Improvements in Cable Tramways.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 13th May, 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
Improvements in Cable Tramways.
1, GEORGE CROYDON MARKS, of 18 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
London W.C. Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to steep tramways for use in public streets and other places
where it is not desirable to have a cable projecting or standing above the ground,
the object of my invention being to produce an economical form of cable or
balanced car tramway system suitable for positions where the ordinary balanced
car would not be capable of being employed by reason of the exposure of the ropes
connecting one car to the other.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ a pair of cars coupled together by
means of one or more cables the cables passing over a top or end pulley situated
preferably at or near the top part of the track or road on which the cars are to run.
I carry the cable or cables in a conduit or conduits placed beneath the road and
formed either beneath the ordinary rails or between the rails as may be most
convenient. I carry from each car a rope attaching device which enables the car
to be rigidly secured to the rope or ropes and I preferably form the attachment so
that it can be withdrawn from the car when it is desired to run the car off the rails.
leaving the rope in position holding the device which couples it to the car.
I drive the top wheel or pulley around which the main cable or rope passes by
means of gearing, belting or other mechanical driving appliances connected with a
gas, steam or other ordinary motor, so that when the top pulley is set in motion one
car travels up the line while its companion travels down; one car balancing the
other, so as to minimise the amount of work thrown upon the pulleys.
To stop the car I employ an improved method of communicating with the engine
room or top pulley by means of a supplementary cable or an electrical conductor
or conductors carried beneath the conduit or conduits arranged in such a manner
that when the attendant upon either car makes the connection with the supplementary
cable or electrical conductor, a clutch is disengaged at the main pulley or at the
engine room, thus stopping the power and leaving the cars free to be checked on
the rails by ordinary or other brakes placed upon each car for this purpose.
I prefer to employ my slot gripping brakes described in the Specification of
Letters Patent No. 19200 of 1892 which enable the conductor on each car to lay
hold of the rails upon the top and the bottom side so as to effectually arrest the
motion of the cars.
I sometimes employ in connection with my brake controlling clutch in the engine
room or at the top station, hydraulic cylinders, which are controlled by valves and
which operate levers for throwing the clutch in and out of gear.
I do not limit myself to any particular form of driving wheel although I prefer
to employ a track in which the up and the down rope can pass through the one tube
or conduit, the cars travelling upon the same rails except where they pass each
other, where I provide a turu out or a loop passing place.
I mount upon my cars the ordinary brake or my slot rail brake for arresting the
cars after the main clutch lever or hand wheel has been manipulated so as to throw
the driving gear out of motion with the main wheel. I employ any well known
form of car with garden or other seats and when so desired I mount accumulators
or motors upon the car for sending the electric current along the conductors placed
beneath the slot rail or rails. I arrange my conductors in such a way that when

page_text: the controller is moved in one direction the clutch will be released and the main
motion stopped, and when moved in a contrary or opposite direction the clutch will
be thrown in, and the motion from the engine or motor will be communicated to the
main wheel so as to start the cars.
When arranging my improved conduit system for a long line I sometimes employ
a balance or tail rope or ropes; and I place within the conduit or rope tube, pulleys
for guiding and carrying the ropes at positions where such are found to be
necessary.
Dated this 13th day of August 180R
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.
I, GEORGE CROYDON MARKS, of 18 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
London, W.C. Consulting Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to steep tramways for use in public streets and other places
where it is not desirable to have a cable projecting or standing above the ground,
the object of my invention being to produce an economical form of cable or
balanced car tramway system suitable for positions where the ordinary balanced
car would not be capable of being employed by reason of the exposure of the ropes
connecting one car to the other.
In the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings
Fig. 1 is a plan of the general arrangement of machinery and lines for the cars
to travel upon.
Fig. 2 is a large sectional elevation of the road showing the rope conduit.
Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional plan of the clutch mechanism and
Fig. 4 is a part elevation of the rope driving mechanism.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ a pair of cars E coupled together
by means of one or more cables the cables passing over a top or end pulley
situated preferably at or near the top part of the track or road on which the cars
are to run. I carry the cable or cables C in a conduit or conduits B placed beneath
the road and formed either beneath the ordinary rails D or between the rails
(Fig. 2), as may be most convenient. I carry from each car E a rope attaching
device F which enables the car to be rigidly secured to the rope or ropes and
I preferably form the attachment so that it can be withdrawn from the car when it
is desired to run the car off the rails leaving the rope in position holding the device
which couples it to the car.
I drive the top wheel or pulley A around which the main cable or rope C passes
by means of gearing G belting or other mechanical driving appliances connected
with a gas, steam or other ordinary motor H, so that when the top pulley is set in
motion one car travels up the line while its companion travels down; one car
balancing the other so as to minimise the amount of work thrown upon the
pulleys.
To stop the car I employ an improved method of communicating with the engine
room or top pulley by means of a supplementary cable or an electrical conductor
or conductors carried beneath the conduit or conduits or arranged in such a manner
that when the attendant upon either car makes the connection with the supplementary
eable or electrical conductor, a clutch K or K' is disengaged at the main pulley or
at the engine room or a sigual is sent to the attendant to disengage the clutch thus

page_text: stopping the power and leaving the cars free to be checked on the rails by ordinary
or other brakes placed upon each car for this purpose.
I prefer to employ my slot gripping brakes described in the Specification of
Letters Patent No. 19200 of 1892 which enable the conductor on each car to lay
hold of the rails upon the top and the bottom side or to grip and press against the
rails so as to effectually arrest the motion of the cars.
I sometimes employ in connection with my brake controlling clutch in the engine.
room or at the top station, hydraulic cylinders, which are controlled by valves and
which operate levers for throwing the clutch in and out of gear.
I do not limit myself to any particular form of driving wheel although I prefer
to employ a track in which the up and the down rope can pass through the one
tube or conduit B the cars travelling upon the same rails except where they pass
each other as at M where I provide a turn out or a loop passing place.
I mount upon my cars the ordinary brake or my slot rail brake for arresting the
cars after the main clutch lever or hand wheel L has been manipulated so as to
throw the driving gear out of motion with the main wheel. I employ any well
known form of car E with garden or other seats and when so desired I mount
accumulators or motors upon the car for sending the electric current along the
conductors placed beneath the slot rail or rails or through the overhead wires.
I may arrange my conductors in such a way that when the controller is moved in
one direction the clutch will be released and the main motion stopped, and when.
moved in a contrary or opposite direction the clutch will be thrown in and the
motion from the engine or motor will be communicated to the main wheel so as to
start the cars.
When arranging my improved conduit system for a long line I sometimes employ
a balance or tail rope or ropes; and I place within the conduit or rope tube-
pulleys N for guiding and carrying the ropes at positions where such are found to.
be necessary.
I arrange an automatic stopping system which is actuated by either car when it
reaches the upper end of the rails. I place within the central tube an endless chain.
or driving cord P which turns a wheel P¹ fastened upon the controlling screw P¹ in
such a manner that the clutch is released before the car reaches the extreme up.
position upon the rails.
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 improvements in cable or rope driven tramways substantially as.
hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a tramway having two cars for travelling together in opposite directions,
the improved arrangement of driving and stopping mechanism consisting of a top.
pulley around wbich the car cable passes positively driven by means of gearing or
the like from a clutch controlled engine or other independent motor shaft, the-
clutches or driving belts or gearing being constructed and arranged so that a
varying direction of rotation may be communicated to the driving wheel
substantially as heretobefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
3. In a tramway having two cars which are connected together by means of a
cable or rope passing on a top driving wheel the use of a brake signal or brake.
controlling gear upon each car for enabling the conductor or driver to communicate
with the attendant in the engine or motor room substantially as hereinbefore
described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
*1* 111
2007
MARKS & CLERK.