IMPROVEMENTS IN WAGONS TO BE USED FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF COAL, AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Paul Bedford Elwell, of Wolverhampton, in the County
"
of Stafford, Manufacturer, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN WAGONS
TO BE USED FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF COAL, AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Paul Bedford Elwell at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th October 1880.
PAUL BEDFORD ELWELL, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford,
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WAGONS TO BE USED FOR THE CONVEYANCE
OF COAL AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to wagons for use either on common roads, or on railways,
or tramways. A wagon is constructed which consists of a suitable frame mounted
upon wheels, the body part of the wagon being formed of a number of moveable
compartments carried upon the frame aforesaid, and suitably fastened to-gether.
Each compartment forms a smaller wagon or cart body, which is capable of being
removed from the larger wagon frame on to a smaller frame mounted upon wheels.
The chief purpose for which it is intended to use this Invention is for the
conveyance of coals. The coals are hauled in the larger wagon by locomotive or
traction engine power to the nearest point accessible to where they are to be used.
Each compartment with its load of, say, one ton, is then moved in turn on
to the smaller or independent wagon frame, and thus becomes a complete wagon
or cart of such size, and holding such a quantity, as is convenient to take into a
yard or other place where the larger wagon could not be taken. By this means
the coals, which are properly weighed into each compartment when loading the
larger wagon, are delivered direct to the consumer without reweighing at a
decreased cost of carriage, and with as little breakage of the coals as possible.
The back ends of the compartments form the two sides of the larger wagon body,
and are formed with a considerable slant outwards from bottom to top, to enable
their contents to be the more readily tipped or shot out. Each compartment may
79

page_text: be lifted from the larger wagon frame on to the smaller one by means of a light
and simple travelling crane carried up from the ends of the wagon frame and
extending the length thereof, or by means of a crane upon the traction engine
drawing the said wagon, or by any suitable lifting gear; or each compartment
may be pulled on to the smaller wagon frame by means of a small windlass
attached to the said smaller wagon frame, or by means of a screw, or other suitable
means. Instead of the compartments being removed from the larger wagon frame,
they may be hinged thereto, and their contents shot out. This Invention is also
applicable for the conveyance of any material, such, for instance, as gravel, or road
metal, which it may be desirable to carry in large quantities and to deliver in lesser
quantities

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Paul Bedford Elwell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th April 1881.
PAUL BEDFORD ELWELL, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WAGONS TO BE USED FOR THE CONVEYANCE
OF COAL AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to wagons for use either on common roads, or on railways,
or tramways.
A wagon
is constructed which consists of a suitable frame mounted upon wheels,
the body part of the wagon being formed of a number of movable compartments
carried upon the frame aforesaid, and suitably fastened to-gether or otherwise kept
in their proper position. Each compartment forms a smaller wagon or cart body,
which is capable of being removed from the larger wagon frame on to a smaller
frame mounted upon wheels.
The chief purpose for which it is intended to use this Invention is for the
conveyance of coals. The coals are hauled in the larger wagon by locomotive or
traction-engine power, to the nearest point accessible to where they are to be used.
Each compartment (or as many of them as may be required) with its load of, say,
half or one ton, is then moved in turn on to the smaller or independent wagon
frame, and thus becomes a complete wagon or cart.
When it is desired to convey
a number of smaller wagon or cart bodies by canal, they are formed of a suitable
shape to fit to-gether within a canal boat, which thus takes the place of the larger
wagon frame. By these means the coals, which are properly weighed into each
compartment, are delivered direct to the consumer without re-weighing at a
decreased cost of carriage, and with as little breakage of the coals as possible.
Each compartment may be closed by a cover and secured by a letter or other
lock.
This Invention is also applicable for the conveyance of any material, such, for
instance, as gravel, or road metal, which it may be desirable to carry in large
quantities, and to deliver in lesser quantities.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same, with reference to the accompanying
Drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon.
The Drawings on Sheets 1 and 2 illustrate my Invention as applied to the
conveyance of coals by railway to the nearest accessible point to where they are to
be used, and to their delivery in smaller separate wagons or carts. Figures 1 and 2
illustrate respectively an end elevation and a side elevation, shewing a railway
wagon of which the body part is made up of separate compartments, and also the
apparatus (shewn in section by Figure 1) for unloading such compartments from off
the wagon frame; Figure 3 is a plan drawn to a smaller scale, shewing two loaded
wagons and two unloaded wagons. The same letters of reference occurring upon either
of the Figures 1 and 2 indicate corresponding parts, the corresponding parts in
Figure 3 being also indicated by the same letters. A is the wagon frame mounted
upon wheels to run upon a railway. The wagon A has the sides and ends raised to
form & framing around the compartments of sufficient height to keep them in place,
and the sides are hinged and can be lowered down into the position shewn by dotted
lines at a when the compartments are being unloaded. B, B, etc., are compartments
which are each loaded with a weighed quantity of coal, say, half or one ton, aud
which fit together, as shewn, between the raised sides of the wagon A. The shape of
the wagons on plan is shewn by Figure 3, and also the position they occupy within
the wagon A. A packing piece b is fixed on alternate sides at each end of a wagon, as
shewn at Figure 3, and also by dotted lines, Figure 2, so that the inside studs c, c, of

page_text: etc.
each pair of compartments (the studs being for moving the compartments by) may be
side by side and thus save space. The compartments B, B, etc., are unloaded from
the wagon A by means of the windlass C working on the travelling crane, D, D,
The compartments B, B, etc., are lifted through the medium of the bail E,
which is shewn by detached view Figure 2a. In Figure 3 the unloaded compart-
ments B, B, etc., are shewn deposited by the side of the railway for removal by
separate wagon or cart frames, as will be described. Figure 3a illustrates in side
elevation a trolley, by which the unloaded compartments B, B, etc. (Figure 3) are
in turn pulled forwards, with their studs c, c, clear of the other compartments, so as
to be easily picked up by the frame next described. The trolley illustrated by
Figure 3 is double-sided, and is tilted up as shewn to bring the jaws a under the
studs c. The back end A of the trolley is depressed to raise the compartment off
the paved floor on which it is deposited, and to draw it forward thereon as far as
may be desired. The compartments B, B, etc., instead of being unloaded from the
wagon frame A aforesaid by means of the crane, may be drawn off by means of the
trolley, Figure 3a, on to a platform on the same level as the floor of the wagon
frame A, the hinged side of the wagon frame forming a bridge therefor. Figures
4 and 5 illustrate respectively a side elevation and plan of the frame employed to
remove the compartments B, B, etc., from the railway to the place where the coals
are to be unloaded. F, F, are shafts for a horse, and are shewn broken off for
convenience of illustration. The shafts F, F, are carried by means of springs upon
the axle G, which is cranked forwards and downwards, as shewn, so as to be clear
of the compartment B and allow the same to be tilted up as presently described.
H, H, are the wheels carrying the frame. J, J, are levers carried upon studs
K, K, supported underneath the back ends of the shafts F, F. The ends L, L, of
the levers J, J, terminate in jaws, as shewn, which support the studs c, c, of the
compartment B. The forward ends of the levers J, J, have rollers M, M, carried
thereon. N is a board fixed across the shafts F, F. & and e are spindles carried in
bearings at each end, as shewn. 0,0, are leather belts shewn wound onto the spindle d,
with one end of each passing over one of the pulleys M, and connected at f to the
board N. As the belts are unwound the levers J, J, can rise into the position shewn
by dotted lines (Figure 4), the belts also assuming the position shewn by dotted
lines. The compartment B is thus lowered down on to the ground, and as the
jaws L then assume the horizontal position shewn by dotted lines the fratne may be
moved forwards, leaving the compartment B on the ground. When the levers are
in the position shewn by dotted lines, the frame can be pushed backwards with the
jaws L, L, engaging with the studs c, c, on a compartment B, and the compartment
can be raised up into the position shewn by Figure 4 by winding up the spindle d
(by means of winch handles on the ends thereof) until the levers J, J, are in the
position shewn by full lines, Figure 4. The inclined parts g, g, are formed upon the
jaws L, L, in order the more easily to engage with the studs c, c, as will be readily
understood. P, P, etc., are chains passing round barrels R, R, on the spindle e, and
connected to the compartment B at the parts S, S. As the chains are wound upon
to the barrels R, R, the compartment B is tilted over, so that the contents are shot
or emptied out at the back. The spindles d and e are provided with ratchets h, h,
k, k, are chains connected to the framing and to the compartiment, to give steadiness
whilst travelling. The compartment B is shewn to be covered with a wire-work
top (which is locked with a letter-lock) so as to prevent the coal from being stolen
or from falling off. The cover consists of two rings 1, ', the circumference between
the two, and the whole area enclosed by the ring 1, being filled in with ordinary
wire netting. The ring is fastened as shewn by Figures 6 and 7, which are
respectively a front elevation and a plan shewing the joint formed in the ring. mis
a loop and n is also a loop which projects forwards through the loop m and receives
the part o of the letter-lock p when the ring is fastened. When the top is to be
removed from the compartment B the lock p is removed and the loop m pulled
forwards of the loop n, when the ring can be sprung open and removed from under
the belt, which is fixed at the top of the compartment B. The edges "", "", of the

page_text: wire netting, where the same opens back to allow for the joint, are indicated for
convenience of illustration by plain lines, Figure 6, but are formed by bending the
netting back on to itself so as to leave the ragged edges on the inside of the
cover.
The Drawings on Sheet 3 illustrate my Invention as applied to the conveyance
of coals by roadway to the nearest accessible point to where they are to be used
and to the method of unloading and delivering the same. Figures 8 and 9 illustrate
respectively a longitudinal sectional elevation and a plan of a wagon for travelling
on common roads, the body part being made up of a number of compartments
which are preferably shaped as shewn. The wagon is preferably hauled by traction
engine power. A¹ is the wagon frame supported on wheels as shewn; B¹, B¹, etc.,
are movable compartments arranged so that the studs c', c¹, etc., by which they are
lifted are in the spaces left between the compartments when placed to-gether upon
the wagon frame. The compartments are kept to-gether in their relative position
upon the wagon frame by means of couplings d¹, d', etc., and for additional security
chains e¹, e¹, etc., are passed around the compartments, as shewn, and fastened to
the wagon frame A' at the points f¹, f¹.. Figure 10 illustrates an end elevation
of the wagon frame A', shewing the position of the wheels C¹, C¹, in relation
thereto; Figures 11 and 12 illustrate respectively in side elevation and plan a
frame upon wheels which is employed to unload the compartments B¹, B', from
the wagon frame A', and to deposit the same in position as may be required;
g', g, etc., are the sides of the frame; ², ², are levers turning on fulcrums at
their back ends, and terminating in hooked ends ¹, k, for carrying the studs c', c',
on a compartment B¹. The forward ends of the levers ', h¹, are raised by means
of chains (shewn by thick broken lines) passing over pulleys 1, 1, and around
barrels m, m¹. The chains are wound up on to the barrels m', m', by means of
the handles n¹, n', etc. When a compartment B¹ is to be unloaded from off the
wagon frame A¹ the levers h¹, ¹, are first raised up into the position shewn by
Figure 13 (or into other position, as may bo more convenient), and the framing is
tilted up as shewn and wheeled for wards till the front ends of the levers h', h¹,
come immediately under the studs c', c¹, of the compartment to be removed. The
back end of the frame is then pressed down somewhat, thus raising the compart-
ment slightly from the top of the frame A', when the framing g¹, g¹, etc., can be
wheeled back with the compartment B¹ clear of the wagon frame A' and the
levers h, h, with the compartment B¹ can be lowered down by means of the
brake o¹ and wheeled away and deposited upon the ground where desired. p¹, p',
are ratchets. The axles for the pulleys, , and for the wheels 7, 71, are cranked
as shewn, and carried upon boards crossing the framing so as to be clear of the
compartment B'.
The compartiments B¹, B¹, etc., may be arranged in two rows only, and hinged
to the wagon frame A¹ so as to be capable of being tilted over to discharge their
contents sideways if desired. In this case the compartments would be preferably
shaped somewhat square on plan and slanted outwards.
The compartments B, B, etc., illustrated by the Drawings on Sheets 1 and 2 may
be carried in canal boats instead of in railway wagon frames, and unloaded by
means of any suitable crane, and removed by means of the frame illustrated by
Figures 4 and 5, as will be readily understood, without need for special
illustration.
Having now stated the nature of my said Invention, and particularly described
and ascertained the method of performing the saine, I declare that I do not limit
myself to the exact details herein described and shewn, as such may be varied
without departing from the nature of my Invention, but what I claim as my
Invention, and desire to secure by the herein-before in-part-recited Letters Patent
is,―
1st. The improvements in wagons to be used for the conveyance of coal and
other like purposes, consisting in forming the body parts of railway and other large
wagons of a number of parts or compartments which can be transferred on to

page_text: sinaller frames, substantially as and for the purpose herein described and illustrated
by the Drawings.
2nd. Constructing small wagon or trolley bodies in such a manner that they
will form parts or compartments making up a larger or compound body or
receptacle carried by a railway or other large wagon frame or otherwise,
substantially as and for the purpose herein described and illustrated by the
Drawings.
3rd. The trolley or frame, substantially as and for the purpose herein described
and illustrated by Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying Drawings.
4th. The trolley or frame, substantially as and for the purpose herein described
and illustrated by Figures 11, 12, and 13 of the accompanying Drawings.
5th. The construction and employment of the covers, substantially as and for the
purpose herein described and illustrated by Figures 4, 6, and 7 of the accompanying
Drawings.
6th. The construction and employment of the trolley or frame, substantially as
and for the purpose herein described and illustrated by Figure 3a of the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Paul Bedford Elwell, have hereunto: set my
hand and seal, this First day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
STEPHEN WATKINS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E.,
Office for Patents,
Wolverhampton.
P. BEDFORD ELWELL. (L.S.)