US663525A - Elevated single-rail railway. - Google Patents

Description

No. 663,525. Patented Dec. u, I900. A. A. WELSH.

ELEVATED SINGLE RAIL RAILWAY.

(Application filed. Aug. 20, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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fld wm fizMM 47 K ZZ UNrrnn Starts ATE/NT rrrctzc ALEXANDER A. WVELSH, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE CRAWLEY SCENIC AND PLEASURE RAIL\VAY COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

ELEVATED SINGLE-RAIL RAILWAY;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. dated December 11, 1900.

Application iiled August 20, 1900. Serial No. 27,499. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER A.WELSH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Elevated Single-Rail Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to elevated single-rail railways employing guard-rails, its object being to provide an inexpensive and safe structure and running-gear adapted thereto.

The invention is particularly useful in pleasure-railways, where high speeds are customary.

'To this end my invention consists, first, in a track-support designed to carry both bearingrail and guard-rails in a safe and secure manner and in such relations as admit of a form and construction of running-gear particularly adapted thereto andto secure entire safety at high speeds and also convenient for due inspection and maintenance, and,second, in a construction and arrangement of the running-gear adapted to the rail structure, whereby the maintenance of the equilibrium of the car is assured under all circumstances and derailment absolutely prevented.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of one of the members of the trestle, showing the manner of supporting the main bearing-rail and guardrails; also, an end elevation of a car in position upon the bearing-rail and in due relation with the guard-rails. Fig. 2 is a similar elevation of structure designed to carry two of such single-rail railways each independent.

Referring now to the drawings, A A designate the two outer struts or braces of a trestle seated upon a base B, and C a central vertical prop the top of which is secured to a cross-brace D, connecting the outer struts. To the tops of the center props C is secured a stringer D, upon which is carried the bearing-rail R. The inclined side struts A A are carried upward to a suitable height above the level of the main track, and at the inner sides of the same are secured stringers cut at each side of the main bearing-rail R, respectively.

Guard-rails r r are secured to the under side of the stringers a a.

The relative positions of the parts described are indicated in Fig. 1, wherein is shown a den ble-fianged central bearing-wheel E, running loosely upon fixed axle e, at the outer terminals of which are carried guardwheels F, flanged at the inner sides. The relations of the parts are such that jumping of the central bearing-wheel E from its track R is prevented by the upward contact of the guard-wheels F against the guard-rails r, seated upon the stringers a.

The car-body G rests upon stringers g g, to which are secured boxes h, in which the axlebar 6 is rigidly fastened and in which also may be placed friction rollers or balls (not shown) in the usual manner to minimize the rotative friction of the wheels E and F. It will be readily seen that the oscillations of the car-body relate to a center which is the point of rolling contact of the wheel E with the track R and that such oscillations involve the sweep of the outer ends of the axle-bar e in upward and correspondingly downward arcs. While in rapid motion forward, the tendency is to maintain a horizontal equilibrium of the car-body, in which position the guard-wheels F are maintained just below the plane of contact with the guard-rails 1'. Any oscillation, however, brings one of the guardwheels into contact with its guard-rail, and as the provision for lost motion is very small the oscillation is limited to very minute arcs.

The equilibrium is therefore practically maintained at all times by the guard-wheels, besides absolutely preventing the bearing-wheel E lifting sufficiently from its track-rail R to disengage its flanges. Del-ailment is therefore absolutely prevented.

As the structure is designed for safety at high speeds, it will be understood that the surging effect of momentum increases the force of oscillation, &c. To meet these conditions is the object of the construction shown, in which the guard-rail stringers are mounted as an integral part of the structure upon the upward extension of the struts A. It will be seen that the arcs of oscillation at the point of contact of the guard wheels and rails 1- are substantially parallel with the longitudinal axes of the struts A themselves, and the lifting force upon the struts at such points is resisted by the weight of the car and of the entire structure. There is thus constituted a simple, cheap, and exceedingly-effective structure, tending to make high speed absolutely safe so long as the parts themselves are maintained in a reasonable state of repair.

The principle of construction may be carried out in a structure for a double railway where tracks are parallel, as indicated in Fi 2. In this case the outer struts A A are spread apart, and the central braces O are carried upward beyond the cross-brace D sufficiently to carry at opposite sides stringers a, 00', corresponding with the stringers a, before described. Stringers D for the main rail R are carried on the cross-brace D, while guard-rails r are placed at the under side of the side stringers a ct. Additional braces :11 y may be inserted to strengthen the structure, if needed.

It is not broadly new to provide single-rail railways with guard-rails for the operation of guard-wheels bearing against the same; but so far as I am aware the guard-rails have never before been arranged in the relation to the track here shown so that the guardwheels can be carried on the same axle with the bearing-wheel as part of the running-gear in a compact construction, so that the whole structure is simple, efficient, and practical in a high degree and easily so maintained.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. In a single-rail railway system, the combination of a fixed axle; a double flanged bearingwheel centrally pivoted thereon; guard-wheels of lesser diameter journaled at the extremities thereof; a main central rail carrying the bearing-wheels; andguard-rails carried at the sides of and above the main rail and guard-wheels and approximately in the contact-path of the latter.

2. In an elevated railway system, the combination of a supporting structure, including oppositely-inclined struts and cross-braces uniting the struts below their tops; and means for carrying the bearing-rail centrally between the struts above the cross-braces and guardrails carried at the inner sides of the struts above the main bearing-rail, adapted for the operation of a car or ltruckhaving one or more axles provided with double-flanged bearing-wheels bearing upon the central rail and guard-wheels of lesser diameter journaled at the extremities of the axle beneath and in approximate contact with the guard rails.

3. The elevated single rail railway structure embodying oppositely inclined struts, cross-braces uniting the same below their tops, central vertical props rising to the cross-braces, a stringer for the support of the main bearing-rail carried on the tops of the central props and the cross-braces, and two side stringers for the support of the guard rails and carried at the inner sides of the inclined side struts above the cross-braces, substantially as set forth.

4. In a single-rail railway, the combination of a supporting structure including oppo sitely-inclined struts, means connecting them below their tops, and vertical props, a main rail, a double-flanged wheel adapted to run thereon, an axle or axle-bar extending axiially at both sides of said wheel, singleflanged guard-wheels at the extremities of said axle or axle-bar, and guard-rails at both sides of said central track, fixed to the supporting structure above the plane of the main rail and arranged just above the normal plane of rolling contactof said guard-Wheels, substantially as set forth.

5. In an elevated railway, the combination of a supporting structure including oppositely-inclined struts, horizontal braces connecting said struts below their tops and vertical posts between opposite struts, main and guard rails, means for securing the guardrails in position near the plane of the tops of the struts and means for securing the main rails in position just above the plane of the cross-braces, the main bearing-wheels, and guard-wheels mounted on extensions of the axle thereof at opposite sides, said guardwheels arranged below and in the contactpath of the guard-rails.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER A. WELSH.

Witnesses:

WALTER A. KNIGHT, CHAS. HERBERT JONES.

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