AN IMPROVED SYSTEM TO FACILITATE THE TRANSFER OF GOODS OF VARIOUS KINDS WITHOUT UNLOADING
Year: 1884

page_text: I, THOMAS MARTIN (of Connemara) lato Lt-Colonel Comd. the "King's Own
Royal Lancaster Regt," and now of "La Rochelle" Rohais Guernsey (Channel
Islands) do solemnly and sincerely declare that I am in possession of an Invention
viz.: AN IMPROVED SYSTEM TO FACILITATE THE TRANSFER OF GOODS OF
VARIOUS KINDS WITHOUT UNLOADING,
11
"
For the above objects and purposes I uso receptacles &c., termed by me
"Transfers," having suitable wheels to enable them to be easily moved and worked
by hand or by mechanism on permanent or on removable "Trambars to fit
impromptu on to ordinary railway trucks &c., for receiving them.-The "Transfers
are of different sizes, make, and material, to suit their several uses; some are for
containing perishable articles of food, some for carrying goods or merchandise,
others for various purposes, and for transferring such goods &c., in bulk " when
necessary" from narrow to broad gauge lines of railway or " vice versa," enabling
them to be transferred from trucks to trucks or from trucks on to sidings or on to
Platform Carts" &c. &c., or from vessels on to platform carts &c. in connection
with railways, markets &c.
"
The transfers for perishable articles of food have lids to be suitably fastened and
metallically sealed, those for fish and for fruit have "Trays," for the former and
for meat there are refrigerating appliances but those for meat would not have
"Trays."
"
The receptacles or Transfers" for ordinary goods, would not have lids, but be
covered with tarpaulin-and some may be mere platforms for the transfer of heavy
iron work off or on to ordinary platform trucks.
"Transfers" for liquid such as petroleum would be metal tanks; but for other
explosives they would have lids as described.
At the junctions of broad and narrow gauge railways, there would be a narrow
landing platform, fitted with several pairs of trambar rails, for the "up and down
traffic," and also turn-tables for the trucks to receive and discharge the transfers
which, by means of a suitable windlass arrangement, are transferred from the
trucks of one line in to those of the other--two narrow gauge truck loads being
made equal to one broad gauge truck load.

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In my Final Specification I detail how the "Transfers" and "Trays" for "Fish
are worked between trawling vessels and carrier steamers and the shore or the
railway.
The refrigerating apparatus is of suitable metal and may be removable, one or
more may be placed in any one "Transfer."-The "Trays" are by preference of
perforated zinc, and may be of one or of several sizes in any one transfer, as all are
interchangeable. The small wheels of the transfers are grooved to fit the trambars.—
The objects of the Invention are:
1st To connect and facilitate traffic.
2nd To economise time and labour.
3rd To better pack, convey and distribute the fish supply by land or by water
carriage.
4th For the safer transport of explosive materials.
5th To apply this system to sanitary requirements; land reclaiming &c., and for
conveying sea-water to aquariums &c. &c.
Dated at Guernsey this 1st day of January Eighteen hundred and eighty-four.

page_text: I THOMAS MARTIN (of Connemara) late Lt-Colonel Com the King's Own
Royal Lancaster Regt (4th Foot) and now of "La Rochelle" Rohais, Guernsey,
Channel Islands, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "FACILITATING
THE TRANSFER OF GOODS OF VARIOUS KINDS WITHOUT UNLOADING' and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
"
The vehicles, appliances, and means which I use to effect the above named object.
and purposes, are removable "Transfers," (i.e. receptacles) some of which have
Refrigerating Apparatus" &c. and are fitted with small "Flanged" or "Grooved"
wheels, either "Flush" with their sides or projecting:
"
Also, specially fitted "Platform Carts;" "Trambars" some stationary, some
removable; and other "Mechanical Agencies" "Tackle," and "Auxiliaries" as
hereinafter set forth and specified, as required "to facilitate the transfer."
"
The "Transfers" are of materials, make, and capacity, to contain or to carry the
Various kinds of Goods" of whatever description requiring transmission whether
from out of platform carts on to permanent "Goods Platforms" at railway stations,
or on to ordinary railway trucks for direct through carriage on railway lines,
of one and the same gauge throughout; or on "Broken Lines," i.e. as between
"Lines" about to be constructed under the "Tramways, Ireland, Act," and existing
broad gauge lines of railway, as shown in the Drawing; or, between vessels and
railways &c. &c.; the said "Transfers" as below described, being made to suit the
present "Rolling Stock" of railway companies.
"
To effect all or any of these objects, the "Transfers" have four, or more in some
cases, small wheels, either "Flanged or "Grooved;" and to connect the traffic
"without unloading" (instead of portering and shifting goods piecemeal as now)
I adapt a system of small "Trambars" some permanent and some removable.
The Removable Trambars" are for temporary "Shunting" purposes and for
being fitted impromptu on to platform carts, or on to railway trucks not per-
manently supplied with them, and also for other purposes;-they are either linked
to open out to gauge or separate.
"
"
The "Platform Carts" for conveying goods to and from "Stations" are by
preference low; they are fitted with "Trambars to take the small wheels of the
Transfers;" they are also supplied with a removable "Windlass" to facilitate.
taking and discharging their load,-these windlasses may be taken off and be used
for transferring the load from railway platforms on to the trucks of "Goods
Trains." The "Platform Carts" have also a means for "Scotching" the “Transfer
wheels to steady them while going up or down inclines.
"

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These "Refrigerating Transfers" for fish or for delicate "Fruits" have a zinc
cooling box" for containing freezing mixture, which may be corrugated to
afford a larger cooling surface; they are also provided with perforated zinc
Trays" of two or three interchangeable sizes, in which to conveniently pack the
fish or fruit, and enable the transfer to contain a considerable quantity of one or of
different sorts without injury from pressure.
"
The packing and transport of fish is fully detailed in my paper on that subject,
which is annexed.
"
2nd The Refrigerating Transfers" for meat have "Cooling Boxes but no
"Trays" and are of suitable capacity to receive the meat, on its being discharged
from the steamer bringing it, and ensure its transmission without further handling
or exposure direct to markets, however distant, and to the trade on ordinary
railway trucks and platform carts; thus enabling railway cos to dispense with
expensive refrigerating vans.
If the railway be not connected with the wharf, platform carts would convey the
"Transfers" from the wharf to its "Goods Station."
3RD TRANSFERS, WITH OR WITHOUT
"
"
LIDS FOR ORDINARY " GOODS."
These "Transfers " are constructed either of metal or of wood; some have a side
to open and let down, or that can be taken off, to facilitate stowing and clearing;
some of these would be made suitable for containing "Piece Goods or the require-
ments of the "Paper Trade" and such Transfers" would have lids capable of
being metallically sealed, thus avoiding the expense of wooden cases, bales, &c.
At junctions where "Lines" of different gauge meet, there would be a narrow
"Goods Platform," 12 feet more or less, wide, fitted with three, or more, pairs of
trambar rails, one slightly inclined for the up traffic, the second also inclined for the
down traffic and the third level for other purposes, as shewn in the Drawing; these
rails would coincide with those on the trucks and fit the small wheels of the
transfers and enable them to be easily shifted from the smaller trucks into the
larger or v. v., by means of the windlass and "Snatch Block" system, shewn in
the Drawing, or by other mechanical agency. The smaller trucks, would be
turned broadside on to the platform; and the larger, end on and touching the
platform.
The transfers for furniture would be, so to say, the bodies only of the present
huge "Furniture Removal Vans ;"-these transfers would be taken on platform
carts, to railway stations for transmission; and railway co-would deliver them by
their own platform carts according to the invoice.
“
Through luggage" would also be forwarded in the same way-Persons having
a large quantity of luggage, railway co would send suitable transfers on carts for
it; thus avoiding the necessity for cording &c. boxes, as now; preventing damage
from frequent rough handling and saving much expense and labour-The railway
co would deliver the transfers at the address.

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6. "TANK TRANSFERS."
These "Transfers are adapted for conveying "Sea Water" by railway, to
aquariums or wherever sea water may be required for baths &c. they are of metal,
galvanized inside and out; they are provided with a suitable opening at top and
another at the base of one of its sides; these orifices have "Taps" and means are
provided for connecting a "hose joint" &c., thus admitting of the transfer being
filled or emptied while on the "Platform Cart" and of the cart conveying them
back empty to the railway station without having had to shift then.

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"
At the cemeteries there would be "Trambars on to which the "Transfers
would be shunted from out of the platform carts, by means of its removable
windlass, where they would remain until the coffins are required for interment ;
thus obviating the necessity for handling the coffins from the time they were
placed in the Hearse Transfer at the hospital, until the burial; no small
advantage, especially in times of epidemic, as pointed out in my paper above
referred to.
"
ور
Having described ten special adaptations of my transfers and trambars for,
according to the title of my Patent, "Facilitating the Transfer of Goods of various
Kinds without Unloading," I refrain from specifying other uses to which my system
is applicable; those already set forth being intended to indicate generally the
working of the "system," it being my intention and desire, not only to extend
it to railway companies and to every branch of manufacture or to wholesale
trades &c. but also to Government for the transfer of small arms, without requiring
packing cases, and other war materials and for commissariat purposes, viz. for the
transmission of supplies &c. to any portion of an "Army" connected by "Narrow
Gauge Railways" or Tramways" with "Broad Gauge Railways," at its base of
operations.
"
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The Drawing shews the junction of two lines of railway; one line, under the
"Tramways, Ireland, Act," is a narrow gauge, 3 feet, railway (say from Clifden,
Connemara, to Galway) forming junction with the other (say the Midland Great
Western broad gauge railway to Dublin.)
.A. B. C. D. E. F-Ordinary "Broad Gauge" trucks, front and rear sides to
open, down-some might be "Platform Trucks."
"
T. T. Transfers as described for various kinds of goods.
R. R. "Refrigerating Transfers" for fish, as described.
a. b. c. d. e. f" Narrow Gauge" trucks, with sides, one longitudinal side to
open, some might be platform and skeleton trucks.
"
P. P. P.-Permanent "Goods Platform 12 feet (more or less) wide, for
connecting the traffic by means of three (or more) pairs of "Trambars" (1. 2. 3.)
on which to work the "Transfers"- -N° 1. having a slight incline for the down
traffic-N° 2. also inclined for the up traffic and N° 3. level for the fish traffic and
for "returned empties."
"
k. k. h. "Snatch Blocks," raised to level of trucks.
T. T. "Hook rails," for connecting.
W. W Multiplying double action "Windlasses" (with underground shaft)
working "Gear" by means of the "Snatch Blocks-The gear is provided with a
Grapple" which hooks into the back of each "Transfer" to propel it on to the
receiving truck; the first half load becomes forced home by the second half load.
In loading a narrow gauge truck at its departure station, or loading and
unloading at intermediate stations a "removable windlass" as described for
"Platform Carts," would be used.
Nos 4 & 5 The broad gauge "Down" and "Up" main lines.
Do
Do
"Siding"

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"
a. having been connected by the "Hook Rails r. r. has received the second
"half load from A, and is ready to be turned" to follow b down the siding
No 9, to join main line N° 10.
c. is delivering its load to form the first part of C's load, and is ready to replace a
to receive half of B's load, when this truck takes the place of A; d is then brought
up to replace c, is "turned" broad side on, the hook rails r. r. adjusted, and delivers
the second load to C which is then sent after D.
e having received the 2nd empty refrigerating "Fish Transfer" from E is ready
to be "turned" to follow f, which carries the 1t "Empty" from E, down the
siding 11. to join the main line 10 (to "Clifden.")
"
In bringing "Fulls up, the reverse takes place and the "Windlass Gear"
"snatched" into the reverse "Blocks" i. i. (from blocks h. h.)
is
There would be but few "Empties" for general goods on the up and down
lines 4. 5 and 9. 10. as the transfers would be "Fulls both ways; unless, there
be an excess of traffic in any special trade one way, such as the fish trade, for
instance.
When the whole load of a broad gauge truck (suppose machinery) has to be
transferred on to the narrow gauge line, there would be an 8 wheeled "Skeleton
Truck "just wide enough to receive the "Platform Transfer" with the load, on to
its trambar rails which would form the extremity of its sides.
This "Skeleton Truck " would not require to be turned at the junction, it would
run end on close up to the platform P P. and be either blocked or steadily hooked
to it to receive the laden transfer-The hook rails, rr being removed for the
purpose.
All the transfers are made to suit the present rolling stock of railway companies,
and also the trucks of narrow gauge lines of railways or tramways.
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,
1 The combination of small trucks or "Transfers" fitted in various ways, to
suit the various articles above mentioned which are to be conveyed, with permanent
and also temporary special rails which can be fitted or laid down on trucks of
different gauge, to admit of interchange, and on platforms, docks, and other places,
so that the articles can be carried in these "Transfers" from one end of the journey
to the other without unloading-in the manner above described.
2nd The employment of "Refrigerating Transfers," as described, instead of the
present refrigerating vans used by railway companies for the transport of perishable
articles of food.
Dated this 11th day of June 1884.