US461535A

US461535A - Method of and means for transportation

Info

Publication number: US461535A
Authority: US
Current assignee: ANDRE COLLECTION Inc
Publication date: 1891-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 1908-10-20

Description

(No Model.) '3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. s. JOHNSON.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR TRANSPORTATION.

No.461,535. PatentedOot.20,1891.-

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No. 461,535. Patented O0t.20, 1891.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR TRANSPORTATION.

Patented Oct. 20', 1891.

"CL-n FcIyJO.

on, Circe rm: uoflms versus 120.. Puma-m UNITED STATES i PATENT OFFICE.

\VARREN S. JOHNSON, OF MILWAUKEE, \VISOONSIN.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR TRANSPORTATION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters iPatent No. 461,535, dated October 20, 1891.

I Application filed liovemher 6, 1890. Serial No. 370.576. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, WARREN S. JOHNSON, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of WVisconsin, have invented certain Improvements in Methods of and Means for Transportation, of which the following is' a specification.

Myinvention has in view more particularly the automatic and very rapid transportation of mail and express matter and other light articles; and to this end it consists, essentially, in the combination of a road, way, or

guide of any suitable character extended between the objective points or stations, with a car or carrier movable freely thereover, chainbers located at'frequentintervals along the line of the road and provided with automatic means for the introduction and ignition of gas or other explosive, and means whereby the force of each explosion is applied to maintain or increase the speed of the passing car. Under my system the car is subjected automatically at frequent intervals to a strong propelling-force, the effect of these frequent impulses being to impart to the same a high velocity. I prefer to construct the expansionchambers in the form of tubes, through which the cars pass, and to combine with them antomatic devices whereby they are closed at the rear end during the passage of the car and the explosion effected therein at the same instant in orderthat the pressure of the gases may be applied directly to the car to project the same from the chamber over the road to the next succeeding chamber. It is to be distinctly understood, however, that the de tails of the apparatus employed for carrying my invention into effect may be greatly modified within the range of mechanical skill and without passing beyond the limits of my invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a section of my railway with a car therein. Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing one construction of a switch. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4: l of Figs. 1, 5, 6, and 7, showing the car in the act of entering one of the propelling-chambers. Figs. 4 and 4 are similar sections showing, respectively, the manner in which the chamber is opened by the propelling-car and the manner in which the chamber is closed behind the car preparatory to the ignition of the propelling-charge. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5 5 of Figs. 2, 4, 6 and 7. Fig. 6 isa cross-section on the line 6 6 of Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 7 is a cross-section on the line 7 7 of Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the road, car, and propelling devices in modified form. Fig. 9 is a similar view with the parts in diiferent positions. Fig. 10 is a cross-section on the line 10 10, Figs. 8 and 9. Fig. 11 is a cross-section on the line 11 ll, Figs. 8 and 9.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the road, way, or guide, which may be made of tubular or skeleton form and of any suitable construction, provided only it is adapted to guide the cars or carriers. In the form shown the way consists of two horizontal railways a and a, arranged one directly over the other and supported rigidly in standards B at a suitable, distance apart to admit of the cars or carriers passing between them.

The car may be of any suitable form or construction, but is preferably made of a cylindroconical form, with a space or chamber in the interior to receive its load or cargo, and with two sustaining-wheels b to ride on the lower track-rail and a third andintermediate wheel 1) to ride on the upper rail. The wheels are grooved to embrace the rails, and the parts are so constructed that the car may move freely and without interruption over the line from one end to the other. Access may be hinged door 6 in its top, or otherwise.

0 0 represent stationary tubular chambers, through which the track-rails extend and which are so formed that the cars may pass freely through them. These chambers are to be located at a greater or less distance apart, according to the grade or inclination of the trolling conditions. Each chamber is provided at the rear end with two laterally-swinging valves D D, carried .by arms d, pivoted at d and acted upon by springs d which tend to swing them inward, so that they will act to close the rear end of the chamber. These valves are provided with beveled ends (1 projecting rearward in such manner that as a car approaches the chamber its conical had to the interior of the car by means of a road, the weight of the cars, and other conby the ear.

end will act between and against the arms (Z in the manner shown in Fig. 4, thereby opening the valves, so that the car may advance between them into the chamber, which is immediately closed again by the valves as soon as the rear end of the projectile has passed beyond them. In order to insure the closing of the valves, they may be connected by links (1" with external levers d, the forward ends of which are projected through openings into the tube or chamber in such position that the advancing car will separate them and cause them to close the valves. \Vith each chamber is connected a pipe E for supplying combustible gas thereto from a main E or any other suitable source. The admission of gas is controlled by a valve 6, connected through an elbow-lever c and rod 6 with a trip-lever e projecting into the tubular chamber in position to be encountered by the car, which acts to open the valve and admit gas as soon as the main valves have closed the rear end of the chamber. The closure of the gas-supply valve after the car has passed the leverc is effected by a spring 0. The gas-supply pipe E is provided with a perforated portion 6 communicating with the atmosphere. As the car is carried by its momentum forward through the chamber it produces a suction which causes the air to flow inward, mingle with the gas, and enter the chamber therewith. I employ either carbureted hydrogen gas or any other gas which combined with air will form an explosive mixture. At a forward point I provide the chamber with an opening F, and adjacent to this opening 1 locate a gas-burner G, connected with the main by pipe g and giving a constant flame adjacent to the opening.

The action is as follows: The car being forcibly projected toward the chamber opens the valves, which are immediately closed behind the car. As the car continues its advance it acts on the lever e and causes the explosive mixture of gas andair to enter and fill the chamber in rear of the car. During this action the opening F is covered and closed As the car continues its advance its rear end finally passes and uncovers the opening, whereupon the suction produced'by the forward motion of the car causes the flame to be drawn inward,the effect of which is to ignite the charge, which, acting with an explosive effect and generating a high pressure within the closed end of the chamber, acts to project or propel the car from the forward end of the chamber and forward over the track ata high velocity. The momentum of the car is such that, passing over the intervening portion of the road, it enters the next chamber, where it is again subjected to the action of a propellingcharge, and so on repeatedly. By properly controlling the admission of the gas and the distance between the chambers I am enabled to propel the car with great velocity and at a practically uniform rate of speed. The successive impulses applied at frequent intervals will cause the car to pass over the line and through the various chambers with asmooth and easy action.

In order to prevent stoppage of the car in the event of a charge failing to ignite, and in order the better to maintain a uniform ve locity, I recommend the employment of a charge sufficient to propel the car to the sec ond chamber beyond.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the essence of my invention resides in combining with a track or guide and a car movable thereover automatic devices (listributed along the line forsecuring explosive action and applyingtheenergy developed by such explosives to the propulsion of the car, and the skilled mechanic will understand that while the details above described will give the desired results they may be greatly modified in form and arrangement without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In order that the scope of the invention may be the more fully understood, Ihave represented in Figs. 8 to 11 another form of propelling devices. In these figures the car and the road or way over which it travels are constructed in essentially the same manner as in the preceding figures; but the propellingchambers, instead of inclosing the track, so

that the projectiles will pass through them,

are arranged, as shown at c, beneath the track, each chamberbcing fixed in position permanently closed at its rear end and provided with a piston 0 This piston has its rod 0 provided with cross-heads 0, having guides 0 parallel with the track. The crosshead carries a bar 0, suitably guided to reciprocate lengthwise of the lower track-rail above astationary rail 0 The reciprocating bar 0 carries a dog 0, urged upward by a spring 0. As the car advances this dog yields before it, as shown in Fig. 8, but finally springs upward engages behind and against the car, as in Fig. 9. A gas-pipe E opens into the rear end of the chamber or cylinder and is provided with a valve e, closed by a spring-actuated lever e, and opened by a rod 6 connected to lever e in the path of the car, so that as the car ad- ,vances it opens the valve and admits gas to the chamber. This lever 6 corresponds to or is the equivalent of the lever c in the firstdeseribed form of apparatus. The gas-supply pipe is provided, as in the first instance, with the perforated portion 6 through which atmospheric air'is drawn to mingle with the gas in the chamber. In order to give an initial forward movement to the piston and thus draw the gas' and air into the cylinder, an angular dog It is pivoted to the reciprocating bar 0 and arranged to ride at one end on the stationary rail 0 before mentioned. A

shoulder h at the forward end of the car acts against the dog and causes the latter to carry the bar 0 forward, and thereby move the piston forward until the dog it reaches the front end of the rail 0 when it is permitted to fall out of the path of the car, as shown in Fig. 9. A spring g or equivalent means for applying a light pressure will be used to return the piston and other parts to their normal conditions after the passage of the car. The cylinder is provided like the chamber in the first example with an opening or lightingport F and with a burner G outside of said opening to maintain a constant flame. As the car approaches the chamber it overrides the dog 0 which rises and engages behind the same. Before this engagement occurs, however, the car acts on lever 6 opens the gas-valve, and, acting against dog h, forces the piston ahead, causing the air and gas to be drawn into the cylinder. Immediately after the propelling-dog c engages behind the car, as in Fig. 9, the piston advances beyond and uncovers the gas-inlet F, whereupon the flame causes the ignition of the gas and the result is that the piston is forced suddenly forward,

carrying with it the propelling-dog and cans-' ing the car to be impelled or projected to the next station or propelling device.

While I prefer to employ a lighting-flame, it is to be understood that I may employ an electric-lighting device, such as is commonly used in gas-engines or any other devices used in the art for like purposes.

A series of chambers along the line of the road may be supplied with gas from a single main or otherwise supplied, as the judgment of the constructer may dictate, and in place of gas I propose to employ in some cases powder or other explosive mixtures. The employment of any gasproducing explosive falls within the limit of my invention.

A road constructed on my plan may be pro vided with switches, turn-outs, or laterals of any suitable character. In Fig. 3 I have shown the main track as connected with a hand-lever and adapted for lateral vibration, so that it may be connected at will with either of the two tracks shown on the left hand in said figure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. The method of maintaining the movement of a car along a track or way, consisting in causing the car to effect at suitableintervals in its course the ignition of independently-confined explosive charges and applying the explosive force of each charge independently to advance the car.

2. The method of propelling a car over an open way or track, consisting in subjecting the same while in motion to the force of successive exploding charges, acting upon the car each independently to propel the car to the next.

3. In combination with a car movable thereover, a railway provided at intervals with explosion-chambers, automatic devices actuated by the car to introduce and ignite an explosive in said chambers successively, and means whereby the explosive force is applied to propel the car.

4. Atransporting system comprisingatrack or Way, a car movable therethrough, a series of tubular chambers through which the cars pass located at intervals along the track, antomatic devices for closing each chamber at its rear end during the passage of the car therethrough, and automatic devices for delivering and igniting an explosive within the chamber that it may act to propel the cars.

5. A way or track, a car movable thereover, a tubular chamber through which the car passes, a valve mechanism controlled by the car to close the rear end of the chamber, a valve actuated by the car for admitting an explosive gas into the chamber behind the car, an igniting-flame, and a lighting-port, through which the flame acts, adapted to be covered and closed by the car.

6. In combination with a way or track, the car, and the explosion-chamber through which the car passes, and the valve to close the rear end of the chamber, provided with arms acted upon by the car to open the valve.

7. In combination with the track, the car, and the tubular chamber through which the car passes, the valves to close the rear end of said chamber, and the arms to close said valve, adapted to be actuated by the advancing car, whereby the car is caused to close the chamber behind it.

8. In combination with the car and the chamber through which-the car passes, means for closing the same, the gas-supply pipe, and an air-inlet whereby the advance of the car is caused to draw air and gas into the chamber.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my \VARREN S. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

MAUDE L. EMERY, L. F. FISH.