IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE CONSTRUCTION Of TUNNELS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER PURPOSES AND IN NON-RESONANT MATERIAL TO BE USED FOR THE SAME to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
I HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE CONSTRUCTION Of
TUNNELS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER PURPOSES AND IN NON-RESONANT MATERIAL
TO BE USED FOR THE SAME to be as follows:-―
"
This invention relates to improvements in structures designed to occupy the
streets of a populous city beneath the surface and to a non-resonant material for
use in the construction of the same.
The objects of my invention are to provide a series of tunnels adequate to the
requirements of railway traffic, in connection with a permanent and accessible way,
for housing, arranging, and inspecting indispensable pipes, conduits and cables; to
economize space in the construction of underground railway structures and at the
same time to secure thorough ventilation; to largely diminish in such structures
the noise occasioned by the passage of trains; and to provide a non-resonant
material suitable for the construction of such railway tunnels.
I attain these several objects by the constructions hereinafter described.
The structure for the street consists of traffic tunnels, centrally arranged and on
either side thereof similar tunnels subdivided horizontally and longitudinally.
"
The street is excavated between the curbs, the depth being determined by the
varying requirements of transit, access, stations or the like. Walls of masonry,
are constructed to support the curbs and are also used to sustain the beams carrying
the road. Between these walls, thin walls of suitable strength are constructed
forming traffic tunnels, preferably five walls forming four tunnels, two for "express
and two for accommodation trains. These walls may be formed of rows of steel or
iron columns which support the roof and roadway which is preferably water-proof.
To provide proper ventilation to the traffic tunnels it is essential that each track
be enclosed so that passing trains may displace the air, acting as a piston in an
open cylinder. I therefore fill the spaces between the columns with any thin,
strong material such as wood, paper board or leather attached to the said columns

page_text: in any suitable manner. I prefer however to use for this purpose a non-résonant
material hereinafter fully described.
By the use of iron or steel columns, which can be made of relatively small cross-
section, and in thin panels or sheets, to fill the spaces between said columns, or
other continuous thin strong wall, I obtain perfect ventilation, reduce the width of
the tunnel to a minimum, and secure space at each side thereof for the disposition
of pipes. This space I divide into two or more galleries or passages by one or
more series of beams or floors, the beams of each series being placed about four feet
apart, or any distance found desirable. In these galleries or passages, and resting
on the bottom, or on, or suspended from, the said beams or floors, the sewers, gas,
water and other pipes and electric wires or conduits are arranged in a manner so as
to be easily accessible. A board placed on the said beams may serve as a temporary
walk or support for workmen.
Electric wires are preferably placed in the upper gallery so as to leave a passage
between the wires or conduit and the wall of the vault. Street opening is by this
arrangement rendered unnecessary and connections with each house can readily be
made through the wall.
The entrances to the galleries are preferably located at the railway stations, and
the galleries may also communicate with the side-walk vaults.
The advantage of several lines of support is that under-ground pipes may each.
be sustained or suspended so as to be accessible and the advantage of open com-
munication between the galleries is that workmen may stand in one, and make
repairs or connections in another, and that pipes suspended from the beams are
accessible from above and below.
This invention is not confined to any particular number of tunnels as the
structure may embrace a less or greater number than described.
A continuous deflecting plate is secured to said columns and prevents injury to
the same by deflecting any blow imparted by a carriage in case of accident or
otherwise.
The non-resonant material hereinbefore referred to consists of a woven fabric,
grating, lattice or crimp of metal overlaid on one or both sides, or inlaid, with flax,
ootrum, esparto, asbestos or any suitable vegetable or mineral fibre, with oxidized
or solidified vegetable oil, india rubber, gutta-percha or equivalent material, and
formed into panels, sheets or plates by hydraulic or other pressure. This compo-
Bition of the non-resonant material is preferred, but the woven fabric, grating,
lattice or crimp of metal may be covered with india rubber or gutta-percba, or
with paper or cloth treated with solidified vegetable oil or equivalent material.
The metallic part of the material is of substance and kind to secure the requisite
stiffness and toughness, and may be woven, braided, tied, rivetted, crimped or
otherwise fastened.
The flax fibre, ootram or esparto with oxidized or solidified oil imparts a non-
resonant character to the panels or sheets, assists to make them unbreakable, and
renders them proof against dampness.
Panels or sheets of this material are stiff, will not become fragmentary by
collision, are non-resonant and damp proof. They may be readily fastened and
will be relatively cheap.
These plates, sheets, or panels are preferably made of a size to fit the spaces
between the columns and may be readily fastened at the sides by bolts, to the
extended flange of one of the angle irons of each column or otherwise, but preferably
with clamping bars and bolts. The sheets or panels may be secured at the top and
bottom, or they may be left free, with or without reinforcement.

page_text: I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE CONSTRUCTION Of
TUNNELS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER PURPOSES AND IN NON-RESONANT MATERIAL
TO BE USED FOR THE SAME" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to structures designed to form tunnels beneath the streets
of a city, and to a non-resonant material for use in the construction of the said
structures.
"
A tunnel to meet the demands of a populous city must be provided with four
tracks, two for "express and two for " accommodation" trains. In the narrow
streets of a city there is not sufficient space to construct side by side four single.
track tunnels with the usual thick walls intervening. A single tunnel provided
with four tracks could be constructed in some streets, but in this construction it is
not possible to obtain good and thorough ventilation. To secure this it is necessary
to provide a separate tunnel for each track.
The objects of the said invention are to provide a series of tunnels adequate to
the requirements of railway traffic, in connection with a permanent and accessible
way for housing, arranging and inspecting indispensable pipes, conduits and cables;
to economize space in the construction of underground railway tunnels and at the.
same time to secure thorough ventilation; to largely diminish in such tunnels the
noise occasioned by the passage of trains; and to provide a non-resonant material
suitable for the construction of such railway tunnels,
I attain these several objects by the construction hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a transverse section of a structure arranged beneath the surface of a
street between the curbs.
Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-section, drawn to an enlarged scale, of a column
and panels of one of the internal division walls forming the tunnels.
The structure beneath the street forms traffic tunnels, centrally disposed, and on
either side thereof similar tunnels subdivided horizontally and longitudinally.
The street is excavated between the curbs, the depth being determined by the
varying requirements of transit, access, stations or the like.
Walls of masonry E
are constructed to support the curbs, and are also used to sustain the beams or
floors carrying the road, as shown.
Between these walls, thin walls of suitable strength are constructed. These
walls are preferably five in number, so as to form four tunnels, viz two for.
express" and two for "accommodation" trains.
The said walls are arranged between the tracks, and at suitable intervals
(preferably of four or five feet) supporting posts or columns A of iron or steel are
erected of any convenient form in cross-section, but preferably of the form shown

page_text: in Figure 2 and of a width in cross-section of about four inches. These columns,
together with the similar columns A² of the outer walls of the tunnels support the
girders B which carry the roof or roadway of the street in any approved manner
and are calculated to bear the maximum strain.
By the use of iron or steel columns, which can be made of relatively small cross-
section, and in thin panels or sheets to fill the spaces between said columns, or
other continuous thin strong wall, I obtain perfect ventilation, reduce the width of
the tunnel to a minimum and secure space at each side thereof for the disposition
of pipes. This space I divide into two or more galleries or passages by one or
more series of beams G or floors K the beams of each series being placed about
four feet apart or any other distance found desirable.
"In these galleries or passages and resting on the bottom or on or suspended from
said beams or floors, the sewer, gas, water and other pipes and electric wires or
conduits are arranged in a manner preferably as shown so as to be easily accessible.
A board placed on said beams may serve as a temporary walk or support for
workmen.
Electric wires are preferably placed in the upper gallery so as to leave a passage
between the wires or conduit and the wall of the vault. Street opening is by this,
arrangement rendered unnecessary and connections with each house can readily be
made through the wall.
The entrances to the galleries are preferably located at the railway stations, and
the galleries may also communicate with the side-walk vaults as shown...
The advantage of several lines of support is that underground pipes may each
be sustained or suspended so as to be accessible, and the advantage of open com-
munication between the galleries is that workmen may stand in one and make
repairs or connections in another and that pipes suspended from the beams are
accessible from above and below.
To provide proper ventilation in the traffic tunnels, it is essential that each track
be enclosed in a separate tunnel so that a passing train may displace the air therein,
the train acting as a piston in an open cylinder; for this purpose, in the space
between the columns are secured, by any suitable means, sheets, plates, or panels C
of strong but relatively thin material, such for instance as iron or steel plates,
wood, heavy paper boards, or leather, in fact any material sufficiently strong not to
be broken or ruptured by the pressure of the air during the passage of trains.
I prefer, however, to use a non-resonant material hereinafter described.
These plates, sheets or panels are preferably made of a size (say 4 × 10 feet)
to fit the spaces between the columns and may be readily fastened at the sides by
bolts, to the extended flange of one of the angle irons of each column as shown in
Figure 2 or otherwise, but preferably with clamping bars and bolts. The sheets
or panels may be secured at the top and bottom, or they may be left free, with or
without reinforcement. I do not limit myself to any particular means of fastening
the panels as any suitable means may be used.
The series of columns with panels secured thereto form a very thin and at the
same time a very strong wall between the tunnels enabling four tunnels to be
constructed side by side in narrow streets and completely separating one tunnel
from another, so that a train in motion may act similarly to a piston in an open
cylinder, i.e. may displace the air, whereby good ventilation is obtained. Further
when the panels are constructed of a non-resonant material, the noise which would
be caused by the passage of a train through a resonant tunnel is obviated.
A continuous deflecting plate D is secured to said columns and prevents injury
to the same by deflecting any blow imparted by a carriage in case of accident or
otherwise.
It is evident that my invention is applicable to less or more than four adjacent
tunnels as heretofore described, and I do not, therefore, desire to limit myself to
any particular number of adjacent tunnels.
s
The non-resonant material consists of a woven fabric, grating, lattice or crimp of
metal overlaid on one or both sides, or inlaid, with flax, ootrum, esparto, asbestos

page_text: or any suitable vegetable or mineral fibre, with oxidized or solidified vegetable oil,
india-rubber, gutta-pereha or equivalent material, and formed into panels, sheets or
plates by hydraulic or other pressure. This composition of the non-resonant'
material is preferred, but, the woven fabric, grating, lattice or crimp of metal may
be covered with india-rubber or gutta-percha, or with paper or cloth treated with
solidifled vegetable oil or equivalent material.
The metallic part of the material is of substance and kind to secure the requisite
stiffness and toughness, and may be woven braided, tied, rivetted, crimped or
otherwise fastened.
The flax fibre, ootrum or esparto with oxidized or solidified oil imparts a non-
resonant character to the panels or sheets, assists to make them unbreakable, and
renders them proof against dampness, but any other material serving the same
purposes may be employed and is within the scope of my invention.
Panels or sheets of this material are stiff, will not become fragmentary by .
collision, are non-resonant and damp-proof. They may be readily fastened and
are relatively cheap.
Another form of non-resonant wall particularly adapted for the internal division
walls consists of a continuous double wall of corrugated iron or steel with a filling
of asphalt, cement or equivalent material for preventing resonance. A double
wall of flat instead of corrugated metal suitably braced and filled as described
would constitute a modification of my invention.
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
First. A railway tunnel constructed with a thin wall between its tracks, whereby
the space necessarily occupied is reduced to a minimum and proper ventilation
obtained, substantially as described.
Second. A railway-tunnel, constructed with a thin wall of non-resonant material
between its tracks, whereby the space necessarily occupied is reduced to a minimum,
proper ventilation obtained, and the noise caused by the passage of trains is
obviated.
Third. A railway tunnel constructed with a series of columns between its
tracks, and a series of panels in the spaces between said columns, substantially
as described.
Fourth. A railway tunnel constructed with a series of columns between its
tracks, and a series of panels of non-resonant material in the spaces between said
columns, substantially as described.
Fifth. A railway tunnel constructed with a series of columns between its
tracks, and provided with deflecting plates, substantially as described.
Sixth. A structure arranged beneath the surface of a street and forming tunnels
or ways by means of comparatively thin internal walls, the tunnels centrally placed
being designed for railway traffic and those at the curb line provided with supports
for sewers, pipes and conduits, substantially as described.
Seventh. A structure arranged beneath the surface of a street and forming
tunnels or ways by means of comparatively thin internal walls, the centrally
placed tunnels or ways being designed for railway traffic and those at the curb
line.subdivided into galleries or passages and adapted to other uses, substantially
as described.
Eighth. A structure, divided horizontally into longitudinal galleries or passages
located one over another, arranged beneath the surface of a street and designed to
contain and support the sewers, water, gas and other pipes, and cables, conduits
and wires for electric service, substantially as described.
Ninth. A structure, divided longitudinally by rows of beams into galleries or
passages and accessible throughout, arranged beneath the surface of a street and
designed to contain and support the sewers, water, gas and other pipes and cables,
conduits and wires for electric service, substantially as described.

page_text: Tenth, A material consisting of woven fabric, grating, lattice or crimp of metal
combined with a non-resonant substance, substantially as, and for the purpose
described,
Eleventh. A material consisting of woven fabric, grating, lattice or crimp of
metal, overlaid on both sides with a non-resonant material, substantially as and
for the purpose described.
Twelfth. A material consisting of woven fabric, grating, lattice or crimp of
metal, combined with a vegetable or mineral fibre and with oxidized or solidified
vegetable oil or equivalent, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Thirteenth. Panels, plates or sheets composed of woven fabric, grating, lattice 1
or crimp of metal combined with a non-resonant material, substantially as and for
the purpose described.