IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAY CARS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Mary Grantham, of Croydon, in the County of
Surrey, Widow and Sole Executrix of John Grantham, deceased,
late of No. 17, King's Arms Yard, Coleman Street, in the City of
London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TRAMWAY CARS."
Sealed the 16th October 1874, and dated the 21st April 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Grantham
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st April 1874.
I, JOHN GRANTHAM, of No. 17, King's Arms Yard, Coleman Street,
in the City of London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAY CARS," to be as
follows:-
-
My improvements consist in the application of what is known as the
bogie frame and wheels to one end of my Patent steam car for tramways
in such a manner as to enable me to steer the car, and to avoid the

page_text: necessity of moyapie switches on the rams when turning into siamngs vi
branch lines.
Also to apply an apparatus by which the car may be made to leave
the rails when an obstruction arises, and to get on to the rails again
when the car runs off them.
The bogie consists of a square frame underneath one end of the car
and attached to it by a strong pin or swivel, and under which frame are
four wheels, the object being to enable the car to run more freely round
sharp curves. To the front of the bogie frame I attach a pole as in a
four-wheeled carriage. This pole extends under the platform of the
car to where the conductor or driver stands, and at the end of this pole
is attached a quadrant having either a pitched chain worked by a
pulley, or a toothed rack worked by a pinion. To the pulley or pinion
is attached an upright shaft by which the man can work the quadrant
when coming to a siding, and thus turn the car in the direction
required. To the same bogie, on each side of it and between the four
wheels, I apply an axle and two small wheels without flanges. These are
generally suspended about an inch from the rails. To the axle boxes of
the axle are attached powerful screws, like an ordinary screw jack,
which, being turned by a lever outside the car cause these wheels to
move downwards and to press on the rails until the flanges of the
running wheels are lifted out of the grooves. In this condition the car,
resting on the two plain wheels, can run independent of the rails, and
by using the steering apparatus it can be made to turn like an ordinary
four-wheeled carriage.
For cars which are intended to work on steep inclines in addition to
applying steam power to the main propelling wheels by means of a
steam cylinder or cylinders on the body of the car, I mount steam
cylinders on the bogie frame to propel the wheels of the bogie whenever
additional power is required, whilst at other times the main wheels only
have power applied to them. The steam is supplied to the cylinders on
the bogie when they are required to be used by means of a flexible
pipe.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Mary Grantham, Widow and Sole Executrix of
the said John Grantham, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARY
GRANTHAM, of Croydon, in the County of Surrey, Widow and Executrix
of John Grantham, deceased, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
the Twenty-first day of April, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four, in the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Mary Grantham, as Executrix
aforesaid, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her special license,
full power, sole privilege, and authority, that I, the said Mary Grantham,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Mary Grantham, 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 years therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAY CARS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that the said Mary Grantham, her executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under her, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Mary Grantham, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists in the application of what is known as the
bogie frame to the steam car for tramways, the subject of Letters Patent
(Number 1991) dated the Twenty-eighth day of July One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-one, and granted to the said John Grantham,

page_text: r "Improvements in Steam Carriages for Tramways, the Specifica
r which was filed on the Twenty-seventh day of January One thou
ght hundred and seventy-two, in such a manner as to enable the ca
steered either way, and to avoid the necessity of moveable swit
the rails when turning into sidings or branch lines.
The Invention also consists in the application of an apparatu
hich the car may be made to leave the rails when an obstruction an
d to get on to the rails again when the car runs off them.
The annexed Sheet of Drawings shews the arrangements for carr
t the said Invention.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure No. 1 is a longitudinal elevation of car.
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2 is a longitudinal section of car.
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3 is a sectional plan of car.
4 is a top plan of car.
5 is an end elevation of car.
6 is a cross section through body of car.
7 is a cross section through boiler chamber.
8 is an enlarged cross section of bogie.
9 is an enlarged plan of bogie and stearing gear.
10 is an enlarged elevation of bogie and steering gear.
11 is a plan of steam bogie.
In these Figures the letters,--
A represents the boiler.
B, the boiler chamber.
C, steam cylinders.
D, driving crank.
E, driving wheels.
F, reversing lever.
G, starting handle of steam regulator.
H, h, I, and K, various portions of coal feeding apparatus.
L, ash pan.

page_text: If the car be intended to go in one direction only a bogie at one end
would be sufficient, but if the car is to go in either direction there
should be a bogie at either end, the arrangement and adaptation of
which to the car will be understood by any person conversant with
apparatus of this description.
The two small wheels without flanges between the four wheels of the
bogie suspended about an inch from the rails may be moved downwards
by powerful screws, like an ordinary screw jack, turned by a lever or
by other suitable apparatus, so as to cause the wheels to press on the
rails until the flanges of the running wheels are lifted out of the grooves.
In this condition the car, resting on the two plain wheels, can run
independent of the rails, and by using the steering apparatus it can be
made to turn like an ordinary four-wheeled carriage.
For cars which are intended to work on steep inclines in addition to
applying steam power to the main propelling wheels by means of a
steam cylinder or cylinders on the body of the car, steam cylinders may
be mounted on the bogie frame to propel the wheels of the bogie
whenever additional power is required, whilst at other times the main
wheels only have power applied to them. The steam is supplied to the
cylinders on the bogie, when they are required to be used, by means of
a flexible pipe.

page_text: Having now described the nature of the said Invention of improve-
ments in tramway cars, I hereby declare that I do not claim as of the
Invention to be secured by the said Letters Patent the several parts of
the said apparatus except when the same are employed in and for the
purposes of the said Invention, which I hereby declare to consist,-
First. In the adaptation of a bogie frame to a tramway car so as to
admit of the same being steered in either direction, as above described.
Secondly. In the adaptation of a pair of plain wheels to the bogie
frame for lifting the car by suitable apparatus, as above described.
Thirdly. In the adaptation of propelling apparatus to the bogie frame 1
in the manner and for the purposes above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Mary Grantham, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.