IMPROVEMENTS IN TURNTABLES, TURNBRIDGES, AND SLIPS."
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ebenezer William Hughes, of No. 28, Great George
Street, Westminster, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TURNTABLES, TURNBRIDGES, AND SLIPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ebenezer William Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th April 1868.
I, EBENEZER WILLIAM HUGHES, of No. 28, Great George Street, West-
minster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TURNTABLES, TURNBRIDGES, AND SLIPS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in turntables, turnbridges,
and slips. For these purposes in constructing the fixed circular track on
which a turntable or a turnbridge is supported and turns, it is formed with a
hollow groove, by preference of an elliptical cross section; this groove is placed
between two circular ridges or rails suitable for the support of wheels, as here-
after mentioned. The under surface of the turntable or turnbridge is also
made with a circular groove. In the groove of the fixed circular track are
placed a number of spheres, and on these the groove of the under side of the
turntable or turnbridge is supported. In the centre of the fixed circular track
is a fixed upright axis, which passes through the centre of the nave or boss
of the turntable or turnbridge, and small spheres are introduced between the
upright axis and the hollow centre of the boss or nave of the turntable or

page_text: turnbridge, these spheres are kept apart by wheels or axes. Between tho
circular fixed track and the turntable or turnbridge there is a circular frame,
which also turns on the central fixed upright axis. This frame is composed
of radial rods or bars fixed at their inner ends to a central boss or nave,
and at their outer ends they pass through and are affixed in a circular
ring, which is of somewhat less diameter than the inner ridge or rail before-
mentioned of the fixed circular track, and they extend beyond the outer
circumference of the fixed circular track. There is one such radial bar
or rod in the space between each two neighbouring spheres of those which
support the turntable or turnbridge. On each of these radial rods or bars are
two wheels, one to run on the inner circular ridge or rail, and the other to
run on the outer circular ridge or rail of the fixed circular track. These two
wheels turn freely and independently of each other, and the circular frame
between the fixed circular track and the turntable or bridge is supported by
them. On each of the radial rods or bars is a wheel which turns freely on
the rod or bar, and is of a diameter equal or nearly so to the space between
each two neighbouring spheres, so that it touches one or both of the two spheres
between which it is placed, and it will be turned in an opposite direction to
that in which the sphere in contact with it turns when rolling in the groove
in the fixed circular track. By applying to a turntable or turnbridge a com-
bination such as is above described, the table or bridge will not only be well
supported, but it will be found to requiro but small power to turn it although
the weight may be great.
In order to prevent accidents which might arise in the event of a turntable
or turnbridge not being in the proper position when a train passes on to it,
apparatus is applied for locking or securing the turntable or turnbridge when
brought correctly into position, and signal apparatus is provided in order to
indicate whether the turntable or turnbridge is properly arranged; with these
objects sliding bolts are employed, which are put in motion by means of an
axis having at each end a lever handle. This axis is about the centre of the
turntable or turnbridge, and is arranged to move sliding bolts in opposite
directions, so as to lock the table or bridge at both sides. At the same time
the axis acts in the usual manner on and communicates motion to signal
apparatus, and of the ordinary construction, and in such manner that the red
or danger signal is shewn when the bridge or turntable is not in a condition
to receive a train, which signal will only be changed to the whito or safety
signal when the sliding bolts have been moved into position to lock the tablo
or bridge.
In order to apply a system of spheres and wheels to a slip in place of the

page_text: ordinary arrangements for supporting the carriage of, a slip, a rail with a
concave surface for the reception of the spheres is laid down the whole length
of the slip; the section of such rail is preferred to be like that described above
for the fixed circular track. At intervals at the under side of the carriage are
fixed blocks, the under surface of each of which is formed with a groove cor-
responding with the one in the fixed rail, and it is between these grooved
surfaces that the spheres are received. The spheres are kept apart by means
of wheels on parallel axles, which are retained at equal distances apart by.
means of endless chains. On each axle there are threo wheels, one in the
centre, which comes in the space between two neighbouring spheres so as o
keep them equally spaced, and the other two wheels on each axle are applied
near the ends of the axle. The set of spheres which work with each block act
with their endless chain of wheels as if the whole formed one endless chain,
some of the spheres and wheels being at all times under the block, whilst,
others are within the hollow passage through the block; and the spheres as
they come towards one end of the block rise off the fixed rail and pass into
the interior of the block, whilst others as they come towards the other end of
the block descend on to the fixed rail, and thus there is a constant circulation
of the spheres into, from, and under the blocks. The outer wheels of tho
endless chains come into action when the spheres rise off the fixed rail, and
there are to receive them two parallel rails or ways in the block, one on each
side of the grooved way, in which the spheres move when they are off the
fixed rail.
. I would state that in the construction of turntables and turnbridges, in place
of having spheres and wheels to make up a complete circle as above
described, a turntable or turnbridge may be provided, with blocks, similar to
those above described as applicable to slips; such blocks being applied at
intervals around the under side of a turntable or turnbridge, the fixed concave
track being retained and each block having its own set of spheres and
wheels.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in- the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Ebenezer William Hughes, Her special licence that I, the said Ebenezer
William Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Ebenezer William Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should. at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter 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 Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TURNTABLES, TURNBRIDGES, AND SLIPS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Ebenezer William Hughes, my executors or administra-
tors, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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 Ebenezer William Hughes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to tho Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows part of a plan view of a turntable or turnbridge arranged
according to this Invention; Figure 2 is a vertical section of Figure 1 taken
from the centre outwards; Figure 3 shows a longitudinal sido elevation of
part of a slip and of apparatus used therewith to raise ships or vessels;
Figure 4 shows a transverse section thereof; Figure 5 shows a section, and
Figure 6 a transverse section of another form of apparatus used on a slip.
This Invention has for its object improvements in turntables, turnbridges,
and slips. For these purposes, in constructing the fixed circular track a, on
which a turntable or a turnbridge is supported and turns, it is formed with a
hollow groove, by preference of an elliptical cross section; this groove is
placed between two circular ridges or rails b, b, suitable for the support of
wheels c, c, as hereafter mentioned. The under surface of the turntable or
turnbridge d is also made with a circular groove. In the groove of the fixed
circular track a are placed a number of spheres e, c, and on these the groovo

page_text: of the under side of the turntable or turnbridge d is supported. In the centre
of the fixed circular track is a fixed upright axis f, which passes through the
centre of the nave or boss of the turntable or turnbridge, and small spheres g, g,
are introduced between the upright axis and the hollow centre of the boss or
nave of the turntable or turnbridge. Between the circular fixed track and
the turntable or turnbridge there is a circular frame j, which also turns on the
central fixed upright axis; this frame is composed of radial rods or bars i, i,
fixed at their inner ends to a central boss or nave j, and at their outer ends
they pass through and are affixed in a circular ring k, which is of somewhat
less diameter than the inner ridge or rail before mentioned of the fixed
circular track, and they (the rods i, i,) extend beyond the outer circumference
of the fixed circular track; the circular ring. may be dispensed with in
smaller structures. There is one such radial bar or rod i in the space between
each two neighbouring spheres e, e, of those which support the turntable or
turnbridge. On each of these radial rods or bars i, i, are two wheels 7, 1, one
to run on the inner circular ridge or rail b, and the other to run in the outer
circular ridge or rail b of the fixed circular track a. These two wheels turn
freely and independently of each other, and the circular frame i, j, k, between
the fixed circular track and the turntable or bridge, is supported by them. On
each of the radial rods or bars i, i, is a wheel m, which turns freely on tho rod
or bar i, and is of a diameter equal or nearly so to the space between each
two neighbouring spheres e, so that it touches one or both of the two
spheres e between which it is placed, and it will be turned in an opposite
direction to that in which the sphere in contact with it turns when rolling in
the groove in the fixed circular track a. By applying to a turntable or turn-
bridge a combination such as is above described, the table or bridge will not
only be well supported, but it will be found to require but small power to turn
it although the weight may be great.
.
In order to prevent accidents which might arise in the event of a turntable
or turnbridge not being in the proper position when a train passes on to it,
apparatus is applied for locking or securing the turntable or turnbridge when
brought correctly into position, and signal apparatus is provided in order to
indicate whether the turntable or turnbridge is properly arranged. With these
objects sliding bolts are employed, which are put in motion by means of an
axis having at each end a winch handle; this axis is about the centre of the
turntable or turnbridge, and is arranged to move sliding bolts in opposite
directions so as to lock the table or bridge at both sides. At the same time
the axis acts in the usual manner on and communicates motion to signal
apparatus of the ordinary construction, and in such manner that the red or

page_text: danger signal is shown when the bridge or turntable is not in a condition to
receive a train, which signal will only be changed to the white or safety signal
when the sliding bolts have been moved into position to lock the table or
bridge.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention, shewn at Figures 3,
4, 5, and 6. In order to apply a system of spheres and wheels to a slip, in
place of the ordinary arrangements for supporting the carriage of a slip, a
rail a, with a concave surface for the reception of the spheres e, e, is laid down
the whole length of the slip; the section of such rail, shown at Figure 4, is
preferred to be like that described above for the fixed circular track. At the
under side of the carriage d are fixed blocks, the under surface of each of which
is formed with a groove corresponding with the one on the fixed rail a, and it
is between these grooved surfaces that the spheres c, c, are received. Tho
spheres e, e, are kept apart by means of wheels m on parallel axles i, i, which
On
are retained at equal distances apart by means of endless chains n, n.
each axle there aro three wheels, one, m, in the centre, which comes in the
space between the neighbouring sphere's e, c, so as to keep them.equally
spaced, and the other two wheels c, c, on each axle are applied near the ends
of the axle.
In using this arrangement of slip, a ship or vessel is received on to the
platform or carriage d, and the ship or vessel and the platform or surface d
and the sets of spheres and apparatus are arranged in such manner that the
platform d having passed off one set and passed on to another set, the first set
descends, and so on; or in place of thus working a slip, the sets of spheres are
arranged as shown in Figures 5 and 6, in which case a ship or vessel is
received on to one, two, or more sets of spheres, and fastened thercon, in
which case each set of spheres acts as a separate carriage; but when two or
more are used, they together act as one carriage, which, with the vessel
thereon, are drawn up the slip.
:
The set of spheres which work with each block, as shown in Figure 5, act
with their endless chain of wheels as if the wholo formed one endless chain,
some of the spheres and wheels being at all times under the block, whilst
others are within the hollow passage through the block, and the spheres, as
they come towards one end of the block, riso off the fixed rail, and pass into
the interior of the block, whilst others, as they come towards the other end of
the block, descend on to the fixed rail, and thus there is a constant circulation
of the spheres into, from, and under the blocks.
The outer wheels of the endless chains come into action when the spheres
rise off the fixed rail, and there are two parallel rails or ways to receive them

page_text: in the block, one on each side of the grooved way, in which the spheres move
when they are off the fixed rail.
I would state that in the construction of turntables and turnbridges, in place
of having spheres and wheels to make up a complete circle, as above
described, a turntable or turnbridge may be provided with, blocks similar to
those above described as applicable to slips, such blocks being applied at
intervals around the under side of a turntable or turnbridge, the fixed concave
track being retained and each block having its own set of spheres and
wheels.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ebenezer William Hughes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
EBENEZER WILLIAM HUGHES. (L.B.)