IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAM AND RAIL- WAY CARRIAGES, WAGONS, AND ENGINES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Jones, of Rochdale, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAM AND RAIL-
WAY CARRIAGES, WAGONS, AND ENGINES."
Sealed the 5th November 1875, and dated the 7th May 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Jones at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th May 1875.
I, EDWARD JONES, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN
TRAM AND RAILWAY CARRIAGES, WAGONS, AND ENGINES," to be as follows:-
I propose to make a wagon or carriage as follows:-I make two
bodies, together equal in carrying capacity, say, to one ordinary wagon;
these two bodies I connect together by means of a strong joint. I then
fix a compound axle (or its equivalent) to the middle of each body in the
ordinary way with springs, axle boxes, and horn plates; and to provide
against any risk of such jointed wagon being too lively in its motion I

page_text: fix a bar or pole firmly to the under side of one body, and continue the
said bar or pole under the other body. This bar is operated upon by
springs with limited range of action. When any pressure of a curve in
the rail bears against the flange the axles radiate to the curve, and
when the curve is passed one of the springs brings back the axles to the
parallel position. Or in place of springs buffers may be used, or it may
do with merely a tight joint.
The compound action above mentioned I make thus:-One wheel is
keyed on the axle in the usual way, but at the other end there is a disc
or flange fitting into the boss of the opposite wheel. This wheel is fitted
to a tube (extending either part or the whole of the way to the fast
wheel, which tube may have a small gland or leather washer to keep the
dirt out of the tube) on which the axle with flange revolves. The
journal at this end is made with a flange through which three bolts or
rivets pass, going right through wheel boss and the flange on the tube,
fastening all together. This compound axle allows each wheel to run at
its own relative speed over curves and obviates the necessity of coneing
the wheels. The same result may be obtained by fixing one wheel on a
long boss left free to revolve on the axle, or by using a separate axle to
each wheel. A wagon or carriage with three (or more) bodies and
six (or more) wheels, may be made with slight modifications of this
plan.
Another method of making a six-wheeled wagon or carriage in one
body I fix a compound axle (or its equivalent) to the centre of the body,
I then make two frames, to each of which I fix a compound axle, or its
equivalent, in the centre; one end of such frame is connected to the
main body by a joint at a point at or near the centre, between the axle
on the body and the axle on the frame; the other frame is connected in
like manner at the other end. Both frames are checked if too lively in
their motion by springs or other means, as previously described. These
frames carry the draw bars and buffers.
I make a locomotive engine in two or three sections jointed together
as the wagon first described, or if necessary to make it in one long body
I use the plan with end frames as last described. When the loaded
wagon arrives at a station I fix filling up pieces to the flanged wheels
by means of bolts or clips, so that the wagon may be taken on to
common roads to the destination of the load, either by horses or traction
.

page_text: engine. By these means the axles of tram and railway carriages, wagons,
and engines may be made to radiate, and the wagons moved on common
roads.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Jones in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th November 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
JONES, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Jones, Her special license
that I, the said Edward Jones, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Jones, 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 Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TRAM AND RAILWAY CARRIAGES, WAGONS, AND ENGINES," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Jones, 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 Edward Jones, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
I make two bodies together equal in carrying capacity, say, to one
ordinary wagon; these two bodies I connect together by means of a
i

page_text: strong joint. I then fix a compound axle, or its equivalent, to the
middle of each body in the ordinary way with springs, axle boxes, and
horn plates; and to provide against any risk of such jointed wagon
being too lively in its motion I fix a bar or pole firmly to the under side
of one body, and continue the said bar or pole under the other body.
This bar is operated upon by springs with limited range of action; when
any pressure of a curve in the rail bears against the flange the axles
radiate to the curve, and when the curve is passed one of the springs
brings back the axles to the parallel position. Or in place of springs
buffers may be used, or it may do with merely a tight joint.
The compound axle above mentioned I make thus:-One wheel is
keyed on the axle in the usual way, but at the other end there is a disc
or flange fitting into the boss of the opposite wheel. This wheel is fitted
to a tube (extending either part or the whole of the way to the fast
wheel, which tube may have a small gland or leather washer to keep the
dirt out of the tube), in which the axle with flange revolves. The
journal at this end is made with a flange through which three bolts or
rivets pass going right through wheel boss and the flange on the tube,
fastening all together. This compound axle allows each wheel to run at
its own relative speed over curves and obviates the necessity of concing
the wheels. The same result may be obtained by fixing one wheel on
a long boss left free to revolve on the axle, or by using a separate axle
to each wheel. A wagon or carriage with three (or more). bodies and
six (or more) wheels may be made with slight modification of this plan.
Another method of making a six-wheeled wagon or carriage in one
body I fix a compound; axle (or its equivalent) to the centre of the body,
I then make two frames, to each of which I fix a compound axle (or its
equivalent) in the centre; one end of such frame is connected to the
main body by a joint at a point at or near the centre between the axle
on the body and the axle on the frame; the other frame is connected in
like manner at the other end. Both frames are checked if too lively in
their motion by springs or other means, as previously described. These
frames carry the draw bars and buffers.
I make a locomotive engine in two or three sections jointed together
as the wagon first described, or if necessary to make it in one long body
I use the plan with end frames "as last described. When the loaded
wagon arrives at a station I fix filling-up pieces to the flanged wheels

page_text: by means of bolts or clips, so that the wagon may be taken on to
common roads to the destination of the load either by horses or a traction
engine. By these means the axles of tram and railway carriages, wagons,
and engines may be made to radiate, and the wagons used on common
roads.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the accompanying
Drawing.
a and a¹, Figure 1, are two bodies of a wagon. These two are connected
together by means of a strong joint or hinge b, compound axles (sce
Figure 3), or their equivalent are fixed to the middle of each body in
the ordinary way. with springs, axle boxes, and horn plates, and to
provide against any risk of such jointed wagon being too lively in its
motion I fix a bar or pole c firmly to the under side of the body a³, and
continue the said bar or pole under the body a. This bar is operated
upon by the coiled springs d and d¹, one end of each of which are attached
to the outside framing of the body a, and the other ends are attached
to hooks that bear against the bar or pole c, and against stops
fastened to the framing of the body a (which stops limit the range of
the springs). In passing over a curve the pressure of the flange against
the rail and the centrifugal force cause the axle to radiate and the
bar c to press against one of the springs d or d', which thus prevent
the wagon from being too lively; and when the curve is passed the
springs aid in bringing back the axles to their normal position. In place
of the springs shown buffers or tight joints may be used.
.
Figure 3 represents a compound axle. a is a shaft on which is keyed
the wheel b, and at one end is formed a disc c, which revolves freely
in the boss of the wheel d, which wheel carries a tube e and a journal f;
on the tube e and journal ƒ are formed flanges by which they are
fastened to the wheel d, and also hold the shaft a and wheel bin 'their
proper position. On the end of the tube e is a small gland or washer
to keep out the dirt. a² in Figure 2 shows how a third body may be
applied. In this case the bar or pole extends under the body a² the
same as shewn under a. More than three bodies may be used if
required.
Figure 4 is an elevation of a six-wheeled wagon with one long body
which is firmly fixed to frame a¹. a, a', and a³, are frames, each carried

page_text: by one pair of wheels on a compound axle. The pole or bar c, &c., to
prevent its being too lively in its motion is fastened to the frame a¹.
Frames a and a² are connected to a¹ by joints b, as shewn. The frames
a and a³ are not fastened to but support the body d. The frames a and a²
carry the draw bars and buffers.
In applying this Invention to a locomotive engine the boiler and
cylinders are fastened to the middle frame a' (which is supported by the
driving wheels), see Fig. 4. The end frames a and a² will be carried by
wheels on compound axles, which frames are kept from being too lively
by the bar and springs, or buffers, or tight joints, as previously described. ]
When the loaded wagon arrives at a station I fix filling-up pieces by
means of bolts or clips to the flanged wheels, so that the wagon may be
taken on to common roads to the destination of the load.
Having now described my Invention, and shown how it may be carried
into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to 1
the details herein set forth, as many variations may be made, but I
claim,―
First. The radiation of the axles of tram and railway carriages,
wagons, and engines, in combination with free wheels, as shown and
described.
Secondly. I claim the use of springs, buffers, or tight joints, to check
the liveliness of motion of jointed wagons and bogies.
Thirdly. The compound axle, as shown and described (see Figure 3).
Fourthly. The filling-up pieces for flanged wheels, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Jones, have hereunto set 2
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
EDW. JONES. (L.S.)