US1408455A - Means for determining routes, distances, and rates for traffic - Google Patents

Description

G. W. R. HARRIMAN. MEANS FOR DETERMINING ROUTES, DISTANCES, AND RATES FOR TRAFFIC.

1,408,455. APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, I916; Patented Mar. 7,

1 SHEETS-SHEET I.

u 6 rgeMR/lamhaan lmi W. M

Affornys G. W. R. HARRIMAN.

MEANS FOR DETERMINING R'OU T ES, DISTANCES, AND RATES FOR TRAFFIC.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3,19l6.

1,408,455. Patented Mar. 7, 1922,

, 7 SHEETSSHEET 2.

1; J L- M A I i N g A 5 k '7 I I I e'orge MIR/la r/zzmn by w fimwm LA Z. 2. 93 IT ,E l R an Mu Mw n m P In vemor e MR. Harri 14/? I M Afforheys (a. w. R. HARRIMAN.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3,1916.

A Lll MEANS FOR DETERMINING ROUTES, DISTANCES, AND RATES FOR TRAFFIC.

6 eor by e. w. R. HARRIMANR.

MEANS FOR DETERMINING ROUTES, DISTANCES, AND RATES FOR TRAFFIC. APPLICATION FILED JULY 3.191s.

1,408,455 v a entfld Mar- '7, 1922.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 4- Fig.4

BSUI7.34567890l23567890l2345 Amman:

2 8 ggraaaamaaaaaasmmaas; g2

In venfor George M R Harri/1m G. w. R. HARRIMAN. MEANS FOR DETERMINING ROUTES, DJSIANCES, AND RATES FOR TRAFFIC.

: APPLICATION FILED JULY 3.19I6. 1,408,455. Patented Mar. 7,1922,

7 SHEETS-SHEET 5- FALLSBDRGN LUZON Y man I JOK HILGARD FIIRKO N6 NOXO N Invenfor GeoryeWRl/am'nmn y I Aflomeys G. W. R. HARRIMAN.

MEANS FOR DETERMINING ROUTES, DISTANCES; ANDRATE S FQR TRAFFIC APPLICATION FILED JULY 3,1916.

1 108,455. Patented Mar- 7, 1922.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

In vemor UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE V. R. KARR-IMAN, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented my. *7, 1922.

Application filed July 3, 1916. Serial No. 107,272.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Gnonen VJ. R. liens May, a citizen of the United States, residing at lvlalden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented n w and useful Improvements in Means for Determining Routes, Distances, and Rates for Traffic, of which the following is a specification. Y

My present invention has to do with means or apparatus for enabling distances between numerous specific places or localities to be determined; and its primary object is to enable such determinations to be made accurately and rapidly in a system or compilation universally applicable to a country or territory containing a large number of towns and other localities or points between which persons and goods may be moved. In order more fully to explain the nature and object of the invention, let it be assumed that the needs of commerce require that shippers and carriers should know the cost of transporting merchandise from a certain point in a known territory, such for example as the United States, to another point; and that it is to the greatest advantage of the greatest number that one publication or compilation should be capable of presenting the information necessary for a determination of the cost of such a shipment from any shipping point in the country to any receiving point. It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a means for presenting such information in so compact, condensed and readily available a manner, that a single volume of reasonable size may be made to furnish this detailed information for so large a community as continental United States of America. This, however, isonly one of my objects. Other objects appear in connection with the various parts of the invention hereinafter described.

l or the purposes of shipment of'goods by freight, express, and post, and for the conveyance of travellers, it is-necessary that the distance between the starting point and the destination of a shipment or journey by all available routes should be known as a basis for making reasonable and equitable rates; although for some practical purposes the air line distances between such points may suffice. For other purposes it is necessary that either or both the shortest linear distance between such points, and the shortest distance in. time of travel, and the route carrying the lowest rate, should also be known. It is further necessary, in order to serve all the needs of the entire community, that these facts should be known or capable of ascertainment, in connection with any two locations in the country from which a movement either of goods or of persons by common carrier may originate or at which such movement may end. In the case of a large area or territory, it is evident that the total mass of figures necessary to give such distances from each locality in the country to every other locality would be enormous.

What I have accomplished by the present invention consists essentially in the provision of means, consisting of a set of correlated and cooperating charts or delineators, bywhich this entire mass of information is sorted out so to speak, and arranged in readily available form, and in a manner such that. substantially all duplication of facts and of the elements by which the facts are obtained is avoided, whereby it is madepos sible for any shipper, carrier, or traveller. to determine for himself quickly, accurately, and without'confusion, the available routes and the distance in time and mileage between any two shipping and receiving points which are reached by common carrier within the territory treated of in the compilation. The invention also comprises not only the com bination of a series of such delineators or charts but the individual elements of such combination, consisting in the several delineators or charts and in the principles undorlying each of such charts.

Although l. have spoken of the invention as being applicable to use in the United States, and in my drawings have shown only its application to this particular country, nevertheless it is to be understood that I do not in any aanner restrict the invention to the presentation of facts relating to any one specified area, but include its application to any country or territory whatever whether the same be large or small.

The entire compilation which sets forth all of the information above indicated in regard to any large country or territory necessarily includes a number of sets of charts, which although not duplicates of one another as to the specific information they contain, yet duplicate the principle involved in any one set, wherefore in illustrating the present invention I have confined the illustration to. a single complete set of charts which comprise all of the elements of a complete operative embodiment of the fundamental invention.

In this specification and in the claims the term chart is used in a generic sense to include all the sheets or prints on which the information conveyed by means of my invention are presented, whether the same are maps, tables, or diagrams.

In the drawings, 1

Figure l is a map of the continent of North America and having superimposed thereon my system of atlas unit subdivision to illustrate the means which I employ for indexing localities.

Figure 2 is a. map of the United States of America having superimposed thereon my system of indexing atlas units.

igure 3 is a view of a chart showing in juxtaposition two of the areas which I term major divisions of a countr Or territory and also containing a map of the intervening country with available routes of travel represented thereon.

Figure 4: is a view of a single atlas unit.

Figure 5 shows a chart representing in' conventionalized manner and by means of figures the routes and distances between major divisions.

Figure 6 is a chart showing in a more compact form a part of the information given by Figure 5.

Figure 7 is view of a conventionalized atlas unit containing in another fornr part of the information shown by the atlas unit shown in Figure 3. V

Figure 7a is a detail view on a larger scale of one of the parts or index squares of the atlas unit shown in Figure 7.

Figure 8 is a chart presenting air line distances from one point to all. other atlas units in the country.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

At the outset I will remark that, without limiting the present invention to any spe-' cilic mode of districting and indexing localities in the territory to be studied, I consider that for the best results it is practically essential that the territory be districted according to the essential principles of the invention set forth in my Patent No. 1,192,829 granted July 25. 1916, into quadrangular unit areas established on the meridians of longitude and the parallels of latitude, the corresponding dimensions of which in terms of the degrees of latitude and longitude are all equal. and each having a distinctive identifying symbol. For convenience the north and south boundaries of each atlas unit are one degree apartand the east and west boundaries two and onehalf degrees apart. These units are further divided by intermediate parallels and meridians into ten quadrangular units of onearea of the United States lines of dots a.

half degree in each dimension, and the latter further subdivided into one hundred index squares, each containing three minutes of length and breadth. Each of the atlas units so determined is given a distinguishing symbol, conveniently a number, and each of the subsidiary quadrangles and squares of the units is given a subsidiary symbol also preferably a number, the thirty minute squares being numbered consecutively from one to ten and the index squares in each of the subsidiary quadrangles being numbered from zero to ninetynine, the index square numbers being repeated in each of the ten quadrangles and sufiixed to the quadrangle number which constitutes what I term the coeflicient of the symbol. For a fuller and more complete explanation of the method of determining and designating localities, here above outlined, reference is directed to my prior patent N0.1.192;s29.

A mode of subdividing territorial area substantially according to this principle provides a simple and comprehensive and flexible means for indexing points or localities. such as towns, express offices, freight useful for rendering available the invention "which it is the function of the devices hereinafter described in detail to set forth.

A certain number of contiguous atlas units are grouped in what I term major divisions. The term major division as here used comprises a territory or part of the area of the country studied which is so large that the total number of such divisions in. the entire country may be relatively small. This being the case such major division necessarily embraces a number of atlas units, the total number of such units of the dimensions above set forth, containing some part of the territory of the continental United States. being 390. In this illustration of the invention I have divided the divisions. and have designated the boundary lines between such divisions in Figure 2 by Preferably the boundaries between major divisions follow the boundary lines of atlas units, but my invention is not restricted in this respect, but may be practiced in cases where the major division boundaries cut atlas units. and even where such boundaries diverge from the geographical lines of latitude and longitude. Accordingly, for the purpose of this invention a major division may be considered as any relatively large fraction of the territory studied.

In the course of my studies which have developed the present invention. I have discovered that the number of trunk line chansions is comparatively small. I have adopt into ten maj or.

ed the term gateway to designate the point at which such a channel or trunk line crosses the boundary of a major division or of an atlas unit. Referring now to Figure 3 in which I have shown in one chart the two major divisions Z) and c, which are respectively in my system of atlas unit designa tion Division 1 and Division l, it will be seen that I have left gaps (Z, (Z, (Z, and e, e in the boundaries of these divisions at the points where the trunk line railways cross these boundaries. Such gaps represent the gateways referred to, and the names placed beside certain of these gateways are the names of stations on the railways, or places of geographic designation nearest to the gateways. While the total number of gate ways in each division is not large, the number available for travel and movement of traffic directly between the two divisions is still smaller. The trunk lines which respectively connect these gateways are shown at f, 9, /7t, and i in the map hshown in Figure 3.

The distance on the trunk lines between gateways is designated on the map by distance symbols, such symbols being lines representing the line of the railway or other channel of communication, in endwise sequence with breaks or spaces Z between them, all of these lines Or symbols being of equal length and representing a given linear distance. Other symbols m designate the approximate distances in time of travel being placed approximately at the points reached by the conveyance at the end of each given number of hours. i

A more exact statement of the distances on transportation lines between the gateways of theldivisions is given by the chart of Figure 5 in which are shown and designated by appropriate characters, the trunk lines leading from each gateway in either major division to each of the gateways in' the othe division. Through the gateways designated Eureka, VTeeksville, St. Reg-is, and Hutchinson, respectively, in Division 1, pass the .at Northern; Northern Pacific; Chicago, h lilwaukee St. Paul; and Union Pacific Railways; while in Division 41- there are shown passing through the gateways Norwood, Mohawk, Herkimer, Oneonta, and Jocks Falls, respectively, the railways New York Central; West Shore; New York Central; Delaware e Hudson; and New Yor Gntario and Western. The connecting lines between the railroads above named, and'the points of connections with such lines, are shown in the chart. The significance and comprehensiveness of the chart will be more readily seen by following out a specimen chain of connections. Take, for example, the connection from lVeeksville to Cooks Falls. From west to (left to right on the chart) the first Pflif is seen to be by way of the Northern Pacific to St. Paul desig nated the point a on the chart. The linear distance of this part of the connection is 1389. miles which. appears 011 the designation of the railway line. From St, Paul to Chicago, the next junction point, there is a choice of two lines, namely the Chicago and Northwestern, 412 miles, or the Chicago, Burlington A: Quincy :31 miles. From Chicago to the next junction point, Buffalo, is offered the choice of the New York Central Railway, 5-H) miles or the Nickel Plate miles; and from Buffalo the way is by the V7 est Shore Road 191 miles, to Earlville, and thence by the New York, Ontario 8: Western 100 mi es to Cooks Falls. The total distances from lVeeksville to Cooks Falls by each of the four possible routes indicated are shown by the figures 2575; 2558; 2594: and 2577, respectively, applied at thejunction point 0 on this line. Similarly the names of the railways available between each of the other gateways, the junction points of connecting lines, the mileage to the Several lines and the total mileage, appear on the diagram,

It is evident that since the trunk lines serve all of the communities in each of the major divisions, the method herein shown of representing these trunk lines in their relation to said divisions, enables all those facts or elements which are included in the total distance between any two localities in these divisions to be stated once for all, and without duplication. i

I have also shown in Figure 5 the names of stations along the ,lines which pass through the gateways, and are within the respective major divisions, together with the distances of such places from. the gateways. Thus for instance the column p gives the names of the stations served by the Union Pacific Road, and the column q the distances from the Hutchinson gate-way, while the columns rand 8 give the names of stations served by the New York, Ontario, & Western Railroad in major division t and their dis ances from the Cooks Falls gateway. These added elements enable the shipper or carrier to find out quickly the dis tance between important basing points in the respective divisions,'by finding the distances of these points from the nearest gateways in thei 1 respective divisions, and adding such distances to the trunk line distances between the gateways.

F or determining distances, to more obscure points, but also to the more important points as well, recourse is .had to large scale charts such as those shown in Figure a and Figure 7 respectively. Figure a is a detail large scale map of one of the atlas units, specifically the unit 4468 in majordivision l. such map showing the geographical location oi towns and other localities and the lines of common carriers. This figure also shows in connection with the lines of railway 7t, 7t distance symbols Z by which the distance from any point on the line to the nearest gateway from theatlas unit may be determined.

In Figure 7 the diagram u is a conventionalized representation of the atlas unit 468 shown in Figure 4, in which, however, the thousand index squares alone are shown, with spaces left between adjacent squares, and the ten group quadrangles of the unit separated by larger spaces. No characteris tics of the country are shown but only the lines of communication, which are indicated conventionally by the lines 71.. Certain of the index squares are shaded. These repre sent the squares in which are shipping points, such as post or express ofiices, and stations for passengers or freight. Also gateways where the lines of transportation cross the boundaries of the unit are shown at e, e. The gateways from the major division boundary are shown the same as in Figure Beside the gateways e from the atlas unit are located indicators v containing the name of the town or place at the gateway, there being placed adjacent to such indicator legends giving the distance by the shortest lines of transportation to each of the outer gateways The gateways e are the entrance and exit points of lines of transportation running to the gateways c in the major division boundary, and the latter gateways shown in Figure 7 are the same as those 7 similarly designated in Figure 3. It is within my contemplation, and I desire to protect herein the combination with such an atlas unit chart as shown in Figure 4 of either a border 6 containingthe gateways from the major division, or devices such as the indi cator 41 adjacent to the several transportation outlines shown in Figure 4-, and giving transportathm route distances from such outlets to the major division gateways. That I claim this feature of the invention whether embodied in this connection with an actual topographical map atlas unit, or a conventionalized representation of the. atlas unit.

Understandin that the compilation, of which these charts form parts, contains a detail representation of each atlas unit, it will be understood that by scaling the distance from any point in the atlas unit along the transportation channel which serves that point, to the outlet from the atlas unit, then adding the distance from such outlet to the gateway e of the major division, as shown by the indicator 1;; adding to that the trunk line distance from one division to the other shown by Figure 4:, and then by a similar process the distance from the gateway to the receiving point in this other major division, the actual. distance, measured in terms of linear extent of the transportation channel, may be determined with an extremely high degree of accuracy and with expenditure of relatively very little time.

To illustrate the use of the charts thus described, let it be assumed that we wish to find the distance between Ripley in the State of \Vashington and Middletown in the State of New York. Reference to the atlas unit map shows to which gateways these towns are adjacent, and then upon reference to Figure 5 the distances from the gateways are shown. lhus in the instance noted the name of Ripley, reached through the gateway Eureka, is shown at p and its distance from that gateway is shown at g as 62 miles. At the other end of the diagram Middletown, reached through the Cooks Falls gateway, is shown at r, and at s its'distance is shown as 62 miles. The shortest trunk line connection between Eureka and Cooks Falls is found to be the railway lines designated f", f, f and f, the total length of which amounts to 2458 miles. Adding 62 and 62 to the trunlc line distance, the total distance from origin to destination is found to be 2582 miles.

On accountof the limited space in Figure 5, the columns of place names are not carried out fully in that figure. The complete diagram, of which Figure 5 illustrates the principle, is made comprehensive enough to list at least the more prominent points in each atlas unit which are reached bycommon carriers, with'the distances of such points from the respectively nearest gateways. The distances from one another of points not listed in either column are obtainable by conjoint use of the chart and the atlas unit. Let us assume, for example, that the distance by a selected route from Burnham, Maine, to some other point. is required, and that Burnham does not appear in any of the columns 7'. The index of the compilation will show that Burnham is in atlas unit id-.68 (shown in Figure i), and reference to the large scale map of that atlas unit discloses the name Burnham at the location designated in in Figure 1:. The same map shows at '20 a 'n'ominent city, which we may assume is Bangor, Maine. Bangor, Maine, will be found listed in one of the columns 0", in the actual chart, although it is outside of the range of Figure 5. It will there be shown as at a distance of 489 miles from'Moh-awk, the gateway through which it may be assumed, for the purpose of this illustration, that a. shipment is to be made. Assuming, further, that the distance symbols delimited by the open breaks Z" each represents a distance on the railway of ten miles, then Burnham is indicated on Figure 4 as being about 36 miles from Bangor. this distance being arrived at by counting the number of breaks Z between the points 10 and 7.0 and estimating the fraction of the unit distance of the symbol from w to the nearest break at the side toward w Thus subtracting 36 from 489 gives 453 mlles as the distance or Burnham from the Mohawk gateway. Having' determined this distance, the total distance from Burnham to any other gateway may be determined from the chart of Figure 5 (or any equivalent chart) in the way previously explained. By proceeding according to this principle with the appropriate charts, complete detailed information of shipping distances (or rates or approximate time of transit) between any two places connected by common carrier may be determined.

I also include within the scope of protection sought a means for showing directly, in such an atlas unit chart as that represented in Figure 7', the distance from each shipping point to each of the available outlets in the atlasunit boundary. In Figure 7 I have enlarged one of the index squares, as w of Figure 7. This may be taken for example as the index square which contains the town of Burnham, which is represented on the map of Figure 4 and is contained in index square 261 of the atlas unit. In the chart this square and all others which contain shipping points are provided with a border 20 adjacent to which are placed indicators o representing the gate ways 6 from the atlas unit, or such of them as can be reached from the shipping point, together with figures representing the dis tance from the shipping point to each gateway. It is not necessary that the name of the point be printed on the chart. as it is sufiicient it its location is indicated, as in liigure 7, the index which is published in connection with the compilation, serving efficiently, in accordance with the principles already explained, to give the name and location of the shipping point, which can be found instantly upon the chart.

lVhere two major divisions adjoin and have a gateway in the common boundar the distance between given points in such divisions of course is established then by the sum of the distances from the common gateway to each point, as hereinbei ore described. But when a route available passing through other boundries of the same divisions than the common boundary. the distances by such route are determined exactly as before described in. regard to noncontiguous major divisions.

The devices as hereinbetore described disclose not only distances but also available routes between shipping points. For some purposes it is sufficient if only the distance of the shortest route is known, and to serve such purposes a somewhat simplerchart is provided, as shown in Figure (3. This chart exhibits a column 0 in which appear the symbols of all of the atlas units in one of the major divisions, for example Division l, the number of which appears at the head of the column, and also exhibits a column or row 0 containing the numbers of all the atlas units in the other major division, for example Division 1. In the columns headed by the atlas unit numbers 0" appear figures. showing the distance in miles between basing points in the atlas units at the heads and at the sides of these columns respectively. Take for example the figure 2335 shown in the space (Z I ref erence to the number at the head of the column and at the side of the row in which the space (Z is found, it will be seen that the number 2335 gives the distance between basing points in atlas unit 1516 and atlas unit 4-540. Where there is more than one route available such figures may be any predetermined one of the routes, such for instance as that having the shortest distance in miles or making the fastest running time, or that carrying the lowest rate, or it may be the air linedistance. Also the points in the respective atlas units which are taken as the base points between which the distance is studied may be specified localities, as cities or shipping points, etc, or may be the geographical centers of the atlas units. Where such geographical centers are taken as the base points the device shown in the lower part of Figure 6 serves to determine with great accuracy the air line distance from any specified point in one "atlas unit to any specified point in the other unit. The device referred. to come prises the representation of two atlas units at e and f respectively which are placed at the same inclination with respect to one another that the atlas units in one (iii the major divisions under consideration bear to the atlas units in the other of these major divisions inthe map oi the entire country. This relation is shown in Figure 2. A straight lineg is drawn between the has ing points in the atlas unit indications e and lines a f are drawn at equal distances apart perpendicular to the line across the atlas unit figures e and f re spectively. A scale of ligures representing these distances is placed beside either or both ends of the lines c" and f stating the distances of such lines in terms of the distance between lines correspondinglyplaced on the actual corresponding areas of the la nd, such scales running in each direction from the line which passes through the basing point. The location corresponding toany point within the atlas unit areas may be round on the diagrams e and f by means oi the system of indexing heretofore explained, and the air line distance of each such locality from the basing point of theatlas unit in which it'is located is given by reference to the lines a or f and the adjacent scales of distances. These intra unit distances as thus found are interpolated by addition 01 subtraction as the case might be, in the distance between basing points as found in the table 0Z2.

For the purposes for which the diagrams c and f are used, as above described, sutficient accuracy in estimating distances may be secured if the diagram (d is placed at an inclination on the chart of Figure 6 similar to the average inclination on the map with respect to the' vertical and horizontal, of the atlas units in one of the major divisions under consideration, and if the diagram f is correspondingly placed with regard to the average inclination of the atlas units in the other major division.

A table corresponding to (Z may also be used in connection with atlas unit maps of the sort shown in Figure 4, by which the actual distance of travel, rather than the air line distance between two points may be determined.

A further means for showing air line distances in a manner available for instant determination is shown in Fig. 8, wherein the diagram [L2 shows all of the atlas units contained in any part of the continental territory of the country, and the diagram i? shows the atlas units comprised in one of the major divisions, enlarged sutliciently to permit the subsidiary qnadrangles thereof to be shown. Such a chart would be particularly adapted for postal and express use and contains the air line distance from a specified point to each of the other atlas units in the territory. The particular. values hcre shown are determined with reference to that locality or region identified as quadrangle number 3 in atlas unit number d468, indicated by the reference character 7' in Figure 8. The diagram 2' shows not only the numunits to the quadrangle y".

bers or symbols of all of the atlas units and subsidiary quadrangles thereof in the major division wherein the base quadrangle y' is located but also the air line distances from the central point in each of these quadrangles to the central point in the quadrangle j The symbols designated at k are the atlas unit symbols, the niunbers at Z are the subsidiary quadrangle symbols. a ad the numbers m are the air line distances of these respective quadrangles :irom the specific quadrangle j In diagram k the atlas unit symbols are similarly designated. while the numbers indicated at a? give the air line dis tances from the central points in the atlas It is equally within my contemplation, and therefore included within the scope of this invention and of my claims, to show instead of distances by'means oi the numerical symbols m a either the rates for shipment of travel to the designated respective atlas unit areas, r the scale on which therates are based; or any two, or all of these three values may as well be expressed at the same time on the chart. In a system of rate classification where points comparatively remote from the point of shipment carry higher rates than those near the point of shipment, but the rate is the same throughout wide zones; such being the rate nowusedi or parcel post shipments by the Post Oiiice Department of the United States, such a chart as that of Figure 8 gives all the information needed to determine rates for either short or long shipments. V

The figures shown in Figure 8 express the values in connection with-only the particular location quadrangle 7' Similar charts are provided for giving like information in connection with other atlas units or index quadrangles, such charts differing from the one shown only in the relative values of the ligures m and o The same chart containing the same distance values is of course available for all stations or shi iping points in the same index quadrangle. Inthc preceding description of the de lineator shown in Figure '8 I have stated that the distances-exl'iibited in connection with the atlas unit symbols are distances to the central points of such units. Such statement is merely illustrative and is not intended as'a limitation of the' invention, since any specific locations and basing points may be taken for measurement of the distance as indicated. I may also expressthese distances in terms of length of any specific route to be followed inreaching the respectiveatlas units.

In connection with Figure l- I call attention to another feature of my invention for which also I claim protection. In determining the routing of goods, or persons, in reaching a. certain point which is not directly on a railway or other trunk line or carrier, it necessary to be able to determine which of two or more railway lines, is available, or is the most convenient, for reachin the point. For example, there may be localities such as those plotted at 772 and Q2 on Figure 4t which lie between two lines of railway h and 71/. The map discloses, in additioi'r to the hacation of railroad lines, by means of: shaded areas 1*, s 6 etc, andthe boundary lines r between such areas, the districts which are served by the respective lines in such areas. The location of the points 72 and with respect to the boundary r show thatthcse points are respectively in the area at and the area sfl'lrom which it follows that the line If is the one which should be taken to reach the point p and the line it that for reaching the point The entire mapmay be thus divided into areas such as above described, which I term trattic basins. The limits and bounds of these tra ttic' basins are determined by plot ting on the map the points which in actual fact are served by the several railway lines, and then connecting by lines the outermost plotted points. The lines thus plotted constitute the boundaries 1' 6 and other boundaries similar thereto as u etc. The traliic basin areas may be distinguished from one another in any convenient manner, either by shading as here shown or by printing in corn trasting colors, or merely by boundary lines.

Such basins and their limits, having been once defined and established by a survey and study of the actual conditions in the locality represented in the map, serve thereafter as an accurate means for instantly apprizing the shipper, carrier, or traveler, from a mere glance at the chart of all the means available, and the most convenient means when there are more than one, for reaching any obscure or remote place.

In like manner the map or chart, or the equivalent therefor may be caused to show values or conditions additional to those designated by the trz'iii'ic basins; such as the limits and extent of connictitivc areas or zones of competition, non-competitive districts, spheres of influence, territory in com- 111011 of two or more lines, intermediate territory, and Zones of equalrate. The same principles exactly are involved whether or not the values last named are shown, as when the specific traflic basins illustrated in Figure 4- are designated; the only difference being in the specific information according to which such areas or Zones are plotted. The same map may show both the traliic casins and also one or more of the other conditions herein above namel, and, dis-inctively designated. In case that there should 1 c any question as to the meaningof the term Zone of equal rate, used above, I will ex- 1 lain that this term designates a area indicated on the map in a manner comparable to the trailiic basin areas specifically shown in Figure 4, which includes all places to which goods may be shipped or passengers carried, from some distributing point at a uniform rate.

illhe tratlic basin feature of the invention is also useful. for other purposes, but it has a special utility in connection with the means of determining distance and routes for travel and shipment of goods, and the ascertainment of rate I and'cost elements which enter into rate making. which is the special subject of the present application, wl'icrefore I make claim to this feature in the present application.

The means which I have hercinbe'liore specifically described, in connection with the means for locating and indexi gspect fie points, described in my prior patent No ,92329 enables all localiti s in a specified territor r to be accurately indexed. and the routes etween them determined, and the distances by way of such routes also determined with sutliciently exact accuracy for all practical purposes, and with the minimum of effort, by means of an apparatus having the minimum of bulk. The apparatus essential for giving all this information com prises detailed maps of all of the atlas units as exemplified by Figure 4, detail maps of each of the major divisions on a smaller scale of which there are only as many as the total number of major divisions, and charts embodying the principle of Figure 3, each representing two of the major divisions and giving a representation of the trunk line channels between them. lVith each of the last named charts may be combined a diagram such as that shown in Figure 5, or in place of the latter such a diagram as that shown in Figure 6, or both these diagrams, since the compactness with which the in formation there presented may be placed permits all of these diagrams to be placed on a single sheet of convenient size for use.

The total number of sheets of the last named order necessary for giving this information as between each two major divisions, one half the square of the number of major divisions. In my study of the i nited States. the principles of which are here explained. there are 390 atlas units grouped in ten major divisions; making the total number of charts necessary for the purposes indicated approximately 4:50. I mention these figures simply to indicate the extremely small volume or compass, in comparison with coi'npilations heretofore devised into which all of the information necessary for determining routes and distanc of shipment be tween any two of the most obscure localities in a territory so large as the United States, may be condensed. All of the shipping points of the country, including post oflices, express offices, and railway stations, may be indexed by my system in an index of 120 pages.

In the foregoing description the words of description are used withou limiting intent or significance. For example, the term te ritory used in a generic sense meaning the entire area ofthat part of the world which is-st-udied in the compilation, regardless of whether such territory is comprised within specified political bounds or not, Also the reference to railways in. certain parts of the des ription, especially that relating to the trailic basins. is not intended as a limitation. of the invention specifically to carriers corn fined to fixed rails, but is used as the exemplifi cation of any route of communication served by a common carrier. Further the terms ,atlas unit index quadrangle, in dex square, etc, and reference to my prior patent No. 1,192,829 are not intended as limiting thepresent invention to the specific means of designating and. indicating locations shown in such patent. its 1 have stated before, and wish to emphasize here, the principle of the means tor exhibiting routes and distances between locations is not restricted to any specific means of designating or bounding areas, but in so ta as this idea is concerned may be applied to districts bounded by political or other bounds. The utility ot the present invention, however, is greatly enhanced by use in connection therewith ot the means for districting and indexing localities here described, embodying the principle here de scribed and covered in my said patent.

The apparatus hereinbe'tore described furnishes a means for determining rates inasmuch as it enables routes and distances, which are factors in rate making, to be determined, and also gives other conditions, such as junction points at which special charges may arise, which constitute elements entering into the determination of rates.

The element of distance is not only an integral part of any rate making system, but it is also such a part of railroad valuation, wherefore the apparatus hereinbefore described is also useful for railway valuation work as well; and I have so used the same in connection with other devices or apparatus for which I claim patent protection.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A compilation for determining routes and distances between any two of a multiplicity of localities comprising a series of charts representing unit areas oil the territory in which such points lie, said unit area charts collectively embracing the entire territory and exhibiting thereon therontes of travel and carriage in the territory, with distance symbols associated with such routes; a series of charts representing groups of contiguous unit areas, and containing the routes of carriage therein and distance indications associated therewith, and also exhibiting gateways for such routes through V the bounds of. said divisions or groups, and

a series of charts showing collectively the distances between. each of said gateways in any of said divisions and each of the gateways in any of the other divisions.

2. A means :tor determining routes for travel or for the carriage of goods and the distances thereof", con'iprising a series of charts or delineators representing respectively maps of divisions of territory with such routes depicted thereon, and gateways or points where such routes cross the boundaries of said districts, a chart giving distances from gateways in one of said districts to gateways in another district, and means for showing the distances from saidgateways to all of the points within the districts to which said gateways respectively enter.

3. A means for exhibiting in available iaesnss form information by which distances and routes for carriage of persons and goods between any two points in an extensive territory may be made known, comprising maps of divisions of the territory, showing points of egress from and admission to such divisions and the ways of travel from such points, and the distances of such ways, to shipping points in the respective divisions, in combination with a chart giving distances on trunk lines of carriage between such points of egress and admission of different divisions.

at. A means for exhibiting in available form information by which distances and routes for carriage of persons and goods between points, in an extensive territory may be made known, comprising maps of divisions of said territory showing gateways tor traflic through. the boundaries thereof, dotail maps on a larger scale of fractional parts of said divisions, giving the locations of shipping points and the routes and distances between such points and the outlet points from the regions represented in such tractional maps, and a chart of distances b tween gateways in different divisions.

5. A means for determining routes and distances between shipping points comprising the combination of a chart showing relative geographic locations of shipping points in a given area, a boundary surrounding the representation of said area and having thereon designated outlets representing the points through which trafiic lines pass from a given larger area in which the first described area is comprehended, means on said chart for determining the distance and available routes .ttrom said shipping points to said gateways,

and other charts showing distances and routes from said outlets to outlets of other determined areas.

6. In an apparatus of the character and for the purpose described, a chart showing in their relative geographic location certain points in a given limited area of the earths surface, and also showing lines of carriage from said points to the boundaries of said area, and indicators adjacent to the points where said lines pass said areas showing the distances by available routes to gateways in the boundaries of a larger region within which is included the aforesaid limited area.

7. A chart containing in a conventional manner, and in their relative geographic, locations, the shipping points existing in a prescribed quadrangular area'o'f the earths surface, said chart also having a quadrangular boundary corresponding in scale and location, with respect to the shipping points indicated on the chart, to the boundaries of the said area of the earths surface, a representation being placedadjacent to each of said shipping point locations of the distances by all the available tratlic routes to the several points where such routes cross the boundaries of said area, and a border or boundary on said chart surroundingthe aforesaid border and having breaks corresponding to the tra'l iic gateways of the bounds of a larger region in which said firstnamed area is contained, and indicators placed adjacent to the points on the firstnamed border corresponding to points where said routes cross the boundaries of the given area, said indicators bearing figures showing the distances by available routes to the said gateways.

8. A chart comprising a quadrangular. border and index squares arranged in regular columns and rows within said border, corresponding respectively to the boundaries 01". an atlas unit area of the earths surface and to-the index square subdivisions of said unit area, and certain of the index squares on the chart which correspond to the actual geographic location of shipping points in the atlas unit area, being distinctively designated.

9. A chart comprising ,a quadrangular border and index squares arranged inregular columns and rows within said border corresponding respectively to the boundaries of an atlas unit area of the earths surface 'and to the index square subdivisions oi said unit area, and certain of the index squares on the chart which correspond to the actual geographic location of shipping points in the atlas unit area, being distinctively designated, said chart also, bearing adjacent of the atlasunit area by available routes. j"

, 10. A chart for the representation of geographical: relation and distances oi certain points from other points, comprising a quadrangular border representing a unit area or the earths surface and regular columns and rows of separated squares within said borderrepresenting contiguous equal-subdivisions of such area, and the said squares being further separated by spacing into distinct groups, and the border having breaks representing the outlets from the unit area of common carrier lines.

11., A chart for representing shipping points in geographic relative position comprising a quadrangular border and a series of squares drawn within said border and arranged in regular order in columns and rows, each indicating a specific area oi the earths surface, there being fifty columns from one endto the other of the chart and itwenty rows from top to bottom of the adjacent groups; and those squares which indicate the locations :of shipping points being distinctively designated.

12. A chart for indicating routes and.

distances between localities comprisin maps of divisions of the territory containing said ,localities, a chart of trunk lines comprising available routes between said divisions, and a table of distances between basing points in each of said divisions.

13. A means for determining routes and each containing a number of atlas unit sub divisions, each of said major, divisions having a distinguishing symbol, and each of said atlas-unit subdivisions having a different distinguishing symbol, and a table giving distances between each or the atlas unit subdivisions of one of said major divisions and each of the atlas unit subdivisions. in the other major division.

15. A means for stating in compact form distances between any. two localities com; prising a series of maps collectively representing the entire territory containingv such lOcalities, and each map showing all the routes of. communication in the territory represented thereby, in combination with, E

charts and tables giving distances between points at which such routescross the bounds of one of such unit areas and corresponding points in each of the other unit areas.

16. A means for determining distances I comprising a chart of distances between basing points in each of the atlas unit areas in one major division, and diagramsfloi representative atlas units in the different major divisions occupying the same relative inclinations to one another as the same atlas units occupy in the map of the entire territory, combined with'graduations crossing such atlas unit diagrams parallel to one another at known distances apart, thereby affording a means for measuring approximately distances of any points in each atlas unit from the basing point thereof- 17. A means for determining routes and distances between localities in a given territory, comprising a map representing said territory and subdivided into atlas unitv areas of given dimensions bounded by meridians of longitude and parallels of latitude, said atlas unit areas having distinctive symbols the atlas units in a second major division.

18. A means for determiningroutes and dlstances between localities m a given terrltory, comprising a map representing said territory and subdivided into atlas unit areas ofgiven dimensions bounded Icy-meridians of longitude and parallels of latitude, said atlas unit areas having distinctive symbols applied thereto and certain of the atlas units being associated inmajor division groups, in combination with a table of distances between a given point in each atlas unit in one major division and given points in the atlas units in a second major division and diagram of representative atlas units in the two major divisions occupying the same angular relative positions as in the map, andv graduations placed across said diagrams perpendicular to theline joining the basing points of the atlas .units and at'known distances apart; a

19. A map of a unit division of territory displaying a prominent boundary line and having through such line breaks represent ing gateways located. according tothe geographical position of the points atwhich transportation lines cross the boundaries of the area represented'in suchmap.

20; A map containing a representation of an area of the earth and ofthe common carrier transportation lines present on suclr area, said map having also d1strnct1velydesignated the areas or territories especially served by each of'said lines.

21. A map containing a representatlon of the common carrier lines existing in 'the territory-delineated on the map and having also distinctive means fordesignating the localities which are served particularly by each of said lines. p

22. A map representing territory and the lines of common carriers eXistingin such territory and having also distinctivemeans tions representing gateways to another divi sionof territory, and similar columns of place names and distances similarly arranged with respect to said second series of indications-,with lines starting from each of the indications in one of said series to similar indications in the other series representing existing trunk lines between the points represented on the chart by suchindications, 24. A chart for route and distance determination'having a series of starting point indications representing gateways from a given division of territory, and a second series of similar indications representing' gateways to another division of territory, with lines starting from indications in one' of said series to indications in the other series representing the existing trunk lines of land transportation between the points represented on the chartby such indications, and indications onsaid.chart adjacent' to certain of said linesgiving in intelligible symbols the actual distances of the lines of transportation represented by the respective lines so indicated on said chart.

25. A traffic routechart comprising boundary indications separated from one another, representing the geographicallimits of specified territorial divisions, and having indications thereon of traffic gateways to said territorial divisions,- and lines passing from gateway indications-of one boundary to gateway indications of the other bound 7 ary representing existing-common carriers between theactual territorial divisions; the names of, and the distances traversed by, such common carriers being exhibited-nth jacent to the appropriate lines.

26. A traffic chart having at one end a column containing the ILttIDGSOfS'CcLtIOIlS on a specific transportation line in a given section of territory, a 8111111211?COlUIHII'Of IIELHIBS in another part'olt the chart representing stations on a transportation line in another division of the territory, and a line crossing from the termination of one column to the end of the other column correspondingto an actually existingline of intercommuni--i cation between the points represented i on.

- the chart.

a 27. A traflic chart having in one partedseriesof columns-containing the names of stations on specific transportation lines in a given section of territory, a similar series 1 of columns of names-in anotherpart of the chart representing stations on transporta tion lines in another division of the territory, and lines crossing between the termie nations of the columns in one set to the columns of the other setcorresponding'to' lines of intercommunication which have'120 actual physical existence between the points represented on the chart, those connecting, lines which represent routes composed oE; connecting common carriers, having design nations showing the connecting points lbB 126 tween such common carriers.

28. A traffic chart having inone part at series ofcolumns containing the names of stations on specific transportation lines in. a given section of territory, a similar series 130 of columns of names in another part of the chart representing stations on transportation lines in another division of the territory, and lines crossing between the terminations of the columns in one set to the columns of the other set corresponding to lines of intercommunication which have physical existence between the points represented on the chart, those connecting lines which represent routes composed of connecting common carriers, having distinctions showing the connecting points between such common carriers and also having distance indications showing the length of each of the common carrier lines. a

29. A traflic chart having in one part a series of columns containing the names of stations on specific transportation lines in a given section of territory, a similar series of columns of names in another part of the chart representing stations on transportation lines in another division of the territory, and lines crossing between the terminations of the columns in one set to the columns of the other set corresponding to lines of intercommunication which have physical existence between the points represented on the chart, the said lines also having distance indications showing the entire length of the line from the columns at which it respectively begins and ends.

30. A chart containing a representation of the atlas units bounded by meridians of longitude and parallels of latitude which cover a given territory, each of the atlas units represented in said chart having a distinguishing symbol, and certain of said units also having numbers designating distances thereof from another atlas unit.

31, A chart containinga representation of the atlas units bounded by meridians of longitude and parallels of latitude which cover a given territory, each of the atlas units represented in said chart having a distinguishing symbol, and certain of said units also having numbers designating distances thereof from a certain base atlas unit, in combination with a chart on a larger scale of the base atlas unit and those adjacent thereto, such atlas units being further divided into index squares and carrying the identification symbols of said index squares together with figures showing the distances of said squares from a base index square in the base atlas unit.

32. A chart containing a representation of unit areas comprised in a given territory, with the bounds of such unit areas, each of the unit areas represented in the chart having a distinguishing identifying symbol, and certain of said unit areas having also symbols showing rates, or the scales on which rates are based, of shipments thereto from a certain unit area which is taken as the starting point.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

GEORGE W. R. HARRIMAN.

Images