IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING RAILWAY CARRIAGES RUNNING OFF THE LINE, IN WHEELS FOR ENABLING THEM TO PASS ROUND CURVES, IN OPERATING POINTS OR SWITCHES AUTOMATICALLY, AND IN SECURING RAILS TO CHAIRS OR SUPPORTS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS
PATENT to John Tiranoff, of St. Petersburg, in the
Kingdom of Russia, Mechanic, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING RAILWAY CARRIAGES RUNNING OFF THE
LINE, IN WHEELS FOR ENABLING THEM TO PASS ROUND CURVES, IN OPERATING
POINTS OR SWITCHES AUTOMATICALLY, AND IN SECURING RAILS TO CHAIRS OR
SUPPORTS."
Sealed the 1st July 1870, and dated the 3rd May 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Tiranoff at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 3rd May 1870.
I, JOHN TIRANOFF, of St. Petersburg, in the Kingdom of Russia,
Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING RAILWAY CARRIAGES RUNNING OFF
THE LINE, IN WHEELS FOR ENABLING THEM TO PASS ROUND CURVES, IN OPERATING
POINTS OR SWITCHES AUTOMATICALLY, AND IN SECURING RAILS TO CHAIRS OR
SUPPORTS," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is, firstly, to prevent engines, carriages
trucks, or other vehicles accidentally leaving the line of rails upon which
they may be travelling.

page_text: Secondly. To indicate by signal automatically to the driver or guard
such an event as the breaking of the wheel of any of the carriages.
Thirdly. To enable the carriage to move round curves with freedom
and without the strain upon the axle or upon the opposite wheel as is
usual.
Fourthly. To shunt the carriages from one line of rails to another
automatically.
Fifthly. To support the meeting ends and other parts of the rails
without the use of fish plates or bolts, so that the train can pass without
obstruction.
My improvement are carried out in the following manner :-I fit or
arrange to the under side of a carriage or other vehicle a frame for
carrying one or more sets of small wheels, the axles of which are free,
to adjust them to the undulations of the road within certain limits.
These axles and wheels are arranged both vertically and horizontally, and
I prefer to have only one vertical wheel and two horizontal wheels in
one side frame, both of the horizontal wheels are below the top surface of
the rail, and at a slight distance from it, but the vertical wheel is intended
to be bearing upon the rail at all times. The axles are fitted in bearings
enclosed in a box just in front of or behind the ordinary wheels and are
guided up and down in horn plates, the bearings rest against links or
levers which are in connection with other levers to act against a spring
or springs near the middle of the carriage. The levers also lead to
signal mechanism, and should one of the ordinary wheels come off the
carriage, that portion of the carriage would have a tendency to sink
much lower than the other portion, but to prevent that the small wheels
descend in the frame to bear the weight, this descending. causes the
spring or springs to push the levers down and release the bar or pin to
which a cord is fastened, and this cord is in connection with the whistle
or other sound creating instrument within reach or hearing of the guard
or driver; the cord is kept strained by a catch acting against the bar or
pin and an additional spring.
In order to admit of carriages moving round curves with freedom, I
arrange the wheels in pairs to a pivotted frame or bozie which is free
to turn and adjust itself to the curve by friction rollers moving upon a
circular plate under the carriage, the wheels are fitted upon separate
axles, and are kept in place by suitable brasses in clip bearings which
run nearly across the carriage. There are spaces between the brasses to

page_text: serve as oil reservoirs. The central pin upon which the bogie frame
moves passes down from the flooring of the carriage and bears upon a
powerful spring, its stem rubbing against friction rollers on its way.
The travelling wheels are attached to the axles in the ordinary way, and
instead of making the periphery of the tyre of a flat or cone shape,
tapering from the flange to the edge, I make it taper towards the
flange by this means when the carriage is moving round a curve the
wheels on the smaller circle press with their flanges against the rail, and
the wheels describing the larger circle run upon their largest diameters,
so that the flanges are clear; thus, as the wheels on each side run
independently of those on the opposite side, cach one adjusts itself as
to speed.
One important advantage to be derived from the use of these wheels
in turning curves is that from the larger diameter of the periphery
being at the edge the sliding of the whole carriage laterally is pre-
vented, and the sudden crush of the flanges against the inner rail
avoided.
The rails on which the carriages fitted with the foregoing part of my
Invention run are preferably of the flat web kind, and to enable my
small wheels to pass the meeting ends of the rails, I dispense with the
fish plates, so that the wheels meet with no impediment. I bend up
the edges of the web so that the central part of the base acts as a pivot.
The chairs or metal supports for the rails are of peculiar construction.
They are made of less thickness in the centre than at the ends, so that the
base as an arched or hollow appearance; they have two wings one on
each side which are bent towards each other to bear upon the top faces of
the web, by this means the rail is held firmly in the spaces made to receive
it. When the spikes or dog nails are driven through the web holes into
the sleepers the chairs are held secure, and as the train is passing over
the rail, the weight will be borne by the chair in a most substantial
manner, and any tendency the chair may have to become straight or
flat at the base, the wings will be caused to close in and bite the web
with greater force, and thus hold it firmer than before.
The same
effect will be obtained should the rail be struck by the flanges of the
wheels laterally.
To enable my small wheels to pass the points or switches it has been
necessary to devise some new mode of working, and this I do auto-
matically, that is to say, I cause the horizontal wheels to strike and

page_text: roll against a lever or levers just in advance of the points to force
them outwards or inwards, to shift the point or switch rails, so
that the train can pass from a branch to a main line, or vice versa.
In one case I centre the rails at one end, and I connect the free ends
to an arrangement of levers, bent or not, which are forced outwards
or inwards by the train as it travels to take the rail with them to the
proper sides.
By another method I support the point or switch rail upon a pivot at
the centre, and by bent levers I cause the horizontal wheels of the first
carriage or engine to shift it over either to form part of the main line or
part of a branch line or siding. The rail or rails or the levers are caused
to bear against stops when in proper position..
The apparatus may be made to act in either direction, and may be
fitted singly or in pairs for both up and down travelling, when a single
apparatus is fitted to act in one direction only automatically it can be
shifted in the other direction by hand or otherwise.
In some cases the horizontal wheels may be raised and lowered by
hand, so that they could be made to strike against the levers to shift the
points when desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, a
filed by the said John Tiranoff in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd November 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
TARANOFF, of Saint Petersburg, in the Kingdom of Russia, Mechanic,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Tiranoff, Her special licence that
I, the said John Tiranoff, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Tiranoff, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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,

page_text: within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR PREVENTING RAILWAY CARRIAGES RUNNING OFF THE LINE, IN WHEELS FOR
ENABLING THEM TO PASS ROUND CURVES, IN OPERATING POINTS OR SWITCHES
AUTOMATICALLY, AND IN SECURING CHAIRS TO RAILS OR SUPPORTS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Tiranoff, my exccutors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, 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 John Tiranoff, 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 thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
The object of my Invention is, firstly, to prevent engines, carriages,
trucks, or other vehicles accidentally leaving the line of rails upon which
they may be travelling.
Secondly. To indicate by signal automatically to the driver or guard
such an event as the breaking of a wheel of any of the carriages.
Thirdly. To enable the carriage to move round curves with freedom
and without the strain upon the axle or upon the opposite wheel as is
usual.
Fourthly. To shunt the carriages from one line of rails to another
automatically.
Fifthly. To support the meeting ends and other parts of the rails
without the use of fish plates or bolts, so that the train can pass without
obstruction.
My improvements are carried out in the following manner :-I fit or
arrange to the under side of a carriage or other vehicle a frame for
carrying one or more sets of small wheels, the axles of which are free to
adjust themselves to the undulations of the road within certain limits.
These axles and wheels are arranged both vertically and horizontally,
and I prefer to have only one vertical wheel and two horizontal wheels
in one side frame; both of the horizontal wheels are below the top

page_text: surface of the rail and at a slight distance from it; but the vertical
wheel is intended to be bearing upon the rail at all times. The axles
are fitted in bearings enclosed in a box just in front of or behind the
ordinary wheels, and are guided up and down in horn plates. The
bearings rest against links or levers which are in connection with other
levers to act against a spring or springs near the middle of the carriage.
The levers also lead to signal mechanism, and should one of the tra-
velling wheels come off the carriage that portion of the carriage would
have a tendency to sink much lower than the other portion; but to
prevent that the small wheels descend in the frame to bear the weight.
This descending causes the spring or springs to push the levers down
and release a bar or pin to which à cord is fastened, and this cord is in
connection with the whistle or other sound creating instrument within
reach or hearing of the guard or driver; the cord is kept strained by a
catch acting against the bar or pin and an additional spring. In order
to admit of carriages moving round curves with freedom I arrange the
wheels in pairs to a pivotted frame or bogic which is free to turn and
adjust itself to the curve by friction rollers moving upon a circular plate
under the carriage. The wheels are fitted upon separate axles, and are
kept in place by suitable brasses in clip bearings which run nearly
across the carriage. There are spaces between the brasses to scrve
as oil reservoirs. The central pin upon which the bogie frame moves
passes down from the flooring of the carriage. The travelling wheels
are attached to the axles in the ordinary way, and instead of making the
periphery of the tyre of a flat or cone shape tapering from the flange to
the edge I make it taper towards the flange; by this means when the
carriage is moving round a curve the wheels on the smaller circle press
with their flanges against the rails, and the wheels describing the larger
circle run upon their larger diameters, so that the flanges are clear;
thus, as the wheels on each side run independently of those on the
opposite side each one adjusts itself as to speed. One important ad-
vantage to be derived from the use of these wheels in turning curves is,
that from the largest diameter of the periphery being at the edge the
sliding of the whole carriage laterally is prevented, and the sudden
crush of the flanges against the inner rail avoided. The rails on which
the carriages fitted with the foregoing part of my Invention run are
preferably of the flat web kind, and to enable my small wheels to pass
the meeting ends of the rails I dispense with the fish plate, so that the
wheels meet with no impediment. I bend up the edges of the web so

page_text: that the central part of the base acts as a pivot. The chairs or metal
supports for the rails are of peculiar construction; they are made of less
thickness in the centre than at the ends, so that the base has an arched
or hollow appearance; they have two lugs, wings, or clips, one on each
side, which are bent towards each other to bear upon the top faces of the
fins; by this means the rail is held firmly in the spaces made to receive
it. When the spikes or dog nails are driven through the web holes into
the sleepers the chairs are held secure, and as the train is passing over
the rail the weight will be borne by the chair in a most substantial
manner, and any tendency the chair may have to become straight or flat
at the base the wings will be caused to close in and bite the web with
greater force, and thus hold it firmer than before. The same effect will
be obtained should the rail be struck by the flanges of the wheels
laterally. To enable my small wheels to pass the points or switches it
has been necessary to devise some new mode of working, and this I do
automatically, that is to say, I cause the horizontal wheels to strike and.
roll against a lever or levers just in advance of the points to force them.
outwards or inwards, to shift the point or switch rails, so that the train
can pass from a branch to a main line or vice versa. In one case I
centre the rails at one end, and I connect the free ends to an arrangement
of levers, bent or not, which are forced outwards or inwards by the train
as it travels to take the rail with them to the proper sides. By another
method I support the point or switch rail upon a pivot at the centro,
and by bent levers I cause the horizontal wheels of the first carriage or
engine to shift it over, either to form part of the main line or part of a
branch or siding. The rail or rails or the levers are caused to bear
against stops when in proper position. The apparatus may be made to
act in either direction, and may be fitted singly or in pairs for both up
and down travelling. When a single apparatus is fitted to act in one
direction only automatically it can be shifted in the other direction by
hand or otherwise. In some cases the horizontal wheels may be raised
and lowered by hand so that they strike against the levers to shift the
points when desired.
The manner in which I propose to carry my Invention into effect is.
represented in the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a
transverse section of the lower frame of of a railway carriage or truck in
or to which my improved apparatus is fitted for preventing the vehicle
leaving the rails.

page_text: I have shown two sets of apparatus, one in elevation and one in
section, to shew the details more clearly, so that this part of my
Invention may be readily understood. a, a, are frames or boxes fitted
to the vehicle in such a manner that they are free to rise and fall within
certain limits between guides or horn plates b, b, which are rigidly
bolted to the sides and transverse frame pieces of the carriage. The
frames or boxes a, a, are arranged in their interior parts with collars,
washers, or bearings c, c, for the reception of vertical axles or pins d, d,
of two borizontal wheels e, e, which are so arranged that they come
below the tread or bearing surfaces of the rails to prevent the carriage
leaving the track should the latter by accident or otherwise become
disabled. The collars or bearings in each box also support the axle of a
vertical wheel which is free to run upon the rail under all conditions
of level. The collars or bearings of each box are carried by a block g
which terminates in a stem h at the upper part and projects through the
top of the box and is fixed to it by a bolt i. In some cases the stem
may be a part of the box. This stem is slightly tapered and rides against
two rollers j, j, on the horn plates which act as guides to it. The top is
pressed upon by a link k which has one end pinned to the side beam or
main girder of the carriage frame, as shewn, while the other end is
connected to a hanging link leading from a pivotted link or bar m
which is centred upon a pin at n. The hanging link has a loop or
transverse pin for a spring p to bear upon to enable a sufficient pressure
to be exerted upon the stem and vertical wheel to keep the vertical
wheel ƒ upon the rail. The free end of the pivotted bar m terminates in
a rounded claw or projection situated over a catch which is retained in a
locked position by a spring t, Figure 3, while the carriage is in a proper
travelling condition; this catch is caused to hold a rod q and a spring
connected to it in a compressed or contracted order, while the mechanism
before spoken of is kept intact; but the instant an accident happens to
the train, such as the breaking or the coming off of a wheel, the carriage
sinks to a lower degree at that part and causes the box to travel, so to
speak, up the horn plates; thus the tension of the spring p is overcome,
and the bar m presses upon the catch s, Figures 2 and 3; by this means
the rod q is freed from the grip of the catch s and its spring 1 causes it
to rebound, so that a cord which is fastened to it may be the means of
a gong being sounded in the guard's compartment, or of the whistle on
the engine being opened to give the alarm.
8

page_text: Figure 4 represents two of the apparatus before spoken of fitted to
each side of the carriage frame with the horn plates fitted in a rigid
manner, and in many cases this would be advisable, but in others it is
preferable to arrange a set of supplementary wheels in front of and
behind each bearing or travelling wheel of the carriage or carriages
forming a train. In that case the supplementary wheels and boxes
should be in connection with a swivelling or "bogie" frame, so that
perfect freedom in turning curves is obtained. And in order to
explain how this part of my Invention can be carried into effect
I have shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7, how I arrange the boxes and
other parts to the bogie frame. I rivet a series of short girders t, t, to
two bent or pocketed plates v, v, which are connected by stays or
brackets u, u, to determine the width or position of the boxes from each
other, and to each of the travelling wheels w, w, from the ends of the
pocketed plates v, v.
I span other plates x, x, for carrying a set of
rollers, which bear against a curved or circular plate or ring, or portions
of a ringy, to enable the "bogie" to turn and arrange itself to the curve
or curves of the line of rails. The stays or brackets also serve to secure
the swivel pin or "perch bolt" block z, as shown. The bogie frame is
provided with slotted plates to serve as the ordinary horn plates to receive
the axle box of the wheel axles, the axle boxes being acted upon by
springs in the well-known manner, and to enable cach of the travelling
wheels to follow the curves in as free a manner as possible to reduce
friction, I arrange each pair upon separate axles, as shown in Figure S.
The axles are provided with shoulders, which are recessed into bearings
or brasses, and retained in place by two half sockets, which can be firmly
bolted together. The spaces between the brasses act as oil cups, and
only sufficient lubricating matter can escape to grease the axle and
bearings from the spaces, as is required for the purpose.
Figure 8 also shows my improved wheels with the tyres shaped in the
manner before explained, that is, with the taper or incline running from
the outer edge towards the flange to compel the wheel on the outside
radius rail to travel upon its largest base or diameter, and thus, as it
were, overtake the opposite wheel, which would be running upon its
smaller diameter; each one by this method adjusts itself to the speed
at which the trains may be travelling. This mode of making tyres
completely avoids the strain and friction which one wheel generally puts
upon the other in passing round curves when they are made in the

page_text: ordinary manner. I have before referred to the horizontal wheels when
the boxes are fixed to the frame as having no motion, except on their
axles and in a horizontal direction when they bear against the rails, and
in the case of those fitted on stems as being retained in their position
by the pressure of the spring p; but should it be necessary for one or
more of the carriages forming the train to be fitted with my apparatus
to enable it to pass on to an ordinary or an existing line of rails, the
frames carrying the horizontal and vertical wheels with the peculiarly
constructed levers would be arranged with a mechanism of another kind,
so that one or other of the wheels could be raised to such an height that
they would be clear of the rails. Again, instead of these horizontal
wheels I arrange a pair of horizontal wheels in the front, and another
pair at the back of the locomotive on the inner side of the rails; these
can be lowered to move the points, as shown in Figures 13 and 14. I
prefer that these wheels should be constantly retained in their raised
position by means of springs, and fitted with levers, chains, or other
appliances leading up to the driver or to the guard, as desired, so that
they can be raised or lowered into position for shifting the points or
switches as found requisite, and in many cases it will be advisable to
make them act in that manner, so that the driver or the guard can shift
the points to admit the train into a siding or branch line without the
necessity of a special attendant being engaged for that purpose. When
the horizontal wheels are arranged according to this method the ordinary
permanent way is not interfered with, as the horizontal wheels can be
lifted and kept in a raised position in stations and other places where the
points are numerous, or when the shunting takes place in a station or
near warehouses, and, again, it is not essential that two sets on any
carriage should be connected, so that both should be raised and lowered
together, as each set must then have a motion independent of the other,
for it will be found of advantage to shift the points on one side of the
line only, and the connection links or bars of the points will cause the
opposite point rail to move with it, the links may be dispensed with, as
they would be when the point or fly rails are connected by tie rods.
In order to. carry out my system and to bring a new method of
working trains upon railways into existence I have found it necessary to
invent a new mode of securing the rails down upon the sleepers, so that
the horizontal wheels should not have any chairs to strike against in
their progress; and this will be well understood by referring to Figure 9

page_text: of the Drawings of this Specification, which gives a section of the
ordinary flat fin rail A; it will be observed that the chair B is formed
with overlapping lugs or clips, which only reach over the upper surface
of the fins C, C, of the base. I make the central part of the chair
thinner than the sides, so that should there be any tendency to yield
under the weight of a passing train the central part should be enabled to
bring itself flat upon the sleeper, and at the same time' cause the lugs
to clip the rail with greater power and keep it upright. The under face
of the rail is also tapered from the centre to the edge of the fin, so that
the rail rests, so to speak, upon a pivot or knife edge longitudinally
formed by the central line of the base; this mode of making the base
allows of the chair yielding freely and prevents a fracture taking place.
The chairs are held rigidly to the sleepers by dog nails or spikes being.
driven through them.
It will be observed that the vertical web of the rail is completely
unencumbered by the cheeks of the chairs, or by keys, trenails, or other
appliances, nor are there any fish plates or bolts at the meeting ends of
the rail to obstruct the movements of the horizontal wheels as they are
carried along by the carriage.
Guard or check rails are also dispensed with, as I have found that my
improved clip chairs are sufficient to hold the ends perfectly secure and
prevent all "
swagcing" of the rails; even when the flanges of the wheels
are pressing upon the sides in passing round curves, or when one side
rail is of a higher level than the other. I prefer however to fit a chair
of larger dimensions at the meeting ends of the rails for greater security.
I have mentioned that my system of opening points may be entirely
under the control of the driver or of the guard, or of both of them; and
Figures 10 and 11 illustrate how this is to be accomplished. Take, for
instance, that of a train coming along a branch line or siding to get on
to a main line, and the points being set for the main line, it would be
moving in the direction shewn by the arrow at D, D, now, as the first
set of horizontal wheels at the front part of the engine came near the
points they would come against bars E, E, and force them outwards,
causing the points F, F, to move with them into the position shown at
Figure 11, where they would remain until shifted back to their original
position at the main line by the passage of a main line train, which
would pass along the metals G, G, and in doing so the front set of
horizontal wheels of that train would ride against the bars H, H, to shift

page_text: the points or fly rails into the proper position to allow it to pass, that is,
as seen at Figure 10. The bars E, E, and H, H, are centred or pivotted
into shoes or sockets J, J, J, J, which are bolted down to the sleepers,
as shown, so that they partake of no movement except that given to
them by the passing trains. These two views represent the same line of
rails, and are only given to show the two positions the points are moved
into by trains on the branch or on the main line, and if these rails are
considered as being the up rails a duplicate set of bars is fitted for the
down rails only in the reverse direction, so that all up trains can shift
their own points whether it is necessary for them to pass from an up
branch or to continue on the main up line.
Figure 12 shows how only one point or fly rail could be used, so that
it could be shifted to suit cither the branch or the main line traffic, the
rail is centred upon a stud at K, and the movement of the bars causes
it to move in the required direction in a similar manner to that before
mentioned.
In many instances, particularly in stations, it is necessary to move a
train from one line of rails to another by backing it, and in order to
enable that to be done with facility I arrange a pair of fly rails with
bars, &c. at the junction L of the branch and main lines, as shown;
these points can be shifted by the horizontal wheels which are fitted to
the tail carriage or the rear guard's van, as the case may be.
I do not desire however to limit my Invention to the movement of
the bars by the horizontal wheels, as they can be moved by hand if
desired, and for that purpose I attach a bar M to the joint or hinge pin
at N, which bar may terminate in a hand lever, or it may lead to a
distant or other signal box, as found desirable for the efficient working
of the railway.
I have throughout this description referred to my cone wheels as
applied to bogie frames of engines, trucks, and carriages, but the a
advantages are as applicable to engines as ordinarily constructed, for
instance, at present locomotives are generally constructed with one, two,
or three pairs of driving wheels, the tyres of these wheels have the form
of a section of a cone with its base turned to the inner side of the
rail, the central wheels being without flanges and the extreme wheels a
with flanges, by means of which the locomotive is kept on the rails.
For express trains locomotives are generally used with one pair of

page_text: driving wheels of large diameter; for passenger trains with two pairs of
equal driving wheels of medium size and for goods trains with three
pairs of equal driving wheels of small diameter. In locomotives of the
first and second class part of their weight falls on the driving wheels,
and the other part is supported by the leading and trailing wheels,
which serve not so much for the support of the locomotive's weight
as to give the driving wheels a proper direction, for otherwise loco-
motives with one pair of driving wheels would not be able to run
along the rails, and locomotives with] two pairs of such wheels, in case
of proximity of their axles and alternate action of the pistons, would
necessarily oscillate from side to side, thereby causing great danger to
locomotion and injury both to the wheels as well as to the rails, which
would very soon wear out from such oscillation. It is only in loco-
motives fitted with three pairs of driving wheels that the entire weight
is made to rest upon these wheels, but then how great is the friction
of all these wheels while passing a curve, the extreme driving wheels
run along the outer rail on the greater diameters of their peripheries
and press against the flanges, the central wheels run on their smallest
diameter which is the most distant from the flange, and on the inner
rail the case is vice versa. The consequence is that the central wheels
of the locomotive are inclined to have a more rapid progressive move-
ment on the inner rail, and a less rapid one on the outer rails than the
end wheels which run along the outer rail on their large periphery, and
on the less periphery along the inner rail. This irregularity in the move-
ment of the central wheels causes the locomotive to have a tendency
to turn not in the direction of the curve but in the opposite direction,
a circumstance which results in the locomotive running off the rails.
To ensure locomotives against such accidents, and to make it possible
to rest the whole weight of the locomotive on the driving wheels alone,
thereby avoiding the sliding friction of the other wheels and their flanges
against the rails, according to my system, and as shewn in Figures 15
and 16 of Sheet 2 of the Drawings annexed to this Specification, the
driving wheels, with the help of the safety apparatus, are fitted in the
frame of the locomotive, both in the front and at the back thereof, and
will run along a straight line of rails on their equal peripheries in the
centre of their conical tyres, which are turned to the base of the
cone not to the inner (as is done now) but to the outer side of the rail.
In rounding curves on the line the safety apparatus presses against the
rails, but the driving wheels move more or less according to the radius

page_text: of the curve, from the outer to the inner rail. In this case, as the
central wheels move laterally a greater distance and the end ones a
less distance, it becomes necessary to construct the tyres of the central
wheels with a wider tread or base, and to give the cones less incline
than in the tyres of the extreme wheels. This object is attained by
constructing the central and end wheels in such a way that notwith
standing the difference in width the centre of the tyres should be of
equal diameter in all the wheels, as well as that there should be
peripheries of conical tyres of less diameter, turned to the inner side of
the rails, and also peripheries of the same tyres of greater diameter
turned to the outer side of the rails. When the locomotive with the
safety apparatus and driving wheels, as described above, enter on a
curve of the line, then the wheels of such a locomotive lic with the
centres of their tyres on one straight line representing a chord of the
rail's arc held between two safety apparatus fixed in the frame of the
locomotive at both its ends. The above-mentioned construction always
enables me to give to the conical tyres of the driving wheel such an
inclination that the smallest diameter of the tyre turned to the inner
side of the rail should be in the same ratio to its outer and larger
diameter as the length of the inner rail is to the length of the outer rail
at the sharpest point of the curve on the railway for which the
locomotive is constructed. In travelling the progressive movement
will be the same, both for the wheels running on the inner rail as for
those running on the outer rail for curves of all radii, because with
curves of smaller radii the driving wheels of the locomotive will have
a less motion from the outer to the inner rail. With the help of
driving wheels constructed as above, and with safety apparatus at both
ends of the locomotive, the whole weight of the locomotive may be
borne on these wheels, thereby avoiding all danger of running off the
line, as well as the sliding friction, which generally occasions it. If,
according to the general system of constructing locomotives, only one
half of their weight lies on the driving wheels and the other half on
the end wheels, then the locomotive draws the weight of the train with
less than half its own weight, for a certain proportion of the locomotive's
power must be spent in drawing the other or useless half of the weight
of the locomotive itself, thereby causing a great disadvantage on steep
gradients. On the other hand, when the weight of the locomotive rests
on the driving wheels alone their pressure upon the rails, and their
tendency to turn in a direction contrary to the curve is so great that

page_text: they not only produce a violent friction against the rails, but also
become unable to run along sharp curves, whereas according to my
system the driving wheels provided with safety apparatus are not only
able to run along the sharpest curves, but also do away with the sliding
friction, and ensure against any possibility of their running off the line.
Such locomotives according to my system can be fitted not only with
three, but even with two, four, and five pairs of driving wheels, pro-
vided they are fitted with the safety apparatus at the ends of the
locomotive.
The advantages of this Invention are self-evident. If the whole weight
of the locomotive rests upon the driving wheels then the locomotive
has more power, it can carry a greater weight, and overcome the steepest
gradients. From this circumstance alone the expenses of the rolling
stock and of the construction of the line as well as the buildings are
diminished by nearly one half, independently of the advantages to be
derived from the doing away with the lateral friction.
I do not in any way restrict myself to the employment of the whole
or any part of my system upon railways, as it is equally applicable to
tramways, and will be found of great service to local lines of railways
in the mining districts where a great number of short trains are con-
tinually being moved from place to place, and even on the rails in the
drifts, galleries, or passages of mines in general.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I
claim,―
First. The general arrangement and construction of apparatus for
preventing engines, carriages, and trucks running off the line, in
the manner herein-before described and represented in the Drawings
annexed.
Secondly. The means and apparatus for operating points or switches
automatically, as herein-before described and illustrated in the Drawings
annexed.
Thirdly. The forming of inclined or tapered peripheries to wheels of
engines, carriages, and trucks, in the manner and for the purposes before
explained and shown.
Fourthly. The mode of securing the rails in chairs, in the manner and
for the purposes described.

page_text: Fifthly. The construction and employment of apparatus which can be
raised or lowered to shift the points while the train is moving, in the
manner herein-before described.
Sixthly. The mode of supporting the axles of railway carriages and
the formation of oil chambers in such supports, in the manner and for t
the purposes before described and shown.
And, seventhly. I claim the several modifications of apparatus and
the methods of operating them, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Tiranoff, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of October, One thousand 1
eight hundred and seventy.
JOHN TIRANOFF. (L.S.)