IMPROVEMENTS IN A MOVABLE, GUIDE WHEEL ENABLING ANY VEHICLE TO UTILIZE THE RAILS OF ROAD RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS AND THE LIKE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Julius Boult of 323 High Holborn in the County'
of Middlesex Engineer, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN A MOVABLE,
GUIDE WHEEL ENABLING ANY VEHICLE TO UTILIZE THE RAILS OF ROAD
RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS AND THE LIKE a communication from Jean Marie
Terras a citizen of the Republic of France resident at Lyon France
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Julius Boult at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th July 1883.
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN A MOVABLE GUIDE WHEEL ENABLING ANY VEHICLE
TO UTILIZE THE RAILS OF ROAD RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS AND THE LIKE" [a com-
munication from Jean Marie Terras a citizen of the Republic of France resident at
Lyon France]
The object of this invention is to enable vehicles of all descriptions other than
the vehicles specially constructed for use on tramways or railways and in particular
vehicles provided with a swivelling fore carriage, to travel indifferently either
upon the rails laid down in towns for tramways road railways et cetera or upon
cominon roads without the necessity for any alteration either in the form of the
wheels or in the vehicle itself, or in the harness and without in any way inter-
fering with the circulation of the specially constructed vehicles.
The sole condition is that the guage of the wheels should be the same as that of
the rails.
The apparatus consists of a guide and a guide carrier:
1 The guide. The guide is arranged either before or behind the wheels that are
to be guided and consists essentially of a small wheel provided with a central or
approximately central or lateral flange.
The periphery of this wheel bears upon the rails. When the line is laid with
double or grooved rails the flange runs between the rails. When the line is laid
ID G31

page_text: with single headed rails the flange runs inside the rails. In short the flange of
the guide acts in the same manner as the wheels of the vehicles specially con-
structed to travel upon the line. If preferred any other form of guide such as a
straight or curved rigid rod terminating in a point or in a ball or provided with a
movable ball or cylinder acting upon the rails in the same manner as the flange of
the guide wheel may be substituted for the latter
The guides may be employed singly or in pairs or in double pairs and may be
arranged either in advance of or in the rear of the wheels to be guided or parallel
with these wheels. In the case of four wheeled vehicles it may be fitted to the
four wheels only or to the hind wheels or to all four wheels.
In order to facilitate the action of the guide wheel the fore carriage may, if
desired, when the guide wheel is brought into action, be fixed by a movable pin
acting upon a suitable part of the swivelling fore carriage and operated by the
driver. By means of such pin the fore carriage will be prevented from oscillating
or swivelling upon the Ring bolt or axis. When the guide wheel is lifted.the pin
will be thrown out of action and the fore carriage will be free to turn upon its
centre.
2nd Guide carrier. The guide irrespective of its form is carried by a rigid guide
carrier which enables it to be elevated when the vehicle is travelling upon common
roads or lowered when the vehicle is travelling upon the tram or other similar line.
This movement is obtained by means of a lever or other suitable means of trans-
mission under the control of the driver. When it is desired to throw the guide
out of action the guide carrier is elevated and retained in the elevated position by
., a catch. When it is desired to make use of the line the vehicle is brought over the
centre of the line so that its wheels bear upon the rails the guide is then lowered
and prevents the vehicle from running off the line
The guide carrier may be combined with a spring for the purpose of facilitating
its movements or rendering it more effective.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Julius Boult in the Patent Office on the 12th January
1884.
:
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN A MOVABLE GUIDE WHEEL ENABLING ANY VEHICLE
TO UTILIZE THE RAILS OF ROAD RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS AND THE LIKE." A com-
munication from Jean Marie Terras, a citizen of the Republic of France, resident
at Lyon France
The Invention hereinafter described has for its object to allow Vehicles of any
kind other than Railway or Tramway vehicles and more especially Vehicles with a
moveable under carriage to use the rail lines laid down in streets and on roads or
highways for the use of the Tram Cars road Railways & without requiring
alteration of the wheels of such Vehicles, of the Vehicles themselves, or of the
harness used therewith and without interference with the Traffic of the Vehicles
specially constructed for running upon the rails.
It will only be requisite that the distance between the wheels corresponds with.
the guage of the rail track upon which the Vehicle is to be used.
The apparatus employed according to this Invention consists of a guide and a
guide carrier
1 THE GUIDE
The guide may be placed either in front or at the rear of the wheels to be guided.
The guide consists essentially in a small wheel with a central or approximately.
central flange; the flange may however be placed at the side.
The tread of said wheel bears on the rails. If the line is one with double rails
the flange slides between the two rails if the line consists of single rails the flange
slides within the line In fact the flange of the guide acts in the same manner as
the wheels of a vehicle specially constructed with a view of running normally upon
the rails.
This Guide may if desired be replaced by any other means for producing the
same effect such for instance as a rigid rod (either straight or curved) and
terminating in a point or in a ball or fitted with a moveable ball or a moveable
cylinder acting on the rails in the same manner as the aforesaid flange.
One such guide, or a pair of the same, or even two pair of such guides, may be
used. It may be mounted in front or at the rear of the wheels to be guided or
even in line with said wheels.
In four wheeled vehicles it may be applied to the front wheels only, to the hind
wheels only, or to all four wheels.
To facilitate the operation of the guide wheel the under-carriage may if required
be rendered immovable, when the wheel guide operates, say by a bolt acting upon
a point on the under-carriage and this may be operated by the Driver.
'
By these means the under carriage is prevented from turning round its axis or
the pin on which it works.
When the wheel guide is raised the movable pin ceases to act and the under
carriage becomes again movable on its axis.
:
i

page_text: position videlicit when the vehicle passes along an ordinary road or lowered when
a line of rails is to be made available.
The required movement may be obtained by a lever or by any other means and
is effected by the driver. When it is not desired to employ the guide, the guide
carrier is raised and kept in its elevated position by a notch for fastening the
same.
Is however a line of rails to be used, then the vehicle is brought into line with
the track so that the wheels run on the rails, the guide carrier is then lowered and
keeps the Vehicle on the line.
A spring may be employed for facilitating the manipulation of the guide Carrier
or for increasing its effect.
In the Drawings hereto annexed.
Figure 1 shews a Vehicle to which this Invention is applied, in side elevation,
the spokes of the front wheels being omitted
Figure 2 shows the same in front elevation with part of the wheels broken
away
A. A. are the ordinary wheels of the Vehicle,
B. B. guide wheels shown with a central flange.
C guide carrier consisting of a frame-work preferably of metal. This is capable
of oscillating as indicated by dotted lines in figure 1. and is preferably attached
to the under carriage of the Vehicle. This may however be of any suitable
construction and be attached to any convenient part of the Vehicle.
D. is a lever which the driver operates for raising or lowering the wheel carrier
E Is a spring for facilitating the manipulation especially the lowering of the
guide carrier and for holding the guide to the rails. This Spring may be placed in
any other convenient' manner be replaced by any other suitable means or even
altogether omitted.
As hereinbefore indicated the guide is shown in full lines in the shape of flanged
wheels and as applied to the rails. The dotted lines show the position of the guide
and its Carrier when raised.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of
performing the same as communicated to me by my Foreign Correspondent I
claim:
The Combination with a Vehicle adapted for running upon ordinary roads of the
guide wheels B guide Carrier C, and operating mechanism or their mechanical
equivalents substantially in the manner and for the purpose described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Julius Boult have hereunto set iny hand
and Seal this twelfth day of January In the year of Our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.
*
מנממז IT
BATTER
מנמנזחו
ALFRE
ED J. BOULT
(L.S.)