IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CONSTRUCTING TUNNELS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Clapham and William Clapham, of the Firm of.
Clapham Brothers, Ironfounders, Wellington Foundry, Keighley, in the County
of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CONSTRUCTING
TUNNELS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH.”
Sealed the 21st November 1876, and dated the 23rd June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Clapham and William
Clapham at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd June 1876.
THOMAS CLAPHAM and WILLIAM CLAPHAM, of the Firm of Clapham Brothers,
"IMPROVE-
Ironfounders, Wellington Foundry, Keighley, in the County of York.
MENTS IN THE MODE OF CONSTRUCTING TUNNELS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH."
Our Invention relates to constructing tunnels with iron segments or plates, and
in the employment of apparatus or machinery for lifting, lowering, and fitting in
position the segments or plates forming the lining of the tunnels, doing away with
brick and stone work. For this purpose the segments are made in four castings
made with flanges on the sides and ends; these flanges are cast with bolt holes, in
which are passed the bolts to secure the segments together.
The segments when secured and bolted together are by preference of an oval
shape, but the section may be made of any required shape.
The difficulty in constructing tunnels with iron plates arises from the weight of
the segments or plates causing expensive and slow work if done by manual labour;
this difficulty we overcome by the employment of our apparatus.
Firstly. With an apparatus for lowering and fitting the bottom segments or plates
sideways, which is constructed with curved frames having bearers through which
pass shafts, and on which are fitted wheels similar to railway waggon wheels. The
centres of the shafts of the wheels pass through the bearers of a frame having a boss,
and through which works a strong screw; the bottom end of this screw is formed
with a ring in which are fitted strong hooked bolts, which are passed through the
bolt holes formed in the bottom front flanges of the bottom segments. In the bolt
holes of the top flanges of the bottom segments are passed bolts formed on lugs and
secured by nuts; to these lugs are secured the heads of strong right and left handed

page_text: screws, which work in a hollow shaft; on each side of the hollow shaft are fitted
strong nuts, which by screwing or unscrewing bring the right and left handed screws
in or out of the hollow shaft; or the hollow shaft can be cut with a screw and the
centre made with a six or eight sided projection on which to fit a spanner to turn
the hollow shaft to screw or unscrew the right and left handed screws.
In con-
structing tunnels, the work of excavation having been done for the required part
to fix the first sections of segments or plates, the workmen by manual labour fit the
two bottom segments; these segments have formed on the top flanges projecting
pieces forming rails on which the wheels of the apparatus run. The apparatus is
therefore put in action directly the first bottom plates are laid, and two other seg-
ments are run in the excavated tunnel; the screw passing through the boss is
unscrewed, lowering the plates or segments until they come exactly in position with
the flanges of the two segments already fixed; the hollow shaft or the nuts are
turned, forcing the right and left handed screws out, and bringing the segments or
plates to the sides of the tunnel and exactly face to face with the side flanges of the
fixed segments; the hooked bolts are withdrawn, as also the lugs fitted to the hollow
shaft, and bolts are passed through the bolt boles in the flanges and secured in their
places by nuts.
Secondly. With an apparatus for lifting and fitting in side positions the top seg-
ments; for this purpose, when the bottom plates have been secured, rails are fitted
on sleepers placed in the bottom of the segments or half section of the tunnel; on
the rails work four railway waggon wheels fitted to a frame which is made with
four projecting arms joining a centre boss, through which works a strong screw
which is fitted to a shaft having on the top a bracket made with projecting lugs;
on the bracket are formed bosses in which are secured strong stay rods, which are
fitted at the bottom ends in bosses formed on the bearers of the wheels; on the
screw is fitted a hand wheel for raising or lowering the screw and shaft.
The top segments are placed in the projecting lugs of the top bracket and secured
by means of bolts, which are passed through the top bolt holes of the side flanges of
the segments or plates, and through the lugs; the hand wheel is then turned and
the segments or plates lifted until they come in contact with the top flanges of the
bottom segments; the segments or plates are then forced sideways to the required
position by means of right and left handed screws working in hollow shafts, as
herein-before described; the segments or plates when fitted exactly on the top of
the bottom segments are secured by bolts and nuts, and similar operations are
followed for fitting the other segments or plates until the tunnel is finished.
The lifting and lowering operations can be effected by means of hydraulic power,
rack, or otherwise, instead of by the screws.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Clapham and William Clapham in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th December 1876.
"I
THOMAS CLAPHAM and WILLIAM CLAPHAM, of the Firm of Clapham Brothers,
Ironfounders, Wellington Foundry, Keighley, in the County of York. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MODE OF CONSTRUCTING TUNNELS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH."
The said Invention relates to constructing tunnels with iron segments or plates,
and in the employment of apparatus or machinery for lifting lowering, and fitting
in position the segments or plates forming the lining of the tunnels, thereby doing
away with brick and stone work. For this purpose the segments are made in four
castings with flanges on the sides and ends; these flanges are cast with bolt holes
through which are passed the bolts to secure the segments together.

page_text: The segments when secured and bolted together are by preference of an elliptical
shape in cross section, but the section may be made of any required shape.
The difficulty in constructing tunnels with iron plates results from the weight of
the segments or plates giving rise to expensive and slow work if done by manual
labour; this difficulty we overcome by the employment of our apparatus, which
consists,―
Firstly. Of an apparatus for lowering and fitting sideways the bottom segments
or plates; this apparatus is constructed with curved frames having bearers through
which pass shafts, and on which are fitted wheels similar to railway waggon wheels.
The centres of the shafts of the wheels pass through the bearers of a frame having a
boss, and through which works a strong screw; the bottom end of this screw is
formed with a ring in which are fitted strong hooked bolts, which are passed through
the bolt holes formed in the bottom front flanges of the bottom segments. In the
bolt holes of the top flanges of the bottom segments are passed bolts formed on lugs
and secured by nuts; to these lugs are secured the heads of strong right and left
handed screws, which work in a hollow shaft, on which is fitted a hand wheel for
screwing or unscrewing the right and left handed screws in or out of the hollow
shaft; or the centre of the hollow shaft can be made with a six or eight sided pro-
jection on which to fit a spanner for turning the hollow shaft and screw, or to
unscrew the right and left handed screws. In constructing tunnels, the work of
excavation having been done for the required part to fix the first sections of seg-
ments or plates, the workmen by manual labour fit the two bottom segments; these
segments have formed on the top flanged projecting pieces forming rails on which
the wheels of the apparatus run. The apparatus is therefore put in action directly
the first bottom plates are laid, and two other segments are run in the excavated
tunnel; the screw passing through the boss is unscrewed, lowering the plates or
segments until they come exactly in position with the flanges of the two segments
fixed; the hollow shaft is turned, forcing the right and left handed screws out,
bringing the segments or plates to the sides of the tunnel and exactly face to face
with the side flanges of the segments fixed; the hooked bolts are withdrawn, also
the lugs fitted to the hollow shaft, and bolts are passed through the bolt holes in the
flanges and secured by nuts to their places. Cement is employed to make the joints
perfectly tight.
Secondly. Of an apparatus for lifting and fitting in side positions the top seg-
ments; for this purpose, when the bottom plates have been secured, rails are fitted
on sleepers placed in the bottom of the segments or half section of the tunnel; on
the rails work four railway waggon wheels fitted to a frame which is made with
four projecting arms joining a centre boss, through which works a strong screw
which is fitted to a shaft having on the top a bracket made with projecting lugs;
on the bracket are formed bosses in which are secured strong stay rods, which are
fitted at the bottom ends in bosses formed on the bearers of the wheels; on the
screw is fitted a hand wheel for raising or lowering the screw and shaft.
The top segments are placed in the projecting lugs of the top bracket and secured
by means of bolts, which are passed through the top bolt holes of the side flanges of
the segments or plates, and through the lugs; the hand wheel is then turned and
the segments or plates lifted until they come in contact with the top flanges of the
bottom segments; the segments or plates are then forced sideways to the required
position by means of right and left handed screws working in hollow shafts, as
herein-before described; the segments or plates when fitted exactly on the top of
the bottom segments are secured by bolts, nuts, and cement, and similar operations
are followed for fitting the other segments or plates until the tunnel is completed.
The lifting and lowering operations can be effected by means of hydraulic, rack,
or other suitable appliances fitted to the apparatus, instead of by screws.
But in order to enable these improvements to be better understood, we will
proceed to describe the same by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 represents a front elevation of bottom segments or plates and bottom
lowering apparatus for fitting in position the bottom segments or plates; Figure 2,

page_text: side elevation of the same; Figure 3, front elevation of top segments or plates and
top lifting apparatus for fitting in position the top segments or plates; Figure 4,
side elevation of lifting apparatus; and Figure 5, plan of the same.
Similar letters of reference are used in all the Figures to represent similar parts.
A, segments or plates forming the lining of the tunnel made with flanges B,
having bolt holes Ĉ cast in them, through which are passed the bolts to secure the
segments together.
The segments when placed together form by preference an elliptical shape in
cross section, but the section may be made of any required shape.
The apparatus for lowering and fitting the bottom segments or plates in place 1
(Figures 1 and 2) is constructed with a curved frame D, having bearers E in which
work the shafts F of the wheels G, made similar in construction to railway waggon
wheels. The centre of the frame D is cast with a boss H, through which works a
strong screw I, the bottom end being formed into a ring J, in which are fitted strong
hooked bolts K, which are passed through the bolt holes C of the bottom seg-
ments A; and through the bolt holes of the top flanges L of the bottom segments
are passed bolts formed on lugs M, and secured by nuts; in the lugs are fitted the
heads N of strong right and left handed screws O, which work in a socket or hollow
shaft P; on the socket is fitted a hand wheel Q for screwing or unscrewing the
screws in or out of the socket P; or the centre of the socket is made with a six
or eight sided outside projection on which to fit a spanner for turning the socket.
In constructing tunnels, the excavation having been made, the first sections of
segments or plates are fixed by manual labour. The bottom segments have pro-
jecting pieces R on the top, forming rails on which the wheels G of the apparatus
travel. The two bottom segments having been fixed, the apparatus is put in action,
and two other segments are run in the excavated tunnel; the screw I is unscrewed
by means of a hand wheel or with a spanner fitted on a six or eight sided nut T, so
as to lower the segments or plates A. until they come exactly in position with the
flanges of the two segments already fixed; the socket P is then turned, and the
right and left handed screws O forced out, bringing the segments to the sides of the
tunnel and exactly face to face with the side flanges of the segments already fixed;
the hooked bolts K and lugs M are withdrawn, and bolts are fitted in the flanges
and secured by nuts to their places. Cement is employed for making tight joints.
The apparatus for lifting and fitting in side position the top segments A (Figures
3, 4, and 5) is constructed with four railway waggon wheels U, working on rails V
fitted on sleepers placed in the bottom of the segments of the half section of the
tunnel;
the wheels are fitted on shafts W fitted in a frame X, which is made with
bosses Y having projecting arins Z joining a centre boss A¹, through which works a
strong screw B₁ formed on a shaft C¹, which works in a top boss D¹, which is made
with lugs E, in which are passed the bolt heads of strong stay rods F¹; the bottom
ends of these rods are firmly secured in the bosses Y; on the screw B¹ is fitted a
hand wheel G for raising or lowering the screw and shaft, and consequently the
segments.
On the top of the shaft C¹ is fitted a bracket H¹, having lugs or projecting
pieces I', in which are placed the top segments A, and secured by bolts; the hand
wheel Gis then turned and the segments lifted until they come in contact with the
top flanges of the bottom segments; the top segments or plates are then forced side-
ways to the required position by means of right and left handed screws O working
in a socket or hollow shaft P, herein-before described. The segments or plates when
fitted exactly on the top of the bottom segments are secured by bolts and nuts, and
similar operations are followed for fitting the other segments or plates until the
tunnel is completed.
The lifting and lowering operations can be effected by means of hydraulic, rack,
or other suitable appliances fitted to the apparatus, instead of by screws.
Having thus described our improvements, and the best means we are acquainted
with for carrying the same into effect, we would have it understood that we do not
confine ourselves to the precise details shewn and described, as these may be varied

page_text: without departing from the peculiar character of the Invention, but what we do
claim is,
Firstly. The construction of tunnels with iron segments or plates forming the
lining of the tunnels, substantially as described and represented in the accompanying
Drawing.
Secondly. The general arrangement, construction, and employment of machinery
or apparatus for lifting, lowering, and fitting in position the segments or plates
forming the lining of the tunnels, substantially as herein-before described and repre-
sented in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Clapham and William Clapham, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Nineteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
5 Witness,
WALTER JAS. TURNER, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Bradford.
THOMAS CLAPHAM.
(L.S.)
WILLIAM CLAPHAM. (L.S.)