US89233A - Improved elevated railway - Google Patents

Description

R. P. MORGAN, Jr.

. Elevated Railway.

Patented IApril 20,' 1869.

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RICHARD P. MORGAN, JR., OF DWIGHT, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVED ELEVATED RAILWAY.

Specijicatzon forming part of Letters Patent No. 89,233, dated April 20, 1869.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD P. MORGAN, Jr., of the town of Dwight, county of Livingston and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Elevated Railway, to be used in cities, towns, or villa-ges, where it is deemed advisable to construct an elevated, instead of either a surface or underground, railway.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of a street-railway composed of a series of arches, supported on each side of the street upon iron shoes embedded in masonry. These arches are connected together by trusses of any ordinary or suitable con struction, which will impart sufficient strength and rigidity to the whole superstructure to prevent any vertical or lateral displacement of the railway; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanyng drawings, which are hereby made a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a transverse section; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section; and Fig. 3, a ground plan. 4

Letters A A in the drawings represent the external arc or arch, constructed of iron or other material, and of suihcient length to start or spring from its seat on shoe P, on either side of the street, and meet at the point X, over the center of the street.

B is the interior arc or arch, firmly fastened to the arcs A, at or near their base, on each side of the street, and extending across the same in an elliptical, semicircular, or other curve, as may be required to give it a suitable rise from the surface of the street, so

that it will offer no obstruction to carts, carriages, or other conveyances. This latter arch or arc forms the seat upon which the longitudinal trusses rest, and aided by the various connections, as shown, with the outer arch A, is the base of the railway superstructure. A sufficient space is left between the two arcs or arches for the cars to run without any obstruction or hinderance whatever, and it is proposed to use dummy engines for the motive power, although other and different power may be employed for that purpose.

C is a truss-frame running longitudinallyalong the line of the road, under the middle of the arch A A, the bottom of which rests upon the arch B, connecting the series of arches, and supports the ties I, upon which the rails K are laid.

D D are trusses of similar construction to C, supporting the ends of the ties I, upon which the rails are laid.

H are tension-rods, connecting the two arches A and B vertically at the center, and also holding the ends of the truss O'; and O O O are other tension-rods uniting the arcs A at thc top, and A and B at the sides. arcs or arches being set up and adjusted at proper intervals on the street, and connected together by means of the trusses aforesaid, offer no obstruction to the ordinary street traftic or travel, and present a light, airy, and ornamental appearance.

The structure, being made preferably of wrought-iron, is of great strength, and not liable to get out of repair, and its uniformity in all its parts is such that any part can be easily supplemented Without impeding the travel thereupon.

The pressure, as will be seen, upon the arches A B is vertical, and by the combination is directed in the line of the greatest strength of the material used, and the arches act as mutua-l supports to each other.

Access can be had to the cars from the buildings N along the line of the route, by means of the platforms M, placed at convenient intervals, supported by the trusses D and an additional truss, E, at such platforms, or stairways may be erected from the sidewalk on the structure itself.

P represents the shoe upon which the arch A rests, and is embedded in masonry at or near the curbstone on each side of the street. Q. represents the street, and R the sidewalk.

Each of the arches may be constructed of angle-iron, or such other form as may be deemed most advisable.

Between the vertical tensionrods O andthe point of intersection of the two arches A and B other tension-rods, G, are used to impart additional strength to the Wholestructure.

Stay-rods leading from the arcs A A, on

These each side, extending to the trusses C and D, are applied in sufficient number to prevent lateral vibration, and also to overcome any flexible action of the arcs.

What l claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The elevated Irailway, constructed and arranged in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

2. The arches A and B, so constructed as to act as a support to cach other in sustaining the superstructure and trains in a street-rail- Way, in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

3. The combination of the arcs or arches A and B with the truss-frame G and D, in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

4. The connection of the arcs or arches A and B of an elevated street-railway by means RICHD. P. MORGAN, JR.

Witnesses:

H. SPENCER, B. F. JAMES.

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