A METHOD, MACHINERY, OR APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING PERSONS AND GOODS OVER OR ACROSS RIVERS OR OTHER WATERS, AND OVER VALLEYS OR OTHER PLACES
Year: 1826

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
MIDGLEY, of Horsforth, near Leeds, in the County of York, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Fourth day of March, One thousand eight hundred and
twenty-six, in the seventh year of His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Midgley, His especial
licence, that I, the said Robert Midgley, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Robert Midgley, my exors, admors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and also in all His said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad,
my Invention of "A METHOD, MACHINERY, OR APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING PERSONS
AND GOODS OVER OR ACROSS RIVERS OR OTHER WATERS, AND OVER VALLEYS OR OTHER
PLACES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the
said Robert Midgley, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be

page_text: inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto bad, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert Midgley, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof (that is to say):-
My Invention consists in a moveable platform or car supported upon legs
or pillars braced in diagonal directions to keep them in proper positions, and
having wheels and axles at the lower ends to roll on a double railway cross-
ing a valley or the bed of a river, drawn by a rope or chain attached to the
car, (so as not to obstruct the passage of craft on the river,) and to windlass
or capstan fixed on the banks of rivers, or at other suitable positions, worked
by animal or elementary power. In some cases I apply the moving power
on the platform or car, communicated by axles and wheels or other suitable
appendages to a pinion taking into a rack crossing the valley or river, and
parallel to or else forming a part of the railway. The platform or car should
be a corresponding height with piers or landing places made on each side of
the valley or river above high water, between which the car is to pass and
repass with foot passengers, animals, carriages, or goods, as required. Small
plows are fixed to the poles or legs to keep the railway clear of obstacles.
Drags are suspended at each end of the car, moveable on pivots, to draw mud
or sand that collect near the railway at the sides of the river to the middle,
where, by turning on the pivots, and moved by power on the platform, it leaves
the mud or sand. The car may be made of metal or a combination of metal
and wood. Its dimensions will depend on the depth of the valley or river to
be crossed, and the bulk of that which is to be conveyed. The platform to be
fenced on each side. A moveable fence to be placed at each end to prevent
passengers from falling off.
I do not claim any separate part, but combined, as above, forming my
Invention of a method, machinery, or apparatus for conveying persons and
goods over or across rivers or other waters, and over valleys or other places.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Midgley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and twenty-six.
ROBERT (L.s.) MIDGLEY.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Second day of September, in
the year of our Lord 1826, the aforesaid Robert Midgley came before our
said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord One