USRE8362E - Improvement in elevated railways - Google Patents

Description

v 2 Speets--Sheet 1.. D. FITZGERALD. Elevated-Railway.

No. 8,362. Reissued Aug.u6, 1878.

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lD. PITGBRALD.

Elevated-Railway.

N'o. 8,362. Reissued ug.46,1878` LEEEHEEEE A J/z van far 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- iUNITEDSrrrrirs PATENT OFFICE?.

BA'NIEL FITZGERALD, OF NEV YORK, N. Y'.

IMPROVEMENT 1N ELEVATED RAiLwAYs.

Specification'iorming part ofLetters Patent 121,605, dated December 5, 1811; Reissue No. 8,362, dated August 6, 1878 application filed J une 15, 1878.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, DANlEL FITZGERALD, of N ew York city, have invented certain new and vuseful Improvements in Railways, of which the following is a specification:

` The main object of my invention is to provide a system vofv elevated railways for city streets, for the transportation of passengers,

&c., capable of sustaining a double track and double line of oars, one track and line of cars on each side, of the structure, without obstructing the general traflc on the street below; and the invention consists in the general form ation of the supporting-structure of the rail/way and in the peculiar plan of rolling-stock, and mode of propulsion used t'` iereon, as hereinafter fully set forth. v

In the drawings annexed, Figure 1 represents a transverse section or end elevation of 1n yimproved elevated railway, showing a crosssection of a street on which the same is erected. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, which, in connection with Fig. 1, illustrates the general formation of the supporting-structure. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, illustrating a portion of the propelling mechanism, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of another port-ion of such mechanism used in turning curves.

I will rst describe the formation of tl 1c supporting-structure of the railway, and -then the peculiar plan of rolling-stock and propelling mechanism which I have designed for use thereon.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, I erect standards or upright pillars AA in parallel lines or rows, one line on either side of the street, the pillars being preferably situa-ted at the edge of each curb, as shown, so as to leave the road or .driveway entirely free and unobstructedfor general vehicle trahie. These pillars are securely founded beneath the pavement, as indicated in Fig. 1, and rise to a sufficient height above it to permit free trailc under the elevated track.

The pillars are surmounted and'joined at the top by cross ties or braces B B, which connect the double line of pillars together, thereby bracing them and holding them as firmly at the top as they are held at' the bottom, and thus forming a structure of suflicient width and strength to support a doubletraek and 'or structure, as S double line of cars, the double track being on the same level or one track, with its li-ne of cars being arranged on each side of the street @hewn in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. i

The cross-beams B B extend across and span the roadway, as shown, and support the tracks, the lrails 1 2 3 of which are laid thereon and made fast thereto in a suitable manner, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the rails being preferably situated directly over the lineot' thepillars and centrally thereof, as shown.x

The cross beams 'or braces B B may, if desired, be extended across the entire width of the street, including the sidewalks, and the extreme ends of the beams may be inserted in the front walls of the buildings on each side of the street, as shown, for additional support, and 'to prevent any possible lateral deflection of the elevated structure In addition to the connecting crossbeams B, lateral brackets or braces j' j' extend from the pillars to the bea-ms, diagonally acrossthe internal angle or corner which the crossbeams form with the pillars, thus connecting the upper part of the pillars witlrtlie connecting ends of the cross-beams B on each' side of the pillars, and thus serving to more firmly support the ends of the beams and to connect the pillars and beams more rigidly together. 'Y

This general construction forms a light and airy structure, .which is so braced or connected together as to furnish sufficient width and strength to support a number of tracks without obstructing the traffic of the street 'on which it may be erected.

Cars having suitable form and means of propulsion may be run upon the structure, and I will now describe the novel system of cars which I-havedesigued for this purpose, and which forms part of the present invention.

The object of this feature of the invention is to establish a system of cars in two trains or lines, one for fast and the other for slow travel, the motion of one train or line oi' cars to give motion to and operate the other line; and theY plan also contemplates aeontinuous line,which shall traverse up and down opposite sides of a street, respectively, o r up one street and down an adjacent one.

- shown in Fig. 1, these tracks are the friction, I

against the sides of the rails.

with this object in viewd construct a con-- tinnous line of ears or car-trucks, which are mounted on suitable tracks or' rails, and, as preferably made wider than usual, and the car -axles have each three wheels, m y z. Of these the two outer ones only n eed rails; but for heavy loads a center rail is sometimes used.

G G, Fig. 1, represent cars of the continuo'ns line, termed the bein the greater part of which is composed of platform-cars or cartrucks- G. They maybe disconnected, but are usually coupled together, Aforming an uninterrupted lline, the continuity of the line re,` maining substantially unbroken, but Ypassing around a curve or curves at the -terminus of the railway, Iand coming. back as tlie'return train,- the tracks J and K being united at the ends ofthe route, as illustrated in Fig. 4. To assist in turning short curves, and to reduce introduce, where necessary, a horizontally-revolving drum, F, Fig. 4, which will take the lateral pressure of the tra-in, urge it around the curve, and relieve the strain 0n each side of the track, in close proxinnv ity to the hars, platforms C are built, forming an elevated sidewalk' extending throughout the length of the. railway, and leaving a channelnin which the cars run, and which also serves to retain them in place when in motion and in case of accident. Such platform, inv some instances, will entirely cover the street below, and provision is made tor'admitting light through the platform or walk by lenses d, or otherwise.

The beltline is propelled by machinery adapted thereto In Fig. 3 I have shown a large revolving wheel, E, representing one of a number-placed at intervals along the line. Such wheels have projections H to engage in some part of each car of the line and drive them forward, the wheels to be turned byany motive power. Their location is indicated in Fig. l. by the dotted lines I. But the cars may be driven by various other means.

rIhe above description embraces the chief features of one of the lines of cars of which -iny railway system is composed. Said line receives a continuous movementat a speed which will admit of passengers stepplu g from 'either of the platforms or sidewalks U to or from the ears while they are in motion.-

To add a line of cars to run at a higher vrate of speed than those before described, and have them propelledI without a separate power, the cars of the iirst line are placed at one side of their trucks and of the center wheel above referred to. The ear-trucks are so constructed as to expose the upper portion of the periphery of two of the wheels, and 'upon these exposed and' projecting peripheries of the said wheels I place'the transit or independent cars Dt The portions of these cars which rest on the wheels aforesaid may be shod with rails to receive the friction, and the ilanges of the Vindependent car D is wheels guide and hold the cars thereon. When motion is given to the belt line of cars the independent or transit cars are carried 'forward with the augmented speed which is due to the difference between the forward movementproportion tothe enlarged size of the wheels thatimpel them.

The intention being to keep the belt line in constant motion, when' it is required to-enter one of the transit-cars, the passengers having tir-st got on one of the platform-ears'G, the

belt line by removing periphery of the wheels. Afterward the bearing of the transit-car vis replaced on the periphery of. the wheels, when it again goes forward withits accustomed speed. In effecting these transfers to and from the peripheries ot' the car-wheels suitable brakes are employed to act on some part of the cars of the-belt line.

In the invention'it is also contemplated to completely inclose the line of travel by a root'- its bearings from the ing, J above, and by sashes and blinds att-he crossing of intersecting streets, to protect the entire route from rough yweather and storms. Such roof is-to be chiefly sash and glass, with proper openings for ventilation; and to render the whole route comfortable and pleasant in all weather provision may be made'for warnt' ing by steam or hot air or other means 1n' cooling. by fans andvcoo'l air or winter, and for otherwise in summer.

In the above inventionI do not confine myself to precise forms or minute details, but shall vary the same as circumstances and cccasion mayrequire; and

NVhat I claim as constituting my invention is as follows:

l. A double-track elevated-railway structure for city streets, formed of two parallel lines 'of upright pillars, A A, one line rising' from either side of the street and having the tracks ll 2 3 laid'directly over the lines of the pillars and centrally thereof, one track over each line of pillars, in vcombination with the cross ties or braces B B, extendingfrom one line of pillars to the other, and serving to laterally connect and brace the said lines of pillars at the top, substantially as herein shown and described.

2, The Combination, .with the Wheels of nie continuous line of car-trucks, `of the rapid movement or transit cars propelled by friction'al contact with the peripheries of said wheels, substantially as described. y. 3. The mainline ofcars, and therefore 'the contnuous'line of trucks, constructed and arcase `the speed of brought to resten the ranged qs described, in combination with the transit-cars propelled by theperipheries of the wheels of such trucks, as aforesaid, whereby @he sainb trucks ere employed for separate -linesof cars traveling at different rates of speed, substantially sented.

4. In combination with the rapidor transit" cars, propelled as aforesaid, the traveling platforms or platform-cars forming part of the continuons line of trucks, to enable passenas describedV and repregers to rea-ch thencars of either line while the main line vis under Way, as'herein described.

5. The mode of propelling,l the main line ot' cars or trucks, which consists in Ycausing the driving-Wheels E to engage with xed projections on the cars, substantially as herein set f forth.' f

DANIEL FITZGERALD.

Vitnessesz CHAS. M. HIGGINS, EDWARD H. WALES.

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