IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS AND RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jacques Rives, of 8, Hotel Motay, Rue Motay,
Paris, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS AND RAILWAY
CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 13th April 1854, and dated the 10th February 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jacques Rives at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
February 1854.
I, JACQUES RIVES, of 8, Hotel Motay; Rue Motay, Paris, do hereby declare
the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS AND RAILWAY
CARRIAGES" to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the reducing the amount of power neces-
sary for propelling trains on railways, and more particularly on the curved
portions of such roads, and at the same time diminishing the risk of accidents,
and this I do by rendering the wheels independent the one of the other by
mounting one or both of them on tubes, which slide on to but turn indepen-
dently of the axle, and in this way I also improve the lubrication of the rubbing
parts, the oil being supplied to the space between the axle and the exterior
tube. I also render the passage round curves more easy and safe, by arranging
the axles in such a manner that they may be set at any angle the one to the
´other, by means of screws or other suitable instruments, which are acted on,

page_text: by an arm which comes in contact with guides fixed in the roadway, and
which guides correspond with the curve at the commencement of which they
are placed; and as the application of these improvements renders necessary
considerable steadiness in the train, I connect the carriages together by means
of bars, which proceed from one side of one carriage to the other side of the
other, and vice versa; and I also increase the steadiness while running, by
imbedding in the process of rolling a bar of steel in the tyre of the wheels, and
in the rails on which they run. The carriages are also so connected together
that the sudden stoppage or deviation from the right course of the front
carriage, by acting on a bar projecting from the carriage behind, forces a skid
under the wheels of the hinder carriage..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jacques Rives in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
August 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JACQUES
RIVES, of 8, Hotel Motay, Rue Motay, Paris, send greeting.
WHEREAS. Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her, heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Jacques Rives, Her special licence that I, the said Jacques Rives, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jacques Rives, 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, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS AND RAILWAY.
CARRIAGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jacques
Rives, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Jacques Rives, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,

page_text: to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment thereof (that is to say):-
My Invention has for its object the reducing the amount of power neces-
sary for propelling trains on railways, and more particularly on the curved
5 portions of such roads, and at the same time diminishing the risk of accidents,
and this I do by rendering the wheels independent the one of the other by
mounting one or both of them on tubes, which slide on to but turn indepen-
dently of the axle, and in this way I also improve the lubrication of the rubbing
parts, the oil being supplied to the space between the axle and the exterior
tube. I also render the passage round curves more easy and safe, by arranging
the axles in such a manner that they may be set at any angle the one to the
other, by means of screws or other suitable instruments, which are acted on by
an arm, which comes in contact with guides fixed in the roadway, and which
guides correspond with the curve at the commencement of which they are
placed; and as the application of these improvements renders necessary con-
siderable steadiness in the train, I connect the carriages together by means
of bars, which proceed from one side of one carriage to the other side of the
other, and vice versa, and I also increase the steadiness while running, by
imbedding in the process of rolling a bar of steel in the tyre of the wheel,
and in the rails on which they run. The carriages are also so connected
together that the sudden stoppage or deviation from the right course of the
front carriage, by acting on a bar projecting from the carriage behind, forces a
skid under the wheels of the hinder carriage.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
A, B, (Figure 1, Sheet 1) is an axle, on which are two wheels C and M.
The wheel C is fast on the axis, and the wheel M is moveable on the axis,
but is fast on the tube T, T, which tube is as long as the distance between the
two wheels. The interior diameter of the tube is large enough to pass over
the axis, only coming in contact with it at the ends. When the wheels are
in motion, and are travelling on a straight line, the moveable wheel and tube
does not turn on the axle, but as soon as they get into a curve the one which
is on the outside of the curve moves quicker than the other, having a longer
distance to run over.
Figure 2 is a modification of Figure 1. In this arrangement the axle is fixed,
and is attached at the ends to the waggon. The wheel M has a tube which

page_text: friction. on the
is supported at the end on the axle in A. The wheel M' has also a tube
which passes over the first, and this tube is supported at its further end on the
tube of the wheel M. in A'. The wheels are kept in the proper position on
the axis by the discs r, r, which retain the bosses F, F, of the axle, and the
disc r,, maintains the proper distance between the wheels. The naves of
the wheel are lined with brass or other metal to diminish the
axle. The enlargement of the axle at m is to check any vibration. of the
tubes in running. When the wheels are in motion they have the same
property, which has been already described, that is, when they run straight
the wheels turn equally on the axle, but when there is any curve in the line
one wheel runs with a greater velocity than the other.
The above-described construction not only allows the wheels to run freely
on the curves, but it also permits of the use of a new system of lubricating,
in which the lubricating boxes are dispensed with. The oil or grease is intro-
duced into the reservoir formed by the enlargement of the axle m, and the
bosses F, either by separating the wheels or by holes in the tubes, which are
closed by screw plugs. The oil so enclosed will run in all the rubbing parts.
Figure 3 shows another modification of the arrangement, which will be
readily understood without any detailed description. A section of those three
apparatus is shown by the Figures 4, 5, and 6.
I will now proceed to describe the apparatus by which the axles are caused
to place themselves radially to the curve in which they are travelling.
Figure 1, Sheet 2, shows a side view, partly in section, of so much of the
apparatus as is attached to the carriage. a, a¹, is a spindle having at each end
a screw with several threads; the threads at one end turn to the right, and at
the other end to the left; each of these screws acts on nuts E, E, which are
attached to the bearings of the axles. Those nuts E, E, are well supported by
guide plates, in which they slide when operated on by the screw. The guard
plates also carry stops e, e, which are strongly fixed by screws, so as to prevent
the long screw a, a, from travelling longitudinally. To the middle of this
screw is attached a lever t, with which the screw is turned in one direction or
another. If the lever is moved forward, the end of the bar a, which has a
right-handed thread, will cause the nut E to move towards the centre of the
carriage, while the end of the screw a³, having a left-handed thread, will also
cause the nut E¹ to advance towards the centre, so that the two nuts will
move towards each other. In moving the lever in the opposite direction it is
evident that the two nuts will move from each other. The motion of the
lever t, and consequently that of the screw, is given by another lever, which is

page_text: shown in Figure 2. q, q, is a lever, which turns on a centre fixed to the
waggon; this lever receives two connecting links m, m, which are in commu-
nication with the two screws a, a³, by means of the arms t, t. The lever q is
surrounded by two elastic bands of iron d, d, which act like breaks, so as to
support the lever in all positions.
+
Figure 3 shows in plan, with the same letters, the arrangements I have
already explained.
Figure 4 shows the manner in which the lever is operated upon; that
Figure shows a road with straight portions A, A, curves B, B, and counter
curves B', B'; the road has in the straight portions A, A, and in the centre of
the roadway, iron bars forming a double inclined plane p, p, widened outside
and smaller in the middle. Before and after the curves are other inclined
planes p, p, which begin in the middle of the road, and are inclined to the
outside of the curve. There is another inclined plane p", ", in the place
where the two opposite curves join together. If a carriage is put in motion
with the lever q vertical, it will go through the inclined plane p without being
moved, but if that lever is not quite in a vertical position, the inclined plane
will put it into that position. The carriage arriving at the beginning of the
curve finds the inclined plane p', which moves the lever to the exterior side
of the curve. At the same time the axles of the carriage, which were parallel,
converge and dispose themselves. according to the radius of the curve, the
inclined plane in the roadway.being always set so as to give this amount of
convergence; the carriage continuing to run goes out of the curve, finds an
inclined plane like the first one, but placed in a contrary direction, and the
lever is carried down again into the middle of the way; the axles are again
parallel, so as to run on a straight line. To be certain that the arrangement
of the axles is correct we place again in the middle of the way a double
inclined plane, in order to set the lever in a vertical position if necessary.
When the carriage arrives on a new curve the parts act as before, but when
it goes out of a curve to enter on another curve of contrary position the
inclined plane p", ", which takes the end of the lever, not only conducts it
into the middle of the way, but carries it beyond; and the axles which con-
verged according to the radius of the first curve now converge according to
the radius of the opposite curve, the carriage runs in that road as it did in
the first one, and the lever goes through a last inclined plane, which places it
again vertical.
I will now describe the manner in which I attach the carriages to one
another, so as to obtain that stability which is advisable when applying the

page_text: other parts of my Invention. B, B, (Figure 1, Sheet 2,) are arms, strongly
attached on the sides of the carriages, the length of which arms regulates the
distance between the carriages, and they are arranged so that the end of these
arms can cross one another. The arms receive two connecting links n, n,
which are shewn in plan in Figure 3; these connecting links are of the same
length, and can be attached on to the two arms of one carriage when the car-
riages are not joined together. But when the carriages are joined together to
run on the road, the links are crossed so as each to be attached to two
carriages.
I will now proceed to describe the manner in which I encrease the steadi-
ness while running, by imbedding in the process of rolling. a bar of steel in the
tyre of the wheels, and in the rails on which they run.
Figure 1, Sheet 3, shows a section of a pile from which a rail is to be
rolled; it is compounded of iron bars e, c, enclosing two bars of steel ȧ, a.
Figure 2 shows another pile nearly like the first, and differing only in the
shape of the steel bars a, a. The piles so composed are to be heated and
rolled down the usual way, and then I obtain a rail shewn in Figure 3.
The pile which is to produce the tyres of the wheels is shewn in section at
Figure 4.
c, e, and e¹, el, are iron bars, and a, a, steel bars drawn out and
brought to form by suitable guages or tools; a section of the bar in this
state is shewn in Figure 5. The pile is then welded, and the bars are then
bent and welded, for which purpose each end is notched, as is shewn at
Figure 6, and the parts to be welded are well cleaned. The tyre in this state
is fixed on the frame Figure 7, by the screws v, v; it is then heated to a dull
red heat; then the sides of the weld are hammered to bring all the parts into
contact. Afterwards the weld is completed at a full welding heat, and is
finished by the tools E, F, Figure 8. To make tyres of wheels without
welding I prepare a compound bar by piling, as shown at Figure 9, and it is
then rolled down as shown at Figure 91 and Figure 9", and then bars of iron,
together with these compound bars of steel and iron, are wound into a spiral,
as shown at Figure 11. This spiral is then placed on a mandril and welded
by tools, shown at Figure 12. Afterwards it passes to the tools E, Figure 8,
which are supported by the anvil A, which is placed on their legs B, B', one of
which is moveable, to enable the tyre to be placed under the tools. From the
tools, Figure 8, the tyre passes to the rollers, Figures 13 and 14; these are
arranged on standards m, m³, and the lower roller can be brought up to the
upper by iron screws v, v; there is also a back roller R, Figure 14, to keep
the tyre in form. To insert the tyre between the rolls the piece n is removed,

page_text: and the top roller slides out of the bearing m. When the tyre is finished as
before described, it is hardened by being placed in a heated state in the
cylinder A, the cover A³ being removed for the purpose, and mounted on an
axis to which motion is given. Water is introduced at B, and escapes at B¹,
and is thus brought in contact with every part of the tyre..
I will now describe the manner in which the carriages are connected toge-
ther, so that the sudden stoppage or deviation from the right course of the front
carriage by acting on a bar projecting from the carriage behind forces a skid
under the wheels of the binder carriage. Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 4, show a side
elevation of the arrangement of the apparatus; Figure 3, an end elevation;
and Figures 4 and 5, a plan. A, A, are the skids, which are supported by the
centres d, d, which are attached to the bearing of the wheel; the connecting pin
between the centre d and the skid passes through the guard plate, in which
there is a slot g, to enable the carriage to rise and fall on its springs without
coming in contact with the pin. The two skids on the same side of the carriage
are connected together by the rod M, which causes them to act simultaneously,
while the bar N maintains the correct distance between the opposite skids. To
the rod M is attached another rod M', which is attached to the hanging bar n,
which lodges between a notch in the bar B (see Figures 7 and 8) and a notch
in the piece F, which turns on centres attached to the frame C, and is pressed
ou bebind by a spring. In the bar B are holes t, t', in one of which is placed
a pin, which when the front carriage is violently checked (but not otherwise)
comes in contact with the plate P attached to the hinder part of the front
carriage, and through the hole a, in which plate the bar B passes; when this
takes place it will be seen that the bar B is pushed back, brings the inclined
plane m in contact with the projecting pin o on the piece F, and causes it to
liberate the lever n, which is then carried forward by the bar B, and thus the
skids are forced under the wheels. It will also be seen that should the bar B
be largely deflected to the right or left, as, for instance, by a carriage running off
the line, the side of the bar B will come in contact with the projecting pin o¹ on
the lever r, and by this means again the skid will be placed under the wheels,
and in either case the skid can be raised by reversing the motion of the bar B.
Further there is attached to the piece P, Figure 6, a lever h, which is con-
nected by the rod e¹ and the lever E to A', which is a prolongation of the
skid of the front carriage; thus when this skid is depressed the lever h acts on
the box B, and causes the skid of the hinder carriage also to descend. Also
connected to the bar B there is (see Figure 1) a connecting rod T supported
by bearings p; on the end of the rod T is a hook bentering into the eye a.

page_text: From this description it will be seen that when the front carriage is suddenly
stopped, the end 6 of the bar T comes in contact with the incline b', the hook
is lifted out of the eye, and the carriages are disconnected.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jacques Rives, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of August, in the year of our Lord &
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
JACQUES RIVES. (L.S.)