THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



CABLEWAYS. 



THE following regarding traveling cableways 

 which are largely used at the present time in 

 the construction of irrigation and waterworks 

 dams, is taken from a paper on " Cableways," pre- 

 sented before the American Society of Civil Engi- 

 neers, by Spencer Miller, member Am. Soc. C. E., 

 and engineer of the Lidgerwood Manufacturing 

 Company, New York City. This company has been 

 prominently identified with the development of the 

 traveling cableway.and the description which follows 

 of the Lidgerwood Cableway, and which is contained 

 in 'Mr. Miller's paper, shows clearly the high state of 

 simplicity and efficiency to which this important aid 

 in the building of large masonry structures has been 

 brought. 



We quote, with some corrections to date: 

 " The cableway may be defined as a hoisting and 

 conveying device employing a suspended cable as a 

 trackway. Long span and high speed cableways 

 were not practicable with the chain-connected fall- 

 rope carriers. Fig. 1 shows the first departure there- 



have been used.^The various ropes are indicated in 

 the illustration. The horn in front of the carriage 

 picks up the carriers as it passes toward the engine 

 and also carries them out as the carriage recedes; 

 the buttons on the button rope take the carriers from 

 the horn and leave them spaced along the main 

 cable at proper intervals for supporting the hoisting- 



Fig. 1. 

 (Patented In 189O.) 



from, and represents the beginning of a development 

 which the author made in the line of improved fall- 

 rope carriers, employed at Tilly Foster, N. Y., for 

 uncovering an iron mine." 



As will be observed, an auxiliary rope, about five- 

 eighths of an inch in diameter, is suspended above 

 the main cable, held in a parallel position to the main 

 cable by passing under wheels in the cable carriage. 



On this rope a series of buttons are secured, whose 

 diameter increases with the distance from the head 

 tower. Slots in the head of the carriers, correspond- 

 ing to the diameter of the buttons, allow each of the 

 carriers in passing down the incline to be stopped at 

 its proper button. These carriers have small wheels 

 to roll on the auxiliary or button rope. Thus, the 

 heavy cumbersome chains are dispensed with, and 

 these fall-rope carriers, spaced by buttons, answer all 

 the requirements of chain-connected carriers, and 

 weigh about one-tenth as much. 



The development of a few years has brought the 

 carriage and carriers up to a standard form, as shown 

 in Fig. 2. 



The cable carriage is usually built with two main 

 cable wheels, but in some instances three wheels 



rope. These buttons increase in size, receding from 

 the head tower, as also do the corresponding slots in 

 the head or top of the carrier. 



Fig. 3 illustrates an engine with double cylinders 

 with cranks connected at an angle of 90, and is fitted 

 with reversible link motion. The drums are of large 

 diameter, regular friction type, one to carry the 

 hoisting rope, and the other is turned with a curved 

 surface, as shown, and carries the endless rope. The 

 endless rope is wrapped around the drum five or more 

 times, enough to secure sufficient friction to keep it 

 from slipping in the opposite direction to that in 

 which the drum is turning, and the ends are passed 

 over the sheave wheel on the towers and made fast 

 to the front and rear wheels of the cable carriage. 



The hoisting drum is independent of the other, and, 

 being of the same diameter, winds at the same rate 

 of speed, and keeps the load at the same height if so 

 desired. This drum has a band brake, by means of 

 which the load can be sustained. The reversing 

 lever, friction and brake levers are all brought to a 

 central position, so that the operator can work all of 

 them in one position. 



In Fig. 4 the method of leading the ropes on the 

 long span horizontal cableway is shown, The end 



