IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK, AND IN PERMANENT WAY FOR THE SAME
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Saint George Lane Fox, of Sussex Place, Onslow Gardens,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY
ROLLING STOCK, AND IN PERMANENT WAY FOR THE SAME."
aled the 29th December 1876, and dated the 30th June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Saint George Lane Fox at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th June 1876.
SAINT GEORGE LANE Fox, of Sussex Place, Onslow Gardens, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK, AND IN PERMANENT
WAY FOR THE SAME."
My Invention consists of a new railway system having for its chief objects to
attain locomotion at a high speed with safety, comfort, and economy, and to
effect a great saving of time, labor, and money in the construction of the railway;
and it comprises a novel construction of the vehicles or rolling stock, and a novel
construction of permanent way for the same to run upon.
The nature of my Invention and the manner of carrying it into effect will be
understood from the following description of the several features of novelty:-
First. In order to diminish the resistance of the air to the passage of the vehicles
through it, a resistance which becomes of importance when travelling at high
speeds, I construct the vehicles with smooth curved surfaces and with sharp or
wedge-shape ends, the curve known as the " trochoid," or some curve closely
allied to it, will probably be found the best.
Secondly. Instead of having a train of carriages or vehicles drawn by a separate
engine I employ a single car of the most suitable shape and size for the high speed
at which it is to travel, and I provide it with two engines in the centre.
Thirdly. I employ a single central driving wheel of large diameter (say, for
example, 20 feet), this wheel being constructed (in any suitable manner) so as to
have in itself the necessary elasticity, and I fix its bearings rigidly to the car just
below its centre of gravity.
Fourthly. I construct and place the engines so that there are two or more
pistons on each side of the centre wheel, both cranks being equally inclined, and
the cylinders on each side are inclined to one another, and work on the same crank.
Fifthly. I construct the permanent way with three rails, viz, a strong central
rail of iron or steel for the central driving wheel to run upon, and two side rails
of wood or other suitable material.

page_text: Sixthly. I balance or steady the car by providing it with side wheels (say, from 4
to 10, according to the weight) to run upon the side rails.
Seventhly. I guide the car by two or four comparatively small wheels which run
on the central rail when the line is straight, and by one or more pairs of horizontal
or inclined wheels which run against the sides of the central rail, but on a curve;
the small vertical wheels are raised by an automatic arrangement, and the guiding
is then effected entirely by means of the horizontal or inclined wheels. This auto-
matic action may be produced by forming the central rail of increased thickness
at the curved portion of the line, so that the horizontal wheels are forced outwards,
while a suitable arrangement of levers connecting the axles of these wheels with
the vertical guide wheels has the effect of converting the outward movement of the
horizontal wheels into a lifting movement of the vertical wheels, which are there-
fore raised clear of the rail; the flanges of the vertical wheels may be shallow.
Eighthly. To enable the car to travel on steep inclines I make the central rail
proportionately higher at these parts of the line, so that greater pressure is put upon
the driving wheel.
Although the improvements herein-before described have all been designed to
enable me to carry out my new railway system, some of them may be found advan-
tageous for rolling stock or permanent way when not constructed altogether upon
my system, for example, the forming of railway vehicles, which are in other respects
of ordinary construction, with sharp or wedge-shaped ends will be found of advan-
tage for express trains.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Saint George Lane Fox in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
December 1876.
SAINT GEORGE LANE Fox, of Sussex Place, Onslow Gardens, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK, AND IN PERMANENT
WAY FOR THE SAME."
"
My Invention consists of a new railway system having for its chief objects to
attain locomotion at a high speed with safety, comfort, and economy, and to effect
a great saving of time, labor, and money in the construction of the railway; and
it comprises a novel construction of the vehicles or rolling stock, and a novel
construction of permanent way for the same to run upon.
The nature of my Invention and the manner of carrying it into effect will be
understood from the following description of the several leading features :—
First. In order to diminish the resistance of the air to the passage of the vehicles
through it, a resistance which becomes of importance when travelling at high
speeds, I construct the vehicles with smooth curved surfaces and with sharp or
wedge-shape ends, the curve known as the "trochoid," or some curve closely allied
to it, is what I believe to be the best.
Secondly. Instead of having a train of carriages or vehicles drawn by a separate
engine I employ a single car of the most suitable shape and size for the high speed
at which it is to travel, and I provide it with two engines in the centre. The
engines I prefer to employ are those known as Willan's Patent three-cylinder
engines. I place one on each side of the car so that they balance each other, I
connect the steam spaces of the two boilers so that the pressure on each side of the
car may be equal, and I work the engines so that the corresponding pistons are
always at the corresponding points in their respective cylinders, the two engines
being symmetrical in every respect.
Thirdly. I employ a single central driving wheel of large diameter (say, for
example, 20 feet).
Fourthly. I construct the permanent way with three rails, viz., a strong central

page_text: rail of iron or steel for the central driving wheel to run upon, and two side rails of
wood or other suitable material.
Fifthly. I balance or steady the car by providing it with side wheels (say, from
4 to 12, according to the weight) to run upon the side rails.
This
Sixthly. I guide the car by two or four comparatively small wheels which run
on the central rail when the line is straight, and by one or more pairs of horizontal
or inclined wheels which run against the sides of the central rail but on a curve;
the small vertical wheels are raised by an automatic arrangement, and the guiding
is then effected entirely by means of the horizontal or inclined wheels.
automatic action may be produced by forming the central rail of increased thickness
at the curved portion of the line, so that the horizontal wheels are forced outwards,
while a suitable arrangement of levers connecting the axles of these wheels with
the vertical guide wheels bas the effect of converting the outward movement of
the horizontal wheels into a lifting movement of the vertical wheels, which are
therefore raised clear of the rail; the flanges of the vertical wheels may be shallow.
Seventhly. To enable the car to travel on steep inclines I make the central rail
proportionately higher at these parts of the line, so that greater pressure is put upon
the driving wheel.
My Invention will be fully understood on reference to the accompanying
Drawings. Figure 1 is a side elevation (with the central portion of the body of
the car removed); Figure 2 an end elevation (with the body of the car in section);
and Figure 3 a plan of a car constructed according to my Invention, together with
a portion of the permanent way. Figure 4 is a section of the central rail at a
straight portion of the line, and Figure 5 a section of the same at a curve. Figure 6
is a side elevation of the central rail at a joint. Figure 7 is a diagram shewing
how the points may be worked when the permanent way is composed of 3 rails in
accordance with my Invention.
A, A, is the body of the car made, for example, 80 feet long and 14 feet high.
It is divided horizontally into upper and lower floors or compartments, having
separate doors, windows, &c., the doors being entered by separate platforms at the
stations, such platforms being shewn at B, B, Figure 2. As is clearly seen in the
Figures the body A is constructed with smooth curved surfaces and with sharp
or wedge-shaped ends; the curve shewn is the trochoid, which I believe to be the
best for preventing the eddies which are generally formed by the stream or current
of air glancing off from the surface of a body moving through the air. C is a single
central driving wheel of, say, 20 feet in diameter, situated in the middle of the
car, and running upon a central rail D. E, E, are a pair of the engines known as
"Willan's Patent Three-cylinder Engines" (which, as already mentioned, are the
engines I prefer to employ) placed one on each side of the driving wheel C. F, F,
are the boilers; G, G, the smoke boxes connected together by a pipe or flue H, which
is in communication with the funnel or chimney I; K, K, are side frames having
vertical guides to allow of the up and down movement of the engines; L, L, are
strong springs acting upon the inner bearings of the crank shaft, and supporting
part of the weight of the car; M, M, are springs to support the engines at the part
furthest from the wheel; N, N, are the steam inlet pipes to the engines, they
communicate with domes on the top of the boilers, and are free to work up
and down in stuffing boxes therein; N¹, N¹, are the exhaust pipes; O, O, are rods
for turning the steam on and off and for working the reversing valve. The rods O
are each provided with a handle P, and the two handles are connected together by a
bar or rod Q, so that the rods O can be both operated at the same time by either of
the handles. R, R, are side wheels for balancing or steadying the car, and running
upon side rails S, S; these wheels may be mounted in any of the ordinary ways
adopted for railway wheels; T, T, are wheels which run on the central rail D;
U, U, are inclined wheels which run against the sides of the central rail. The
wheels T and U together guide the car where the line is straight, but on a curve
the wheels T are lifted clear of the rail and the guiding is then effected entirely
by the inclined wheels. The lifting of the wheels T on curved portions of the line

page_text: is produced as follows:-The central rail is made of increased thickness at the
curve, as seen in Figure 5, so that the wheels U on reaching this portion of the
line are thrown outwards to an extent equal to the increased thickness at each side
of the rail. Now the axles of the wheels U connected with each guide wheel T are
each carried by one end of a lever V centred at W and connected at its other
end to a bell crank X, so that the outward movement of the wheels U produces an
upward movement of the upper or horizontal arm of the bell crank. The two bell
cranks in their turn are connected to a bar Y, which has its fulcrum at Z, and
which is thus raised on its fulcrum. The bar Y being attached to the axle or some
other suitable part or appendage of the guide wheel T it follows that the guide
wheel is lifted from the rail. The engine rooms are situated at A', A¹, while the
portions B¹ above them may constitute saloons.
Referring now to Figure 7, which represents how a junction may be arranged
with 3 lines of rail, a is a piece of the main central rail pivoted at b; c and d are
pieces respectively of the main central rail and of one main side rail pivoted
respectively at e and f, and g is a piece of the main side rail pivoted at h; i is a
rod connected at one end to the rail or piece a, and at its other end to a bell
crank operated by the point rod l; m is a rod pivoted at n, and connecting
the rod i to another rod o, the opposite ends of which are respectively connected
to one end of each of the rails c and d. The other end of the rail c is connected
by a link p, rod q (pivoted at r), and link 8 to the rail g; t, u, and v, are fixed
rails or pieces. It will be readily seen on reference to the Figure that by working
the point rod the rails or pieces a, c, d, and g, can be shifted into the positions
shewn in dotted lines so as to allow a car or train to pass from the main line to
the branch, or vice versa.
Although the improvements herein-before described have all been designed to
enable me to carry out my new railway system, some of them may be found
advantageous for rolling stock or permanent way when not constructed altogether
upon my system; for example, the forming of railway vehicles, which are in other
respects of ordinary construction, with sharp or wedge-shaped ends will be found
of advantage for express trains.
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―
1. The general system or method of constructing railway rolling stock and
permanent way, substantially as herein-before described and represented in the
accompanying Drawings.
2. Constructing railway vehicles with smooth curved surfaces and sharp or
wedge-shaped ends, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described
and represented in the accompanying Drawings.
3. The mode of or arrangement for lifting the vertical guide wheels of railway
cars or vehicles clear of the rails at curved portions of the line, substantially as
herein-before described and represented in the accompanying Drawings.
4. Constructing permanent way with three rails, the central rail being a strong
rail of iron or steel, and the outer or side rails of wood or other suitable material,
substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described.
5. Constructing the central rail of such three rail railways proportionately higher
on steep inclines, as and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Saint George Lane Fox, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of December, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-six.
ST. GEORGE LANE FOX. (LS.)