IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE LOCOMOTION OF TRAINS ON RAILWAYS BY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Podmore Bayliss, of Lambeth, in the County
of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR THE LOCOMOTION OF TRAINS ON RAILWAYS BY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE."
Sealed the 9th January 1866, and dated the 14th July 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Podmore Bayliss
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th July 1865
I, WILLIAM PODMORE BAYLISS, of Lambeth, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE LOCOMOTION OF TRAINS ON RAILWAYS BY ATMOSPHERIC
PRESSURE," to be as follows:-
I use a tube of uniform bore, which I place between the rails of the
railway, which tube has a longitudinal aperture extending along its upper
surface. Upon this aperture, or fitting into it, I place a smooth band or rope
of leather, indian-rubber, gutta percha, or other suitable material, which fits
accurately over or in the longitudinal aperture. The ends of the tube com-
municate with one or more apparatus for exhausting the air within the tube.
Within the tube I use two similar pistons in firm connection with each other,
and with a carriage formed to move upon the railway. Each piston is pro-
vided with a valve, which may be opened or shut as required. In the fore part
of the carriage a wheel is fitted so as to run upon or over the band or rope,

page_text: the pressure of which wheel upon the band or rope serves to keep the part
which is under the wheel and immediately behind the piston corresponding to
that part of the carriage in its place over or in the longitudinal aperture of
the tube The piston corresponding to the same end of the carriage is, as just
mentioned, fixed, so as to be in advance of this wheel. Behind the wheel
before described are fitted one or more wheels or pulleys at different heights,
the object of which wheels or pulleys is to raise the part of the band or rope
behind the said wheel from its place upon or in the aperture of the tube.
The back part of the carriage is a counterpart of the fore part already
described, both in regard to the position of the piston corresponding to that
part of the wheel which runs over or upon the band or rope and the wheels
or pulleys over which the band or rope is made to pass, so that at any one
time the portion of band or rope between the wheels at the two ends of the
_carriage is the only part which is not in its place over or in the longitudinal
aperture of the tube. When the carriage is required to move the piston
valve at the end in the direction of which motion is required is closed, and
the other valve in the opposite piston is opened. The air being then
exhausted in that part of the tube towards which motion is required, the
pressure of the external atmosphere admitted into that part of the tube from
which the band or rope is raised, in the manner before described on the back
of the piston, forces the carriage to move in the direction of the vacuum.
The carriage itself is supported by wheels which run upon the rails of the
railway.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Podmoto Bayliss in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th January 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
PODMORE BAYLISS, of Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters:
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of IIer reign,
did, for ITeiself, Пer heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Podmore Bayliss, Her special licence that 1, the said William Podmore
Bayliss, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the s
said William Podmore Bayliss, my executors, administrators, and assigns,

page_text: should at any time, agree with, and no others, fiom time to time and at all
timesi thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Butain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN, APPARATUS FOR THE LOCOMOTION OF TRAINS ON RAILWAYS BY
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Podmore Bayliss, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing..under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after, the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW.YE, that I, the said William Podmore Bayliss, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention,, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
I use a tube of uniform boie, which I place between the rails of the
railway, which tube has a longitudinal aperture extending along its upper
sui face. Upon this aperture, or fitting into it, I place a smooth band or
rope of leather, indian-rubber, gutta percha, or other suitable material, which
fits accurately over or in the longitudinal aperture. The ends of the tube
.communicate with one or more apparatus for exhausting the air within the
tube. Within the tube I use two similar pistons in firm connection with
each other, and with a carriage formed to move upon the railway. Each
piston is provided with a valve or door, which may be opened or shut as
equued. In the foro part of the carriage a wheel is fitted, so as to run upon
or over the band or rope, the pressure of which wheel upon the band or 1ope
serves to keep the part which is under the wheel and immediately behind the
piston corresponding to that part of the carriage in its place over or in the
longitudinal aperture of the tube. The piston or door corresponding to the
same end of the carriage is, as just mentioned, fixed, so as to be in advance
of this wheel. Behind the wheel before described are fitted one or more
wheels or pulleys at different heights, the object of which wheels or pulleys is
to raise the part of the band or rope behind the said wheel fioni its place
upon or in the aperture of the tube. The back part of the carriage is a
counter part of the fore part already described, both in regard to the position
of the piston corresponding to that part of the wheel which uns over o
upon the band or rope and the wheels or pulleys over which the band or rope
is made to pass, so that at any one time the portion of band or rope betweeu

page_text: the wheels at the two ends of the carriage is the only part which is not in its
place over or in the longitudinal aperture. of the tube. When the carriage is
required to move, the piston valve at the end in the direction of which motion
is required is closed, and the other valve in the opposite piston is opened.
The air being then exhausted in that part of the- tube towards which motion.
is required, the pressure of the external atmosphere admitted into that part of
the tube from which the band or rope is raised, in the manner before
'described on the back of the piston, forces the carriage to move in the
direction of the vacuum. The carriage itself is supported by wheels which
run upon the rails of the railway.
Having thus far explained the nature and object of my said Invention, I
shall now proceed to describe the same more particularly, and in order thereto
I shall refer to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and
figures of reference maiked thereon.
Fig 1 shows a longitudinal section of the iron tube A, A, in which are the
pistons P, P, in firm connection with the carriage or truck to convey whatever
is required, by means of the solid connecting frame B, B, &c. The carriage.
is not shown on the Drawing, as it is foreign to the immediate object of my
Invention. C, C, &c, is the leather, gutta percha, or other rope or band
which closes the aperture in the top of the tube, as seen at-B, in section,
Fig. 2; D, D, are the wheels which press on the band or rope C, C, and
close the aperture. These are situated between the pistons P, P, &c. at
their respective ends, and close the tube by means of the rope or band C, C,
in advance of the piston as it progresses; E and F are small friction wheels,
over or between which the band passes, in order to raise it from the longi-
tudinal opening in the tube. There may be any number of these rollers or
wheels. H is a spindle, actuated by the hand lever wheel W, and has a small
pinion working into a ratchet or other similar appliance marked 1, Fig. 2,
whereby the valves or doors V, V, are closed when required by reason of the
bar K, K, being pushed in one or other direction. This may be accomplished
also by means of an excentric, or by other means. R, R, are the rails on
which the carriage runs, and is supported in the usual way. The mode of
operation will be sufficiently understood from what has been already said.
The valve or door V at the end towards which the carriage or train is to run
being closed; and the air exhausted from the intermediate space, the pressure
of the atmosphere through the open longitudinal slit urges the carriage or
train in the required direction.
Having now fully described the nature and object of my Invention, and the
best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect,

page_text: I wish it to be understood that what I claim is, the general arrangement and
combination of mechanism herein-before described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Podmore Bayliss, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
WILLIAM PODMORE BAYLISS. (L.B.)
Witness,
C. COUSINS,
Angel Street, Cardiff.