Improvements in Railways or Tramways and in Vehicles for use in connection therewith.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Apr., 1891-Accepted, 20th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railways or Tramways and in Vehicles for use in
connection therewith.
I, ALOYS MARIA LEINWATHER, of Basle, in the Republic of Switzerland,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to railways or tramways and to vehicles for use in
connection therewith.
The improved railway or tramway constructed according to the aforesaid
invention, which is designed for the transport of persons, goods and the like, either
on unprepared ground, on roads, in streets or on special foundations is adapted for
all kinds of vehicles, such as waggons and waggonets, carriages, street vehicles,
and military vehicles, the wheel tyres of which are or are not provided with a
flange.
This invention has moreover for its object to render the railway or tramway to
the greatest extent independent of the ground, inasmuch as it does not necessitate
any transverse sleepers; to ensure the most rapid manufacture and laying; to
realize the greatest strength with the least amount of material; to dispense with
the ordinary rails, sleepers, fish-plates, wedges, bolts, screws, nails, hooks and the
like, and with tools in the construction of permanent and portable railways or
tramways.
My improved railway or tramway comprises two bearers or supports which are
laid parallel with each other to form a track and the parts of which are connected
with each other by straight muffs in the case of permanent ways or by bent muff's
for curves when they are not curved. In the case of portable tracks the connection
is effected by a link coupling having a ring bolt of peculiar construction. The
vertical plane of the flange formed on this bolt enables the coupling rings to be kept
in their proper position and the oval bolt precludes the turning. By means of these
rings two or more bearers or supports can be connected so as to enable them to be
fo'ded up or developed. At one end of such a fagot of bearers or supports is
provided a turning pin and at the other end a hook.
The couplings are secured simply by causing the outer flanges of the bearer or
support to engage and by bending part of the flange inwards or outwards.
Being constructed on the principle of diagonal stays each of the said bearers or
supports presents spherical surfaces, and its central part is provided with two ribs
upon which the wheel tyre rolls. The two outer ribs serve for guiding the wheel
tyre as together with the inner ribs they form a groove so that wheels without a
flange can roll therein. The flange of the flanged wheels rolls in one of the outer
grooves, and the cheeks on the lower part of the outer flanges serve for securing
the coupling parts. For permanent ways the tracks are preferably laid in a bed of
broken stones and gravelling at a suitable inclination in the longitudinal direction
for drainage. The spherical bearer or support is rolled from the best ingot steel,
and the couplings are made of malleable cast iron or tempered steel.
The thickness and length of the bearers or supports depend upon the purposes
for which the track is used, the kind of motive power employed, such as manual
labour horses or steam, and upon whether the structure is to be permanent or
temporary.
A bearer or support constructed on this new principle is very strong and offers
an abnormally great resistance to lateral displacements so that a transverse con-
nection can usually be dispensed with. At the same time my improved bearer or
support realizes with the least amount of material the greatest efficiency as regards

page_text: the pressure that it can withstand, and an extremely favourable distribution of the
pressure upon the bed.
For railways or tramways constructed according to my invention for the use of
vehicles driven at a high speed, by steam power transverse rods or bars can be
arranged at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of the curves and at other
places if desired, which rods or bars are secured to the bearers or supports by
means of lugs.
In connection with the railway or tramway above described I employ vehicles of
improved construction. These vehicles may serve for the transport of persons and
goods in general, and are particularly suitable for abnormally heavy weights. The
transport takes place, upon a firm basis, with or without lubricants, sliding friction
is obviated as far as practicable, that is to say only rolling friction is created in the
transporting movement, and wheels, rollers and axles are dispensed with.
Instead of having wheels and axles these vehicles are supported upon balls, each
of which is adapted to turn quite independently in a guide plate whereon are
secured by common bolts above four wedge pieces and below four angle pieces.
4,
plate is secured upon the frame of the vehicle either rigidly or flexibly by two
short bolts and two long differential bolts. It forms below a kind of cup having
circular bearing, and its central part is provided with a rectangular opening having
an offset above and a circular opening below.
In this opening fits a brush of antifriction metal the cylindrical bore of which
terminates above in a cone-shaped funnel.
Between the above-mentioned plate and ball is placed an excentric disc which is
provided below at its centre with a conical projection terminating in a circular
surface, or which forms a circularly cupped ring.
Above, the said excentric disc has at its centre a journal, part of which is made
cylindrical and is provided with channels or recesses.
This journal extends through the cylindrical bore in aforesaid bush, wherein it is
held through the medium of a taper or funnel-shaped cover fixed by two or three
adjusting screws to the excentric disc or its journal.
Upon an offset formed on the top of the disc is arranged a distance plate pre-
senting three or five circular openings for an equal number of antifriction balls
placed between the above-mentioned plate and excentric disc.
Rings of spring steel are placed upon the under side of the said plate and upon
the upper side of the excentric disc, these rings being adapted to be turned upside
down.
The guide plate hereinbefore referred to is held by means of two angle-pieces
and differential bolts, and in the case of broad gauge waggons two corresponding
devices of a vehicle are held at a suitable distance by one or two forked transverse
rods which are likewise secured by means of the said differential bolts.
Each of the said angles has a groove which is provided with a suitable metal
lining and wherein the above-mentioned guide plate can slide to and fro so as to
adapt itself to the differences in the width between the tracks. The limits of the
lateral movements depend upon the position of the wedge pieces employed which
strike against a projection on the said angle-piece. These wedge-pieces which can
be turned eight times are held by means of square bolts in order to prevent them
from turning. The angle-pieces have for their object to prevent the ball from
falling out.
The outer wall of the cup bearing may extend down to the excentric device the
periphery of which is made conical, for the purpose of preventing the access of dirt
to the various parts of the device, a door being provided in the said wall for
enabling the interior parts to be inspected.
In case of lubrication this may be effected at the upper part of the bearing, so
that the oil can flow through the funnel and channels or recesses hereinbefore
referred to.
If the conical surface of the excentric disc is provided with teeth this disc
becomes a kind of bevel wheel whereby the said ball can always be turned in the

page_text: direction of the waggons so that locomotive engines can be used without driving
wheels, the latter being replaced by the aforesaid balls.
Dated this 23rd day of July 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Railways or Tramways and in Vehicles for use in
connection therewith.
I, ALOYS MARIA LEINWATHER, of Basle, in the Republic of Switzerland,
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 railways or tramways and to vehicles for use in connection
therewith.
The railway or tramway constructed according to the present invention, which is
designed for the transport of persons goods and the like, either on unprepared
ground, on roads, in streets or on special foundations adapted for all kinds of
vehicles, such as waggons and waggonets, carriages, street vehicles, and military
vehicles, the wheel tyres of which are or are not provided with a flange.
This invention has moreover for its object to render the railway or tramway to
the greatest extent independent of the condition of the ground, inasmuch as it does
not necessitate any transverse sleepers, to ensure the most rapid manufacture and
laying; to realize the greatest strength with the least amount of material, to
dispense with the ordinary rails, sleepers, fish-plates, wedges, bolts, screws, nails,
hooks and the like, and also to dispense with tools in the construction of permanent
and portable railways or tramways.
In the accompanying drawings, the figures of which are hereinafter referred to,
I have shown how my said invention may be conveniently and advantageously
carried into practice.
My improved railway or tramway comprises two bearers or supports T which are
laid parallel with each other to form a track and the parts of which are connected
with each other by straight muffs M in the case of permanent ways or by bent
muffs M for curves without curved track supports.
In the case of portable tracks the connection is effected by a link coupling G
(Figures 3 and 4) having a ring bolt B Figure 12 of peculiar construction. The
vertical plane of the flange formed on this bolt enables the coupling rings to be
kept in their proper position and the oval bolt precludes the turning. By means
of these rings two or more bearers or supports can be connected so as to enable
them to be folded up (Figures 3 and 4) or extended. At one end of such folded
bearers or supports is provided a turning pin D (Figures 4, 5 and 6), and at the
other end a hook H (Figure 4).
The couplings are secured simply by causing the outer flanges f, f¹ of the bearer
or support T to engage with the bases of the coupling pieces by bending part of the
said flanges inwards or outwards (Figures 2 and 8).
As each of the said bearers or supports are constructed on the principle of
diagonal stays they present spherical surfaces, and the central part is provided
with two ribs r,r (Figure 2) upon which the wheel tyre rolls. The two outer
ribs, serve for guiding the wheel tyre as together with the inner ribs they form
a groove so that wheels without a flange can roll therein. The flange of the wheels
roll in one of the outer grooves i, i, and the cheeks (b, 61 Figure 2) on the lower part
of the outer flanges f, serve for securing the coupling parts to the said bearers or
supports T. For permanent ways the tracks are preferably laid in a bed of broken
stones and gravelling at a suitable inclination in the longitudinal direction for

page_text: drainage. The spherical bearer or support is rolled from the best ingot steel, and
the couplings are made of malleable cast iron or tempered steel.
The thickness and length of the bearers or supports depend upon the purposes for
which the track is used, the kind of motive power employed, such as manual labour,
horses, or steam, and upon whether the structure is to be permanent or temporary.
A bearer or support constructed on this new principle is very strong and offers
an abnormally great resistance to lateral displacement, so that a transverse
connection or sleeper can usually be dispensed with. At the same time my
improved bearer or support realizes with the least amount of material the greatest
efficiency as regards the pressure that it can withstand and an extremely favourable
distribution of the pressure upon the bed.
For railways or tramways constructed according to my invention for the use of
vehicles driven at a high speed by steam power, transverse rods or bars S
(Figures 3, 4 and 8) can be arranged at the beginning; in the middle, or at the
end of the curves and at other places if desired, which rods or bars are secured to
the bearers or supports by means of lugs s.
In connection with the railway or tramway above described I employ vehicles of
improved construction.
These vehicles may serve for the transport of persons and goods in general, and
are particularly suitable for abnormally heavy weights. The transport takes place
upon a firm basis, with or without lubricants, sliding friction is obviated as far as
practicable, that is to say, only rolling friction is created in the transporting
movement, and wheels, rollers and axles are dispensed with.
Instead of having wheels and axles these vehicles are supported upon balls K
(Figures 9, 10 and 11) each of which is adapted to turn quite independently in a
guide plate F upon which are secured above by means of common bolts' o four
wedge-pieces and below four angle-pieces to.
A plate P is secured upon the frame of the vehicle L either rigidly or flexibly
by two short bolts p and two long adjustable bolts Q. It forms below a kind of
cup having a revolving circular bearing shown clearly in Fig. 10.
Into an opening in the centre of the said plate P fits a bush A of antifriction
metal, the cylindrical bore of which terminates above in a cone-shaped funnel.
Between the above-mentioned plate P and ball K is placed an eccentric disc E
which is provided below at its centre with a conical projection terminating in a
circular surface, or which forms a circularly cupped ring (Figure 10).
Above, the said eccentric disc E has at its centre a journal Z the part above the
projection a being made cylindrical and provided with channels or recesses c
(Figure 11).
This journal extends through the cylindrical bore in the aforesaid bush A in
which it is held by means of a conical washer (Figure 10) fixed by two or three
adjusting screws and the bolt t' to the eccentric disc or its journal Z.
Upon an offset a formed on the journal is arranged a distance plate d
(Figures 10, 11) in which three or five circular openings are formed for the
reception of an equal number of antifriction balls g arranged between 'the above-
mentioned plate P and the revolving eccentric disc E.
Rings L L of spring steel are placed upon the underside of the said plate P and
upon the upper side of the eccentric disc E, these rings being adapted to be turned
upside down (Figures 10 and 11).
The guide plate F hereinbefore referred to is held by means of two angle pieces W
and differential bolts Q, and in the case of broad gauge waggons two corresponding
devices of a vehicle are held at a suitable distance by one or two forked transverse
rods Y which are likewise secured by means of the said differential bolts.
Each of the said angle pieces has a groove which is provided with a suitable metal
lining and in which the above-mentioned guide plate can slide to and fro so as to
adapt itself to the differences in the width between the tracks. "The limits of the
lateral movements depend upon the position of the wedge pieces k employed, which
lodge against a projection on the said angle-piece. "These wedge-pieces which can

page_text: be turned eight times are held by means of square bolts o in order to prevent them
from turning. The angle-pieces w have for their object to prevent the ball from
falling out.
The outer wall of the cup bearing may extend down to the eccentric disc the
periphery of which is made conical, for the purpose of preventing the access of dirt
to the various parts of the device, doors being provided in the said wall for enabling
the interior parts to be inspected (see Fig. 9).
In case of its being desired to lubricate the apparatus this may be effected at the
upper part of the bearing so that the oil can flow through the funnel and channels e
or recesses hereinbefore referred to.
If the conical surface of the eccentric disc is provided with teeth this disc becomes
a kind of bevel wheel E whereby the said ball can always be turned in the direction
of the waggons so that locomotive engines can be used without driving-wheels, the
said bevel wheel E being connected to the propelling machinery and being turned
by it so as to propel the engine along the wheels being replaced by the aforesaid
balls.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. A railway system suitable for all kinds of vehicles, consisting of the
spherical track support T, the fixed couplings M M, the link coupling G with the
ring bolt B, the turning pin D, the hook H the lugs s and the track bar S, and its
peculiar mode of fixing, with the support flanges ƒƒ (Figures 3 and 4).
Second. A ball motor for transport purposes, consisting of a rolling-ball K guide-
plate F, with stop-wedges and angle pieces w, in combination with an eccentric
dise E which is supported by three or more friction balls g in a distance disc <
against the pressing plate P with the bearing sleeve A (Figures 9 and 10).
Third. The wedge-pieces adapted to be turned, the adjustable angle-pieces W,
and the mode of fixing the several parts and two corresponding ball motors by the
transverse rod Y.
Fourth. The effecting of the ball driving by means of a bevel wheel eccentric E
(Figures 9 and 10).
Deted th
A1 1001
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.