CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES
Year: 1844

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
WRIGHT, of Gough Street, Gray's Inn Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Coach Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Seventh day of May, in the seventh year of Her reign, and in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-four, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Joseph
Wright, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Joseph Wright, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and
such others as I, the said Joseph Wright, my executors, administrators, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times during the term of fourteen years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso that I, the said Joseph Wright, should cause a particular description
of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said

page_text: in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Joseph Wright, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are described and ascer-
tained in the Drawings hereunto annexed, and in which the same letters indicate
the same parts.
My improvements consist,―
Firstly, in placing the bodies of railway carriages on two separate under
frames, having eight, six, or four wheels in each separate under frame.
Secondly, in suspending railway and other carriages on springs, which bear
the load a certain distance from the ends, which are only brought into gradual
action by an increase in the load.
Thirdly, in the substitution of wire ropes or bands for the iron band or brace
covered with leather, as now used on the Birmingham and other railways in
connection with "Wharton's springs."
Fourthly, in forming wheels for railway carriages by keying L-shaped
spokes in a cast-iron nave.
Fifthly, in inclining the spokes of wheels for railway carriages so as to form
an angle with the face of the wheel.
Sixthly, in fluting or bending longitudinally the spokes of iron wheels for
railway carriages.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation or side view, and Figure 2 is an end
view, of an improved railway carriage constructed so as to carry various classes
of passengers and luggage. A is the body which rests on a trussed frame B,
which is supported at either end on the centres of two under carriages or frames
C, formed of wood strongly plated with wrought iron, and furnished with
springs, and supported on eight wheels, to which under carriage the frame is
attached by a strong iron bolt c, passing through the cross timbers a and b.
The middle of the body is supported by ten props (five on either side), and
wrought-iron ties or straps E. G1, G2, are blocks of wood attached to the
under side of the frame B; and 8, 3, are also blocks fixed to the under carriage
C, to prevent undue strain on the centre bolts c, c.
of the under carriages C; and Figure 4 is a plan of part of the frame B.
Figure 5 is a modification of Figure 1. Each under carriage is supported on
six wheels instead of eight, and has two cross timbers g, g, between which a
strong block of wood is fitted, on which the frame rests, and to which it is
secured by the centre pin or bolt. Figure 6 is another modification of
Figure 3 is a plan of one

page_text: Figure 1. Each under carriage is supported on four wheels only instead of
eight or six. Care must be taken that each under carriage revolves freely on
the centre pins or bolts c, c. Figure 7 is the plan of an under frame of an
ordinary railway carriage fitted with two improved springs F1, F2; h, h, are
the buffer rods, the shoes on the ends of which, on being driven forward, push
against the curved portions of the springs, and force the ends against the
small blocks t, t, until the spring is in a straight line, as seen at F2. On the
pressure being removed the springs again resume the shape shewn by F'.
Figure 8 is a side elevation of part of an under frame of an ordinary
railway carriage, which is supported on an improved bearing spring, the
action of which is nearly similar to the buffer spring (already described in
Figure 7), the end of the spring being kept in a straight line by means
of the shoes v, v, which are of wrought iron, and are bolted to the under
frame. K is an additional plate, which is only brought into action by an
increase in the load. Figure 9 is a modification of Figure 8, shackles being
substituted for the iron shoes v. Figure 10 represents a mode of combining
two of the improved springs together for use under coaches, omnibusses, and
other carriages. Figure 11 is also a side elevation of an under frame of an
ordinary railway carriage supported on springs, in use on the Birmingham and
other railways, and known as "Wharton's springs." Instead of an iron strap
or band covered with leather, two endless wire ropes 21, 22, of about half an
inch diameter, are stretched above each spring from hooks y, y, fixed to iron
plates o, o, which are fitted underneath the wooden blocks p, p, the whole of
which are drawn to an enlarged scale, as seen in the plan view, Figure 12.
Instead of the two endless ropes described, four or any other suitable number
may be employed, care being taken that each rope is well secured. Flat wire
rope may be used if preferred. Figure 13 is a side view, and Figure 14
is a section, of an improved railway carriage wheel having seven spokes
i, i, i, which are formed of bars of wrought iron, four inches broad and five
eighths of an inch thick. One end of each bar is first forged tapering, and
about one inch and a quarter diameter at the large end, and is then bent
into the shape shewn, which somewhat resembles the letter L; it is then put
into a lathe; and after the end has been turned so as to form a shoulder, it
is fixed in a slotting machine, and the extremities of the curved portions,
and the angles or bends, are cut or bevilled, as shewn, and to the exact
length required. The seven holes in the cast-iron nave having been pre-
viously bored out so as to fit the turned ends, the spokes are to be inserted
in the holes, and the whole of them simultaneously forced into the nave until
the shoulders of the spokes find a bearing, and the bevils fit into each other

page_text: and form a complete rim or circle, which is afterwards turned and the tyre
shrunk on in the usual manner. The spokes are fastened in the nave with
pins or keys. Figure 15 is a side view, Figure 16 a section, and Figure 17
a section through one of the spokes, of an improved railway carriage wheel, the
spokes of which are formed of bars of wrought iron four inches broad and five
eighths of an inch thick. Each bar is bent into a shape resembling the letter
L, after which one end is bent or twisted longitudinally one eighth round until
its extremity forms an angle of forty-five degrees with its former position.
The other portions are of such a length as to form a circle when the seven are
placed together. The nave is cast upon the ends in the usual manner, after
which the extremities of the curved portions are welded to the angles or bends,
and a complete hoop or rim is formed. Figures 18 and 19 are modifications
of Figure 17, the spokes being bent longitudinally, instead of being inclined
to an angle as described. Figure 20 is a side view, Figure 21 a section, and
Figure 22 another section through the spokes, of an improved railway carriage
wheel having seven spokes, which are formed of bars of wrought iron four
inches broad and nine sixteenths of an inch thick, which are quite straight
between the tyre and the nave, and are bent or fluted longitudinally to increase
their strength, and cause them to offer an increased resistance to the con-
traction of the tyre. Figures 23, 24, 25, and 26 are modifications of
Figure 22.
Having now described the manner in which my improvements in railway
and other carriages are effected, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
Invention,―
Firstly, the method described of constructing railway carriages by supporting
the bodies near the ends on two eight-wheel, six-wheel, and four-wheel bogics
or revolving under carriages.
Secondly, the method described of forming and fixing springs for railway
and other carriages, by forcing the ends into a straight line.
Thirdly, the method described of suspending railway carriages on "Wharton"
springs, having wire ropes or bands instead of iron braces covered with leather.
Fourthly, the method described of constructing wheels for railway carriages
with L-shaped spokes, which form a complete circle or support for the tyre,
and are fitted into a cast-iron nave.
Fifthly, the method described of constructing wheels for railway carriages
by twisting the spokes longitudinally, so that at their insertion in the nave they
form an angle with the plane of the wheel; and also the method described of
welding L-shaped spokes together so as to form a complete hoop for the
support of the tyre.

page_text: Sixthly, the method described of constructing wheels for railway carriages
by fluting or bending the spokes longitudinally.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Wright, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-four.
Signed, sealed, and delivered, by the
within-named Joseph Wright, in
the presence of
JOSEPH (Ls.) WRIGHT.
THO. THORNTON.
J. C. HADDAN,
29, Liverpool St,
King's Cross.
Inrolled the same Seventh day of November, in the year above written.