IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS, COMMON. ROADS, AND MACHINES AND VEHICLES TO RUN THEREON
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Bridges Adams, of Woodstock Lodge,
Granville Park, Blackheath, in the County of Kent, Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS, COMMON.
ROADS, AND MACHINES AND VEHICLES TO RUN THEREON."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Bridges Adams
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd February 1870.
I, WILLIAM BRIDGES ADAMS, of Woodstock Lodge, Granville Park,
Blackheath, in the County of Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS,
COMMON ROADS, AND MACHINES AND VEHICLES TO RUN THEREON," to be as
follows:-
First, in rails, dispensing with timber sleepers and the ordinary chairs
and fastenings. Ordinary rails are supported where double-headed in
cast-iron chairs fixed to transverse sleepers of timber, and held in
position by wood keys, so that the web or vertical portion of the rail
A

page_text: must be made very strong and heavy to prevent it from crushing and
buckling under the load. Single-headed rails again are made with a
very broad foot or flange below so as to stand directly on transverse or
other sleepers without chairs. But to prevent this rail from oversetting
on the sleepers by the lateral thrust of the wheels it is essential that the
width of the foot should be in excess of the total height, and sufficiently
strong to prevent it from bending upwards, which involves considerable
weight of metal. The area of support on these rails is the width of the
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shoulders below the head in the side channels, in which mode the
vertical web may be made very thin and deep without requiring a wide
foot or flange. The only flange at the bottom on each side is a small
Jedge, between which and the rail shoulder above is applied on cach
side a broad plate formed in two angles, the lower angle flat and
horizontal, and the vertical one formed into a curve or arch abutting
between the head and bottom ledge of the rail. Two of these broad
plates being placed one on each side of the rail in lengths of from two to
four feet are fixed by one or more screw bolts or fastenings passing
through the rail and both angle plates in such mode that the tightening
of the bolts compresses the two arches, and forces the top and bottom
edges into close contact with the top and bottom of the rail channels,
where they are held with great firmness by the flattening of the arches
and the extension of their width against the rail abutments. And at the
corners where the vertical and horizontal angles of the broad plates
meet, the corner is filled or rounded with a larger substance of metal,
and the horizontal portion may be made thinner towards the outer edge,
so as to give greater strength towards the angle so as not to bend under
the loads passing over it. And where the joints of the rails occur these
plates are made to intersect them, using two or more bolts to each rail
end to secure them. And the pairs of angle plates thus applied leave
openings of 12 inches, more or less, between them and the next pair,
which facilitates the bending of the rails laterally to form curves. The
depth of the rails varies according to light or heavy work from 4 to 7
or 9 inches or more, and the horizontal width of the conjoined plates
when bolted in position from 6 to 14 inches or more. And the angle
plates when bolted to the rails leave an open space of half an inch or
more or less in width between the plate and rail, and in this space a

page_text: cranked tie bar either plain or angled may be placed with a crank at
cach angle to fix the gauge, and so formed in the crank as to give the
pitch to the rails to suit the cones of the wheels, or to keep the rails
vertical. A pair of cranked tie-bars, one at each end of the joint plates,
will make the whole very firm, with sufficient clasticity to prevent
breakage. Other cranked tie-bars may be placed at intervals. Or
instead of taking the ends of the plates, in which case they may have a
stud on the crank taking a hole in the plate to prevent them coming out
when the bolts are screwed up, the cranks may be pierced with holes in
them to take the bolt heads direct, and the way thus formed will consist
of only four types or parts, the rail, the angle plate, the bolt, and the
tie-bar, without timber sleepers, wood keys, chairs, or spikes, lessening
considerably the total number of parts per mile. And the rail will be
seated on an elastic bearing of the curved plates, materially saving it
from destructive wear. And the vertical webs of the rails may be
slightly corrugated to make the clastic action of the web equivalent to
that of the angle bearers. And by this mode of applying the rails great
strength is obtained vertically, as a rail 7 inches in depth can thus be
formed with a smaller quantity of metal than the ordinary rail of 5
inches in depth. And with this increased depth better space is obtained
in the rail channels to apply the angle bearers; the 7 inch rail has
nearly double the vertical strength of the 5 inch, the strength being
calculated as the square of 'the depth. And in some cases I apply the
angle plates with the horizontal bearing above under the rail shoulder
instead of below. But in such a case a differently formed rail is required
with a head or running surface rising sufficiently, say 2 inches, above
the surface of the plates to clear the wheel flanges, and with these
rails with rising heads I can in localities where iron is costly use hard
wood blocks as a substitute for the angle irons. I have before tried to
use longitudinal timbers bolted laterally the whole length of each rail,
the rails being of the ordinary kind, but the plan was defective for two
reasons; first, that the load on the wheels pressed down the rail
shoulders and cut into the soft wood; and, secondly, that the wood
though soft had sufficient warping power to make the rails crooked
laterally. The rail I use for this timber arrangement has a head with
lateral flanges very similar in surface to a shallow foot rail, but deepened
into a vertical web below with similar lateral flanges to the upper part,
thus forming a pair of deep channels, one on each side, in which the
timber is inserted in lengths of from 2 feet to 2 feet 10 inches, a strong

page_text: iron bolt with a nut passing through rail and timber from side to side,
and holding all three together. And the blocks may slightly wedge
into the rail channel, and be slightly curved interiorly to enable the
bolts to put elastic pressure on them. The width of the two blocks will
give a bearing surface on the ballast of 8 to 14 inches, and the screw
bolts I prefer to place nearer the bottom than the top of the rail to give
leverage to resist upward pressure at the edges. And these screw bolts
I space about 3 feet apart, the ordinary distance between chairs on cross
sleepers, these blocks being in fact substitutes for ordinary chairs. The
joints of the rails where-the-ends-mcct I prefer to fish with arched fishes
forced by the pressure of four bolts abutting against the edges-of-the-
rails as before described with the angle bearers. Or angle bearers may
be used instead of fishes, the wood blocks in either case being brought
up close to the fishes or bearers. The distance between the blocks will
be from 4 to 14 inches, and the lines will thus be very easy to lay into
curves. The gauge of way can be formed by cranked tie-bars taking
the timber bolts as frequently as may be desired according to the curves,
or the cranks may be applied in recesses cut in the inner blocks against
the vertical rail web. And a rail with a one-sided head or heads may be
used with or without the blocks. And instead of the cranked iron tie-
bars the blocks may be bolted or trenailed down at intervals to cross
sleepers to keep the gauge. On this system a smaller quantity of
ballast is required than in the ordinary plan of cross sleepers. Double-
headed rails have a depth of 12 inches from the top of the rail to the
bottom of the sleeper. Flat-footed rails without chairs have 10 inches.
My improved rails have only the depth of the rail from 7 to 9 inches.
And the lower the foundation the greater is the difficulty of digging up
or opening out and packing the sleepers in case of getting out of repair.
My second improvement consists in iron channel sleepers and
fastenings with their respective rails and tie bars. I formerly had
these rails rolled with square rebates beneath the head to receive the
upper edges of the channel sleepers to keep them in position; but I
now propose to roll them with curves under the head, and thus the
rolling process is made easier and less uncertain. And I arrange the tie
bars to interlock into the sleepers through a slot in the horizontal head,
thus dispensing with a bolt or key to each sleeper, and lessening the
number of loose parts per mile, upwards of three thousand, as well as
lessening the cost. Or I use two cranked tic bars, as before described,

page_text: with the crank holding. between the rail web. and the sleeper. These
rails are held down in the channel sleepers by round keys passing ·
through horizontal holes in both rail and sleeper below the horizontal;
web of the latter. And instead of the horizontal webs of the channel.
sleeper being near the head of the rail and resting on the ballast surface,.
they may be placed down below at the bottom of the channel with
ballast above, in which case the round keys are driven through about
half way up.
These round keys are of parallel thickness, though
pointed at one end for easy entrance, and are driven in so as to form a
curve, the hole in the rail being at a horizontal level slightly above the
holes in the sleeper. The object of making these keys parallel is to permit
tightening in driving without risk of breakage, which might be the case
were the keys made taper. And to the intermediate sleepers one or two
keys may be used and at. the joint sleepers the rails meet half way, when
one, two, or more keys may be used at each rail end. And this kind of
way needs so screw bolts. And I also make these channel sleepers of
wrought-iron plate, such as is used for making boilers, cutting plates
2 feet in width, or wider if needed, into lengths of 20 to 24 inches.
When heating them in furnaces and pressing them between top and
bottom moulds of cast or wrought iron or steel into the exact form
required so that they will press the rail on each side under the shoulders
laterally, and elastically springing open to admit the rail. And I punch
the holes through the vertical and horizontal webs for the round keys
and tie bars, and with these sleepers I use the rising rails before described
to keep the running surface sufficiently above the horizontal bearings,
though the sleepers may be so stamped as to give rising edges to use
for ordinary topped rails. These sleepers may also be rolled if preferred.
to stamping. And in some cases I use the ordinary foot rail, dispensing
with wood sleepers by applying boiler plate iron 24 inches long and 12
inches wide at distances of three feet apart to the centres, punching up
lips from the plates on each side of the rail flanges to overlap them, and
firmly fix the rails and plates together when hammered down, using
cranked tie bars bolted to the rail webs to keep the gauge. And I also
use the rails without the broad flange foot, but with ledges below at the
lower edge of the vertical web, and I apply arched angles cut to short
lengths, similar to chairs, but practically forming part of the rail by
being elastically rivetted or bolted on the rail channel, connecting them
at the joints by similar angles of greater length, and these intermediate
and joint angles I spike or bolt down to cross or other sleepers, and the

page_text: rails are thus firmly but elastically held in position. And the rail is
thus made much stronger by enabling the surplus metal of the foot to
be placed in the head.
My third improvement consists in rolling rails in a solid form with
their flange bearings, dispensing with timber and other sleepers, their
bearing in such case being continuous through the length of the line,
being connected together either by fishes or angle plates of the form
before described, arching against upper and lower abutments, and
tightening by the pressure of the bolts flattening the arch and com-
pressing against the abutments. -As-these_rails must have the bearing
flange either above or below, and a smaller flange parallel with-it-above
or below, it is obvious that these flanges must be produced by
indentations in the rolls of the rolling mill, and therefore there is a
limit to their width and a necessity for considerable taper in their form
to work easily in the rolls, and consequently they are only adapted for
very moderate widths of flange, say from 4 to 6 inches; but as they
may be made very deep and stiff a small continuous longitudinal
bearing is better than a discontinuous bearing. An ordinary cross
sleeper has a practical bearing on the ballast of about 3% feet per yard
run of both rails. A longitudinal continuous bearing 6 inches wide in
each rail has 3 feet disposed in a better form. To form the gauge for
these rails I use flat bars shouldered against the rails between them, and
with a screw nut or key outside. Or I use cranked tie bars with bolts
through the rail web. And in forming the tic bar holes through the
rails before described, I prefer to punch them so as to leave a projecting
boss or burr on the outside for the nut or key to tighten on with
greater strength. And in some cases I use the ordinary flange foot with
or without sleepers connected by these tic bars, and in all cases by
elastic abutting fishes or plates; but I prefer the flange bearing on the
ballast to be above instead of below, and the vertical web may be
slightly corrugated to give clastic yield.
And another mode in which I form these solid rails is by rolling them
with a deep central groove, from the upper side of which the horizontal
flanges project laterally, giving facility of rolling to any required width,
the inner edges of the groove being thickened by the projection of the
metal. These rails may be used with central flanges to the wheels, or
the tread of the wheel may be on one side only, the rails being shifted
from inside to out as they become worn. The mode of rolling is first as

page_text: a very wide groove, permitting a solid flange in one roll and a hollow in.
the other, and then closing the groove to the required width by pressure
as it leaves the rolls. The fishing together of these rail joints is by a
fish in the grooves or by an external trough enclosing the two rail ends
with round cross keys driven through the whole, as before described.
The grooved rails may be of any depth for vertical strength. The tie
bars are applied in the same mode with washers in the groove to preserve
the distance. It is obvious that these grooves may be supported if
desired for great strength with longitudinal timbers for the flanges to
rest on on each side. All these my third improvements will be very
useful for laying as tramways in streets and roads. And as a variation
from this deep groove rail I form one with a shallow groove and a wedge
form web below of sufficient depth for strength and of the wedging
form made to pass easily through the rolls. A groove fish and cross
keys are used to connect the joints, as this rail could not be rolled with
lower flanges to take arch form fishes. And I also form rails with a
very shallow groove above the bearing flanges and the edges at an obtuse
angle for wheels with flanges on cach side.
All the above rails are intended for working by flanged wheels, either
side flanges or central flanges, or a flange on each side. But it is
evident that vehicles with flanged wheels are only adapted for running.
on rails one after the other, and in case of an obstacle, as a vehicle
breaking down, they must stop till the obstacle is removed, one behind
the other. For this reason my fourth improvement is directed to remedy
this difficulty by enabling the vehicles not only to run on the rails but
also off the rails on to the common road at will to pass round an
obstacle. In streets and roads of crowded traffic this is an absolute
necessity for the use of tramways, which otherwise would be a complete
obstacle to traffic. My fourth improvement has this object in view. I
therefore form rails with shallow channels on their tops, either with a
flat surface in the centre and the sides rising to the road level at an
acute angle or slight curve, or with a centre of a flat curve and an
increasing curve at the sides, or of a regular segmental curve, hollow
from one edge to the other. The width of the channel rail at top may
be from 4 to 5 inches. To strengthen it vertically it is rolled with a
central web or with two side webs sufficiently deep for the load to
distribute the pressure without bending. The central and side webs.
must be wedge form to suit the vertical rolling operation, or they may.

page_text: be rolled horizontally like what is called T iron, in which case the top
edges must be turned up as they leave the rolls by pressure guides to
form the channel. The wheels running in these channels may be of
breadths varying from one inch to two and a half inches or more, and
as the total depth of the channel below the edges need only be about
half an inch, just sufficient for self-guidance, it is obvious that they
need not impede the transit of other vehicles across them. And these
channel-topped rails may be rolled with one central vertical web or two
side webs, or rolled flat to fix on longitudinal timbers.
And in laying
down these rails-in-streets-or_roads I prefer to dispense with tie bars,
and use only temporary gauge bars forked and laid over the top-of-the-
rails till they are wedged into place by the paving or macadam. But I
also use channel-topped rails in combination with flanged wheels for
ordinary railways.
To facilitate the rolling of the wheels without lateral friction is my
fifth improvement. I apply springs within the tires between tire and
wheel in such mode that neither blow nor jar nor vibration takes place
either laterally or vertically. But it is obvious that vehicles cannot run
round curves and especially street corners of small radius unless their
axles can radiate in lines truly pointing to the centres of those curves.
For this reason I apply a centre pivot or excentric centre as a guide to
each axle in moving, so that the pressure of the wheels laterally against
any side obstacle forces them into the true position, and the haulage of
the vehicle by a bar attached to the axle can produce the same effect at
the will of the driver when off the rails; and the tire springs will greatly
facilitate the lubrication of the axles and require very small additional
elasticity. A vehicle so formed 24 feet in length and 6 to 7 feet in
width will conveniently roll round rectangular short corners of 20 to 24
feet width of roadway carrying 48 passengers inside and out, each pair
of wheels working if necessary on reverse curves of 40 feet radius
independently of each other; and a vehicle with half that number of
passengers will work reversed curves of 30 feet round rectangular street
corners of 15 feet width, and also will work perfectly well on straight
lines. It is obvious that in crowded streets the only mode of working
traffic must be by dividing the fast and slow traffic into four different
lines going in either direction, and that special intervals must be set
apart either at night or by day for such traffic as requires to draw up in
front of the houses for discharging goods or other purposes. And in

page_text: laying down these rails in streets I prefer to form channels in the paving
or macadam of just sufficient width to admit them, and then to give
them a bearing in loose sand or asphalte or concrete or ceinent.
. And in order to dispense with horses and the noise of their feet and
their dirt in streets and roads I use a peculiar engine moved by the power
of hot air. The engine is formed of two frames pivotted together either
with a single pivot between them or by a connecting bar at each axle.
Each half frame is supported directly on the axle of a pair of wheels, all
four being driving wheels, the tires being spring tires on which the
wheels rest on a circular cushion with facility for the wheels to slip
round in the tires when on curved lines. The power is from a pair of
hot-air cylinders, one over each axle, the pistons working vertically and
communicating their motion to the wheels by outside connecting rods
on crank pins fixed on the wheels. To keep the cranks at right angles
with each other so as to have no dead centre the four driving wheels are
connected together by a pair of friction wheels fixed on an axle, which
altering its horizontal position from time to time as the driving wheels
alter the parallelism of their axles on passing round curves preserve a
constant adhesion, the adhesion being increased or diminished at the
pleasure of the driver by tightening down the axle of the friction wheels
so as partially to lift the load of the frame and cylinders. The train
traction of the engine is by a pair of broad curved springs, one fixed to
each buffer beam. The connection is by a similar spring attached to the
vehicle behind with a forked link and rollers, one working along the
inner curve of each spring. These springs therefore serve the purpose of
elastic yield to avoid shocks both in haulage and propulsive action in
traction and buffing. And instead of hot air steam may be applied in a
similar mode of working pistons, the boiler resting on both frames,
preferably without a fire-box, and fed with liquid fuel operating on
water tubes intersecting each other at right angles through a square
oblong bar the whole length of the circular outside shell, by which
means the ordinary fire-box may be dispensed with, or a vertical boiler
or boilers may be used.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Bridges Adams in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th August 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BRIDGES ADAMS, of Woodstock Lodge, Granville Park, Blackheath, in
the County of Kent, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters-Patent, bearing-date-the-Twenty-second-day-of-February,.in.the.
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Bridges Adams, Her special
licence that I, the said William Bridges Adams, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Bridges
Adams, 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,
excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IN-
PROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS, COMMON ROADS, AND MACHINES AND
VEHICLES TO RUN THEREON," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Bridges Adams, 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 William Bridges Adams, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures of reference,
that is to say:-
Fig. 1 illustrates in cross section, and Fig. 1a in plan a single-headed
rail of deep vertical section A, A, A, with a small lower table a, sufficient
to give tensional strength under the pressure of the load. The rail is

page_text: supported under the head by a pair of wrought-iron angle sleepers
b, b, b, b, at every three feet, or thereabouts, forming a horizontal base
about twelve inches in width. The top and bottom edges of these angle
bases fit in the lateral channels of the rail abutting against the upper
and lower tables, the vertical sides being curved outwards, so that the
screw. bolts c, c, c, c, c, compress the arches and preserve a firm fit
against the abutments elastically tight without risk of the bolt or bolts
getting loose. Cranked tie bars d, d, d, fit in at the sleeper ends between
the sleeper and rail to preserve the gauge. The plan, Fig. 1a, shews
the joint of the rails, and four bolts are used to secure it, the slecpers
being two feet in length, but they may be more or less. The plan shews
the bolts closer at one end than the other to indicate this. One bolt or
two will be sufficient for the intermediate sleepers, but I prefer oue
strong bolt, and the tie bars may be placed as frequently as needed, to
every sleeper or every alternate sleeper, and either one or two, and
instead of the cranks holding between sleeper and rail they may be
made to take the bolt heads, in either case the cranks being made square
if for a vertical rail, or at an angle if for a pitched rail. It will be seen
that the rail is thus elastically supported throughout on the ballast with
small intervals between the sleepers, giving great facility for laying
down on curved lines, and materially saving the mischievous effects of
blows from the wheels, and there are but four types or parts in repetition,
the rail, sleeper, screw bolt, and tie bar. And the web of the rail may
be made considerably thinner than when the rails are supported on their
lower tables, and more metal may thus be applied to the head with a
less total weight per yard run.
Fig. 2 shews a similar arrangement, but with the ballast bearing
surface of the sleepers placed above close under the rail head, instead of
below. In this case it is needful to make the head sleeper, in order that
the wheel flanges may work clear, and therefore to save metal I form
the head with lateral flanges to give a wide bearing for the sleepers with
lessened weight. In this case there is an advantage of greater stability
on the ballast with less strain on the tic bars, and far greater facility of
observation and access to pack the ballast. The bolt being underneath
the sleeper is more difficult of access, but in some circumstances, as in
wild countries, this is an advantage as against pilferers. I have before
constructed rails similar to this under the name of "girder rails," but in
that case the sleepers were continuous and "break joint" throughout,

page_text: involving trouble in laying down, and considerable difficulty by
lengthening and shortening in changes of temperature, which system
is avoided by short discontinuous sleepers.
Fig. 3 shews a similar arrangement with the ballast bearing below,
the lower flange of the rail being kept up above the bearing, sheathed
against contact with stones in the ballast, and more perfectly clastic.
Fig. 4 shews a cross section of a single-headed rail A with the lower
table a kept small, to drop vertically into the groove sleeper B, which is
of cast iron, with rising lips b, b, requiring only ordinary depth to the
-rail-head-The-sleepers_are_about_two_feet in length, and each in one
piece, abutting under the rail shoulders against the corner curves to keep
in position horizontally. The rail is kept in position by a cross key c of
parallel round iron tapered at the end, to enter casily, and driven "draw
bore," the hole in the rail being slightly higher than the holes in the
sleeper jaws, so as to tighten in a slight curve. The tie bar d is so
arranged as to dispense with screw bolts or other fastenings. It hitches
on to the sleeper edge at e, and moves in a radius to admit the tongue f;
or the tie bar being laid down horizontally the sleepers are placed on it
and dropped into position, and the fixing is then complete. It is obvious
then that the rails and sleepers must be taken up before the tie bar can
be removed or pilfered. There are only four types on this system, and
under 9,500 parts per mile, and no fishes, screw bolts, keys, or timber,
and there is the advantage that a rail can be taken out and replaced
without disturbing the sleepers in the ballast. Four keys are used to
the joints, and one to the intermediate. This plan is an improvement
on a former plan of mine, in which the rail was rolled with rebates
under the shoulders, and the round key placed above the bearing flanges,
which involved the risk of breakage, and the former tie bar required a
screw bolt to fix it to each sleeper.
Fig. 5 shows a similar arrangement with the bearing surface of the
sleeper below. In this case the tie bar A would be too low if fixed in
the horizontal web of the sleeper, and therefore it is cranked to pass
between the rail and sleeper, as before shewn at Figs. 1, 2, and 3; or it
may be cranked, to take a bolt direct to the rail between the sleepers.
Fig. 6 shews in cross section a double-headed rail A supported on its
lower table on a sleeper of rolled iron. The rail is kept vertical by lips
of the sleeper rising above the horizontal bearing surface b, b. Both
heads of the rail are made square on the inner sides and deeper than

page_text: usual, to allow the lips to rise without interfering with the wheel flanges.
The rail is fastened into the sleeper by a cross key c, the hole through
the rail being formed to give the same pressure whichever table is upper-
most. It is obvious that these sleepers must be made preferably of
wrought iron to prevent their breakage, for if of cast iron sufficiently
heavy not to break the rail would be beaten down in traffic as on a
heavy anvil resting on the lower table.
Fig. 7 shews in cross section a double-headed rail supported beneath
the shoulders by a wrought-iron sleeper with rising lips a, a, the vertical
webs being turned inwards pyramidally to clear the lower head, the cross
key being below the horizontal bearers for strength and security, and the
holes formed in the exact position for reversing the rail to hold it equally
securely either table uppermost. These sleepers are rolled in the position
and form indicated by the dotted lines b, b, and pressed together while
leaving the rolls hot. The rails must be slid in endwise while laying
down. The tie bars c can be applied in the mode shewn at Fig. 4, or
cranked, as shewn.
Fig. 8 shews in cross section a deep single-headed rail A with a small
lower flange a suspended in a wrought-iron groove sleeper b, with rising
lips and a cross key below. The rail is 7 inches in depth, and the
sleeper 6. The length of the sleepers may be from 2 to 4 feet cach,
with one or two cross keys c each, and three, four, or more cross keys to
the joint sleeper, the cross keys being all below the horizontal bearing
flanges. The tie bar d is shewn cranked between the rail and sleeper.
The dotted lines e, e, shew the rail formed with a rising head side
flanged, so as to dispense with the rising lips of the sleeper, as shewn
by the dotted lines of the sleeper, which is swelled out below to give
greater elasticity, and key into the ballast as a reversed wedge, similar
to Fig. 7. These sleepers are rolled, as indicated by the dotted lines at
Fig. 7, and the tie bars may be applied as Fig. 4 if preferred. The
sleepers will bear the rail elastically. They are shewn turned down at
their edges at f, f, to hold in the ballast.
Fig. 9 shews in section a rail rolled with a horizontal web to lie on the
ballast without sleepers, fished with curved fishes abutting in the side
channels. The tie bars are cranked and bolted to the rail web.
Fig. 10 shews in section a reversible rail with skewed heads to right
and left, fished with curved fishes and with cranked tie bars bolted to

page_text: the web, as at Fig. 9. If wanted for heavy work wood block sleepers
may be bolted laterally to these rails, as herein-after described.
Fig. 11 shews a rail intended for a single or double flanged wheel for
streets and roads, by preference bedded in asphalte, as shewn, the
asphalte lapping over the top to form narrow grooves a, a.
Fig. 12 shews a double-headed rail for use in streets and roads for
what are called tramways, to be used either with wheels with one or two
flanges. a, a, denote within the dotted lines how paving stones or
macadam or concrete may be keyed into the rail channels between the
flanges-and-giving-mutual support; b, b, b, b, denote asphalte or bitumen
run in hot, and forming a bed to support the rail head elastically,
leaving room for the flange c, c, or flanges on cach side. In this mode
the rail instead of damaging the road, as is the case with tram rails laid
in the ordinary mode, improves it and makes it stronger, acting as a
longitudinal beam.
Fig. 13 shews a rail rolled in a groove form with bearings at the top
on each side, the lower side resting on the ballast, and the upper sides
serving for the wheel surface with a central flange, or a side flange, in
which latter case the rail when worn may be shifted inside to out. The
fish a, which is rolled with a top and bottom table, is placed in the
groove and cross keyed by four keys.
Fig. 14 shews a rail with a single vertical web and a shallow groove
at top.
A grooved fish is placed outside and cross keyed.
Fig. 14a shews a rail adapted for flanged wheels on streets and roads.
The inside head or table is rolled lower than the outer, to give room for
the wheel flange. It keys into the paving or macadam with the top and
bottom flanges, and rests on asphalte, which turns over on the low top,
forming a groove for the flange at a.
Fig. 15 shews in cross section, and Fig. 15a in plan a system of
using timber blocks instead of iron for short longitudinal sleepers. The
rail A, A, 7 inches in depth, is formed with a rising head to clear the
wheel flanges and a shallow table below. The two timbers B, B, B, B,
lie in the side channels of the rails between the two tables, and are
retained there by a strong cross bolt b, b, passing through all three.
The head of the bolt takes a cranked tie bar c, c, to keep the gauge.
The timbers are 4 to 5 inches in depth, and the two give a bearing
12 inches in width by 2 feet 6 inches in length. The bolt is kept

page_text: low down to give leverage resistance against the upward pressure at
the edges of the timber, which is preferably of hard wood; and one
great advantage of the system is, that hard wood in short lengths is not
subject to warp and twist as in long lengths, and some qualities of hard
wood are as durable as iron and especially adapted for hot and moist
countries. The dotted lines d, d, Fig. 15, denote the joint fishes.
I have before used timbers bolted in the channels of rails the whole
length of the rail, but the rails were of a bad form to hold them, and
moreover the long timbers were apt to warp and bend the rails, but with
short discontinuous timbers held in deep rails between flat flanges of
sufficient width top and bottom, and especially with a single bolt
through all three, as shewn in the diagram, this difficulty is avoided.
Fig. 16 shews a section of a similar rail of smaller size, the lower
web being encased in the timber, and the bolt passing through rail and
timbers.
Fig. 17 shews in cross section a form of rail and fishes which I
propose to substitute for the ordinary flange or foot rail. The dis-
advantages of the foot rail are, that it is very difficult to roll it with a
sufficient width and strength of foot to prevent the rail from tilting
sideways, and therefore it is commonly formed with insufficient depth,
and requires a very strong vertical web to prevent it from bending
beneath the load. The rail A in the diagram, dispensing with the foot
and suspended beneath the head, has a thin vertical web and small
lower flange, while the total depth is 6 inches as compared with the
ordinary 5 inches, giving a strength nearly one-half greater. It is
suspended in elastic supports of wrought iron a, b, similar in section to
Fig. 3. These supports, forming arches abutting on the side channels
of the web, are compressed by the bolt e and so form a foot to the rail
more than double the usual width and as firm as though they were a
solid portion of the rail, from which the blows are cluded by the elastic
resilience. The supports are fixed on cross sleepers d, d, the inner one
a being firmly spiked, and the outer one
rail therefore has no direct bearing on the
removal either to turn inside-out or to be
taken out and the outer support 6 driven out without damaging the
sleeper by removing the fastenings as in the ordinary method of dog-
spike fastenings. And the rail is lighter though stronger than the
ordinary foot rail.
bolted down by a clip e; the
sleeper, and when requiring
replaced, the cross bolt c is

page_text: Fig. 18 shews a new system of automatic wheel guidance for railways
and tramways which I call guideways, and which are adapted to
ordinary streets and roads, whereby the ordinary wheel flanges may be
dispensed with. The rail top is formed in a curve or hollow channel
from edge to edge and wider than usual. The tire of the wheel is
formed convex transversely of a sharper curve than the rail, and the
centres of the wheel curves being made to correspond exactly to the
centres of the rail curves, they will be constantly guided truly by the
gravitating action without any flanges or flange friction; and in this
mode a vehicle may be used capable of being drawn off the rails and
running on the ordinary road surface-in-case-of-an-obstacle-occurring,
which would on the ordinary tramway derange the whole of the traffic
along the line. A is the curved topped rail; B, the curved wheel tire;
a is a lower flange to the rail; b, b, curved fishes, held firmly by two or
more through bolts c. Paving stones d, d, or macadam lie in the rail
channels and support the rail on a bed of asphalte e, e, run in hot. The
gauge of way while laying down is formed by clipping tie bars laid
across the surface of the two rails, suspending them and keeping them
firm till the rails are rammed close in the road, and there is no need of
fixed tie bars as the pressure of the wheels is all vertical, and they have
no tendency to disturb the gauge. The depth of the channel is about
half an inch or more or less on a 5-inch width of rail, just sufficient to
keep the wheels from running off by gravitation, but without materially
impeding them from being drawn off when required.
Fig. 18a shews a double or reversible rail of this kind.
Fig. 19 shews a rail without a vertical web. The rail a is laid in the
hollow topped timber b. At the joints a short piece of rail c is placed
beneath them, and all are bolted down to the timber by the bolt & with
an iron plate e below. At the joints of the timber similar plates and
bolts are used; and the timber instead of being parallel sided, as shewn,
may be cut to wedge out below, as shown by the dotted lines f; f,
and so key the paving or macadam between it and the rail edges.
Fig. 20 shews a rail with a vertical web and trough fish keyed
through. In this case the rail has a flat bearing surface in the centre a
with rising edges and a corresponding wheel tire. The automatic
guidance in this case will not be so perfect as with the true curves, but
in the case of rough ordinary roads the wheels when turning off the rails
will be better adapted to them.

page_text: Fig. 21 shews a hollow topped rail with a flat bottom and angled
edges, and a corresponding wheel tire similar to Fig. 19; this rail is
reversible.
Fig. 22 shews a channel hollow topped rail with two vertical webs and
a trough joint fish cross keyed grooved out to spike it. down.
Fig. 23 shows a channel rail indicating how a curved tire may be
used to obtain true guidance without friction by central gravitation
while using a flange to the wheel for safety in case of accident at great
speeds.
Fig. 24 shews a channel topped rail with the flange of an ordinary
railway wheel tire running on it. In this case the gauge of the rails is
set to the exact centres of the flanges. Thus useful branch lines may be
obtained for railways laid on the surfaces of ordinary roads at a very low
cost without interfering to damage ordinary transit.
Fig. 25 shews an improved mode of constructing the ordinary tram
rail with a rising flange usually laid on cross sleepers. The tread of
the rail is made to form a channel similar to the other channel rails,
thus giving true wheel guidance, which is not the case with flat treads
that continually strike the wheels from side to side against the flanges of
the rails.
Fig. 26 shews in mid-sectional elevation, Fig. 26a in plan, and 266 in
end clevation a system of channel rail plates of cast iron about 4 feet
in length, 1 ft. 3 in. in width, and ribbed below to a depth of 4 inches,
toggled together by ribs and hollow at the ends. The weight will be
about 400 tons to the mile in length, and it will make efficient paving
for streets while serving as a guideway.
-
Fig. 27 shews in side elevation, a Fig. 27a in plan a passenger
vehicle for use on tramways or guideways either with flanged wheel
tires or without, so arranged as to run round curves of 30 feet radius
when required. The ordinary tram carriages are usually constructed
with the axles parallel to each other, and to diminish the friction of the
flanges which run in grooves as much as possible the axles are placed
about 5 feet 6 inches apart, though the length of the vehicle is 20 feet
and upwards. The result of this is a tendency of the vehicle to " hog "
and oscillate, and for this reason rubber springs only are used, giving
very small action. To avoid this friction and oscillation I arrange the
wheels of my vehicles so that the wheels and axles will radiate on
B

page_text: curves, and thus I can extend my wheel base to any desired length
while avoiding friction. In Fig. 27 the length of the vehicle is as
shown 18 feet, while the axles are 10 feet apart, and with the end
platforms the total length of the vehicle is 23 feet. 24 passengers can
be carried inside and 24 on the roof, the ascent being by four iron
ladders, one at each corner. The wheels are spring rubber tired so that
the axles are free from vibration, and thus perfect lubrication is not
impeded by concussion. Under each axle is bolted a pair of wooden
bars a, a, a, a, a, a, connected by a cross iron plate b, b, which forms a
pivot hole giving a centre about 7 to 8 inches, more or less, within cach
axle, so that the centres are 14 to 16 inches nearer together than the
axles. On the bottom of the body are fixed two corresponding pivots c, c,
entering the pivot plates b, b. The wooden bars a also carry the iron
bars d, d, to which are attached the brake blocks e, e, which are kept
off the wheels by spring action of rubber or steel and applied by the
winches f, f, worked by the driver and conductor. It will be seen that
the brakes thus follow the wheels in their radial movement, and by the
excentric position of the pivots as regards the axles it will be seen that
a caster movement is obtained, the fronts of the leading wheels being
pressed by the rails and the backs of the hinder wheels in a similar mode,
so that the axles are placed in positions radial to the curves by automatic
action, as indicated by the dotted lines g, g, Fig. 27a. Thus the
automatic action of the wheels against the rail guides them when on
the rails, and when off the rails the bars a, a, guide the front wheels
by horse traction and the hind wheels follow truly by self-action. The
pivots do not carry any load but merely act as guides, the load being
borne by side springs h, k, h, h, h, h, on the axles by long swinging
shackles giving free movement with ball and socket connections. Or if
preferred, springs can be applied to the axle centres suspended below,
the axles being made deep in the middle for that purpose. Of course
vehicles may be made on this plan in a smaller size to suit the traffic.
Fig. 31 illustrates this, shewing a pair of wheels a, a, and the axle b,
the spring c, and the hanging shackles d, d. If the axle be not required
to radiate but to be fixed as an ordinary hind axle of a road carriage the
spring and axle may be kept in plane together by the shackles d, d.
But if the axle be required to radiate the spring can be pivotted through
the axle or round the axle centre at e, thus allowing the spring to be a
fixture while the axle moves radially, or vice versa.
And the axles may
.

page_text: De made of sond iron or steel, or combined, with timber to strengthen
them in the centre, or of T iron giving horizontal and vertical strength
with lightness.
And as a variation of this plan and an improvement on a former
plan of mine I divide the body into two halves transversely in the
middle with an open space between. And to connect these half
bodies I apply a pair of wheel plates or similar arrangements at the top
and bottom to each half body and connect them by pivot bolts, so that
the body will bend to either side at such an angle as to pass round very
sharp curves while an open passage way is left from end to end whether
it be straight or bent. And by this arrangement I can dispense with
the separate radiation of the axles and wheels, attaching them by springs
to the body by arms projecting on either side below the floors, and by
preference forming very large eyes on the spring plates lined with rubber
to take off vibration. In this mode the springs and wheels turn with
the body as in an ordinary cart. And the wheels are spring tired with
curve faced tires as before described. A brake block is attached to
the body at each wheel, cach opposite pair of blocks connected by a
cross bar. A spring rod or tie to the two brake bars keeps both
sets of brakes off the wheels when out of use, and a winch at either end
with a rod and chain or rope draws them on to the wheels with the
required force. The open space at the centre when the body bends
may be filled in laterally with flexible material, as leather or cloth,
opening or closing with the bending action to either side. And tho
central opening may be closed if preferred to divide the body into
first and second class, the outside seats being third class. 20 or 24 or
more passengers may be carried inside and a similar number on the
roof, ascending by iron ladders or stairs. And I arrange the two half
bodies so that they can be locked together if required with more or less
elastic yield to prevent loose movement. It is evident that the axles
moving simultaneously are better adapted to regular than irregular
curves. And instead of using only side springs a cross spring also may
be applied to the bottom frame in connection with them at the outer
ends. The distance between the two top and bottom pivots makes the
conjoined bodies as strong vertically as if solid. And the side springs
are made to bear on the axle ends either outside or inside the wheels,
the central hoops of the springs being formed with descending jaws
to take a recess in the axle end if outside, and a cross key passing below

page_text: the axle through the jaws holds the spring in its place, and is removable
at pleasure to take out the wheels and axle. The dotted lines m, m, m,
in Figs. 27 and 27a, indicate the top and bottom pivots and wheel
plates, and n, n, n, the side openings of such conjoined bodies.
Fig. 32 shews an improved bow spring, a principle I formerly used to
a great extent. The plates a, a, are attached below to a shackle pendant
from a staple bolt passing through the axle box b. These plates are
curved on their edges, being from 8 to 9 inches wide in the middle and
4 inches wide at the ends, formed with eyes moving round the bolts.
Formerly I used single plates, the carriages being comparatively light,
but I now use them double, the ends of the inner plates being housed
and abutted under the rolled eyes and retained by the edges of the
shackles. I formerly used loose links as abutments for the upper ends of
the springs, but instead of that plan I now us elevers c, c, the ends pro-
jecting beyond the ends of the spring plates and there receiving the long
swinging shackles d, d, from which the vehicle is suspended by the T iron
brackets e, e, thus the wheels are free to move in radial lines with their
axles guided by the pivots passing through the radial axle guard g. And
the friction of the spring plates one on the other is reduced to a minimum.
Fig. 28 shows in side elevation, and Fig. 28a in plan a locomotive
engine adapted for flange wheel guidance and for running without flange
friction round curves of three chains radius while possessing great
haulage power without unduly loading the wheels. For this object there
are 8 driving wheels all coupled together to be acted on by the pistons.
The four central wheels only a, a, a, a, a, a, have flanges, and their tires are
of the ordinary width 5 inches or thereabouts, and cylindrical on the tread.
The leading and trailing tires are also cylindrical, but without flanges
b, b, b, b, b, b. The total length of the wheel base being 14 feet, a regular
curve of three chains radius will give a versed sine of about one incl
and a half, or if the curve be irregular, say, two inches; the width of
rail being, say, three inches, and the lateral traverse each way two
inches, will make a total of seven inches as the width of the leading and
trailing tires, and the extreme traverse will bring the edges of the wheels
level with the edges of the rails; but more than this is required, inasmuch
as on a curve the length of the outer rail is more than that of the inner.
In this case if the wheels be all keyed fast on their axles there must
be impedimental friction not useful for adhesion. To provide for this
I construct the wheels with tires provided with elastic springs, either of

page_text: rubber or steel, so arranged that the tire maintains a rigid circle with
an inner clastic cushion, within which the wheels can slip instead of
slipping on the rails, to compensate for the varying length of the two'
pathways, and thus destructive wear will be provided against. This
engine can carry water in wing tanks or in a separate tender, and it is
provided with a pair of small steam cylinders d, d, d, by which the
driver can press the four central wheels with wedge blocks d, and thus
arrest the whole eight. The buffers e, e, e, e, e, e, are curvilinear, so as
to present a bearing at any angle, and they are formed by bolting curved
blocks of timber, iron, or steel faced against the head stocks, with an
inch or more or less of india-rubber between the blocks and head stocks,
or between the steel or iron faces and the curved blocks. And the
wheels may if preferred be disposed with one pair of flanged tires as
leaders, the second pair plain tires, the third pair flange tires, and the
trailing plain tires; or the leaders and trailers may be flanged, and the
four intermediates plain; and a pair of leading carrying wheels of smaller
diameter may be applied in front of the cylinders with radial movement,
as hercin-after shewn at Fig. 300 and Fig. 30c in plan. And the frame
space thus lengthened out may carry a water tank with a large tube
through it, and a sliding door to communicate with the boiler tubes, the
heat from the smoke box warming the water when standing. A similar
pair of radial wheels may be applied at the hinder end of the engine;
the working cylinders are at c, c, c. And instead of placing the cylinders
at one end of the frame I place them if desired in the centre of the
frame between the middle wheels, and apply rods to cach piston
working out at each end of the cylinder, with a connecting rod to each
taking outside crank pins on the end wheels, which I prefer in that
case to be without flanges, and connecting the middle flanged wheels by
coupling rods as usual. But in this mode I use two cylinders on each
side of the engine placed either end to end or one above the other, each
driving two coupled wheels. The advantage of this arrangement is that
the cylinders are nearer to their work at each end, instead of at a
distance, and their weight is not overhanging, and the tank of water
communicating with the smoke box will supply their place in placing
weight on the end wheels. The dotted lines in clevation and plan f,,,
Figs. 28 and 28a, indicate the cylinders in mid position one above the
other, for which purpose the wheels must be removed further from each
other, and the end wheels also to spread the base.

page_text: Fig. 29 shews in side elevation, and Fig. 29a in plan a locomotive
engine to be worked by heated air. It is formed in two half-frames,
each half being a duplicate of the other. a, a, a, a, a, a, denote the
driving wheels, which are formed with spring tires, and the frames b, b,
are connected firmly to the axles, a central connecting bar c, c, being
pivotted at each axle; d, d, d, d, are the working cylinders, the pistons.
acting vertically with cross heads and slides on crank pins outside the
wheels; e, e, e, e, are the fire-boxes. The fuel I prefer is liquid, such as
petroleum, with a small fire of coke or charcoal, which serves as a wick.
The liquid is either formed into gas in a retort or jetted in spray over
the fuel, and air is driven in alternately to cach-fire, forming_the_motive
power by expansion by means of air pumps. The tires are shewn with
rounded peripheries for channel rails, but they may be flange tires if
preferred for other rails. To keep the cranks of the wheels at right
angles with each other they are connected by friction wheels ƒ ƒ, ƒ,
which can be tightened down at pleasure to prevent slip, and these
wheels may also have spring tires. These friction wheels are kept in
position laterally on the driving wheels cither by the curves of the tire
or by the flanges, and on curves the axle of the friction wheels changes
its horizontal level from side to side as the driving wheels open or close
on the curves on either side. For the purpose of haulage curved springs
are attached to the buffer beams with traversing links y, g, the springs
pulling outwards when hauling and compressing against the wooden
blocks h, h, h, h, when pushing, forming buffers. The foot plates for the
driver are shown at i, i, i, i. The lubrication of the cylinders is by
blacklead or soapstone or both. Brakes applied to any of the wheels
arrest the whole six.
Fig. 30 shews in elevation, and Fig. 30a in plan a four-wheel vehicle
adapted either for flange wheels or for the curved tires running on
channel rails. To give radial movement curved bars a, a, a, a, are
attached top and bottom to outside axle boxes of any ordinary kind;
and the centres of the bars b, b, b, b, form bosses and pivot holes from 6
to 9 inches, more or less, within the axles at each end; and these curved
bars are practically radial axle guards attached to pivots forged on plates
bolted to the diagonal timbers of the under frame, but merely serving
as guides and not carrying any load, the load being suspended from the
springs c, c, c, c, by long swinging shackles with ball and socket heads
and nuts, taking strong brackets attached to the frame, as in Fig. 32.

page_text: The wheels have thus free movement guided by the excentric pivots
giving a caster movement, the rails guiding the wheels true to curves
by pressure against the fronts and backs at the outer rails, each axle
and pair of wheels being free to move independently of the other. If
required to move exactly alike at the same time on regular curves
I connect to the radial guard frames two rods crossing each other
diagonally at the dotted lines e, e. It is obvious that if the pivot holes
of the axle guard frames were placed exactly over the axle centres the
pressure of the wheel flanges against the rail might cause the wheels to
drag with the axles abnormal to the curves. This arrangement is well
adapted for a railway coal waggon to run either on ordinary rails, or to
run on the wheel flanges on channel rails, as herein-before described, so
as to convey coals direct from the pit's mouth to the consumer's premises
in towns or villages by common roads without changing the vehicle, or
to convey farm produce direct to markets along the common roads. And
I use very light top sides to these waggons, and to keep them from
bulging while dispensing with heavy framing I use sliding iron bars,
clipping over the edges with end cranks, which bars can slide from end
to end while loading or unloading. The body of the waggon is not
shewn, but the dotted lines f,f, indicate how the bars are to be applied.
Figs. 306 and 30c shew in elevation and plan another mode of
radiating axles and wheels intended to apply to engines or vehicles which
have more than four wheels. The axle boxes a, a, a, are of any common
kind, and inside the wheels and segmental curved plates b, b, b, b, are
bolted to them top and bottom, which curved plates with the axles and
wheels move to right or left in horn plates c, c, c, c, fixed to the angled
frame to radiate the axles according to need. A transverse spring d, d,
is placed above the upper plate pivotted to the frame above, and the
ends sliding as the wheels and axle move below it. A metal washer is
applied between the spring ends and the curved plate lubricated by oil
or blacklead or soapstone. Or the spring may be fixed to the curved
plate, and the buckle e may slide beneath the upper frame; or. the
spring may be suspended below the axle if preferred. This arrangement
can be applied for the end wheels of carriages, or for the leading and
trailing wheels of engines with two, four, or six, or more driving wheels;
and when I want to carry a heavy load, such as a pair of very large
cylinders, I use four wheels connecting their axle boxes, either inside or
out, by bars from box to box. These bars I again connect transversely

page_text: by radial plates or bars as b, b, b, which may be placed either above or
below the side bars or flush with them. And this radial bar may have
a cross spring on it as d, d, or it may work in a broad groove of corre-
sponding form below the body or frame ou the cylinders, double plates
being used with rubber between to serve as a spring. And the central
radial cross bar may be cranked down to any depth required below the
axle centres to receive the radial bearer, end space being provided for
sufficient play. And the centre of the radius is found by placing the
four wheels intended to radiate with the nearest fixed wheels on the
-sharpest-curve.required at their respective distances from each other, and
then drawing lines rectangular to the axles at their centres. Where
these lines intersect will be the true centre for the radius.
Fig. 33 shews in section a plain tire with spring, one-half full size,
adapted to the engine, Fig. 28. A is the wheel; B, the plain tire; c, c,
side rings of deep section with flanges d, d, bolted to the tire one on
each side by bolts e; a packing piece of iron f rolled with two side ribs
is placed between each pair of bolts to form a flush level for the hoop
spring g to rest on. The bolts e are spaced from 6 to 12 inches apart.
As the wheel rests on the centre of the spring it is obvious that the
tire can rock on it laterally, and so always tread evenly on the rail
surfaces.
Fig. 34 shows a spring tired wheel, full size section, adapted to the
heated air engine, Fig. 29. A is the wheel proper with curved periphery,
which may be of any construction, wrought or cast iron or timber; B is
the working tire; c, c, are side rings bolted to the tire at a wood
packing between the bolts to make them flush, as shewn at e. A belt
of clastic rubber is shewn at g, overlaid by a steel ring f, on which the
wheel rests. The side rings and tire form a circular girder of great
strength. On the steel ring the wheel can slip round when needed.
Fig. 35 shews a portion of a wheel of any ordinary wood construction
with a spring tire adapted to run on the channel rails or on the common
road. A is the tire of the wheel; B, the wearing tire; c, the ring of
india-rubber; d, a steel ring. The tire B is rolled as an angle iron with
vertical web in the solid, and the loose side rings are dispensed with.
Washers or a washer ring are applied to the opposite side and a rivet
driven through and fastened below the rubber..
Fig. 36 shews in cross section a spring tire of peculiar construction.
The tire a is formed with a sunk channel and the rising lips or fillets

page_text: b, c. A hoop spring d, hardened and tempered, and about 3 inches
wide and inch thick, more or less, formed of the usual spring steel
with rounded edges and a rising centre, is exactly fitted to the channel,
leaving a hollow space under the arch of the spring. This forms a solid
abutment on which the wheel e rests, forced in till it abuts against the
front rib or fillet c. The flat ring g is then forced in between the wheel
and the back rib of the tire b. This ring is formed with an open cut
through it diagonal to the edges. In applying it the circle is reduced
in diameter by pressure and then springs back into the groove, when the
ends of the ring may have a rivet fixed in them to keep them together.
It will be seen that the spring & abutted at the edges forms a nearly
solid arch with little yield. Blacklead and soapstone, one or both, are
placed in the hollows of the spring for lubrication, so that the wheels
can slip round in the tires on curved lines of railway.
Fig. 37 shows in longitudinal section, and Fig. 37a in cross section
an improved railway axle to revolve with the wheels cither fast or loose.
a is the axle, 6 the boss of the wheel. Where it passes through the
wheel it is cylindrical and is made to taper off each way, but it may
have a very slight projection at the back of the wheel, if preferred,
forming a curved collar to make its position accurate. c, c, is the axle
bearing, which tapers from the wheel boss face to the front collar. It
is shown a straight taper, but if preferred the end half may be made
cylindrical and the back half in a curve, as indicated by the dotted
lines, the extreme back being 5 inches in diameter and the front within
the collar about 3. The axle is shewn hollow, being made of rolled or
drawn tube, and the ends are tapered down by rolling or hammer, and
the extreme ends swaged back to form the collar, which may be curved
or square in the corner. Hollow axles have before been made, but the
bearings being swaged down cylindrical the thickness could not be
preserved at the shoulder and they broke. In my mode of forming them
taper they preserve their thickness and strength, and I obtain a strong
and safe axle free from the bending strain. The bearing brass dis
placed as usual on the top, and the axle collar lips into a groove which
holds it front and back. At the under side a block of hard wood or
metal e closely fits the axle bearing, and a circular groove ƒ holds a
packing, which keeps the oil which works upward from the front from
escaping. This piece of wood is held by two cross keys through the
box g. 9.
An oil cup is fixed on the box top with a pipe passing

page_text: through the brass to the axle bearing. And the hollow of the axle i
may serve for a magazine of oil revolving and feeding through holes in
the bearing, the ends being stopped by wooden plugs; and though I
have shewn the axle hollow it may be solid, if preferred, only preserving
the taper form of the bearing and also the axle box, though any ordinary
kind of axle box fitting the bearing may be used with it; and the wheel
may have a prolonged boss and revolve on the axle with a thin shect
metal tube between, as the dotted lines m, m.
In this my Specification I have avoided all complexity, using only
terms that any competent workman may readily understand.
The Drawings of rails herein-before-described, from Fig. 1 to Fig. 25
inclusive, are all on a scale of three inches to one foot; Figs. 26, 26a,
and 266 inclusive, one inch to one foot; Figs. 27 to 306, one quarter inch
to one foot; Fig. 31, three-quarters of an inch to one foot; Fig. 32,
half-an-inch to one foot; Fig. 33, one half size; Figs. 34, 35, and 36,
full size; Figs. 37 and 37a, one inch and a half to the foot.
Having now described my said improvements, I wish it to be under-
stood that what I claim is,―
First. The rails for flange-tired wheels with their sleepers of iron or
timber, tic bars, and fastenings, or without sleepers, as herein-before
described and illustrated from Fig. 1 to Fig. 17.
Secondly. The channel rails with rising edges for wheels without
flanges, and either curved or flat wheel tires so arranged as to retain the
wheels of the vehicles, yet permit them to be drawn out when required,
the laying down with temporary gauge bars to secure accurate position,
and the bedding strect or road rails in asphalte to maintain an even
unbroken surface, as herein-before described and illustrated by Figs. 18
to 260 and Figs. 11, 12, and 14a.
Thirdly. Radial vehicles suitable for streets, roads, and railways
proper, as herein-before described and illustrated by Figs. 27 and 27a,
with the springs, Figs. 31 and 32, and the variation of forming the body
to bend in two halves.
Fourthly. Radial axle guards, as herein-before described and illus-
trated by Figs. 30 and 30a, and radial curved plates to ordinary axle
boxes, as herein-before described and illustrated by Figs. 306 and 30c.
Fifthly. The locomotive engine with eight driving wheels with and
without flanges, or with an additional pair of leading or trailing wheels,

page_text: In witness whercof, I, the said William Bridges Adams, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Twelfth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
WILLIAM BRIDGES ADAMS. (L.S.)