Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Railways.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th, Nov., 1890-Accepted, 20th Dec., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Railways.
We, Max EBERHARDT SCHMIDT, Civil Engineer, residing at 217 La Salle Street,
Chicago, Illinois, and JOSEPH LYMAN SILSBEE, Architect, residing at 214 Clark
Street, Chicago, Illinois, both in the United States of America, do hereby declare the
nature of our invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
-
Our invention relates to railways in which the cars move at a greater speed
than the axles connecting the wheels from which the movement is derived. The
cars are supported upon travelling rails resting upon the peripheries of such wheels,
so that as the wheels run at a certain speed. the travelling mails and cars will move
at substantially double the speed of the wheel axles, since they are carried along with
the axles, and also have a motion relating thereto, owing to the friction between
the wheels and travelling rails. To aid in passing curves, we prefer to use flexible
travelling rails.
nature of our invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
Our invention relates to railways in which the cars move at a greater speed
than the axles connecting the wheels from which the movement is derived. The
cars are supported upon travelling rails resting upon the peripheries of such wheels,
so that as the wheels run at a certain speed. the travelling rails and cars will move
at substantially double the speed of the wheel axles, since they are carried along with
the axles, and also have a motion relating thereto, owing to the friction between
the wheels and travelling rails. To aid in passing curves, we prefer to use flexible
travelling rails.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse section of the car and platform;
Fig. 2 a side elevation on line 2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow;
Fig. 3a plan viow of the car and platform with a portion of the car body
removed;
Fig. 4 an end elevation showing a modification; and
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 views of several forms of flexible rails.
The ordinary fixed rails are first laid down, as shown in Fig. 1. On these are
mounted flanged wheels, united by axles A, extending through the wheels at one or
both sides, and affording space for mounting thereon supports B, upon which rest
platforms extending out from the side of the car in a horizontal position, and
carried forward with the axles. The outer edge of the platform should be just above
or adjacent to the ground, or a stationary platform D, the space between the two
being protected by a preferably flexible apron c. This apron may also be used where
the edge of the car overlaps the travelling platform. Such platform will move at
equal speed with the axles A upon which it is mounted.
Immediately above the wheels is a car E, carrying passengers or freight, supported
upon rails F, which rest on the tops of the wheels. These rails are preferably
laterally and vertically flexible, and in the form shown in Fig. 5 are composed of a
number of bars held together by holts. The bolt holes are preferably elongated,
such elongations being omitted in one of the rail bars at each of the bolts. This
allows the bars to slide upon each other as the rail bends in passing around a curve.
To aid this bending, a small space is left between the ends of the rail bars, which
preferably break joints. The rails extend continuously from car to car, and are pre-
ferably attached to each end of each car by a bracket G bolted to the rails, and
affording a rest for the car sills H. These sills are supported primarily on a chair h,
resting on a spring L. The chair and bracket so fit each other as to allow only
vertical movement, preventing any rough or jarring motion and any noise, while
leaving the rails sufficiently flexible.
The rail bars in Fig. 7 have rounded ends and are united by links P', being
flexible laterally and vertically to pass curves and grades. Fig. 8 is a cross section
of another form of flexible rail, comprising T-shaped pieces of rubber Q, bound
between strips R of suitable material; the springs 1 being omitted and the cars
resting directly upon the upper piece C. In Fig. 9 the rail consists of a cable S
fastened in brackets T upon which the car rests. Other forms of rail may be
used as desired, so long as they afford sufficient flexibility.
As the axles move at any desired speed, the rails F and cars resting on the

page_text: peripheries of the wheels will move with the augmented speed due to the difference
between the movement of the top of the wheels and their axles. To prevent the
rails from moving forward off of the wheels, such rails may extend continuously around
a loop, resting on the wheels. A continuous train of cars may be used around the
loop, or a smaller number. In the latter case, the rails may still form a con-
tinuous loop, though this is not essential if the axles and wheels extend entirely
around, at such distance apart that the rails F can pass from one set to the next. The
travelling platforms Care coupled by pins J, the space between the platforms being
covered by plates K fastened to one section of the platform, resting on the next,
and affording a continuous flooring. Similar plates may be used between the cars.
A flexible covering L preferably connects the top of the cars. Spaces M, with
rounded faces, are used between the cars to hold them apart and to preserve the
proper adjustment of the cars and rails. Beams N extend transversely beneath the
car toward the outer edges of the platforms, and longitudinal sills n are interposed
between the same and the platforms to maintain the proper level of the latter. A
casting O, of any suitable form, with a projecting tongue, is attached to each section
resting upon a wear plate upon the adjacent section.
Fig. 4 shows a modification of our invention. The axle carries wheels rotating
on a fixed track, and extends through any number of sets of wheels mounted upon
and rotating with it, and varying in diameter from the set resting on the fixed rails.
These wheels are shown increasing in diameter, but may decrease if desired. The
axles are supported by wheels P, of uniform diameter with the wheels on the fixed
track. Travelling rails F rest on each set of wheels and carry platforms or cars. Each
of these sets of rails moves faster than the preceding one, at a speed governed by the
increase of diameter of the wheels; the cars being preferably mounted on the last set
of movable rails to secure the highest speed. The fixed track may be arranged
at some intermediate point in the sories of platforms; but with the cars on the last
series we secure the highest speed for the cars with the least for the axle.
A passenger may step with ease and safety from the ground or stationary platform
on to the movable one, and then on to the car, while both are moving constantly at
their ordinary speed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what wo
claim is:
1. In a railway for increasing the speed of the car over that of the axle, the com-
bination of a fixed track, wheels rotatable thereon, flexible travelling rails supported
on the peripheries of the wheels and advanced as they rotate, and a car or cars carried
on the travelling rails, substantially as described.
2. In a railway for increasing the speed of the car over that of the axle, the com-
bination of a fixed track, wheels rotatable thereon, an axle connecting such wheels
and extending beyond them at least one side of the car, supports on the extended end
of the axle on at least one side of the car, a travelling platform carried on such supports
at a rate of speed relative to the ground or a fixed platform determinable by the speed
of the axle, flexible travelling rails supported on the peripheries of the wheels and
advanced as they rotate at a rate of speed approximately double that of the travelling
platform, and a car or cars carried on the travelling rails, substantially as
described.
3. In a railway for increasing the speed of the car over that of the axle, the
combination of a fixed track, wheels rotatable thereon, an axle connecting such
wheels and extending beyond them on at least one side of the car and supported at
intervals on wheels of the same diameter as the wheels on the fixed track, sets of
wheels mounted on the axle and varying in diameter from the wheels on the fixed
track and from each other at any desired ratio, flexible travelling rails supported
on the sets of wheels and advanced as they rotate at a speed determined by the
diameters of the wheels, and a platform or car carried on the travelling rails,
substantially as described.

page_text: 4. A series of two or more travelling platforms each having its framework sup-
ported on a single pair of wheels at or near one end, and supported at the other by
the adjacent travelling platform, substantially as described.
5. In a railway for increasing the speed of the cars over that of the axles, a flexible
travelling rail, substantially as described.
6. A railroad rail composed of metallic bars adjustably connected together to secure
flexibility and strength, substantially as described.
Dated this 17th day of October 1890
MAX EBERHARDT SCHMIDT.
JOSEPH LYMAN SILSBEE.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45. Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.