IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM TO BE ATTACHED TO WHEELED VEHICLES TO FORM A RAILWAY THEREFOR
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to. William Pidding, of St. George's Terrace,
Peckham, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM TO BE ATTACHED TO WHEELED VEHICLES TO
FORM A RAILWAY THEREFOR."
Sealed the 19th April 1872, and dated the 26th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Pidding at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th October 1871.
I, WILLIAM PIDDING, of St. George's Terrace, Peckham, in the
County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM TO BE ATTACHED TO WHEELED
VEHICLES TO FORM A RAILWAY THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
My said Invention relates to improvements in the mechanism
described in the Specification of an Invention for which I have formerly
obtained Letters Patent, bearing date the 21st day of June, A.D. 1869,
No. 1891.

page_text: According to my present Invention I construct a portable railway
consisting of a number of feet jointed to the outer extremity of arms or
spokes which radiate from a common boss or nave and form a large
wheel. The said boss or nave is fitted to turn on a strong shaft or axle.
These feet are flat on their inner surface and form the railway on which
the bearing wheels of the carriage or other vehicle run, and I prefer
that they should be curved or rounded on their outer surfaces. As the
vehicle or carriage moves in either direction the said large wheels
revolve and bring the feet or bearing pieces ono after the other to the
ground in such a manner that they form a continuous railway whereon
the bearing wheels of the carriage will travel easily and smoothly.
Each spoke or arm of the wheel is secured to a ring or hoop at the
outer extremity of the said spokes. And, if desired, I may use two
or more of these hoops or rings placed one within the other upon
the arms. Each of the feet or blocks which compose the sections
of my portable railway is provided with a long socket bushed with gun
metal or other suitable metal, into which is fitted a pin or bolt projecting
from the end of the arm or spoke. The said pins are so fitted into the
bushes that the feet can turn freely thereon as it is brought to and
raised from the ground in the revolution of the wheel. The gun metal
or other bushes must be of a length in proportion to the distance of the
end of the arm from the foot or rail block, and if properly made and
fitted these bushes will ensure steadiness of action of the feet for a
great length of time. To strengthen the aforesaid spokes or arms and
to form a surface for the application of a brake, I place a circular flange
or broad ring around the spokes or arms at or near the outer ends of the
same. I prevent noise, vibration, and the oxidation and wear of the
metal by covering the periphery of the tire of the wheels and the
surfaces of the feet or rail blocks with india-rubber or other suitable
elastic material or compound. I sometimes have two guides formed
near the ends of the spokes or arms for the feet or rail block to move
against, the said guides being so placed as to prevent play or slackness
on the bolts or pins when the feet come upon or leave the ground.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Pidding in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th April 1872.
TO ALL TÓ WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
PIDDING, of St. George's Terrace, Peckham, in the County of Surrey,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Pidding, Her special licence that I,
the said William Pidding, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Pidding, my executors, administrators,
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, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM TO BE ATTACHED
TO WHEELED VEHICLES TO FORM A RAILWAY THEREFOR," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Pidding, my executors 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 William Pidding, 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
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
My said Invention relates to improvements in the mechanism described
in the Specification of an Invention for which I formerly obtained
Letters Patent, bearing date the 21st day of June, A.D. 1869, and
numbered 1891.

page_text: According to my present Invention I construct and place at each side
of the carriage or vehicle a portable railway, consisting of a number of
pieces or sections cach of which is jointed in the centre to the outer
extremity of an arm or spoke by a bolt passing through and screwed into
a brass, gun metal, or iron shoe, and extending thence into the arm or
spoke, to which it is fastened in front with a nut. A number of the
aforesaid arms or spokes radiate from a common nave or boss, and form
a large wheel. The said nave or boss is fitted upon a strong shaft or
axle. The said shaft or axle is preferably passed through slots in a
frame attached to the vehicle and made self-adjusting, and is thereby
connected to the said vehicle, but does not bear any of its weight.
Figure 11s a side elevation of my improved portable railway; Figure 2
is a vertical section on the line x, x, Figure 1; Figure 3, an edge or
peripheral elevation of the said railway. Like letters indicate the same
parts throughout the Drawing.
a is the aforesaid shaft or axle; b is the nave or boss of the large
wheel from which the spokes or arms c radiate, the said spokes having
at their outer extremities the shoes c¹ secured to them by the bolts c³;
d is the railway composed of the pieces or sections d', which are con-
nected to the said shoes by the bolts e. fis one of the bearing wheels of
the carriage or vehicle which, as clearly shewn, run upon the inner
surface of the railway. These pieces, sections, or divisions d¹ of the
railway are preferably covered with india-rubber, or some other clastic
material or compound, to render the action noiseless and diminish
vibration, and if necessary the bearing wheels f may be likewise covered
with the same substance. The said pieces or sections d¹ are flat on their
. inner surfaces so that they may present an even surface for the bearing
wheels of the carriage or vehicle. The said pieces are rounded on their
outer extremities, as shewn at d. As the carriage or vehicle moves in
either direction the aforesaid large wheels revolve, and bring the said
pieces or sections of the rail to the ground in such a manner that they
form a continuous railway, whereon the bearing wheels of the carriage or
vehicle travel with case and smoothness. This large wheel with its
sections or divisions of rail attached may be constructed if necessary
entirely of metal.
Each arm or spoke c is secured to a ring or tire g at

page_text: the outer extremity of the said arm or spoke, and fastened to the same
by the bolts c, and in large wheels for carriages or vehicles constructed
for the conveyance of very heavy loads a corresponding ring or tire or
two or more of such rings or tires may be adjusted and secured to the
inner extremity of the aforesaid bolt of each arm or spoke. Each of the
pieces or sections of rail composing my portable railway has a long
socket in the centre bushed with gun metal or other suitable material;
into these sockets are fitted the pins or bolts e projecting from and
secured to the shoe of the arm or spoke as aforesaid. The pins or bolts e
are so fitted into the said bushes that the several sections or divisions of
rail move freely thereon, but the shoes c¹ have shoulders which limit
the motion of the said sections on their bolts, and keep all the sections
in their proper position in relation to each other, although as seen in
Figure 3 the said sections are not jointed or otherwise connected to
cach other, but are so shaped that their ends lic side by side with
spaces between them. The gun metal bushes must be of a length
proportionate to the distance of the sections or divisions of rail from
the arms or spokes, and when so arranged and carefully fitted they
will ensure steadiness of action for a long time. I use a brake for
retarding or stopping the carriage or vehicle. The said brake may be
operated by a lever or double cog wheel by means of a handle at
the front of the aforesaid carriage or vehicle, the said brake acting
instantly upon the bearing wheels of the same, or I may place upon
the aforesaid large wheel a broad flange or hoop for the application
of the brake.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it understood that I claim,―
First. A portable railway consisting of a number of pieces or sections
constructed and arranged in combination together around a central shaft
or axle and connected to spokes or arms extending from a nave or boss
on the said shaft or axle, and arranged in connection with a carriage or
vehicle in such a manner, that the bearing wheels of the same travel
upon the said railway as herein set forth.
Second. The shoes of the said spokes or arms acting in combination
with the pieces or sections of rail as herein set forth for the purpose.
specified

page_text: Third. Providing the said sections with a covering of india-rubber as
herein set forth for the purpose specified.
year
In witness whereof, I, the said William Pidding, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Twenty-fourth day of April, in the
of.
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
WILLIAM PIDDING. (LS.)
Witness,
EDWARD C. JACKSON,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
8, Southampton Bldgs.,
London.