IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PER- MANENT WAYS OF RAILWAYS WITH HEAVY GRADIENTS AND IMPROVED ROLLING STOCK IN CONNECTION THEREWITH
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nicholas Damas Guillier Galland, of No. 27,
Rue Bleue, Paris, in the Republic of France, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PER-
MANENT WAYS OF RAILWAYS WITH HEAVY GRADIENTS AND IMPROVED ROLLING
STOCK IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.”
"
Sealed the 23rd January 1874, and dated the 2nd August 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nicholas Damas Guillier
Galland at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 2nd August 1878.
I, NICHOLAS DAMAS GUILLIER GALLAND, of No. 27, Rue Bleue,
Paris, in the Republic of France, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF THE PERMANENT WAYS OF RAILWAYS WITH HEAVY GRADIENTS AND IMPROVED
ROLLING STOCK IN CONNECTION THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
"
The object of this Invention is to facilitate the travelling of railway
trains over heavy gradients by suitable contrivances introduced both in
the permanent. way and the rolling stock. This system requires no̟

page_text: modifications in the mechanical parts of the locomotive engines, it is
self-acting, admits of the weight of the said engines being considerably
lessened, and therefore the weight of the rails.
The adhesion of the driving wheels on the rails will be so increased
that the lighter engines will ascend gradients of 1½ inch per yard as
easily as very heavy engines ascend gradients of % inch on existing
railways.
The new rolling stock can run without any difficulty on the old lines
whenever the guage is the same.
My Invention consists in laying on the lines whenever their steep
inclination requires an increased adhesion "a double interior line of
wooden rails" parallel, and about two inches from the top of the iron
ones. The said wooden rails will start a little before the point where
they are to be made useful, rising insensibly from about one inch below.
the upper level of the iron rails to the said level, and then exceeding it
by about 1% inch, such are the only modifications brought to the
permanent way of railways by my system. To make this arrangement
useful the driving wheels of locomotive engines must have a wider rim
or tyre divided into two parts by a rounded projection or flange
("bondin"). Thus so long as the line is level there are no wooden
rails, all the vehicles running on the iron ones, and the internal part or
half rims of the driving wheels are rolling in empty space, but as soon
as there is a gradient where the adhesion must increase wooden rails are
added as aforesaid, and soon by their gradual rise the internal half of
the driving wheels catching or reaching the said rails run over them,
whilst the other half of the same rims are rolling in empty space, the
middle flange acting alternately according to circumstances, either on
the iron rails or on the wooden ones.
This system permitting the use of lighter locomotive engines the rails
over which they are to run may be proportionably lighter, the result
being a great saving in the cost both of the permanent way and of the
driving stock, the passenger carriages and goods' trucks remaining the
same since they run only over the iron rails.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Nicholas Damas Guillier Galland in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 30th January 1874.
•
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NICHOLAS
DAMAS GUILLIER GALLAND, of No. 27, Rue Bleue, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
of
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of August, in the year
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Nicholas Damas Guillier Galland, Her
special licence that I, the said Nicholas Damas Guillier Galland, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Nicholas Damas Guillier Galland, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION
OF THE PERMANENT WAYS OF RAILWAYS WITH HEAVY GRADIENTS AND IMPROVED
ROLLING STOCK IN CONNECTION THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Nicholas Damas Guillier Galland, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
3 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 Nicholas Damas Guillier Galland,
o do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:—
In the present state of railways railway companies are obliged to
adopt easy gradients in constructing the permanent ways in order to
3 lessen the traction expenses. To effect this they are compelled in
avoiding obstacles either to wind round them, which increases the length

page_text: of line to be made, to shift great quantities of earth, or to build
important and costly masonry works. These several processes are very
costly, and sometimes must be simultaneously used.
Since the origin of railways practical men have vainly proposed
various systems for constructing permanent ways with less expense in 5
steep places or hilly countries, or for helping to drag the trains up
gradients. The question is not simple nor to be easily solved, and several
conditions must be observed, namely:-
1st. The usual guage or width of the way, say 4 feet 8, inches, must
be preserved in all needful places to avoid removal of goods from one 1
train to another at the points of junction.
2d. Delicate or complicated parts, mechanisms, or contrivances
requiring particular care or intelligent agents, and sometimes special
regulations must be positively avoided.
3d. The weight of locomotive engines and rails must be lessoned as 1
much as possible.
4th. Nevertheless sufficient adhesion must be obtained to permit the
trains to run over the heaviest gradients.
5th. Finally, any arrangement must be rejected which might hinder
or retard the combined operations of two neighbouring lines, but of 2
different profile when rolling stock of different type is to be carried from
one line to the other.
My system can be applied to railways of any guage, consequently
the most usual guage of 4 feet 8½ inches may be preserved whenever
required.
The mechanism of the locomotive engines undergoes no modification.
The system is self-acting, and comprises neither complicated con-
'trivances nor weak and delicate organs.
It demands neither particular attention nor supplementary or special
attendants.
It permits great reduction of the weight of the driving engines, and
consequently of the weight of the rails.
The adhesion obtained by my system is so effective that trains running
over ways embodying my Invention with light engines will mount
E

page_text: gradients of 1
gradients of
inch per yard, as easily as heavy engines ascend
inch on ordinary railways.
Lastly. New rolling stock will run without any hinderance over old
lines wherever the guage or width of the way is the same.
My system, the principal advantages of which I have above set forth,
is the following:-In all parts of the line where the inclination of the
gradients to be established shall require an increase of adhesion I place
parallel to and within the iron rails a double line of wooden counter rails
at a distance of 2 inches from the top line of the first ones. The said
counter rails start a little before the point where they are to be made
useful and rise by a very gentle inclination from a point 2 or 3 inches
below the top line of the iron rails progressively, firstly, to the level of
the said rails, and then still progressively to a maximum upper level of
about 1 inch higher. These are the only modifications introduced in
the permanent way of railways; they are local, limited to the passage of
heavy gradients, and do not hinder in any manner the running of the
actual rolling stock.
My system of permanent way is illustrated on the annexed Sheet of
Drawing.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of one side of the way of a permanent
railway of my system in the middle of a gradient; Fig. 2 is a side
elevation of the wooden counter rail' showing internally the end of two
adjoining rails A, A, fastened together by iron fish plates M bolted
together; Fig. 4 is the plan or ground view of Fig. 1; B, iron rail;
; A, wooden counter rail; L, screw bolts to fix it over the cross sleepers K;
M, fish plate; Fig. 3 is a cross section of Fig. 4 through the line H, I.
In order to utilize the arrangement of the line of rails as above
described the driving wheels of the locomotive engines have larger tires
say about 4 inches wider than the other wheels, and the flange of such
tires instead of being on the inside as usual are placed in the
very centre
of the said tires, as shown, Fig. 1, where the lower portion of a driving
wheel is represented. F, side of the double tire intended to run over
the iron rail B; Fª, side running over the wooden rail A.; Fu, rounded
flange dividing the tire into two parts. This flange runs between both
rails, bearing against the iron rail when running on levels, and against
the wooden rail when running up gradients.

page_text: According to my system wherever the line of railway is level or the
gradients easy there are no wooden counter rails; the external portion
of the tire runs on the iron rail, the internal portion of said tire turning
in empty space and the flange working as usual. But wherever the line
is ascending in heavy gradients, and more adhesion is required, wooden
counter rails are laid down, and by the very gradual uprising of the
wooden line the internal portion of the tire meets it and naturally runs
over it. From this moment the external portion of the tires of the
driving wheels leaves the iron rails, the internal portion runs on the
wooden rails, and the middle flange works as external flange.
When the train reaches the top of a gradient the wooden counter rails
gradually lower until they disappear below the iron rails, and when the
wheel has thus come down to the level of this latter the external portion
of the tire again runs over them, the inner portion of the tire. again
turning in the air. Thus the iron rails and the external part of the
tires of the driving wheels always work together on all the level parts
of the line, or on light gradients where there are no wooden counter
rails, whilst on all parts where there are heavy declivities the wooden
rails and the internal portion of the tires work always together. As for
the middle flange it works alternately against the iron rail or the
wooden one, accordingly as the wheel works by the outer or the inner
part of its tire.
Now what I have above set forth constitutes my whole system, and
I believe that all persons experienced in the working of railways will
acknowledge that it answers in every point to what I have above stated
as regards simplicity and efficaciousness in working. As for the required
increase of adhesion or friction it will be naturally obtained by the
substitution in lieu of a very hard and smooth rolling surface of one,
neither so hard nor so smooth, in other words of a softer substance.
Ligneous surfaces being less dense are more easily penetrated than
metallic surfaces, and this naturally points to a reduction in the weight
of the engines in order not to crush and too rapidly wear the wooden
line.
I have calculated that if the driving engines have half the weight of
those in present use they will yet have more adhesion than ordinary
engines running on iron, because such decrease of weight is less in pro-
portion than the difference of density of the two materials.

page_text: Another very considerable advantage will result from the lessening of
the weight of the engines, namely, that comparatively light rails can be
employed in the construction of the permanent way instead of rails
weighing, say 72 to 74 pounds a yard, which have become the general
rule on account of the enormous weight of the goods' engines. This
will permit a very considerable saving in laying down new lines, because
it applies to the whole length of said lines.
To complete the explanation of my system I must add that the
vehicles attached behind the driving engine will always continue to roll
over the iron rails and never over the wooden ones.
If all the wheels of a train were required to run over the wooden rails
these rails would be worn out much quicker; further, the tires of the
said wheels would have to be as wide as those of the engine wheels,
and lastly, the resistance to the traction would be increased in proportion
to the number of wheels running on the wooden rails.
The idea of wooden rails is not new; they have been in use for several
years in Canada and the United States, but these rails have been laid
along the whole length of the line alone, and not in conjunction with
iron rails. These rails are generally made of maple wood, and last from
four to six years, but they have to bear the passage of entire trains
driven by engines weighing 20 to 30 tons, whereas the wooden rails of
my system have to bear the passage of the engines only, and this must
necessarily reduce the wear in a great proportion.
Nevertheless, in order to give the wooden line a still longer duration
I insert in a longitudinal groove cut in the top side of the said rails
upright blocks of hard wood laying on a bed of fine sand, and firmly
keyed to prevent their sliding down the incline. The said blocks adjoin
each other; they are from 8 inches to one foot long; their adjoining
upper angle is slightly rounded so as to form in conjunction with the
adjoining block a small transverse groove assisting the grip of the
driving wheels. The said blocks are shown at G, Figures 1, 3, and 4.
G³, Fig. 4, is the narrow groove at the top of two adjoining blocks.
The wood standing on end will never have as smooth a rolling face as
when laying with its fibres lengthwise, for the vertical pressure which
; the blocks have to undergo as the engine runs over them tends to crush
them down, and if they were laying lengthwise their fibres would be
compressed, disaggregated, and consequently worn out quicker than if

page_text: standing upright; whereas in this latter case the vertical pressure gives
them a stronger adhesion, and the wheels are not liable to revolve
without biting them, as is often the case with the iron rails.
Lastly, the upper angle of the wooden rail, on which the lateral
friction of the middle flange of the driving wheel takes place, is suitably
grooved and provided in its entire length with a rounded steel band J,
as shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4, which band is attached to the said
wooden rail by means of screws, nails, or otherwise. The wooden rails
are also set in grooves cut in the cross sleepers K, and are secured on
said sleepers by screws L, the round heads of which are countersunk
and covered by, the upright blocks G, as shown, Figures 1 and 3. The
adjoining rails are as before stated tightly fastened to each other by
means of fish plates in the same manner as the iron rails; their base
is inclined towards the iron rail about 4°, and thus they completely
resist the lateral pressure produced by the passage of the engines.
With the combination of precautions which I have above described
the wooden lines will be perfectly solid and lasting; and, further, they
will completely answer their purpose, which is to procure to the driving
engines the adhesion which they require to enable them to run up heavy
gradients.
The Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, previously described are drawn to a scale of
¼ th the natural size; they represent only the details of construction of
a line of railway according to my system. The other Figures on a very
small scale represent portions of complete lines. In all the said Figures
A is the wooden counter rail, and B the iron rail.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of part of a complete line; Fig. 6, a side view
of an ascending line; and Fig. 7, side view of a descending line.
. Fig. 8 is a side view of a heavy gradient O, indicating the beginning
of the wooden rail, the top of which is here below the iron one. The
tops of both rails are on the same level at D, and at E the wooden rail
reaches its upper level, where the driving wheels of the locomotive
leaving the iron rails run altogether on the wooden ones, as shown in
Fig. 9.
My Invention being now described with reference to the annexed
Sheet of Drawing, and also the manner in which the same is or may be a
used or carried into practice, I must observe in conclusion that. I do not

page_text: confine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements described,
as various modifications thereof might be adopted without deviating
from the principle or main feature of my said Invention; neither do I
intend to claim the use of wood applied for rails in the construction of
the permanent ways of railways, but what I claim is,—
Firstly. The use of wooden rails conjointly with iron ones only in the
heavy gradients of railways.
Secondly. The inserting of blocks of hard wood, standing upright in a
longitudinal groove cut in the top side of the wooden rails, for the
purpose of increasing the duration of said rails, and also for procuring
more adhesion to the driving wheels, the said blocks laying on a thin bed
of fine sand or any other suitable substance.
Thirdly. Providing the driving wheels of the locomotive engines with
tires about four inches wider than the wheels in actual use, and placing
the rounded flange of the said tires about in their middle, for the
purpose of dividing the wheel into two parts, one of the said parts
being to run over the iron rails on the level portions of the railway
lines, the other part being to run over the wooden rails on the ascending
or descending portions of the said lines, substantially as herein-before set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nicholas Damas Guillier Galland,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of
January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-four.
NICOLAS DAMAS GUILLIER GALLAND.
(L.S.)
Signed and sealed in the
presence of
L. D’AUERŚVILLE, O. E.