Improvements in and in connection with Cable Tramways.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 4th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 16th May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Cable Tramways.
THOMAS MEACOCK RICHARD ROGERS MEACOCK OWEN JONES MEACOCK
all of No. 18, Burlington Chambers, New Street in the City of Birmingham
Consulting Engineers do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in and in connection with cable tramways
and has for its object the simplification of parts for reducing the power required to
work same, and facilitating convenience and reducing the cost of laying the same,
and further the adaptation of parts for the application of electricity as the motive
power.
We will first describe our invention in relation to a single track tramway, where
the car or cars pass up and down the same track when it will consist of a plain
trough, preferably of rectangular section well tied together with cross webs or
brackets for withstanding the vertical pressure from heavy vehicles, and the lateral
pressure due to expansion of road materials, particularly where wood paving is
adopted. This rectangular trough or tube has a slot formed in the centre of
upper portion for passage of the gripper hauling the car; the upper portion of the
said rectangular trough may be formed with a cast chequered chilled surface to be
durable in wear, or loose chequered strips preferably of steel may be secured on
top having joggled portion in gripper slot; the lower interior portion of the said
rectangular trough being in one plane, without any recesses or cavities the process
of flushing and drainage is facilitated, the bottom of the rectangular trough to be
flat for giving good bearing surface upon the foundation of track, the said trough
to be laid in sections connected at ends with bolts or joggled slots provision being
made to admit of the expansion and contraction of the same; at intervals a pair
of guide pulleys fitted on a pin with lubricating tube, the said pin being fixed with
bearings formed at sides of trough to be provided for carrying the weight of the
cable; immediately over the guide pulleys will be fitted at top of the said
rectangular trough, a pair of covers preferably hinged for facilitating access to the
said guide pulleys.
The afore described rectangular trough to be laid in the centre of the tramway
track and tie bars or rods may be secured to same, and to each of the tramway rails
at intervals.
We will now describe our invention as to the method of the application of
electricity for the motive power, the cable or rope is passed round a portion of the
periphery of a fixed pulley inclined with the horizontal plane at one end of the
tramway track, this pulley is secured upon an axis having a bearing at either end
working in brackets secured to under side of roadway and bottom of pit
respectively; the cable is guided from this pulley into and along the afore described
rectangular trough, and thence passes partially round the periphery of a grip
pulley, similarly inclined to the pulley at other end of track, and mounted upon a
movable carriage; a bevel gear wheel is fixed to the underside of the grip pulley
or upon the axis of same; an electric motor is fixed upon the aforementioned
carriage, and the motor has a bevel pinion fitted on end of its shaft for gearing
with the said bevel wheel; the carriage is mounted upon four or more rail wheels
of large diameter to be sensitive in working; this carriage moves upon adjustable
inclined rails the latter being fitted with elevating and lowering gear preferably of

page_text: be
the screw type to give any desired inclination to the said rails for the purpose
of adjusting the tension on cable caused by the weight of the said carriage, with
electric motor, grip pulley and bevel gear aforedescribed mounted thereon
attempting to descend the inclined rails, to suit any number of cars that may
put on the track to be hauled by the said cable; an automatic band or slipper
brake to be provided on the said carriage to prevent its accelerated descent down
the inclined rails in case of breakage of the cable.
The electricity may be communicated to the motor mounted on the movable
carriage, either through the medium of a pair of conductor bars with slipper
connectors or if an electric cable or wire is used one or more loops may be formed
thereon to compensate the varying movement of the said tension carriage, along
the inclined rails due to the varying pull on cable as cars are gripped or ungripped
thereon.
The application of our invention to a double tramway track differs but slightly
from the above description for a single track; in the double track a rectangular
trough as aforementioned would be laid between the rails of either track, and the
cable would pass up one trough and down the other trough in forming the circuit.
When more than one section of length of cable is used the electric motor carriage
of each section can be accommodated on a double inclined rail track in same recess
under roadway, situated between any two sections or lengths of tramway, vertical
guide pulleys being provided for deflecting the cable.
Dated this 27th day of May 1895.
THOMAS MEACOCK.
RICHARD ROGERS MEACOCK.
OWEN JONES MEACOCK.
THOMAS MEACOCK RICHARD ROGERS MEACOCK OWEN JONES MEACOCK
18 Burlington Chambers New Street Birmingham Consulting Engineers 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 :-
Our invention relates to improvements in and in connection with cable tramways
and has for its object the simplification of parts for reducing the power required to
work same and facilitating convenience and reducing the cost of laying the same
and further the adaptation of parts for the application of electricity as the motive
power. We will first describe our invention in relation to a single track tramway
where the car or cars pass up and down the same track when it will consist of a plain
trough preferably of rectangular section well tied together with cross webs or
brackets for withstanding the vertical pressure from heavy vehicles and the lateral
pressure due to expansion of road materials particularly where wood is adopted ;
this rectangular trough or tube has a slot formed in the centre of upper portion for
passage of the gripper hauling the car; the upper portion of the said rectangular
trough may be formed with a cast chequered chilled surface to be durable in wear
or loose chequered strips preferably of steel may be secured on top having joggled
portion in the gripper slot; the lower interior portion of the said rectangular
trough being in one plane without any recesses or cavities the process of flushing
and drainage is facilitated-the bottom of the rectangular trough to be flat for
giving good bearing surface upon the foundation of track; the said trough to be
laid in sections connected at ends with bolts or joggled slots provision being made
to admit of the expansion and contraction of the same; at intervals a pair of guide
pulleys fitted on a pin with lubricating tube, the said pin being fixed in bearings

page_text: formed at sides of trough to be provided for carrying the weight of the cable;
immediately over the guide pulleys will be fitted at top of the said rectangular
trough a pair of covers preferably hinged for facilitating access to the said guide
pulleys.
The aforedescribed rectangular trough to be laid in the centre of the tramway
track and tie bars or rods may be secured to same and to each of the tramway rails
at intervals.
We will now describe our invention as to the method of the application of
electricity for the motive power, the cable or rope is passed round a portion of the
periphery of a fixed pulley inclined with the horizontal plane at one end of tramway
track, this pulley is secured upon an axis having a bearing at either end working
in brackets secured to underside of roadway and bottom of pit respectively; the
cable is guided from this pulley into and along the aforedescribed rectangular
trough and thence passes partially round the periphery of a grip pulley similarly
inclined to the pulley at other end of track and mounted upon a movable carriage;
a bevel gear wheel is fixed to the underside of the grip pulley or upon the axis of
same; an electric motor is fixed upon the aforementioned carriage and the motor
has a bevel pinion fitted on end of its shaft for gearing with the said bevel wheel;
the carriage is mounted upon four or more rail wheels of large diameter to be
sensitive in working; this carriage moves upon adjustable inclined rails, the latter
being fitted with elevating and lowering gear preferably of the screw type to give
any desired inclination to the said rails for the purpose of adjusting the tension on
cable caused by the weight of the said carriage with electric motor, grip pulley
and bevel gear aforedescribed mounted thereon attempting to descend the inclined
rails, to suit any number of cars that may be put on the track to be hauled by the
said cable; an automatic band or slipper brake to be provided on the said carriage
to prevent its accelerated descent down the inclined rails in case of breakage of
the cable.
The electricity may be communicated to the motor mounted on the movable
carriage either through the medium of a pair of conductor bars with slipper
connections or if an electric cable or wire is used one or more loops may be formed
thereon to compensate the varying movement of the said tension carriage along the
inclined rails due to the varying pull on cable, as cars are gripped or ungripped
thereon.
The application of our invention to a double tramway track differs but slightly
from the above description for a single track; in the double track a rectangular
trough as aforementioned would be laid between the rails of either track, and the
cable would pass up one trough and down the other trough in forming the circuit.
When more than one section of length of cable is used the electric motor carriage
of each section can be accommodated on a double inclined rail track in same recess
under roadway situated between any two sections or lengths of tramway: vertical
guide pulley being provided for deflecting the cable.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings,
the manner in which our invention is to be performed.
Referring to Drawing No. 1 Fig. 1 represents in vertical section and Fig. 2 in
plan the trough for a single track tramway, Fig. 3 vertical section of the upper
portion of the trough, Fig. 4 represents in elevation, Fig. 5, in vertical section and
Fig. 6 in plan the trough for a double track tramway.
Referring to Drawing No. 2, Fig. 7, represents in elevation and Fig. 8, in plan,.
the arrangement of parts for a single track tramway, Fig. 9, represents in elevation
and Fig. 10 in plan the arrangement of parts for a double track tramway.
Referring to Drawing No. 3, Fig. 11 shews in vertical section, Fig. 12 in plan,
and Fig. 13 in cross section to an enlarged scale the arrangement of cable driving
gear shewn in outline on Drawing No. 2 Figs. 7 & 8. Fig. 14 shews the automatic
brake.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the drawings.

page_text: A is the rectangular trough, having cross ties, B, the slot for passage of the car
hauling gripper is lettered C. Fig. 3 shews the chequered or ribbed upper surface
at D and E shews the loose wearing strip secured to top of trough with screws F,
the joggled portion in slot is marked G, the bottom of trough H is of continuous
flat section, J is the trough drain, K shews the bolted joints of troughs and L the
joggled joint, M is a recess in sides of trough to economise the material of trough,
and the concrete becoming embedded in same secures the trough rigidly in position
with the inclined edges N, spaces are allowed at joints of troughs to permit of
expansion and contraction, O is a guide pulley for carrying the cable traversing in
one direction and P is a similar pulley for portion of cable traversing in opposite
direction, Qis the pin upon which the said pulleys rotate, it is drilled along axis
for lubrication with feeders at right angles to convey the lubricant to the interior
of pulley bushes working on the pin, R represent the lubricating tubes, S the pin
bearing brackets at sides of trough, for single track trough a pair of hinged lids
at at T may be used to facilitate examining or removing the pulleys, for double
track trough rectangular covers U fitting in box V may be used, in this case the
pulley and pin carrying bracket W is secured to side of trough A with two or
more bolts, X shews the tie bars to rail at either side of trough, in Fig. 5 section
of rail is shewn at Y.
The method of application of operating the cable by electricity is shewn on
Drawing No. 2, Z is the steel cable passing round a portion of the periphery of the
fixed terminal pulley A', fitted on axis B', working in bearings C, the guide
pulleys for deflecting the cable Z are lettered D¹, the grip or operating pulley El
is mounted upon axis, FG¹ is the bevel gear driving wheel and H₁ the pinion
operating same, J' is the electric motor, K'is a duplicate electric motor, the motors,
gearing and grip pulley are mounted upon the carriage L', the wheels M' being of
large diameter are sensitive in keeping the rope taut for varying degrees of tension
N' are the inclined rails upon which the tension carriage works, the inclination is
governed by the degree of tautness required on the cable for hauling the cars, in
cases of considerable alteration in the number of cars run at various times, the
inclined rails can be made adjustable by means of screw gear, the ends of the
inclined jails N¹ are hinged at O¹, sciew jack P¹ can be placed under extremities Q',
the vertical pulley D" can be adjusted horizontally to suit the angular position of
cable between pulley D" and grip pulley El.
For preventing the carriage Li descending the inclined plane at accelerated
speed an automatic brake can be fitted on either axis, consisting of a disc or wheel
secured on axis having metallic band around a portion, of its periphery, the said
band being connected with a lever or levers, with a centrifugal governor, at normal
speed the band is slack but upon the axle revolving at accelerated speed the
governor tightens the band upon the aforementioned brake wheel.
Referring to Fig. 14, Drawing No. 3, W' shews the brake wheel, X' the band,
encircling a portion of the periphery, one end of the said band is anchored to a
fixed stop Y¹, the other end being secured to lever Z, at A upon the axis B
rotating at accelerated speed, the centrifugal governor C takes the position shewn
by dotted lines elevating the lever Z, tightening the band X and thereby retarding
the descent of carriage L' down the inclined rails N¹, D is the driving chain
working the governor from axis B with wheel E and F through the medium
of the pair of bevel gear wheels G.
The adjusting arrangement of pulley D₁ is effected by means of the screw Hu
having square end J to suit key, the other end being connected to the bearing
bracket the base L has planed guides M" to facilitate the movement of
pulley D.
The electricity conductor bars are shewn in Fig. 11 lettered N, the slipper
collector conveying the current to the motors J K through the cable Pi
The screw jacks P₁ can be elevated or lowered by the ratchet Q and
handle RS are guides for the extremities of the inclined rails N¹.
Fig. 13 is a cross section through line U¹-V1.

page_text: The position of steel cable when in gripper is shewn in Figs. 1 and 5 at R¹, when
a double track is worked in sections as shewn in Figs. 9 and 10 deflecting pulleys S¹
adjacent to each other are provided for deflecting the cable to grip pulleys.
The chambers for containing the electric motor driving gear can be formed under
the track as shewn at T¹.
The electricity can be conveyed to the motors either through conductor bars
fixed parallel to the incline rails N', or through the medium of the rails N¹, or
slack insulated electricity flexible cable may be used having loops to permit of the
movement to and fro of the carriage L' on the incline rails N¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed we declare that we claim as
our invention of "Improvements in and in connection with cable tramways."
1st. The system of rectangular trough and cable guide pulleys for single
tramway track substantially as herein before described and illustrated in Figs. 1,
2 & 3.
2nd. The system of rectangular trough and cable guide pulleys for double
tramway track substantially as herein before described an illustrated in Figs. 3,
4, 5, & 6.
3rd. The system of operating the cable through the medium of electric motor
or motors mounted upon cable tension carriage substantially as herein before
described and illustrated for single and double track tramways.
Dated this 6th day of May 1896
THOMAS MEACOCK.
RICHARD ROGERS MEACOCK.
OWEN JONES MEACOCK.
THOMAS MEACOCK.
RICHARD ROGERS MEACOCK.
OWEN JONES MEACOCK.