AN IMPROVED PLAN OF CONSTRUCTING RAILROADS, AND CARRIAGES TO BE USED ON SUCH IMPROVED RAILROADS, FOR THE MORE EASY, CONVENIENT, AND EXPEDITIOUS CONVEYANCE OF ALL SORTS OF GOODS, WARES, MERCHANDISE, PERSONS, AND ALL OTHER ARTICLES USUALLY OR AT ANY TIME REMOVED IN CARRIAGES OF ANY CONSTRUCTION WHATEVER
Year: 1815

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPII
DE BAADER, M.D., Knight, &c., of the Kingdom of Bavaria, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fourteenth day of
November, in the fifty-sixth year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the
said Joseph de Baader, my exors, admors, and assigns, His especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Joseph de Baader,
my exors, admors, and assigns, should and lawfully might, during the term of
years therein mentioned, make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED
PLAN OF CONSTRUCTING RAILROADS, AND CARRIAGES TO BE USED ON SUCH IMPROVED
RAILROADS, FOR THE MORE EASY, CONVENIENT, AND EXPEDITIOUS CONVEYANCE OF ALL
SORTS OF GOODS, WARES, MERCHANDISE, PERSONS, AND ALL OTHER ARTICLES USUALLY
OR AT ANY TIME REMOVED IN CARRIAGES OF ANY CONSTRUCTION WHATEVER;" in
which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that if I, the said
Joseph de Baader, shall not particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, that then the

page_text: said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby
granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and become void, as in and by the
same, relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Joseph de Baader, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is fully ascertained by
the following description (that is to say):
First. Instead of the rails being laid as usual on the ground with a sufficient
interval for one or more horses to walk between them, I place my rails
(generally cast of one piece) a good deal nearer together, from twenty-four to
five inches, or I make but one single line of rails, and I cause the men, horses,
or other animals employed for drawing the carriages to walk without and on
one side of the said double or single line of rails, or on both sides of them
if more than one animal be employed, by which new contrivance my rails are
made to occupy so small a space that they may be established on the sides of
any common road of usual breadth, in such manner that this road will lose
very little of its width for the use of common carriages.
Secondly. The rails (which may be constructed of cast or wrought iron, or
of any other hard or fit substance) are fixed upon and supported by a proper
foundation of stone or wood, upon blocks, pillars, or posts, placed at proper
distances, but a good deal more elevated above the ground than in the usual
way, that is to say, from five to ten inches and upwards, and the plates of the
said rails are quite flat, having no edge or rising projection on their upper
surface, which is but a little broader than the wheels of the carriages that are
to run upon them, by which means my rails are always kept clear of sand,
dirt, and rubbish.
Third. The plates of my rails are provided with a vertical or inclined rest or
support below, cast or joined in one piece with them, which forms a lateral line
of rails, the flat or plain surface of the upper rails or plates projecting a little
on each side of the said lateral plates or supports.
Fourth. The carriages which are to be used on my said improved railroads,
and the size, shape, and body of which may be varied according to the
quantity and nature of the articles to be transported, or according to the con-
venience and taste of the persons which are to be conveyed, are provided each
with four vertical wheels if the line of the rails be double, or with two wheels,
one placed behind the other, if there is but a single line of rails. These wheels
have a projecting rim or flanch to keep them upon the rails, but every carriage
is provided with two or four horizontal or inclined wheels (constructed of iron,
brass, or any other fit substance) placed on both sides of the carriage, or in

page_text: the middle line of the same, turning round their vertical or inclined axles, and
working against the afore-mentioned lateral rails on the outer side, or in the
middle between the two upper rails and below their projecting horizontal
plates. By this new arrangement the lateral dragging friction of the wheels,
which upon common tram or railroads is very considerable, is totally avoided,
and at the same time the carriages, however broad their bodies may be, and
notwithstanding their vertical or principal wheels being placed so near
together, or quite in the centre of gravity, are kept in such a steady position
that they can neither overset nor get off the railway.
Fifth. To facilitate still more the movement of my carriages, diminish the
friction, and prevent the heating of the axles and boxes, I sometimes cause
the axletrees of the principal or vertical wheels, duly turned and polished, to
move between or beneath friction wheels or rollers, which, being well known to
mechanicians, need not to be described; but although I by no means pretend
to be the inventor of friction wheels, and they form no essential part of the
mechanism of my carriages, yet I claim as a part of my improvements the
application of such friction wheels or rollers to railway carriages, for which
they have hitherto never been employed.
Sixth. My rails, as I have already mentioned, are sufficiently elevated above
the level of the ground or common road on which they are placed to keep
them always clear of dirt; but in certain cases and situations, and for particular
purposes, I intend to elevate the line of my railways to a much more consider-
able height, of three to ten feet above the ground, or as much as will be
found convenient, supporting them by pillars or posts of wood, stone, or cast
iron, or in any other suitable manner. But as it would be impracticable to
have carriages thus elevated drawn by horses, I do employ for such peculiar
situations the power of one or more men sitting upon the said carriages, and
working them over such high railways by means of a crank or cranks applied
to one or more of the wheels, or by any other mechanical contrivance which
will answer the same purpose. And in order to facilitate the more this kind
of conveyance, I give to the said elevated railways such a gentle slope down.
wards as will make the carriages go entirely by themselves, or with a very
small additional power. It is obvious that by such a contrivance a railway,
at least for small and light carriages, may be carried a considerable length in an
uninterrupted line, and often in the shortest and most eligible direction, across
fields, meadows, ditches, and hollows, over high roads, canals, or other rail-
ways, without stopping or hindering the usual passage of common carriages
and travellers, and even without occupying or taking off any considerable
surface of land from agriculture.

page_text: Seventh. In particular cases where this elevated conveyance may be imprac-
ticable, on account of the great weight of the loaded carriages, or for any other
reason, and where, of course, the line of the railway must be interrupted for
a considerable length, as, for instance, through towns, over long and narrow
bridges, &c., I make use of other simple mechanical means for passing and
removing the said carriages over and through such places, from the end of one
railway to the beginning of the other, that is to say, I provide carts or waggons
with platforms, upon which two or more of my railway carriages can be placed
as upon a moveable bridge, and transported by as many horses as will be
found necessary, upon the common road or pavement, to the point where
the continuation of the railway begins on the other side. Where the line
of the railway is intercepted or crossed only by another road of common
breadth, but much frequented, the rails may be continued without interrup-
tion, and the passage across and over them established by a common
bridge of sufficient elevation to allow the railway carriages to pass below, or
the railway itself may be so much elevated as to form a bridge over
the cross road, and proper machinery adapted for to raise the railway
carriages, and bring them over this bridge; or I stop and intercept the
line of my railway over such a cross road or passage; and I construct
above the same another piece of railway sufficiently elevated and properly
supported by pillars, with a particular carriage moving forwards and back-
wards upon the said elevated railway, from which carriage, by chains or rods,
a platform is suspended below, in the level of the lower railway, in such a
manner that upon this suspended platform the loaded carriages may be
received, and conveyed over the cross road or passage, without any part of
the machinery touching the ground, and always in the same continued level.
For cross roads upon which the traffic is not very considerable, the main
railway can be carried on in one uninterrupted line and level, and an
occasional and temporary passage over the same may easily be established by
small swing bridges or draw bridges, to be swung round or drawn up at the
arrival of a train of carriages upon the railway, or two pieces of the iron rails
may at at any such place be made moveable upon pivots, to be lifted up or
turned aside in order to form a temporary opening for the passage of carriages
which come across. And this same mechanism, with a piece of rails turning
or swinging upon a vertical pivot, will also serve in a very convenient manner
for turning off with the carriages from. the main line of the railway to a
lateral branch, and for the convenience of carriages meeting or overtaking
and passing each other upon the same line.
Eighth. As it is the same thing in mechanics to move with a given power

page_text: a considerable weight with moderate velocity, or to give a considerable velocity
to the movement of a moderate weight, I propose to apply my improved railways
and the mechanism of my new-invented carriages to the quick conveyance of
travellers, mails, or any articles of small bulk and weight, such as are usually
transported in post chaises, stage or mail coaches, or any other carriages, upon
the ordinary turnpike road. Such a railway, exclusively destined for the
conveyance of light and quick carriages, may be constructed at a very moderate
expence, and the size, form, or shape of the carriages varied according to
convenience and fancy. A considerable number of such light carriages linked
together, and containing forty or more passengers, with their baggage, may,
upon a level road, be drawn by one single horse with the speed of a common
mail; with one half of that load a horse might run in full gallop; and it is
in general obvious that as upon railways of my new plan the greatest possible
load can with a moderate power be removed at the usual rate of a horse walk,
so the same construction of rails and carriages will serve for obtaining, with
perfect safety, a degree of speed or velocity of conveyance which, with any
common carriage, and upon the best turnpike road, could never be hazarded,
on account of the danger of oversetting, or breaking the carriage to pieces.
It is evident that upon such a railway, and with a carriage of the aforesaid
construction, a large and nimble-footed dog would draw two or three persons,
with their luggage, as fast as they can drive in a common post chaise with two
horses upon the best turnpike road.
Ninth. By means of my said railways and carriages the resistance of
friction is so much reduced that, without the aid of horses or other draught
animals, any person of moderate strength will, with the least exertion or fatigue,
upon a perfect level, propel himself, together with a companion or some
luggage, to a very considerable distance, at the rate of six or eight miles
per hour, by merely turning a winch or moving a lever or levers connected
with a crank or cranks applied to one or more of the principal wheels of the
carriage, or by any other suitable mechanism for to communicate the power
from the traveller to the carriage, which may easily be applied by any person
versed in mechanics. But even without any particular machinery a person
sitting upon a carriage of that description may propel himself with great speed
and ease, holding in his hands one or two pointed sticks, with which he strikes
from time to time, and pushes against the ground on either or both sides of
the railway.
Tenth. As the carriages upon my railways, if properly constructed, move
so easily that with the least uniform declivity of the rails they will run by
themselves, I do in certain cases and situations lay down my said railways

page_text: with such a gentle and equal declivity for the length of one hundred or more
hundred yards, and at the end of each such declivity, when the rails are arrived
nearly at the level of the ground, I do elevate the same at once to the per-
pendicular height of three, four, or more feet, by means of an inclined plane,
from the summit of which the line of the railway is continued, with the same
gentle declivity, to a similar distance; and I do raise my carriages to the top
of the said inclined planes by various mechanical means, which will readily
occur to any professional man; for instance, by a rope or chain, or by a cog
wheel working into a rack upon the inclined plane. It is evident that by
such a continued system of alternately succeeding gentle declivities and
sudden risings the quickest movement of any number of carriages will be
effectuated, by the mere action of their gravity, for very considerable distances,
and it will only be necessary to employ an active animal or other power from
time to time at each of the said inclined planes to lift the carriages over, than
as it were to wind up the power of gravity for a new start.
A person
travelling in a carriage of that description with the greatest speed will thus be
perfectly at rest during the greatest part of his journey, exerting his muscular
powers for a few minutes only as he arrives at one of the said inclined planes,
to raise himself along with his carriage by means of a proper and convenient
mechanism. In some cases, however, and particularly for heavy transports,
where it may not be convenient to let the carriages run by themselves, the same
system of alternating declivities and inclined planes may still be applied to
very great advantage, by laying down the rails with such a moderate slope that
the carriages, although not quite going by themselves, will require but a very
small additional power to move forwards with any regular and steady velocity
that may be required, so that the power of one man sitting upon the first
carriage will be sufficient to propel for a considerable distance a large train of
loaded carriages, which in the common way would require the exertion of
several horses. It will then only be necessary to provide a sufficient power at
each of the inclined planes for drawing up any train or set of carriages as
soon as they arrive, which may be obtained by establishing at these different
points steam engines, water wheels, or any other machinery. And be it well
understood, that this particular and new system of contriving a series of
alternating gentle declivities and sudden risings in the laying out of railways,
and of winding up the power of gravity by fixed or stationary engines
established at certain distances, and worked by any power, which system or
contrivance till now has never been employed or proposed for the same purpose,
forms an essential part of my said Invention or improved plan of constructing
railroads and carriages; and I do employ and make use of the said new

page_text: system as the most simple and advantageous means of substituting for the
power of horses, that of steam, of water, or of any other moving power, and as
being preferable in every respect to those complicated, unweildy, and
dangerous machines called locomotive engines or steam horses.
Eleventh. The same principle and contrivance of carriages rolling along by
themselves for considerable distances upon a railway laid out according to my
new plan, with gentle and uniform declivities and sudden risings, is capable of
another new and advantageous application, viz, to convey with the greatest
speed from place to place mails, parcels, merchandize, or any other articles
of small weight and bulk usually transported by mail or stage coaches, or any
other sort of light vehicle, without any animal power applied to the carriages,
and even, if desired, without any person attending or accompanying the same.
I construct for this purpose a line of rails sufficiently elevated upon and
supported by pillars or in any other proper manner, with a sufficient number
of small and light carriages so contrived that they cannot leave nor be taken
off the said rails, but must necessarily, when left to themselves, run down with
a certain velocity from one end of the said line to the other; and I establish at
the end of each of these lines (the length of which may be extended to one or
more miles) a small building or erection in which the carriage, as soon as it is
arrived, is lifted up, by suitable machinery worked by men, horses, or any other
power, to the summit of another similar sloping line, and so on from station to
station, which I conceive to be a very cheap and convenient mode of forward-
ing letters and parcels, or any article of small weight, with safety and dispatch,
from one place to another or from one part of an establishment to another,
obtaining thereby a saving of animal labour, attendance, and expence.
Lastly, in some cases and situations I also make use of the power of wind
for the propelling of my light carriages upon the said improved railroads, or to
assist and accelerate the movement of such carriages by means of a small
sail put up occasionally, and managed like the sail of a small boat; and
this new way of travelling or sailing upon land, which would be impracti-
cable and even dangerous upon any common road or common railway, is
applicable to my new-invented carriages and railways, with the greatest facility
and perfect safety, because the carriages cannot be overset by lateral pressure
or impulse, and any direction of the wind, if not quite contrary, must urge the
vehicle forwards.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-
fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixteen.
JOSEPH DE (L.S.) BAADER.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-fifth day of January, in
the year of our Lord 1816, the aforesaid Joseph de Baader came before our
said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowleged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixteen.