IMPROVEMENTS IN TURN-TABLES USED FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Walker, of Bow, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engincer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TURN-TABLES USED FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Walker
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th May 1853.
I, JAMES WALKER, of Bow, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TURN-TABLES USED FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER PURPOSES”
to be as follows:-
My improvements when added to turn-tables render them what I
call "self-acting," that is, the gravity of the object to be turned is used
(when upon the table) to turn itself and the table; and my Improve-
ments to accomplish this object are, firstly, in making the pathway
cr rails upon which the wheels or rollers supporting the table rest
inclined. so that the table is made to turn by the gravity of the object

page_text: upon it (such as a locomotive) by descending from an high to a low
level of rails by reason of the wheels or rollers supporting the table
running down their inclined pathway.
Secondly, in making the table return to its original position when
the object which has been turned is removed by a weight attached by a
chain or other means to a convenient part of the table, and suspended
in a box or pit or frame.
Thirdly, in arranging the rails for approaching and leaving the turn-
table. The rails of the permanent way must be so laid that those on
which an engine or other vehicle shall approach the table shall be on
a level with the rails on it when it is at its highest elevation, and the
rails of the permanent way on which an engine or other vehicle leaves
the turn-table shall be on the same level as those on the turn-table
when it has made half a revolution, and is at its lowest elevation.
And these two lines of railway are connected at a convenient
distance from the turn-table by a pair of self-acting points, by means
of which any vehicle approaching the turn-table is turned on to the
upper line of rails, and any vehicle leaving the turn-table is allowed
to pass through the points from the lower level to the upper..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said James Walker, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 4th November 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES WALKER, of Bow, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto nie, the said James Walker, Her especial license that
I, the said James Walker, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said James Walker, my executors, adminis-

page_text: trators, 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 Chan-
nel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TURN-
TABLES USED FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that 1, the said James Walker. by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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 Seul Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Walker, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement (that is to say):
My Invention consists in a re-arrangement of and additions to turn-
tables, by which they are rendered what I term self-acting, the motive
power for the purpose being obtained from the gravity of the object
(a locomotive or other vehicle, for instance), to be turned when placed
upon the table, descending from the level at which it passes on to the
table to a lower one where it passes off. It is accomplished, first, by
inclining the paths upon which the wheels or rollers of the table travel
sufficient to cause the table to revolve or run down by gravity; second,
by employing a weight sufficient to balance the table on the incline,
and to overcome the friction, so as to bring the table back to its highest
position when it is free to return; third, by employing two sets and
levels of rails, the high level to pass on to the table, and a low level to
pass off after the vehicle has been turned. The rails of the table
when at their highest level may be made to form part of a permanent
way passing across it, and when at its lower level the continuation of a
way branching into the permanent way at each side of the table
through self-acting points. With a turn-table thus arranged it will be
seen that if a weighty object be placed upon it the balanced state of the
table on its inclined path will be destroyed (provided the increased

page_text: gravity is sufficient to overcome the friction, and the addition to the
balance weight for the purpose of bringing the table to its highest level)
and the table will descend, and turn by reason of the wheels or rollers
running down their inclined paths. For the purpose of explaining
particularly the manner in which I carry the Invention into effect ]
will refer to the drawing annexed hereto. Fig. 1, exhibiting a plan
view of a turn-table, with part of the rails leading to and from it; and
Fig. 2, a sectional longitudinal elevation of the same. The table repre-
sented is formed of two beams a, (upon which the rails a¹, are placed)
resting upon cross segmental beams b, b1, b2, 13; a set of wheels c, arc
placed in the cross segmental beams at each end, and in those at the
middle ³,, which travel upon inclined rails d, d', d, d³, placed con-
centric to each other. It will be seen that in this instance the rails
supporting the ends of the beams only occupy part of the circumference
of the table, as it is not required in the table represented to make
more than half a revolution, but as the inner supporting wheels extend
over upwards of one fourth of the circumference of their paths, the
wheels travel over the greater portion of them, on which account they
are shewn complete circles; the rails are inclined in the direction of
the arrows from the point a, to the point y; they rest on sleepers A',
on a foundation of masonry or brickwork A, or otherwise. The central
pillar or axis e, is screwed to the foundation, serving to keep the table
on its path ways, the central segmental cross beams () being
secured by the rods f, to a boss g, which will slide freely up and down,
the central pillar thus permitting the table to rise or fall. The weight,
for the purpose of bringing back the table to its highest position, is
suspended in a pit or box h, by a chain or rope i, (having sufficient
length in the pit) passing over a pulley , placed vertical and round
another placed horizontal (,) to a groove 1, formed on and continued
between the central segmental cross beams to which it is secured.
The table is shewn at its highest position, the rails a', being level
with (I will suppose) the permanent way, these are the rails by
which the vehicle to be turned will pass on to the table. The branch
rails a, are placed on each side at a distance from the other
sufficient to give proper clearance, and on a level with the rails on

page_text: the table at its lowest point, and gradually rise to the level of, and
branch into the line of, permanent way through self-acting points a².
For the purpose of preventing the table from revolving when the
vebicle is passing on until it is required to do so, a catch m, may be
employed, and to prevent it from revolving too far a stop must be
fixed at the point where the rails of the table come opposite the branch
rails; the catch may also be used to keep the table at its lowest position
till the vehicle is clear.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, I would have
it understood that I do not claim all the parts herein mentioned and
referred to as of my Invention, nor do I confine myself to the details
herein given, but what I claim as my Invention are turn-tables which
are arranged and act in the manner herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Walker, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of November, One
thousand cight hundred and fifty-three.
Signed, sealed, and delivered
(being duly stamped) by the
within-named James Walker,
in the presence of
Thomas Mackerness,
of 4, Bessborough St.,
Pimlico,
London.
JAMES WALKER. (L.S.)