Improvements in or connected with the Propulsion of Street, Road, and other Railway Cars or Carriages.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 19th Sept., 1890 Accepted, 19th Feb., 15,91
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Propulsion of Street, Road,
and other Railway Cars or Carriages.
I, LEON VALLET, of 49, Everton Road, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Bottle Stopper Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to
be as follows:-
This invention has reference to street, road, and other tramways or railways, in
which compressed air is used as the motor fluid, and has special reference to such
compressed air systems in which the said air is laid on in a main or mains in
contiguity to the track, and is taken or supplied from said main to the locomotive
or engine.
According to the present invention, air, compressed by any suitable machinery
is supplied directly from a main or pipe in a compressed state to the engine or
locomotive used for hauling passengers or freight, and such supply to the cylinders
of the engine or engines is made continuous, or practically continuous, and without
the interposition, between the air main and the engines, of reservoirs; however, a
comparatively small receiver- may be interposed between the main and the engine
under certain circumstances, as hereinafter explained.
The means by which I supply the engines directly and continuously with com-
pressed air, consists;-Of a compressed air main or pipe laid under the street, road,
ground, or other surface, or in any other suitable position; a series of openings in
said main, controlled by valves; separate means for operating each of said valves
from the engine; and a slide valve, on or connected with the car or locomotive,
and adapted to slide on said air main and over said ports therein, by which air flows
into the valve and is conducted, by means of a suitable conduit, from the valve to
the engine, directly.
The face on which the slide valve works is of course tooled, and the slide valve
may itself be provided with spring or other suitable packing, if necessary. To
make the supply from the main to the valve, and so on to the engine, continuous,
the valve chamber or passage should be of such a length as to be in continuous com-
munication, through at least one of the air ports, with the air main.
If the main be placed under the surface of the street or road, it may be con-
structed with its working face for the valve, within or under a suitable channel,
gutter, or open continuous box, shielded in such a manner as to prevent stones, dirt
and debris from falling or getting into it and upon said face. The valve may slide
in suitable guides, and be connected to a crosshead, said crosshead being connected
by a link or connecting rod, or equivalent means, to the locomotive or engine in
such a manner that the force which propels it will be direct and even. The channel
should be drained and connected to a drain, sewer or the like at points along the
route.
The valves on the air main may be operated conveniently from the engine, car,
or locomotive, by a bar or equivalent device, which comes in contact with the said
valves; and these valves may be suitably disposed on or within the main, and
working on seats or faces. The return or closing action of the valves may be
effected by weights or springs or positively.
Communication between the slide valve and the engine may be effected by a
flexible pipe, or by suitable jointed pipes.
To adapt the valve and main so that the valve will move and travel round curves
and still make air-tight connections with the main, it (the valve) may be flexible
or articulated, or both; or, where corners or curves are short, or at junctions
or crossings, the communication between the air main and the engine may be

page_text: interrupted or cut off, and the velocity of the car, locomotive, or train may serve to
carry it over such parts; or, if a small receiver on the engine he used, the com-
paratively small storage of air in such, receiver would serve to carry it (the engine
or train) over the parts.
If desired, the exhaust air from the engine may be used and adapted to ventilate
the carriage or train, or if a heater or cooler be used in connection with say a
train, the exhaust air may be passed through such parts and into or through the
carriage or carriages, by which means it or they would be heated or cooled as the
case may be.
I would remark that the disposition or arrangement of the main with relation to
the track will vary as circumstances or conditions of the application of the inven-
tion may render it necessary; as may also the construction or form of the main and
parts connected therewith.
Dated this Eighteenth day of Novombor 1900.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Propulsion of Street, Road,
and other Railway Cars or Carriages.
I, LEON VALLET, of 49, Everton Road, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Bottle Stopper Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention has reference to street, road, and other tramways or railways, in
which compressed air is used as the motor fluid, and has special reference to such
compressed air systems in which the said air is laid on in a main or mains in
contiguity to the track, and is taken or supplied from said main to the locomotive
or engine.
According to the present invention, air compressed by any suitable machinery is
supplied directly from a main or pipe in a compressed state to the engine or loco-
motive used for hauling passengers or freight, and such supply to the cylinders of
the engine or engines is made continuous, or practically continuous, and without the
interposition, between the air main and the engines, of reservoirs: however, a
comparatively small receiver may be interposed between the main and the engine,
under certain circumstances, as hereinafter explained.
The means by which I supply the engines directly and continuously with com-
pressed air, consists ;-Of a compressed air main or pipe laid under the street, road,
ground, or other surface, or in any other suitable position; a series of openings in
said main, controlled by valves; separate means for operating each of said valves
from the engine or car; and a slide valve on or connected with the car or locomotive,
and adapted to slide on said air main and over said ports therein, by which air
flows into the valve and is conducted, by means of a suitable conduit, from the valve
to the engine, directly.
The face on which the slide valve works is of course tooled, and the slide valve
may itself be provided with spring or other suitable packing, if necessary. To make
the supply from the main to the valve, and so on to the engine, continuous, the valve
chamber or passage should be of such a length as to be in continuous communication,
through at least one of the air ports, with the air main.
If the main be placed under the surface of the street or road, it may be con-
structed with its working face for the valve within or under a suitable channel,
gutter, or open continuous box, shielded in such a manner as to prevent stones, dirt
and debris from falling or getting into it and upon said face. The valve may slide
in suitable guides, and be connected to a crosshead, said crosshead being connected
by a link or connecting rod, or equivalent means, to the car, locomotive .or engine

page_text: in such a manner that the force which propels it will be direct and even. The
channel should be drained, and connected to a drain, sewer, or the like, at points
along the route.
The valves on the air main may be operated conveniently from the engine, car,
or locomotive, by a bar or equivalent device, which comes in contact with the said
valves and these valves may be suitably disposed on or within the main, and
working on seats or faces. The return or closing action of the valves may be
effected by weights or springs or positively.
Communication between the slide valve and the engine may be effected by a
flexible pipe, or by suitable jointed pipes.
To adapt the valve and main so that the valve will move and travel round curves
and still make air-tight connections with the main, it (the valve) may be flexible
or articulated, or both; or, where corners or curves are short, or at junctions or
crossings, the communication between the air main and the engine may be inter-
rupted or cut off, and the velocity of the car, locomotive, or train may serve to
carry it over such parts; or, if a small receiver on the engine be used, the com-
paratively small storage of air in such receiver would serve to carry it (the engine
or train) over the parts.
If desired, the exhaust air from the engine may be used and adapted to ventilate
the carriage or train; or if a heater or cooler be used in connection with say a
train, the exhaust air may be passed through such parts and into or through the
carriage or carriages, by which means it or they would be heated or cooled as the
case may be.
I would remark that the disposition or arrangement of the main with relation to
the track will vary as circumstances or conditions of the application of the invention
may render it necessary; as may also the construction or form of the main and
parts connected therewith.
Having thus generally described the nature of my invention, I will now proceed
to describe it with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, which
form a part of this Specification. The drawings together with the description
thereof set forth an example of my invention as applied to a street railway
constructed and adapted to operate in accordance therewith.
In the various views I use the same letters and figures of reference to denote the
1:1
Figure 1 shews, in outside elevation, a portion of a street railway compressed
air main or pipe, constructed with my improvements, with the slide valve removed.
Figure 2 is a plan, shewn in section taken at the line X. X. Figure 3, of the
compressed air main.
Figure 3 is an outside elevation of a portion of the compressed air main, shewing
the slide valve.
Figure 4 is an end sectional view of the main or pipe, and slide valve.
Figure 5 is a detail of the slide valve.
Figure 6 is a plan of a crossing; and Figure 7 is a plan of a curve in the air
main, showing the arrangement of my invention therefor.
With reference to the drawings, a designates the compressed air main or pipe,
which may be laid under the street or other surface on one side of, or between
the railway rails; b is a channel formed on one side of the main a, the inside
surface of which is truly faced or tooled.
In the metal wall between the channel b
and the main a there are, at suitable distances apart and on the whole length of
the main, ports or openings c, for example these openings c may be three or four
feet apart. Inside the main a and opposite each port there is a passage or duct d
which opens out through a port d' in the bottom of the main a, a second port d
being provided leading into the main. Over and in connection with these ports d' d²,
for the whole length of the main, there are valves e, each valve being provided

page_text: with a tappet lever f, spindle f', lever f², and roller f³, or equivalent means, for
working the valve. is the slide valve, which is disposed inside the channel b and
works on the face of the metal wall between the channel and the main a, it
being kept airtight by face-bars h¹ provided in the valve and bearing on the face
of the main a, and fed up by springs. Said bars are retained in their place by
suitable means. The slide valve is of length to cover two or more of the ports c
at the same time, so that the valve chamber or passage will be in continuous
communication, through at least one of the ports c, with the air main. i are links
by which the valve is connected to the car or locomotive. k, k' are the air supply
duct and pipe from the valve h to the engine on the car, or locomotive. The ends
of the valve are rounded off to facilitate the working at crossings and curves.
m is a bar on the side of the valve h, extending in advance of the valve and
arranged to come in contact with the roller fs as the car or locomotive travels
along the rails, and thereby depresses the lever and thus causes the tappet
lever to open the valve e said valve being closed by the spring 3. The bar mis
of length to open two of the valves e at the same time that is to say, that it opens
the valve in front before it leaves the valve which is then open. Thus the
chamber of the slide valve is always in communication with the air main a.
With reference to the valves e which are shewn in Figures 1, 3 and 4, they are
placed on the underside of the air main; they may be of the mushroom type,
closed by the air pressure in the main a assisted by springs the valve passage
communicating between the ports d', d², the spindle of the valve projecting
through a stuffing box and the valve being opened by the tappet lever pressing
on the end of the spindle e¹. The spindle which carries the tappet lever fand
the operating lever f being carried by the bracket e² on the valve box.
At crossings or junctions where the air mains cross each other they are
interrupted or cut off as shewn in Figure 6, and the railway rails A are cut at A'
to allow a passage from the slide valve and its connections to the tram car or
locomotive. At these points the supply of compressed air from the main is shut
off, the velocity of the car or locomotive serving to carry it past such parts; or
the engine is for the time supplied with compressed air from a small receiver in
connection with the engine, as above stated. The air mains where cut are con-
nected by pipes or ducts below the line of travel of the slide valve and its
parts.
To enable the slide valve to pass round curves in the line of railway where a
straight slide valve cannot be kept up to the face on the air main on which it
works, I may make the slide valve flexible or articulated, but I prefer to cut off
the air supply at such parts and to widen out the channel b in which the slide
valve works, as shown at a Figure 7 so as to give room at this part for the valve
to pass round the curve.
In operation the compressed air is supplied continuously from the main a through
the valves e as they are opened by the slide valve bar m to the slide valve h as the
slide valve is moved along the channel by the car or locomotive, the slide valve h
giving a constant supply of such compressed air to the car or locomotive engine
through the duct k and pipe k', the supply being continuous or practically con-
tinuous without the interposition of reservoirs.
Having now fully described, and illustrated by example, the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, in conclusion I desire to
remark that although in the foregoing Specification I have described in connection
with the accompanying diagrammatic drawings means for the propulsion of street
or other railway cars or locomotives having the various novel features which have
been above generally described, I would have it distinctly understood that my
invention is not limited to the precise forms of constructions of devices or com
bination of devices illustrated or described, as their equivalents may be employed,
and various modifications, not differing from their essential features or purposes
may be substituted without departing from either the principle, purpose, or scope,

page_text: of the invention, but what I claim in respect of or under the herein described inven-
tion is :-
1. In street, road, or other railways, the cars or locomotives of which are
propelled by compressed air or gas, a continuous main in contiguity with the track,
having a practically continuous face and a slide valve sliding thereon moved by
the car or locomotive and connecting with the engine or reservoir as the case may
be of said car or locomotive; and valves on said main, adapted to be operated by
the slide valve or other parts on or moved by the car or locomotive, adapted to
supply compressed air from the main to the valve and so to the car, locomotive,
engine, or reservoir; substantially as described.
2. In street, road, or other railways, the cars or locomotives of which are
propelled by compressed air or gas, a continuous main in contiguity with the track,
having valves disposed at certain distances apart as described, by which air is
supplied from such main, and a valve working on said main for conveying the air
from said main to the car or locomotive engine, or reservoir, and adapted to take
air continuously from said main, substantially as described.
3. In street, road, or other railways, the cars or locomotives of which are
propelled by compressed air or gas, effecting the continuous supply of air or gas
to the car or focomotive engine, or reservoir, substantially in the manner
described.
4. In street, road, or other railways, the cars or locomotives of which are propelled
by compressed air or gas, a main in contiguity with the track, having a valve
working on a practically continuous face on said main, said valve being coupled to
the car or locomotive by a coupling bar or rod, or the like, and drawn over the
face thereby, in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
5. In street, road, or other railways, the cars or locomotives of which are
propelled by compressed air or gas, the arrangement and construction of air
main a, slide valve l, valve e, lever f, spindle f1, and lever f², bar m, and con-
necting link i, as set forth with reference to the drawings, operating as and for the
purposes described.
6. In street, road, or other railways, the cars or locomotives of which are
propelled by compressed air or gas, in the manner herein described, the means
substantially as set forth with reference to Figure 6 of the drawings for passing
crossings and junctions.
7. In street, road, or other railways, the cars or locomotives of which are
propelled by compressed air, or gas, in the manner herein described, the means sub-
stantially as set forth with reference to Figure 7 of the drawing, for passing
round curves.
Dated this 18th day of Santambar 1800
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.