IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION BAY WAYS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION BAY
WAYS "A communication from abroad by William 'Allen -Sutton,
of the City and State of New York, and Eugene Crowell, of San
Francisco, in the State of California, United States of America...
Sealed the 29th June 1869, and dated the 4th February. 1869.
L.....z

page_text: Put invention consists,
Firstly. In a novel construction of the endless rope or chain, which is
provided with a series of knots, protuberances, or bosscs arranged at
regular distances apart to give to it a pitched character for gear with an
indented wheel carried by the carriage or vehicle.
Secondly. The Invention consists in the combination of a brake and
indented wheels carried by the carriage so arranged and operated that
while the indented wheel with which the endless rope gears is free to
rotate when the brake is off (or during the early application of the
brake), and until the extreme or gripping pressure is applied by the run
of the endless rope over and in gear with it, a positive, as contra-
distinguished from a frictional, hold of the indented wheel on the rope
is established by or through the operation of the brake to effect the
traction of the carriage.
Thirdly. The Invention consists in a rope lifter, which in addition to
its having a rising and falling motion is capable of an independent
lateral movement, to facilitate the picking up and placing of the endless
rope on or over the indented wheel.
Fourthly. The Invention embraces, in combination with such a rope,
a sliding or lateral adjusting arrangement of the indented or rope
gearing wheel.
Fifthly. The Invention includes a combination of a rope take-off or
shifter with a sliding or laterally adjustable indented or rope gearing
wheel.
Sixthly. The Invention embraces a lowered construction of the
platform of the carriage and mechanism for establishing and breaking
the draught connection of the endless rope with the vehicle relatively to
the rails or track on which the vehicle runs, whereby the mechanism is
arranged to project below the level of the rails, and the axles to the
running wheels of the vehicle may be disposed to cross the latter from a
side to side without interfering with the operation of the rope.
Seventhly. The Invention includes a lateral elongated construction of
the rope carrying sheaves or rollers in combination with vertical guide
rollers for restraining the rope within the track in passing round curves.
Eighthly. The Invention embraces a hinged construction of one of
the rails of the track, where it is required to establish a siding in com-

page_text: bination with a swinging crane, arranged to support the free end of such
hinged section of the rail when swung to connect the main track with
the siding, but free to be moved out of the way, and offering no obstruc-
tion to the main track when the shifting section of the one rail of the
track is not required to connect. with the siding.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of February, in the year
of our. Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my exécutors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the. term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION RAILWAYS" being a communication
to me from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors or administrators; by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the 'said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in

page_text: power.
The Invention consists,-
Firstly. In a novel construction of the endless rope or chain, which is
provided with a series of knots, protuberances, or bosses arranged at
regular distances apart to give to it a pitched character for gear with
an indented wheel carried by the carriage or vehicle.
Secondly. The Invention consists in the combination of a brake and
indented wheels carried by the carriage so arranged and operated that
while the indented wheel with which the endless rope gears is free to
rotate when the brake is off (or during the early application of the
brake), and until the extreme or gripping pressure is applied by the run
of the endless rope over and in gear with it, a positive, as contra-
distinguished from a frictional, hold of the indented wheel on the rope
is established by or through the operation of the brake so as to effect
the traction of the carriage.
Thirdly. The Invention consists in a rope lifter, which in addition to its
having a rising and falling motion is so hung as to be capable of an
independent lateral movement, to facilitate the picking up and placing
of the endless rope on or over the indented wheel.
Fourthly. The Invention embraces, in combination with such a rope,
a sliding or lateral adjusting arrangement of the indented or rope
gearing wheel.
Fifthly. The Invention includes a combination of a rope take-off or
shifter with a sliding or laterally adjustable indented or rope gearing
wheel.
Sixthly. The Invention embraces a lowered construction of the plat-
form of the car and mechanism for establishing and breaking the
draught connection of the endless rope with the vehicle relatively to
the rails or track on which the vehicle runs, whereby the mechanism
is arranged to project below the level of the rails, and the axles to the

page_text: running wheels of the vehicle may be disposed to cross the latter from
side to side without interfering with-the operation of the rope.
"; -
Seventhly. The Invention includes a lateral elongated construction of
the rope carrying sheaves or rollers in combination with vertical
guide rollers for restraining the rope within the track in passing round
curves.
Eighthly. The Invention embraces a hinged construction of one of
the rails of the track, where it is required to establish a siding in com-
bination with a swinging orane, arranged to support the free end of
such hinged section of the rail when swung to connect the main track
with the siding, but free to be moved out of the way, and offering no
obstruction to the main track, when the shifting section of the one rail
of the track is not required to be connected with the siding.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. i represents a side elevation of
a section of an elevated railway with the Invention applied thereto in
connection with a car on the railway; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the
same; Fig. 3 is a like view to Fig. 2, but showing the mechanism for
establishing and breaking the draught connection of the endless rope
with the vehicle as arranged below the level of the rails; Fig. 4
represents an end elevation of the track and one of its supporting
columns or bracket-like uprights, with rope carrying and vertical guide
rollers for retaining the rope within the track in passing round
a curve; and Figures 5 and 6 are a plan and side views of portions of
the track and siding with crane attachment for switching the car when
required.
Referring in the first instance to Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing, à, a;
represent the rails of an elevated or overhead street railway on which a
oar A is supposed to be running by traction of an endless rope-B passing
over drums at the ends of a section, and-set in motion by any suitable
stationary driving::power. This endless rope is formed or provided
throughout its entire length with knots, protuberances, collars, or
bosses b-of-the same or any different material to the rope.
or protuberances are arranged at short regular distances apart. Instead
however of the knotted rope B a chain may be used having knots;
collars, or protuberances on it, as in the ease of the rope, or the links
of the chain may be made to gear in a direct manner with a suitably
constructed indented wheel carried by the car, and irrespective of the
The knots

page_text: special construction of the rope as herein-before referred to, which
construction is preferred. A chain may be regarded as the equivalent of
the rope, but it will suffice here, or in the following description, only to
refer to a knotted rope. The car A carries an indented wheel C hung
fast on a horizontal shaft D, the wheel being pitched to accord and gear
with the knots b on the rope, so that when 'the wheel with its shaft is
allowed to run free or rotate, and the upper line or length of the rope is
'arranged over such wheel, the knots 6 will fall into pitch or gear with
it, and the rope will thus be made to rotate the wheel without producing
traction of the car that remains stationary under a free run of such
wheel. To establish traction the wheel C is locked or held from
rotating, so that the connection of the car with the rope is (by means of
the knots b and indented character of the wheel) a fixed or positive one
as contra-distinguished from a mere or direct frictional hold on the rope,
which latter mode of establishing traction is apt to chafe and wear the
rope. To prevent severe shock or strain, however, such positive con-
nection of the car with the rope while the latter is in rapid motion
should be made, or both made and broken, in a gradual or easy manner.
This is done by gradually applying or taking off friction which serves
to hold the wheel C stationary through means of a brake E operated by
a rod F from the platform of the car, and biting on or against a
wheel G attached to the shaft D of the wheel C. It is desirable to
give to the indented wheel C a sliding or lateral adjustment relatively to
the rope, so as to place it in or out of line with the latter, for the
purpose of facilitating the putting on and taking off of the rope, and
to keep the wheel out of the gear with the rope when the car is
required to remain at rest, so as to avoid unnecessary wear of the wheel
or its shaft in the bearings thereof. To effect this provision the shaft D,
which carries the wheels C and G, is made capable of a longitudinal
sliding motion by means of a lever H operated from the platform of
the car.
The shaft D is only arranged to extend half way or partially
across the car, so that the one side or face of the wheel C is free and
presents no obstruction to the passage of the rope over or against it in
putting the rope on and off the wheel. To put the rope on the wheel C
a rope take-up or lifter is employed, and the same is made up of a
sheave c attached to a lever I, which is also arranged to be operated
from the platform of the car, and is pivotted as at d to a vertically sliding
rack J, that is raised or lowered by rotating through a crank or handle,

page_text: a pinion K, a pawls, and ratchet wheelf serving to hold the rope lifter
at its raised or lowered positions. Supposing the rope B to be off the
wheel C and it be required to put it on the same, then the brake E
having been slackened so as to leave the wheel C free to rotate, and the
wheel preferably drawn to one side by means of the lever H, the pinion.K
is rotated to lower the rack J till the sheave c be sufficiently depressed,
so that by proper manipulation of the lever I it is brought under the
upper run or length of the rope, and on turning the pinion K in a reverse
direction to raise the rack the sheave is made to hold-the rope over the
plane in which the wheel C stands when the car is in rapid motion,
whereby on adjusting the wheel back. to such position (supposing it
previously to have been slid therefrom), and lowering the sheave c
through the rack J, the rope is dropped into gear with such wheel and the
sheave creleased from contact with the rope. Friction through or by
means of the brake E is then gradually applied to the wheel G till the
wheel C, which previously rotated with the velocity of the rope, is locked
or brought to a state of rest, and the positive or stationary connection
of the. wheel with the rope thereby established, motion having been
gradually communicated to the car during the process of putting on the
brake or during the gradually increasing frictional action of the latter.
To disconnect the car from the continuously travelling rope, the brake
is gradually slacked off and a tapering sheave e (operated by a lever L)
is made to catch under the rope and to lift and force it to the off side
of the wheel C, which may be simultaneously slidden to one side by
means of the lever H to facilitate such unshipping of the rope from
off the wheel. After the rope has been thus removed from the wheel C
a reverse movement is given to the lever L and its sheaves for the
purpose of dropping the rope on to the upper loose rope carrying
sheaves or rollers g. From this description it will be perceived that
every facility is afforded for connecting and disconnecting cars at any
point on the route without that frictional wear or. chafing of the con-
tinuously travelling rope which is incidental..to a merc or direct
frictional grip of the rope and without sudden jerk.or. strain.-

page_text: nection of the endless rope with the vehicle is lowered sufficiently to
cause such mechanism to project below the rails on which the vehicle
runs, the columns or bracket-like uprights which carry the rails being
suitably shaped at their tops to permit of the mechanism in the travel
of the car passing within or through them. By this construction or i
arrangement the track for a given elevation is made to present less
overhead obstruction to street or road travelling underneath. Increased
steadiness and safety is also given to the car in running. The axles of
the running wheels of the car may also be arranged to cross the latter
from side to side without interfering with the operation of the rope, and 1
putting it on and off the indented wheel C.
In Fig. 4 a somewhat similar construction is shewn for the bracket-
like upright or uprights which carry the rails a, a, but showing the same
as adapted to suit curves in the line or track by giving to the rope
carrying rollers g an elongated construction, and arranging them to
extend laterally towards the inside curve of the track, and combining
therewith vertical rollers h, the horizontal and vertical rollers, being so
arranged that they extend beyond or cross each other, as it were. This
arrangement and combination of rollers provides for the support of the
endless rope in passing round curves in the track, and to restrain it from
being drawn or thrown outside of the inner curve thereof and from
sagging or falling from its proper level, also of cutting or working in
between the ends of the rollers.
In Figures 5 and 6 of the Drawing, the rails a, a, of the overhead
railway are supported as previously described, but one of them or a
section a thereof is pivotted as at a to establish the connection of the
main rails with rails m, m, of a siding. This is done when it is required
to switch the car or train by swinging the section a' horizontally so as to
give it an oblique position across the track, and so that its free end is
made to butt or bear against the opposite rail of the track. As, however,
it is necessary to support the section a¹ at or near its free end when
swung to cross the track, as also in swinging it back across and again
into line with the main rail, of which it is a section, and as fixed cross
bars or supports for the purpose cannot be used owing to their inter-
ference with the rope gearing mechanism of the car in the run or travel
of the latter, a crane M is erected to carry or support the free end of
the swinging section a². The jib of the crane is first swung across the

page_text: track, and then the section a' is swung, as required, with its free end
resting on the jib when it is required to establish a connection with the
siding. To break connection with the siding and re-establish connec-
tion with the main track the rail section a' is first swung back again
over the jib of the crane, and then the latter is swung or operated so as
to put its jib out of the way of the track, as represented by dotted lines
in Fig. 5.
Having now described the Invention that has been communicated to
me as aforesaid, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent,―
First. The use of the rope or chain B formed or provided with knots,
collars, or protuberances 6 on it arranged at regular distances apart, as
and for the purposes herein set forth.
Second. The combination of the indented wheel C and brake applied
to hold the same with the endless rope or chain B having knots, collars,
or protuberances 6 on it, as herein set forth.
Third. The use of a rope lifter constructed of a sheave c carried by a
lever I, which is pivotted to a rack J operated by a pinion K, or the
equivalents of these devices for operation, essentially as specified.
Fourth. The combination with a rope lifter, constructed to operate as
described, of the indented wheel C arranged to have a sliding action or
lateral adjustment relatively to the rope, as specified.
Fifth. The rope, take-off, or shifter e, L, in combination with the
indented wheel C arranged to have lateral adjustment relatively to the
rope, as described.
Sixth. The arrangement below the level of the rails on which the car
or vehicle runs of the mechanism carried by the car for establishing and
breaking draught connection of the latter with the endless rope or chain
by which the draught or traction is produced, as described with reference
to Fig. 3 of the Drawing.
Seventh. The combination and arrangement of the elongated rope
carrying rollers g with the vertical guide rollers h, to provide for the
support and run of the endless rope or chain round or past curves in the
track, as described with reference to Fig. 4 of the Drawing.
Eighth. The combination with a swinging section a³ of one of the rails
of the track with a crane M for support of the rail section in establishing

page_text: and breaking connection with a siding m, m, as specified and represented
in Figures 5 and 6 of the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.