IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAMWAY CARS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Eades, Manager of the Manchester Carriage
Company's Works, Pendleton, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention
of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAMWAY CARS."
Sealed the 14th December 1877, and dated the 21st June 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Eades at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st June 1877.
. JOHN EADES, Manager of the Manchester Carriage Company's Works, Pendleton,
in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAMWAY
CARS."
My improved tramway cars are constructed so that the body of the car can
swivel upon a frame supported by the wheels, the object being to reverse the car
without having to withdraw the pole and bar, and move them from one end of the
car to the other.
The body of the car and the frame upon which it rests are provided with circular
and segmental plates and a fulcrum bolt, upon which the car swivels; there is also
a shot bolt at each end to secure the car to the frame when it has been turned half
round.
•
Another part of my Invention consists in the application of wood wheels for
supporting tramway cars, the object being to reduce the weight and to avoid the
noise.
My improved wheels are made with wood spokes fixed into a cast-iron nave; the
spokes are united by wood felloes on which a wrought-iron or steel flanged tyre is
hal

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Eades in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th December
1877.
JOHN EADES, Manager of the Manchester Carriage Company's Works, Pendleton,
in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAMWAY
CARS."
My improved tramway cars are constructed so that the body of the car can swivel
upon a frame supported by the wheels, the object being to reverse the car without
having to withdraw the pole and bar, and move them from one end of the car to
the other.
The body of the car and the frame upon which it rests are provided with circular
and segmental plates and a fulcrum bolt, upon which the car swivels; there is also
a shot bolt at each end to secure the car to the frame when it has been turned half
round.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in
which,―
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tramway car constructed according to my improve-
ments.
..
Fig. 2 is a plan of the under frame or carriage.
And Fig. 3 is an end view of the car.
a is the body of the car, to which the pole and bars are connected as usual, and
b is the under frame or carriage, on which the body of the car swivels; the under
frame or carriage b is supported on the wheels c, and it is provided with a circular
plate d, with two segmental plates e, c, and with a fulcrum bolt f.
The under side of the body of the car is also provided with similar circular and
segmental plates, and with a hole for the fulcrum bolt to work in. The body of the
car is secured to the under frame or carriage b by means of the catch g or in any
other convenient manner.
The catch g, see Fig. 4, is hinged to the body of the carriage, and drops by its
own gravity into the space between the projections h fixed to the under carriage, as
shewn in Fig. 2.
The handle i is for the driver to release the catch before the body of the carriage
is swivelled round.
When this improved tramway car arrives at its destination the catch g or other
equivalent is withdrawn, and the body of the car, with the pole and the bars, is
swivelled half round on the fulcrum stud f to bring the car into position for the
return journey; the catch g is then put in to secure the upper and under parts
together, and the car is then ready for starting. By this means the pole and bars
have not to be carried from one end of the car to the other after each journey, and
the driver may retain his seat while the body of the car is swivelled round by the
horses or otherwise. The passengers are also enabled to get in and out immediately
behind the car instead of at the sides, as now customary, thus avoiding the danger
of injury from other passing vehicles.
In the Provisional Specification filed by me on applying for Letters Patent I
stated that my Invention consisted also in the application of wood wheels for sup-
porting tramway cars, but since filing the said Provisional Specification I have
found that such wheels are not desirable.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described a convenient mode
of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit
myself to the details given, as the same may be varied or modified, and I declare
that I claim,-
First. Making the body of a tramway car to swivel upon the under frame or
carriage, as shewn and described.

page_text: And, Secondly. The catch g or its equivalent for connecting the body of the car
to the under frame or carriage.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Eades, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fourteenth day of December, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-seven.
JOHN EADES. (L.S.)