IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING CARRIAGES UPON TRAMWAYS OR OTHER ROADS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Cæsar Frederick Franklin, of Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING CARRIAGES UPON TRAMWAYS OR OTHER ROADS."
Sealed the 18th March 1879, and dated the 21st September 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Cæsar Frederick
Franklin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st, September
1878.
ALEXANDER CŒESAR FREDERICK FRANKLIN, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex:
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING CARRIAGES UPON
TRAMWAYS OR OTHER ROADS."
My Invention relates to machinery or apparatus used for propelling, by means of
compressed air or other clastic fluid, carriages running upon tramways, railways, or
upon ordinary roads, and it has for its objects improved methods of constructing
such machinery or apparatus, by which it is simpler and more effective than has
heretofore ordinarily been the case, and the working parts of the same move at a
moderate speed whilst the carriage is propelled with the desired velocity; and the
propelling wheel or wheels are applicable to the propulsion of the carriage either
running upon trams or rails or upon ordinary roads.
I take a car or carriage fitted with four or more wheels either having tyres in the
ordinary way for running upon trams or rails, or with plain tyres for running upon
ordinary roads. Underneath this carriage or in any other convenient position
arrange one or more receivers or reservoirs into which air or other elastic fluid under
pressure is forced, by compressing or other machinery at any convenient place upon
the road on which the carriage is to run.
Attached to the frame of the carriage I fix one or more suitable cylinders, pre-
ferably two, into which are fitted pistons which can be made to reciprocate backward
and forward in the cylinders by the pressure of the compressed elastic fluid admitted
to them from the receiver, by means of suitable valves actuated in any of the
ordinary well understood ways.

page_text: To the pistons I connect longitudinal bars having helical grooves or ribs
formed round them, which work through corresponding openings through the
centres of nuts or blocks revolving in suitable bearings formed upon or fixed
to the framework of the carriage and connected by friction or other gear to
toothed wheels, so that when the nuts revolve in one direction they drive the
toothed wheels, but in the other direction they are disengaged from the latter
which revolve freely. These toothed wheels are arranged so as to gear into and drive
other corresponding toothed wheels fitted upon axles carrying toothed wheels which
actuate the driving wheel or wheels of the carriage herein-after described. I arrange
guides so that the pistons and helically grooved bars are not able to revolve upon
their axles but only to reciprocate backward and forward in their cylinders, and
where two are used I connect them together so that when one piston is travelling
in one direction the other piston is travelling in the opposite direction.
The action of the two pistons travelling alternately backward and forward in
their cylinders serves therefore to cause the several toothed wheels and axles to
revolve continuously in the same direction and thus to propel the car or carriage.
The arrangement described may be modified to suit varying circumstances. The
pistons and rods may be made to rotate during the stroke, the helically grooved bars
passing through corresponding fixed nuts, the toothed gear being suitably modified
so that the toothed wheels are made to revolve during the stroke of the pistons in
one direction, but are released and left free to continue their revolution during the
stroke in the opposite direction. Or, the piston rod may have helical grooves or ribs
formed upon it twisting in both directions, those in one direction operating upon
the toothed wheels when the piston is working one way, and those in the other
direction when the piston is working the other way. This arrangement is especially
applicable where only one cylinder is used.
Another part of my Invention consists of improved methods of causing the revo-
lution of the wheels and axles described to propel the carriage. For this purpose I
arrange a driving wheel or wheels in front of or behind the carriage, or in any other
convenient part of its length, but centrally between the rails upon which the
carriage runs. I form this driving wheel of considerable diameter and of suitable
breadth, and arrange it so that it travels on a path midway between those of the
wheels on either side of the carriage, and upon the ordinary road between the rails.
I connect this wheel to the wheels and axles operated in the way already described,
or to ordinary engines driven by steam or other power, so that its revolution propels
the carriage, and in order to increase its adhesion to the road I surround its circum-
ference with india-rubber, or other sufficiently soft and durable material, or I make
grooves, recesses, or projections upon its periphery. I arrange this driving wheel so
that it carries, with the intervention of springs of metal or india-rubber, a sufficient
part of the weight of the carriage to secure its adhesion to the road. I prefer that
these springs should be made capable of being raised or lowered by a conductor or
attendant, or automatically to suit any variation in the height of the part of the
road upon which the driving wheel runs, as compared with that upon which the
remaining wheels travel, or of the rails.
And sometimes I make this driving wheel consist of a sufficient number of narrow
wheels arranged side by side upon the same shaft, and all driven by the same power,
but each capable of a sufficient amount of independant vertical movement so that
they accommodate themselves to any inequalities in the road.
I sometimes make the bearings which carry the driving wheel described in a
frame capable of moving round a vertical pin or axis, so that the wheel may be
made to move round the same pin or axis as desired, for the purpose of guiding or
steering the carriage.
The carriage may be supported upon three wheels only, one being the driving
wheel described, and this arrangement is especially applicable where the carriage is
intended to run upon common roads without rails or trams.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Cæsar Frederick Franklin in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st March 1879.
ALEXANDER CŒESAR FREDERICK FRANKLIN, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex.
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING CARRIAGES UPON
TRAMWAYS OR OTHER ROADS."
This Invention relates to machinery or apparatus used for propelling, by means
of compressed air or other elastic fluid, carriages running upon trainways, railways,
or ordinary roads, and it has for its objects improved methods of constructing such
machinery or apparatus by which it is made more simple and effective than has
heretofore ordinarily been the case, and the working parts move at a moderate speed
whilst the carriage is propelled with the desired velocity; and the propelling wheel
or wheels are applicable to the propulsion of the carriage upon trams or rails or
ordinary roads. .
In order to put my Invention in operation I take a car or carriage supported
upon four or more wheels either provided with tyres having flanges in the ordinary
way for running upon trams or rails, or with plain tyres for running upon ordinary
roads.
Underneath this carriage or in any other convenient position upon it I arrange
one or more exceedingly strong receivers or reservoirs, preferably of steel, into which
air or other elastic fluid is forced under pressure by means of compressing machinery
or other apparatus operating by means of steam or other power, at any convenient
station or stations upon the road upon which the carriage is to run.
$
In a convenient position I attach to the framework of the carriage one or more
suitable metal cylinders, preferably two in number, fitted with pistons which can be
made to reciprocate backward and forward in the cylinders when required by the
pressure of the compressed air or other elastic fluid admitted to them from `the
receivers or reservoirs, and distributed by means of slide or other valves constructed
and actuated in the ways well understood and practised. I make the cylinders
described of as great length as possible so that the pistons in them may have a
length of stroke correspondingly great, and I arrange one or more toothed wheels
upon an axle revolving in suitable bearings upon the framework of the carriage, so
that it can be made to revolve continuously in the same direction by the recipro-
cating movement of the piston or pistons described.
For this purpose I sometimes connect to the pistons, piston rods, or bars having
a sufficient number of helical grooves or ribs of quick pitch formed around them,
which work through corresponding openings through the centres of nuts or blocks
revolving in suitable bearings fixed to the framework of the carriage, and connected
by ratchet teeth and palls or by friction gear to the toothed wheel upon the axle
already described, so that when either of the nuts revolves in one direction it turns
the toothed wheel, but when in the other direction it revolves without driving the
toothed wheel. I arrange guides or slide bars so that the pistons and rods cannot
themselves turn round upon their axes as they reciprocate backward and forward;
and where two cylinders are used I connect the pistons together, so that when one
is travelling in one direction the other is travelling in the opposite direction, each
alternately actuating its screwed nut and the toothed wheel, so that the latter
revolves continuously in the same direction. The toothed wheels actuated and
made to revolve in the way described may operate directly upon the axle of the
driving wheel or wheels of the carriage; but I prefer to cause them to drive other
toothed wheels and axles, by the intervention of which the driving wheel or wheels
of the carriage are ultimately driven but at an increased speed, and thus propel the
carriage.
The arrangement described may be modified under varying circumstances; for
instance, the pistons and piston rods may be made to rotate during their stroke, the

page_text: bars helically grooved or ribbed, as above described, passing through corresponding
fixed nuts, the toothed wheels and ratchet or friction gear being suitably modified,
so that the axle carrying the toothed wheels is made to revolve continuously by the
reciprocating movement of the pistons and rods. Or where a piston is made to
reciprocate in a double-acting cylinder, its rod passing through a stuffing box, a bar
attached to this piston rod may have helical grooves or ribs of quick pitch formed
upon it, twisting in both directions, those in one direction driving the axle when
the piston is moving one way, and those in the other direction when the piston is
working the other way.
Or I sometimes prefer to use toothed racks or bars connected to the piston rods
and gearing into corresponding toothed wheels provided with ratchet wheels and
palls or friction gear, so that each rack drives the axle carrying the toothed wheels
when it is travelling in one direction, but leaves the axle and toothed wheel free to
continue their revolution as the piston and rack make their return stroke.
The toothed racks may be made continuous, their ends being connected together
by curved parts, and being jointed to the piston rods and guided by suitable
curved guides, so that they remain continually in gear with the toothed wheel
which they drive as already described. I make suitable provision for reversing
when necessary the direction in which the carriage travels, either by reversing the
direction in which the palls operate upon the teeth of the ratchet wheels, as above
described, or by arranging, disengaging, and reversing coupling boxes or clutches
upon the axles or shafts which drive the propelling wheel or wheels of the carriage.
Or sometimes I arrange upon the axle, which is made to revolve by the action of
the pistons as above described, a toothed wheel having tangent teeth considerably
inclined and gearing into and driving corresponding endless screws, one of which
is arranged upon each side of the wheel. These endless screws are so arranged
upon shafts or axles that either may be put into gear with the wheel as desired,
their shafts revolving in opposite directions and driving toothed wheels, which
actuate the propelling wheel or wheels of the carriage.
It will be seen that one of the advantages of my Invention is that the piston or
pistons take a very long but comparatively slow stroke backward and forward,
and are less liable to wear and tear than if they moved more quickly, and admit
conveniently of considerable expansion of the compressed air or other fluid. I prefer
to use a very bigh pressure of compressed air or other elastic fluid, which indeed
need only be limited by the safe strength of the receivers or reservoirs and the
cost of compression.
Another part of my Invention consists of improved methods of causing the
revolution of the wheels and axles described above to propel the carriage. For
this purpose I arrange a single drivng wheel at any convenient part of the length
of the car or carriage which is to be propelled, but centrally between the rails upon
which it runs.
This driving wheel is made of considerable diameter and breadth, and I arrange
it so that it travels in a path preferably midway between those of the wheels on
either side of the carriage, and upon the ordinary road between the rails. I connect
this wheel to the wheels and axles operated in the way already described, or to
ordinary engines driven by steam or other power, so that its revolution propels the
carriage; and in order to increase its adhesion to the road I sometimes surround
its circumference with india-rubber or other sufficiently soft and durable material;
or I make grooves, recesses, or projections upon its periphery, or other suitable
arrangement for the like purpose. The driving wheel is arranged so that it carries,
with the intervention of springs of metal or india-rubber, a sufficient part of the
weight of the carriage to secure its adhesion to the road; and I prefer that these
springs should be capable of being raised or lowered as required by a conductor or
attendant to suit any variation in the height of the part of the road upon which the
driving wheel runs as compared with that upon which the remaining wheels travel,
or of the rails.
Where uneven roads are to be travelled over I sometimes make this driving

page_text: wheel consist of a sufficient number of narrow wheels arranged side by side upon
the same shaft, all driven by the same power but each capable of a small amount
of independent vertical movement, so that the compound wheel so formed can
accommodate itself to the inequalities of the road.
The bearings which carry the axle of the driving wheel described may be formed
upon or attached to a frame which can move to a sufficient extent round a vertical
pin or axis, so that the driving wheel may be made to alter its direction as desired
for the purpose of guiding or steering the carriage, such guiding or steering being
affected by means of levers, toothed wheels, or a tangent segment and endless screw.
The carriage may be fitted with and supported upon three wheels only, one of such
wheels being the driving wheel arranged and actuated as described, this arrange-
ment being especially applicable to cases where the carriage is intended to run upon
common roads without rails or trams.
:
The accompanying Drawings are in illustration of my Invention,-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 2 a plan of a tram car, shewing
generally the operation of my improved apparatus.
a, a², are cylinders fitted with pistons and rods b, b', which are connected together
by the toothed racks c, c¹, one of which is arranged above and the other below the
two toothed wheels d, d, fitted so as to turn freely upon the axle e which revolves
in bearings fixed to the frame of the carriage; f. ff.f, are the ordinary bearing
wheels of the car, and g, g¹, are two central driving wheels arranged upon the axle e
at the centre of the car. These two driving wheels are shewn separated by the
toothed wheels d, d, and ratchet wheels, but one wheel only may be used, the
toothed wheels and racks being arranged by its side.
Each of the toothed wheels d, d', is connected to the axle e by means of ratchet
wheels and palls, so that the axle is driven by one rack in one direction of the
stroke and by the other rack in the other direction, and the palls are arranged so
that they can be made to drive the ratchet wheels in either direction.
Figure 3 illustrates one method of doing this, in which a is one of the toothed
wheels and 6 the ratchet wheel fixed upon the axle c.
The wheel b has square teeth into which either of the palls d, d¹, attached to the
wheel a can be geared as desired.
Receivers for the compressed air or other elastic fluid are indicated at 7. Figures
4 and 5 are in illustration of the other methods described by which the revo-
lution of the toothed wheels is effected. In Figure 4 a is one of the cylinders
(shewn broken off) fitted with the piston b. Upon the rod c helical grooves d are
shewn which fit in corresponding ribs in the wheel d, which is carried in bearings
and actuates the driving wheel or wheels of the carriage by means of ratchet wheels
in the way already described; e is a guide upon the piston rod which prevents the
latter from turning round. In Figure 5 a is a double-acting cylinder (shewn
broken off) containing a piston, having a piston rod 6 passing through a stuffing
box c. The bar d has both right-handed and left-handed helical grooves formed
round it, the former operating the wheel e and the latter the wheel e¹, each of these
wheels being connected to the driving wheel or wheels of the carriage by suitable
gear and ratchet wheels of a kind similar to that already described; f is the guide
which prevents the bar d from turning round.
In Figures 6 and 7 the driving wheel g is shewn near one end of the carriage.
a, a, are the cylinders fitted with pistons and racks c, .c', actuating toothed wheels
and ratchet wheels which drive the shaft d in the way already described; e is an
intermediate shaft driving by means of bevilled toothed wheels f, f, the driving
wheel g, which is shewn supported in a frame h turning upon a vertical pin, round
which it can move to a small extent.
Figure 8 illustrates an arrangement by which the driving wheel g turns in the
same manner, but can be directed or steered by the wheels and handle h. In this
case the carriage is shewn supported by one pair of wheels only at b in addition
to the driving wheel g (actuated as already described) for the purpose of running
upon ordinary roads.

page_text: Figure 9 illustrates in plan one of the arrangements already described for
reversing the direction in which the carriage .travels; a is a horizontal tangent
toothed wheel set in revolution by any of the methods already described.
b, b¹, are two shafts revolving in bearings and having upon them endless
screws c, c¹, either of which as desired can be put in gear with the wheel a. The
shafts b, b¹, are also provided with bevilled toothed wheels d, d', which drive
corresponding wheels e, e¹, upon the axle of the driving wheel g.
These shafts b, b', are connected to a reversing lever at h, so that either of the
screws c, c', can be put in gear with or disengaged from the wheel a as desired.
Having now described my Invention, and the manner in which it is to be per-
formed, I do not claim the precise form and arrangement of the several parts of the
machinery and apparatus as described and shewn; but I claim as my Invention.
the use of cylinders of great length containing pistons having a slow reciprocating
movement for the purpose of propelling carriages, arranged and applied substantially
as described and shewn in the Drawings.
Also the method of driving carriages constructed with my improved propelling
apparatus upon roads, rails, or trams by means of one or more centrally arranged
driving wheels, constructed, arranged, and driven substantially as described and
shewn in the Drawings.
Also the combination of parts constituting respectively my improved propelling
machinery and apparatus, arranged substantially as and for the purposes described
and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Coesar Frederick Franklin, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
ALEXANDER CÆSAR FREDERICK FRANKLIN. (L.S.)