US839024A

US839024A - Aerial tramway.

Info

Publication number: US839024A
Application number: US30979706A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fred I Nelson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1906-04-04
Filing date: 1906-04-04
Publication date: 1906-12-18
Anticipated expiration: 1923-12-18

Description

PATENTED DEC. 18, 1906.

F. I. NELSON. AERIAL TRAMWAY. APPLICATION FILED APB. 4. 1906.

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PATENTED DEC. 18, 1906.

I. I. NELSON. AERIAL TRAMWAY. APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1906.

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UNITED STATES FRED I. NELSON, or CHICAGO, ILLirTOIS.

AERIAL TRAMwAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1 906.

I Ap lication med April l, 190a. Serial No. 309.791.

To (ill whom it may concern: Be it known that I, FRED I. NELSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicage, in the county of Cook and State of Illi- 1101s, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in erial 'lramways, of which the following is a'speeification.

My invention relates to a scenic aerial tramwa and articularl to a avity leas- Y, P 3 gr .P

urerailway '0 that type having a spiral trackway for the descent of the cars by gravity and in which means are provided for elevat the cars from the lower to the upper terminal of the trackway.

The object of the invention is to provide of this character embodying an lmproved track and car construction, as well as lmtproved means for transferring the cars to an from the elevator.

The invention while primarily designed for largepleasure-railways may also be embodied in toys of thegravity-railway type.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gravity-railway conend of the track for descent.

1 sho structedin accordance with my invention. Fig. Z'isasid elevation of one of the cars, g the track and means for suspending the car therefrom. 3 is a vertical transverse section bn line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing the elevator at the lower end of its shaft and a car which has entered the same from the lower end of the track. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the elevator at the limit of its upward movement and the car arranged to pass onto the upper Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section showing the construction and mode of mounting the tiltin track-rail in the elevator. Fig. 7 is a detai view of the brake device.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a suitable framework upon which is supported a looped or spiral track 2, having terminals 3 and 4 at its highest and lawest elevations and provided at its tion with a depression 5, arranged above an artificial lake 6, into which the passen ercars dip as they near the terminal 4. he track is of the monorail type, from which the cars are suspended,'and is form of a channeled rail arranged to provide track-surfaces 7 and 8, said rail being securedat intervals to thejraipework l by depending'han er-arms 9, bolted" their upper. endsto the amework-egj p j at theirlower ends tot lower per l a. rake. bar or shoes 28, suspended preferably in the *bear'; 29 on the rail may be of any preferred general type and construction, but are preferabl composed of a boat-shaped body 11 and a hood or canopy 12, secured together by suitable connectlng members 13. Each car is supported by a wheeled carrier comprising a. air of yokes 14, connected at their lower en s by a union-bar 15, secured thereto by eyebolts 16. Sus ending-links 17 pivotally connect the eye olts and connecting members 13 of the car and support the car in such manner as to permit it to swing freely in' following the curve of the track. The arms of the yoke are provided at their upper ends with beerings 3:8 for shafts carrymg traction-wheels 19, which run upon the track-surfaces 7 and 8 and are flanged to hold the yoke from lateral movement. The arms of the yoke also receive the ends of a stationary axle 20, extending between the same and on which turn guard wheels or rollers 21, which bear and run upon the under side of the rail 2 and hold the wheels 19 in en agement with the track-surfaces Each rol or 21 is mounted between spaeing-sleeves 22, fixed to the axle by set-screws 23.

Arranged adjacent to one end of the framework 1 is a tower 24, in which operates an elevator-car 25, adapted to be raised and lowered by any suitable type of hoisting means, and disposed adjacent to said tower is a platform 26, located at the delivery-terminal 4 of the track, said platform being provided for the convenience of passengers entering and leavin the cars. A standard or post 27 supports t e track adjacent said platform, and the lower terminal 4 of the track inclines therefrom to the elevator-shaft to adapt the cais1 to run from the platform by gravity into e elevator-oar.

For convenience in'stopp' the cars as th 1 successively reach the plat orm 26 brake com rising em a postor standard by links 30 which adapt .the shoe to The into an out .of engagement with: the .wheels .of the mechanism is provided, the same truck or wheeled. carrier. ofithe canto bring the same to a"stateof rest. wold the cars d stationary duringtheadise ,,e and entry of passengersa ;mn oper atinggleirerriil is ful crumed on the beam 28 and pivotally connected with the shoe, as at 32, whereby the latter may be thrown into and out of operation.

Arran ed upon the elevator-car 25 is a tilting trac -rail 33, upon which the carrierwheels of each passenger-car are adapted to run and which supports the car while it is being elevated from the lowest elevation 4 to the highest elevation 3 of the track 2. The

rail 33 is eccentrically hung from the frame oi the elevator-car 25 by an intermediate hanger-link 34, said link being so arranged that the rail 33 is adapted to normally'drop by gravity to the inclined position (shown in Fig. 4) to aline with the terminal 4. The limit of movement of the rail 33 is controlled by pivotal end supports arranged on opposite sides of the link 34, each of said supports comprising a slotted link 36, movably connected with a bracket or lug 37 by a connecting pin or bolt 38, having free movement in the slot of the link. The rail 33 is adapted to be tilted to the reverse position (shown in Fig. 5) to adapt the elevated car to travel by gravity therefrom to the upper terminal 5 of the track by a trip-arm 39, secured to the portion 3 and arranged to engage the adjacent end of the rail 33 when the elevator-car reaches the limit of its upward movement. The triparm 39 is also adapted to hold the rail 33 in alinement with the track-section 3.

On the track 33 and frame of the car 25 are dogs or detents 40 and 41, the dog 40 being arranged to swing in either direction and to be held from swinging movement in one direction by a ivoted controlling-lever 42, adapted to normally drop by ravity to the position shown in Fig. 4 to hdid the dog 41 vertical and to be retracted by a trip-arm 43, fixed to the framework 1, when the elevatorcar reaches the limit of its upward movement to free the dog 41. The dog 40 is in the form of a bell-crank lever pivoted to swin toward the central suspending-link 34 an to fold down into the channel of the rail 33 and to be normally held projected in the position shown in Fig. 6 by a spring 44, the outward movement of the dog being limited by a stopshoulder 45. The do 40 is thus arranged to swing downward under the pressure of the carrier-wheels of a car when the latter passes from the terminal 4 onto the rail 33 and then to be projected by its spring to normal position to engage one of the rear wheels and prevent the car from running back onto the terminal 4, while the dog 41 is normally held projected by the controlling-lever 42 to engage one of the forward wheels and prevent any possibility of forward movement of the car until it has been elevated to the highest point of the track-rail. When the elevatorcar reaches the limit of its upward movement and the rail 33 and lever 42 are res ectively engaged by the trip devices 39 an 43, the lever 42 will be retracted and the rail 33 automatically swung to its reverse inclined position, thus allowing the elevated car to run without interference onto the upper terminal 3 for descent down the track 2.

It will thus be seen that my invention provides a railway of the character described in which simple and efIective means are provided for elevating the tram-cars and controlling their entrance to and discharge from the elevating device in a convenient manner and little or no attendant labor also, that an improved type of track and wheeled carrier is provided to secure a free and easy running of the cars and to adapt them to travel at high speed without danger of derailment.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In an aerial tramway, the combination of a frame having an elevator-shaft, an elevator-car arranged to travel in said shaft, an inclined track supported by the frame and leading indirectly from the upper to the lower end of the elevator-shaft, a suspended tram-car arranged to travel on the trackway, a rail arranged within the elevator-car u on which the tram-car is adapted to run w mm the elevator is in receiving position, and means for tilting said rail to discharge the car upon the upper portion of the trackway when the elevator-car has ascended to delivery position.

2. In an aerial tramway, a framework and elevator structure, a passenger-station disposed adjacent to the latter, an inclined trackway supported by said framework, said trackway having its upper portion leading to the top of the elevator structure and its lower portion extending past the passenger-station and inclined therefrom to the lower portion of the elevator structure, a car adapted to run u on said trackway, an elevator arrange to travel in said elevator structure to transport the car from the lower to the higher portion of the trackway, and means carried by the elevator for arresting the motion of a car running therein, supporting the car while in transit and discharging the car onto the upper portion of the trackway.

3. In an aerial tramway, a framework, an elevator-tower dis osed adjacent thereto, a passenger-station isposed adjacent the base of the tower, a gravity-trackway supported by the framework an having its upper and lower terminals leadin respectively from the upper end and to t e lower end of the tower, said trackway being inclined from the passenger-station to the tower, an elevator Within the tower for transporting the car from the lower to the highest portion of the trackway, and means carried by the elevator for arresting the motion of a car running therein, supporting the car while in transit and discharging the car onto the upper portion of the trackway.

4. In an aerial tramway, a framework including an elevator shaft or tower, a spiral traekway extending around the frame and connecting at its upper and lower ends with the upper and lower ends of the tower, an elevator-car arranged to run in the elevatortower, a suspended car adapted to travel down said traekway, a tilting rail within the elevatorcar adapted to receive and support the tram-car, and means for tilting said rail and setting the same into receiving and delivery positions when the elevator-car respectively reaches the lower and upper ends of the elevator-tower.

5. In an aerial tramway, the combination of an elevator-tower, an inclined trackway leading from the top and the bottom portion of the tower, an elevator-ear arranged to travel in said tower, a suspended car arranged to travel on said trackway, a support within the elevator for suspending the car therein, means associated with said support for holding the suspended car against movement, and means controlling said support to adjust it to receiving and adjusting posi tions, when, in the movement of the elevator, the support reaches the lower and upper ends of the traokway.

6. In an aerial tramway, a framework and elevator structure, a passenger-station disposed adjacent to the latter, an inclined trackway supported by said framework, said trackway having its upper portion leading to the top of the elevator structure and its lower portion extending past the passenger-station and inclined therefrom to the lower portion of the elevator structure, a suspended tramear adapted to run upon said truekway, an elevator-cur arranged to travel in said elevator structure to transport the car from the lower to the higher portion of the traekway, a suspended l)1'illi0 device to engage the wheels of the tram-car at the passenger-station, and means carried by the elevator-ear for arresting the motion of a car running therein, supporting the car while in transit and discharging the car onto the upper portion of the traekway.

7. A leasure-railway embodying a supporting-frame having an elevator-tower, a monorail leading in a sinuous )ath from the upper to the lower portion oi the tower, a tram-ear suspended to travel upon said monorail, an elevator-ear arranged to travel in the tower between the terminals of the monorail, and means within the elevator-car for sup porting the tram-car, holding the same in supported position, and automatically discharging said car onto the upper portion of the monorail when the elevator reaches the limit of its upward movement in the tower.

8. In an aerial tramway, a suitably-supported descending track, a car adapted to travel thereon, an elevator for transporting the car from the lowest to the highest portion of the traekway, and automatically-eontrolled supporting means carried by the elevator for arresting the motion of a car running therein, supportin the car while in transit and discharging t 1e ear onto the upper portion of the traekway.

9. In an aerial tramway, a supportingframe including an elevator-tower, an elevator-car arranged to travel in said tower, a descending track leading sinuously from the top to the bottom portion of the tower, a tram-car having an elevated carrier to run upon said rail, a passenger-station adjacent the base of the tower, a rake device at said station to engage the wheels of the suspended carrier to hold the tram-car from movement, and means upon the elevator-ear to support the tram-car in position therein and automatieally disehar ing said tram-car upon the track-rail when tie carrier of the tram-car comes into alinement with the upper terminal of said rail.

10. In an aerial tramway, a suitably-supported descending track, a car adapted to travel thereon, an elevator for transporting the car from the lowest to the highest portion of the trackway, a tilting rail upon the elevator, supports therefor adapted to normally hold said rail in receiving position and to adapt the same to tilt to discharging posi tion, stop means for holding the ear upon said rail, and means for automatically tilting the rail to discharging position and retracting said stop means when the elevator reaches the highest point of the trackway.

11. In an aerial tramway, an elevated tower, a track-rail leading centrally from the top to the bottom portion of the tower, a tram-car havin an elevated carrier to run upon said trac -rail, an elevator traveling within the tower for trans orting the tramear from the lowest to the iighest portion of the traekway, a supporting-rail within the elevator-ear tiltable to different positions to aline with the u per and lower terminals of the track-rail, ocking means cooperating with said rail to engage the elevated carrier to hold the tram-ear in position while in transit in the elevator, and means for automatically tilting said supporting-rail and retracting the latch mechanism to discharge the tram-oar onto the upper terminal of the track-rail when the tram-ear reaches the limit of its upward movement in the elevator.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED I. NELSON.

Witnesses:

LEON S. ALsoHULER, EDNA H. WALKER.