CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CARRIAGES FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF PASSENGERS ON ROADS AND RAILWAYS
Year: 1844

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDGAR
HEALE, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Iler
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Eighteenth day of April, in the seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edgar Heale, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Edgar Heale, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said Edgar Heale, my executors, adminis-
trators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CARRIAGES FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF PASSENGERS ON
ROADS AND RAILWAYS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
obliging me, the said Edgar Heale, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause
the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said 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
Edgar Heale, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and:
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described and.

page_text: ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention of Improvements in the Construction of Carriages for the
Conveyance of Passengers on Roads and Railways consists, firstly, in con-
structing the framing of the bodies of carriages in general of wrought-irou
bars welded together, which framing I then cover with plates of metal. The
Figures in Sheets 1 and 2 shew my improvements applied to the formation
of a passenger carriage for common roads. Fig. 1 is a side view of the iron
It will
framing, Fig. 2 a plan view, and Fig. 3 a front view of the same.
be seen that no bolts, screws, or rivets are necessary for attaching the various
a strong,
parts together, as every joint can be easily welded, thus forming
compact, and light framework for receiving the pannels and other parts of the
carriage. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a side view of the carriage complete, shewing
the manner in which the metal plates forming the sides and ends may be
embossed or stamped, and thus produce a novel and elegant appearance.
Another advantage consequent on embossing the plates with a pattern similar
to that shewn in the Drawing is, that the metal is then capable of expansion
and contraction without tearing away from the framing or falling into hollows,
which would be the case if flat plates of metal were employed. Fig. 5 is a
front view of the carriage, Fig. 6 an end view, and Fig. 7, a sectional plan
taken in the line A, B, Fig. 4, for the purpose of shewing the arrangement
of the seats inside the carriage. This carriage is adapted for twelve inside
and eleven outside passengers, and is divided into three compartments a, b,
and c, each capable of holding four persons. These compartments are
arranged at different heights from the ground, in order to afford accomodation
for outside passengers on the roof. d, e, and f, are the doors of the respective
compartments. The interior of the carriage may be fitted. up in the usual
way, or the scats may be made of sheet steel bent into the shape of a loop,
the edges being attached to the cross bars g, 9, 9 (see plan view, Fig. 2,
Sheet 1). The fore wheels of the carriage are attached in the ordinary
manner, but in attaching the hind wheels I have found it advisable to crank
the axle, as shewn in Figs. 4 and 6, in order that it may pass under the
division of the carriage.
Another method of supporting the back part of the carriage is shewn at
Fig. 8, in Sheet 4. By this arrangement the necessity for a continuous axle
is avoided, the wheels being mounted on projecting studs or short axles a,
attached to a socket b, which slides on rollers in a groove c formed on the
side of the carriage. On the upper and lower parts of this groove are

page_text: brackets d, d, to receive the guide rod e, the lower part of which passes
through the sliding socket 6, its upper part being enclosed by a tube f.
Within this tube f and socket 6, and round the guide rod e, is a strong spring
g, capable of sustaining the weight of the carriage, but yet sufficiently elastic
to give an even motion to the carriage when proceeding over uneven roads.
Figs. 7*, Sheet 2, shew the method I propose for fitting the windows of
carriages. The glass is set in a narrow metal frame which works in metal
grooves, and attached to the upper part of the frame is a ring by which the
window is drawn up and suspended. At the bottom of the space into which
the window drops is a piece of leather or indian rubber crimped up, or folded
in loops, which, by its elasticity, will break the fall of the window. By this
arrangement the rattling is completely avoided.
The second part of my Invention relates to carriages to be used on railways,
and is intended to prevent the dangerous consequences attendant on con-
cussions, or the running of one train into another on the same line of rails.
In Sheet 3 are two views of my improved railway carriage, Fig. 9 being an
olevation, and Fig. 10 a plan of the framing, which is constructed of wrought
iron, as described with reference to the first improvement. The interior of
this carriage is formed of sheet steel or other metal bent into ovals a, a, a,
which form a casing round each compartment of the carriage to be fitted up
for the reception of passengers. By this means, should a concussion take
place, the carriage, after the framing is broken up, will bear a considerable
longitudinal pressure, as will be seen by the dotted lines at b, b, Fig. 9, and
by its clasticity deaden the shock, without injuring the passengers occupying
the seats therein. Another adaptation of this arrangement of oval elastic
casings to the prevention of accidents on railways is shewn in Sheet 4, where
Fig. 11 is a side elevation, and Fig. 12 an end view of the same. a, b, c,
are three ovals formed of sheet steel or other metal mounted on wheels d, d,
the bearings for which are attached to the ovals at e, where they are welded
together, and form an elastic framing which I denominate a guard carriage.
To the outside ovals a and c a plate of metal f is welded, having an arm or
bracket 9 for attaching the guard carriage to the train. By the employment
of this apparatus (which may be made of any suitable strength or dimensions,
according to the speed usually attained on the particular railway on which it
is intended to be used, and the consequent force to be resisted in case of
accident) greater safety will be ensured to passengers; for if a guard carriage
is attached to the front and end of every train, the impetus of an engine
running into a train ahead will be in a great measure, if not wholly, expended
in collapsing the ovals of the guard carriages, and thus all serious mischief
will be prevented.

page_text: The third part of my Invention consists in the construction of a wheel
suitable for railway and other carriages. In Sheet 4, Fig. 13, it is shewn in
elevation. Within the tyre a, a, a series of wrought-iron rings of half the
interior diameter of the tyre are placed over each other, their centres being
at equal distances apart, as represented. To introduce the boss 6 into the
wheel a portion of the circles are cut off, and the various parts are then
fastened together in the form of the wheel shewn in the Drawing, and placed
in a furnace until sufficiently heated for welding. The wheel is then removed
and subjected to the operation of welding, which then produces a strong and
durable wheel, particularly calculated for all kinds of heavy work, but
suitable also, when made proportionably light, for carriages of all descriptions.
In conclusion I wish it to be underttood that I claim,.
Firstly, constructing the framing of carriages generally of bars or rods of
iron, arranged as above shewn, and welded or brazed together, and covering
them with metal plates, as above described. Also the peculiar form or
arrangement of carriage divided into three compartments for carrying pas-
sengers on common roads, and likewise the manner of attaching the hind.
wheels to the carriage.
Secondly, the employment of an elastic casing of the form above shewn, or
of any other similar form, such as, for instance, a circle, half circle, or half
oval, for the protection of persons travelling upon railways.
And, lastly, the improved construction of wheel above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edgar Heale, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of October, in the year of our
One thousand eight hundred and forty-four
5.) HEALE
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Eighteenth day of
October, in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Edgar Heale came
before our Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specifi-
cation aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
..
Inrolled the same Eighteenth day of October, in the year above
written.