US44376A - Improvement in atmospheric railways - Google Patents

Description

UNrriin- STATES' lMPaoi/EMENTIN ATMOSPHERIC; RAI'LWAYS,"

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N02 114,376. dated September 20, i864.

To all Awhom 'it muy conc-6m .-f I

Be it known that we, ALEXANDER 'aLisoN and JAMES HALLIWELL, both of No. 2 Queen Street Place, in the city of London, in the Kingdom ot' 'Great Britain, have invented new and useful Improvements in Atmospheric Railways; and we'do hereby declare' that Athe following is a full and exact description there ot, reference being had to the annexed sheets of drawings, and to the letters and figures. marked thereon, making a part of this speciiication, in which- Figure l is a plan 'of the atmospheric tube, showing the line-valve; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of said tube, showing the piston and other parts Fig. 3, a transverse section of the same, showing the manner of connecting the piston to the piston-carriage e. Fig.

l4 is a transverse seetior'iot1 the upper-part ef the tube, the line-valve, and other parts. Fig.,

5 is a plan of the crossings .for atmospheric railways, or shunting from one line to another. 'Figf is a section of the railway at the crossing, showing the dip of the tube. Fig. 7 is a transverse section on line E F', Fig. 5; Fig. 8, a transverse section on line C D; Fig. 9, a transverse section on line A B', showing the manner in which the tubes are arranged at the crossing.

Like letters refer to corresponding parts in the several figures.

The nature of our invention consists, chiefly, in the novel construction and -arrangement'ot' the line-valve and mode of 'operating the same; in the peculiar construction of the piston head 5 in the device for operating the valves in the piston-head, and to the means adopted for slinnting the train 'or crossing from one line to another.

The line-tube A is made of cast-iron or other suitable material, and may be of' any required size and convenient shape. 'lhcline valve B, Figs. l and 4, composed of thelinks Y or plates a, connected by hinge or rule joint-s b, covers the aperture d in the line-tube. The

links or plates maybe secured together by means ot pins at. thejoints I), if found desirable. A continuous strip or sole ot' leath-er, e, is fixed to the under side ot'the plates a, which-ettectually prevents the passage of air through the aperture (l when covered by the linevalve B. The plates or links a` are constructed with a longitudinal groove in their upper surface, as shown in. Fig. 1, forming a' part of the channel C, Fig. 4. Through this.

channel the curved bar e, Fig. 3, extending the length of the piston, passes, thereby removing the line-valve B from the aperture d the distance shownf in Fig. 1,'to admit the pas- -sage of the pistonrod or plate f, Figs. 1 2,-

and 3, in whichever direction the piston D is moving. "As the piston-rodv passes along theA The bar e, which is only shown b va trans verse' section in Fig. 3, issecu'red at. its endsv ter it is bolted tot-he` piston-rod fand the bar g, Fig. 1. The bar" g is further eonnected'to the curved bar e by a' piece .extending from one'to the other on botlrrearand front of the piston-bar f. The principal 'object ot'the bar gis to secure increased steadiness'to the curved bare; butin case the latter was disabled the former would -rem'ove the valve from the aperture d for the passage ot' the piston-rod j, and thereby prevent any serious. injury to the valve or other parts.

rlhe piston l), Fig. 2, is iormedwith two ends or heads E. These ends are Aixed in practice about eight feet apart., thereby se# curing great steadiness to the`piston as 'it moves through the line-tube-A. fAir being admitted into thespace between the-endsof the piston by the uncovering ofsuccess'ive por tions of the aperture d prevents any pressure of air upon the line-valve B near the pistonrod f, thereby lessening greatly the'amount of friction in the `working parts.' Theeniployment of two heads also prevents theair,

admitted into the tube by the reniovalot the valvejlfroin the aperture, ai'ecting the vacuum in front of the piston as wellas the escape of air from the rea-rot' the piston,

when thevlaiter is moved partially or entirely by means of compressed air.

Thetwo ends Eef the piston, Fig. 2, which are tirmlysecured together by means of the cheeks orplates la., Fig. 2, are each formed ot' two metallic rings, i, connected together by three ormore bolts, j. y The packingis formed if a thick band, 7., composed of india-rubbernaterial to lessen the friction, which is formed' n'pieces' and secured'lto said band near each iolt, i, and isalso provided with a: similar ini-ng. #The end E is irmly xed to the dome l, the latter being cast with'or .secured to .a ilock, G', which is bolted to the plates' h,as` shown in Fig. 2. The deine-G is'formedwith ipertures 'to admitthe passage 'of Aairvwh'en ,he 'piston-yalve is open. This valve, in'each lead, composed of a cone-,.H, is operated by yhe conductor 4llirough'the device sh'wn in. lig. 2, consisting of the rods Z o o', bell-'crank' n, and hand-wheel n. When the cone-.valve is closed, the elastic band lc-is extended to ',loselyt Ithe interior surface of the line-tube, und the same being Withdrawn v this band zontracts, when the leather covering will only nome. in contact with the tube Where the' bolts are placed, thereby lessenin'g thej friction and, consequently, the wear of the parts. Ehe cone-'valve El is .keyed on the rod l, vhich 'passes through the block G, and is :onnected at itsopposite end to the bell-crank n. The rod o is connected 'to the rod o ei- ;her by a' sochetjoint or other suitable means, lo that byturning' thewheel 2z, fixed to the lod o, the rod o. is not rotated,y but merely' Iaised or lowered, as it may-be desired Yto open pr close the cone-valveH'. 1. `Thepend of the,r )istons may be formed to act as valves, but

he mode described is more desirable. Y

AOneof the pistons-orvalves h ma'y. be lept pen while 'the trai/n is runningv if atany time ound desirable; but by the use of two heads `hefmoving power may be zonveniently'` ob-A ained solely by creating a vacuum in front f the piston or bycompressing the air inthe 'ea-r, or the two means may be simultaneously employed. i j

The speed of the train may generally'be 'egulated simply by adj ustin gthe cone-valves Whenit is desired to entirely stop the rain, these valves may be simultaneouslyT vithdrawr, the aperturesein the dome G pernitting the air to readily pass through the' iston,the ordinary brakes beingv at the saine imc applied tothe wheels of the carriage. io insure the more sudden-stoppageof atrain n case of accident, slide-Valves may be fixed it suitable distances along the line for Athe nrpof e of' closing the tube either in front or car of the train, by which means the vacuum s destroyed or the pressureresisted. These 'alves may be worked by any convenient dey'ice so as to be under the control of the conluctor as the train passes along the line.

The two curyed plates I, Fig. 3, one otwhich s shown in Fig. 2, are firmly tixed to the botom ot' the piston-carriage F. The four hori' ontall friction-rollers 1- have their bearings in hese plates, as shownpin Figs. 2 and 3. |lhe wo vertical guide-rollers s have .their hear- .ings inthe fr'amef. When motion is given to the piston' in either direction, the rollers s press against the two forward. rollers r r, thereby propelling the carriage F,to which the trainis attached. Fixed to the. frame f' isl the standard J, carrying the spindle The spaces between the plates h and the piston-'rod f are filled with` the pieces t, Fig". 3, 'and all areiirmly secured'together, asV

shown vin Fig. 2. A y A The cap-pieces L, Fig. veigylfitlif.t--he. topofthe ltube A, constitute the chamber uf, in which the line-valc B Works. A desirable form for the chamber w is clearly shown 1in Fig. 4. This chamber is made deeper at the endsth an near the aperture d, in order to prevent any bindingf of the valve as the latter is removed from.

said aperture, and one side is madedeeper than the other to admit the piece thatbinds together bars e g. The channel ,40, through which the curved bar. e moves, 4is clearly shown in Fig. 4. This channel .is covered by a cap, u, formed of leather or other yieldingmate-rial, and confined on.one edge by the screws u'. This cap is raised by the passage of the piston-rod f and weights may be tix'ed .near the unconned edge to return it to its position over the channel C. The soley or bed c of the valve is made of leather or other suitable material to make a tight joint without.-Vy much friction, and the spaces o are lilledwith someyielding substance,- in order that the cap- I'pieces L may be readily Iadjusted-as the parts' wear by means of the scrcW-boltsM.

'- .The plan adopted 'for joining two-tubes,

so as to allow of the shunting of the train or crossing from one line to another, is' illustrated in Fig, The tube is divided at the point N, the fork a: being rounded ott', so as to form bell-mouths to the branches, and a similar .division is made at the point y inthe valve B and aperture d. Vvhen the parts are thus constructed, the anges of the wheels ot' the v said tube. The' tube A 11s-thus 'sunk at'tne" crossing to allow the rails to come 'sufficiently near to form a crossing, ,leaving suicient space for the piston-rod to pass, as shown in Fig. 5, and to. prevent the ilanges of the wheels coming in contact with the valve-chamber. The piston D readily follows the dip ot the tube, the frame f being arranged to move vertically as Well as laterally independent of the bottom of the piston-carriage F. These independent movements prevent any jerking or oscillation of the carriage F from aiecting the regular motion of the piston D. The

rollers r and s reduce the friction consequent upon the jerking or oscillation of the carriage F, and for this reason only are preferable to plain rods. The tube A should rest on sleepers disconnected -with the sleepers lR, which sustain the rails z, as shown in Fig'. 7. This gure show/s the ordinary relative pcsition `of the tube'A and rails 2,'(line E F', Fig. 5,) while Fig. 8 shows the relative position in the line C D', near thecrossing, and Fig. 9 the relative position-ot' the different p v parts on the 1inc'A B"at the crossing. In

practice, however, the timbers `P Fig. 9,- would be sustained at the ends. nearest the tube A by supports disconnected with' saidtube, as well asy at the opposite end by the independent foundation O.

An atmospheric railway constructed upon A. the plan described admits of the successful 1 working of lines with steep gradients, thereby greatly reducing the cost of grading in hillyV districts, while the cost of the required permanent way and-plant is much less `than for a locomotiveline. The injury to the permanent way caused by the-running of a heavy locomotive on ordinary lines is entirely avoided, thereby greatly reducing the cost of repairs, and there is very little danger of accidents to thi train.

A part of the improvements hereinbefore described may be advantageously applied to other purposes, such, for instance, asvraising coal or otherrninerals from deep pits.. This Aapplieatien may be made without essentially' modifying the parts employed. Two atmos- 1 pheric tubes are placed vertically in the shaft witha crossbar connecting the two pistons. The tubes are a suflicient distance apart to allow the passage o'f a ca ge suspended to the cross-bar, or a car resting on a platform supported by the cross-bar. The tubes are each provided with a double-headed piston, to Y'which the-cross-baris fixed in a manner similar to the piston rod f, Fig. 2, and also with a i valve, B, valve-chamber u, and other-parts, constructed in a lnanner similar to that'dcscribed. The line-valve is operated bymeans of a curved rod, and the platform is raised by means of a vacuum in the tube above, or by forc ing air into the tube below the piston. The' cage or car is let down the shaft by admitting air above the piston'by opening avalve, at the .same time opening a valve -near thebottom of the tube for the esca pe of air displacedby' the descent of the piston. These valves may be arranged and operated in any convenient inanne'r. vBy the' employment of this plan in raising coals and. other substances a great height a large saving iseffected in the required power, as the-Weight ofthe chains or ropes by which the cage is generally raised is I frequently greater -than that of the load. The

liability to accidents is much reduced, as'most of the danger is,now f`rom the insecurityl ot` the ropes, While the air` that is discharged from the bottom'of the tube will serve to veni.

tilate the pit.

tion of our inventinand shown. how it .may

.be conveniently applied to practical purposes, Wel wishitunderstood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact 'details herein set forth,-

but we claim and desire to secure by Letters' Patent of the Uniteastatesl. The valve a, whether employed for railway or other purposes, and when used in combination with the chamber fw, or Without said chamber, constructed substantially as de-` scribed.

2. The curved bar e, for removing the valve a from the aperture d and returning the same after the passageof the piston-rod f, substan-` tially las described.'4

3. The' elastic.packingbandsj, when used,v

on a piston-head, for the purpose and substantially inthe manner specified.

4. The cone-valve;-1H,"whether used in a n solid piston-head or-in combinationlwith 'the elastic bandj, constructed and rarranged. for. the purpose and 'substantiallyin the mannerspecitied. v 2.5. Thevdevice for .operating the cone-,valve H, constructed and arranged substantially in the manner specified.

6. The 'frame f, with guidcrollers s, so arranged with reference to the. bottom of the carriage P as to allow the pistou D to' follow, the dip of the tube at the crossings, and to pre' vent any vertical motion of the carriage at'- fecting the said piston. I

7. The frame I, with 'guide-rollers 1', so ar, ranged with reference to the frame j" as to prevent the oscillation of thecarriage P being communicated to the piston D.

8. The branching of the tube A at N, Fig. I

5, and the' branching of the apc'rtured at y,

in connectionpwith the dip of said tube, for thepnrpose of conveniently shunting the train or passing from one line of rails to a'nother;

ALEXANDER, ALISON. JAMES HALLIWELL." Witnessesz GEORGE HAsEL'rINE, ALEXANDER AmsoN, Jr.

Having thus, fu'llyydescribed.the con'struc-

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