IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TRAMRAILS OF STREET RAILWAYS TO PREVENT HORSES SLIPPING THEREON
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Burn, of Delahay Street, Westminster, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TRAMRAILS OF STREET
RAILWAYS TO PREVENT HORSES SLIPPING THEREON."
Sealed the 22nd March 1861, and dated the 26th September 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Burn at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
September 1860.
I, CHARLES BURN, of Delahay Street, Westminster, Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TRAMRAILS OF STREET RAILWAYS TO PREVENT HORSES SLIPPING THEREON," to be
as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to prevent horses slipping when treading
upon iron tramrails laid down in streets, highways, and thoroughfares, for
vehicles with flanged wheels.
This is effected in the manner shewn in the accompanying Drawing, in
which Fig. 1 represents a transverse section through E, F; Fig. 2, a plan, and
Fig. 8, a longitudinal section through G, H, of a tramrail constructed according
to my Invention. In each of the Figures the same letters of reference indicate
like parts.
A, A, are longitudinal grooves made in the surface of the tramrail, and
B, B, similar transverse grooves, thus forming a series or number of projecting
surfaces C, C, C, which serve as a hold for the feet of horses, the horses being
thus prevented from slipping when treading on the tramrail. These projecting
pieces or surfaces may be made circular, hexagonal, octagonal, or any other

page_text: suitable shape, but I prefer that shewn in the Drawing as being more con-
venient for manufacture.
The same object might also be accomplished by a series of grooves made
of the trommeil
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Burn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th March 1861.
TO. ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
BURN, of Delahay Street, Westminster, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth 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 Charles Burn, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Burn,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Burn, 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 Ire-
land, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE TRAMRAILS OF STREET RAILWAYS TO PREVENT HORSES SLIPPING THEREON,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Burn, 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 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 Charles Burn, 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 :-
The object of this Invention is to prevent horses slipping when treading
upon iron tramrails laid down in streets, highways, and thoroughfares, for
vehicles with flanged wheels.
This is effected in the manner shewn in the accompanying Drawing, in

page_text: which Fig. 1 represents a transverse section through E, F; Fig. 2, a plan,
and Fig. 3, a longitudinal section through G, H, of a tramrail constructed
according to my Invention. In each of the Figures the same letters of reference
indicate like parts.
A, A, are longitudinal grooves made in the surface of the tramrail, and
B, B, similar transverse grooves, thus forming a series or number of projecting
surfaces C, C, C, which serve as a hold for the feet of horses, the horses being
thus prevented from slipping when treading on the tramrail. These projecting
pieces or surfaces may be made circular, hexagonal, octagonal, or any other
suitable shape, but I prefer that shewn in the Drawing as being more con-
venient for manufacture.
The same object might also be accomplished by a series of grooves made
transversely, longitudinally, or obliquely, in the surface of the tramrail.
The annexed Drawings shew the general feature of my Invention, but I do
not bind myself as to the precise details, as to the number of the grooves, or
as to their depth or width, nor do I bind myself as to the form or description
of tramrail upon which the grooves are made; but what I claim as my Inven-
tion is cutting, rolling, casting, or forming in any other manner, grooves in
the surface of iron rails or tramrails, such tramrails being laid down in the
streets of cities and on common roads for the purpose of street railways, and
adapted for vehicles to run upon when having flanged wheels.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Burn, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
(L.S.) CHARLES BURN.
Witness,
RICHARD EATON,
Draftsman to Messrs. Willcock & Co.,
89, Chancery Lane,
London.