The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-19
QUICK TRANSIT.
New system of Transportation; or, System of |
SpherO- lIocOmotiOn.


SpherO-L 0cOm0ti0n.
The great advantages of rapid and cheap
transportation are SO well understood at the
present day that it is unnecessary to explain the
Importance of an invention that proposes to
transport the mails and products of the country
its grain, fruits, meats, cotton, highWines,
oils, minerals, coal, and merchandise generally
to and from all parts of it in few hours, instead
of days, and at cost far less than by means of
railroads. .". '-.#...
1t will at once be admitted that such an inven-
ton, if practicable, will be of incalculabe
benefit, and will inaugurate new era in the in
dustrial and commercial interests of the world.
This invention, SO new and unlooked-for, has
been made and patents have been secured for it
in this country and in Europe. 1t introduces
new principle and with it q new system, funda-
mentally different from the old. The new
means or instrument OF motion which it en-
ployes Is the sphere-an instrument which it
substitutes inIthe place of the wheel. The sphere
is the simplest and the true form of a vehicle of
motion. 1t revolves on its periphery without
friction, is moved with the least power, and
permits the highest rate of speed attainable by
any form of material body. .-Eg.f
Nature, in all departments in which she re-
quires high velocity, employs the sphere as the
form best adapted to rapid and unvarying
motion, as is exemplifed in all her works from
the planet, which is q spherical body, rotating
on an imaginary axis, to the falling drop of
rain, which assumes the spherical form in pass
ing rapidly through free space. The invention,
following Nature in her teaching, employs the
sphere or globe as the vehicle of motion
To adapt it to the purpose of transportation it
! is made hollow and the load to be carried is
| placed inside. Thus hollow spheres or globes,
carrying their load inside, are the vehicles used
under the new system. They may be of any
size, from two feet to ten in diameter according
| to the service to be performed. They would be
| best made of one of the metals-cast-steel if
| practicable-thin, and turned in lathe with eX-
actness and precision, 80 as to roll evenly and
smoothly. They would be provided with aper-
lures or ''man-holes," made to screw in SO as to
| form part of the surface, by which they could
be loaded and discharged easily and readily. a.
The new vehicle requires an equally perfect
l road bed, or track on which to operate. This
road bed has been gradually prepared by the in
vention of the pneumatic tube and its successful
employment. Pneumatic tubes have been con-
structed in London, and are now in regular
| operation mail matter and packages being sent
through them. A little railway, with cars, is
placed inside them, so that the old vehicle OF
4 transportation on the wheel@and-axle principle
has been transferred to the interior of the tube,
| operating within 1t as il does without, the only
| change being the substitution of atmospheric
pressure in place of traction by locomotive
| power. The properties which the pneumatic
tube possesses fit 1t perfectly for the new vehicle
| OF motion.
1t will furnish the vehicle, first, a road bed
| that ia even smooth and solid; second, entirely
free from dirt and dust, or other distinctions,
and protected against the perturbing action oi
the wind, rain, and snow; and, third, passage
way, in which the spheres, moving with the car
rent of air, will not be impeded In their course
by the resistance of the atmosphere. The tubes
viii be constructed very little larger than the
spheres, to allow them a free passage. me
tallic rail- or plate will be placed as u road bee
on the bottom of the tube, of a suitable
width, and slightly concaye, to adapt ]