IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WAGONS OR TRUCKS USED UPON RAILWAYS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Simon Leach, of Chorley, in the County of Lancaster,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WAGONS OR
TRUCKS USED UPON RAILWAYS.”
Sealed the 13th June 1878, and dated the 11th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Simon Leach at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th April 1878.
SIMON LEACH, of Chorley, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WAGONS OR TRUCKS USED UPON RAILWAYS."
This Invention relates to the construction of wagons or trucks used upon railways
for the conveyance of coal or other minerals.
There are two kinds of wagons or trucks usually employed for such purposes,
namely, the ordinary trucks with vertical sides and ends, which have the greatest
carrying capacity, and what are called "hopper wagons," which have their ends
sloping at an angle inwards towards the bottom, the latter being made so as to open
downwards to discharge the whole contents at once into a "shoot."
The object of this Invention is to reduce the number of such wagons required by
so constructing the vertical ended wagons or trucks that they may (when unloaded)
be readily converted into "hopper wagons," and vice versa, so that each wagon or
truck will serve the two purposes, as may be required.
I construct the wagon or truck with fixed vertical ends and sides as usual, the
frame being made with four cross bearers.
The central part or third of the bottom, between the two contral bearers, is made
with two doors or flaps to open downwards for discharging the contents as in the
ordinary "hopper wagon."
The end parts or thirds are cach made of two pieces hinged together, the inner
piece of each also being hinged to one of the inner cross bearers, so that it can be
lifted up so as to form a portion of the sloping end of the "hopper," the other piece
hinged thereto forming, as it were, a strut or support to keep it in this position, a
hook and staple being provided to hold it firmly.

page_text: The continuation of the slope to the end of the truck is made by a third flap
hinged at its upper side to the vertical end of the wagon or truck, and so arranged
that, when raised, it can rest on the hinged piece forming the strut or support, and
it will then form a continuous slope from the bottom to the upper part of the end
of the wagon so as to assume the forin of a "hopper wagon."
When the wagon is to be used as an ordinary vertical ended wagon, the end flaps
are allowed to hang down close to the vertical ends and (the hooks being removed
from the staple) the hinged parts of the bottom fall down flat and level with the
two central doors or flaps; the ends are then vertical and the bottom horizontal
and level from end to end.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Simon Leach in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th October
1878.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
SIMON LEACH, of Chorley, in the County of Lancaster.
CONSTRUCTION OF WAGONS OR TRUCKS USED UPON RAILWAYS.”
This Invention relates to the construction of the wagons or trucks used upon
railways for the conveyance of coal or other minerals.
There are two kinds of wagons or trucks usually employed for such purposes,
namely, the ordinary trucks with vertical sides and ends, which have the greatest
carrying capacity (say about ten tons), and what are commonly called "hopper
wagons," which have their ends sloping at an angle inwards towards the bottom,
the latter being made so as to open downwards to discharge the whole contents at
once into a shoot (and containing about eight tons).
The object of this Invention is to reduce the number of such wagons required by
so constructing the vertical ended wagons or trucks that they may (when unloaded)
be readily converted into "hopper wagons," and vice versa, so that each wagon or
truck will serve either of the two purposes, as may be required.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood
I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawings is a longitudinal section of a convertiblo mineral
wagon or truck constructed according to my Invention, and Fig. 2 is a similar
section of a slight modification of the same.
In both these sections the left-hand end shows the truck arranged in the vertical
ended form, and the right-hand end shows the same when arranged as a "hopper
wagon."
I construct the wagon or truck with fixed vertical sides a, a, as usual, the frame
being made with four cross beams b, b.

page_text: Sometimes I make the fixed vertical onds c, c, complete, as shown at Fig. 2, and
attach a hinged flap of sheet metal d, d, thereto, and at other times I make only
the upper and lower portions c, c, of the end fixtures, and form the central part
cx, cx, into a hinged flap, as shown at Fig. 1.
The central portion or third e, e, of the bottom, between the two central beams b, b,
is made with either one or two doors or flaps to open downwards for discharging
the contents, as in the ordinary "hopper wagon."
The end portions, or thirds, are each made of two pieces f, f, and g, g, hinged
together, the inner piece f, f, of each being also hinged to one of the inner cross
bearers b, b, so that it can be lifted up so as to form a portion of the sloping end of
the hopper, as shown at the right-hand end in both Figures, the other piece g, g,
hinged thereto forming, as it were, a strut or support to keep it in this position, a
hook and staple or bolt being provided to hold it firmly.
The continuation of the slope to the end of the truck is made by the sheet metal
flap d, d, (Fig. 2) or the portion c*, cx, of the end, hinged at its upper side to the
vertical end c, c, of the wagon or truck, and so arranged that, when raised, it can
rest on the hinged piece g, g, forming the strut or support, and it will then form
(with the piece f, f) a continuous slope from the bottom to the upper part of the
end of the wagon so as to assume the form of a "hopper wagon."
When the wagon is to be used as an ordinary vertical ended wagon, the end
flaps c*, cx, or d, d, are allowed to hang down vertically and (the hook being
removed from the staple) the hinged parts ƒ, f, and g, g, of the bottom fall down
flat and level with the contral doors or flaps e, e; the ends are then vertical (as
shown at the left-hand end in both Figures) and the bottom is horizontal and
level from end to end.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention constructing such
railway wagons or trucks so that they can be either used as vertical ended wagons
or as "hopper wagons," substantially in the manner herein-before described, and
illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Simon Leach, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
cight hundred and seventy-eight.