A Wagon or Vehicle with Endless or Travelling Railway.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left. 23rd Mar., 1891-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1891
1
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Wagon or Vehicle with Endless or Travelling Railway.
I, PAUL PHILIPPE BEDEAU, of 1, Boulevard St. Denis, Paris, France,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to the construction of a wagon or vehicle carrying
its own metal way; this way as the vehicle travels comes under the wheels then
rises and again comes under the wheels, the action being continuous and the railway
endless. Vehicles thus constructed are adapted for the use of contractors or for
other purposes where the ground to be travelled over is unmade or rough.
The endless railway is jointed; the rails are jointed to transverse beams on which
they rest so that they have the form of a sort of chain which can bend but in one
direction only and which can be connected up at its two ends like a belt. This
endless way passes over two guide drums one at each end of the wagon and above
and under the wheels which it passes tangentially. Only the wheels of the wagon
bring their weight upon the rails, the drums being merely to hold and guide them.
Motion being given to the wagon it is the simple contact of the wheels with the
rails that gives the travelling movement to the endless way. The wagon can be
pulled or pushed at either end, and the power may be that of men, animals or a
mechanical motor.
Having described the nature of the invention I will explain how it can be carried
into effect.
The jointed way is composed of transverse beams, of rails whose length is about
one third greater than the width of the beams, and of an endless chain connecting
the beams together at their middle. The beams are composed of two parallel
angle irons connected together at each end by two other angle irons at right angles
thereto ;
these two angle irons are placed back to back at a distance apart equal
to the width of the rail. The vertical wings of these two irons constitute a part
of the general rail. Elongated holes are formed in the vertical wings of the irons
to receive a pin carried by the rail so that the latter can pivot and slide between
these irons. The two first described angle irons are further connected at their
middle by a metal plate to the centre of which the endless chain is fixed.
Each section of the rail is composed of two flat strips of iron rounded at the
ends and having as a centre the pin above described so that they can pivot on this
pin and free themselves in rising from the transverse angle iron on which the rail
on the contrary rests while descending; this allows the rail to bend in the one
direction while it is rigid in the other. The ends of the flat strips forming the
rail are of approximately S-form which allows them to slightly incline in the
grooves and to slide between the vertical wings of the angle irons up to the point
where they assume the general width of the rail. The pin on which the rail pivots
has at its middle a boss or enlargement between the two strips of the rail to prevent
it leaving its position and projecting above or below the rail.
The endless chain is simply fixed to the middle of each transverse beam by a
rivet or bolt. It keeps these beams in the axis of the railway at a constant
distance apart.
When the wagon changes its direction in travelling the endless railway is caused
to describe a curve as hereinafter explained and while the endless chain attached
to the transverse beams keeps the centres of these at the same distance apart in the.
axis of the way the sections of the rail slide in the elongated holes above described
so that the beams at one end move further apart and at the other move nearer
together.
The wagon to which the endless railway is adapted is composed of an ordinary

page_text: wagon frame with wheels mounted on axles which turn in bearings with grease
boxes, a brake being added if required. There are two guide drums one at each
end in the central line of the wagon. The central endless chain is placed over
these drums and passes over à pulley situated between each drum and the wheels ;
these pulleys serve to support and guide the chain. There are two smaller drums
at each end of the vehicle situated at the respective sides of the large drum; these
smaller drums receive the rails of the jointed railway and serve to support it.
All the drums and pulleys turn freely on their shafts. The lines of the smaller
drums and of the pulleys are fixed. The larger drums are held in frames pivoted
on a vertical pin in a cross beam of the wagon. A lever fixed to the drum frame
imparts to this latter and to the drum a turning movement to the right or left
according to whether it is pulled or pushed so as to obtain a change of direction.
In either case the face of the cylinder being then at a greater or less angle to the
straight line compels the vehicle to take this direction. The drum frame is pro-
longed towards the wagon frame so as to come under a semicircular support against
which, and while turning, it bears. This support keeps the drum frame in
equilibrium and maintains its horizontal position. The shaft on which the large
drum turns has a flat part at each end to engage in an opening or guideway in the
sides of its frame so that the drum by means of adjusting screws may be moved
nearer to or further from the wagon frame so as to slack or tighten up the jointed
railway as required.
If the vehicle is pushed by hand the change of direction is obtained by a hand
lever at the side of the rear of the wagon. This hand lever is connected with the
lever that acts directly on the large drum by a rod carried along the wagon frame
and as the wagon can travel in either direction the parts are duplicated at the
opposite end and side so that the man who pushes the wagon may always have a
hand lever within reach at whichever end of the wagon he may be. A notched
sector keeps the hand lever in any desired position. When the wagon is travelling
the rear large drum should be kept in the straight or central position by leaving
the corresponding hand lever in the first or non-acting notch, as it is the front
drum by which the wagon should be guided. If the wagon is drawn by animal
power the lever that moves the drum will extend across the wagon and the horse
or horses will be attached to the two ends of the lever. If several wagons are
coupled their levers will be connected together by chains.
The same jointed railway can be made to pass round the wheels of several
wagons, only the two end wagons being in this case fitted with a guide drum, but
this combination would prevent any of the wagons being used separately.
Dated this 5th day of July 1890.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Wagon or Vehicle with Endless or Travelling Railway.
I, PAUL PHILIPPE BEDEAU, of 1, Boulevard St. Denis, Paris, France,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
-
My invention has reference to the construction of a wagon or vehicle carrying
its own metal way; this way as the vehicle travels comes under the wheels, then
rises and again comes under the wheels, the action being continuous and the railway
endless. Vehicles thus constructed are adapted for the use of contractors or for
other purposes where the ground to be travelled over is unmade or rough.
The endless railway is jointed; the rails are jointed to transverse beams on
which they rest so that they have the form of a sort of chain which can bend, but
in one direction only and which can be connected up at its two ends like a belt,

page_text: This endless way passes over two guide drums one at each end of the wagon and
above and under the wheels which it passes tangentially. Only the wheels of the
wagon bring their weight upon the rails, the drums being merely to hold and
guide them. Motion being given to the wagon it is the simple contact of the
wheels with the rails that gives the travelling movement to the endless way. The
wagon can be pulled or pushed at either end and the power may be that of men,
animals or a mechanical motor.
Having described the nature of the invention I will explain how it can be
carried into effect.
The jointed way is represented in Sheet 1 of the annexed drawings. It is
composed of transverse beams T, of rails B whose length is about one third
greater than the width of the beams, and of an endless chain V connecting the
beams together at their middle o. The beams T are composed of two parallel
angle irons i, i connected together at each end by two other angle irons p, at
right angles thereto; these two angle irons are placed back to back at a distance
apart equal to the width of the rail B. The vertical wings of these two irons
constitute a part of the general rail. Elongated holes e are formed in the vertical
wings of the irons p, p¹ to receive a pin carried by the rail B so that the latter
can pivot and slide between these irons. The two angle irons i, i are further con-
nected at their middle by a metal plates to the centre of which the endless
chain V is fixed. The transverse beams can obviously be constructed in other
ways than that described as for instance of stamped sheet metal or of iron bars of
other sections. Each section of the rail B is composed of two flat strips of iron h, h¹
rounded at the ends and having the pin r as a centre so that they can pivot on
this pin and free themselves in rising from the transverse angle iron i on which the
rail on the contrary rests while descending; this allows the rail to bend in the one
direction while it is rigid in the other. The ends of the flat strips h, h' are of
approximately $ form which allows them to slightly incline in the grooves and to
slide between the vertical wings of the angle irons p, p¹ up to the point where
they assume the general width of the rail. The pin on which the rail B pivots
has at its middle a boss or enlargement between the two strips h, h' of the rail to
prevent it leaving its position and projecting above or below the rail.
The endless chain V is simply fixed to the middle o, o', ol of each transverse
beam T by a rivet or bolt. It keeps these beams in the axis of the railway at a
constant distance apart.
When the wagon changes its direction in travelling the endless railway is caused
to describe a curve as hereinafter explained and while the endless chain V attached
to the transverse beams T keeps the centres of these at the same distance apart
in the axis of the way, the sections of the rail B slide in the elongated holes e so
that the beams at one end move further apart-see a, b, c, d and at the other
move nearer together-see a, b, c, d.
The wagon to which the endless railway is adapted is represented in various
views in Sheets 2 and 3 of the drawings. It is composed of an ordinary wagon
frame A with wheels R mounted on axles e which turn in bearings with grease
boxes r, a brake f being added if required. There are two guide drums C C one
at each end in the central line of the wagon. The central endless chain is placed
over these drums and passes over a pulley E situated between each drum and the
wheels, these pulleys serve to support and guide the chain. There are two
smaller drums D D at each end of the vehicle situated at the respective sides of
the large drum C; these smaller drums receive the rails of the jointed railway and
serve to support it. All the drums and pulleys turn freely on their shafts. The
ines of the smaller drums D D and of the pulleys E E are fixed. These drums
and pulleys are merely guides and can obviously be replaced by drums or rollers
placed in other suitable positions. The drums C are held in frames a pivoted on a
vertical pin in a cross beam of the wagon. A lever d fixed to the frame a
mparts to this latter and to the drum C a turning movement to the right or left
ccording to whether it is pulled or pushed so as to obtain a change of direction.

page_text: In either case the face of the drum being then at a greater or less angle to the
straight line compels the vehicle to take this direction. The drum frame a is
prolonged towards the wagon frame A so as to come under a semicircular
support against which and while turning it bears. This support keeps the
frame a in equilibrium and maintains its horizontal position. The shaft on which
the drum C turns has a flat part at each end to engage in an opening or guideway n
in the sides of its frame so that the drum by means of adjusting screws & may be
moved nearer to or further from the wagon frame in order to slack or tighten up
the jointed railway as required.
%
If the vehicle is pushed by hand the change of direction is obtained by a hand
levers at the side of the rear of the wagon. This lever is connected with the
lever d that acts directly on the drum C by a rod t carried along the wagon frame A
and as the wagon can travel in either direction the parts are duplicated at the
opposite end and side so that the man who pushes the wagon may always have a
hand levers within reach at whichever end of the wagon he may be. A notched
sector Z keeps the lever s in any desired position. When the wagon is travelling
the rear drum C should be kept in the straight or central position by leaving the
corresponding levers in the first or non-acting notch as the wagon should be
guided by the front drum C. If the wagon is drawn by animal power the lever d
will extend across the wagon as indicated at and the horse or horses will be
attached to the two ends of the lever. If several wagons are coupled their levers
will be connected together by chains.
The same jointed railway can be made to pass round the wheels of several
wagons only the two end wagons being in this case fitted with a guide drum C but
this combination would prevent any of the wagons being used separately.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In a wagon or vehicle, the combination with a wagon frame of an endless
chain supported by the said frame and carrying or having connected thereto a
series of movable transverse beams on which are jointed the parts or elements of
a movable or travelling railway, which can as required be inclined or directed to
the right or left, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In a wagon or vehicle, a travelling railway formed of parts or elements, each
jointed at its ends to two adjoining transverse beams and capable of receiving a
slight displacement in relation to these beams, which are themselves supported by
an endless chain connected with the wagon and suitably guided, the said chain
being adapted to receive, by means of movable drums, a displacement to the right
or left which produces a like displacement of the railway and consequently a
lateral displacement or change of direction of the wagon or vehicle substantially as
hereinbefore described.
'
1 1001
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.