A NEW AND IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR ARRESTING THE MOTION OF TRAMWAY CARS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Honyman Gillespie, of Torbanchill,
residing at No. 46, Melville Street, Edinburgh, for the Invention of
"A NEW AND IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR ARRESTING THE MOTION OF TRAMWAY
CARS."
Sealed the 27th December 1873, and dated the 14th July 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Honyman
Gillespie at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 14th July 1873.
I, WILLIAM HONYMAN GILLESPIE, of Torbanehill, residing at
No. 46, Melville Street, Edinburgh, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "A NEW AND IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR ARRESTING THE
MOTION OF TRAMWAY CARS," to be as follows:-
First. A strong longitudinal beam of malleable iron or other metal is
fastened to the bottom of the car, and runs from end to end thereof, to

page_text: .
Fifth. Each of the iron prongs, and also the two drags, before described,
when liberated fall into strong iron sockets, which are fastened to the
longitudinal beam and transverse beam respectively. These iron sockets
serve the double purpose of directing each prong in its intended angle as
it falls, and also to keep it pointing in the proper direction to arrest the
motion of the car. The sockets further prevent the prongs from turning
backwards by supporting them from behind.
Sixth. Where the front and back of a car are reversed it is only
necessary to fit up a double set of prongs on the iron beam, before
described, with an additional lever, rod, and bell.
4
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Honyman Gillespie in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 9th January 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HONYMAN GILLESPIE, of Torbanehill, residing at No. 46, Melville
Street, Edinburgh, 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 seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Honyman Gillespie, Her special
licence that I, the said William Honyman Gillespie, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Honyman
Gillespie, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an In-
vention for "A NEW AND IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR ARRESTING THE MOTION
OF TRAMWAY CARS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Honyman Gillespie, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and

page_text: seals, should particularly 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Honyman Gillespie, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :—
F
First. A strong longitudinal beam of malleable iron or other metal is
fastened to the bottom of the car, and runs from end to end thereof, to
which beam are attached by strong easily worked joints iron prongs
sharpened at the points. The iron prongs may be six in number, less or
(more, and of graduated lengths, falling from different parts of the said
iron beam, so that they will on being made to drop by the driver of the 1
car, as herein-after described, strike the ground nearly simultaneously,
but at different angles.
The number of prongs can be increased where necessary by having:
some attached to a lateral rod of iron or other metal at right angles to
the longitudinal beam, and attached to the two sides of the car by
projecting eyes or sockets, in which it is placed and moves easily. The
said additional prongs being all of one piece with the said lateral rod of
iron, all move at the same time, and can be held up by the wire, after-
mentioned, by one of the prongs next the said longitudinal beam being
inserted in a noose or holdfast. In all cases where practicable no prong a
· should be so placed as to strike the ground in advance of the front
wheels.
In many cases a buffer or buffers may be considered necessary to
relieve the shock when the car is suddenly arrested, and in that case the
longitudinal beam would be placed in a groove and the buffer or buffers
would be placed at the end of the groove at the back part of the car.
Second. A strong copper or other metallic rod attached to a vertical
lever, the handle of which lever is immediately in front of the driver,
runs along the said longitudinal beam at the bottom of the car, and is
kept in its place by loops or holdfasts attached to said beam or to the

page_text: The prongs attached to the said lateral rod, before described, will be
kept at their proper angle and prevented from going backwards by a
strong support or holdfast attached to the said longitudinal beam.
Sixth. Where the front and back of a car are reversed, it is only
necessary to fit up a double set of prongs on the longitudinal beam,
before described, with an additional lever, rod, and bell.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Honyman Gillespie, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Thirty-first day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.