US378903A

US378903A - William s

Info

Publication number: US378903A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1888-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 1905-03-06

Description

(No Model.)

W. S. PHELPS.

CABLE RAILROAD.

Patented May. 6, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT tries.

.CABLE RAILROAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 378,903, dated March 6, 1888.

Application filed August 23,1887. Serial No. 247,648. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. PHELPS, a resident of San Francisco, State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cable Railroads, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to the means used for operating the turn -tables at the termini of the road when, the cars being upon them, it is required that they be turned about to transfer the cars from one track to another.

It consists in a novel means of moving the table by connecting it by a chain belt with the constantly-moving sheave of the cable at the ends of the road, as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan, and Fig. 2 a transverse sectional elevation, of the invention. Fig. 3 is a detail View.

In all the figures the same letters of reference are used in indicating the same parts.

A is a turn-table of a common form of construction, and hence need not be elaborately described. It will suffice to say that it is formed of a circular iron rim, B, made of an inverted rail properly braced and stiffened. Upon this a wooden flooring, C, is laid, and the track-irons D properly fastened. The table turns about on the circular track E, set below and coincident with the track B, be tween the two there being a series of rollers or friction-wheels, F, rolling on spindles G,which form the arms of a wheel connecting between the central hub, H, and the outer rim, I.

On the outer edge of the rim or track B, between the upper and lower flange and tread of the rail, there is bolted through the web of this rail a series of sections ofa rim of a chain sheave, J--(see Fig. 3)that is to say, there are bolted cast-iron sections of a complete circle indented to receive snugly an ordinary chain belt, K. This chain belt, after passing half-way around the table,leads away over fairleader pulleys L L, to pass around a smaller chain sheave-pulley,-M, on the tail-sheave spindle. This sheave does not revolve except when the table is moved. Its movement is effected by providing upon the tail-sheave spindle N av cone-shaped friction-clutch, O, which engages with a female clutch on the lower side of the sheave M. The clutch O is fitted on a feather on the spindle N, and in the common fashion is shipped in and out of engagement by manipulating the lever l which may be either a foot or hand lever.

In case the chain becomes worn and stretched, so as to be too slack to operate properly, it may be tightened a little by setting up the tightening-pulley Q-an ordinary affair set in a suitable frame, similar to those now used for this purpose. It is set to any desired position by means of the screw It.

The operation of this device is simple and 'more effective than such of the same kind as are now commonly used, by reason of the absence of all complicated and expensive intermediary parts between the table and source of its moving power, and is as follows: When the car is fully landed on the turntable, the table is unlocked in the usual manner-that is, if it has a lock or latch provided for it. The operator then manipulates the lever, which throws the clutch into engagement, when the loose sheave M will immediately commence to revolve, slowly at first, butgradually increasing its speed until the table is fully in motion, the motion of the sheave M being transmit-te to the table by the chain belt K.

S is the tailsheave.

T is the cable which moves in operating the road.

It is common to operate turn-tables by means of a chain belt transmitting motion through intermediate mechanism of various kinds from some convenient moving mechanism underground; but I am not aware of the simplified arrangement herein disclosed having ever before been known.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In cable railways, as a means of moving the turntable at the terminus, the combination, with the spindle of the tail-sheave, of the loose sheave M, clutch O, lever P, chain K, chain sheave J on table, and a suitable turntable,

arranged and operating as set forth.