Travelling on Rails and Common Roads.
Year: 1885

page_text: Travelling on Rails and Common Roads.
I EDWARD PERRETT of 8 Victoria Chambers in the City of Westminster Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND RELATING TO WHEELS FOR VEHICLES, FOR TRAVELLING ON RAILS AND
COMMON ROADS" to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to Wheels to enable vehicles to run upon common roads or
upon rails and refers to improvements upon a former invention in respect of which
I have obtained Letters patent dated the 11th February 1884 N° 3102.
In the specification to the said former Letters Patent I described an arrangement
in which the rail wheels are keyed on a revolving axle and the road wheels are
thrown up and down by eccentrics loose on the axle and moved by suitable gear.
My present Invention has reference to arrangements intended for cases in which
fixed axles are admissable.
In carrying out my Invention I proceed in the following manner :—
On a fixed or non-revolving axle (capable however of being turned half round
when desired) I place two flanged rail wheels loose upon the axle. Fast upon
the axle are two eccentrics, and upon these eccentrics I place common road wheels.
When the axle is so placed that the eccentrics are raised the rail wheels are in
action; when the axle is turned over and the eccentrics are down the road wheels
are consequently down and brought into action and the rail wheels are lifted.
In some cases I connect each pair of flanged wheels together by a tube over the
axle, or other distance pieces between the backs of the wheels, so as to keep the
flanges rigidly to gauge.
If desired the eccentrics may be placed inside the rail wheels the road wheels
then revolving on the axle. When the axle is half turned over the rail wheels are
thrown up or down as the case may be.
In some cases it may be desirable to put a small eccentric inside each wheel so
that when the axle is turned over the necessary vertical motion is effected partly
on each wheel.
If preferred the eccentrics may be loose upon the axle, and turned over by
suitable gear, the axle in this case being immovable.

page_text: Travelling on Rails and Common Roads.
I EDWARD PERRETT of 8 Victoria Chambers in the City of Westminster Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
My Invention relates to Wheels to enable vehicles to run upon common roads
and upon rails, and has reference to improvements on a former Invention in respect
of which I have obtained Letters Patent, dated the 11th February 1884, N° 3102.
In the specification to the said former Letters patent, I described an arrangement
in which the rail wheels are keyed on a revolving axle, and the road wheels are
thrown up and down by eccentrics loose on the axle and moved by suitable gear,
so as to bring either the rail wheels or the road wheels into action as required.
:
My present Invention has reference to arrangements intended for cases in which
fixed or non-revolving 'axles are admissable.
In order that my Invention may be perfectly understood, I shall now proceed to
⚫ describe the best methods with which I am acquainted of carrying the same into
effect, and in so doing shall refer to the accompanying sheet of drawings the same
letters of reference in which indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings are sectional elevations
representing wheels of a tram car or similar vehicle constructed and arranged
according to five several modifications of my Invention, Figure 1 and the left hand
portion of Figures 3, 4 and 5 indicating the rail and road wheels in the proper
relative position for the vehicle to run upon the rails, whilst Figure 2 and the
right hand portion of Figures 3, 4 and 5 shew the rail and road wheels in the
proper relative position for the vehicle to run upon the road. Figures 1ª, 35, 4
and 5, are end views corresponding respectively to Figure 1 and the left hand
portion of Figures 3, 4 and 5.
Referring to Figures 1 and 1ª, on a fixed or non-revolving axle a (capable
however of being turned half round when desired) I place two flanged rail wheels
(one of which is shewn at b) loose upon the axle a; upon the said axle are secured
at the side of the wheels b, two eccentrics, one of which is represented at c, and
upon the eccentric c at each end of the axle a, I place a common road wheel d.
When the axle a is placed in the position shewn in Figure 1, the eccentrics care
raised, thus lifting the road wheels d, and the rail wheels bare brought into action.
When the axle a is turned over (half-round) the eccentrics c are down, the road
wheels d are consequently down and brought into action, and the rail wheels bare
above the road.
In some cases, I connect each pair of flanged wheels together by a tube over the
axle as shewn at e Figure 2, or by any other suitable distance piece or pieces
between the backs of the wheels, so as to keep the flanges rigidly to gauge. The
arrangement shewn in Figure 2 is otherwise similar to that illustrated in Figure 1,
but the position of the parts is different, the road wheels being represented in
action in Figure 2, whilst the rail wheels are shewn in action in Figure 1.

page_text: If desired the eccentrics may be placed inside the rail wheels, the road wheels
then revolving on the axle. This modification is illustrated in Figures 3 and 3ª,
in which c c represent eccentrics fast on the axle a, on which eccentrics revolve.
the rail wheels b, the road wheels & revolving on the axle a.
When the axle a is placed in the position shewn on the left hand side of Figure 3
and in Figure 3, the eccentrics c¹ are down, thus lowering the rail wheels, b which
are accordingly brought into action. When the axle a is turned over (half-round)
as represented on the right-hand side of Figure 3, the eccentrics c¹ are raised, thus
lifting the rail wheels b, and the road wheels d are brought into action.
In some cases, it may be desirable to put a small eccentric inside each wheel, so
that when the axle is turned over the necessary vertical motion is effected partly
on each wheel.
Figures 4 and 4 illustrate this modification, the eccentrics c and c¹, on which
the road wheels d and rail wheels respectively revolve, being arranged with their
eccentricity in opposite directions, so that on the axle being turned half round, one
pair of wheels will be moved up and the other down, and vice versa, the joint effect
being the same as in the arrangements previously hereinbefore described.
If preferred, the eccentrics may be loose upon the axle and turned over by
suitable gear, the axle in this case being immovable.
This modification is illustrated in Figures 5 and 5ª, in which a spur wheel f, fast
on each loose eccentric c, is in gear with a spur pinion f¹, fast on an axis g, by the
aid of which the eccentric may be turned over (thus producing the same effect as
by turning over the axle in the arrangements previously described) and be retained
in the position into which it has been moved. It is obvious, however, that a lever
or any other suitable gear may be substituted for the spur gearing shewn.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The combination with a fixed or non-revolving axle, of a pair of flanged rail
wheels, and a pair of road wheels, either of which pairs of wheels is mounted
concentrically, whilst the other pair of wheels is mounted eccentrically on the said
axle, or both of which pairs of wheels are mounted eccentrically on the said axle
with their eccentricity in opposite directions, in such a manner that the relative
height of the two pairs of wheels may be changed at will in order to adapt the
vehicle to run upon rails or upon common roads, substantially as herein before
described.