valve,

page_text: •
in such a position as to allow of its entering a catch 67 projecting from the tube B,
and thus locking the valve in place. The weighted chain 6 is so connected to this
latch lever, that it will have a tendency to release it from its catch, and raise the
valve from its closed to its open horizontal position. The attendant therefore will
be enabled, by releasing the chain from the drag of its counterweight, to allow the
valve to fall, and be locked in its closed position. It will be obvious that this
release of the chain from its drag weight may be automatically effected through
the action of the advancing carriage, by the adaptation of mechanism such as that
used for operating railway signals.
On the fall of the valve B to its closed position, the plug of its hollow trunnion
will open communication with the pipe E, thereby allowing compressed air to flow
into the tube B through the pipe 6, press upon the piston C¹, and drive forward
the
passenger carriage, until it reaches the end of the section.
If it be desired to stop the carriage at this point, the guard will open the valve c
in the piston C' by the means to be presently explained, and permit the propelling
air to escape, but if the valve is not so acted on in due time, the impelling force
will carry the trolleys into the next section, the valve B' standing open to admit
them.
In either case, an automatic signal will be given to cut off the supply of air to
the tube just traversed, by allowing the closed counterweighted hinged valve B³
to rise.
The guard's compartment is fitted with a hand lever d, which is pivotted to a
lug in the roof of the carriage, and projects upwards through the longitudinal slot
of the tube B, in a line corresponding with the sectional line of the forward
plate C, to reach the valve rod, to which it is pivotted.
The rocking of this hand lever, therefore, backward, will force the valve c¹ from
its seat, and open a way for the escape of the propelling air. At the same time,
and by the same movement of the lever d, a brake is applied to stop the further
progress of the carriage.
This is effected in the following manner :-
Mounted on the top edge of the forward plate C, which is rebated so as to form
a limited length of slide, is a saddle piece c', carrying two anti-friction rollers c¹,
which stand up from the saddle, and bear against the backs of a pair of brake
blocks c, which are supported by links c pivotted to the plate C³.
The backs of these blocks are inclined, so that the rollers, when advanced towards
them, will simultaneously drive the brake blocks into action, and, when moved in
the opposite direction, will release the brake.
The saddle piece c³ is connected to the lever d by a short link c'. When, therefore,
the lever is rocked to open the valve, it will pull upon the saddle piece, and cause
the brake blocks to be thrust out into contact with the tube B. A coiled spring
connecting the two blocks together, will draw in the blocks free of the tube, when
released from the pressure of the rollers.
d' is a second hand-lever mounted in the guard's compartment, it being pivotted
to a lug on the roof of the carriage.
This lever carrics, at its upper end, within the tube B, and set longitudinally
therewith, a bar d, fitted at its opposite ends with pawls d, for racking the
carriage D forward or backward, as desired.
It should be here remarked that the two levers d d take a zig-zag form corre-
sponding with the section of the pendent plate C2, which is divided up in order to
provide ways for these levers to reach the mechanism (within the tube) which they
are designed to operate.
This bar
plate C*.
runs in supporting guides on one side of the forward divided-up
dd are ratchet wheels attached respectively to the trolley wheels c, on one side
of the trolley, and into the teeth of these ratchet wheels take alternately the pawls
of the sliding bar d³.

page_text: When, therefore, it is desired to rack forward the carriage, the hand lever d¹ is
moved in the direction of the arrow, and the forward pawl is thereby caused to
engage with its ratchet wheel, and move forward the running wheels c of the
trolley C*.
When, however, the hand lever d¹ is moved in the opposite direction, the hinder
pawl will come into action, and reverse the motion of the carriage.
In applying my invention to cover a way of, say, ten miles in length, I
divide up the tube into twenty sections, leaving an opening between the
sections for the escape of air, and of a length sufficient for the working of the
hinged valves, and the reception of the trolleys which support the passenger
carriage.
The longitudinal elastic valve B' will extend from end to end of the tubular way,
and cover the longitudinal slot from starting to stopping point.
This valve I propose to make of thin steel, and to bed it upon lines of elastic
rubber carried by the two beams used to stiffen the tube.
To one of these beams, the elastic valve is loosely secured by a suitable metallic
attachment, and a tendency is given to the valve to bed upon the rubber by means of
tension springs secured to the underside of the valve and to one of the beams (see
Fig. 5), at suitable distances apart, so that, when lifted from its seat by the
advancing plate of the forward trolley, it will be ready to fall to its seat, and,
under the pressure of the air, seal the longitudinal opening in the pipe in rear of
the piston.
I have said that at the junction of the sections the tube is open to the atmosphere
for a space equal to the length of the trolleys. The propelling force of the com-
pressed air will therefore cease when the piston has arrived at this opening. The
impetus, however, given to the trolleys will suffice, when desired, to pass the
suspended carriage from one section to the other, so that, on properly timing
the closing of the end valve in the new section reached, the propelling power,
applied as before, will continue the progress of the carriage to the next section
without intermission, and so on, until the terminus is reached.
To enable the return journey to be made, 1 arrange at the extremities of the two
tubular ways, mechanism of the well-known character used on railways for
transferring the trolleys with their carriage from one tube to the other, and turning
them end to end during the transfer.
The guard will then rack his carriage into position, when the piston of the
hinder trolley will enter and fit the tube, ready for a return journey.
The attendant will then close the valve at the end of the tube; and, compressed
air being thereby admitted behind the piston, as before explained, the carriage will
proceed on its return journey.
The like contrivance of transferring apparatus being provided at both ends of
the rail or tramway, the carriage, on the completion of its return journey, may be
transferred to the suspended permanent way from which it started.
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:-
1. The suspended tubular permanent way fitted, as above described, with means
for propelling, by the aid of compressed air, pendent carriages from end to end
thereof.
2. Constructing the rail or tramways of tubular sections closed at their rear ends
by latch-locked valves, which, by their construction, serve, when closed, to admit,
from the source of supply, compressed air to the back of the piston in the tube, for
the purpose above explained, and at the same time resist the back pressure of the
admitted air.
3. The arrangement of mechanism above described for arresting the progress of
he carriage as desired.

page_text: 4. The means above described for racking the trolleys from one tube section to
.another, to bring them into a starting position.
Dated this 15th day of May 1896.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for Applicant.