IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS AND RAILS FOR TRAMCARS AND OTHER CARRIAGES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Ormerod, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS AND RAILS FOR TRAMCARS
AND OTHER CARRIAGES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Ormerod at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd August 1880.
JOHN ORMEROD, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
WHEELS AND RAILS FOR TRAM CARS AND OTHER CARRIAGES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
My Invention consists in dispensing with the fixed flanges on the wheels for
tram cars, and in substituting movable flanges made in one piece, or formed in
segments attached to levers connected to a sliding collar on the (rotary) axle, so
that by actuating a foot or hand lever, or other mechanism, the flanges can be
drawn in to allow the car to leave the rails. For carriages with fixed axles I use
a movable flange made in one piece and connected to the rim of the wheel, which
flange is connected by spokes or otherwise to a bub, in which is a sliding collar on
which it revolves, and which collar fits on the axle and can be raised or lowered by
a lever or other mechanism to lift the flange from the rail when desired;
this flange
may be applied to ordinary carriage or wagon wheels. I prefer to apply these
movable flanges to the wheels on one side only of the car or carriage, whereby I
reduce the friction, but they may be applied to all the wheels. When I use flanges
on one side only of the cars I dispense with the grooves in the rails at one side of
the tramway, and I make the rail at one side with a plain top, which plain rails
can be made lighter and cheaper than the grooved rails.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Ormerod in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
February 1881.
_JOHN ORMEROD, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WHEELS AND RAILS FOR TRAM CARS AND OTHER CARRIAGES."
My Invention consists in dispensing with the fixed flanges on the wheels for
tramcars, and in substituting movable flanges made in one piece, or formed in
segments attached to levers connected to a sliding collar on the rotary axle, so that
by actuating a foot or hand lever, or other mechanism, the flanges can be drawn in
to allow the car to leave the rails.
For carriages with fixed axles I use a movable flange made in one piece and
connected to the rim of the wheel, which flange is connected by spokes or otherwise
to a hub, in which is a sliding collar on which it revolves, and which collar fits on
the axle, and can be raised or lowered by a lever or other mechanism to lift the
flange from the rail when desired; this flange may be applied to ordinary carriage
or wagon wheels.
I prefer to apply these movable flanges to the wheels on one side only of the car
or carriage, whereby I reduce the friction, but they may be applied to all the
wheels.
When I use flanges on one side only of the cars I dispense with the grooves in
the rails at one side of the tramway, and I make the rail at one side with a plain
top, which plain rails can be made lighter and cheaper than the grooved rails.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, reference being
had to the Figures and letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1 shows part of a tram car to which my Invention is applied, each movable
flange being formed in one piece. a is the bottom of the car; b, b, are the wheels,
and c, c, are the movable flanges; d and d' are two eccentrics on the axle of the hind
wheels, and e and fare two eccentrics on the axle of the front wheels. The axle of
the hind wheels is connected to the car by springs, and the axle of the front wheels
is connected by springs to the "lock" g, the annular portion of which bears against
the annular bearing h, fixed to the bottom of the car; i is a shaft fitted in bearings
fixed to h or to the car; on the shaft i are fixed two levers j and k; the lever j is
connected by the rod to the eccentric d, and by the rod to the eccentric d;
n is a shaft fitted in bearings on the front portion of the lock g; on the shaft n are
fixed the lever o and the lever m; the lever k is connected to the lever o by the
rod p, and the lever m is connected to the eccentric e by the rod r and to the
eccentric f by the rod s; the lever k is fitted near the centre of the lock g. and it
has a universal joint at its extremity to allow it to act freely when the car is being
turned or running on a curve; t is a foot lever or treadle, which is placed in a
convenient position for the driver's foot, and it is connected by the rod t to the
lever j. When the driver depresses the treadle the flanges are raised by the levers
and k acting on the eccentrics through the rods l, l', and r, 8. When the treadle
is released the spring u draws back the rods, levers, and eccentrics, and lowers the
flanges. Each flange is formed of a single disc, and the flange of the hind wheel
rotates on the eccentric d, and the flange of the front wheel rotates on the
eccentric f. is a pin to secure the lock, and it may be actuated by the foot or the
hand of the driver.
Fig. 2 shows the eccentrics in the position they occupy when the flange is down,
and Fig. 3 shows the eccentrics in position when the flange is raised; the portion of
the eccentric fon which the flange rotates is marked f¹; by using the two eccentrics

page_text: e and f, one quarter turn raises the flange as much as a half turn of a single
eccentric would raise it.
Fig. 4 is a front view, and Fig. 5 is an edge view of a wheel to which my
Invention is applied, the flange being made in segments; b is the wheel, and the
segments forming the flange are marked c. To each segment are connected two
radial arms d; these arms are connected to a collar or boss e. At one end of e is
formed an annular groove e¹, in which works a claw attached by levers or rods to a
treadle. The depression of the treadle draws in the flange, and the spring f acting
on the end of the boss e forces outwards the segments forming the flange when the
treadle is released. 6¹ is an annular plate for securing the segments in their places,
and there are slots in the segment through which the screws pass which secure the
plate to the wheel. There is a similar annular plate on the wheels having
flanges made in one piece. x is part of a rail in which is a groove for the flanges to
run in, and ¹ is part of a rail with a plain top for the wheels without flanges.
These movable flanges may be applied to any or all of the wheels, but when the
wheels on one side only of a car are provided with flanges I make the rails on one
side of the tramway with a plain top.
Single instead of double eccentrics may be used, and mechanism other than that
shown and described may be used for raising and lowering or actuating the
flanges.
When I use flanges on the wheels on each side of the car both rails of the
tramway are grooved, as shown on Fig. 6, but where there is a switch or junction
I make the groove continuous on one side at the junction (and leave the flanges
down on that side) to guide the wheels on one line of rails, say to the left, and lift
the flanges on the wheels of the other side of the car where the groove in the rail
is partly stopped, and thus guide the car in one direction, and on the other side of
the tramway the groove is continuous at the opposite side to guide the car in the
other direction, say to the right or straight on.
Having stated the nature of my Invention, and described how the same is to be
performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the details
given as they may be varied or modified, and
I declare that I claim,-
1. The application of a movable flange to the wheels of tramcars and other
carriages, substantially as shown and described.
2. The use of rails with plain tops at one side of the tramway, as shown at x³,
the rails at the other side of the tramway being grooved, as shown at x.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Ormerod, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirty first day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
TAHTN ADMEDAN
JOHN ORMEROD. (L.S.)