US1260308A

US1260308A - Cable-driving mechanism.

Info

Publication number: US1260308A
Application number: US10319516A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hugh B Brockenbrough
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1916-06-12
Filing date: 1916-06-12
Publication date: 1918-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 1935-03-26

Description

H. B. BROCKENBROUGH. CABLE DRWING MECHANKSNI. APPLlcATloN man 1uNE\2.1916.

NJN

H. B. BROGKENBROUGH. CABLE DRIVING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED 1UNE\2. 1916.

lllllll l! H. B. BROCKENBROUGH. CABLE DRIVING MECHANISM. APPLICATloN HLEn1uNE12.191e.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

H. B. BROCKENBROUGH. CABLE DRIVING NIECHANISM. APPLICATION F\LED1UNE\2.19|G.

Patented. Mar. 2G, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

HUG-H B. BROCKENBROUG'H, 0F FORT DODGE, IOWA.

CABLE-DRIVING MECI-IAN ISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26,1918.

Application led .Tune 12, 1916. Serial No. 103,195.

To all whom t may concern.' v

Be it known that I, HUGH B. BnocKEN- kronen, a citizen of the United States, and

a resident of Fort Dodge, inthe county of Webster land State of lowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in yCable-Driving Mechanism, of which the following isa speciiication.

My linvention relates to cable driving mechanism for driving the propulsion cable in tramway systems.

The general purpose of my invention is to produce drive mechanism particularly adaptable for driving the'car propulsion .cable in tramway systems where the cars 1travel repeatedly around a closed track circuit and where the cars are permanently connected with -the kpropulsion cable. For example in aerial tramways cars travel repeatedly around a closed aerial track circuit between loading and unloading stations land each car is permanently connected with .the cable so that these car connections with the cab-le must pass through the cable drive mechanism.

-,On :the accompanying drawings l have shown .an improved driving mechanism which is :particularly adaptable for driving the propulsion Acable of aerial tramway systems. In these drawings Figure 1 is a plan view,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view from plane 2 2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is va sectional view on plane 3 3, Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on `plane 4-4, Fig. 1, showing the cable gripping mechanism in gripping position,

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the gripping mechanism opened,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on plane 7 7, Fig. 4, and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on vplane 8 8, Fig. 4.

The supporting structure `for the drive mechanism comprises two

side beams

10 and 11 mounted'on legs 1Q and 13.l Journaled at the front and rear kends of the side beams are the transverse shafts 14 and 15. On the shaft 14

sprocket wheels

16 and 17 are secured `inside of and adjacent the side Vbeams and on the-shaft 15 aresimilarly mounted the sprocket wheels 18 yand 19. The Wheels 16 and 18 receive the chain belt 20

andthe wheels

17 and 19 receive `the chain belt V2l. At its outer end shaft 15 carries a drive gear 22 with which meshes the drive pinion on lshaft 24, a belt pulley 25 being also secured to this shaft. Upon rotation of the Abelt pulley the sprocket wheels and chain belts will be driven. To keep the chain belts tight

slidable bearings

26 and 27 are provided for the shaft 14 from which threaded stems 28 extend through lugs 29 and are provided with locking nuts 30.

Bridging between the chain belts and secured thereto are the cable clamping units U. Each of these units comprises a rec tangular frame 31 secured-at its ends to the chain belts. As clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the sides of chain link members have laterally extending ears y32 which are secured against the under side of the unit frame as by means `of bolts 33. Near one endof each unit is a stationary jaw member 34 which extends outwardly, and cooperating with each stationary jaw member is a movable jaw member 35. As shown, the frame l31 has the longitudinally Yextending opening 36 therethrough in one end jof which the .movable jaw 35 is located. Asclearlyshown in Fig. 8 the base of the Ymovable jaw has lateral extensions 37 for engaging with the top of the frame 31 and a .cross plate 38 secured to the under side of the base engages at its ends with the under side of the frame, the jaw being thus locked against transverse movement `on lthe frame but being free to shift longitudinally toward and away from the stationary jaw member 34. At Asubstantially the middle of each frame 31 opposite vertical guide grooves 39 `and 40 are provided for vertically guiding the limbs of a U-frame 41. Connecting the frame limbsat their upper ends is a pin 42 from which ka link 43 is suspended. This .link supports the inner ends of

toggle members

44 and 45. The outer en'd of toggle member 44 is pivoted on the shaft 46 supported in ears 47 extending upwardly on the frame 311. The inner end of the member 44 is bifur cated and extends into the U-frame 41 and receives a pivot pin 48. The bifurcated

arms

49 and 50 extend vertically upwardly and support pin 51 to which the lower end of link 43 is Vpivoted.

The toggle member 45 comprises .an inner rod part 52 and an outer sleeve part v53 into which the rod telescopes, a pin154 supported on the rod extending through the longitudinal slot 55 in the sleeve part to lock the parts against separation. The inner end 56 0f the rod part receives the pin 48 so that the two toggle members are pivoted together at their inner ends and there suspended by Ythe link 43 in frame 4l. The outer end of the sleeve part 53 has the head 57 whichV receives pivot pin 5S on the movable jaw 35 andv abutting against the head and against a washer 59 on the rod 52 is a compression spring 60 which encircles the rod and sleeve and tends to separate these parts and to Ashift the movable jaw toward the stationary jaw 34:. A pin 6l secured in depending ears 62 on frame 4l suspends a link 63 which `is pivoted at its lower end to the cam lever 64twhose front end ,pivots a cani roller 65 and which at its rear end is pivot-ed on pin 66 supported in the lugs 67 extending downwardly from the frame 31. As the cam roller shifts vertically the frame 4:1 is raised and lowered and the jaws 3l and 35 closed and opened by the toggle members.

In practice the drive mechanism is spaced below the cable to be driven and when the clamping units are at the top of the chain belts they will receive the cable and will be l locked in closed clamping engagement with the cable, that is, each unit during each rotation of the belts will be in clamping engagement for a period to assist in propelling the cable. To more definitely fix the path of the units guide

rails

68 and 69 are supported over the side beams 26 and 27 on brackets 70 and 71, the. ends of the unit frames 3l passing through the

guide slots

72 and 73 in the rails.-Y Likewise,

guide rails

74 and 75 are suspended from the side beams by the

hangers

76 and 77 and have the grooves 7 8 and 79 in which the ends of the clamping unit frames engage during their travelbelow the belts.

To control the opening and closure of the lclamping jaws of the clampingl units a cam rail 80 is-supported on cross bars 81 and 82 supported on the side beams 26 and 27, the rail being horizontal and disposed below and in the path of the cani wheels 65 which trail after the clamping units in their travel with the belts. VThe height of the rail is such that when engaged by the wheels the clamping jaws will be held in closed position. The front end 83-of the-rail is curved downwardly to'form a gradual approach incline for the cam wheels to the top of the rail.

The rear end of the cam track has the de! pressed vsection 84: which' permits `dropping of thecam vrollers and levers just before the clamping units start to swing around with the adjacent sprocket wheels. Such downf ward swing of the cam rollers and levers away from the unit frames causes the toggle `mechanism to be actuatedto open the jaws so that the cable is released. After the units reach the under side of the sprocket wheels and become inverted the cam levers will swing in the opposite direction, that is, they will tend to shift the toggle mechanism to close the jaws, and such closed position is maintained until the units have swung around the front sprocket wheels and have almost reached the tops of these wheels. lVhen the mechanism is rapidly driven centrifugal force will tend to swing the cam levers outwardly as the units travel around Ythe front sprocket wheels. `Provision Vis'made to checkmate such centrifugal action and to positively effect reopening of the jaws in time to receive the cable before the cam rollers coperate with the cam rail to close the jaws. As clearly shown iii-Figs. 1, 2 and 3,

guide rails

85 and 86 are supported in front of the

track approach

8,3 on

brackets

87 and 88 extending forwardly from the approach, andlthese guide rails are spaced to permit travel between them of'the'cam levers and wheels, and the pivotpins 89 ofthe cam wheels are extended laterally to engage with the rails. As best shown in Fig. 2, the lower ends of the guide rails project downwardly sufficiently to receive the cam Vwheel pivot pins before the cam levers start to swing around with the sprocket'wheels. The engagement of the pins with the rails will ex-l ert considerable leverage on the toggle mechanism and as the pins travel along the rails the jaws will be positively opened and they will be held fully open to receive the cable before they are closed when the cam rollersv engage with the horizontal cam rail 80. The upper ends of the guide rails are preferably parallel with the approach 83 and spaced therefrom so that Ythe rails will hold the wheels to the approach until the top of the cam rail is reached. rlhe guide rails entirely checkmate centrifugal action and no matter how fast the mechanism is operated the clamping jaws will always be positively fully opened to fully receive the cable before they Y are closed.

The drive mechanism described is particularly useful where cars are permanently .secured to the propulsion 'cable and Vwhere such cars travel repeatedly 'around a closed track circuit, as for example in an aerial tramway system where loading and unload- Y The permanent operation shown and described, as changes and modifications are no doubt possible which would still come within thescope of the invention. I claim as follows:

l. In cable driving mechanism, thecombination of a supporting frame, a pair of sprocket wheels at each end of said frame, parallel endless belts received by said sprocket wheels, means for driving the sprocket wheels and the belts thereon, an endless row of clamping units secured crosswise on said belts to travel therewith, cable clamping mechanism on each unit, means at one end of said belts for successively opening the clamping units to receive a cable, and means for successively closing the clamping units to clamp the received belt and for retaining successive groups of said clamping units in clamping engagement with said cable.

2. In cable driving mechanism, the combination of a supporting frame, a pair of sprocket wheels at each end of said frame, parallel belts engaging said sprocket wheels, means for driving said sprocket wheels and belts, an endless row of clamping units secured crosswise on said belts to travel therewith, clamping jaws on each unit, actuating mechanism on each unit for said jaws, cam mechanism connected with each actuating mechanism, a cam rail between said belts of suiiicient length to cooperate with a number of said cam mechanisms to effect closure of the clamping jaws, and means for coperating with said cam mechanisms to successively open the jaws before coperation of the cam mechanisms with the cam rail.

3. In cable driving mechanism, the combination of a continuous row of clamping units, means for continuo-usly propelling said units through a xed closed path, clamping jaws on each unit, toggle mechanism on each unit for actuating saidv jaws, cani lever mechanism for each toggle mechanism, a cam rail parallel with a section of said path to cooperate with the cam lever mechanism to eifect closure of successive jaws and to maintain closure of a plurality of jaws, and means for opening the jaws before coperation of the cam mechanisms with said rails.

4. In cable driving mechanism, the combination of front and Irear sprocket wheels, a pair of belts mounted on said wheels to travel in parallel closed paths, means for driving said sprocket wheels, an endless row of cable clamping units secured crosswise on said belts to travel. therewith through said fixed paths, cableclamping jaws on each unit, toggle mechanism on each unit for actuating said jaws, lever mechanism associated with each toggle mechanism and terminating in a cam roller, a cam rail in position to cooperate with successive units to engage the cam roller to actuate the lever mechanism and effect operation of the corresponding toggle mechanism to close the jaws, means for cooperating with successive cam rollers to effect operation of the lever mechanism and .toggle mechanism of successive units to open the clamping jaws before cooperation of the clamping members with the cam rail, and means for opening the jaws after cooperation of the cam mechanisms with said rail.

In cable driving mechanism, the combination of a 'series of cable clamping units, means for repeatedly propelling said units through a fixed path, a stationary jaw member on each unit and a movable jaw member thereon, toggle mechanism on each unit connected with the movable jaw member, and a rail adjacent said path for coperating with the toggle mechanism of the successive units to maintain closure of the jaw members during travel of the unit-s through part of said path.

6. In cable driving mechanism, the combination of a series of clamping units, means for repeatedly propelling said units through a fixed path, jaws on each unit, a frame shiftable transversely on each unit, toggle levers connected with said frame and jaws, means on each unit tending to hold said toggle levers in position to open said jaws, and a rail adjacent the path of said units for cooperating with the toggle levers to shift them to close the jaws during travel of the units through part of said path.

7. In cable driving mechanism, the combination of a series of clamping units, means for repeatedly propelling said units through a fixed path, clamping jaws on each unit, a frame reciprocable transversely o n each unit, toggle levers on each unit connected with the frame and jaws thereon, cam levers eX- tending from said frame, and a cam rail adjacent the path of travel of said units for cooperating with said cam levers to shift the toggle levers to close the jaws of the units as they travel through part of said path.

8z In cable driving mechanism, the combination of a series of clamping units, means for repeatedly propelling said units through a fixed path, a stationary jaw member on each unit and a movable jaw member also thereon, two toggle levers on each unit having their inner ends connected together, the outer end of one of said levers being connected with the unit and the outer end of the other lever being connected with the movable jaw member, mechanism on each unit transversely slidable thereon and connected with the inner ends of said toggle levers, and a cam rail adjacent the path of travel of said units for coperating with said mechanism to swing said toggle levers to effect closure of the jaws of the units as they travel through part of said path. I

9. In cable driving mechanism, the combination of a series of clamping units, means for repeatedly propelling said units through a fixed path, a stationary jaw member on each unit and a movable jaw member also thereon, two toggle levers on each unit pivoted together at their inner ends, the outer end oit' one of saidleversbeing pivoted to the unit and the outer end of the other lever being pivoted to the movable jaw member, a frame shiftable transversely on each unit, a suspension linkfconneoted With each frame Vand the innerends of theto-ggle members,

' travel of said units` for Vooperating with said frames to eEect shift thereof 4and' movement of the toggle levers to bring and hold the jaw members together during travel of the units through part of said path.

Y. In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe 20 my name this 5 dayY of June, A. D., 1916.

HUGH B. BROCKENBROUGH.

Copies. of'this patent may be 'obtained for ve'cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, i Washington, D. C.