IMPROVEMENTS .THE. CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE RAILWAYS, AND IN THE TRUCKS OR CARRIAGES TO BE USED THEREON
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John, Grant, of Albion Place, Maidstone, in 'the
County of Kent, Farmer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
.THE.
CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE RAILWAYS, AND IN THE TRUCKS OR CARRIAGES TO
BE USED THEREON."
Sealed the 24th June 1862, and dated the 15th March 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Grant at the Office
"of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th March
1862.
I, JOHN, GRANT, of Albion Place, Maidstone, in the County of Kent, Farmer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE RAILWAYS, AND IN THE TRUCKS OR CARRIAGES TO BE. USED
THEREON," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in the construction of portable railways and
in the trucks or carriages to be used thereon, relates, in the first place, to a
novel mode of constructing and arranging the several parts of a portable
railway, so. that it may be conveniently transported from place to place for
use in agricultural operations such as harvesting, or carting manure or
agricultural produce about a farm.
The Invention relates, secondly, to the construction of the trucks or carriages
to be used on the portable railway. The object of the; combination, of which
[Price 8d.]

page_text: the Invention consists, is to provide at a very moderate cost the necessary
means and apparatus for economizing labor on large farms, and to so construct
and arrange the several parts..of the. apparatus, that such parts may be trans-
ported from place to place with facility. 1.
In carrying out my Invention the rails (which are of the kind known as
plate rails,) are secured upon longitudinal wooden sleepers of convenient
lengths for a man to carry. The ends of these sleepers are provided with
tongues and sockets so that they may be fitted together, and the ends be thereby
supported reciprocally, when a heavy weight passes over them.. The proper
width between the rails may be maintained by means of transverse tie-rods
bent up at their ends, so that they may be inserted in holes or sockets made
in the longitudinal sleepers for the purpose; and these transverse rods may be
provided with carrying pullies for: supporting a rope, if it be desired to work
the railway trucks with stationary engines. Crossings, or turn-outs, are made
of separate pieces, curved or otherwise, according to the particular kind of cross-
ing required. A turn out at or near a right angle may be made with one
curved piece in combination with a moveable or swivelling straight-piece
which will form part of, the direct track, but is capable of turning on its centre
like a turntable when required. All the carriages or trucks are constructed
with single pairs of running wheels, and when it is desired to turn a carriage
out from the direct track, the wheels of the carriage are brought on to the
moveable and curved portion above mentioned, and by causing one wheel to
rest on the turn plate, and the other to run over the curved turn out, the
carriage may be brought, into a position at right angles to its former direction
and moved off the track. In order to prepare and level the ground to receive
the sleepers, I have devised an apparatus consisting of two or more ploughs
mounted or secured in a frame which also carries the shaft of a pair of heavily
weighted rollers, which are caused to run in the furrows made by the ploughs
in front. These rollers are capable of being moved nearer to or further from
each other on their shaft or axle, which extends laterally beyond the framing,
and carries weights which are moveable laterally along the shaft by means of
suitable tackle under the guidance and control of the man in attendance on
the apparatus. By moving these weights nearer to or further from the rollers
the pressure with which these latter will bear upon the soil may be regulated
at pleasure. At the front part of the frame there is a vertical guiding rod or
post, and as the apparatus is drawn forward the attendant watching the rod
and keeping it in line with another vertical post fixed at a distant part of the
field, the apparatus will be kept in a straight line. All the waggons, trucks,
or carriages, to be used on the railway are constructed with two running

page_text: wheels only, and one of these wheels is made fast on the axle, while the other
runs loosely thereon. Two or more of these carriages: may be joined together
by their end frames, so as to form four. and six-wheeled carriages if required
to carry a bulky load. The bodies of the trucks are connected to the framing
by hinge joints, so that they may be made to tip and deposit the load, these
hinge joints may be arranged to tip the load sideways or at the end as may be
found most convenient. When the trucks are made to tip endways it will be
sometimes advisable to provide a pair of small guide wheels to support the
body of the carriage when tipping, and when the carriage is required to turn
out of the track, these guide wheels may be lifted up off the rails. The larger
trucks are provided with self-acting tailboards which are suspended from
vertical posts secured to the framing, and when the body of the truck is tipped,
the tailboard will be pushed back, and the load shot out beneath it; then upon
the body of the truck being brought back into its original position, the tail-
board will fall back into its proper place, and will be there held by pins or
catches until released.,by the body being tipped. a second time. The trucks
may be of different forms and dimensions depending upon, the purpose for
which they are intended to be used. For harvesting or carting hay, the trucks
will not require any sides except a narrow beading round the edge to prevent
any grains of corn or seed from falling off the truck and being lost.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Grant in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
September 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN GRANT,
of Albion Place, Maidstone, in the County of Kent, Farmer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Grant, Her special license that I, .the said John Grant, my. executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Grant, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE

page_text: RAILWAYS, AND IN THE TRUCKS OR CARRIAGES TO BE USED THEREON," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Grant, 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 per-
formed, 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 John Grant, do hereby declare the nature
of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention of "Improvements in the Construction of Portable Railways,
and in the Trucks or Carriages to be used thereon," relates, in the first place,
to a novel mode of constructing and arranging the several parts of a portable
railway, so that it may be conveniently transported from place to place for
use in agricultural operations such as harvesting or carting manure or agri-
cultural produce about a farm.
The Invention relates, secondly, to the construction of the trucks or carriages
to, be used on the portable railway. The object of the combination of which
the Invention consists is to provide at a very moderate cost the necessary
means and apparatus for economizing labor on large farms or works such
as in brick fields, mining or pottery works, or in loading or unloading barges
or vessels. The several parts of the apparatus are so constructed and
arranged that such parts may be transported from place to place with facility.
In carrying out my Invention the rails (which are of the kind known as plate
rails) are secured upon longitudinal wooden sleepers of convenient lengths
for a man to carry. The ends of these sleepers are provided with tongues and
sockets so that they may be fitted together, and the ends be thereby supported
reciprocally when a heavy weight passes over them. The proper width be-
tween the rails may be maintained by means of transverse tie rods bent up
at their ends so that they may be inserted in holes or sockets made in the
longitudinal sleepers for the purpose, and these transverse rods may be pro-
vided with carrying pullies for supporting a rope if it be desired to work the
railway trucks by means of stationary engines. Crossings or turn outs are
made of separate pieces curved or otherwise according to the particular kind
of crossing required. A turn out at or near a right angle may be made either
with two curved pieces of suitable radius and properly combined together, or
a turn out may be made of one curved piece in combination with a moveable

page_text: Swivelling straight piece which will form part of the direct track but is capable
of turning on its centre like a turntable when required. The carriages or
trucks are by preference constructed with single pairs of running wheels and
when it is desired to turn a carriage out from the direct track the wheels
of the carriage are brought into the moveable and curved position above
mentioned, and by causing one wheel to rest on the turn plate and the other
to run round the curved turn out, the carriage may be brought into a position
at right angles to its former direction and may then be moved along a new
track. In order to prepare and level the ground to receive the sleepers I
have devised an apparatus consisting of two or more ploughs, mounted or
secured in a frame which also carries the shafts of a pair of heavily weighted
rollers, which are caused to run in the furrows made by the ploughs in front.
These rollers are capable of being moved nearer to or further from each other
on their shaft or axle which extends laterally beyond the framing and carries
weights, which are moveable laterally along the shaft by means of suitable tackle
under the guidance and control of the man in attendance on the apparatus.
By moving these weights nearer to or further from the rollers, the pressure
with which these latter will bear upon the soil may be regulated at pleasure.
At the front part of the frame there is a vertical guiding rod or post, and as
the apparatus is drawn forward the attendant watching this rod and keeping
it in line with another vertical post fixed at a distant part of the field, the
apparatus will be kept level and in a straight line.
The waggons, trucks, or carriages to be used on the railway, and which
form the second part of my Invention, are constructed with two running
wheels only, but sometimes they are also provided with a pair of small
supporting wheels; one of the running wheels is made fast on the axle; while
the other runs loosely thereon, two or more of these carriages may be joined
together by their end frames so as to form four and six-wheeled carriages if
required to carry a bulky load. The bodies of the trucks are connected to
the framing by hinge joints so that they may be made to tip and deposit the
load.
These hinge joints may be so arranged to tip the load sideways or
at the end as may be found most convenient. When the trucks are made
to tip endways it will be sometimes advisable to provide a pair of small guide
wheels to support the body of the carriage when tipping, and when the
carriage is required to turn out of the track these guide wheels may be lifted
up off the rails. The larger trucks are provided with self-acting tail boards
which are suspended from vertical posts secured to the framing, and when
the body of the truck is tipped the tailboard will be pushed back and the
load shot out beneath it, then upon the body of the truck being brought back

page_text: into its original position, the tailboard will fall back into its proper place and
will be there held by pins or catches until released by the body being tipped
a second 'time. The trucks may be of different forms and dimensions
depending upon the purpose for which they are intended to be used. For
harvesting or carting hay the trucks will not require any sides except a
narrow beading round the edge to prevent any grains of corn or seed from
falling off the truck' and being lost.
1
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are elevations
of the combined rail and sleeper; and Fig. 3 is an end view of the same.
The combined rails and sleepers A, A', are of various lengths so as to be as
adaptable as possible to the inequalities and undulations of the surface upon
which they are to be placed. The ends B, B', of the rails and sleepers may
be perpendicular, in which" case the ends are 'intended to be merely laid
close to 'and in contact with each other so as to form a continuous straight or
curved line, or the ends may be inclined in a direction parallel to each other,
as shown in Figures 1 and 2, at B, B¹. The end B of the rail A (Fig. 1) is
provided with a flat oblong piece of sheet or plate iron C of the same width
as the bottom of the sleeper and projecting some distance beyond it thereby
forming the tongue C. The end B of the rail A¹, (Fig. 2) has a sufficient
portion of the under side of the sleeper cut away to form a recess for the
reception of the tongue C of the other longitudinal sleeper A. A long piece
of sheet or plate iron C', is bolted or otherwise securely fastened to the under
side of the sleeper in rear of the recess in such a manner as to overlap
the tongue C when placed in the recess of the sleeper A¹. The piece C¹
extends some distance beyond the piece C, as shown be red lines in Fig. 1,
by which arrangement when a loaded truck or other weight is passing along
the rails near to or over the junction of any two such sleepers, the tongue C
and sub-plate C', will be pressed down tightly together and will form a strong
interlocking tie which will prevent the ends of the sleepers and rails from
sinking on soft ground at such junction. In order to retain the rails at the
proper gauge wrought iron tie rods may be employed at intervals, they may
be made of bar iron of suitable strength and with the ends turned at right
angles, as shown at Fig. 3*; these ends are to be placed in the sockets D, D,
(Figures 1, 2, and 3) which are attached to the under side of the sleepers at
the ends of each of the several lengths or wherever it may be requisite to
place the tie rods. These tie rods may also be employed for carrying pullies
in the manner shewn at Fig. 2* when hauling power and ropes are employed.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of part of a railway constructed on my improved plan.
The curved rails D are intended to enable the trucks or carriages to be

page_text: turned off the 'direct track E on" to the branch line "F without the aid of
turntables." It will be seen that the curves and other parts of the line are
fixed, but that the carriage may be run forward in a direct line through
openings made in the curves 'D, D. Fig. 5 shew's in plan" a modification in
which D is a curved rail 'as in Figure 4 and forming a quarter circle round
the metal pivot H, seen detached' in the" sectional view, Fig. 6. The short
piece of rail I' revolves on its pivot 'H'upon the metal' plate J which is let
into 'one of the straight wooden' sleepers at 'the crossing of the two lines of
rails, so that when one of a pair of running 'wheels is drawn' on "to" the centre
of the 'short "piece" of rail I, this piece "of rail with the running" wheel
thereon can be made to revolve on its own vertical 'pin' or 'axis H'so as to
bring it at right angles to the main line E, and in a line with the
branch line F. The other running wheel at the same time' will travel
over the curved rail D until the axle connecting the pair of wheels is
brought at right angles to the branch line F onto which the truck or
carriage can then be drawn." In cases where a' preparation of "the ground
previous to laying down my combined rails and sleepers' may be thought
machine shewn at Fig. 7, Sheet I.,
Fig. 8, a plan of the 'sanie. The
necessary or desirable, I employ the
which is a longitudinal elevation, and
machine consists of the long wooden beam a,' which extends the full length of
the machine, and carries at right angles the long iron axle b, upon which the
wheels "c, c, revólve freely. The position of these wheels on the axle b may
be regulated at pleasure, and they may be secured at any point by means of
moveable linch pins and washers, so that the distance between the wheels may
be made to correspond to the gauge or distance apart at which the 'rails are
to be placed on the ground. To the ends of the axle b are fixed the pullies d, d,
and upon the axle b outside of the wheels c; c, are the moveable pullies e, e,
which are intended to be shifted 'every time the wheels c are shifted; so as to
be kept as near as possible to the wheels. A horizontal bar K fixed behind
the wheels c, c, on the beam a, and at right' angles thereto carries at each end
thereof double pullies 1, 1, and upon the beam a in rear of the bar kare
the double pullies m, m; at the rear end of the beam a there is a' wheel n,
which may be turned by the handle' o. Upon 'the axle b, between the pulleys
d, d, and e, e, are hung the weights p, p, resting upon the pulleys q, q. The
weights p are attached to the cords r and s, which are secured to the rings
which carry the weights p, and these cords pass round the pulleys d; d, e, e,
1, 1, and m, m, and also round the wheel n, so that by turning the handle o
both of the weights p, p, may, at pleasure, be moved along the axle by either
to the right or left. To the beam a, a short distance in front 'of the axle b,

page_text: This frame
to hold the
is a frame g, g¹, which carries the light mould board ploughs f, f.
may be expanded or drawn out and closed in at pleasure, so as
ploughs at any required distance apart. At the end of the beam a is a
straight vertical rod j, which may be called the directing rod. Detached from
the machine is the straight pole t, Fig. 7, provided with a plummet line, so
that it may be fixed in a perfectly perpendicular position. The pole t having
been fixed in a vertical position at the further side of a field or space, across
which it is proposed to lay down a straight line of rails, the wheels c, c, of the
machine shewn at Fig. 7, are fixed at the distance apart at which it is
intended to lay the rails. The ploughs f, f, (when used) are fixed exactly in
front of the wheels c, c, and are intended to remove any earth which may
obstruct the level passage of the wheels c, c. The machine is drawn towards
the pole teither by manual, horse, steam or other convenient power, and is
guided by a man at the rear end of the beam a, whose duty it is to look con-
stantly towards the pole t, and to keep it in a line with and covered by the
rod j'. The skilful performance of this duty will insure the passage of the
machine in a straight line. By means of the pressure of the wheels c, C;
upon the soft ground, two creases with smooth and firm hard buttons are
formed of the proper width for the reception of the sleepers. I would
remark that when in using this machine the rod inclines either to the right
or left of the perpendicular pole it indicates that the wheels c, c, are not
level, and it is then the duty of the man at the rear end of the beam a, by
turning the handle o to draw the weights p, p, along the axle b in the opposite
direction to that towards which the rod i inclines until the rod i returns to the
perpendicular.
The frame-
L, one pair
Fig. 1, Sheet II., is a side elevation; Fig. 2 an end view of a ballast
truck, which forms part of the second head of my Invention. A, A, is the
under framework, consisting of two parallel sides braced together by cross
pieces, as shewn in the plan view, Fig. 3, of this framing. To one of
these cross pieces the body of the truck B is attached by the hinges C, C,
upon which it may be tilted by the handle D, as shown in Fig. 4.
work A is mounted upon the two pairs of wheels K, K, and L,
of which, K, K, may be termed the running wheels, and the other L, L, the
guide wheels. The axles of these wheels revolve in bearings attached to the
blocks M and M', so that the truck can be raised to a convenient height for
being tilted. The axle of the wheels K, K, is so placed that the truck, whether
loaded or empty, is nearly balanced upon it, the weight only slightly inclining
towards the guiding wheels L, L, which, when it is desired to turn the truck
on to a branch line, may be easily lifted off the rails by the weight of a man

page_text: leaning upon the hinder ends of the framework. This arrangement admits of
the truck being easily turned upon the two running wheels K, either upon
curved rails or upon one curved 'rail and a revolving pivot, as described with
reference to Figures 4 and 5, Sheet I.; N, N, are two vertical posts, fixed
upon the side beams of the framing at the broad or tail end of the truck.
These posts support the self-acting tailboard O, the iron arms P; P, of which
pass through the upper ends of the posts N, and act as hinges for the tailboard
to swing upon. When the tailboard is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, the lower part
is held in its place by the catches Q, Q, which rest against strong wrought-iron
stops fixed on to the projecting ends of the framing of the body of the truck.
The stops slope outwards and upwards away from the catches, in order to
allow for the outward motion of the tailboard during the process of opening
when the truck is being tipped or emptied. The truck is tipped by means of
the handle D, whereby the end of the truck may be lifted up, and the body
tilted upon the hinges C, C, as shewn in Fig. 4. By tilting the truck in this
manner the tail end with the stops will be depressed, and will' sink away from
the catches Q of the tailboard O, which is suspended from the hinge's P of
vertical posts N. The tailboard O will then be free to be pushed open by. the
weight of the load pressing against it when the truck is tilted, the load will
then be discharged under the tailboard. As soon as the load is discharged
the body of the truck may be tilted back again upon the hinges C, C, into its
former horizontal position, when the tailboard O will close again of its own
weight, the catches Q, Q, at the same time falling into their former position
behind the stops.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation, and Fig. 6 an end view of another form of
barrow or truck. Two or more of these barrows may be connected together
to form what I term a divisible train, which will therefore consist of a number
of barrows, each having two running wheels connected together in the manner
shewn. A, A, are two frames, shewn in plan at Fig. 7, and each supported
upon a pair of wheels. One wheel of each pair is keyed to its axle, and the
other turns loosely upon it. B, B1, Figures 5 and 6, are two distinct bodies,
and when two of such bodies and carriages are united together they form a
four-wheeled barrow, truck, or a portion of a divisible train of reciprocally
supported barrows. The bodies B, B¹, are fastened by the hinges C, C, C, C,
to the frames A, A. They may be raised up or tilted for the purpose of
tipping the load out of the truck, as indicated by dots in Fig. 6. To the under
side of one of the framings A are attached staples E; E, through which is
passed the pole F, which is permanently attached by means of bolts to the
under side of the other framing A. The pole F is secured in the staples E, E,

page_text: by the pin G, so that when two trucks are combined they will form one four-
wheeled barrow, truck, or train of barrows, divisible at pleasure, by removing
the coupling pin G. The barrows B when separated may be easily turned on
to a branch line, provided either with two curved rails,, or one curved rail
and a revolving pivot, as described with reference to Figures 4 and 5, Sheet I.,
and the four-wheeled barrow, truck or train of barrows may be readily
enabled to travel past the circular or curved line of rails by removing the
coupling pin G, which will allow the barrows to be separated. A four-wheeled
harvest truck may be made by constructing the body of the truck with a flat
boarded platform of any convenient size for loading up, sheaves of corn in
several layers, one above another. Such a truck will require no sides; but a
narrow raised edge or rim may be secured on the edge to save any grains of
corn that may drop out of the ears on to the platform. This harvest truck may
be mounted upon a pair of large running wheels, and a pair of guide wheels.
as in Fig. 4. A four-wheeled divisible harvest truck may be made on; the
principle of the train of barrows shewn at Figures 5, 6, and 7: Sheet II.
The bodies of each truck will be furnished with flat-boarded platforms of any
convenient size provided with narrow raised edges or rims. These separate
trucks will be capable of being united, so as to form one four-wheeled divisible
harvest truck in a similar manner to that before described and shewn in
Figures 5, 6, and 7, Sheet II.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in the Constru-
tion of Portable Railways, and in the Trucks or Carriages to be used
thereon, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, 1
claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid :-
First, the mode herein set forth of constructing and applying portable
railways.
Second, the machine or apparatus above described for preparing or levelling
the ground to receive the portable railways.
Third, I claim the mode or modes herein set forth of constructing and
connecting the carriages together.
'
In witness whereof, I, the said John Grant, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Fifteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
:
JNO. GRANT. (L.S.)