Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Dec., 1897-Accepted, 8th Jan., 1898
I, WILLIAM NEWBY COLAM, of 27, Henderson Row, Edinburgh, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in the method of-mounting and
controlling the grippers on cable propelled cars.
In my former patent No. 24009 of 1893 I specified a method of mounting a gripper
so as to allow it inter alia to automatically adjust its position with respect to
the slot rail or cable on any curve.
The object of my present invention is to provide a ready means of disconnecting
the grippers from the car so that in case of injury to one of them it can be dropped
on the road and the car can proceed by means of the other one, and to provide for
manipulating either of the grippers from either platform of the car.
To this end this invention consists in attaching the shanks carrying the upper
or fixed jaws of the gripper to a frame connected to the cradle carrying the gripper
mechanism (as described in my prior patent No. 24009 of 1893) by means of sliding
pins or bolts controlled by ruck and pinion mechanism adapted to be operated
from the platform of the car, and in connecting the mechanism which actuates the
shank carrying the lower jaw of the gripper with the said shank by means of
a hook attachment. so that by withdrawing the pins or bolts and detaching the hook
from the shank of the lower jaw the frame and the gripper will drop to the ground.
If desired the shank carrying the lower jaw, may be locked to the other shanks
or to the frame carrying them to prevent the parts becoming separated by means
of a small pin or bolt. To guide the frame carrying the gripper into its right
position with respect to the cradle carrying it in order that the sliding bolts may
at once engage the parts, pins or their equivalents carried by the said frame. are
arranged to engage with V-shaped recesses in the said cradle as the parts come
together.
cal',
To enable either or both grippers to be controlled from either platform of the
the operating mechanism at each end of the car is mounted in a suitable iron
case fixed to the platform of the car the shaft operating the gripper immediately
beneath it being made flexible by means of "Hooks' or equivalent joints. In
each of these casings is also mounted a vertical shaft each of which is geared to
the other by means of a longitudinal axle running under the car and suitable bevel
wheels. The operating wheel or its equivalent instead of being connected direct
to the shaft controlling the moving jaw of the gripper inmediately beneath it is
connected with a short independent shaft which is capable of being connected
both with the direct gripper shaft and also with the coupling shaft by means of
spur gearing so arranged that the driver can work either the front or the rear

page_text: gripper from either platform according to the direction in which the car is
travelling.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1897
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chaucery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in and relating to Grippers for Cable Tramways.
I, WILLIAM NEWBY COLAM, of 27, Henderson Row, Edinburgh, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to 1
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in the method of mounting and
controlling the grippers on cable propelled cars, and it consists in attaching tho
shanks of the gripper to the operating mechanism and frame respectively that they 1
can readily be detached and in so arranging the controlling mechanism that
either or both grippors can be operated from either end of the car, the object being
to provide a ready means of disconnecting the grippers from the car so that in
case of injury to one of them it can be dropped on the road and the car can proceed
by means of the other one, and to provide for manipulating either of the grippers 2
fram either end of the car.
In the accompanying drawing which illustrates this invention:-
Figure 1 is a broken view in side elevation.
Figure 2 is a broken view in end alevation, and
Figure 3 is a broken view on an enlarged scale showing the mechanism for with-
drawing the sliding pins or bolts connecting the frame carrying the shanks of the
upper or fixed jaw of the gripper, with the cradle on which the gripper is mounted.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
The shanks A carrying the upper or fixed jaw of the gripper are connected with
the cradle B which is constructed and arranged as specified in my prior Patent 3
No. 24,009 of 1893--by means of a frame B connected to the said cradle by two
pins or bolts O fitting in forked brackets D D, and adapted to engage with
holes in the ends of the frame B. These pins or bolts C are controlled by
rack and pinion mechanism as shown, the rucks c being cut in or fixed to the pins
or bolts C and the pinions e being cut in or mounted on short spindles E mounted a
in suitable bearings d on or carried by the brackets D, and provided with squared
ends whereby they may be rotated by means of a box spanner or its equivalent.
The shank A carrying the lower or adjustable jaw of the gripper is connected
with the rod F of the operating mechanism by means of a hook f carried by the
rod and adapted to engage with a shaped pin G, carried by the shank A. By
withdrawing the pins C C and G the gripper can be dropped to the ground so that
the car can pass on over and without it in case of accident. In order to lock the
shank A¹ to the shanks A to prevent the parts becoming separated when they are
dropped from the car, any suitable device may be employed, the ono shown in
the drawing which consists of a hole a' through the shank A' and holes a a through
the frame B' adapted to receive a pin or key, is a convenient one.
To guide the frame B' carrying the gripper into its correct position with respect

page_text: to the cradle B when the gripper is being picked up again, pius b₁ or their
equivalents are mounted on the frame B which engage with V-shaped guiding
recesses in the frame of the cradle B as the parts come together.
To enable either or both grippers to be controlled from the platform at either
end of the car the following mechanism is employed:-In a suitable standard or
Case H fixed to each platform of the car is mounted in suitable bearings h h a vertical
shaft J. These shafts are connected with one another by a longitudinally arranged
shaft L mounted in suitable bearings carried by the underframe of the car,
the shafts JJ and L being connected together by mitre gearing. In the top
bearing of each case is also mounted a short, vertically arranged shaft K which is
connected with the sliding rod F by means of a connecting link " arranged to act
as a universal joint as shown. In the top bearing h of each case is also mounted a
third vertically arranged shaft M the upper end of which is connected with the
operating hand wheel N or its equivalent by means of mitre or bevel gearing,
the arrangement being such that the pinion m of the said gearing on the shaft M
is mounted in suitable bearings and the shaft M is free to slide through the eye of
the said pinion. The shaft M is capable of being raised and lowered from the
oxterior of the case by means of a slide 0 carrying an arm o engaging with the
lower end of the shaft. On the shaft M is fixed a spur pinion P adapted to engage
with spur pinion Q and R fixed respectively on the upper ends of the shafts J
and K, the arrangement being such that the shaft M can be geared to either of
the shafts J and K independently of one another, or to both at the same time,
thereby allowing both grippers to be operated either independently or together
from either end of the car.
I wish it to be particularly understood that I do not limit myself to the preciso
details of construction herein described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawing, but that I hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations
as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
(1) The improvements in and relating to grippers for the cars of cable tramways,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
(2) Mounting the shanks carrying the two parts of a gripper for the cars of cablo
tramways, so that the gripper can be readily detached when occasion requires,
as set forth.
(3) The mechanism herein described for operating the grippers for the cars
of cable tramways whereby both grippers can be controlled or operated from either
or both ends of the car.
Dated this 2nd der of December 1897.