IMPROVEMENTS Communicated ELEVATED SINGLE-LINE RAILWAYS AND CARRIAGES THEREFOR
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark of the firm of A. M and
W Clark of 53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex Fellow of
the Institute of Patent Agents for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS
Communicated
ELEVATED SINGLE-LINE RAILWAYS AND CARRIAGES THEREFOR
to him from abroad by Henri Carpentier of Paris, France
IN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th January 1883.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A M and W Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents
IMPROVEMENTS IN ELEVATED SINGLE-LINE RAILWAYS AND CARRIAGES THEREFOR
[Communicated to him from abroad by Henri Carpentier of Paris, France]
"
"
This Invention relates to an elevated single rail railway and it has for its object
to increase the width of the rolling surface in order to diminish the wear of the
wheel and to provide an improved construction of wheel and rail as hereafter
described. In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a cross section and
figure 2 a longitudinal elevation of an elevated single rail railway and wheel
travelling thereon, in which the rail is shown as divided longitudinally or cou-
structed in two parts a a but it may be rolled in one piece of the double section.
The rail is grooved and the wheel has a central flange running in the groove and
a tread at either side bearing on the two heads of the rail. The supports b of the
rail are firmly secured to the ground by pegs b' driven in beneath to which the
said supports and their tie bars b² are fixed in any suitable manner. Figure 3 is a
cross section of a modification in which the two members of which the rail is com-
posed are separated by distance pieces to form the groove to receive the flange
of the wheel. In Figure 4 the rail is rolled in one piece of U-section and is bolted
on the supports b as shown.
Figure 5 is an end view of an elevated single rail railway and carriage thereon
partly in section the rail in this case being in one piece of T section with a longi-
tudinal central rib upon its head and the wheel being grooved to run upon it. A

page_text: feature of the Invention is the steadying rollers p taking underneath the head of
the rail and running in planes parallel to the plane of the wheel l. Another
feature is the mode of fixing the supports on the sole piece bº
Figure 6 is a longitudinal elevation of the same railway and carriage, the
essential feature of the Invention illustrated by this figure being the supporting
the carriage upon a single running wheel as shown. This is rendered possible by
the means of coupling the different carriages of a train together as shown at r
whereby they are rendered mutually supporting any tendency to oscillate in the
longitudinal direction which they might still have being counteracted by small
steadying rollers placed in front and rear of the main travelling wheel above the
rail as shown.
Sheet 2 represents a special means of coupling the carriages Figure 1 being a
plan of the complete coupling Figure 2 an elevation and underside plan and
Figure 3 a perspective view of the coupling link separately. It will be seen that
this link has an oblique opening by which it can be readily engaged upon the
yokes of the carriages the form and construction of this coupling link being such
as to prevent any liability of the train of carriages breaking apart at starting, and
to prevent the riding of the ends of the carriages the one upon the other in case of
a pushing or compressing strain coming upon them.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th July 1883.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the Firm of A, M, and W, Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELEVATED SINGLE LINE RAILWAYS, AND CARRIAGES THEREFOR
A communication to me from abroad by Henri Carpentier of Paris, France.
"
This Invention relates to an elevated single rail railway and it has for its object
to increase the width of the rolling surface in order to diminish the wear of the
wheel and to provide an improved construction of wheel and rail as hereafter
described.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1
represents a cross section, and Figure 2 a longitudinal elevation of an elevated
single rail railway and wheel travelling thereon, in which the rail is shown as
divided longitudinally or constructed in two parts a a¹, but it may be rolled in one
piece of the double section. The rail is grooved and the wheel has a central
flange running in the groove and a tread at either side bearing on the two heads
of the rail. The supports 6 of the rail are firmly secured to the ground by stakes b¹
driven in beneath each, to which the said supports and their cross ties 62 are fixed
in any suitable manner. Figure 3 is a cross section of a modification, in which the
two members of which the rail is composed are separated by distance pieces to
form the groove to receive the flange of the wheel. In Figure 4 the rail is
rolled in one piece of U section and is bolted on the supports b as shown.
Figure 5 is an end view of an elevated single rail railway and carriage thereon
partly in section, the rail in this case being in one piece of T section with a longi-
tudinal central rib upon its head and the wheel being grooved to run upon it. A
feature of the Invention is the steadying rollers p taking underneath the head of
the rail and running in planes parallel to the plane of the wheel L. Another
feature is the mode of fixing the supports on the sole piece b³.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal elevation of the same railway and carriage, the
essential feature of the Invention illustrated by this figure being the supporting
the carriage upon a single running wheel as shown. This is rendered possible by
the means of coupling the different carriages of a train together as shown at r
whereby they are rendered mutually supporting, any tendency to oscillate in the
longitudinal direction which they might still have, being counteracted by small
steadying rollers placed in front and rear of the main travelling wheel above the
rail as shown
Figures 7, 8 and 9 represent a special means of coupling the carriages, Figure 7
being a plan of the complete coupling, Figure 8 an elevation and underside plan,
and Figure 9 a perspective view of the coupling link separately. It will be seen
that this link a has an oblique opening b by which it can be readily engaged upon
yokes or pieces c fixed to the carriages, the form and construction of this coupling
link being such as to prevent any liability of the train of carriages breaking apart
at starting and to prevent the riding of the ends of the carriages the one upon the
other in case of a pushing or compressing strain coming upon them.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is.
1st In a single line railway system, the combination of the rail a made either
in one or two parts, with the supports b, stakes b', and sole piece or cross tie b³, the
whole substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

page_text: 2nd In an elevated single line railway system, the employment of a carriage with
a single travelling wheel provided with lateral steadying rollers p and couplings r
as described and illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings.
3rd The employment in an elevated single rail railway system of the coupling
link a having an oblique opening b as described and shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9.
4th The combination of rail a and support b with the wheel travelling upon or
in said rail, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
In Witness whereof I the said Alexander Melville Clark have hereunto set
my hand and seal this twentieth day of July, A.D. 1883.
A M CLARK (L.S.)