Improvements in Tram Rails.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 31st Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 1st Feb., 1887.
I PHILIPS WEST WALKER of 24 Waterloo Street Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, Accountant do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object the minimising of the inconvenience and danger
caused to the ordinary vehicular traffic upon roads where tram-rails are laid, by
reason of the projection of the rails above the level of the road by wear of road or
other cause, and it consists in forming upon the two outer edges of the top surface of
the rail notches or projections or combination of both which shall however not project
above the top surface of the rail upon which the wheels of the tram cars or engines
run or impinge. These notches or the projections as the case may be, may be con-
tinuous or at intervals along the rails and may be of any desired outline.
The practical result of the notches or the projections or combination of both is that
at whatever angle the wheel of an ordinary vehicle comes in contact with the edge of
the rail it will riso
the edge of the and over the surface of the rail instead of dragging against
accident
at the risk of being torn off or strained thereby causing an
PAYNE & TALBOT,
4 & 5, Arcade Chambers,
Corporation Street, Birmingham,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Tram Rails.
I, PHILIPS WEST WALKER of 24 Waterloo Street Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
and to the letters and figures marked thereon:-
This Invention has for its object the minimising of the inconvenience and danger
caused to the ordinary vehicular traffic unon roads where tram rails are laid by reason

page_text: of the projection of the rails above the level of the road by wear of road or from other
cause.
The Invention consists in forming upon the two outer edges of the top surface of the
rails notches or sinkings or if desired projections or a combination of both sinkings
and projections which projections however shall not rise above the level of the top
surface of the rails upon which the wheels of the tram cars or engines run or impinge.
These notches or projections may be continuous or at intervals along the rails and
may be of any desired outline.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate several forms of notches or sinkings and of
projections any of which are more or less suitable for the purpose of my Invention but
I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to those forms
or outlines alone.
Fig. 1 is a plan of the top of a tram rail.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the upper part of same.
Fig. 3 is a section through Fig. 1 on line x. x.
Figs. 4. 5. and 6 are plan side elevation and section on line 0. O. of a rail upon
which are projections.
A. A. Figs. 1. 2 and 3 are notches or sinkings shewn continuously and B. B. the
same shewn at intervals C. C. Figs. 4. 5 and 6 are projections of one form or outline
that may be used and D. D. projections of another form or outline.
The practical result of the application of the notches A or B or the projections C
or D. or of a combination of any or all is that at whatever angle the wheel of an
ordinary vehicle comes in contact with the edge of the rail as soon as a notch or
projection is reached the wheel will rise upon and over the surface of the rail instead
of dragging against the edge of it as it often does when the ordinary rail is used.
Thus by the use of Tram Rails constructed according to my Invention the risk of
the wheels of ordinary vehicles being torn off or strained or the vehicle otherwise
damaged by the rails being above the level of the Road is reduced to a minimum and
the danger of an accident being caused by the difficulty of the vehicle to pass over
the rails is overcome.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
1st. The construction of Tram Rails with notches or projections upon the edges of
the upper surface thereof for the purpose of causing the wheels of ordinary vehicles to
rise over the rails when coming in contact with them.
2nd. Forming the notches or projections of any desired outline upon the edge of
the upper surface of Tram Rails for the purpose of causing the wheels of ordinary
vehicles to rise over instead of dragging against the rails.
DAVN
P. TALDOT
DAVNE & TALBOT.
4 & 5, Arcade Chambers,
Corporation Street, Birmingham,
Agents for the Applicant.