US2088430A - Track hanger - Google Patents

Description

Julyv27, 1937. R. E. NELLES' 2,038,430

' TRACK HANGER Filed Dec. 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESS INVENTOR R. E. N ELLES July 27, 1937.

TRACK HANGER Filed Dec. 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

flzzazm/ZZ J E/[aw BY C) \D /L A RNE Patented July 27, 1937 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRACK HANGER Russell E. Nelles, South Orange, N. J. Application December 5, 1934, Serial No. 756 ,019

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and useful im provement in monorail trackage suspensiona'in which a cable or other flexible member is utilized as a means of suspension or supporting '5 connection between a monorail trackage section and its supporting superstructure.

My reference to monorail trackage orto monorail trackage section or sections as above or hereinafter noted applies to any standard or special steel section or sections, hot or cold rolled, or drawn, which may be utilized as a monorail trackage section on which one or more pair of single flanged trolley wheels are made to operate and such sections as may be utilized to constitute crane runways, on which cranes of the underhungtype are made to operate.

At present it is common practice to employ individual steel hanger rods or other rolled or drawn steel sections as a means of vertical support or connection between a monorail trackage section and its supporting superstructure with similar supplementary members diagonally placed with respect to the horizontal or inclined plane of the monorail trackage, and parallel or at various angles thereto, to provide lateral and longitudinal support to the monorail trackage. These supplementary members are generally referred to as angle or sway bracing.

An object of my invention is to provide a means of monorail suspension whereby a wide range of vertical, lateral and longitudinal support and adjustment may be obtained between the monorail trackage and its supporting superstructure without resorting to the use .of individual steel hanger rods or other rolled or drawn sections for the purpose noted, each of which must necessarily be fabricated to a predetermined length to meet individual existing superstructure conditions.

Another object of my invention is to provide a means of monorail trackage suspension whereby the limit of vertical adjustment between the monorail trackage and its supporting superstructure is not confined to the threaded portion of a supporting hanger rod or other member of suspension or to the threaded portion of a monorail trackage fitting which provides conventional support or connection between the means of suspension and a monorail trackage section.

A further object of my invention is to provide a means of monorail trackage suspension whereby a side pull capacity may be obtained from a trolley operated on a monorail trackage without imposing undue strain to the means of suspension or to component parts of a trolley operating thereon, by providing for a uniform lateral movement of the monorail trackage section throughout its length, independent of the inherent flexibility of the cable or flexible member means of suspension.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings which describe and illustrate an embodiment of my flexible member suspension for monorail trackage.

One embodiment of my invention contem plates the use of a cable or other flexible member, continuous or otherwise, composed of ferrous or non ferrous metal, stranded or otherwise fabricated, used in connection with a suitable upper and lower cable or flexible member fitting in a manner described and as illustrated on the accompanying sheets of drawings as a means of suspension or connecting support between a monorail track'age section or monorail trackage section attachment fitting and its supporting superstructure or its supportingsuperstructure fitting, attached thereto.

Figure 1, on the accompanying sheets of draw--- ings, is a side view or elevation of my flexible member suspension for monorail trackage with upper and lower cable or flexible member fittings with conventional ceiling or supporting superstructure fittings and suitable monorail trackage attachment fittings with provision for verticaladjustment and providing a rigid connectionfbetween my means of suspension and a T bar section utilized in this instance as a monorail trackage section.

Figure 2 illustrates a transverse or sectional View of my flexible member suspension taken on line A-A of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side view of a modified form of the invention. Y

Figure 4 is an end view thereof; and Figure 5 is a plan view thereof somewhat enlarged. 1

Similar parts in different figures hav same reference numerals.

i the member, continuous or otherwise and composed.

- Numeral I indicates a conventionaljceiling or of ferrous or non ferrous metal, stranded or otherwise fabricated.

Numerals 1, 8, and 9 indicate component parts of the lower cable or flexible member fitting hereinafter described in greater detail.

Numeral It indicates a turnbuckle or other suitable fitting providing for connection with vertical adjustment, between the lower cable or flexible member fitting and the monorail trackage attachment fitting.

Numeral l l indicates a lock nut therefor.

Numeral 52 indicates a monorail trackage attachment fitting composed of a forked section with extended shank one side of which ,is provided with a countersunk hole and opposite side with a threaded hole and extended shank is provided with a right hand thread.

Numeral l3 indicates a countersunk-head machine screw, which when assembled with monorail trackage attachment fitting 52, provides a rigid connection between such fitting and the T bar section indicated by numeral M, in this instance utilized as a monorail trackage section.

A more detailed description of the upper cable or flexible member fitting indicated by numerals 3, 4, and 5 with its functional relationship to cable or flexible member 5 is as follows:

Component part 3 is segmental in shape as shown with extended shank terminating in a ball or oval shaped head providing thereby a universal joint connection to conventional fitting indicated by numeral 2. 'The segmental portion of component part 3 is provided with a curved recess as indicated for reception of cable or flexible member 6, and at the radius point of the curved recess a threaded hole is provided.

Component part 4 is also segmental in shape and provided with a corresponding curved recess for reception of cable orflexible member 6, and at the radius point of the curved recess a countersunk hole is provided as shown.

Component part 5 is a countersunk-head machine screw which, when tightened provides a rigid connection between the'upper cable or flexible member fitting 3, 4, and 5, and the cable or flexible member 6', with provision for slideable adjustment thereon as required It will be noted from the above description and with reference to the accompanying sheets of drawings, that while the upper cable or flexible member fitting provides a rigid connection to the upper loop of the cable or 'flexible member 6 the construction indicated permits the upper loop of the cable or flexible member to swivel about the conventional fitting 2, not only. in a horizontal plane, but angularly in all directions as well.

This construction permits the fittings 2, to be located in the same vertical plane with the center line of the monorail trackage as shown or alternately off-set therefrom, thereby providng lateral stability as required" to the lower cable or flexible member fittings, indicated by numerals 7, 8, and 9.

Referring to Figures 3,4, and 5, it will be seen that the fixed superstructure l supports a trackage M by certain means therein shown, said means consisting of fittings 2 and 3 holding a suspending cable 6, or the like said fitting 2 being arranged in staggered fashion, as shown in Figure 5. It will be noted from Fig. 5 that the fittings 2 which are attached to thesuperstructure I are alternately disposed at opposite sides of the line of trackage indcated by M. The cable 6 passes over the pulleys 9 which pulleys are held by fittings indicated by reference character E0 to the member l2. In Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the fittings are generally indicated by 3 and I0 and they can of course be arranged in the manner shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 with the parts 3, 4 and 5, and 1 to H substituted therefor or similarly acting parts may be utilized. The structure shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 arranged in staggered fashion, is also shown in another embodiment in Figs. 1 and 2.

A more detailed description of the lower cable or flexible member fitting indicated by numerals l, 8 and 9 with its functional relationship to cable or flexible member 6 is as follows:

Component part I is a forked section with extended shank as shown, each side of the fork being provided with a hole for machine bolt hereinafter described. The extended shank of the forked section is provided with a left hand thread.

Component part 8 is a machine bolt with nut.

Component part 9 is a grooved pulley with suitable bore for machine bolt 8.

Component parts I, '8, and 9 when assembled in the manner indicated constitute the lower cable or flexible member fitting.

It will be noted from the above description and with reference to the accompanying sheets of drawings that the lower cable or flexible member fitting, by means of grooved pulley 8, provides a movable bearing or support for itself by its contact with the top surface of the cable or flexible member 6, at its lower loop thereby enabling the lower loop of the cable or flexible member 6, to assume any required angle between a horizontal and vertical plane, permitting it thereby to automatically align itself with the upper loop of the cable or flexible member 6.

It will also be noted that the threaded shank of the component part 1 of the lower cable or flexible member fitting permits of a swivel move-- ment in a horizontal plane between itself and turnbuckle ll], thereby enabling the grooved pulley 9 to likewise swivel and to automatically align the upper and lower loops of the cable or flexible member 6, regardless of whether the ceiling or supporting superstructure fittings 2, are located in the same vertical plane with the center line of the monorail trackage M as shown, or alternately off-set therefrom as previously noted.

Fittings indicated by numerals Hi, H, 62, and I3 when assembled provide a rigid connection between the lower cable or flexible member fitting and the monorail trackage section It, with provision thereon for vertical adjustment independent of that made possible by the inherent flexibility and continuity of the cable or flexible member 6.

It will be noted from the foregoing description and with reference to the accompanying sheets of drawings, that owing to the inherent flexibility and possible continuity of the cable or flexible member 6, used in connection with the upper and lower cable or flexible member fittings as set forth, many useful and desirable arrangesame as any similar flexible member, such as a F wire, chain, or the like, may be used in the same manner.

While I have described and illustrated my flexible member suspension for monorail trackage as applied to a T-bar section, utilized in this instance as a monorail trackage section, it should be understood that I do not intend to limit its use or application to the monorail trackage section illustrated and described but to extend its use and application to all monorail trackages previously referred to.

It should be likewise understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction of the fittings described and illustrated, but regard my invention as including such changes and modifications to the fittings described and illustrated as may be necessary to adapt my flexible member suspension for monorail trackage to such monorail trackage sections previously referred to as do not involve a departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a track hanger, the combination of a fixed overhead superstructure, a monorail trackage, and a continuous flexible cable, with a series of primary upper fittings with provision thereon for establishing a universal connection between the fixed overhead superstructure and said cable, and a series of secondary lower fittings with provision thereon for establishing connection between said cable and monorail trackage, said primary upper and secondary lower fittings connecting alternately in sequence with the cable, and permitting free movement of said cable therethrough.

2. In a track hanger, the combination of a fixed superstructure, a monorail trackage, and a continuous flexible cable, with a series of primary upper fittings with provision thereon for an adjustable, lockable and universally swivable connection between said cable and supporting superstructure, and a series of secondary lower fittings with provision thereon for a slidable and vertically adjustable connection between said cable and the monorail trackage, said primary upper and secondary lower fittings connecting alternately in sequence with the cable, and permitting free movement of said cable therethrough.

3. In a track hanger, the combination of a superstructure and a monorail trackage, a continuous flexible cable therebetween, alternately and operatively connected with said superstructure and trackage for supporting the trackage to the superstructure, whereby the preliminary vertical adjustment of the trackage is obtained, said cable connections permitting free movement of the cable for said preliminary vertical adjustment.

4. A track hanger having a superstructure and trackage, a flexible connection adapted to be placed between the superstructure and trackage, to support the trackage to the superstructure, comprising a plurality of superstructure fittings, a plurality of trackage fittings, and a flexible member alternately and operatively connected with said fittings, the connections being such as to permit the cable to pass freely in respect thereto, whereby upon the pulling of one or the other end or both ends of said flexible member or the release thereof, the distance between the superstructure and trackage is varied.

5. A track hanger having a superstructure and trackage, a flexible connection adapted to be placed between the superstructure and trackage, to support the trackage to the superstructure, comprising a plurality of guides adapted to be fastened to the superstructure, a plurality of second guides adapted to be fastened to the trackage, locking means for one of said plurality of perstructure and trackage may be varied.

6. A track hanger having a superstructure and trackage, a flexible connection adapted to be placed between the superstructure and trackage, to support 'the trackage to the superstructure,

comprising a plurality of guides adapted to be fastened to the superstructure, a plurality of second guides adapted to be fastened to the trackage, locking means for said first-mentioned guides, a flexible cable passing through all of said guides and alternately and operatively connected therewith, the guides being suchl as to permit the cable to pass freely in respect thereto, whereby, upon the pulling of one end of said cable or the release of the same, the distance between the superstructure and the trackage may be varied, and a universal connection for said first-mentioned guides adapted to be fastened to the superstructure.

'7. A track hanger having a superstructure and trackage, a flexible connection adapted to be placed between the superstructure and trackage, to support the trackage to the superstructure, comprising a plurality of guides adapted to be fastened to the superstructure, a plurality of second guides adapted to be fastened to the trackage, locking means for one of said plurality of guides, a flexible member passing through all of said guides, alternately and operatively connected therewith, said guides permitting free movement of the flexible member in respect thereto, whereby, upon the pulling of one end of said flexible member or its release, the distance between the superstructure and trackage may be varied, and adjusting means for said second plurality of guides, to vary the distance of said guides from said trackage.

8. A track hanger having a superstructure and a trackage, a flexible connection adapted to be placed between the superstructure and trackage, to support the trackage to the superstructure, comprising a plurality of universal joint connections adapted to be fastened to the superstructure, a plurality of guides supported by said universal joint connections, a second plurality of guides, means connecting said second plurality of guides with the trackage, means adjusting the distance between said second plurality of guides and the trackage, said last named guides permitting said connections to be laterally displaced, a cable passing through both pluralities of guides alternately, said guides permitting free movement of the cable in respect thereto, and means upon at least one plurality of guides for locking the cable.

9. In a track hanger, the combination of a fixed superstructure, a trackage and means for suspending the trackage to the superstructure, said means being connected with the superstructure alternately at opposite sides of the line of the trackage, and being free to move in respect to the superstructure and trackage, whereby, upon the pulling of one end of the means or the release of the same, the distance between the superstructure and trackage may be varied.

10. In a track hanger, the combination of a fixed superstructure, a trackage and means for suspending the trackage to the superstructure,

ture, comprising a plurality of guides adapted to be fastened to the superstructure, a plurality of second guides adapted to be fastened to the trackage, locking means for one of said plurality of guides, a flexible cable passing through both series of guides, and alternately and operatively connected therewith, said cable being freely movable in respect to said guides to permit the pulling in or letting out of the cable, or to raise or lower the track, and a horizontal swivel connection between the second series of guides and said trackage.

RUSSELL E. NELLES.

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