CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS OR WAYS AND IN THE CARRIAGES TO BE USED THEREON
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-seventh day of April, in the tenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege, and
authority that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her
Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, and in the Islands of Jersey,
Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, an Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS OR WAYS AND IN THE CARRIAGES TO BE USED
THEREON," being a communication from a foreigner residing abroad; in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be enrolled in Her
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and

page_text: immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed and to the letters and figures
marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The nature of this Invention, as communicated to me by my foreign cor-
respondent, consists, firstly, in the sustaining of railways which are elevated
rabove the ordinary level of streets or other parts of cities or towns to prevent
inconvenience to the ordinary commerce and travel in the streets, such
elevated railways being sustained upon transverse beams, which are supported
by columns or pillars erected on the side walks of the street, along the usual
Jine of the curbstones of the side walks, and which, if desired, may be con-
nected with other pillars or with the buildings fronting on the street; where
parks and other places are to be passed over, the columns are to be
arranged in such manner as may be most suitable. Upon the transverse
beams sustained by the pillars, longitudinal bridge rails are placed to receive
the railway bars, or their upper portions may constitute the rails for the
passage of the carriages; the transverse beams have on them other devices
necessary to the use of the structure, and to be presently explained. There
are on each elevated railway to be four trucks for the passing of carriages,
two of these to be for the main passenger carriages to pass in reverse
directions, and two for other carriages, denominated tenders, that are used for
the purpose of enabling passengers to enter or leave the main carriages at
intermediate stopping places, without its being necessary to arrest the speed
of the main carriages. The carriages are to be moved over the elevated
railway by means of endless ropes or chains of any suitable kind, which ropes
or chains are to be actuated by stationary steam engines, the cars or ropes
may, however (should it be found convenient), be propelled by other motive
power. Suitable stairways or elevations are to be established at the junctions
of streets, or in any other situations where passengers are to ascend to or
leave the elevated railways.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1, Sheet I., shews two of the cast-iron
columns that are to be placed in the ordinary line of the curbstones for
supporting the transverse beams on opposite sides of the street. A is the
shaft of the column, which may be about ten feet in height, and this is to be

page_text: cast with a shatt B extending down from its lower end to such distance as
may be found necessary. In the Figure it is shewn as equal in length to the
column, but it is probable that half this length may suffice. The shaft B
passes into a well-like cavity C, which may be walled up or temporarily curbed
to receive it. The lower end of the column is to rest on a permanent foun-
dation of stone or iron e, on which it is to be so adjusted as to stand vertically,
as the place of its upper end cannot be varied after the column has been once
adjusted; the space C around the shaft B may be filled in with any suitable
material; D is an iron plate that surrounds the shaft B and covers the space
C, and by means of key bolts or screws the column may be braced and
steadied at this place, or it may be raised vertically so far off from its
foundation below ground (but not entirely off the cylindrical piece e³, embraced
by its lower end), as that its whole weight shall be sustained by the base of
the column at the surface of the street, the piece e' below ground retaining
the column in its vertical position. The whole shaft A, B, is hollow, and may
perform the office of lamp-posts, &c. On its upper end above the capital it is
continued in one casting, say, to the height of two feet, as at E, and into this
enters a shaft or leg F, which is cast on to the transverse beam G, G, or a
hollow may be cast in the transverse beam to receive a shaft of wrought iron,
adjusting screws H, H, may pass through the transverse beams and bear
against the shaft of the column and others I, I, through the said column, and
bear against the leg F of the transverse beam. The rails J, J, are those upon
which the passenger carriages are to run, and those marked K, K, for the
tenders. One of those marked J is shewn as placed immediately over the
column, and this is done because the weight of the passenger carriages will
much exceed that of the tenders. The track J, J, is shewn as six feet wide,
and that of K, K, as three feet, with a space also of three feet between them.
Fig. 2 (see Sheet II.) is a bird's-eye view of this mode of sustaining
elevated railways, drawn on a smaller scale than Fig. 1, and shewing the eight
rails, four on each side of the street, with a vacant space M between them
over the carriage way, the transverse beams occupying but about six feet on
each side of the column. Fig. 2ª is an end view, and Fig. 2b is a side view
of Fig. 2.
Fig. 8, Sheet I., represents a structure varied in some of its arrangements
from those shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, the transverse beams in Fig. 3 extending
from column to column across the street. A, A, are the columns in the line
of the curbstone, shewn as twelve feet in height; G", G", (colored blue) are
sections of the transverse beams shown in Fig. 4 of the same Sheet; L, L, is
the bridge rail, which is not seen in Fig. 1, and upon which the railway bars

page_text: J, J, K,K, Fig. 1, are sustained, or rather are formed, as the upper edges of the
bridge rail may constitute the track rail. The columns on the plan shewn
in Fig. 8, do not require to be provided with the shaft B and its appendages
shewn in Fig. 1, as the transverse beam G" extends from side to side of the
street, whilst in the plan first described there is a double track on each side of
the street, with an open space between them over the carriage way of the
street as above remarked; N, N, Fig. 4, are recesses into which a projecting
tongue of the bridge rail is received, this recess being sufficiently wide to allow
for the expansion and contraction of the bridge rail, which is also received on
a projection O on the transverse beam, allowing of a like expansion and
contraction; P, P, are wedges that confine the bridge rail in place. The ends
of the bridge rails and the wedges are so adjusted to the recess and projection
on the transverse beam, that by removing the wedge the bridge rail may be
removed and replaced by another without disturbing the transverse beam;
Q is a piece of iron intermediate between the ends of the bridge rail, its upper
part being in the form of a section of the track rail, it is made fast to the
transverse bean, and serves to divide the space allowed for expansion and
contraction of the bridge rails into two parts, this space being otherwise
considerable, as each bridge rail is calculated to be about twenty-five feet in
length. The ends of the rails where they meet should be cnt obliquely or
mitre fashion, as is frequently practised on railroads.
Figures 5 and 6, Sheet II., are bird's-eye or top views of the elevated railway
with the transverse beams extended from column to column on opposite sides of
the street. Fig.5", Fig. 5b, and Fig. 6ª, are end and side views of Figs. 5 and 6.
In these Figures as well as in each of the others where like parts occur, they
are designated by the same letters of reference. The line R, R, is supposed
to represent that of the fronts of the houses and the curves S, S, the termina-
tions of the elevated railway, where the carriages may pass round and return
on the opposite track. The space between the columns A, A, and fronts of
the houses R, R, which is equal to the width of the side walk, may constitute
a promenade which may extend from the columns over the space T, T, leaving
the space U, U, between it and the houses, or it may extend over the entire
space as may be preferred. In Fig. 7, Sheet I., the manner in which the
promenade may be sustained over a part of the space between the columns
and the houses is shewn. v, v, is a bracket or arm that extends out from the
columns A to the required distance. Fig. 8 is a top view of the bracket or
arm, the inner end of which has a hole through it that embraces the top of
the column. W is a sectional view of a hand rail that extends from bracket
to bracket. Figure 9, Sheet I., represents the promenade as extending fro:n

page_text: the columns A to the line of houses. The bracket or bridge piece v, v, 1s
shewn in this Figure as supported by a half column or pilaster against the
house, but in general the wall of the house will itself constitute the support..
These promenades it is intended to pave with slabs of glass, which may be
rendered partially opaque by grinding their upper surface; they may also be
chequered or rendered prismatic by moulding on their lower sides; a pleasant
and diffused light will pass through them and illuminate the fronts below;
the glass must of course be sustained on suitable bars of iron.
I will now proceed to describe the trucks by which the carriage body is to
be supported, Fig. 10, Sheet III., is a side elevation of one of these trucks,
and Figs. 11 and 12 front or end views of different parts and positions thereof;
X, X, are the wheels which run on the bridge rails; Y, Y, are what the
Inventor terms retaining pullies, which are placed on each side of the track
rail, and are nearly in contact with it. These, from their peripheries being
below the swell of the upper part of the rail, effectual prevent the truck from
leaving the track, but they may be dispensed with, if thought desirable. The
dotted circles Z, Z, represent the place of safety wheels which are within about
half an inch of the track rail; and should one of the main wheels break, these
will come into contact with the rail and support the carriage, which will
proceed on its course. Each truck has its frame A', A¹, which are deno-
minated the axle bearers, divided into two parts, the space between them being.
shewn at B', Fig. 10, and these parts have both a lateral and a vertical motion
in their relationship to each other; this being requisite to enable the wheels to
adapt themselves to the curvatures, and to any inequality of the track. The
two portions of the frame or axle bearers are connected together by means of
a shaft called the perch, extending from one section of the frame to the other;
in each of which it is held by a ball-and-socket joint. This shaft is shewn at:
C, C, Fig. 18, Sheet III., and Fig. 14, Sheet IV., the former being a vertical.
longitudinal section of the truck taken in the line A, B, of Fig. 15, Sheet IV.,
which is a bottom view of this truck, and shewing the ball-and-socket joints
at each of its ends, and Fig. 14 being a top view of one of the truck frames..
D', D' Fig. 10 are regulating screws, by means of which the amount of the
vibration of the two sections of the truck frame to and from each other
may be regulated. The vertical pieces A", A", Fig. 10, Sheet III., and
Fig. 16, Sheet IV., which pieces carry the retaining pullies and the safety
wheels, are connected to the axle-bearers A¹, A¹ by dovetail pieces g³, g',
which fit loosely into the pieces A", A", they aro also connected by jointed
straps h¹, h, by means of which moveable connections the respective sections of
the truck are left free to move to such extent as is required by the curvature

page_text: and irregularities of the road, and are effectually relieved from all binding or
cramping which would result from their rigidity. These vertical pieces
extend below the top of the track rail, as shewn most distinctly in Figs. 10
and 16, and afford protection against the cars leaving the track, as is well
understood.
In Sheet IV., Fig. 25, is a top view, and Fig. 26 is a bottom view of the
truck for the tender (of which truck Fig. 16 is a section), the lettering on.
which will designate the respective parts represented. The carriages, as before
remarked, are to be made to advance by means of an endless rope. This
rope is seen at E', E, Fig. 6, Sheet II.; it is kept in place by diverging or
guide pullies, in a manner to be presently described. This rope is gripped by
an apparatus attached to the carriage, and denominated the carrier and
holdfast, which gripping apparatus is so constructed as to release the rope
and open out when passing the diverging and guide pullies, and to grip it
again at the moment required.
rope
In Figs. 11 and 12, Sheet III., F, F, is a latch lever, by the action of
which the rope is to be released or held firmly. This lever works on a
fulcrum pin at one end, and at the other has a wheel G', which by ascending
an inclined plane, opens the gripping apparatus. In Fig. 11 this apparatus is
shewn as opened, and in Fig. 12 as closed. H', H¹, are the rope supporters,
as the rope when these are closed rests upon them, and it is to be held down
upon them by means of a toggle lever shewn at I; this toggle lever is
supposed to be removed in Fig. 11, but is in place in Fig. 12. Fig. 18 is a
side view of this part of the apparatus, taken in a vertical section in the line
A, B, of Fig. 15, shewing the toggle lever I', I'. The two halves of the rope
supporter are connected by a joint pin at J', and to it are also jointed the two
lifting levers K', K', which are acted on by the raising and falling of the
levers F, to which also they are jointed. L is a spring for causing the
lever F¹ to descend and get under the rope before the toggle lever falls upon
it. The toggle lever I', I, is jointed to the truck frame at M³, and opens
back within the rope supporter H'. An arm N¹, shewn in Fig. 18, projects
out from the upper portion of the toggle lever and rests on the top of the joint
of the lifting levers K³, and when these are raised, the toggle lever will be
thereby thrown back, and the rope E' freed from the pressure of its lower end.
When the lever F is forced down by the spring L and the rope supporter is
closed, the toggle lever will fall on the rope, which will be held firmly by its
lower end. When the lever F¹ descends, the notches 0, 0, of that lever
embrace the rope supporters and retain them in place, and keep them closed,
the arm of the said lever passing through mortices in the sides of the sup-

page_text: When
porters, the lower ends of which are embraced by the notches O¹, O'.
the latch lever is lifted it is not at once brought into contact with the joint of.
the lifting levers K', but rises first sufficiently high to relieve the notches O¹,0¹
from the mortice in the sides of the rope supporter.
I will now proceed to describe the manner in which the endless driving:
rope receives its motion, and is conducted round the pullies by which it is
governed in its course. P¹, Fig. 6, Sheet II., is the main driving wheel,
which receives its motion from the steam engine; around this wheel the
endless rope E¹, E¹, passes; Q¹, Q", are tightening wheels or pullies for
taking up the slack of the said rope, and giving increased friction to the
driving wheel. A rope or chain R¹ attached to these, passes over a pulley at
S', and has a weight attached to it sufficiently heavy to produce the desired.
effect. Figs. 17 and 18, Sheet II., are side views of this part of the apparatus,
Fig. 17 represents the diverging and guide pullies, and Fig. 18 the driving
wheel and the apparatus connected therewith. The wheel P¹ and the pulley Q¹
are double grooved, to enable the rope to pass freely around them. T¹ is the
weight, the tightening chain or rope being shewn as passing over a second pulley.
The rope E, E, passes below the rails, and is conducted up to them in a manner
to be presently shewn. U¹, U₁, Fig. 6, are single grooved guide pullies that
receive the driving rope from the main driving wheel P¹. These pullies and tho
rope are situated below the rails, and from them the rope is conducted up above
the rails by means of the pulley V'. This arrangement is shewn most distinctly
in Fig. 17, where the pullies U, U, are shewn as receiving the rope below
the bridge rail L, L, and passing up obliquely from these over the top of the
vertical pulley V, which elevates it to the level of the rope carrier above the
truck. The rope carrier and holdfast are to be brought into action when
the carriages are to pass over the vertical pulley V', at this time the wheel G¹
on the lever F is brought into contact with an inclined plane at W', this
raises the lever, opens the rope supporters, and throws back the toggle lever;
the opening of the rope supporters is effected by a gentle slope, and they are
held open by the wheel G₁ travelling over a short horizontal plane, after
passing which, it falls vertically over the edge of the plane, and the rope
carrier, aided by the spring, suddenly closes under the rope, which is sufficiently
elevated for that purpose, by the double grooved diverging or vertical pulley
V₁, the toggle lever also resumes its hold on the rope. In Figs. 10 and 13,
Sheet III., the red lines shew an elevation of the inclined plane Y¹, being the
ascending portion which is succeeded by a horizontal part terminating at Z',
and from which the roller G' falls when the closing of the rope carrier is
effected. Any number of passenger bars may be attached to the endless

page_text: rope in the manner above described, and they are to continue to be so attached
during the whole circuit. The forward truck of each train is furnished with
two, or there may be three rope carriers and holdfasts, one at each end
of the truck, as represented in Fig. 18, and one holdfast and carrier is
also provided at the forward end of the back truck, and when one of these
is opened to pass the vertical pulley V', the other two have hold on the
rope. As under this arrangement the passenger cars do not stop to take
in or let out passengers, provision is made for this purpose by means of
tenders, which have been already referred to and mentioned as running upon
another track along side of, and parallel to, the main truck. Of these tenders
there must be as many as there are stopping places, which will be usually
situated at the cross streets. These tenders, like the passenger cars, are to
pass the whole circuit of the road, but this they do intermittently and not
continuously, like the cars. The tender that has passed from one stopping
place to another rests at such stopping place to take in passengers, and to
discharge those who have left the cars during the time of passing from the last
stopping place. Whilst at rest the tender is made fast to a brake plate at the
landing by means of a spring latch. When the new passengers have all entered
the tender, the conductor presses upon the lever of an apparatus called the
pincer brake, which opens and lets go its grip or hold upon the brake plate;
he then presses upon the lever of an apparatus called the door-keeper, which
at once closes all the doors of the tender as well as of the landing, so that no
one can pass out or in; then, by pressing upon the latch lever, he disconnects
the tender from the landing, and after adjusting the brake to get up the speed
of the tender equal to that of the cars, as will be presently described, he by a
further pressure on the same lever, and in the same direction, causes another
spring latch to be projected so far beyond the opposite side of the tender as
to press hard against the curved end of what may be denominated a brake
plate, which is fixed to each of the cars, the spring latch slides along the edge
of the brake plate of the first car that arrives thereafter, until it arrives at a
recess made therein midway of the car into which it falls and strikes against
a spiral spring or india-rubber buffer, or stop at the further end of that recess,
and thereby makes the tender fast to the car, which then goes on along with
it to the next stopping place. While the car and tender are thus fastened to
each other, and moving on together side by side towards the next landing, the
conductor, by means of the door-keeper above named, opens all the doors of
the car and tender on their contiguous sides at the same nioment, and the
passengers enter the car from the tender, and those in the car who are to stop
at the next landing enter the tender. The conductor then closes the doors of

page_text: both vehicles, and cuts off all further communication between them. When
he arrives so near to the next landing that the tender will be taken there by
its momentum, be disconnects it with the car, and connects it with the break
plate of the landing. The doors of the tender and of the landing are then
opened, the passengers are discharged, and new ones are received.
In Sheet V., Fig. 19 is a plan or top view of a platform or stopping place,
together with the car and tender, and the apparatus for attaching and detach-
ing the same and regulating its motion; Fig. 20 is a bottom view of the
tender and its apparatus. a, a, is the floor of the tender; b, b, is a shaft or
brake rod, extending from end to end of this platform, and is intended to work
the pincer brakes c, c, placed at either end, but on opposite sides of the tender.
There is a handle or lever d, by which the brake rod b is turned; and e, e, is a
toothed arch-piece for holding the lever d in any desired position. Fig. 21 is
a side elevation of the tender. In this Figure the parts colored red appertain to
the spring latch apparatus; the parts colored brown, to the pincer brakes; and
the parts colored blue, to the door-keeper. Figures 22, 23, and 24, in which
the same colors are used, show the same parts as seen when looking at them
in a direction at right angles to the side elevation. A spring latch f is attached
to the lever d, which spring latch engages with the teeth of the arch e, e,
belonging to the pincer brake apparatus. In Fig. 22 the teeth and arch are
represented on the wrong side, as they would not otherwise be seen; in this
Figure one of the pincer brakes is represented as attached to the end of the
tender by a joint pinf", which connects the jaws 9,9; these jaws are, when closed,
to embrace a brake plate shewn in section at h, and a portion of which is seen
at h in Fig. 21. Each of the cars is provided with such a brake plate, which
extends from one of their ends to the other, say, a length of thirty feet, more
or less. These brake plates are so situated as to enter midway between the
jaws of the pincer brake. These is a similar brake plate affixed at each landing
to bring down the speed of the tender, and for holding it in a determinato
position. The jaws of the pincer brakes are furnished with springs a", a",
where they embrace the brake plates, which prevent abrasion, and produce
uniformity of pressure. The end of the brake rod is shewn at b, and the
manner in which it opens and closes the jaws when it is moved round by the
brake lever will be manifest from the Drawing, Fig. 22. By means of these
5 pincer brakes operating on the brake plates on the side of the cars, the speed
of the tender may be readily got up to that of the cars before they are con-
nected to each other by the spring latch; it is not necessary that this should
be effected by the brake plate of a single car, as the conductor may, if neces-
sary, press his pincer brake upon the brake plates of two or more successive

page_text: cars before he lets go of the latch. There is of course a conductor to each
tender, as before mentioned, and he is to take his station on the platform or
floor at a, a, in which situation he will have full command of the apparatus by
which the action of the tender is governed. When the tender is to be attached
to the cars, the doors are first to be closed by means of the door-keeper, as
herein-before stated. (Figures 19 and 23), is a lever, by means of which
the conductor governs the opening and closing of the doors; these doors are
made to slide backwards and forwards, their places are shewn at j, j', in
Figures 19 and 20, and they are seen also in the side elevation, Fig. 21.
Fig. 23 is a side view of the apparatus, by which the doors are made to slide,
as seen from a, a, Fig. 19, and this applies to the doors of the car as well as
to those of the tender, and of the landing, the same apparatus serving to
open and close both at the time, when the tender and car, or tender are
relatively situated to allow of the interchange of passengers taking place; the
same shaft which serves to operate the sliding doors of the tender extends out
sufficiently far to enter the slides which operate those of the car or of the
landing, as the case may be. The arrangement of this apparatus is shewn
distinctly in Figures 19, 20, 21, and 23, the door-keeper lever i passes through
a mortice in a shaft k, and is attached to it by a joint pin, upon which it may
vibrate laterally. The shaft k turns in boxes on the standards 1, l. The parts
lettered m, m, and n, make part of a jointed frame that carries the shaft o, o,
the outer ends of which are to move the slides that carry the doors of the
tender of the car, and also those of the landing, their ends p, p, extending out
sufficiently far to enter holes or slots in the slides below the doors of the car
or landing. The shaft marked o, o, is made of such length as to prevent the
opening of the doors on both sides of the tender at the same time, and the
guide openings q, q, in the platform of the tender prevent the said tender from
leaving either the car or the landing until all the doors are closed, which is an
additional security both as to the connecting of the cars, and also as to the
closing of the doors; for, although the same side of the tender is always
presented towards the car, yet it is necessary to close the doors on both the
car and tender at the same time, as without this precaution accidents would
happen by persons attempting to enter or leave the car, and also at the
landing side whilst it was starting or under weigh. Mention has been made
of doors at the landing to be opened and closed by means of the door-keeper.
These doors it is not necessary particularly to describe, for they are simply
sliding doors which are situated at the landings, and which coincide with
those of the tenders when stationed there; these doors are important safe-
guards against accidents. The openings q, q, admit the side pieces m, m, of

page_text: The jointed frame or the door-keeper which is to vibrate so as to carry the
shaft o, o, in the direction of the length of the tender, and also laterally so as
to close or open the doors on either side of the tender, the openings q, q, guide
or check the jointed frame in such a manner as to prevent the doors being
moved in any other way than that which is necessary to their correct action.
In the respective Figures r is a carrying piece attached to the door slides to
receive the ends p, p, of the shaft o, o, which is to move the doors. The pro-
jecting end p of this shaft enters a similar carrying piece on the car at the
same time that it enters that on the tender, such pieces being exactly opposite
to each other when the tender and car are in the position for the interchange
of passengers. At the time this interchange takes place, the car and tender,
or the tender and landing must be securely attached to each other in the
exact position required for such interchange, and this is effected by means of
a spring latch, which by means of a latch lever under the control of the
conductor is made to project out from the side of the tender sufficiently far to
cause it to fall into a notch on the edge of the brake plate of the bar, but
this is not done until the momentum of the tender has been brought up by.
means of the pincer brakes so as to be equal to that of the car, as without
this precaution the connection could not be safely made. The notch into
which the spring latch fulls on the brake plate, is provided with a yielding
spiral spring, or with a cushion or buffer of india-rubber or other elastic
material, to enable it to receive without injury the first impression of the
spring latch, and to ease off the blow, should the momentum of the tender not
be quite equal to that of the car. One of the spring latches is shewn at 8,
Figures 19 and 21, and another on the opposite side of the tender at t, in
Figures 20 and 24, one of them being extended as above stated, so as to enter.
a notch in the brake plate of the car, and the other to enter a notch in a
stationary brake plate of the landing, the latter serving to hold the tender in
place until it has been entered by the passengers, and its doors are closed.
The spring latches are both moved by the same apparatus, and are both under
the control of the conductor when at his station at a, a, Fig. 19. In this Figure,
and in Figures 21 and 24, w is the latch lever which is provided with a
toothed arched piece a, a, for holding the lever in any desired position in the
same manner with the lever and arch piece d, e, of the pincer brake. The
latch lever w turns freely at 6", on a round part of the brake rod b which
serves as its fulcrum, but has no other connection with it. The manner of
governing the spring latch by means of the latch lever is most distinctly
shewn in Figures 19, 20, 21, and 24, w, being the lever, a, its arch
piece, and y its spring latch, which engages with the teeth of the arch

page_text: piece. The lever w, which turns on the brake rod b as a fulcrum, extends
down, and has a pin z made fast to it, and passes through slots a¹, a', in the
two arms b', 6', which are connected to the spring latches s and t, as shewn in
the respective Figures. The spring latches may be drawn in by the arms
b¹, 6¹, but when not so drawn in, and the lever is inclined to either side beyond
its central position, one of the spring latches will be forced out by means of
its spring c¹ to a distance which would enable it to enter the notch c" in the
brake plate h, prepared to receive it. The ends of these spring latches, when
allowed to project, bear upon the edges of the break plates, and when they
arrive at the latches they fall into them, as above described. The latches,
when forced out by the springs, are enabled to move freely in or out by the
aid of the slots a¹, a', in the arms 6, 6, by which they may be drawn in whilst
they slide freely on the pin z at the lower end of the latch lever w. To enable
the latches when projecting out to pass on to the edges of the brake plates, the
ends of those plates are rounded off, as shewn at d, d, and the latches will
consequently slide upon them until they arrive at the notches into which they
are to be received.
In the top view, Fig. 2, Sheet II., the promenade is supposed to be extended
along on each side of the street, and from the track towards the buildings.
In the plan shewn in Fig. 5, Sheet II., the promenade may be formed along
the middle of the structure, and in this case the track for the tenders will be
within that for the cars, as is shewn by the lines representing said tracks, and
also in Fig. 5. This situation of the promenade will remove the persons
passing on it to such a distance from the houses on each side as to obviate all
objections to their proximity to the windows, should such objection exist. In
the more busy parts of the city, however, where the second floors are com-
monly used as stores or offices, the promenades over the side walks will be
preferred.
I will now describe the provision made for carrying the endless rope E¹
around the curvatures S at each end of the track, or around other turns in
the said track, and of enabling the rope carrier to perform its office in those
situations. For this purpose I arrange around these curves a series of doublo
flanged barrel pullies ", "; one of these is shewn separately in Fig. 27,
Sheet II., and also in Fig. 12, Sheet III., it being represented in the last
Figure as in the vicinity of the rope carrier, which as it passes around those
curves draws off the endless rope sufficiently far from the pullies to enable
the said rope carrier to pass clear of them. The under side of the rope, as it
passes around the vertical pullies d", should be sustained by a series of
elevating pullies so as not to allow it to press upon the beam or on the

page_text: periphery of the lower flanch. To aged and invalid persons, and also to
children, it may be inconvenient to ascend and descend the stairs leading from
the street to and from the landings; the Inventor, therefore, in addition to
such stairs, proposed to provide elevators, which may be in the form of sofas,
or in any other convenient form, and are intended to be raised and lowered by
a gentle but continuous motion, which motion may be communicated to them
by the passing of the endless rope over pullies, the shafts of which are hori-
zontal, and the peripheries of which rise above the level of the track. As
the elevator rises, a railing which encloses that part of the landing or pro-
menade is depressed, and when the elevator has risen to the proper height, the
persons on it may step from it on to the landing and vice versa. To allow time
for this to take place, the elevator is allowed to rise to a convenient height
above the landing, and during its rise and descent above this level the railing
will be depressed, and persons may step unobstructedly from one to the other;
as it descends below the landing the railing will rise inclosing the opening,
and rendering the situation of those on the landing secure. The elevator is
raised and depressed by the revolution of a screw shaft, and is therefore per-
fectly secure from the failure that might attend the employment of bands or
of gearing wheels. In Fig. 6, Sheet II., B" is a shaft which is driven by the
passing of the endless rope over a pulley C" on the said shaft. The rope may
be held down on this pulley by means of friction pullies, as is common in
machinery. In this case the rope carrier and holdfast must be operated upon
by the aid of the latch lever and an inclined plane, as in passing the vertical
pulley, herein-before described.
Fig. 28, Sheet VI., shews the shaft B" on an enlarged scale; D", D", are
two bevil wheels that turn freely on the shaft B"; ¹ is a shipper to throw
either of the wheels D" into gear with a bevil wheel E", on the upper end of a
vertical screw shaft F", shewn in elevation in Fig. 29. This shaft passes
through a nut G", which is provided with two lugs or ears which slide up and
down on the shipper shaft H", and on a guide shaft I", on this shipper shaft
there are two horns or arms ³, j, one at its upper and the other at its lower
end, which arms serve to change the gearing on the wheel E", and to reverse
the motion of the screw shaft. Such shipping and reversing apparatus is well
know to machinists, and does not require therefore to be more particularly
described. J, Fig. 29, is the elevator seat, the same also being seen in cross
section at Fig. 30. In Fig. 29 the screw shaft is shown as placed at one end
of the elevating seat, it ought, however, in practice, to be placed at the middle
of the seat; when this seat approaches towards the level of the promenade it is
made to depress the guard railing K", so as to admit of the passing of the

page_text: passengers on to the promenade. Fig. 31 shows the scat as elevated, and the
guard railing as depressed. Fig. 32 is an end view of a part of the same
apparatus. The depressing of the guard railing is thus effected. A catch
piece k projects out from the lower part of the clevating seat, and as this seat
rises the catch piece comes into contact with a hooked strap that is jointed
to the depressing levers m', m', which have their fulcra at n'; the connecting
rods o', o¹, jointed to these lovers and to the guard railing draw the latter down
and the elevating seat rising above the promenade gives time in its ascent and
descent, whilst situated above it, for the passengers to pass to and from the
promenade. L' is a spring that serves to force the elevating levers m², m³,
down, and to elevate the guard railing K", when not held in place by the
action of the seat. The thread of the screw shaft F" is not continued at its
upper and lower ends, but it is reduced in diameter as shewn at p", p". This
is to guard against accidents which might otherwise arise from the continued
motion of the shaft, in consequence of the disarrangement of the machines, but
by this provision the nut in this case would merely run off from the screw, and
no injury would result.
Having thus fully described the manner in which the elevated railway is to
be constructed, and also the carriages which are to run upon such elevated
railways, together with a number of devices necessary to or useful in the
system of conveyance thereon, I wish it to be understood that under the above
in part recited Letters Patent I claim,―
First, the manner in which the columns A are secured in a vertical position
when the said columns are used in the first described plan of constructing
the elevated railway, in which the transverse beams do not extend across the
streets, the said columns having a descending shaft, which is received within
a well-like opening below the pavement, and being provided with the adjusting
apparatus, as described.
I claim the manner described, and represented in Fig. 3 of the accom-
panying Drawings, for allowing of the expansion and contraction of the bridge
rails, and for lessening the openings caused by such contraction by tho
employment of the intermediate piece Q, as set forth.
I claim the particular manner of constructing the carriage trucks, the
framework of which consists mainly of the two axle bearers A', A', and of
the two vertical pieces A", A", the two parts being divided from each other
transversely, as described and represented, each division containing an axle
bearer, and the two parts being connected together, so as to allow each of
them to have an independent lateral and vertical motion, such connection
being made in the manner described or in any other equivalent thereto.

page_text: I claim the combining of the retaining pullies Y and the safety wheels Z,
with the vertical pieces A", the latter being connected with and making a
part of the truck frame, the whole arranged as set forth.
I claim the manner of constructing the rope carrier and holdfast for
attaching the cars to the endless rope in combination with the latch lever,
the inclined plane, and the diverging pullios, the said parts co-operating in
opening and closing the rope carrier and allowing it to pass the vertical
pulley V, the respective parts being arranged and operating in the manner
and for the purpose herein made known.
I claim the manner of constructing, combining, and arranging the pincer
brakes and the brake plates with the apparatus for governing them, for the
purpose of moving the tenders forward, and of getting up their speed pre-
paratory to the attaching of them to the cars by means of the spring latch.
I claim the manner described of combining, arranging, and actuating the
spring latches for connecting the tenders to the cars, and to the brake plates
of the landings, the latches for both purposes being governed by the same
apparatus under the operation set forth.
I claim the manner described of arranging the respective sliding doors of
the cars of the tenders and of the landings, and of opening and closing them
by the aid of what is denominated the "door-keeper," the said door-keeper
consisting of a jointed frame, the respective parts of which are governed and
directed so as to cause a shaft at the lower end of the frame to open or close
the proper doors at the proper time, the same shaft operating on all the doors,
as herein fully explained.
I claim the application to elevated railways of the respective parts con-
stituting the elevator, when arranged and actuated as described for the
purpose of raising and lowering the passengers and the guard railing, as set
forth.
I do not claim either of the individual parts constituting the said apparatus
as in itself new; but I do claim them in their general combination for the
purpose herein made known.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of October, in tho
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.
(L.S.) A. V. NEWTON.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-seventh day of October,
in the eleventh year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton came before our said Lady the Queen in Her
Chancery, and acknowledged the instrument aforesaid, and all and every
thing therein contained and specified, in form above written. And also the
instrument aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made
in the fifty-fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Twenty-seventh day of October, One thousand eight hundred
and forty-seven.