IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAY CARS AND OTHER ROLLING STOCK FOR TRAMWAYS OR RAIL- WAYS.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Glen, of 24, Frederick Street, Edinburgh,
in the County of Edinburgh, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TRAMWAY CARS AND OTHER ROLLING STOCK FOR TRAMWAYS OR RAIL-
WAYS.
"
Sealed the 8th July 1873, and dated the 16th January 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Glen at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th January 1873.
I, GEORGE GLEN, of 24, Frederick Street, Edinburgh, in the County
of Edinburgh, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAY CARS AND OTHER ROLLING STOCK FOR TRAMWAYS OR
RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the diminution of strain and friction
in entering upon and passing along curves, thereby lessening the usual
strain upon the horses drawing tramway cars, and also the wear and
tear of both rails and wheels.

page_text: i
And my Invention consists in mounting the cars or carriages on
bogies, one at each end of the car or carriage, and connected together by
a jointed diagonal rod in such a manner that the motion of one bogic
on its axis will be conveyed to the other through the said rod jointed to
one bogie at one side of the car, and to the other bogie at the other side
thereof, by which means the wheels at one end of the axles of the two
bogies will be caused to approach each other, and those at the other end
to recede, thereby bringing the axles into radial lines converging to the
centre of the curve on which the car is running.
In order to provide the means for moving the bogies on their axes as
required a toothed sector with arms is connected to the axis of the front
bogie, which toothed sector is capable of being worked as required by
means of a handle and a toothed pinion. The wheels are so fitted on
their axles that they are free to revolve independently of each other,
thereby enabling the wheels on the inner or outer sides of the curve
respectively to revolve at their proper relative speeds with diminished
friction.
The axles of the wheels may either be fixed with the wheels free to
revolve upon them, or they may be made to revolve with the wheels fast
upon them. In the latter case the axles must be divided in the centre,
in order to allow the wheel at each end thereof to revolve at its proper
speed, a suitable arrangement being made to support the divided ends
of the axles.
When cars are propelled by mechanical power the increased facility
afforded for taking and running on curves by the above-described
arrangement of the bogies will be found useful. The said arrangement
also admits of the front and hinder wheels being placed at a considerable
distance apart, thereby giving a solid bearing for the car, and facilitating
its entrance and smooth passage on the curve.
The ordinary breaks, sweepers, and cleaners can be adapted and
applied as usual.
Grease or lubricating material can be applied to the axles of the
wheels by means of spiral grooves formed in a hollow axle or outer
casing of the axle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters ratent,
filed by the said George Glen in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
GLEN, of 24, Frederick Street, Edinburgh, in the County of Edinburgh,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Glen, Her special licence that I,
the said George Glen, my executors, administrators and assigns, or
such others as I, the said George Glen, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, excrcise, 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 AND OTHER
ROLLING STOCK FOR TRAMWAYS OR RAILWAYS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Glen, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under 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 Scal Patent Office within
six calender months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Glen, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
nerformed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the

page_text: horses drawing tramway cars or upon the mechanism if other power be
used, and also the wear and tear of both rails and wheels.
And my Invention consists in mounting the cars or carriages on
bogies, one at each end of the car or carriage, and connected together by
a jointed diagonal rod in such manner that the motion of one bogie on
its axis will be communicated to the other through the said rod jointed
at one side of the car to one bogie, and at the other side of the car to the
other bogie, by which means the wheels at one end of the axles of the two
bogies will be caused to approach each other, and those at the other end
to recede, thereby bringing the axles into radial lines converging to the
centre of the curve on which the car is running.
In order to provide the means of moving the bogies on their axes a
toothed sector with arms is connected to the axis of the front bogic,
which toothed sector is capable of being worked as required by means of
a handle and a toothed pinion, or in place of said toothed sector and
pinion, as may be preferred by some, a lever is connected to the axes of
the front bogie which can be worked as required. The wheels are so
fitted on their axles that they are free to revolve independently of each
other, thereby enabling the wheels on the inner or outer sides of the
curve respectively to revolve at their proper relative speeds with
diminished friction.
The axles of the wheels may either be fixed with the wheels free to
revolve upon them, or they may be made to revolve with the wheels fast
upon them. In the latter case the axles must be divided in the centre,
in order to allow the wheels at each end thereof to revolve at its proper
speed, an outer casing or tube being made to support the divided
axles.
When cars are propelled by mechanical power the increased facility
afforded for taking and running on curves by the above-described
arrangement of the bogies will be found useful. The said arrangement
also admits of the front and hinder wheels being placed at a considerable
distance apart, thereby giving a solid bearing for the car, and facilitating
its entrance and smooth passage on the curves.
The ordinary breaks, sweepers, and cleaners can be adapted and
applied as usual.

page_text: Grease or lubricating material can be applied to the axles of the
wheels, the inner axles being grooved spirally convey as they rotate the
lubricating material along.
The foregoing statements particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and indicate in what manner the same is
to be performed or put in practice; but in further compliance with the
condition in the said Letters Patent contained I will now further and
particularly describe and ascertain in what manner the same is to be
performed or carried out in practice by reference to the Drawings
accompanying these Presents.

page_text: In witness whereof, I, the said George Glen, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
DAVID HEWISON, Witness,
Writer,
20, Picardy Place,
Edinburgh.
GEORGE GLEN. (L.S.)