US552231A - District - Google Patents

Description

v (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. S. BOLTON &*R. WILKINSON. PNEUMATICI RAILWAY.

No. 552,231. Pa, tented Deo. 31, 1895.

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H. S. BOLTON 85B. WILKINSON'.

PNBUMATIC RAILWAY. Y

No. 552,231. Patented 13450.31, 1895.

" (N5 Model.)

. l In ANDREW BLRANAMPHOTO-UTHOWASHINONIDC UN TTnD STATES PATENT nuten.

HENRY S. BOLTON AND RICHARD WILKINSON, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

PN EU NIATIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,231, dated December 31, 1895.

Application led March 3l, 1894.

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY S. BOLTON and RICHARD WILKINSON, citizens of the United States, residing at IVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Railways and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to an improved system of pneumatic railways and means in connection therewith for the conducting of compressed air from the conduits to tanks on the car, the whole being constructed cheaply, yet its operation being simple and perfect. It has been found that railways of this character do not require a very great pressure, it being sufficient to supply to the engines just enough air for the propulsion of the vehicle, although the tanks are charged to give a much greater force if desired. From the following it will be seen that we have arranged the parts as at present described, and illustrated by the following iigures, of whichh- Figure 1 is a section of the conduit, showing a part of the car in section. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the conduit, showing the connection with the main supply-pipe, the valve, and valve-rod that causes the valve to open when the car is at the point of supplying the tanks. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the conduit, taken at the point Where a supplystation is located, showing a transverse section of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the conductor which conveys the air from the conduit to the tanks. Fig. 5 is anl enlarged view of the contact-shoe which makes contact with the stationary plate located in the conduit. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the conduit which passes through the slot between the tanks. Fig. 7 is a section of a conduit of the same character, only this one is built up of separate pieces of metal; Fig. S, a section of the upper portion of a built-up conductor; Fig.9, a diagrammatic Serial No. 505,877. (No model.)

view of a system, showing the locations of the supply-stations along the route.

Like letters and iigures of reference designate the same parts throughout the drawings, which form a part of this application.

1 is'an ordinary street-car, such as is used for carrying passengers; 2, the conduit; 3, the yoke; 4, the tracks supported on the same;

5, the slot-rails; 6, the branch pipe from the main 7. The yoke has a shoulder 8 located a 6o short distance from the ground and on which is secured a stationary plate 9, and suitably fastened to this plate we secure a plate or shoe 10 for making contact with thev movable conductor carried by the car. This shoe we propose to have of suitable material, so thatv it will give a hard smooth surface for contact purposes. Through the center of these plates is a conduit 11. On the upper side of this shoe it has an elongated slot, which on the 7o under side will terminate within the branch pipe 7.

Immediately under the stationary plate 9 is secured a valve-cushion 12 of some suitable material, and on the inside of the branch pipe 47 5 7 we secure a valve 13, which will iit closely into the seat 12, with spring for returning the same when released. On the stem of the valve is placed an arm 14, which encircles the valve-stem, and immediately to one side of 8o the same is secured in a suitable way a lever having bifurcated arms 15, which will contact with the arm 1&1. This lever extends out through the pipe and at a suitable distance from the same extends upward a short distance, as shown at 16, causing the pin 60 to trip or throw the said arm 16 down and thereby open the valve 13 to replenish the tank 17 carried by the car-truck.

The conduit proposed to be used by this 9o system is about like that used inthe cable and electric systems,with the usual openings at stated places to allow workmen to make repairs, duc., that may become necessary by the constant operation of sucharoad. The yokes are placed the usual distance apart and are so constructed as to have a projection for the stationary plate. This plate is about five feet long and its free ends rest on the yokes for support, this beingfor the purpose of havroo ing a solid base for the stationary plate to allow the shoe carried by the car to pass up the incline. These stationary plates or stations are located at suitable places along the route, say one in every square. The tanks can only be replenished at these points.

It will be seen that to the frame of the truck, which is of the ordinary eonstruction,we have suspended in a suitable way a tank 17, located preferably between the two axles of the car. To the front portion of this tank 17 is secured a suitable casting, which protrudes to the inner part of said tank and extending outwardly suiliciently to form a bearing 18, this bearing having an opening 19 on its under side that communicates with a conduit 2O therein and continuing past, as shown in Fig. 4 oi' the drawings, through the wall of the tank and terminating with a check-valve 2l te prevent backflow. This bearing has a shoulder 22, and suitably secured in or to the same is a rubber cushion to cause an air-tight joint. i The bearing terminates in a reduced end and is screw-threaded for the reception of a nut. The above bearing supports the depending hollow conductor and is made of such material and in such a manner as to resist any thrust that the shoe of said arm fails to take up.

Referring more particularly now to Fig. 4, it will be seen that around the bearing 18 we place a sleeve on one end of which is suitably secured a rubber cushion, which closes the joint between the bearing and sleeve, and against which we secure awasher 24 by means of a nut 25, which locks these parts together, but permits the free oscillations of the same, so that they can always and at all times be in a vertical line,while that of the car can be to one side. To the end of this sleeve 23, which terminates in' a iiange-joint 2G, we secure a conductor 27, the upper portion of which is flanged to form the joint 26 and is circular in cross section, and extending down from this portion is a flattened portion 2S, which extends through the slot, which is of the usual width of about three-fourths of an inch, and terminates at its lower end 29 in a` Connected to the lower portion of the con? ductor is secured a shoe formed of the following parts: Secured to the end 29 of the conductor is a plate 30, equal to the width of the stationary plate 9 in the street, which will be about iive inches in width, and in the center of the saine and to the under side it has a depending ila-nge 3l around a circular opening 33 is a plate that is some distance below the plate 30, and to the front and rear of the saine it has extending upwardly pins 34, the ends of which extend through openings 35 in the plate 30, and to the ends of` these pins 34 are nuts 35 to keep the parts locked, and for the regulating of the depth the shoe will depend from said tank. Interposed between these two plates and around the pins are placed spiral springs 36 for the purpose oi' keeping the same apart when not in contact with the stationary plate, and with a further object of allowing the shoe, when it comes in contact with the stationary plate, to yield while the shoe is riding along the incline of said plate. This plate 33 has on each end stays or stops 37, which take any thrust that may be caused by the velocity of the car coming in contact with the stationary plate. This shoe or plate 33 has also attached to its under side a suitable facing 38, so that it will not be subj ectcd to any great amount of wear. As will be seen, these plates have on their under side an elongated slot 29, (say about twelve inches long in actual practice,) and said slot opens into an opening of a much larger diameter, as shown at 40. To the upper side oi this same plate 33 is also attached in a suitable way a casting 41, having a flange extending upwardly thererfrom and having projections on the saine for making secure an elastic connection 42. Between the two plates this connection is held in place by suitable means, such as a suitable metallic strap. The flexible connection is made secure to the plate 30 in the same way, thus insuring a perfect air-tight connection between the two plates. -Within the rib il and toward the center we make a valve-seat 43 and place thereon a valve 44, which is held in place by means of a brace 45 together with a spring 4G.

Referring now to the conductor 27, we propose to take an ordinary pipe, circular in crosssection, and at the point 28 cause the same to be iiattened so that it can go through the slot between the tracks without interference with the slot-rails; but this can be done in other ways than above 1nentioned-viz., by a conduetor that is built up, say, of two pieces, put together so that the saine result will be attained as with the other before mentioned, only the lat-ter at their free ends, instead oi being circular in cross-section, will be as shown in Fig. 8.

lVe propose to place under the seats of the cars tanks that will act in conjunction with the main reservoir and which will be auxiliary. tanks to the same, and are connected together to the main tank or reservoir` under the ear, with a flexible connection 47, so that these tanks, while stationary with the body of the car, will at all times, while the car rocks from side to side, have a good connection,there being no escape for the air at this point.

On the top of the main reservoir or tank we propose to place two ordinary cylinder engines E, (shown in dotted lines,) which "will propel the car. These engines are connected in any suitable way together and have cocks or valves (which a-re not shown) for the controlling of the amount of air that shall flow from the tanks to the engine.

To sum up the whole system, the operation IOO IIO

is as follows: At a convenient place along the route of our proposed pneumatic railway system will be located a power-station, where the compressed air will be generated and supplied into the main that runs parallel with the tracks of said road, and which will be kept under a uniform pressure at all times, and at suitable places along the said route connections will be made from the main supplypipe to the stations which are located at suitable places between the tracks, as before described.

The car that we propose to use is about the same in construction as any motor-car, with the exception of having a tank carried by the truck and having tanks the length of the car under the seats. On the upper side of tank l7 are placed suitable engines that will work an initial pressure of forty-five pounds to the square inch with one-half cut oif. These engines will have connections with the main tank, and the latter will have connection with the tanks in the car. To the face ofthe main tank we suitably secure a hollow casting, which forms a bearing for the depending arm 27, and to the bottom of the depending arm we secure the shoe, to the side of which shoe is secured a pin 60, which makes contact with the valve-arm 16 and causes the saine to be thrown in the direction of the travel of the car, thus holding the valve 13 open i while the shoe is traveling over the station.

The pressure will vary in the car-reservoirs from forty-iive to eighty pounds to the square inch, and with this arrangement of pressure we have a margin of thirty-five poundsA to work on without interfering with the power or speed of the car. It will be seen from the above that the pressure in the tanks might only be forty-five pounds, and with that pressure the car going at full rate of speed on reaching the supply-station in the conduit the shoe will ride upon the same. At this point the conditions are eighty pounds in the main supply-pipe and its branches, and forty-iive pounds in the tanks, a difference of thirtyfive pounds. The velocity of the discharge due to the pressure of thirty-five pounds is sixteen hundred and forty-five feet per second, replenishing the tanks in the small space of time required only by the car passing over said plate or station, as above stated, at full rate of speed.

A pressure-regulating valve (not shown but one that is well known) is placed in the feed-pipe from the tank to the engine, so that the motorman can control the speed of the car. This is done so as to getauniform speed from the tanks. Of course the car will be started and stopped by any ordinary stopvalve which will be operated from the point where the motorman stands.

The supply-stationsare located about one in each square or about every two hundred and fty feet apart along the route of the road, and at these stations are manholes for the use of workmen to make any necessary examination of the stations.

As shown inFig. 9, A is the motor-house; B, the main supply-pipe; C, the stations located in each square.

lVhat we claim is- 1. In a pneumatic railway system, a car having a tank connected with the propelling means, a tube extending outwardly from and opening into said tank, a check valve contained therein, a depending hollow arm opening into said tube, and having a sleeve embracing and turning thereon, said depending arm passing through the conduit slot, and provided with means on its lower end to open and close communication with the supply main, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a system of street car service, a vehicle having a tank, a hollow arm depending from the tank, a conduit, a shoe on the arm in said conduit and having surface plates thereon, a series of stations in said conduit, each having a station plate and a branch connection to the main supply main; spring controlled valves controlling the flow of air to the said stations, and arms to open said valves and operated by said shoe, said shoe and station plates having elongated openings arranged to register, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a street car service, the combination with the car having tanks, engines propelled by the contents of said tanks, and means for regulating the amount of air to be supplied from the tanks to the engines, of an outwardly extending hollow bearing attached to the main tank, and having an inwardly eX- tending portion which contains a valve to arrest any outward flow of air, and a downwardly depending hollow arm, through which the air is conveyed from the station in the conduit to the tanks on the car, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

A. In a pneumatic railway system, a vehicle having a depending hollow arm provided with a valved shoe at its lower end, said arm mounted at its upper end to swing laterally, and maintain open connection with the tank or engine of the vehicle, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The vehicle having a tank, a lateral hollow bearing havinga side openin g and a check valve, a hollow depending arm, having a valved shoe at its lower end for the purpose described, and at its upper end having a journal surrounding and turning on said bearing and confined thereon, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. A vehicle in a pneumatic railway system having the depending hollow arm, provided with a valved shoe at its lower end, and the intermediate flattened portion 2S, increased in width in the line of draft, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a pneumatic railway system, a vehi- IOO IIO

ele having` a hollow depending arm provided with a valved shoe at its lower end, a yieldingly held Wearing surface for said shoe, a flexible inelosing connection 42, between the openings in said surface and the shoe proper, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

S. A vehicle having the hollow depending arm provided with a shoe at its lower end, said shoe being` elongated in the line of movement, and having the loiver vertically movable seetion provided with bolts passing up through the body of the shoe, interposed springs 26, in

movable section having elongated slot 29, in its under side, With the inlet port 40, at about the center thereof7 and the Check valves carried by said section, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof We afx our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY S. BOLTON. RICHARD WILKINSON. Ilfitiiesses:

FRANK O. IYIORIGAN, JOSEPH C. BOYD.

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