Improvements in and Connected with Recreation Railways or Plateways
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 4th Mar, 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 6th Apr, 1889
Improvements in and Connected with Recreation Railways or
Plateways
We JOHN CARRINGTON SELLARS, ("hemist and EDWARD ARTHUR WILLIAMS, Timber
Merchant, both of Fountain Street Tranmere in the County of Chester, do hereby declare
the nature of our said invention to be as follows
-
This invention relates mainly to that type of recreation railway in connection with
which cars are used and are actuated by gravitation and wherein a number of people
are carried in each car
According to this invention the course over which the cars travel is from a point a
considerable height above the ground or other foundation on which the railway stands,
to, or nearly to the ground or other landing, and between the starting point to the
finish the track may take a spiral, zig-zag or crossing and recrossing or equivalent
but in all, the same main condition by preference exists, that is the point of
starting is at a considerable elevation above the ground and the point of finish near
the ground
course,
The track is supported upon a vertically arranged structure raised to a considerable
height above the ground or foundation The cais are started from the top and descend
by gravity to the bottom In this track they may be provided with one or more humps
and depressions, the main portion being a convenient inclination
If the course of way be a true spiral or other like way the track would be preferably
laid on outside counterlevers supported by a vertical inner framing The ascent of
the structure may be effected by means of a staircase provided within or outside the
framing, or it may be made by suitable mechanical lifts within the framing or outside
it If outside it such a mechanical lift may be of an inclined continuously moving
graduatory type, platforms being provided on it, onto and off which people step
suitable platform would be provided at the top of the structure over which an iwning
or roof may be arranged The cars may be supported and run on an overhead or the
ordinary track, and they may be provided with a cover or awning so as to prevent the
occupants from rising and getting injured by heams or any portion of the structure
A

page_text: under which the car travels The cars are ra sed by a mechanical lift arranged within
or outside the structure In case the track is of the ordinary rail or tramway hind, the
cirs are provided with radial axles of any known fixed or automatic type if the course
of travel be the spiral volute or curvilinear, recrossing kind above described
In the case where the course travelled by the car is a vertical or inclined zig-zag
the car would by preference be suspended from ind run on an overhead rail or rul,
the cars running from one incline to another, and shunted by points automatically
The cars
operated by the car or by running direct from one onto the next incline
would prefer bly be stopped by the end of each incline being rused and the stopping
may be aided by a brake if desired Depressions and elevations may be provided in
cach incline
In all cases a brake may be used in the car to control its speed

page_text: We JOHN CARRINGTON SELLARS, Manufacturing Chemist, and EDWARD ARTHUR
WILLIAMS, Merchant, both of 44 Fountain Street Higher Tranmere, in the County
of Chester, do hereby declare the nature of our sud invention and in whit manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement
-
This invention relates mainly to that type of recreation railway in connection with
which the cars used are actuated by gravitation and wherein a number of people are
carried in each car
According to this invention the course over which the cars travel is from a point
Consider ible height above the ground or other foundation on which the railway stands,
to or nearly to the ground or other landing, and between the starting point ind the
finish the track may take a spiral, zig-zag, or crossing and recrossing, or equivilent
Course
The trach is supported upon a vertically arranged structure raised to a consider ible
height above the ground or foundation The cars are started from the top and descend
by gravity to the bottom In this track there may be provided one or more humps
and depressions, the main portion being a convenient inclination
If the course or way be a true spiral, or volute or the like, the track would be
The
pretei ibly laid on outside canti-levers supported by a vertical inner framing
iscent of the structure may be effected by means of staircase provided within or
outside of the framing, or it may be made by suitable mechanical lifts arranged within
the framing or outside of it If outside of it, such a mechanical lift may be of an
inclined continuously moving gradatory type, platforms being provided on it, onto or
off which people step
A suitable platform would be provided at the top of the structure over which an
iwning or roof may be arranged
The cars may be supported ind run on an over-head or the ordinary track and they
may be provided with a cover or awning so as to prevent the occupants from rising and
getting injured by beams or any portion of the structure under which the car travels
In
The cars are rused by a mechanical lift arranged within or outside the structure
case the track is of the ordinary rail or tramway hind, the cars are provided with radial
aales of any known fixed or automatic type if the course of travel be the spiral volute,
or curvilinear, or recrossing kind above described,

page_text: In the caso where the course travelled by the cu is a vertical zig-zag, the car would
by preference be suspended from and run on an overhond rail or rails; the cars running
from one incline to another, and shunting by points automatically operated by the
car, or by running direct from one onto the next inchne The cars would preferably
In
be stopped by the end of each incline being raised, and the stopping may be aided by
a brake if desired Depressions and elevations may be provided in each incline
all cases brakes may be used in the car to control its speed
In order that our invention may be clearly and fully understood we have hereunto
annexed 6 sheets of drawings illustrative thereof, which are marked with figures and
letters of reference corresponding with those used in the following explanation thereof
Like letters and figures are used to denote like or corresponding parts throughout the
various views
In Figure 1 is shown an elevation in section of ŉ spiral recreation railway involving
oui invention and Figure 21s a plin of sume, and Figure 3 is an elovation and Figure 4
a plan showing the arrangement of the rails at the bottom of the tower, the incline
over which the cars are hauled up to the top, and the plan of the ruls at the top
platform In this example of our invention A designates vertical frimes, arranged
around a central vertical ax s Bare canti-levers supporting the spiral track C The
track, it will be observed is arr inged outside the framing whereby an unobscured view
can be had from all points by the occupants of the car The car which is designated X
may be of any suit ible kird, but it is provided with radially arranged axles so as to
allow the car to run freely down the spiral track If the wheels are fixed on their
axles the outer one would be larger than the inner, to compensate for the greater
length of distance it would have to run The cars are hauled up an incline D to the
top of the structure by any known suitable mechanical lifting or hoisting machinery
but it will be evident that any convenient type of hoisting appar tus may be applied to
raise the cars
"
Figure 4 shows diagrammatically in plan a car suitably arranged and constructed
to run down the spiral railway shown in Figures 1 to 4 The axles a are radil, the
angle of inclination of the axles with relation to each other being of course determined
by their distance apart, but they are always at right ingles to the tangents of a circle
or circles having a radius equal to that of the railway The wheels may either be fixed
on their axles or loose - If they are fixed, the outer wheels must be of greater diameter
than the inner, that 15,
the proportion il difference of circumference of the two wheels
of each axle must be equal to the proportional difference of the length of the oiter ind
inner rail of the track It, on the other hand, the wheels be loose on their axles they
may be of equal size
In all cises we give the body of the car a cant, the outside being the highest, is by
this means the tendency to turn over, due to centrifugal force, is obviated
This may
be done by giving the body of the circint on its axle bearings as in Figure 4B,
or by canting or raising the outside rul is shewn in Figure 1, or by a combination of
both methods
Figures 5 5 to 12 12 inclusive, illustrate in plan and elevation 1espectively,
diagrammatically, various forms of courses the trick in y be arranged in, between the
upper parts of the structure and the lower base The arrows indicate the direction of
motion of the cars
In Figures 5 and 5ª the plun spir il form illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is shown
Figures 664 show a railway having an elliptic il-spi il course In Figures 7 7ª a
crossing spiral form of trick is shown Figures 8 and 8 illustrate reciprocating
inclined rulway Figures 9 9 show a modified rangement of that shown in
Figures 8 84 having a reciprocating inclined rulway in which the course 's given a
certain amount of zig-zag
Figures 1 10 illustrate a vertical 4g-ig course of track the ends of each line
being provided with rise so as to cause the car to stop and rost irt at eich und of the
several lengths of run forming the zig-/g
Figures 11 11 illustrate a circulai railway of a reciprociting spi il type

page_text: Figures 8 84
Any of these types of way may be combined if desired, all that is necessary is that
suitable car be used and mounted on a suitable kind of wheel or runners, to suit the
different kinds of trick usel, such as described
The carriages or wheels of the cars may run on over-head or other tracks
A suitable type of car which may be used in the cases where curves and portions of
track of varying radu are used and the body of the car arranged above the rails,
consists of two centril carrier wheels or spheres I and loose running wheels K which
keep the car in the required position vertically These are illustrated in Figures 13
to 15 The wheels (see Figure 15) night, if used, be mounted in ordinary bearings,
or if spheres are employed they may be mounted in sockets I provided with anti-
friction wheels 2 or anti-friction rollers of the type commonly used in velocipedos and
other machines may be employed in lieu of the wheels ?
The carriage illustrated in sectional elevation and end view in Figures 16 and 17
respectively, ind in plan in Figure 18 shows one in which a single sphere is used
to support the body of the cur The saddle is provided with rollers 2, and bars b
ramifying into a single bar & by which the car is suspended Gis guide bar to
pl event too much oscillation of the car The trick consists of two rails C supported
by bearers F, a free space being thus provided between the rails through which the
bars pass
This form of car carriage and arrangement of track is more suitable
for use in connection with all kinds of trichs other than that illustrated in Figures 19
to 21, that is, a track in which points are operated automatically by the car, such
is that shown in Figures 19 20 and 21, and such track consists of a plurality of
separate stages arranged directly above one another
The curage of the car illustrated in elevation, plin, and end view in Figures 19
20 and 21 is one expressly designed to meet cises where the trick is arranged in
the manner shown in Figures 10 10 or Figures 12 12ª and where that set forth
with reference to Figures 16 17 and 18 is not so suitable The whole car in the
Figures consists of a four-wheeled bogie, comprising four wheels I, point actuating
frimes H, suspender birs bb', and body XP are the points of the rails C, hinged
at p, and provided with roller wheels p The ends of the points P in their normal
position rest on the ruls C, but when the car travels in the direction of the arrow y
the points of the frame H pass beneath the wheels p¹ and on the forward motion of
the carriage the wheels p¹ will run up the inclines of the frimes H and the points P
will be raised clear out of the way of the bogie wheels and will allow the carriage
to pass under the points onto the next line directly below it In this way after
the car has been stopped at the end of stage and reversed its direction it auto-
matically shunts itself onto the next stage below and so on throughout the whole set
of stages The rails (in this case are arranged and mounted one on each side of
the structure as in Figures 16 and 17 only further spirt
In Figures 22 and 23 is shown in sectional end view and plin, and in Figure 24 a
detail, of a railway in which the tracks are arranged substantially as shown in
Figures 10 and 19, 20 and 21, but instead of the stages being directly above one
nother the succeeding lower stages are arranged in front of each other and the
descent of 1 car would be somewhat similar to the zig-zag paths which are laid out
on the side of steep hill or mountain the cir vibriting, as it were, from stage to
stage The points in this case are like ordinary railway catch points and are kept
normally in one position by a weight, so that as the car moves from one end of each
stage (except tho first) it is caught by the points and is so shunted onto the stage
below and so on throughout the railway
If the rail used in this case be of the ordinary grooved tramway type the
automatic shunting may be effected by arranging the points as shown in Figure 24ª,
that is, the direction of the rails near the end of each stage is turned to one side so
that when the car reverses its motion after one descont of stage and meets the
points to shunt it onto the next stage, the direction of movement of the car given by

page_text: the direction of the rails at the end of the stage causes the wheels of the car to take
the point in the desired way
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same 19 to be performed we declare that what we
claim 18
First A recreation railway or apparatus consisting of a circular tower having on
its outside track arranged in the form of a helix, and adapted to conduct a carriage
or car from a platform at the top, to the bottom thereof, and provided with a way or
incline, up which said car or carriage may be hauled, said car being provided with
wheels the axles of which are set radially to the axis of the tower or with wheels or
spheres in the manner set forth with reference to Figures 13 to 15, substantially is
set forth
Second A recreation railway of the type specified in claim 1, in which the track
18 arranged on the outside edge thereof, whereby the users are enabled to obtain an
unobstructed view all round, bstantially as set forth
6
Third A recreation railway of the type specified with reference to Figures 5, 5ª,
6, 64, 8, 8ª, 9, 94, in which the trick is supported by canta-levers, whereby the
users art en ibled to obtain an unobstructed view from one side, is set forth
Fourth A recreation railw y having track continuous from the starting point at
the top to the finishing point at the bottom, and consisting of a series of cycles one
above another ard arranged in re-crossing or elliptical fishion substantially as set
forth with reference to Figures 6, 64, and 7, 74 of the drawings
Fifth A recreation rulway having a track continuous from the starting point at
the top to the finishing point it the bottom and consisting of a series of zig-zig
courses, substantially as set forth with reference to Figures 8, 54, and 9, 94, of the
drawings
Sixth A recreation railway having a trach consisting of a series of courses and
points one above another and in which the car is shunted or switched from course
to course, substantially as set forth with reference to Figures 10, 10ª, and 12, 12ª,
of the drawings
Seventh A recreation railway having a track continuous from the starting point
at the top to the finishing point at the bottom and consisting of a series of cycles,
one above another, and arranged in circular reversing fashion, substantially as set
forth with reference to Figures 11, 11ª of the drawings
Eighth The use in connection with recreation railways having a circular or spiral
track, of a car constructed substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 44
of the drawings, that is to say, car provided with wheels the axles of which are set
radially to the axis or centre of the railway
Ninth The use in connection with circular or spiral railways, of a car constructed
substantially as here in described with reference to Figure 4B, that is to say, a car
wherein the body is canted for the purposes set forth
Tenth A circular or spir il recreation railway having a track consisting of two
rails, the outer one of which is arranged at a higher level than the inner one,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth
Eleventh A recreation rulwy consisting of a series of courses of trick, one above
another and provided with points or switches whereby the car is caused to shunt or
switch itself automatically in its descont from one course to another, substantially as
set forth with reference to Figures 19, 20 and 21, and to Figures 22, 23, 24 and 244
of the drawings
Twelfth The use in combination with circular, spiral curvilinear and other forms
of recreation railways, of a car constructed substantially as described with reference
to Figures 13, 14 and 15 of the drawings, that is to say, a car provided with guiding
spheres, wheels, or rollers (such as I) and steadying or balancing wheels (such
15 K)
Thirteenth. The use in connection with circular, spiral, curvilinear and other forms

page_text: of recreation railways, of a car constructed substantially as described with reference
to Figures 16 17 and 18 of the drawings, that is to say, car the body of which is
su-nended by a carriage adapted to run on a trach provided above it
Fourteenth The construction of car of the hind and for the purposes specified in
claim 13, wherein sphere or spheres is or are employed as the rolling medium, and
the body is suspended from or supported by a frame or saddle l' or a plurality of
same, substantially as set forth
Fifteenth A car for use in recreation railways constructed substantially as set forth
with reference to Figures 19, 20, and 21, of the drawings, that is to say, a car
constructed and adapted to operate the vertically arranged points or switches of the
railway in the manner described
JOHN CARRINGTON SELLARS
EDWARD ARTHUR WILLIAMS
By Cheesbrough & Royston,
15, Water Street, Liverpool,
Patent Agents