IM- PROVEMENTS IN RAILS, AND IN RAILWAYS AS APPLIED TO TOWNS AND AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES, AND IN THE APPLIANCES NECESSARY THERETO
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Henry Cradock Monckton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th July 1876.
EDWARD HENRY CRADOCK MONCKTON, of Fineshade, Northamptonshire. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN RAILS, AND IN RAILWAYS AS APPLIED TO TOWNS AND AGRICULTURAL
PURPOSES, AND IN THE APPLIANCES NECESSARY THERETO."
Firstly. In the modification of the existing railway systems, and adapting them
to requirements of agriculture for the transport of cattle, farm produce, and
manures.
Secondly. In improvements in the junction of rails generally, and in the manner
of laying them, thereby insuring not only dispatch, but also safety and solidity.
Thirdly. In applying a system of raised or pillar railway, tried and proved
successful in New York, to towns in Great Britain, where it has never been used,
and to my agricultural railways, whereby a saving of expence in taking up land in
bridging and in earth work is effected; cattle by this system are enabled to pass
under the railway and graze, while the plough can be similarly used, as the only
ground occupied consists of the spots where the pillars are placed.
Fourthly. In the application of my patent electro-magnetic traction engines, and
also air and gas engines, with or without the addition of the new direct motion,
Patented by Messrs. Creasy, Tully, and Monckton, as well as the system of traction
invented by Mr. Fowler for his agricultural engines, the application being reversed,
the rail or rope being fixtures, while the engine clips on to it and moves. The
system most advantageous for agricultural and other railways, according to locality
and circumstances, being adapted as well as the ordinary locomotive where this is
most desirable.
Fifthly. In the addition at the stations of sheds for storing farm produce and
receiving cattle, and proper watering places for them with offices and other con-
veniences suitable for agriculturalists to transact their business.
Sixthly. In the introduction of improved cattle trucks, whereby greater comfort
and protection against weather is insured to the animals.
Seventhly. In the introduction of separate trucks for cattle suspected of being
diseased, to be placed in separately from cattle known as sound, so as to prevent
contagion.
Eightly. In adopting according to locality and circumstances gauges varying
in width from 18 inches to the standard common to the regular railways of the

page_text: country, a common guage for ordinary purposes not exceeding 3 feet six inches is
. found to be sufficient.
Ninthly. In making all sheds and buildings by preference of iron, simple in
construction, moveable and in duplicate parts, whereby any repairs can be rapidly
made, and the buildings themselves can be removed to their sites according to
requirement.
Tenthly. In causing these railways to intersect and unite as much as possible
the ordinary railway, rivers, canals, and roads, so as to form feaders to and from
them, thereby increasing their traffic, while at the same time, supplying both a
great want to the agricultural community, by affording them greater facilitics for
going to and from markets, and also to passengers generally by enabling them to
cross easily from one line of railway to another instead of wasting their time by
going round.
Eleventhly. In adopting these systems where desirable to the transport of coal
and minerals, as well as stone, lime, and building materials, it being in such
localities chiefly that variations from the ordinary gauge would occur. It will thus
be seen that in addition to the improvements in railways, common to all systems,
the special object of this Patent is to combine that which is already known with
modifications and novel applications, so as to introduce on the whole a novel
railway system, more particularly suited to wants of towns, and of farmers and
agriculturalists generally, intermediate between common roads, ordinary railways,
and tramways, as they now exist, not intended to supersede any of these, but to
meet a want universally admitted, and to effect it at a reduction of first cost to the
railway proprietors, and of cost of transit for their cattle, goods, and passengers,
with freedom, from danger to agriculturalists, while the value of the property
traversed or in the vicinity will be greatly enhanced.
My improvements in railways and tramways generally, consists,-
Firstly. In adopting a novel manner of connecting the rails, their ends being
bevelled, and their junctions effected as described in my Patent for improvements in
lectricity, &c., No. 265 dated 21 Jany 1874 as applied to railways, whereby
smoothness in motion, solidity and rapidity in laying them down and in taking
them up are effected. In addition to them I further apply to them the following
method of junction:-An iron chair is made of considerably more than the ordinary
length and strength, into which the ends of the rails, bevelled by preference, are
plaeed in juxtaposition, at a distance apart sufficient to allow for expansion, and
secured in position by either a single or by double wedges of wood or iron; the chair
is formed so that the bottoms of the rails at and near their ends shall slide down
and fit close into it on one side, the other side where the wedge is inserted has a
projection inwards at its top, which thus holds the wedge securely and prevents its
escaping, the bottom part of this chair is either secured to the wood and sleeper
in the ordinary way, or is by preference, spread out so as to form a hollow, square,
oblong, circular, or oval-shaped independent support, on the ground, and thus to
act as a substitute for a sleeper, and in like manner all the chairs or supports are
by preference made to act as sleepers in the manner well known, and adopted
successfully in small light railways, the lines of rails being joined and held together
by bars crossing between them, placed either at right angles or diagonally.
Secondly. In forming the tops of the rails broader, and by preference having a
curve or slight slope or bevel inwards, the tyres of the locomotive driving wheels
being slightly coned and made to slant, so as to correspond with the bevel of the
rail, thus giving a greater propelling surface; the wheel tyres of the trucks are, by
preference set square, and thus causes less friction and greater facility in turning, at
the same time the driving wheels are made of the greatest size that the
circumstances will admit of.
Thirdly. In introducing pillar railways where there are hollows and brooks to be
crossed, and for use in towns, adopting the same system of construction, which it is
unnecessary to describe, it being already in use and well known in the United
States. My method of adapting its use to towns is to substitute proper pillars for

page_text: the street lamp posts, which will equally serve for the gas lights, and for pillar
posts on one or both sides of the street; blocks of buildings and houses are perforated
by iron, wood, or masonry tunnels, the electro-magnetic engine being noiseless,
smokeless, and free from all nuisance, would be used by preference, and the tunnels
themselves and their approaches would have the rails covered with vulcanised
india-rubber, or be laid on india-rubber, so as to prevent both noise, vibration, and
all nuisance. The line being double, staircases are arranged at suitable points, as
also lifts along each line, so as to subdivide distances, and thus passengers are
enabled to ascend and decend from either railway at the points of subdivision
nearest the locality to which they wish to go.
Fourthly. In constructing cattle trucks, so that each bullock shall have a
separate division or compartment to itself, with a moveable hay rack and water
trough placed opposite it, by which means the owners, if so disposed, can feed and
water their cattle when necessary during the journey; a moveable canvas covering
is employed to protect the trucks from bad weather.
Fifthly. In covering the permanent way at the stations, and in raising the
ground there to the level with the bottoms of the trucks on both sides of the way,
so that the animals can enter with facility and descend to their sheds on either side;
the truck sides are further made moveable to facilitate their exit.
Sixthly. In placing a central rod, rail, or rope between the rails for the clips in
Fowlers' traction wheel to act on independently of the ordinary rails.
A is the rails with broad head.
B, the wedge or double wedge.
the proiection inside the chair for securing the wedge.