Improvements in Cable Tramways.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1889-Accepted, 22nd June, 1889
°
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cable Tramways.
I, ELIJAH DAINTY, of Coal Bluff, in the County of Washington, and State of
Pennsylvania, United States of America, Mine Overseer, 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:-
My Invention relates to cable tramways suited for the use of contractors; and has
for its object to provide a simple and effective means of propelling the cars or trucks
upon a track from a suspended cable, and also means whereby the said cars or trucks
may be conveniently and expeditiously attached to, or detached from, the cable.
Fi
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification, in which figure 1 is a plan view of the tramway, illustrating the
application thereto of the cars; Figure 2 is a partial side elevation of the same;
Figure 3 is an end view of a car, partially in section, illustrating the grip secured
thereto; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the grip locked to the cable; and figure 5
is a vertical section through the grip, on line a-x figure 4. Similar figures of reference
indicate corresponding parts in all the views.
In the drawings, 10 are the tracks and 12 a vertical shaft placed at or near the.
place 11 where the contents of the trucks are to be shot said shaft being journalled in'
bearings below the level of the track and being.carried upward any desired distance
above the track and provided at its upper end with an attached horizontal pulley 13
and at or near its lower end with a bevel gear wheel 14, as best seen in figure 2. The
shaft 12 is rotated by an engine 15 or other source of power through a train of
gearing 16, as illustrated; by way of example, in-figure 1.
At or near the receiving end of the track, there are fixed vertical horizontal aligning
standards 17 provided with a slot 18 in their upper ends in which slots the extremities
of a cross-piece 18 are adjustably held. This cross-piece is preferably of box-like
form in general contour, having open sides. The cross-piece is supported and adjusted
in the standards by set-screws 19 which pass through the standards into the cross-piece.
and are provided with a hand-wheel 19 whereby they may be manipulated. 20 are
pins which project horizontally from each end of the cross-piece at one side and slide
in apertures in the standards. These pins serve to guide the cross-piece in its lateral
movement. 21 is a horizontal pulley journelled in the centre of the cross-piece and
22 an endless cable which passes around pulleys 13 and 21.
The cars, trucks, or carriages, to be propelled are each provided with a transverse
yoke or bail 23 fixed to their side-pieces at or near the centre, as shewn in figure 3,
the upper central surface of which bail or yoke is preferably flat. Upon the flattened
surface of the bail or yoke a grip 24 is swivelled. This is illustrated in detail in
figure 4. The grip consists of a body 25 from one end of which a post 26 projects
downwardly, said post being pivotally secured to the car bail or yoke. In the upper
edge of the body of the grip, preferably at its centre, there is a recess 27 the side walls
of said recess curving upward and outward in opposite directions to facilitate the
guidance of the cable to the base wall, as shewn in figures 4 and 5. 28 is a link which
is pivoted in the body near its swivelled end and is capable of passing over the outer
end of the body and horizontally across the recess 27, the outer end of the link
terminating in a handle 29. The link is held in a locked or horizontal position by a
pin 30 passed above the same through the body.
In operation, when the trucks are to be attached to the cable the link is thrown back
exposing the recess 27 and the entire grip is turned until the cable is over the recess.
The link is then brought into contact with the upper surface of the cable, pressed to a
horizontal position, and locked in such position by the insertion of the pin 30. By
this means the cable is kinked at its point of contact with the grip and the two are

page_text: thereby held in firm contact. To release the car from the cable, the pin 30 is withdrawn
and the link thrown back.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination, with a cable, of a grip comprising a body portion provided with
a recess in its upper edge. a link pivoted in said body, and a locking device adapted
for contact with the link when in a horizontal position, substantially as described.
2. The combination, with a cable, of a grip comprising a body portion provided with
a recess in its upper edge having oppositely inclined walls, a link pivoted in said body
having an attached handle, and a pin capable of passing through the body in contact
with and above the link, substantially as shewn and described.
3. The combination, with a car, truck, or other vehicle, provided with an attached
yoke or bail and a cable, of a grip, swivelled to the vehicle-yoke or bail, comprising a
body portion provided with a recess in its upper edge, a link pivoted in the body at
one side of the recess of a length sufficient to pass over one end of the body, and a
removable locking device inserted in the body above the link, substantially as shewn
and described.
4. The combination, with a car, truck, or similar vehicle, having a bail or yoke
secured thereto, of a grip, swivelled upon the yoke or bail, comprising a body portion
provided with a recess in its upper edge having oppositely-inclined side-walls, a link
pivoted in said body provided with a handle, and a locking pin, all combined for
operation substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 21st day of Mon 1000
E. DAINTY,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark, 53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.