Improvements in Devices for Transmitting Power from Moving Chains or Cables.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 17th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 17th May. 1890.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Transmitting Power from Moving
Chains or Cables.
I, ARTHUR VON BABO of 805, Madison Street, Seattle, King County, Washington,
United States of America, Teacher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:
j The object of my invention is to provide means whereby reversible motions for a
wheeled vehicle may be obtained from a continuous running chain or cable, and it is
more especially. adapted for use in connection with cable traction railways where there
is but one cable operating in a street. The purport of my invention is to utilize a
single cable line so as to run the cars in opposite directions upon the same track -by
simply operating the reversible device which in this case effectually operates as a
means for reversing the moving direction of the car. It has also for its object to so
construct the said reversing device so as to enable the same to be quickly turned into
a simple and effective gripping device when it is desired to run the car in the same
direction with the movable cable.
According to my invention, one of the axles of the car is provided with a wheel
which extends through the slot in the conduit and is preferably grooved to receive the
cable. This wheel is fitted loose on the axle, but may be caused to turn therewith by
bolts which extend through the wheel and through holes in hubs or collars keyed to
the axle or by clutch mechanism. The wheel is preferably of twice the diameter of
the car wheels. The cable runs over sheaves which are arranged one at each side
of the grooved wheel and in the same horizontal plane therewith, said sheaves being
mounted on the lower end of a metallic U-shaped frame, the lower portion of which
is bent laterally and disposed within the conduit while its vertical arms extend up
through the conduit slot, one at each side of the wheel and have their upper screw-
threaded ends fitting in apertured bearing boxes mounted on the car frame. The
upper ends of these arms pass through chain wheels provided with screw-threaded
hubs, said wheels being connected by a chain and one of said wheels provided with a
suitable crank handle by means of which the said wheels may be conveniently
operated.
When the several parts are adjusted, as above described, they are arranged to
operate to obtain a reversible movement for the car, i.e. to cause the car to travel in a
direction opposite the moving cable.
It will be understood that, by securing the power or cable wheel to the power shaft
to turn with it that by turning the chain wheels, the U-shaped frame will rise and
bring the cable into frictional contact with the grooved wheel and cause it to revolve
in a direction opposite the moving direction of the cable. When it is desired to
adjust the device to operate as a gripper, the bolts are removed and the wheel thereby
released from turning with the shaft. Now, by adjusting the U-shaped frame up and
bringing the cable into tight frictional contact with the power wheel, the same will
bind against the axle and be thereby held from revolving on said axle and forming a
grip between the car and cable and causing the car to be moved in the same direction
with the cable; the axle, however, turning in the wheel.
As before stated, the diameter of the power wheel is twice the diameter of the
car wheels so that I am enabled to produce exactly the same speed in both cars going
back and forth. From the foregoing description the advantages of my improvement
will readily appear. It will be observed that by arranging the power wheel so as to
project into the conduit, to engage the cable, I transmit the power to the truck
shafts without the necessity of intermediate gearing devices. Instead of employing

page_text: the hubs and pin connection between power shaft and power wheel, I might employ a
sliding clutch mechanism operated by a lever extended out to the car body, which
can be operated by the gripman at will.
Dated 14th Janua1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Transmitting Power from Moving
Chains or Cables.
I, ARTHUR VON BABO, of 805, Madison Street, Seattle, King's County, Washington;
United States of America, Teacher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to provide a suitable device, whereby. reversible
motions for a wheeled vehicle may be obtained from a continuous running chain or
cable, and it is more especially adapted for use in connection with cable traction rail-
ways where there is but one cable operating in a street. The purport of my invention
is to utilise a single cable line, so as to run the cars in opposite directions upon the
same track by simply operating the reversible device which in this case effectually
operates as a means for reversing the moving direction of the car. It has also for its
object to so construct the said reversing device as to enable the same to be quickly
turned into a simple and effective gripping device when it is desired to run the car in
the same direction with the movable cable.
To this end my invention consists in certain novel features of construction
and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will hereinafter be fully described
and be particularly pointed out in the claims; reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings, in which figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a car body,
with my improvements applied. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, with
the conduit shewn in section. Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section, taken
on line 3-3, figure 2.
Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4, Figure 2; and
Figure 5 is a detail view hereinafter referred to.
In the accompanying drawings A, indicates a portion of the car body provided
with journal bearings a-a, in which are journaled the truck axles B and C provided
with the track wheels b and c, as shown.
One of these axles C, which I will term the power axle has formed centrally
thereon, hubs or collars E, F, keyed or otherwise fixedly secured thereto, and between
which is loosely journaled the cable or power wheel D.
e denotes a series of aligning apertures formed in the hubs E, F, and ƒ a series of
transverse apertures formed in the body of the wheel D, which are adapted to
register with the apertures e, e, in the hubs through which and the apertures in
the wheel a series of detachable bolts are passed, and by means of which the
wheel D is fixedly secured to turn with the power shaft C.
In practice I prefer to construct the power wheel of twice the diameter of the
car wheels c and form the same with a peripheral groove d, adapted to receive
the cable.
The lower portion of the wheel D is passed down through the slot g of the conduit G,
and is adapted to be engaged with the cable in a manner presently described. H denotes
a metallic U-shaped frame, the lower portion of which is disposed within the.conduit
while the vertical arms h h extend up through the conduit slot, one at each side of
the power wheel and have their upper screw threaded ends fitting in apertured
bearing boxes I, I, mounted on the car frame as most clearly shown in Figure 2
of the drawings,

page_text: J, J, denote chain wheels provided with screw threaded hubs j j; through which
the upper ends h¹ of the arms h are passed, said wheels being connected by a chain K
as shown. One of said wheels J is provided with a suitable crank handle J¹ by: means?
of which the said wheels J J may be conveniently operated. .
The lower end of the U-shaped frame is bent laterally as shown'at.H, and upon
the front face of said end is journaled two sheaves L, L, arranged one to each side of
the power wheel D, and in the same horizontal plane, as most clearly shown in
Figure 2 of the drawings.
These sheaves serve to support the cable.
When the several parts are adjusted as above described; they are arranged to
operate to obtain a reversible movement for the car; i.e. to cause the car to travel in a
direction opposite the moving cable.
It will be seen that by securing the power or cable wheel to the power shaft, 'to.
turn with it, that by turning the chain wheels J the U-shaped frame will rise and/
bring the cable into frictional contact with the power wheel and cause it to revolves...
in a direction opposite the moving direction of the cable, as indicated by arrows in
Figure 3.
When it is desired to adjust the device to operate as a gripper, the bolts are
removed from the hubs E and F and the wheel D thereby released from turning with
the shaft.
Now by adjusting the U-shaped frame-up and bringing the cable into tight..
frictional contact with the power wheel, the same will bind against the axle Cand ba
thereby held from revolving on said axle and forming a grip between the car and
cable and causing the car to be moved in the same direction with the cable. The
axle C, however, turning in the wheel D.
;
As before stated, the diameter of the power wheel-D is twice the diameter of the
car wheels c c. By this construction I am enabled to produce exactly the same speed-
in both cars going back and forth.
That the cars should move in opposite directions at the same speed is very
essential, so as to cause same to reach sidings or switches arranged in connection with
the main track, at predetermined 'intervals, and thereby permitting said cars to passe
each other.
In practice I prefer to construct the U-shaped frame of one piece of steel.
From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, the
advantages of my improvement will: readily appear, it will be observed that by
arranging the power wheel so as to project into the conduit to engage the cable,
I transmit the power to the truck shafts without the necessity of intermediate gearing
devices.
My improved device is exceedingly simple in construction, cheap as to cost, and
effective in its desired operation.
Instead of employing the hubs and pin connection between power shaft and
power wheel, I might employ a sliding clutch mechanism, as shown in Figure 5,
operated by a lever extended out to the car body, which can be operated by the
gripman at will.
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. In a device for obtaining a reversible motion to a car from a continuous running
cable, the combination with the power axle mounted to the car body, a grooved
power wheel secured on said axle to turn therewith, of a cable lifter mounted in the
car body, the lower portion thereof extending below and to each side of said power
wheel, and cable-supporting sheaves secured to said lower portion, substantially as
shown and described.
2. The combination with the axle C journaled to the car body and provided with
truck wheels c c at its outer ends, a power wheel mounted on said axle to turn there-
with, said wheel provided with a peripheral groove, the lower portion of said wheel

page_text: adapted to project within the conduit and engage the cable, of a cable lifter secured
to the car, body and projected down. within the conduit to each side of the power
wheel, and cable-supporting wheels journaled on the lower end of said lifting frame,
substantially as and for the purpose described....
3. The combination with the axle.C journaled to the car body and provided with 5
truck wheels, c c at its outer ends, a power. wheel mounted on said axle to turn there-
with, said wheel provided with a peripheral groove, the. lower portion of said wheel
adapted to project within the conduit and engage the cable, of a cable lifter secured
to the car body and projected down within the conduit to each side of the power
wheel and cable-supporting: wheels journaled on the lower, end of said lifting frame, 1
substantially as and for the purpose described.
3 %
4. The combination with one of the truck axles provided with the car wheels c c,"
a power wheel mounted on said axle to turn therewith, having a diameter twice that
of the car wheel, said wheel, having a direct engagement with the cable, of a cable-
lifting device operated from the car body. adapted to raise the cable into frictional 1
contact with, said power wheel, substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. The combination with one of the car axles, of a power wheel loosely mounted.
thereon, the lower portion of said wheel projected below the conduit slot, a cable
lifter operated from the car body and projected in the conduit to each side of said.
power wheel, and cable supporting sheaves journaled to said lifter, said lifting frame"
adapted to bring the cable in tight frictional contact with said power wheel, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described...
6. The cable lifter consisting of a U-shaped frame, cable, supporting sheaves.
journaled in the lower end thereof, the vertical arms thereof provided with screw
threaded ends vertically adjustable in apertured bearings, secured to the car body, 2
screw threaded chain wheels secured upon the said screw-threaded ends of the vertical
arms, a chain connecting said wheels and means for turning said chain wheels, in
combination with the power wheel mounted to rotate on one of the car axles, said
wheel disposed centrally between said vertical arms of the cable lifter and provided
with a peripheral groove adapted to engage the cable when said cable is brought into 3
contact by the lifting device, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated thio 7th low of Anr 1807
Dated the 17th lov
A. VON BABO.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.