IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAYS FOR STREETS AND ORDINARY ROADS, AND IN CARRIAGES FOR RUNNING THEREON
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT
to John Haworth, of Thorncliffe, Old Trafford, near
the City of Manchester, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TRAMWAYS FOR STREETS AND ORDINARY ROADS, AND IN CARRIAGES FOR
RUNNING THEREON."
Sealed the 15th January 1861, and dated the 25th September 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Haworth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th September 1860.
I, JOHN HAWORTH, of Thorncliffe, Old Trafford, near the City of Man-
chester, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAYS FOR STREETS AND ORDINARY ROADS, AND IN CAR-
RIAGES FOR RUNNING THEREON," to be as follows:-
My improvements in tramways consist in placing a grooved intermediate
rail between the two rails on which the wheels of the carriage run; these
three rails are or may be on the same level as the other portions of the street
or road.
My improvements in carriages consist in the application thereto of a pulley,
the circumference of which runs in the groove in the intermediate rail; and
this pulley is supported by a stud or axle connected, by two diagonal stays or
otherwise, to the front axle, or other convenient part of the carriage. When
the carriage is running along a parallel or nearly parallel road the circum-
[Price 8d.]

page_text: ference of the pulley is in the groove in the intermediate rail, and keeps the
wheels on the outer rails; but in turning a corner, or where it is otherwise
necessary to deviate from the straight line, the pulley is lifted out of the groove
by a treadle or other apparatus, so as to set the carriage at liberty and free to
turn in any direction.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Haworth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd March 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HAWORTH, of Thorncliffe, Old Trafford, near the City of Manchester, Gentle-
man, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Haworth, Her special licence that I, the said John Haworth,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said
John Haworth, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE
MENTS IN TRAMWAYS FOR STREETS AND ORDINARY ROADS AND IN CARRIAGES FOR
RUNNING THEREON," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Haworth, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Haworth, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
My improvements in tramways consist in placing a grooved intermediate
rail between the two rails on which the wheels of the carriage run. The rails

page_text: for the carriage wheels are made of rolled T-shaped iron, and the three rails
are attached to grooved longitudinal dovetailed wood sleepers; these improved
tram rails are or may be on the same level as the other portions of the street
or road in which they are laid.
My improvements in carriages relate to those intended to run on tramways
or rails similar to those above described, and consist in the application
thereto of a pulley or wheel or disc, the circumference of which runs in the
groove in the intermediate rail, and is supported by a stud or axle connected
by two diagonal stays or otherwise to the front axle, or other convenient part
of the carriage. When the carriage is running along a straight or nearly
straight road, the circumference of the wheel or disc is in the groove in the
intermediate rail, and keeps the wheels of the carriage on the outer rails, but
in turning a corner, or when it is otherwise necessary to deviate from the
straight line, it is lifted out of the groove by a treadle or other apparatus, so
as to set the carriage at liberty and free to turn in any direction.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the two accompanying
Sheets of Drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters marked
thereon.
On Sheet Fig. 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a side view of an omnibus of
the ordinary construction, to which my improvements are applied; Fig. 3 is a
detached view, in section, on an enlarged scale, of my improvements in
tramways, which are constructed in the following manner:-a, a, are the outer
rails, on which the wheels of the omnibus or other carriage run; these rails
are made of rolled T-shaped iron, the centre web of the rail being let into and
the top web bearing upon and screwed to the longitudinal wood sleepers b, b.
The intermediate rail c is grooved, and is let into and bears upon the sleeper d,
to which it is screwed; these sleepers and d are dovetailed or wider at the
bottom than at the top, so that when suitably shaped paving stones are set on
each side of them they are securely held and incapable of rising. The three
rails a, a, and c, and the sleepers b and d, forming my improved tramway are
on the same level as the other portions of the street or road to which they are
applied, consequently they offer no obstruction to carriages or horses passing
across them; the rain water is also at liberty to run off, as the rails may be
set to the curve of the road or street, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 3.
My improvements in carriages for running on the above described tramways
are as follows:e is the front axle of the omnibus or other carriage, to which
are hinged the two diagonal stays f.; the extremities of these stays are
rivetted or welded to the frame or bearing g. in which the pulley, wheel, or

page_text: disc revolves on a stud; its circumference runs in the groove of the inter
mediate rail c, as shewn best in Fig. 3; to the frame g is jointed the lower end
of the bar i, the upper part of which is forked to pass on each side of the pole j
this forked end of the bar i is guided in two bearings k fixed to the splinter
bar 1; the upper ends of the fork are united by the plate m, and the vulcanized
india-rubber or other spring n, connected below to the frame g, and above to
the splinter bar 1, is sufficiently strong to lift the wheel or disc h out of the
groove in the rail c.
If preferred, a lever, and counterpoise, or other simila
apparatus may be used instead of or to aid the spring n. To the foot board
is fixed the bearing p, and to the front of the omnibus is fixed the bearing q
these two bearings serve to guide the rod r, to the lower end of which is
jointed the antifriction roller s, bearing on the plate m, and to the upper end
of the rod is fixed the treadle t, which is guided between the rails u; the
treadle and rod are raised when required by the spring w. The mode of
operation is as follows: The omnibus is supposed to be running along a
straight or nearly straight road, and the driver, by pressing on the treadle t
keeps the roller s on the plate m, which thus holds the wheel or disc h in the
groove of the intermediate rail c, and as it is firmly held by the diagonal stays f
it is evident that so long as the wheel or disc h is in the groove of the rail c
the wheels of the omnibus or other carriage will remain on the tram rails a, a,
as shewn in Fig. 1. As soon, however, as it is requisite to turn round a
corner, or otherwise desirable to move the carriage off the tramways, the
driver liberates the treadle t, when the spring w instantly raises the rod r;
the roller s is thus lifted off the plate m, which, with the forked bar i, stays f,
frame g, and wheel or disc h, are then raised by the spring n into the position
shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 2. As soon as the circumference of the wheel
or disc h is out of the groove in the rail c, it will be apparent that the carriage
can be moved in any direction off the tramways, and again brought on them
without hindrance, as the rails and the road are on the same level. When
the driver has brought the carriage in a line with the tramways he again
applies his foot to the treadle t to bring the wheel or disc h into the groove of
the rail c.
The connection between the guide wheel or disc h and the driver may be
considerably modified, the said wheel or disc, instead of being raised out of
the groove of the guide rail by a spring or counterpoise, as described, may be
raised by the foot of the driver, and when the wheel or disc is out of the
groove of the guide rail, it can be held there by a catch, as shewn in reference
to Sheet 2. On this Sheet Fig. 4 is an end elevation, Fig. 5 a side elevation,
and Fig. 6 a plan of part of an omnibus to which my improvements are

page_text: applied. The frame of the guide wheel or disc h is connected, by means of the
chain ', to the elbow lever y, which is hinged to a plate fixed to the foot
board; at the end of this plate is a spring catch z. The mode of operation is
as follows:-When the parts are in the positions indicated by the full lines, the
disc or wheel h is in the groove of the intermediate rail c, and the wheels of
the carriage are held on the tram rails a. As soon, however, as it becomes
necessary to move the carriage off the rails, the driver places his foot on the
treadle or plate y¹ attached to the lever y, and by pressing on it lifts the wheel
in which position it is held by the
When the carriage has again been
or disc h out of the groove in the rail c,
catch 2, as shewn by the dotted lines.
brought on to the tram rails the driver liberates the lever y from the catch z
with his foot, and allows the wheel or disc h to drop into the groove of the
intermediate rail c.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same, I declare that I claim,-
First, the application of T-iron and grooved longitudinal dovetailed sleepers
for the tramways of streets and roads, as described, and shewn in the
Drawings.
Secondly, the application of a grooved intermediate guide rail between the
two rails on which the wheels of the carriage run, as described.
And, thirdly, the application of the guide pulley. wheel, or disc h. to
omnibus and other carriages, and the combinations of machinery described for
guiding the carriages upon the tramways by means of the grooved intermediate
rail c, and for disconnecting the same therefrom when required. as herein
described, and shewn in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I the said John Haworth, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
30 Witness,
H. B. BARLOW,
Manchester.
BUFEN
MIRNIA A VALI