CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN ROADS AND RAILWAYS, AND IN THE MEANS OF PROPELLING CARRIAGES THEREON;
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
GIBBS, of Kennington Oval, in the County of Surrey, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Fifth day of June, in the fourth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Joseph
Gibbs, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Joseph Gibbs, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, and such others as I,
the said Joseph Gibbs, my exors, adiñors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within that part of Her Majesty's United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her Dominion of Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROADS AND RAILWAYS, AND IN THE MEANS OF PROPELLING CARRIAGES THEREON;" in
which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that I, the said Joseph
Gibbs, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and imme-
diately 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Joseph Gibbs, do hereby declare that my said improvements are nine in
number, and that the nature of the same, and the manner in which they are.
to be performed, are fully specified and set forth in the following description
thereof, reference being had to the several Sheets of Drawings hereunto
annexed, marked numbers I., II., III., IIIA., IV., V., VI., VII., VIII., IX.,
and X., that is to say :-
The first of my said improvements consists in constructing the bridges.or
viaducts which may be required in the formation of roads and railways partly
in the manner of the ordinary arc bridges, and partly in the manner of the
suspension bridge, so as to combine in one structure the advantages of both
systems of construction without any abutments being required to resist the
thrust of the arched bridge or any land ties to hold the suspension chains in
their place. The details of this improved system of construction are repre-
sented in the annexed Sheet of Drawings Number I.
A, A, Figure 1, are the piers of a bridge; B, B, the arches, which may be
made of hollow iron tubes or of solid timber; C, C, are the suspending or
main chains or inverted arch; D, D, is the roadway, which may be fixed to
the suspending rods E, E, which connect the two arches together; F, F, are
what I call thrusting braces, which commence at the lower part of eacli pier,
and are united to the first series of suspending rods at the junction of the
inverted arch C, C. Another series of braces G, G, called suspending braces,
commence at the top of each pier, at the place where the arches C, C, on each
side of the pier are connected together. These braces are connected with the
suspending rods E, E, at their junction with the lower arch B, B. After the
first set of portions of the arches are combined together, a second set can be
added precisely on the same principle as before described, each end of the
bridge terminating with a half arch as a counterbalance, and resting upon the
piers H, H. It will be obvious, however, that the succeeding portions of the
arches, as they récede from the pier, will have to sustain less weight than those
nearer to the pier, and may accordingly be made lighter commensurately with
the load they will have to sustain. As many of these arches as may be
required to form the width of the bridge may be connected together by suitable
horizontal and diagonal rods and braces. In some cases it may be of advan
tage to run the two arches through each other, as represented in Figure 2,
which will permit a greater curvature to be given to the arches. The propor-
tions of the different parts, the weight and nature of the materials to be used
and the mode of combining them together at the joints, will vary according to

page_text: the character of the structure, and must be left to the judgment and skill of
the engineer employed in each case.
And I declare that what I claim under this head of my improvements is
the combination in one structure, in the manner herein-before described, of
the peculiar properties of the common are bridge and suspension bridge,
without the ordinary accompaniements of abutments and land ties.
7
The second of my said improvements consists in making common roads,
and that description of railways called tramways, of wooden blocks laid and
combined in such a manner that every block shall receive a support from each
of those adjoining to it. I effect this by means of a piece or pieces which I
call key pieces, and which may be made either of wood or cast or wrought
iron (but I consider cast iron the best) let into cuts or grooves made for the
purpose on all the angles of each block.
Figure 1 of the Sheet of Drawings Number II., is an isometrical plan
of part of a roadway in the course of being formed of square blocks; and
Figure 2 is a horizontal plan of the same, A, B, C, D, E, are five blocks
adjoining to each other; and F, G, and H, are pieces of cast iron let into the
cuts at the angles of the blocks. It will be seen from the plan, Figure 2, in
which the dotted lines F, G, H, denote the iron key pieces, that when the
blocks and key pieces are fitted to each other, the whole will form one solid
mass. In cases where great solidity of road is required, I cover the founda-
tion of the road with thin sheets of iron I, previously protected with zinc or
some other anticorrosive material to prevent their decay, and then lay the
blocks of wood on these sheets of iron, whereby the material composing the
foundation of the road is prevented from rising between the blocks.
And I declare that what I claim under this head of my improvements is
the manner, herein-before described, of combining blocks of wood together for
the formation of roads and tramways, so that every block shall be supported
by those adjoining it, and also the intersection between the blocks and the
foundation of the road or tramway of sheets of iron, in the cases and for the
purpose before mentioned.
The third of my said improvements consists in propelling carriages on rail-
ways by the means and in the manner represented in the Sheets of Drawings
Number III., Number IIIA., Number IV., and Number V.
In the Sheet Number, III., Figure 1 represents a side elevation of an
engine and drum to be actuated thereby; and Figure 2, a plan. A, A, is the
bed or foundation; B, B, are timbers upon which the frames C, C, are fixed;
D, D, are oscillating cylinders fitted with suitable side valves and piston's;
E, F, are piston rods connected with the cranks F, F, which are placed at

page_text: right angles to each other. On the end of the crank shaft is a bevelled spur
wheel G, G, which takes into a bevelled pinion H, H, the axle of which is
formed into a vertical shaft, having at one end a bearing upon the foundation,
and carrying upon the other a horizontal drum I, I, which actuates the band
or rope. The Sheet Number IIIA., exhibits an end elevation of the same
engine and drum and their appendages. In the Sheet Number IV., Figure 1
is a plan, and Figure 2 an elevation of part of a railway, shewing the drum
I, I, and its connection with the band or rope F, F. A, A, and B, B, are
longitudinal and transverse sleepers; C, C, are the rails. Attached to some
of the sleepers B, B, are other sleepers D, D, upon which are fixed the
bearings of certain friction or guide wheels; H, H, are iron girders which
carry the ends of the transverse sleepers B, B, where the drum I, I, occurs.
Figure 3 represents the general arrangements of the engine drums and rail-
way; R, R, is the railway; S, a stationary steam engine; D, D, are air
engines; I, I, are drums actuated thereby; J, J, are endless bands or ropes pas-
sing round the drums I, I; P, P, is a pipe or main. In the Sheet V., Figure 1
is a side elevation of a carriage; Figure 2 is an elevation of a longitudinal
section Figure 3 is an elevation of a transverse section; and Figure 4 is a
plan shewing part of the railway friction wheels and band or rope. A, A, and
B, B, are longitudinal and transverse sleepers framed flush and held together
by iron ties or rods. Upon the sleepers A, A, the rails C, C, are laid and
fixed in any approved manner. To some of the sleepers B, B, at convenient
distances apart, are attached other sleepers D, D, upon which are fixed the
bearings of friction wheels E, E. On some of the sleepers B, B, are also
fixed levers P, P, which are acted upon by springs and carry friction rollers,
which are intended to keep the band or rope F, F, in the centre of the line;
G, G, is a beam or bar of wood, or other material, which is suspended from
and kept parallel with another bar H, H (which I call a compressing bar), by
rods or bars I, I. Between the said beams or bars are fixed any convenient
number of curved springs J, J, which are intended to press the bar H, H,
against the band or rope to obtain the necessary amount of adhesion; K, K,
is a frame at each end of the carriage, upon which are placed the springs and
wheels of the carriage. The wheels are in pairs on each side of the carriage,
and as near to each other as is convenient, a double pair being upon each of
the frames, as shewn particularly in Figures 1 and 2, in Sheet V. Attached
to this frame is another of iron, or other suitable material, which supports in
its centre the beam or bar G, G, as shewn in Figures 2 and 3 of Sheet V.
This frame has also in its centre a vertical shaft or axle N, N, passing through
the lower frame of the carriage, and upon the upper surface of the frame

page_text: K, K, are small friction rollers upon which the carriage rests; L, L, is the
lower framework of the carriage; M, M, is a contrivance for raising or
depressing the bar H, II, as occasion may require.
To actuate the Air Engine.-I cause a steam engine to be placed in a
convenient situation to exhaust the air from the main or pipe which leads
from the air engines. The air being exhausted from below the pistons in the
air cylinder, and the atmosphere admitted above them, the pistons will be
depressed until they reach the bottom of the cylinder, when the motion is
reversed by proper slides or valves, and then an opening is made to the
exhausting main from above the piston, and the air is admitted below, by
which means a rotary motion is given to the crank axles, the spur wheel G, G,
the pinion H, H, and the drum I, I, the result of all which is to make the
band or rope J, J, to advance slowly between the friction wheels F, F, and the
compressing bar H, H, which is pressed down for that purpose by the springs
J, J; the adhesion produced thereby communicating a continues motion to the
band or rope F, F, by which the bar H, H, and the carriage attached thereto
is moved forward. When it is required to check the speed of the carriage or
carriages, the compressing bar is raised clear from the surface of the band or
rope J, J, by the contrivance shewn in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet V. Instead
of the air engine, steam engines, or other power, may be similarly applied, but
independantly of each other, the object of the air engines being to distribute
the power over proper lengths or divisions of the road, and one steam engine
being employed to work a number of air engines. The steam engine I use
is constructed on the plan of the pumping engines used in Cornwall for
draining mines, and known as the Cornish steam engine.
The fourth of my said improvements consists in another mode of pro-
pelling carriages upon railways, represented by the Sheet of Drawings
Number VI., in which Figure 1 is an elevation and Figure 2 a plan. A. A,
is a railway; B, B, is a stationary engine, to the piston of which is attached
by a cross head the arms or levers C, C, which are fixed to one end of a hori-
zontal shaft S, S, upon the other end of which is fixed another arm or lever
D, D, which I call a vibrating lever, at right angles to the levers C, C. The
end of the arm or lever D, D, is attached to an iron bar or rod E, E, which I
call a vibrating rod, of any convenient length, and to this bar or rod at suitable
intervals are also attached any convenient number of parallel levers F, F,
turning upon axles. At each extremity of the rod or bar is attached (by a
chain which passes over fixed wheels or drums to keep the vibratory rod
always stretched in a right line) a weight W, W, as a counterbalance. I, I,
s a frame attached to the carriage or carriages which carries three axles.

page_text: Upon the first of these axles are the wheels J, J, which run upon the same
rails as the carriage or carriages. Upon the second is a lever R, R, running
loose upon its axle, which has at one end a wheel or roller K, K, that runs
upon a rod or bar E, E, and at the other end a pall L, L, which acts upon
the teeth of a ratchet wheel M, M, on the same axle, and also running loose.
Fixed to the ratchet wheel is a toothed wheel N, N, which takes into a pinion
0, 0, on the third axle; this is attached to and gives motion to another
.toothed wheel P, P, which takes into another pinion. Q, Q, fixed upon
the second axle, and which gives motion to the driving wheels T, T. A slow
motion being given to the arm's or levers C, C, and D, D, by a steam engine
or other suitable power, they communicate to the rod or bar E, E, a vibratory
motion, which causes it to ascend and descend each time by the radiation of
the curve described by the levers F, F, and the arm D, D. This vibrating
rod or bar acting against the wheel or roller K, K, lifts up the end of the
lever to which it is attached, and, consequently, depresses the other end, upon
which is fixed the pall L, L, which, catching the teeth upon the ratchet wheel
M, M, moves it round, together with the toothed wheel N, N, which in its
turn acting upon the pinion O, O, and the toothed wheel P, P, the latter acts
upon the pinion 0, 0, causes the driving wheels T, T, of the frame or
carriage J, J, to revolve,, and thereby to propel the carriage or carriages V
with a degree of velocity proportionate to the ratio of the wheels and
pinions. To diminish the speed or stop the carriage or carriages, the
same contrivance is attached thereto as is shewn in Sheet V., Figures
1 and 2, and before described. Where it is desired to work a double line of
railway from one engine, the shaft S, S, can be carried further out for that
purpose, and another lever similar to D, D, can be placed upon it, which levers
may be united to the shaft so as to be thrown in and out of gear; and by this
means each set of vibrating rods and bars can be put in motion alternately.
The fifth of my said improvements consists in propelling carriages on rail-
ways by the modification of means represented in the Sheet of Drawings
Number VII. Near the centre of the railway A, and throughout the whole
length thereof is laid a pair of sliding bars B, B, of wood or iron (giving the
preference to wood), which sliding bars are properly mounted upon friction
rollers, C, C, or on vertical vibrating levers kept on the stretch by counter-
balance weights attached to their ends, similar to those already represented in
Figures 1 and 2, Sheet V., and already described; they are actuated in the
same manner by the lever before described, except that one is always travelling
in a contrary direction to the other. On these vibrating bars are placed a
pair of propelling rollers D, D, attached to the toothed wheel E, E, which

page_text: takes into the pinion F, F, fixed upon the axle of the driving wheel G, G,
which give motion to the carriages travelling upon the railway. These rollers
turn loose upon their axles, and have ratchet teeth within them, which are
taken hold of by a pall H, H, secured to the axle I. By this means the
rollers slip whilst the bar is being drawn backwards in a contrary way to that
in which the carriages travel; but when the bar proceeds in the direction
which the carriages travel, the pall then takes hold of the ratchet teeth in the
rollers D, D, giving motion to the wheel E, E, the pinion F, F, and the
driving wheels G, G, by which the carriages are propelled forward. By
properly arranging the proportions of the wheels which travel upon the sliding
bar, and the wheels which propel the carriages, the carriages may be made to
travel at a great velocity whilst the sliding bar is moving at a slow one. By.
turning the handle N, N, the levers O, O, and the propelling rollers D, D, are
raised or lowered upon the vibrating bars B, B, by which means the carriages
are put in motion or stopped. The springs and screw rods P, P, are used for
the purpose of attaching the carriages to the propelling apparatus, and to
make some of the weight of the carriages available for increasing the adhesion
or traction of the driving wheels and propelling rollers.
The sixth of my said improvements consists in another modification of means
for propelling carriages on railways, represented in the Sheet of Drawings
No. VII., Figures 3 and 4. A steam cylinder or cylinders is placed in the
line of rails, but below them, which causes the stroke of the steam engine
to actuate the vibrating bars without the intervention of lever or shafts. In
this case no crank is needful, and the length of the stroke of the piston may
be proportioned to the length of the vibration of the bar. Figure 3 is an
elevation, and Figure 4 is a plan of an apparatus on this principle. A, A,
are timbers, having upon them the bearings of the friction wheels C, C,
upon which the bar b, b, moves. The bar 6, 6, and the sliding bar B, B, are
attached to the cross heads D, D, of the piston rod E, E, of the cylinder F, F,
which is supported by brackets C, C, also fixed upon the timbers A, A, the
upper parts of these brackets forming beds or guides for the bar B, B, to
slide or vibrate in.
The seventh of my said improvements, Sheet 8, is for causing carriages to
run on common roads, and is effected by laying down rackways of blocks of
stone S, S, or other suitable materials, as now practised, except that the joints
are to be laid askew to give a smoother motion to the carriage wheels which
are intended to run thereon between the blocks; a continuous longitudinal
piece of wood is laid, the upper edges of which are chamfered or bevilled off
as is shewn at A, Figures 1 and 2, (the same letters referring to similar parts

page_text: in each Figure; on this longitudinal piece of timber the wheel B runs, only
touching the chamfered edges; the wheel is provided with a flange on each.
side, but the flanges do not touch the sides of the timber. This wheel runs
loose on the axle, and the hole through which the axle runs is larger than the
diameter of the shaft on which it is placed, as shewn in the section of the
guide wheel B at Figure 3, where B is the wheel, C is the shaft, and D is the
space between the shaft and the wheel; by this contrivance the wheel always
drops upon the rail A, and guides the carriage wheels E, E, on the blocks,
consequently they do not require flanges; but, in order to keep the guide wheel
B in its place on the shaft, F is a plate of iron accurately turned and keyed
thereon upon each side of the guide wheel; these plates of iron, or dises,
always keep the wheel in its proper place, but allows the guide wheel B to
sink down between them upon the centre rail, as before described.
The eighth of my said improvements consists in the method of propelling
carriages on railways and tramroads by means and in manner represented in
the Sheet of Drawings No. IX. In the centre of the road bars of wood are
properly jointed or connected together so as to form one continuous bar the
whole length of the road, or of such portion thereof as the propelling power, to
be presently herein-after described, is required to be used upon; this continuous
bar, which I call a propelling bar, is placed upon springs, which, when left free
to act, lift it upwards. Weights and levers may be also used to poise the bar
upwards; but I prefer springs for this purpose, especially where great velocity
is required. A pilot carriage is first moved over the road by horses or other
suitable power at a slow rate, in the centre of which carriage, and connected
with it, is a roller, the weight of which must be proportioned to the resilient
force of the springs under the propelling bar, so that it may be able to depress
that bar on passing over it; as soon as the bar is so depressed it is firmly
clutched and held down by the iron claspers herein-after described, until it is
required to give off the power in the springs.
A, A, Sheet IX., Figures 1 and 2, is the railway; B is the propelling bar;
C is the spring; D is the roller placed at the end of the carriage E. This
roller must be of sufficient weight to propel the carriages, and that weight will
of course vary according to the weight of the load it has to propel. When
required, a spring on the shaft of the screw F may be used for increasing the
power of the propelling roller D. This roller bears only upon the propelling
bar, which, as before mentioned, is held down by the claspers until set free by
the method to be hereafter described. The propelling bar rises behind the
roller and acts as a lever, continually rising and causing the carriages to pro-
ceed forward. By this means a slow motion may be converted into a quick

page_text: one, free from the disadvantages usually attending high velocities; but, inas-
much as the pilot carriages will travel slower than the carriages which are
propelled by the propelling bar, there must be a proper number of the former
stationed in advance of the latter, each acting throughout only one section of
the line, and turning off at sidings as soon as its task is performed, whereby
the principal train of carriages propelled may travel onwards without interrup-
tion. When it is desired that the carriages should stop, the propelling roller
D is lifted up by the screw and handle F. G, G, Figures 1 and 2, are the
iron claspers which are mounted on joints H, H, and clip the propelling bar
B, B, by the weights I, I, which are cast on the end of the lever K. When the
depressing roller has passed over the propelling bar and depressed it, the
claspers clutch and hold down the bar till the propelling roller attached to the
carriage afterwards passes over the road and, opening the claspers, disengages
the propelling bar. Care must be taken that the claspers are not opened too
soon, otherwise the propelling bar night rise before instead of behind the
carriages, by which the transit of the train would be retarded.
a
The ninth and last of my said improvements consists in the method of pro-
pelling carriages upon railways, represented in the Sheet of Drawings Number
X., Figure 1 being a side elevation, Figure 2 an end elevation, and Figure 3
plan. A, A, is a railway formed of longitudinal and transverse sleepers,
with rails of any approved form. Upon some of the transverse sleepers, at
convenient distances, are fixed bearings for friction wheels or drums B, B, in
pairs, which wheels or drums serve as bearings for a cylindrical shaft
C, C, of wood or other material (shewn on an enlarged scale in Figure 4,
which also shews a mode of constructing the same), which is thus enabled to
be made in a continuous length for any distance that may be required.
Attached to one or both ends of a carriage (as may be expedient) is a wheel
D, D, the outer surface of which is in contact obliquely with the surface of
the shaft C, C, and, consequently, has its axis oblique to the axis of the said
shaft; E, E, is a contrivance. for raising or depressing the wheel D, D, when
required, being furnished with handles F, F, for that purpose. A slow motion
being given to the shaft C, C, by any approved means; and thereby com-
municated to the wheel D, D, the carriage will be propelled with a great
velocity, which may be increased or diminished according to the angle at
which the wheel D is set to the shaft C, C, and to the proportion that the
diameters of the said wheel and shaft bear to each other. A few turns of the
handle F, F, will raise the wheel D, D, from the surface of the shaft C, C,
thereby diminishing the speed of the carriage; and by applying a break to
the wheels of the carriage in the ordinary manner, it may be stopped at

page_text: pleasure. For passing round, curves. the shaft will require to be divided into
a convenient number of straight lengths connected by universal joints.
And with respect to the different methods of propelling carriages described
under the last six heads of my said improvements, I declare that I claim the
system of action and combination of meaus peculiar to each method in their
generality only, without meaning to confine myself in matter of detail to the
use of each particular article and thing described, or to the use of it in the
precise way described, since the same may be changed, varied, and modified
in various ways without involving any material departure from the said general
system of action and combination of means.
And although I have in some cases shewn an air engine actuating the bands
or ropes for propelling the carriages, and in other cases I have shewn a steam
engine giving motion to the vibrating bars for the same purpose, yet I wish it
to be understood that in some cases I employ air engines for all these
purposes, and actuate a number of them by one steam engine, as before
mentioned.
I declare further, that, instead of using steam in the cylinder on the plan
represented in the Sheet of Drawings Number VII., I sometimes cause a
vacuum to be made in the said cylinder on one side of the piston, and
pressure of the atmosphere on the other side.
use
the
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth