US317086A - Grip for cable railways - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) v -2 snep-shet 1.

. G.B.BRYANTLY GRIPFOR CABLE RAILWAYS. l

No. 317,086. 4 Patented May 5, 1885. f

(N0 MGdeI.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. B. BRYANT. GRIP FOB, CABLE RAILWAYS. N0. 317,086. Patented May 5, 1885.

wi l llll In I 'VV ineasea 7140's flaorne ys l NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE B. BRYANT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GRIP FOR CABLE RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,086, dated May 5, 1885.

Application filed April 6, 1885. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE E. BRYANT, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grippers for Cable Railways; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention has for its object to so improve the gripping apparatus for cable railways as to enable the cable to be firmly grasped in starting the car without subjecting the car or its passengers to sudden shocks, and also so as to prevent shock from the lateral swinging or rocking of the car, ordinarily so frequently experienced; and to this end my invention consists in certain improved features of construction and combination of parts, which will hereinafter be described, and fully pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a gripper to which my improvements are applied. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same, taken on the lines 00 as, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line g y, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate like parts.

The letter A represents a metal frame secured rigidly by bolts B to brackets or hangers 0, depending from the under side of the car, and having a longitudinal slot, A, in its bottom portion for the accommodation of the blade of the gripper. Within this frame A is arranged an inner frame, D, having a slot, D, through which the gripper blade also passes. The gripper-blade (lettered E) has arranged within a vertical slot formed in it a sliding gripper-bar, F. A lever, G, pivoted to the gripper-plate at g and to the bar F at 9, serves as a means for raising or lowering the bar F, so as to apply or release the grippingjaws to or from the cable. The gripping-jaws are not shown in the drawings, but are of ordinary construction, and are applied to the plate E and bar F in the usual manner. I have not shown them, inasmuch as I make no special claim to them herein. Also, pivoted to the blade E, at h, on the side opposite to that on which the lever G is pivoted, is an eccentric, H, which is adapted to bear upon the inner frame D, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and to serve to support the gripper-blade E in position. This eccentric His adapted to be operated by any suitable means through a rod, I. WVhen it is adjusted in the position shown in full lines, Fig. 1, it causes the gripper-blade E, with its connected parts, to be elevated into the position which it normally occupies; but when it is adjusted to the position shown by the dotted lines in said figure it lowest position. The slot through the inner frame, D, is slightly wider than the thickness of the gripper-blade, say,one-sixteenth of an inch wider on each side, so as to permit of the easy play of the gripper-blade and prevent binding of it. On each side of the frame D is arranged spring, K, seated at one end against said inner frame, D, and at the opposite end against the outer frame, A. These springs may be of metal or rubber, and of any desired construction; but I preferably use metallic spiral springs, such as shown. The function of these springs is to take up the shock and vibration 5 causes the gripper-blade to be depressed to its due to the vibration of the cars from side to inner frame, D, is an eccentric, L, which bears upon the inner frame under the yielding pressure of a spring, M. By the provision of this spring-seated eccentric a stationary car is enabled to be connected positively and firmly to the running cable without a violent shock either to the car or its passengers,because the spring-seated eccentric will yield, and thus apply the pressure gradually to the car. Another spring-seated eccentric similar to the one described may be applied to the rear of the inner frame, if desired, or in lieu of it a roller, 0, having its bearings in an oblique slot, T,

in the frame A, may be employed, said roller, when pressure is applied to it, gradually yielding and traveling up the oblique slot, as will be readily understood. Then a yielding connection is thus formed between the gripperblade and the car, both front and rear, as well as on each side, the cars will run very steadily, and can be started or stopped without shock.

The feature of being able to with safety positively and quickly grasp the running cable instead of gradually, as ordinarily, is very important,since it saves wear both upon the grip ping parts and upon the cable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a gripping device for cable railways, the combination, with the gripper-blade, of elastic or yielding cushions interposed between the lateral sides of said gripper-blade and the car, whereby to take up the shock due to the vibration of the car laterally, substantially as described.

2. In a gripping device for cable railways, the combination, with a gripper-blade,of elastic or yielding cushions interposed between the lateral sides of said gripper-blade and the car, and yielding connection between the forward and rear portions of the blade and the car, substantially as described.

3. In the herein-described gripping device for cable railways, the combination, with the gripper-blade, of the inner and outer frames through which the said blade passes, and the springs or cushions interposed between the said two frames at the sides, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

4. In the herein-described gripping device for cable railways, the combination, with the gripper-blade, of the inner and outer frames through which said blade passes, and the spring-seated eccentric journaled in the outer frame and bearing on the inner frame, substantially as described.

5. In the herein-described gripping device for cable railways, the combination, with the gripper-blade, of the inner and outer frames through which said blade passes, the springs or cushions interposed between the said inner and outer frames opposite the lateral sides of the gripper-blade,and the springseated eccentric j ournaled to the outer frame and bearing on the inner frame in front of the gripper blade, substantially as described.

6. In the herein-described gripping device for cable railways, the combination, with the gripper-blade, of the inner and outer frames through which said blade passes, the spring interposed between said two frames, and the spring-seated eccentrics or their equivalents interposed between the inner and outer frames in front of and in rear of the gripper-blades, substantially as described.

GEORGE B. BRYANT.

Witnesses:

MELVLLLE CHURCH, A. S. STEWART.

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