US566373A - Island - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- M. H. BRONSDON.

INOLINED RAILWAY.

Patented Aug In: norms PETERS co, PHOTO-LITHO. wnumarom 0v 0,

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. M. H BRONSDON. INGLINED RAILWAY.

No. 566,373. Patented Aug. 25, 189a Am J (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 M. H. BRONSDON. INCLINED RAILWAY.

No. 566,373. Patented A11. 25, 1896 W'\\nc s 6 a s: T m) aniom I V )7? 1775K Z .2 70) Q0 1, .,%%Q7%V%MMZTP w )6 Wag m: News PETERS cu pnoroumou WASHINGTON, nv c,

ATENT FFICE.

MILTON H. BRONSDON, OF PROVIDENCE, RIIODE ISLAND.

INCLINED RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,373, dated August 25, 1896. Application filed Tune 29, 1896. erial No. 597,347. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MILTON H. BRONSDON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inclined Railways; and I do hereby 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 letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in inclined railways, or rather to means for controlling the movements of street or tramway cars in ascending and descending gradients and forming part of a tramway system.

In inclined railways communicating, say, at either end with and forming a continuous part or continuation of the more level portions of the railway it has been usual heretofore to provide such inclined ways with conduits having movable endless ropes or cables mounted therein combined with counterweights connected with the cables and means for detachably securing the latter to the car.

The object I have in view is to provide inclined railways with an improved system for increasing the efficiency and safety of such railways, the invention being more particularly applicable to roads where traction alone is not to be depended upon to move the cars up and down the incline.

In my invention I employ the electric or trolley system of propulsion so arranged that the weight of a descending car gripped to a cable operates to elevate a heavy counterweight rigidly secured to the cable, the latter being mounted in a conduit parallel with the tracks or rails. The power of the electric current combined with said elevated counterweight operates to elevate or haul the car up the incline, an automatically-operating tripping device being employed to detach or ungrip the car from the cable.

My invention further consists in providing the incline portion of the railway with an auxiliary conductor or trolley and an electric motor mounted in the conduit capable of actuating said cable and counterweight, combined with a suitable multipolar switch and connecting means mounted on the car, whereby the electric current maybe readily diverted the poles of the switch. Another feature of my invention resides in providing the cable with an automatic power braking device for controlling the speed of the car, both in ascending and descending, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the four accompanying sheets of drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the position and relation of the parts when the car has arrived at or near the top of the grade and is still attached to the cable, the conduit being in section. Fig. 2 is practicallya plan view of the cable mechanism, the car being omitted. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line m a: of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar section taken on line y y of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a side View, in enlarged scale, showing the cablewinding drums and automatic controlling mechanism or power-brake, the gearing and cable-actuating motor being omitted. Fig. 6 is a plan view including the motor and gearing. Fig. 7 is a partial side view of the governor or controlling mechanism, showing a position of the parts when the brake is in action. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a tram way or trolley car as provided with means by which the electric current may be shunted or diverted to an auxiliary motor arranged to actuate the winding-drums shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 9 is a side view showing a modified form of cable-pulleys adapted to be located at the upper end of the inclined railway in lieu of the winding-drums. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the same. Figrll is a transverse section, taken through the car-base, slot-rails, and cable, showing the gripper or carrier clamped to the cable as in use. Fig.

12 is a corresponding side view of the parts. Fig. 13 is a plan view, the same also showing tripping or releasing means fixed at the upper and lower ends of the inclined railway:

Fig. 14 shows the position of the switch when set to divert the electric current to the car and cable motors simultaneously; and Fig. 15 shows the switch when conducting the current to the car-motor, the cable-motor then being cut out.

In the drawings, 00, Fig. 1, indicates the conduit, located below the surface of the inclined railway, the conduit as drawn being arranged between the track-rails a a. (See Figs. 3 and 4E.) The lower portion of the conduit is made larger than the upper part, so as to freely receive the counterweight w, the latter mounted on truck-wheels adapted to run up and down on suitable tracks 20 The upper end of the conduit is enlarged to form a chamberA, containing the winding-drums h and their driving mechanism, soon to be described. The said winding drums or wheels I) are grooved to receive a few wraps of the cable 0. (See Figs. 5 and 6.) The drums are secured to horizontal shafts I), mounted in suitable bearings. They are adapted to be rotated simultaneously in either direction through the medium of the large spur-gears g, secured to said shafts, and the small driving or pinion gear g, intergearing therewith.

Bindicates an electric or other suitable motor having the said pinion-gear fixed to its axle. Thus it will be apparent that upon energizing the motor the drums and cable will be brought into action. The said cable 0 is not an endless cable. Its lower or free end passes over a guide-wheel c and is attached to a comparatively small movable tensionweight 0 adapted to work in the vertical hole or chamber 0. The cable extends from said wheel 0' upwardly along the conduit and around the lower horizontal wheel or sheave c of the counterweight w, thence back and around the two fixed guide-wheels c 0 the latter deflecting the cable upwardly over the counterweight and along the conduit, its relation to the slot a formed between the center or slot rails a, being such that it is readily accessible from the street-surface. (See Fig. 3.) The cable passes thence to and around the winding-drums Z), and from the latter to the fixed forward guide-wheel Z), Figs. 1 and 2, thence downwardly therefrom along the conduit to the two fixed deflectorwheels 19 and around the forward horizontal guide-wheel c of the weight w, and finally from the latter upwardly in the conduit to a point 19 where it is made fast. The tensionweight 0 Fig. l, is employed for the purpose of takin g up the slackness of the cable, thereby keeping the latter taut at all times.

To the central or main working portion of the cable is secured a carrier to, the same being clamped to the cable by bolts a (See Fig. 11.) The web portion of the carrier extends upwardly through the slot a and is surmounted by an elongated head having a longitudinal slot u therein, the entrance or guideway at each end of the slot being made divergent or flaring, as shown at 14 to allow the gripperarm 2' free entrance to the slot. The opposite sides of the said head part are provided with ears in which are pivoted the grip or hook levers M3, the hook portion a thereof passing through lateral openings communicating with the ends of the slot and adapted to engage the corresponding ends of the gripper-arm 1'. By means of this arrangement the parts are locked together, springs a being employed to keep the levers normally closed, as shown in Fig. 13. The said gripper-arm i is mounted in bearings or supports '6, rigidly secured to the under side of the car 0. Therefore when the gripper is locked to the carrier at it is clear that the car will travel in unison with the moving cable as long as the parts are thus locked together.

In order to automatically release the car from the cable, I provide a tripping device at each end of the inclined railway. As drawn said device consists simply of a short rail or bar y, located at one side of and at an angle with the slot a of the center rail. It is also located in the path of the grip-lever, the arrangement being such that the carrier in its forward movement causes the free end of the grip-lever to engage the bar y, thereby automatically withdrawing the corresponding hook portion it away from the gripper-arm and uncovering the forward end of the slot to, thus releasing the car from the cable. Upon the arrival of another car from the opposite direction the gripper-arm thereof enters the slot to and engages the forward hook-lever, thereby giving an initial movement to the carrier and cable, at which instant the rear hook-lever, being then forced from the bar 3 swings into position, thus securely locking the car to the cable. The force or power employed then operates to propel the car ahead to the opposite end of the inclined way, followed by automatically releasing the car from the carrier by means of the tripping device or bar y, located at that end of the way, the operation being substantially as before described.

In lieu of using the counterweight system alone for propelling the car up the inclined railway, the cable may be actuated by electro1notive-force-that is to say, assuming the line to be equipped under the trolley system and provided with the main conductor (1, &e., as usual. In such case the cable may be driven by a pair of dru ms b,worked by an electric motor B,suitably mounted in the chamber A, located at the upper end of the conduit :0, as before described. In such event the said main conductor may be paralleled along the inclined way by a conductor d insulated from the main d. The motor or trolley car 0 it self may be provided with the usual yielding trolley-pole t, rheostat or controller 1", motors p, and suitable wires for conducting the electric current from the main line d to the-motors. In addition thereto the car is provided with means whereby the motorman on the car can readily switch or divert the current from the main conductor to the said cable-driving motor'B. .The car,.as drawn, (see Fig. 8,) is

further provided with an auxiliary. trolley-' ;pole i arranged toreceive current from the conductor d also a bipolar switch and conductor. t connecting said switch and rheostat.

A conductor t unites the pole tand rheostat, similar conductor t unitin g. the pole t? and ter- -minalk .A suitable conductor connects the oar-motors p with the other terminalik; or, in other words, theusual conductor leading from therheostat to the motors p is cut and providedwith :an interposed switch It, the latter being combined with the auxiliary conductor d pole t, and connecting=wire 19, all as clearly shown.

From the' foregoing it is obvious that the motorman can readily switch the current from'the maind to'the insulated branch main d communicatin g directly with the? cable-motor B bysimply manipulating the 'rheostat and switch. .As shownin Fig. 8, the current passes from the main d to branch (1 via pole t, wire t, rheostat 7', switch 70, wire 25 and pole 25 If desired, the current may be utilizedsimultaneously in said motors 19 and B by simply swinging the switch 70 to the central or mid position, (see Fig. 14,) and by swinging the switchto the lowest position ically controlling the passage of the car down said inclined way, the devicebeing more particularly adapted to be brought into action when the cars arewell laden.

In Figs. 5 and 6 the two winding or cable.

driving drums b are represented as grooved or turned at b to receive a brake strap or band f. One end of the band is attached to a fixed stud b the other end, after passing the band round the two drums, being secured to a piston-rod 8 having a piston c,working in a suitable cylinder 6. (See Fig. 5.) Water or other medium under pressure is introduced into the cylinder by means of a pipe h, its inlet being located between the front head and piston. As drawn, D indicates portions of a well-known form of fiy-ba1l governor capable of being driven by a belt m, leading from one of the drum-shafts b. The vertical governor-rod n is jointed at its lower end to a lever it, connected with a suitable stopcock or valve h, located in the pipe h. A similar cook or valve h is located in the branch or discharge pipe 71 leading from pipe h. To the stem of the last-named valve is attached an operating-lever 12. the latter being jointed to the lever '17, by a short link M.

I would state that the relation of the two valves to each other is such that when the governor is stationary or even revolving at a normal rate of speed, as shown in Fig. 5, the

inlet-valve h remains closed, the outlet-valve 71 then being open; butupon accelerating the speedof the governor beyond thenormal limit, due to an-increasing speed of the winding-drums b, the action of the governorelevates the rod 77., thereby opening the inletvalve h and atsubstantially the same time closing the outlet-valve h thus admitting water under pressure against the piston c and causing the brake-strap tomore snugly engage the drums h, the result "being to reduce orcheck their rotation. .The governorrod meanwhile in falling closesinlet-valve h and opens valve I W, as before described.

In lieu of the winding-drums b the cable a may be passedaround guide-pulleys b mounted at the upper end of the conduit, substantially as shownin-Figs. 9 and 10, the gripping device in such caseworking practically the same as hereinbefore described.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an inclined railway, the combination with asuitably-mounted cablezand' a counterweight attached thereto, of winding-drums for operating said cable, a stationarymotor adapted torotate the winding-drums,a car arranged tobe detachablyconnected' to the cable, and means mounted on and actuated from the car for controlling the action ofsaid stationary motor,substantially as described and for the purpose setforth.

.2. In an inclined railway, formin'gpart of a trolley system,the combination with a weightcarrying cable mounted in a conduit and a stationary electric motor for operating said cable, of an electrically-propelled car, a gripping device for detachably connecting the car to the cable automatically, and aswitch and intermediary means capable of being actuated from the car 'for energizing said. electric motor at will, substantially as described and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

3. In an electric-railway system provided with a main conductor or feed-wire (1 charged with electricity from any suitable generator or source of supply, the combination with a suitably-mounted cable, a stationary electric motor for actuating said cable, and a branch feed-wire d insulated from said main conductor and connected to said motor, of an electric car in normal engagement with said main conductor and propelled by electricity therefrom, a gripping device arranged to detachably connect the car to said cable automatically, and a multipolar switch mounted on the car adapted to be manipulated so as to divert the current from the main conductor to the branch conductor 61 and the cableactuating motor, for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

4. In an electric-railway system, the combination with a motor-driven cable 0 having a counterweight attached thereto, 01": a main conductor through which the electric current passes, a branch conductor insulated from the main conductor capable of energizing said cable-actuating motor, a car provided with IIO an electric motor, and a controller communicating with said main conductor, terminals communicating with said motor and with the said branch conductor, and aswitch arranged to contact with said terminals, whereby the current may be switched from the main conductor to the branch conductor to energize the cable-motor, or from the main conductor to the car-motor, substantially as described.

5. In an inclined railway, the combination with a cable a mounted in a conduit and arranged to be gripped to a car, and wheels or drums over which the cable passes, of means for propelling the cable, a brake band or strap connected with said drums, a governor driven and controlled by the drums, a suitablymounted piston connected with an end of the brake-band, and valves actuated by the governor for admitting water or other medium under pressure against the piston and exhausting it therefrom, substantially as described.

6. In an inclined railway, the combination with a suitably-mounted counterweight-can rying cable provided with a gripping device whereby it can be detachably secured to a car, of an automatically-operative braking device controlled by said cable, said braking means comprising a friction-band, a watercylinder having a piston connected with said band, suitably-arranged watenpiping and valves communicating with the cylinder, and a governor connected with and controlling the action of said valves, substantially as hereinbefore described and for the purpose set forth.

7. In an inclined railway, the combination with a cable 0 provided with a counterbalanceweight arranged in a conduit, of the carrier member clamped to said cable having a slotted head portion extending above the tracks surface arranged to receive the gripper-arm '6 of a car, self-locking arms or levers mounted at the ends of the said head for holding the gripper-arm in place, and suitably-located fixed tripping-bars adapted to coact with the locking-levers for releasing the gripper, substantially as described.

8. In an inclined-railway system, the combination of a cable 0 and counterweight located in a conduit below the track-rails, the cable being mounted as follows-one end of the cable is fixed and passes down the conduit and around the upper sheave mounted in said counterweight, thence back over defleeting-sheaves to the top of the incline, then around fixed sheaves or drums-located thereat and downwardly along the center of the conduit to the bottom of the incline, thence around guide sheaves and upwardly and around the lower counterweight-sheave, and finally back to a tension-weight having free movement, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

9. In a railway system provided witha cable mounted in a slotted conduit, the combination with the carrier clamped to the said cable, and a longitudinally-extending head integral with said carrier, of a laterally-movable gripper-arm secured to a car forming part of the railway system and interlocking with the head portion of said carrier, and fixed tripping members located at the ends of said conduit arranged to coact with the carrier to release the car therefrom automatically, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof'l have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MILTON H. BRONSDON.

Witnesses:

GEo. H. REMINGTON, REMINGTON SHERMAN.

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