US475102A

US475102A - Tramway

Info

Publication number: US475102A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1892-05-17
Anticipated expiration: 1909-05-17

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. J. WOLFROM. TRAMWAY.

No. 475,102. Patented May-1'7, 1892.

0 I v v (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.v

' E. J. WOLFROM.

. TRA MWAY. No. 475,102. Patented May 17, 1892;

11a Jflaymw.

'ATENT OFFICE.

ELI J. WOLFROM, OF MAYSVILLE, COLORADO.

TRAMWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 475,102, dated May 17, 1892. Application filed November 28. 1891. Serial No. 413,421. (No model.)

To all whom, it Duty concern.-

Be it known that I, ELI J. l/VOLFROM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Maysville, in the county of Ohaffee and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tramways; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to tramways.

The object of the invention is to provide an elevated way which will be protected from snow and which will permit the use of a single track and yet admit of the loaded cars drawing the empty cars, the two cars passing intermediate the ends of the said tramway, a switch or side track being provided at this point to permit the cars to pass.

The improvement consists of the novel features and the peculiar construction and combination of the parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and which are shown in the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tramway embodying my invention, showing the switch and the relative disposition of the cars on the said switch and main line. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the main and switch tracks, the supports being removed. Fig. 3 is a crosssection of the tramway in front of the car on the line x no of Fig. 2, looking to the left. Fig. 4 is a cross-section, similar to Fig. 3, of a modification, showing the pair of rollers placed one above the other. Fig. 5 is a further modification showing the main line deflected.

The tramway. is composed of aseries of triangular-shaped supports A, which are arranged with their apices upward and the base portions resting upon the ground, the main track 13, the switch-track (J, and the guiderails g g, which are located at a lower level and are secured to the side pieces of the supports A. The tracks are composed of sillsD and rails d, the latter being secured on the sills in the usual manner and the sills being secured to the side pieces of the supports by bolts a and blocksf, which are secured to the side pieces of the said supports A, substantially in the manner shown most clearlyin Fig. 3. The

switch-track O for a short distance from each end extends parallel with the main track B and is deflected away from the main track intermediate of its ends. The main track is deflected in an opposite direction ata point opposite the deflected portion of the switchtrack O. The two tracks are similarly deflected, thereby distributing the strain more uniformly on the cables 0 O, which connect the two cars S S. The switch-track is two inches, more or less, higher than the main track, and its ends slope gradually to the level of the said main track. One of the cars, as S, is provided with single-groove wheels T at the upper ends of the hanger D. This car always travels on the main track. The car S is provided with a pair of groove-wheels T at the upper ends of the hanger D. This car leaves the main track and passes the car S on the switch 0 and again returns to the said main track after passing the car S.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The two cars, being connected together by the cable 0 O in the usual manner, travel in opposite directions. Hence they approach the switch from opposite points. The car S travels on the main track from end to end. As the car S enters the switch the free wheel rides upon the switch-track and lifts the wheel previously travelingon the main track and compels the car to travel on the switch. The two cars S and S pass each about midway of the ends of the switch-track. As the car S approaches the end of the switch track the Wheels ride down on the inclined end of the said switch-track and permit the car to continue its travel on the main track. The guiderails g g engage with the sides of the car and hold the same in a perpendicular position.

The pair of supporting-wheels T may be placed side by side or above one another, depending upon the relative position of the main and switch tracks. Obviously if the end'portions of the switch-track are in line with the main track the said switch-track will have to be placed relatively higher and the said wheels T will be in the same vertical plane. (See Fig. 4.) In the practical operation of the invention it makes little difference whether the main or the switch track is deflected, or both. The purpose of the lateral deflection is to permit the. cars to pass by each other withbolts a, the blocks f, the rails d, secured to out interference. The manner of supporting the said sills, the guard-rails g, and thecar the tracks is not essential to the spirit of the suspended from the said rails and held 1n a invention, the said tracks being secured to vertical position by means of the guard-rails I 5 5 the triangular or other suitable supports in g, substantially as set forth.

any convenient manner. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in Having thus described my invention, what presence of two witnesses. I I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat- ELI J. WVOLFROM.

ent, is Witnesses: re The combination,with theapproximately tri- WM. N. JOHNSON,

angular-shaped supports A, of the sills D, the E. B. BREWINGTON.