Improvements in and Construction of Railways for Amusement and Recreation.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in and Construction of Railways for Amusement and
Recreation.
We FREDRICK HERBERT ANDERTON of 5 Norfolk Row Sheffield, Machinist, and
WILLIAM MARSHALL of 39 Burton Street Sheffield Amusement Caterer, both in the
county of York do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :—
Our invention consists of improvements in construction and arrangement of circular
or other endless undulating railways, so as to allow the car or vehicles to be propelled
or driven by steam or other power, instead of by gravity.
In carrying out our invention, we make a circular or other form of endless track
or lino having an undulating surface similar to the Switchback or Gravity railway,
but instead of employing gravity to drive the vehicle or vehicles we drive them by
steam or other power, placed in or near the centre of the circle, or in other convenient
place, and the power transmitted by suitable arrangement to the vehicles.
By this means we are enabled to use a small and portable track, and also by
continuing the motion of the vehicles round the track, to make them travel any length
of time desired.
The naturo of our invention is essentially the employment of steam or other motive
power to drive the vehicle or vehicles entirely round the undulating track, instead of
using gravity.
FREDRICK H. ANDERTON.
WILLIAM MARSHALL.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Construction of Railways for Amusement and
Recreation.
We FREDRICK HERBERT ANDERTON of 5 Norfolk Row, Sheffield, Machinist, and
WILLIAM MARSHALL of 39 Burton Street Langsett Road, Sheffield, Amusement
Caterer, both in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement of
circular or other endless undulating railways, the object being to enable the Cars
or similar Vehicles to be propelled or driven by steam or other motive power,
(instead of by gravity and acquired momentuin) transmitted to the cars by suitable
meclianism.
And in order that our invention may be clearly understood we annex a sheet of
drawings illustrating our invention, the view shown being a front elevation of a
circular undulating Railway having a centrally fixed Engine, driving or propelling
four Cars, the track of rails boing constructed with two hills and two intermediate
valleys.
In carrying out our invention in constructing a Railway such as before described
and as shown in the drawings, (the said arrangement having been carried into practice
successfully) we make a circular track or double line of suitable rails for the purpose,
marked A, curving them and gradually inclining them upwards until they reach the
highest desired point on opposite sides of the circle at B, from which the rails descend
to the lowest point, which is shown in the centre of the drawing. The rails may be
stayed or supported in any suitable manner, and we prefer to erect a platform
continuously with, and alongside the track so that the cars can be entered or left at
any place on the track if desired. Thus there are two high and two-low points on
the track, with a gradual incline and decline between them forming undulations.
We wish it however to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to any
particular number of undulations as the number may be varied, nor to using a circular
form of track, as other forms (such as oval) may be arranged, the present description
being only given as an example.
The Cars C or other vehicles for carrying passengers, may be of any design, and
suitably arranged with wheels for running upon rails, such as those shown.
In or near the centre of the circular track we fix an Engine D, of any type suitable
for the purpose, and we erect a framework capable of being revolved by the Engine D,
either by means of a wheel F, and pinion G, driven by a vertical shaft H direct from
the engine, or by other well known means; the framework in the apparatus shown is
supported and revolves upon the metal chimney of the Engine I, but it may be
supported and revolve upon an independent standard.

page_text: The Cars C, are driven by vertical rods or tubes J, firmly stayed by the radial
stay-rods K, and by the pull rod L, and stretcher rod M, secured to the lower end of
vertical rod or tube J.
The rod or tube fits into and slides easily through a slide block N, which is carried
by and has a horizontal movement in a strong slotted bracket O, firmly secured to the
side or other part of the Car.
It will thus be seen that when the engine is set in motion, the framework is caused
to revolve, and the rods or tubes J, communicate the movement to the cars; as the
cars ascend or descend the inclines the slide blocks N, carried by the cars slide either
up or down the rods or tubes J, as the case may be.
The cars may thus be caused to travel round the circular or endless track of
undulating rails for any required length of time.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried into practice,
we declare that what we claim is :-
1 The combination with an endless undulating Railway, of a steam or gas engine,
or other like motor, arranged to drive the cars, substantially as herein described and
shown.
2-Driving the Cars or other vehicles of an endless, undulating, pleasure railway,
by means of a stationary Steam Engine or other motor (in contradistinction to carriages
driven wholly or partially by their gravity and momentum) the power of such motor
being transmitted by any suitable arrangement of intermediate mechanism.
3 An endless undulating railway, having cars or their equivalent vehicles, vessels,
or horses, driven by steam or other stationary motive power, transmitted through
suitable mechanism, for the purpose herein before specified.
01
1
T
3000
ROBERT F. DRURY,
Agent for the Applicants.