Improvements in or Appertaining to Cable Traction for Towing upon Canals, Rivers, or other Water Ways.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 3rd July, 1889-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Appertaining to Cable Traction for Towing
upon Canals, Rivers, or other Water Ways.
We, WALTER BADGER BROWN, of Ivy Lea, Prospect Vale, Fairfield, Liverpool,
and JOSEPH LOUGHRAN, of Sherborne House, Cambridge Road, Waterloo, both in
the County of Lancaster, Engineer and Colliery Manager respectively, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The difficulty has presented itself, as far as English canals and rivers are concerned,
that, in regard to the present system of steam boat cable towage, known as the
Belgian system, by which the wire cable is laid in the bed of the water way, and
picked up by a steam boat by coiling over grooved wheels on board, thus giving the
power of traction to the steam boat for drawing the loads after it, the cable gets so
strained in rounding the curves that it binds towards the bank, and throws the steam
boat into it, and there is also the difficulty in passing the cable through the
numerous locks found in this country, as the cable must of necessity lie in the bed
of the water way, and which also leaves it subject to the damaging effects of constant
submersion.
There are further objections to the application of the Belgian system upon
British canals, namely, the limited width of the water ways to admit of passing
traffic: insufficiency of depth without incurring enormous expense in deepening
the bed the delay in passing the boats through the locks: and the supreme
difficulty of towing the boat round curves which has already been found impracticable.
Some of the same objections apply to river traffic, more particularly the one as to
rounding the curves, which completely condemned the system when a series of the
most exhaustive experiments was tried some years ago.
Now this invention is designed to obviate these evils, and although our system can.
be used in conjunction with, and without interfering with the present system, horses
may be entirely abolished for canal, river, and other water haulage and replaced by our
system at a fraction of the cost of horse power, and with greater convenience and
increased speed of traffic. It is also claimed that this invention will supersede at a
greatly reduced cost, the present system of steam boat cable towage in use upon the
continent and in America, with the supreme convenience of being able to attach the
individual boats and barges, and to free them from the traction at any point and at
any moment desired equally as easily as detaching the présent towing line from a
horse. Also that several boats travelling at the same time in one direction can be
attached to each other and drawn by one towing line connected with the foremost
boat, so that only one person may be required for the duty of the towage. It is
claimed for it that it will do away with what is known as "legging" the boats
through canal tunnels, where there are no towing paths, as the traction cable can
be conveniently arranged for towing through such tunnels at a very small cost.
In carrying out our invention we use a metallic cable, rope or chain of any suitable
strength, but preferably crucible steel wire rope spliced endless, supported on grooved
wheels and worked by a steam engine or other motor.
The said cable is carried upon grooved wheels or pulleys fixed in suitable frames
or supports of iron, steel, timber, or other material; the said wheels to be placed
at a convenient height, angle and distance to carry the cable safely during work.
The supports are placed in convenient position upon the towing paths of the water
ways, or otherwise. The up and the down line can be placed in juxtaposition on one
side of the waterway, or the up line may be placed upon the one side and the down

page_text: line upon the other or opposite side as may be desired, and as may be the most
convenient.
The motor may be placed at the extreme end or at any point suitable between the
ends of the journey to be traversed, or the waterway may be worked in sections as
may be most desirable.
We propose to work the waterways in sections of say 6 or 7 miles, so that, in case
of accident or breakdown, the given section could the more easily be repaired without
impeding the whole course of the traffic.
These sections can each be worked independently by its own engine, or they can be
connected the one with the other by connecting belts or cables so that if an engine
break down its section can be driven by the two adjacent ones.
The tow rope is attached to the moving cable by any kind of clip now in use for
wire ropes, but preferably a clip which is hereafter explained, which puts a gradual
strain upon the small, towing rope until the boat or other vessel shall attain the
maximum speed of the travelling cable or the ordinary towing line can be attached
to the clip and the accelerated speed attained by the same being paid gradually off
from the ordinary towing pole fixed upon the boat or barge.
The grip which we prefer consists of two segments of a cylinder forming together
the greater part of a cylinder of about the diameter of the rope. These are
pressed together on opposite, sides of the rope by two levers, like a pair of tongs.
These are held by a ring and notches or otherwise and the tow rope tied to one
or both. Other clips capable of slipping when a given strain comes upon them, such
as spring clips, can be used.
Where the two ropes are on the same side of the canal (or even if on opposite
sides) the return half of the single endless rope preferably forms the return traction
rope. It is supported on separate oblique pulleys below or above the other line, as
the case may be. Suitable guides or guards with inclines for the tow ropes to easily
pass over them are used at each pulley to guide the tow rope over the pulley, or
prevent the main line drawn from the pulley by the towing, from falling off from the
pulley, and for immediately guiding it onto the pulley after the passage of a boat.
Where both lines are in the same side of the canal, the boats on the lower line pass on
the inside track so that neither need be detached. A Fowler clip pulley or other
convenient mechanism can be used for driving.
•
At one or both ends of each section, a' travelling pulley with a weight spring or its
equivalent can be used to take up the slack.
11 a
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Appertaining to Cable Traction for Towing
upon Canals, Rivers, or other Water Ways.
We, WALTER BADGER BROWN, of Ivy Lea, Prospect Vale, Fairfield, Liverpool,
and JOSEPH LOUGHRAN, of Sherborne House, Cambridge Road, Waterloo, both in
the County of Lancaster, Engineer and Colliery Manager respectively, 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:
This invention relates to the towage or haulage of boats, barges or like conveyances
upon canals, rivers or other water ways by means of one or more endless travelling
ropes, metallic cables or chains.
The difficulty has presented itself, as far as English canals and rivers are concerned,
that, in regard to the present system of steam boat cable towage, known as the Belgian
system, by which the wire cable is laid in the bed of the water way, and picked

page_text: up by a steam boat by being coiled over grooved wheels on board, thus giving
the power of traction to the steam boat for drawing the loads after it, the cable
gets so strained in rounding the curves that it binds towards the bank, and draws
the steam boat into it. There is also a further difficulty in passing the cable through
the numerous locks found in this country as the cable must of necessity lie in the
bed of the water way. This also renders the cable subject to the damaging effects of
submersion.
It was more particularly this difficulty of rounding the curves, which condemned
the Belgian system when a series of the most exhaustive experiments was tried some
years ago.
Now this invention is designed to obviate the above evils, and to provide a
system of water haulage which can be used in conjunction with, and without
interfering with, the present system, or independently of such system. By our
system horses may be entirely abolished for canal, river, and similar water haulage
and replaced by cable haulage at a fraction of the cost of horse power, and with
greater convenience and increased speed of traffic. It is also expected that this
invention will supersede, at a greatly reduced cost, the present system of steam boat
cable towage in use upon the continent and in America, as by our system individual
boats and barges may be attached to or freed from the haulage cable at desired
point or moment, just as easily as the present towing line may be attached to or
detached from a horse. By this invention also several boats travelling at the same
time in one direction can be attached to each other and drawn by one towing
line connected with the foremost boat, so that only one person may be required
for the duty of the towage. Finally our system will obviate the necessity of what
is known as "legging" the boats through canal tunnels where there are no towing
paths, as the haulage cable can be conveniently arranged for towing through such
tunnels at a very small cost.
any
The invention may be fully understood by the following description, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a canal showing tho invention as adapted to work
both the " up " and "down" lines by means of a single haulage cable located on
one bank of the canal.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing how the invention may be applied to work
ໄ up" and "down" lines, from opposite sides of the canal, by means of a single
haulage cable.
the
Figure 3 is a transverse section showing how the invention, as set forth in Figure 2,
be applied to a canal tunnel.
may
Figure 4 is a plan showing how two boats, moving in opposite directions, can
pass each other when rounding a curve.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are respectively side elevation, plan of underside and end
elevation of a grip device for attaching a towing line to the haulage cable.
Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view of a standard or frame for supporting a
cable carrying pulley, the cable and tow line grip attached thereto being shown passing
over the pulley.
Figures 9 and 10 are an elevation and plan respectively of arrangements for
driving the haulage cable and for regulating the tension thereof.
Figure 11 shows an improved form of cable carrying pulley.
A is an endless metallic haulage cable, rope or chain of suitable strength. It is
preferably made of crucible steel wire and is either spliced or made continuous
throughout.
Both the "up" and "down" half of the cable are supported upon suitable
grooved wheels or pullies B which are mounted at a convenient height and angle
upon frames or standards C of iron, steel, timber or other material. The standards
are placed along one or both sides of the waterway at a convenient distance apart
and closer together at the curves. Where necessary, and especially at sharp curves,
pullies with much deeper grooves, or suitably curved or inclined guards are

page_text: provided, for the purpose of preventing the cable from being drawn off from the
pulley by the tow lines, or for immediately guiding it on to the pulley after the tow
line has passed.
Motion is imparted to the cable by means of a steam engine D, Figure 10, or other
motor, and gearing D¹ D'. The bight of the cable remote from the motor passes round
a guide pulley B, while that in proximity to the motor passes over a three-grooved
driving pulley E (Figures 9 and 10) fixed on the shaft d of the gear wheel, then
under said pulley and over a two-grooved pulley E' mounted at a suitable distance
from the pulley E. Thence it passes successively under the pulley E', over the
pulley E under the same, over the pulley E', under it, and finally over the pulley E
and over the pulley F of a tension device hereinafter described. After passing under
this latter pulley, it again goes under the pulley E and so on to the terminal guide
pulley B' aforesaid. By means of the above arrangement of pullies, sufficient friction
is obtained to transmit the movement of the motor to the entire length of
cable. If preferred, however, any ordinary arrangement of clip pullies or drums may
be employed.
-
The tension pulley F aforesaid is mounted upon a travelling frame or bogie F.
The latter has attached to it a chain or wire rope f, which passes over a guide
pulley and is provided at its lower end with a column of weights F. By this
means the cable is kept at all times at approximately the same tension.
The tow rope may be attached to the moving cable by any kind of grip now in use
for wire ropes, but we prefer to employ the following grip device by means of which
a gradual strain may be put upon the tow rope until the boat or other vessel has
attained the speed of the cable. The grip consists of two hollow segments of a
cylinder G G Figures 5 to 7, which are hinged one to the other near their adjacent
edges as at g and together form the greater part of a cylinder of about the same
diameter (internally) as the rope. Each jaw or segment has attached to it a
lever G2 G³, and the said levers cross each other like a pair of tongs so that by pressing
them together, by hand or otherwise, the segments are caused to grip the cable with
any desired pressure. The strain may thus he put upon the tow line gradually by
the man operating the grip device, the said line being attached to the eye g¹ of the
lever G. The upper jaw G of the grip encircles by preference nearly two thirds of
the circumference of the cable, so that when the grip is first placed on the cable,
the latter slips through it to a greater or less extent until the gradual application of
pressure by the levers G* G³ causes both the grip and boat to travel at the same speed
as the cable.
3
The levers may be held in their closed or compressed condition by means of a
ring g or otherwise, the ring being retained in position by notches g³ on the outer
edges of the levers. The grip is tapered slightly at each end as at 9, to enable it to
pass readily over the guide pullies B. Its position in passing over these pullies, may
be seen from Figure 8.
Instead of the above arrangement the towing line may be at once attached to the
cable in any suitable manner and the speed of the boat gradually accelerated to that
of the cable by passing the tow-line round the ordinary towing pole, or round a
warping post or braked windlass on the boat, and gradually paying out the line until
the maximum speed is attained. It can then be wound or hauled in at leisure.
Figure 11 shows an improved grooved guide pulley for the haulage cable. It is
so constructed as to obviate the possibility of the towing line running into the groove
of the pulley with the cable, as, the instant the towing line enters the groove it is put
out again and travels freely with the cable. The pulley is provided upon the
periphery of one or both flanges with a number of guiding projections H, preferably
from 4 to 6 in number. These projections H are rounded off from the outside to the
inner side forming a thin edge. The projections are concave on the inner side at h
but are the full thickness at the opposite side ¹, so that, by forming a sinall furrow
below the point h, and continuing it with a slight diagonal twist from the groove of
the pulley towards the outside at the point, the towing line is put out of the pulley

page_text: groove instantly upon entering it. The projections H have also the advantage of
greatly deepening the groove and making it absoutely impossible for the cable to
leave the groove by any lateral or diagonal strain during work..
Where the waterway is of a considerable length, it is preferable to work it in
sections of, say, 6 or 7 miles in length, so that in case of an accident or breakdown
in any given section, the latter could be repaired without impeding the whole course
of the traffic. Each section would, in this case, be provided with an arrangement of
grooved pullies, such as shown, attached to the motor in Figure 10, whereby the
power may be transmitted from one section to another, the connection between one
section and another being made by a short endless band or other suitable gearing.
The sections are all preferably worked by a single motor, which may be placed at one
end of the entire journey, as in Figure 10, or at other convenient point thereof, or
each section, or any desired number of sections may be worked by its own motor.
Where both the "up" and "down" lines are worked by one cable from the same side
of the waterway, as in Figures 1 and 4, it is preferable to support both the "up" and
"down" lengths of the cable upon separate grooved guide pullies B B, so placed
that the attachments or grips of the tow-lines on either length may pass along without
impediment.
The upper length a is used say for the "up" line boats j which take the outer or
"off" side of the waterway, while the lower length a' is employed, say, for the
"down" line boats which take the inner side of the waterway, and have their tow
lines attached to a towing pole or timber head" that is preferably shorter than the
towing pole of the "up" line boats. It will thus be seen that the two lines of boats
can easily pass each other, even at the curves, by simply steering them to their proper
side of the waterway.
Figure 2 shows how the "up" and "down" lines may each be worked from the corre-
sponding side of the waterway by a single cable, which is so arranged that it passes
along one side of the waterway, and over or under the same, returning along the
opposite side, and again crossing over or under at the opposite end of the section.
Or, if desired, a separate cable might be placed on each side of the waterway. With
an arrangement such as shown in Figure 2, the towing poles may all be the same
height, and the tow lines do not need to cross each other.
Figure 3 shows how the cables may be supported within a tunnel, so that the boats
may be hauled through, and thus obviate the necessity of "legging" them. The
cables in this Figure are shown arranged on each side of the tunnel, as in Figure 2,
and the standards C are placed at such a height above the water that the boats will
not come in contact with them. In passing through bridges or tunnels, the guide
pulleys are placed in such positions that the cable or cables will not chafe against the
brick or stone work.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
:-
1. The towage of boats or the like upon canals, rivers or other waterways, by
means of an endless travelling cable mounted upon the side or sides of the waterway
in such a manner that a tow line may be readily attached to or detached from it as
desired, and driven by a stationary motor or motors placed at one or more convenient
points either on or near the side of the waterway or at a distance therefrom, substan-
tially as described.
2. In combination with a travelling haulage cable for boats or the like, the
adjustable tong like gripping device having a pair of hollow jaws G G' adapted to
grip the cable and provided respectively with lever handles G' G³ one or both
attached to the tow line and adapted to be closed together as desired, whereby
the boat when being connected to the cable may have its speed accelerated
gradually, thereby preventing overstraining or rupture of the tow fine, substantially
as described.

page_text: 3. In a boat hauling apparatus such as herein described, a guide pulley B for the
haulage cable, having a series of inclined guides or projections such as H arranged
upon its periphery as described, whereby the tow line is prevented from running into
the groove of the pulley along with the cable.
Dated this 2nd day of July 1889
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.