IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAYS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Gowans, of Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TRAMWAYS."
Sealed the 12th March 1872, and dated the 16th September 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Gowans at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th September 1871.
I, JAMES GOWANS, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAYS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
-
3
This Invention, which relates to an improved construction of the
permanent way or track of tramways, has for its object to effect
economy in the cost thereof and to produce a more durable track than
1

page_text: results from the methods of construction at present in use, whilst
another object is to dispense with the use of timber for the support
of the rails.
Under one form the rails are rolled in the shape of a hollow inverted
trough, with or without flanches, the hollow being filled with rust,
wood, cement, concrete, or other suitable material, or it may be left open.
On the upper face of the rails a groove or hollow depression is formed
to receive the tyres of the wheels of the cars or other vehicles running
on the said rails, and to give increased steadiness to the rails they are
provided at intervals or continuously with sleepers or flanched feet
attached to the rails by bolts, rivets, or keys.
Under another form of rail the head and flanched foot, which in this
case is continuous, are connected together by a thin web of metal and
rolled in one piece or the head or flanched foot may either or both be
made separate from the intervening web and bolted or riveted thereto,
and in this latter case the foot being a separate piece is not necessarily
continuous.
"
In laying the rails herein referred to, so as to constitute a line of.
tramway, the upper faces are set level with the street or road paving,
their ends being coupled by fishing" and connected together
transversely by tie bars or cross sleepers so as to keep the gauge. The
space between the rails and at a short distance on either side of them
is preferably filled with cement, which may be solidified by rolling
with a heavy roller.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, a
filed by the said James Gowans in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
GOWANS, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the

page_text: 36th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said James Gowans, Her special license
that I, the said James Gowans, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Gowans, my
executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any timé 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 TRAMWAYS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
James Gowans, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, 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 James Gowans, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention, which relates to an improved construction of the
permanent way or track of tramways, has for its object to effect economy
in the cost thereof, and to produce a more durable track than results
from the methods of construction at present in use, whilst another object
is to dispense with the use of timber for the support of the rails.
с
Under one form the rails are rolled in the shape of a hollow
inverted trougli. On the upper face of the rails a groove or hollow
depression is formed to receive the tyres of the wheels of the cars or
other vehicles running on the said rails, and to give increased steadiness
to the rails they are or may if desired be provided at intervals or
continuously with sleepers or flanched feet attached to the rails by bolts,
rivets, or keys.
Under another form of rail the head and flanched foot, which in this
case is continuous, are connected together by a thin web of metal and
rolled in one piece, or the head or flanched foot may either or both be
made separate from the intervening web and bolted or riveted thereto,

page_text: and in this latter case the foot being a separate piece is not necessarily
continuous.
I
In laying, the rails, herein referred to, so as to constitute a line of
tramway, the upper faces are set level with the street or road paving,
their ends being coupled by "fishing," and connected together 5
transversely by tie bars or cross sleepers so as to keep the gauge.
The space between the rails and at a short distance on either side
of them is preferably filled with concrete which may be solidified by
rolling with a heavy roller, or paving sets may be used if desired in
the ordinary manner, and when so used the flanched feet of the rails 1
being situated so as to project a considerable distance outwards on either
side of the rails form a solid foundation for the paving setts nearest to
the rails to bed upon, and so prevents them from being loosened or
depressed by the tread of the horses' feet passing over them.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I 1
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, that is to say:-
On the Sheet of Drawings hereunto appended Figure 1 is a transverse
section, and Figure 2 a plan, of one form of the improved tramway rail 2
embraced by this Invention.
Under this modification the rail is rolled in the shape of an inverted
trough, as shewn at Figure 1, and in the upper surface of the rail a
groove or hollow depression a is formed to receive the tyres of the
wheels of the tramway cars or other vehicles running on the said rails. 2
To give increased steadiness to the rails they are provided at their lower
extremities with flanches b, b, formed in one piece with the rails as
shewn, and which may be secured to sleepers c, by means of spikes d, d,
or by bolts, rivets, or keys, or sleepers may be dispensed with and the
flanches b, b, in this case rest on the ground. In lieu of forming the 3
flanches b, b, of the rails in one piece therewith they may be made
separate from the rails and connected thereto either continuously or
at intervals by means of bolts or rivets. The hollow e, between the
two sides of the rail may be left open as shewn at Figure 1, or it
may be filled up with rust, wood, cement, concrete or other suitable 3
material.
Under another modification of this Invention, illustrated in transverse

page_text: section at Figure 3, and in plan at Figure 4, the rail in lieu of being
formed hollow in the centre as in the first modification is constructed
with a central web a, which connects the head 6 and foot c together,
and in this case sleepers are dispensed with so that the foot c of the rail
rests on the ground as shewn at Figure 3.
Under another form of rail, illustrated in transverse section at
Figure 5, and in plan at Figure 6, the head a is formed separate from
the lower part of the rail embracing the web b and flanched foot c,
and the head a is secured to the upper part of the web b by bolts d, as
shewn, or rivets may be employed for that purpose. In this case when
the head of the rail becomes worn it may be removed and a new head
inserted in its place without the necessity of cutting up the roadway to
the full depth of the rail.
Under other arrangements of my improved tramway rail, not shewn
on the Drawings, the head and web may be rolled in one piece and the
flanched foot formed, detached, and bolted or rivetted to the lower
extremity of the web, or both the head and flanched foot may be formed
in separate pieces from the intervening web and bolted or rivetted
thereto, and in these latter cases the foot being a separate piece is not
> necessarily continuous.
In laying the rails herein-before described so as to constitute a line of
tramway the upper surfaces of the rails are set level with the surface of
the street or road, their ends being coupled by "fishing," and the two
lines of rails of each line of tramway may be connected together at
5 intervals by tie bars shown at x, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the
Drawings, so as to keep the gauge, such tie bars may however be
dispensed with. The space between the rails and at a short distance
on either side of them is preferably filled with concrete or cement, as
shewn by the transverse sections at Figures 1, 3, and 5, and which may
Obe solidified by rolling with a heavy roller, but the space between the
rails and also that on either side of them may be paved with paving
setts of stone or granite in the ordinary manner.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the system,
mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be used or
5 practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―

page_text: Sleepers, ao merem-Delore describeu
Drawings hereunto appended.
UL
In witness whereof, I, the said James Gowans, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of March, One thousand 5
eight hundred and seventy-two.