Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Piehlier, of St. Paul's Crescent, Camden
Square, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention
Scaled the 4th April 1876, and dated the 8th October 1875.

page_text: I substitute sections or suitable lengths of rails mounted upon a
platform or carriage which is arranged to traverse a suitable distance
across the line, so as to remove the sections or lengths of rail from the
main line of rails, and at the same time replace them by other sections
or lengths of rail to make up the line of rails again ready to conduct the
carriage or train of carriages travelling thereon in the direction
required.
The platform or carriage carrying the sections or lengths of rails may
be caused to traverse from point to point in guides or on rollers by
means of suitable levers, and other mechanism actuated by a pointsman
in the manner ordinarily practiced, or otherwise as circumstances may
require. By this means the ordinary facing switch and other points may
be dispensed with, no cut or split rails being required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Pichlier in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
PIEHLIER, of St. Paul's Crescent, Camden Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Charles Pichlier, Her
special license that I, the said Charles Piehlier, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Pichlier, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
timeagree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term 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 CROSSINGS OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Piehlier,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under

page_text: my, 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 Charles Pichlier, 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 thercof, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in traversing crossings for
railways and tramways, whereby they are simplified in construction and
arrangement, greater security being also afforded in conducting loco-
motives, carriages, and trucks from one line of rails or tramways to
another. For this purpose in place of the ordinary points and crossings
I substitute sections or suitable lengths of rails mounted upon a
platform or carriage which is arranged to traverse a suitable distance
across the line, so as to remove the sections or lengths of rail from the
main line of rails, and at the same time replace them by other sections
or lengths of rail to make up the line of rails again ready to conduct
the carriage or train of carriages travelling thercon in the direction
required.
The platform or carriage carrying the sections or lengths of rails may
be caused to traverse from point to point by means of suitable levers,
and other mechanism actuated by a pointsman in the manner ordinarily
practiced, or otherwise, as circumstances may require. By this means
the ordinary facing switch and other points may be dispensed with, no
cut or split rails being required.
And in order that my Invention may be clearly understood and
readily carried into practice, I will proceed to describe the Drawings
hereunto annexed.

page_text: prevent the wheels of the locomotive and carriages when passing over
the junction from running off the line; D are bearing surfaces placed
and arranged so that the frame may slide easily over them; E, E, are
levers arranged below the wrought-iron frame A and worked from the
centre by the rod E' connected in the usual manner with the cabin or
signal box. The end of the central rod E¹ is so arranged that after the
frame is shifted either for main line or siding it can be locked so as to
keep the junction firmly in its proper position.
Instead of moving or shifting the junction in the common mode as at
present used in the signal box, I propose to use a screw and loosc nut,
which is not only safer but better adapted to the work.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing or carrying the same into practice, what I claim is, the
improved method of arranging, mounting, and working the crossings of
railways and tramways, substantially in the manner hercin-before
described and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Pichlier, have hereunto.
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-six.