IMPROVEMENTS IN WOODEN RAILWAYS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Wilson, of No. 2, Royal Exchange
Buildings, London, E.C., for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WOODEN RAILWAYS."-A communication from abroad by John O.
York New York. U.S.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Wilson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 28th May 1869.
I, JAMES WILSON, of No. 2, Royal Exchange Buildings, London, E.C.,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN. WOODEN RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
The Invention consists in substituting for the ordinary iron rail now
in use upright blocks of hard wood, the grain being placed endways,
securely fixed and bolted to two longitudinal bearers. The blocks when
> worn can be replaced casily and quickly. Transverse distance pieces are
placed at intervals as with ordinary longitudinal sleepers. The scantling
of the timber would necessarily vary with the amount of traffic expected
in the locality where the line is laid..

page_text: The advantages claimed are cheapness in construction; freedom from
noise and vibration, and consequent case in travelling; reduction of wear
and tear of tyres both of carriages and engines to a minimum; facility of
renewal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th November 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WILSON, of No. 2, Royal Exchange Buildings, Loudon, E.C., send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the 25th day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of er reign, did, for Ilerself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Wilson, Her special licence
that I, the said James Wilson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as 1, the said James Wilson, 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 WOODEN RAILWAYS," (a communication to me from abroad by John
O. York, New York, U. S.,) upon the condition (amongst others)
that T, the said James Wilson, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, 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 I, the said James Wilson, 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:-

page_text: My Invention consists in forming the rail (for the transit of trains,
&c.) of blocks of hard wood, with grain on end, bolted and fixed by pins
to longitudinal bearings, in the manner shewn on the accompanying
Drawing. These blocks when worn can be replaced easily and quickly.
Transverse sleepers are placed at intervals as on the ordinary railroad,
and the longitudinals may be either set into these or bolted down on
them as required. Red pine could be used for the longitudinals and any
good hard wood for the blocks.
"
The Drawing shews, Figs. 1 and 2, two different sections of the railway,
being the block of hard wood about 12 inches long, forming the rail,
firmly pinned or bolted to the longitudinals b, b, a pin being inserted at
each joint of the blocks; Fig. 4, a plan of the railway, shewing manner
of arranging the joints of the longitudinals, the sleepers at these joints
being 3 fect apart, the others 4 feet 6 inches apart. The bolting of the
longitudinals at the joints is shewn by Fig. S. Fig. 5 is a side clevation
of the rail.
Figs. 3, 6, and 7 represent a cheaper modification of the wooden road.
a, the hard block, about 1"x7", and b, the longitudinals, say 14" wide,
firmly wedged by means of a key c, the blocks being fixed by pins as
previously described. The sleepers in this case are 3 feet apart, the joints
of the longitudinals overlapping 6 feet as shown. The dimensions given
& shewn on the Drawing would of course vary with the requirements
of the traffic, situation, &c.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would have
it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details or
dimensions given or shewn on the Drawing; but I claim & desire to
secure by Letters Patent the system and general method of construction
of railways of wood, in the manner above described and set forth.
In witness whercof, I, the said James Wilson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this 2nd day of November, in the year
of our Lord 1869.