IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAYS, AND IN VEHICLES TO BE RUN THEREON
Year: 1870

page_text: TTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of 35, South-
ampton Buildings, in the 'County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAYS, AND IN VEHICLES TO BE
RUN THEREON." A communication from abroad by William Judson
Addis, of Tanna, in the Presidency of Bombay..
-
Sealed the 14th June. 1870, and, dated the 12th January 1870.
I
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph
Barnard Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 12th January 1870.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 35, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesexl'atent/Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS, IN- TRAMWAYS, AND IN VEHICLES TO
BE RUNITHEREON,"tal communication to me from abroad by William Judson
Addis, of Faina, in the Presidency of Bombay, to be as follows:
7 mont (
t
The tramway.consists of a single iron or steel rail of any, desired or
suitable section ballasted up to the level of the road.
1
1.
rait tramway vehicles of, any desired construction and
Price Sd1
1
"ICT.
Upon this single.
Care 113)
driven by any
vall

page_text: suitable means may be run, but in order that the greater part of the
weight of the vehicles may be carried by the rail one or more double-
flanged wheels are fixed on the centre. line of the vehicle. Each of
these wheels works on a swivel attached to a screw in order to raise or
lower the body or framework of the vehicles above the surface of the
ordinary road on either side, so that the whole or nearly all of the
weight of the vehicles and their contents would rest on the rail, whilst
their balance would be maintained on either side by the ordinary wheels
of the vehicles. The centre double-flanged wheel or wheels are acted
upon by springs on either side in order to prevent jarring and jolting,
and to give them a fair amount of play to suit the irregularities of the
road, which would naturally affect the ordinary wheels of the vehicles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th July 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 35, Southampton Buildings, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of January, 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 Benjamin. Joseph Barnard Mills, Her
special licence that I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the ' said
Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, 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, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAYS, AND IN VEHICLES
TO BE RUN THEREON," a communication to me from abroad by William
Judson Addis, of Tanna, in the Presidency of Bombay, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard
Mills, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing

page_text: 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 1, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The tramway consists of a single iron or steel rail of any desired or
suitable section ballasted up to the level of the road. Upon this single
driven by any
rail tramway vehicles of any desired construction and
suitable means niay be run; but in order that the greater part of the
weight of the vehicles may be carried by the rail one or more double-
flanged wheels are fixed on the centre line of the vehicle:.. Each of
these wheels' works on a swivel attached to a screw in order to raise or
lower the body of framework of the vehicles above the surface of the
ordinary road on either side, so that the whole or nearly all of the
weight of the vehicles and their contents would: rest on the rail, whilst
their balance would be maintained on either side by the ordinary wheels
of the vehicles. The centre double-flanged wheel or wheels are acted
upon by springs on either side in order to prevent jarring and jolting,
and to give them a fair amount of play to suit the irregularities of
the road, which would, naturally affect the ordinary wheels of the
vehicles.
And in order that the said Invention may be more clearly understood
and readily carried into effect I will proceed, aided by the accompanying
Drawings, more fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an end elevation, and Figure 2 is a side clevation of a
tramway and cart to run thereon constructed according to the "said
Invention.
It will be seen by reference to the Drawing that the, tramway consists
of only a single rail a laid in the centre of the track. This rail may bẹ
of any suitable construction, and may be laid above or on a level with
the road, and may be supported by sleepers of any desirable construc-

page_text: tion; but in the Drawings the rail a is. shewn, to be carried by. iron.
sleepers constructed according to an Invention for which Letters
Patent were granted to W. J. Addis on the 28th day of March 1868,
No. 1068. Upon this single rail tramway vehicles of any desired
construction and driven by any suitable means may be run, but in order
that the greater part of the weight of the vehicles may be carried by
the rail a one or more double-flanged wlieels bare fixed on the longi-
tudinal centre line of the vehicle in addition to the cart being provided
with the ordinary traction wheels c. Each of these wheels b works on
a swivel attached to a screw bª working in a female screw formed in
the piece 63, in order that facility may be afforded for raising and
lowering the wheels b, and thereby lowering or raising the body or
framework of the vehicle above the surface of the ordinary road on either
side, so that the whole or nearly all of the weight of the vehicle and its
contents would rest on the rail, whilst the balance would be maintained
on either side by the ordinary wheels c of the vehicle. The arrangement
for raising and lowering the wheels b shewn in the Drawings is that
which has been found to answer well in India, but it is evident that
other means of raising and lowering such wheels may be adopted without
departing from the peculiar character of the said Invention; for instance,
the axes of the wheels b may be formed or fixed eccentrically on the axles
working in the bearings 6 of the swivels b'; and such last-mentioned
axles may have worm wheels fixed thereon, which are operated by
worms or screws, as will be well understood, so that by turning such
axles in one or the other direction by means of the worms and worm
wheels the wheels b will be raised or lowered as desired. Instead of
employing double-flanged wheels to run on an ordinary rail mitre-edge
wheels may be employed to run in a grooved rail. The wheels b may
if desired be acted upon by springs on either side in order to prevent
jarring and jolting, and to give them a fair amount of play to suit the
irregularities of the road, which would naturally affect the ordinary
wheels c of the vehicles. I have not thought it necessary to shew the
application of these springs in the Drawings, as such will be well
understood; one mode however of effecting this object is to place lielical
springs between the cheeks of the swivels 6' and the bosses or naves of
the wheels b. If desired, intead of raising and lowering the wheels b
the wheels c may be provided with means for raising and lowering them
as desired.

page_text: It will be seen that by the adoption of this Invention a tramway may,
be laid much closer to the side of a road than when employing two or
three rails, as heretofore, that considerable economy is obtained, and that
the vehicles are adapted to run either on a common road or
improved tramway. If the rail is laid so as to stand considerably above
the roadway there will be no necessity for raising and lowering the
wheels b on leaving the tramway or on passing on to it.
on the
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the
mode in which the same has been carried into effect, I would have it
understood that what I claim is,-
Firstly. A tramway consisting of only one rail laid in the centre of
the track.
And, secondly. I claim the employment of wheels 6 fixed or carried
on the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle, and capable of being
raised or lowered so as to adapt the vehicle for running upon such
tramway, as herein, described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of July,
in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
B. J. B. MILLS. (L.S.)