IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO RAILWAYS FOR THE PURPOSE OP FACILITATING THE TRANSPORT OF CARRIAGES CONTAINING GOODS AND PASSENGERS ACROSS ARMS OF THE SEA, RIVERS, LAKES, OR INLAND WATERS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO RAILWAYS FOR THE PURPOSE
OP FACILITATING THE TRANSPORT OF CARRIAGES CONTAINING GOODS AND
PASSENGERS ACROSS ARMS OF THE SEA, RIVERS, LAKES, OR INLAND WATERS."
-A communication from abroad by Monsieur Mallat de Bassilan, of
Paris, in the Empire of France.
Sealed the 5th November 1861, and dated the 6th June 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th June 1861.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for." IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO RAILWAYS FOR THE
PURPOSE OF FACILITATING THE TRANSPORT OF CARRIAGES CONTAINING GOODS AND
PASSENGERS ACROSS ARMS OF THE SEA, RIVERS, LAKES, OR INLAND WATERS," to
be as follows:-
This Invention consists in constructing a vessel into which the laden railway
carriages may be run from the end of the land railway, and may be conveyed
by such vessel to the other side of the water, and may be run out of tho
opposite end of the ship on to the other line of railway. To effect this,
openings which may be closed with doors are made at each end of the vessel;
and decks are constructed at proper levels, and provided with rails. The

page_text: doors at one end of the vessel are opened, and the carriages are run from the
land railway on to the rails in the vessel, which is then propelled across the
intervening water space, and when it arrives at the opposite side the doors at
the other end of the vessel are opened, and the carriages run out on to the
rails of the railway on that side. The bodies of the carriages are provided with
small grooved truck rollers, and they are run on to trucks, on which are fixed
rails for the purpose. The carriage bodies are secured on these trucks by
chains, pins, or in any other convenient manner, so that they can be easily
detached.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th December 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing-date the Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, tho
said William Edward Newton, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS APPLICABLE TO RAILWAYS FOR THE PURPOSE OF FACILITATING THE TRANSPORT
OF CARRIAGES CONTAINING GOODS AND PASSENGERS ACROSS ARMS OF THE SEA,
RIVERS, LAKES, OR INLAND WATERS," a communication from abroad by Monsieur
Mallat de Bassilan, of Paris, in the Empire of France, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The maritime railway which forms the subject of the present Invention, is
so called by reason of its serving to transport trains and their loads of any
description from land railways across the water, is composed, 1st, of a vessel
of the ordinary form, furnished with doors behind and before, or at the poop
and prow, and provided inside with a special system of rails, some of which
are flat, and the others grooved. 2nd, of carriages, waggons, and all kind of
running vehicles now employed, or to be employed upon railways, but
separated from their trucks (or carriages proper), and provided with a perfectly
firm flooring, and at their sides with small running wheels (or galets in
French), which run upon rails specially intended for them; some of these
wheels (galets) are flat to their edge, and the others of a rounded form (à
boudin in French). These carriages or waggons may be also provided with
rollers under their flooring. 3rd, of several accessories, such as draw-
bridges, swing bridges, any hydraulic power, as well as other means, and large
strong low carts for the transport of the waggons' galets out of the goods
stations, which together complete this maritime railway, the locomotives and
trucks of which always remain on land, and are not embarked for the purpose
of transit across the water. All these accessories are furnished, like certain
quays of the terminus and stations, and of floating docks, with rails according
to this system.
It may now be seen that it is the actual rolling stock or rolling material:
only which is modified, for it is cut away or separated horizontally at the
height of the side framing of the trucks, and that after having undergone
some modification, it constitutes the rolling stock of the maritime railway.
The object of this system of railway is the bringing together or prolongation
of land railways upon the water, and facilitating the transit of goods by water
without it being necessary to break bulk, or unload for the purpose of transit.
from land to water, and from water to land; from Calais to Dover, for
instance, and vice versa.
DESCRIPTION.

page_text: quay of a floating dock, with its four large openings closed, leading to rails of
the system screwed to the flooring of the between deck, and upon that of
tho deck, forming one or more iron ways in and upon the vessel.
Fig. 2 shews as a specimen of all the running vehicles of the railway, a
carriage mounted upon its small wheels (galets), and placed upon a truck, the
framing and wheels of which are shewn in red lines. It is, therefore, the
upper part (separated from the truck) of what are now called carriages,
waggons, frames, &c., consisting in a framing, with or without sides and
uprights, and either open or bound with cords, bands, or rings, to which I
have adapted small cast-iron running wheels (galets), the ones on one row are
flat, and the other rounded (à boudin), which small wheels set in the side
framing, by preference, may be replaced by rollers, small wheels made with
felloes, or any other means by which the carriages inay be made to run upon
rails of the system with which the trucks, certain quays of the stations and
floating docks, the draw-bridges, and the decks of the vessel are provided.
On referring to Fig. 1, it may be seen that the vessel is provided with four
large openings A. These openings, which may be made of any elegant and
ornamental form, are represented closed, and are a sort of large vertical hatch-
ways furnished with side doors, or other means of closing them, provided with
a baize, well greased so as to render it perfectly-water-tight. These doors
turn upon strong hinges B, placed in an inverse position, and are securely
fastened inside by means of an iron bar and padlock, or any other means,
provided the whole be of galvanized iron, strong and well fitted. Of these
four large openings, the two lower ones open into the between deck to receive
without their trucks the vehicles provided with small running wheels (galets),
and loaded with the heaviest goods, and which are first run on board the
vessel. The two upper ones open on a level with the deck, for the reception
of the passenger carriages, or carriages containing light goods, or even live
stock. The decks of the vessel are provided with rails of the system screwed
to the beams of the flooring, and which extend longitudinally from one end of
the vessel to the other. Of each of the pair of these rails constituting a
single
line of rails, the one nearest the centre of the vessel is provided with a
longitudinal groove to receive and guide the rounded wheels (or wheels with a
flange, roues à boudin,) of the waggons' galets corresponding to them, the
further rails being quite flat, upon which may run the wheels of carriages of
greater or less breadth coming from foreign railways.
It is upon these railways (which might be modified according to the.mode
of running which might be adopted), which I call maritime, and which may
consist of single or double lines, according to the dimensions of the maritime

page_text: vehicles, that after having been run upon drawbridges lowered to the openings
in the stern of the vessel conveniently placed in the floating dock, the waggons'
galets provided with their small running wheels (galets) are run from one end
to the other. They are then firmly fastened up by the best means (which
may be learnt by experience) to secure them against rolling and pitching. After
they have left the locomotive (which has just pushed them back) and their
trucks, which, by means of turntables have re-entered the stations, the waggons'
galets are introduced one by one, by any suitable power into the railway
vessel, by a little power from the steam engine of the vessel, for example.
Fig. 2, taken as an example of one of the waggons' galets above mentioned,
which may be of different sizes if necessary, and opening either at the side or
at the top, or at the back, and with or without internal compartments or other
arrangements, represents one of the cases or carriages V, serving for the
reception of any kind of load, either animate or inanimate, and running upon
six or more galets or rollers G. These wheels, one half of which on the samo
row must be rounded (à boudin), are made of cast iron, and are placed
severally in a case of the same metal, set and firmly bolted in the thickness of
the side framing, or elsewhere, and provided with an aperture for the lubri-
cating oil. These vehicles, whether closed or not, are severally firmly attached
to their trucks (or carriages proper) during the passage of the trains upon the
land railways. Upon the upper surface of each of these trucks is a line of
rails of the system placed longitudinally, suitable for the galets to run upon
when running the carriages into or out of the vessel. The waggons' galets are
fastened to the trucks by means of chains at their four corners, or by bolting
the waggons' galets to the trucks, or by any other means, whatever may be
their loads, use, or form.
It may be remarked, that these carriages or other vehicles above mentioned
suitable for running upon this improved railway without their trucks or
carriages proper, are ordinarily loaded on a siding, or on the main line; but
they may also be conducted elsewhere, into a town, for instance, or store place,
to be there laden under the instructions of the goods traffic manager, or of
private carriers. For this purpose they are run from their trucks on to quay's
constructed for that purpose at the stations, and from thence upon large low
carts constructed with supports or props (which are easily worked with certain
arrangements), by which they are conducted empty to the loading place, and
brought back loaded, to be immediately replaced upon the trucks, and sent off
by the first trains. By these means packing in tin, wood, or otherwise, and
also the storing of goods at the goods stations are economized amongst other
advantages, which is a gain of nearly half the speed during the transit, without

page_text: reckoning the loading and unloading on board ship, which occasions loss of
time and damage. As soon as the land train arrives at the station where
embarkation is to take place, it is directed (the locomotive being shifted to the
rear) towards the quay of the floating dock by a branch line (upon a slope at
a suitable gradient or incline) of the railway, which branches off into two lines
near the floating dock, (that of Calais, for example,) it then presents
successively on the right and left, one by one, the waggons' galets loaded.
There the trucks belonging to them are brought forwards until they touch tho
quay on the shore of the floating dock, furnished with rails, forming part of
this Invention, which quay, by reason of the incline of the slope, is at the
height of the waggons' galets, which detached from their trucks are brought
opposite the large openings at the stern of the vessel, where they enter together
at the starboard and larboard sides over the drawbridges furnished with the
improved rails into the vessel, the doors of which are open. During the first
part of this speedy and simple operation, the trucks become free, are sent back
to the stations by means of turntables at each side, and have been followed by
the loaded trucks, which take their place..
This mode of embarkation, as well as that of disembarkation, which is
analogous, might be effected by taking a little power from the-engine-of-the-
steamer, or by any other motive power, if thought expedient, especially when
it is required to carry the maritime railway over the water in a ferry boat, or
other boat. Having been.embarked one by one in a straight line, or passed.
from one line to the other on the same side by a fixed crossing, the waggons'
galets are tied together as they arrive, and are brought forwards starboard and
larboard, being made to follow in line by means of the galets working in the
grooved rails. They are then drawn forwards by means of a suitable apparatus.
specially adapted for the purpose, and provided with a chain attached to the
front carriage. This operation having been quickly effected, the trains will be
in a position to be disembarked through the front openings, made crosswise
right and left of the bowsprit; although it is preferable to disembark at the
stern, which merely requires a movement the inverse of what was done for.
giving entrance in the under deck and on the upper deck of the vessel.
The whole mass (waggons' galets and loading), measuring in bulk 440
tons, constituting two regular trains, embarked in an hour, will then be
perfectly fastened up, moored, and maintained in place, so as to be immoveable,
and preserve the qualities of the railway vessel. The doors of the stern
openings are to be carefully closed, padlocked, and caulked up, if necessary.
The vessel having been examined and found to be in a perfect state, and.
having already its steam up, and the goods' trains having already been

page_text: embarked, completes its embarkation with the passengers' train, which has
just arrived. The powerful screw is then set in motion, and the vessel leaves
the floating dock and the harbour without delay, and thus makes a short
passage from Calais to Dover, for instance, or to any other point.
This passage, the object of which it will be understood, is to unite the sea
with the land railways, and pass to another line of railway possessing the
necessary conditions, such as will be easily obtained at Dover, where draw-
bridges, the quay of the floating dock, and a branch line from the South
Eastern Railway situated at some hundred yards from the harbour, will be
found suitable for working the maritime railway. This passage having been
effected, the waggons' galets are to be conducted upon British trucks furnished
with the improved rails, and may then be made to pass through England and
Scotland, or even Ireland.
Such is the description of the system of maritime railway for uniting lines
of land railways of a country with lines of countries beyond water, applicable
to transit over any watery space, for which I claim an exclusive privilege, as
well as for iron or wooden vessels worked by paddles or screws, adapted to or
newly constructed for the purpose, and for any method of transport upon
water, as for the system of waggons' galets, cases, frames of any kind, and all
kind of vehicles now employed, or to be employed upon railways and their
stations, reserving to myself the privilege of employing the sea and land
apparatus, either together or separately, for various purposes upon land or
water.
Such is under the title of maritime railway, serving to prolong or unite
land railways, the description of the Invention of which I claim the exclusive
application, either as a whole or in detail, protesting beforehand against any
thing which might tend to usurp the privilege thereof, either as a whole or
in detail.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)