US100893A - Improvement in elevated railways - Google Patents

Description

lUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN L. HOOD,IHENRY O. HOOD, AND EZRAWV. CLARK, JR., OF

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OFl COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELEVATED RAILWAYS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent NO. 100,@93, dated March l5, 1870.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, B. L. HOOD, HENRY O. HOOD, and E. W. CLARK, Jr., all of the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain Improvements in Elevated Railways, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention consists of a single-rail elevated railway and car, constructed in forni and manner hereinafter described and set forth.

The object of lour invention is to secure an elevated railway practicable for use in cities where speed, safety, and convenience are required.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a transverse section of the rear end of the car and track, showing the frame-work about the car, the top and side guide-rails, the frictionwheels above andthe truck-wheels below, the springs above and below the car, attached to v the wheels, to facilitate the turning Of curves,

as also the manner of placing the coach upon the track. Fig. 2 is a view of the top ofthe car, with the upper guide-rail and the side guide-rails, illustrating the action of the friction-wheels when the car is moving in a direct line. Fig. 3 is also a view of the top of the car, and designed to show the action of the springs, both in the friction-wheels and the truck-wheels, when turning a curve. Fig. 4 is a transverse section ofthe front end of the car, with track and frame work, showing the construction of the interior of. the car, the front friction and truck-wheels, the side guiderails and friction-wheels, and the boxing over the truck-wheels.

Heretofore single-rail elevated railways have generally been constructed for the cars to fall below the track, the cars being divided into two divisions, Or consisting of two separate coaches, swinging one on each side of the track.

A striking feature of our railway is that it is intended for the cars to run on a single rail above the track.

We proceed to designate its parts: Posts of iron or other suitable material, designated as B in the drawings, and of such length as desired, are rmly planted in the ground, and upon these posts the rail a is placed, be-

ing underlaid with a running sleeper of wood, A, which gives solidity and strength to the track. No novelty is claimed for this manner of elevating the track. Horizontal wooden or iron bars c are now placed across each upright supporting-post at right angles to the track, and from the ends of these extend the side bars or lateral supports D ofthe framework which incloses the cars. These side bars are curved and drawn in at the top, so as to meet each other over the top ofthe car, where they clasp the guide-rail E, which is securely riveted to them. These bars are constructed so as to extend beyond the cross-bars, and are bent in so as to enter or fasten to the 'supporting-posts below. At the point of juncture with the crossbars they are securely and firmly fastened to the latter. The lengthening of them out forms a powerful brace, d d, and thus adds greatly to the strength of the framework.

Ve now have the structure ready for the car. This is constructed having two wheels (Figs. l and 4, H) only, which are placed under the center of the car, one following the other, like the wheels of a velocipede. They can be made low enough to run entirely below the bed of the car, or may come up inside and be boxed over, as indicated in Fig. L.tof the drawings. .In the latter case the seats might be placed lengthwise of the car and over the boxing for the wheels, (Fig. 4, b 1),) so as to economiZe space. This arrangement by placing the passengers back to back in the center of the car and fronting the windows, would bring the burden of the load immediately over the wheels, which would render the strain less upon the guide-rail at the top than would result in placing the seats at the sides.

The guide-rail E is fastened above the coach, being grasped by the side bars Of the framework. Itis in the form of a letter T invert ed, the cross of the T forming the flanges of the rail e e. This rail may be a light iron rail, or may be constructed partly of wood and partly of iron. Friction-wheels F F are adjusted above the car to work against this rail with a lateral motion. Two pairs of these wheels are used, one over each axle of the car.

The wheels of the coach-truck, as well as the friction-wheels, are concave in their eXterior surfaces, and will embrace the track closely. In order to facilitate the turning of curves the axle of the rear wheel of the coach-truck steadiness and smoothness of movement when pursuing a right line, and will have a tendency to prevent the ordinary jarring motion of railway-trains.

rlhe friction-wheels over the rear end of the coach are adjusted on the same principle and in substantially the same manner, so as to correspond in movement with the wheels of the truck. Their action is shown in Fig. 3, g g, which serves equally to illustrate the action of the springs in the truck-wheels.

rEhe guide-rails for maintaining the carin position may be attachedY to the side of the frame-work, when the frictionwheels would need to be placed at the side to correspond,

Vbut they should be elevated sufficiently to allow the ear to swing around under the guidevrail in turning a curve. rEhe spring would be applied to them in substantially the same manner as to the top guide-rail. We have designated such an arrangement in the drawings, the friction-wheels being marked I Land the side guide-rails t' t'.

The ordinary appliances, consisting of springs or cushions of rubber or other material, may be applied in our invention to the truck-Wheels above or the ear-wheels below, in order to prevent the jarring motion consequent upon the vertical play of the car or upon unevenness in the track.

The cars on this road are intended to be drawn by locomotives placed on the track in the same manner as the coaches.

We claim- 1. An elevated railway constructed with side bars which extend below the track and form braces, and which are secured at the top to a central upper guide-rail, forming a frame-work inclosure.

2. In an elevated railway, a car adapted to run on and above a single central rail, when provided with hanged trucks running against a central guide-rail and side guide-rails, either or both, as and for the purpose set fort-h.

3. In an elevated railway having a central rail and guide-rails, springs applied to the rear or forward trucks, either or both, and above and below, either or both, to prevent lateral jarring, as set forth.

BENJ. L. HOOD. HENRY O. HOOD. EZRA W. CLARK, JR.

Attest L. STODDARD, j GEORGE WRIGHT.

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