CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CON- STRUCTING SWITCHES FOR CONNECTING DIFFERENT LINES OF RAILWAY OR DISTINCT RAILWAYS, AND FOR PASSING LOCOMOTIVE, STEAM, AND OTHER ENGINES AND RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND WAGGONS FROM THE ONE TO THE OTHER OF SUCH RAILWAYS OR RAILS, AND FOR CERTAIN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FARAM, of Middlewich, in the County of Chester, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-first day of November, in the third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Faram, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said John Faram, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Faram, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CON-
STRUCTING SWITCHES FOR CONNECTING DIFFERENT LINES OF RAILWAY OR DISTINCT
RAILWAYS, AND FOR PASSING LOCOMOTIVE, STEAM, AND OTHER ENGINES AND RAILWAY
CARRIAGES AND WAGGONS FROM THE ONE TO THE OTHER OF SUCH RAILWAYS OR
RAILS, AND FOR CERTAIN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH;" in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said John Faram, shall
cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Faram, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and the manner

page_text: in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is
to say):-
:―
In constructing railways, it is well known that locomotive and other ear-
riages, in passing from one pair of rails on to another pair of rails, require
apparatus called switches, which, being moveable, are capable of being so
placed as to complete the junction of one line or pair of rails, with
either of two lines or pairs of rails, and at the same time to disconnect
the same pairs of rails from the other of the two pairs of rails, and thus,
according as the switches are placed, so will be the direction or particular
pair of rails along which the train of carriages will pass, and according
to the present known means of constructing railways, such switches are
constantly worked by men who are placed near to watch and move them to
the required position for causing the next coming train to pass on to the pair
of rails along which its proper course is to travel; and it depends on the care
and diligence of the persons attending the switches whether the train takes its
proper course, in addition to which most serious accidents may and have taken
place by the wrong placing of the switches, and it is well known that the
engineer, and indeed every other person conveyed by the train, has now no
power of directing or controlling the direction which the train shall take when
passing from a single pair of rails to one of two pairs of rails, but the direction
of the train wholly depends on the position in which the switches are put by
the person attending; and in the common construction of switches, and indeed
in most constructions of switches which are in use in passing from one of two
lines of rails to a single line or pair of rails, if the switches are placed wrong,
one of the front wheels is liable to mount the switch, and thereby probably be
thrown off the rails.
Now, the object of the first part of my Invention is so to arrange the
apparatus of the switches, together with apparatus in connection with the train
of carriages, that a person conveyed by the train, when passing from a single
line of rails to either of two lines of rails, may have the power of moving the
switches into a proper position for the train to take the proper direction, and
thus render it unnecessary to have persons attending to place the switches
correctly for the next coming train.
And in order to give the best information in my power, I will proceed to
describe the Drawings hereunto annexed, wherein the apparatus of the
switches and other apparatus in connection with the locomotive engine are so
arranged that in the passing of such locomotive carriage with or without a

page_text: train of carriages, will cause the switches to be placed in a correct manner to
pass from one line or pair of rails on to either of two pairs or lines of rails
with which such line of rails is in connection. And I believe it is better
to have the apparatus which is to work on the switches attached to the
locomotive engine, it being generally the first of the train, and thus such
apparatus will be under the control of the engineer, who is the person I
consider most proper to work the same; but I would remark that I do not
confine myself to such arrangement, as it will become evident that the
Invention does not depend on the particular carriage to which apparatus for
working switches may be applied, so long as they are properly arranged with
reference to the apparatus in connection with the switches, in order that the
switches may be correctly placed to receive and correctly direct the first and
other carriages of the train.
In constructing apparatus according to the first part of my Invention, it will
be desirable so to arrange the parts that the carriage in travelling and coming
in contact with the apparatus in connection with the switches that the blow or
contact should be as progressive as possible, and not suddenly, anil that the
apparatus in connection with the train should travel as long a distance as
possible after touching the apparatus in connection with the switches, in order
to effect a transposition of the moveable parts of the bars to produce a
connection between the proper lines of rails, for it is important to avoid
shocks and sudden movements to apparatus of such a description as that
which is herein described and necessarily employed in carrying out the first
part of my Invention, which, as above stated, consists in so arranging and
applying apparatus to carriages travelling on railroads, and apparatus in
connection with switches, that the switches may be correctly placed by the act
of travelling of a carriage or train of carriages along a railway, and thus ensure
the carriage or train of carriages taking its proper direction or line of the
rails. In constructing railways, there are used different arrangements of appa-
ratus as switches to which my Invention may be applied; but in order to give
the best information in my power, I will describe arrangements of switches
and apparatus which I believe to be the best for the purpose of my Invention,
and the modes of combining or constructing such switches constitutes the
second part of my Invention.

page_text: b, b, or with the line of rails c, c, according to the direction the carriage or
train of carriages which is passing along the line a, a, is desired to travel.
Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1, partly in section; Figure 3 is a view of
part of a locomotive engine, with apparatus applied thereto for working the
switches; and Figure 4' is a side view of a locomotive engine on a smaller scale,
by which the mode of applying the apparatus thereto will be better understood.
d, e, are two bars, the position of which governs the direction of the carriage or
train of carriages. The bars d, e, have each three inclined surfaces d, e,
under them, which move on inclined surfaces f, as is clearly shown in various
views in the Drawing. g is a lever moving on a fulcrum at h, and such lever
is forked at each end, and the forks partly embrace studs fixed under the bars
d, e; hence, when the bar d is moved in one direction, the bar e will be moved
in an opposite direction, and by such means so arrange the bars d, e, as to
cause them either to connect the rails a, a, with the rails b, b, or with the rails
c, c, as will be better understood hereafter. i is a connecting rod, which is
attached to the bar d by a pin joint, as is shown, the other end of the connect-
ing rod being attached by a pin joint to an arm jaffixed to the axis k, such
axis turning in suitable bearings, as shown. And it will be seen that there are
two arms and m affixed to the axis k, the arm / having a bent connecting
rod nattached thereto by means of a pin joint; the other end of the bent rod n
moving on an axis at n¹; the other arm m is simply a projecting arm affixed
to the axis k. On to the locomotive carriage there is affixed a projecting
framing o, which carries the bearings of the axis p, as is shown in the
Drawings. This axis has a pronged end at the lower part thereof, as shewn
at q, r, the part 7 being so placed as to act on the inclined bent bar or rod n,
and the part being so arranged as to act against the arm m; and it will
depend on the position of the axis p which of the parts 7, 7, will be presented
for operating on the switches, and the engineer will be able to move the axis p
partly round, in order to bring the required prong 7 or into action by means
of the rod s, which is attached by a pin joint to the crank or arm on the upper
part of the axis 2, and the rod s will be retained in the correct position by
placing the end of the rod s on to one or other of the studs q', ¹, according as
the prong or is to act.
Having thus described the parts shewn in the Drawing, an engineer, by a
careful consideration of such description, aided by the Drawing, will readily
understand the nature of the various parts; and in order to facilitate his
understanding the working of the apparatus, I will suppose that, there is a
train passing in the direction of the arrow along the line of rails a, a, and
that its proper direction is to pass along from the rails a, a, on to the rails b, b,

page_text: the engineer in such case would place the axis p in a position to cause the
barn to be depressed, which would cause the bar d to be moved towards its
rail a, and the bars c would be moved in the opposite direction, the conse-
quence of which would be that the train of carriages would, by means of the
bar e, be guided on to the line of rails b, because the flanches of the wheels
which would be between the rail marked a, b, would be prevented passing on
the inside of the rail c by the bar e, whilst the bar d, having been caused to
descend, would be out of the way, and allow of the flanches of the wheels
which were travelling on the rail a, c, passing on the inside of the rail b on
that side.
And now let it be supposed that the next train of carriages passing along
the line a, a, required to pass from the rails a, a, on to the line of rails c, c, in
such case the engineer would cause the axis p to be so placed as to cause the
arm m to be operated on, by which means the bar d would be forced in a
direction away from the rail a, and be in contact with its rail b. At the
same time the bar e would be forced in an opposite direction, and descend to
be out of the way of the flanches of the wheels, which are required to pass
from a to c, which would place the parts in the positions shewn at Figure 1,
and the flanches of the wheels running on the rail a, c, would be prevented
passing away, owing to the rail and bar d being for the time acting as a
single rail, and in fact becoming a guide to direct the course of the train of
carriages. Thus, it will be seen that in case all the switches be arranged as
herein described when the engineer starts on his journey on the line of rails
a, a, he has only to set the axis p in a position to act on the rod n or the arm
m, and he will safely proceed past them to the end of his journey, for should
the switches be wrongly placed for the train to take the desired direction, the
travelling of the train will correctly place the switchos; and, on the other
hand, should the switches be correctly placed owing to the previous train of
carriages having pursued the same course, then the apparatus applied to the
train of carriages will not be called into requisition.
And now it only remains to point out the manner in which the switches
will act on trains coming in a direction from the line of rails b, b, to the line
of rails a, a, or from the line of rails c, c, to the line of rails a, a. In either
case should the bars d, e, by incorrectly placed, the front wheel of the first
carriage will correctly place them. Thus, supposing the parts to be in the
position shewn in Figure 1, and that a train of carriages were coming along
the line of rails b, b, in such case one of the front wheels, by its flanch, would
come against the bar d, and thereby depress it, whilst the flanch of the other
front wheel, and the flanches of all the wheels on the same side, would travel

page_text: between the bar e and the rail b, a, and be guided thereby, and thus would the
train be correctly guided on to the line of rails a, a, and a similar result would
take plaec. Supposing that the next coming train was along the line of rails
c, c, the flanch of one of the fore wheels would come against the bar canl
depress it, the flanches of the wheels on the other side of the carriages being
guided between the rail c, a, and the bar d. Hence it will be understood
that whatever be the arrangement of the switches in applying my Invention,
care is to be observed that the apparatus is so modified as to bring about.
similar arrangements of the moveable rails, or parts of rails, as to produce a
connection with the line of rail desired, and allow of the carriages in passing
in an opposite direction correctly.
Figure 5 shews a plan of another arrangement of switches, with apparatus.
arranged according to my Invention. In this case the moving parts form.
parts of the rails on which the carriages run. a, a, is an angle line or pair of
rails, which is capable of being put in connection with either of the two pairs
of rails b, b, or c, c, and this connection or junction is brought about by the.
turning over of the bars or rails d, e, each moving on axes at d¹, d, e, e, the
axes d², e², being cranked axes, consequently allowing the bars or rails d, e, to
make a direct connection from the line of rails a, a, with either of the lines
b, b, c, c, for it will be seen that although the rails b, c, are at a distance from
each other, their ends are at one equal distance from their rail a. The
axes d', e', on the bars or rails d, e, enter into hollows or bearings formed at
the ends of the rails a, a, such rails being enlarged at their sides by having
additional iron welded on, in order to allow of a suitable bearing being formed
to receive the axes d'or e¹. The axes d,, turn in bearings formed in two
chairs, as is clearly shewn in the Drawings. f is a connecting rod, attached
by pin joints to arms affixed to the under sides of the bars d, e; conse-
quently, when one of the bars d, e, is acted on in order to turn it over, the
other will be acted on, and be also turned over. g is an arm affixed to the
bar or rail d, and h is a connecting rod attached to it by a pin joint, and also
by another pin joint to the arm i, affixed on the axis j, such axis turning in
suitable bearings, as shewn at j'; and in the axis j are affixed two plates
passing spirally in a direction around the axis, as is shewn at m and n, and
the rails or bars d, e, will be turned over on their axes according as one or
other of the spiral plates m, n, is acted on by the prongs or projecting parts of
the axis p; and it will be evident that when the bars d, e, are turned over, and
in connection with the line c, c, or d, d, they will be without tendency to
move, and will not be moved when once properly placed by the travelling of a
carriage or train of carriages over them, owing to the mode of applying the

page_text: axes d, e. By this arrangement the travelling of the carriage or train of
carriages from the line of rails a, a, will cause or ensure the moveable bars
d, e, constituting the switches, to be properly placed for the carriage or train
of carriages to pass on to the line b, b, or c, c, as required. And in order that
the locomotive carriage or train of carriages, in passing from either of the
lines b, b, or c, c, on to the line of rails a, a, may do so correctly in whatever
way the switches may have been left, there are applied two moveable bent
bars q,, each moving on axes q, r. At each of their ends q, ², are arms,
which are affixed to the under sides of the bars q, r, and it will be seen that.
the bars 9, 2, are so bent that they are capable of lying or inclining across one
of the rails b, c, respectively, and the arms 2, 1, enter between forked pro-
jections which are formed on or are affixed to the connecting rod f of the bars.
d, c. By this arrangement, when the flanch of a wheel comes in contact
with either of the bent bars q. r, the switch bars d, e, will be turned over, and
ensure the carriage or train of carriages passing from the line b, b, or from the.
line c, c, on to the line a, a.
In the Drawing Figure 5, the parts are shewn to be in such a position that
if a carriage or train of carriages was coming along the line c, c, to a, a, the
switch bars d, e, are properly placed; but if a carriage or train of carriages was
coming along the line b, b, to a, a, then one of the front wheels would come
against the bar g, and turns the rails d, e, over, and thus make good the
line of rails between b, b, and a, a, all which will readily be understood on
examining the Drawing under description.
Figure 7 is a plan of another arrangement of switches; Figure 8 is a side
view, and Figure 9 is a plan, of one rail, shewing the parts in a different
position. The apparatus in connection with the switch only works in connection
with one rail; the parts m, n, being connected by a rod with the lever t, as is
shewn in the Drawing. d is a bar moving on cranked axes d', by means of
which one of the rails a can be connected with one of the rails b, c. On one side
of the bar & projects a spring or forked arm &, into which one end of the
lever enters, and the bar d will either lie against its bar c, c, or will be turned
off therefrom, and thus leave a space between its bar a, c, and itself, as is
shewn at Figure 7. On the upper surface of the bar d there is a projecting
surface, which acts as the filling piece to go between the rail a and the bar d,
when the bar d is turned towards the rail a, which is near it.
Supposing a locomotive carriage or a train of carriages to be passing on the
line of rails a, a, without using the prongs on the axis p, the carriage or train
of carriages would, in the position of the parts shewn in the Drawing Figure 7,
pass along from the rails a on to the line of rails c, c, but in case it be desired

page_text: to pass along the line of rails b, b, in such case the apparatus on the axis p
would be set to depress the bent barn, which would cause the bar d to be
thrown over towards its rail a, c, as shown at Figure 9, and the projecting
surface on the bar d and its edge would guide the flanch of the wheel off the
bar a, and cause it to pass on to the bar 6 on that side, and thus control the
locomotive carriage, or the train of carriages, to pass along the line b, b.
When a locomotive carriage or train of carriages are passing from the line
of rails c, c, or b, b, on. to the line of rails a, a, should the switch not be in
a correct position, one of the fore wheels of the first carriage would place it
correctly.
In the position of the parts shewn at Figure 7, supposing the train of
carriages were coming from the line of rails c, c, on to the line of rails a, a,
the train would pass without changing the position of the switch, but in case
the train of carriages were coming along the line of rails b, b, in order to pass
on to the line of rails a, a, then one of the first wheels of the first carriage
would come against the inclined end of the projecting surface of the bar d, and
cause it to move towards the rail c, a, and be the means of guiding the train
correctly on to the rails a, a; and should the next train of carriages come
along the line of rails c, c, in such case the switch would be wrongly placed,
and one of the fore-wheels of the first carriage would come on to the end of
the lever t, and throw the bar d over away from the bar c, a, and thus allow
of the train passing along the rail c, a.
I would here remark that although I prefer that the switches above
explained should have the apparatus connected therewith to be worked by
means of the train passing in either direction, yet the arrangements of switches
above explained will be found superior in themselves when compared with the
switches now commonly in use, and some engineers consider that it is better
to have the persons attending the switches for the purpose of placing them
correctly for passing from the line of rails a, a, on to one or other of the
lines b, b, c, c; and in case either of the three arrangements of switches above
described should be preferred to be worked by hand, then the apparatus.
m, n, would be dispensed with, and a hand lever applied at a sufficient
distance from the rails to be worked by hand, as will readily be under-
stood by an engineer. And although I consider this mode of employing the
switches inferior and less useful, the correctness of the switches will still depend
much less on the attention of the person superintending such switches than
those now in use; for whatever be the position thereof when the train is
passing from the line of rails b, b, or c, c, on to the line a, a, the travelling of
the carriage will ensure the switches being placed correctly..

page_text: And I would have it understood, in respect to the first part of my Invention,
I do not confine myself to any particular construction of switches when
combined with apparatus to be operated on by the travelling of a carriage or
train of carriages and the arrangement of switches, and the apparatus connected
therewith and with the carriages may be varied from those shewn in the
Drawings without departing from my Invention, provided their action is such
as by suitable apparatus in connection with the switches the travelling of a
carriage or train of carriages is enabled to arrange and ensure the correct
placing of the same, to enable the carriage or train of carriages to depart
off one set of rails on to the correct one of two other sets of rails, as described.
And I would have it understood that what I claim as the first part of my
Invention secured by the present Letters Patent is, the mode of constructing
switches of railways, and apparatus connected therewith in such manner as to
be acted on by the travelling of a carriage or train of carriages, and whereby
the travelling carriage or train of carriages is the means of ensuring the correct
placing of the switches in order to the carriage or train of carriages being
guided and caused to take the proper course or line of railway, as above
described.
Secondly, I claim the mode of applying the bars d, e, and parts connected
therewith, as switches for railways, as shewn at Figures 1, 2, and 3, whether
combined or not with apparatus, to be worked by the apparatus on the axis p,
when a carriage is passing from a single line of rails on to one other of two
lines of rails, as above explained.
Thirdly, I claim the mode of applying the rails d, e, moving on axes and
parts connected therewith, as described at Figure 5, whether combined or not
with apparatus to be worked by the axis p, when a train or a carriage is
passing from a single line of rails on to one of two lines of rails.
And, fourthly, I claim the mode of applying the bar d, moving on axes, as
described in respect to Figures 7, 8, and 9, whether combined or not with
apparatus to be worked by apparatus connected with a carriage or train of
carriages when passing from the line of rails a, a, on to one of two lines of
rails.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Faram, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty.
JOHN (L.S.) FARAM.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Nineteenth day of May, in the
year of our Lord 1840, the aforesaid John Faram came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord One