CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING, RETARDING, AND STOPPING CARRIAGES ON RAILROADS
Year: 1842

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
BENTON, of Birmingham, Land Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Sixteenth day of July, in the sixth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert
Benton, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Robert Benton, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I;
the said Robert Benton, my exors, adññiors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time, and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING, RETARDING, AND STOPPING
CARRIAGES ON RAILROADS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso,
that I, the said Robert Benton, shall cause a particular description of the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert Benton, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of,-
First, improvements in propelling carriages on railroads by the use of
stationary power.
And secondly, of improvements in drags for retarding and stopping car-
riages on railroads, whether such carriages are propelled by stationary or
locomotive power.
Figure 1, in the accompany Drawings, exhibits a longitudinal section,
Figure 2 a transverse section, and Figure 3 a plan, of one of my improvements
in propelling. This improvement relates to that kind of railway in which
stationary power is employed to effect the rotation of a series of wheels on the
peripheries of which the carriage to be transported is borne. a, a, represent a
series of axles supported by and working in bearings placed equidistantly in
the channel or excavation b, b. c, c, are wheels fixed on the axles a, a, near
their extremities. d, d, are drums or driving wheels, fixed on the middles of
the axles a, a, and having strong flanges d', d", on their ends.
e, e, are semi-
circular depressions or chocks made at equidistant points on the flanges d¹, d",
of the drums or wheels d, d, or wooden or brass brushes, having similar
depressions or chocks, may be inserted in the flanges d', du, for the purpose of
defending the flanges from wear. These wooden or brass chairs must be
removed as often as occasion may require and new ones introduced. f, f, are
endless chains constructed as herein-after described. These endless chains
connect the flanges d', d", of the drums or wheels d, d; the connecting pins g, g,
of the links falling into the semicircular depressions of the flanges and chairs
d, du, of the drums or wheels d, d. h, h (Figures 1 and 2) represent a metallic
rail or bed attached to the bottom of the carriage to be propelled, which rail or
bed has on its under side a groove i, i. This groove must be lined with a
strong bar of the best wrought iron, having a circular face downwards, which
circular face must be a segment of larger diameter than that of the circular
edges of the wheels c, c, for the purpose of carrying the carriages to traverse
over a curve on the railway with greater ease. j, j, Figure 2, are wheels, the
axles of which work in collars on the arms k, k. These arms are fixed to the
bed of the carriage to be propelled. 1, 1, Figures 2 and 3, are tracks or open
passages in the walls, formed parallel to each other the whole length of the

page_text: railroad. The peripheries of the wheels j, enter these tracks, but without
resting on them.
My improved rotary railway is divided into sections of not less than a mile
in length, and the endless chain at one of the extremities or middle of each
5 section of the railroad passes over a drum or wheel similar to those repre-
sented at d, d, Figures 1, 2, and 3, excepting that it has only one flange, and
that situated at the middle of the drum. These drums connected, with each
section of the railroad are made to rotate by steam or other stationary power,
and through the endless chains f. f, cause the rotation of the entire series of
drums or wheels, and hence produce the propulsion of the carriage which rests
upon them. In case of accident to the propelling machinery the carriage will
be retained in its course, and supported by the wheels j, j, resting on the
tracks 1, 1, in the walls. The wheels j, j, serve also for passing the carriage
into sidings or branch roads constructed of flat rails. The endless chains f, ƒ,
are formed of metallic links connected together by pins, as shown in Figures
1, 2, and 3, and the links may either be made of bars of iron, or constructed
of iron or copper wire, in the manner represented in Figure 4. A piece of
round or square wire o is wound many times round a guage of the size of the
intended link; the two ends of the wire are then securely joined, and a ferrule
or waste burr n is introduced into each end of the link for the purpose of
receiving the pins 9, 9, by which the links are joined together. The shoulders
or flanges of the ferrules serve to keep the different layers of wire in their
places. By the introduction of the ferrules or waste burrs n, n, the pins g, g,
are prevented from touching the wire or metal composing the link; all wear is
consequently limited to the ferrules. When by long working the links have
become elongated, and the chains f, f, have become consequently slack,
ferrules or burrs of larger external diameter must be introduced into the ends
of the links, so as to bring the pins g, g, nearer to each other, and thus restore
the original tension. Figure 5 represents another form of burr which may be
introduced into the ends of the wire link. When this kind of burr is employed
the chain may be tightened by the insertion of the wedge piece p between the
burr q and the pin g bearing against it. In constructing the wire links care
must be taken to make the grooves of the ferrules or burrs of such width
between as to fit tightly the wire links, otherwise the strain on the links will
cause the wires of one stratum to fall between the wires of another stratum,
and thus render the link unfit for use.
The carriage may be retarded by the mechanism attached to the under part
of it, and which I will now describe.
r, r, are two strong bars of iron suspended from the bottom of the carriage by

page_text: the joints 's, s, these bars hang near to but do not touch the projecting rings
t, t, on the bearing wheels c, c. u, u, are two levers passing through the bottom
of the carriage, the lower ends of which rest against the bars r, r. By pressing
towards each other the upper ends of the levers u, u, the bars r, r, will be
forced horizontally and with any required pressure against the projecting
friction rings t, t, on the bearing wheels c, c, any the carriage will be thereby
retarded; the levers u, u, may be operated upon by the machinery herein-after
described, or by any other convenient mechanism.
The proper working and economical inaintenance of the rotary railroad
herein-before described, and represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the
accompanying Drawings, require that the greatest attention be paid to the
construction and stability of the foundation on which the bearings of the
propelling machinery are supported. The means by which I produce a
solid and durable foundation for my improved rotary railway are as
follows: The standards supporting the propelling machinery are made of
cast iron; they have feet or flanges at the bottoms of them, which feet or
flanges, together with the standards themselves, are built into walls not less
than two feet thick, and formed of brickwork, and a mastic or composition
made and used as follows:- Quicklime is slaked and allowed to become
perfectly cool. It is then. mixed with about one third its weight of powdered
quicklime, and sufficient water is added to bring the whole to a pulpy con-
sistency. The addition of the water causes the mass to become heated and
to effervesce briskly; while in this state the mixture must be introduced into
casings placed in the line of the intended wall.. Immediately before or after
introducing the mixture into the casings,.at least an equal quantity of sand,
pebbles, broken bricks, stone, or other hard materials may be added, with hair,
rushes, or any fibrous and tough materials. These matters must be well
incorporated with the mixture by stirring both before and after its introduc-
tion into the casing; as soon as the effervescence begins to subside the agitation
of the mixture must be discontinued, and it must be suffered to. rest until
perfectly cool.
Another of my improvements in propelling consists in a novel mode of
applying stationary power, whereby carriages or trains may be passed up
inclines of much greater acclivity than is practicable by the use of locomotive
power, and whereby the tunnelling and embankments necessary to reduce an
undulating to country gradients suitable to the common mode of propelling
carriages by locomotive power may be avoided. To carry this improvement
into operation stones or other ponderous matters are placed on any convenient
number of carriages on another line of rails at the summit of the incline; and

page_text: reserved there until the arrival of a train at the bottom of the incline. A rope,
of sufficient strength, is passed round a drum working on a vertical axis, placed
midway between the two lines of rails. This rope is connected at one end
with the ballast waggons, and at the other end with the train of carriages to
be drawn up. The ballast waggons are then allowed to descend the incline
on one line of rails, and in so doing they draw up the train on the other line
of rails. The speed of the ascending train must be regulated when requisite
by a drag or break on the drum. When the train has reached the summit
the ballast waggons have to be drawn back to the top of the incline by steam
or other stationary motive power. They may either be drawn up one at a
time or altogether by suitable machinery, the time elapsing between the arrival
of the several trains being sufficient to admit of this being effected slowly, and
by a steam engine of smaller power than would be necessary to drag up the
train itself at the high speed required by railway traffic. Instead of using
ballast waggons for passing trains up inclines, I prefer using water for that
purpose, wherever it can be conveniently obtained in sufficient quantity.
I use it in the following manner :-I plant a water wheel at the top of the
incline, and connect it with a drum working on an horizontal axis at the top
of the line of rails up which the train is to be drawn. The water wheel may
be driven by a stream from an artificial reservoir, situated at a proper height,
and in any convenient situation. The water after passing the wheel is received
into a second reservoir, situate at a lower level, and it is pumped back again
into the upper reservoir by a steam or other engine. The water wheel is
provided with a range of small counter buckets in order to reverse the motion
of the drum, and allow of the return of the rope to the bottom of the incline,
and to assist in regulating the passage of trains when descending the incline.
A break for the purpose of regulating the speed of the water wheel, and to
assist in protecting trains when descending the inclined planes, is formed by
affixing a strong metallic ring on one of its sides or in its middle between the
two ranges of buckets, against which ring the short arm of a lever is pressed
with any required force. The dimensions of the water wheel, and that of the
steam engine for returning the water from the lower to the upper reservoir,
depend on the probable traffic on the railway on which this mode of propulsion is
adopted. I also prefer the use of water power for the purpose of propelling on
the rotary railway herein-before described, wherever water can be conveniently
obtained in sufficient quantity. For this purpose I plant water wheels at the
ends or middle of each section or division of the railway; each of such water
wheels is supplied with a double range of buckets to work in opposite
directions for the purpose of reversing its motion. A register is connected

page_text: with the water wheel for the purpose of registering the number of revolutions
it makes, and thereby of informing the person in charge of it the distance to
which the train has travelled on that section of the railway which the said
water wheel actuates. The register consists of a circular dial divided into any
convenient number of degrees. An axis in the centre of the dial is connected
by a train of wheels with the water wheel, and a finger or index on this axis
indicates by the number of the degree to which it points the number of
revolutions made by the water wheel. The finger or index of the register is
not to be immoveably fixed on the axis; but is connected with it in such a
manner that it can be moved by the hand to any point of the dial, in the same
way as the finger or index of a clock may be moved; and the 'finger or index
of the register may be attached to its axis for the purpose of allowing such
motion as the finger or index of a clock is attached to its axis, or it may be
fitted loosely on the axis, and a spring attached to it may press upon a ratchet
wheel on the axis. Immediately a train arrives on any section of the rotary
railway the engineer in charge of that section places the finger or index of the
register at zero, and observes as the finger moves over the dial the progress of
the train. In order to give information of the approach of a train to the
various sections of the rotary railway, so as to enable the engineer to set the
water wheel to work and bring the propelling machinery into active operation
before the train arrives, a system of signals is adopted. Figure 6 will serve to
illustrate their construction. v represents a hollow column. w is a rod or
axis shewn in dotted lines passing through the column, and carrying at its top
the arm or lever æ; a shorter arm or lever y is fixed on its lower end. The
wires z, z¹, connected with the lower arm or lever, communicate with bells in
the engine houses at the ends of each section of the railway. The approaching
train in passing the column in the direction indicated by the arrow strikes the
lever x, and forcing it from its position at right angles to the line of railway
causes the lever y to pull the wirez, and thereby ring the bell at the station-
house towards which the train is proceeding. After the train has passed, the
arms and y return to their original position, by the action of springs or
weights connected with the ends of the bell wires. On the passage of a train
in the opposite direction the wire z¹ is pulled by the lever y, and the approach
of the train announced by the ringing of the bell at the station-house at the
other extremity of the section of the railway. A signal lever is placed midway
between the extremes of each section of the rotatory railway, so that the engine
has notice of the approach of a train to the section in his charge while the
train is yet half a section distant. When the sections are so short as to render
necessary a longer notice than the time during which the train passes over

page_text: half a section, the signals must be stationed at other points; but the situation of
these points must be determined by the length of the sections, and the mode
of arranging them is so obvious that I think it unnecessary to enter into further
detail.
Figure 10 represents another of my improvements in propelling. This
improvement consists of the application of a safety apparatus to locomotives
of the ordinary construction, by which safety apparatus the locomotive is
supported in case of the breaking of any of its axles. a, a, represent two arms
fixed to the front of the locomotive. c, is an axle working in collars in the
arms a, a. d, d, are rollers fixed on the axle c near to its ends. The surfaces
of the rollers d, d, are concave, as seen in the Figure. This apparatus is fixed
before the fore wheels of the locomotive, and at such a height that the rollers
d, d, may be within two or three inches of the rails b, b. In case of the
breaking of the axle of the fore wheels of the locomotive the rollers.d, d, will
come in contact with the rails b, b. The locomotive will thereby be supported
and enabled to proceed until its momentum is exhausted without risk of
running off the rails, the form of the rollers d, d, being such as to give it a
constant tendency to proceed in the direction of the line of rails. Figure 7
represents in plan, and Figure 8 in section, my improved drag or break for
retarding trains on railways. 1, 1, represent to levers jointed together at 2, and
attached to the carriage by a ball-and-socket joint for the purpose of allowing
them slight motion in a vertical plane. In case the wheels of the carriage
pass over any slight obstacle the levers yield vertically without their action in
any other respect being interrupted. The support 3 is introduced to prevent.
the ends of the levers 1, 1, from descending below the position represented.
The short arms of these levers bend over the end of the carriage, and are
terminated by the broad flat surfaces 4, 4.
of which is connected with the drum 6, and the other with the long arms of
the levers 1, 1. 7 is a winch on the axle of the pinion 8. The leaves of this.
pinion take into the teeth of the wheel 9, and the pinion 10 on the same axle
as the wheel 9, takes into the wheel 11. The axle of the wheel 11 commu→
nicates with the axle of the drum 6 by the bevil gear. 12, 13, is the carriage
on which the whole of the machinery is fixed. The wheels 14 of this carriage
are of much smaller diameter than the wheels of ordinary railway carriages, in
order that the faces 4 of the levers 1, 1, may be near the ground. 15 are low
walls of masonry, in each of which a plate of iron 16 is firmly fixed. The
height of the plates of iron from the ground is equal to that of the faces 4, 4,
of the lever 1, 1. Where the railway is cut-through a rocky country the walls
5,.5, are chains, one end of each

page_text: 15 are unnecessary, as the plates of iron 16 may be embedded in the rock.
'When it is desirable to retard or stop the train to which this drag is attached,
the person in charge of the drag turns the winch 7 in such a direction as will
wind the chains 5 around the drum 6. The long arms of the levers 1, 1, are
thus made to approach cach other, and the short arms receding from each
other the broad faces 4, 4, press horizontally against the iron plates 16 in the
walls 15, and by the friction produced retard or stop the train. I sometimes
make the levers of the form represented in Figure 9, so that the short ends
press inwards when the long ends are made to approach each other. When
this construction is adopted the short ends of the levers may be bent so as to
be on a level with and outside the rails on which the train is travelling. By
working the winch 7, Figure 7, the short arms of the levers press hori-
zontally against the rails and thereby retard or stop the train; or a rail or rails
may be laid between the line of the railway for the purpose of being grasped by
the levers Figure 9. The last-described machinery may also be employed for
retarding the carriages on the rotary railway herein-before described, by being
made to press together the levers u, u, Figures 1 and 2.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim
exclusive right to the use of the various parts of the improvements herein-
before described, separately considered, as many of them are or may be in
common use already; neither do I claim exclusive right to the propulsion of
carriages on the peripheries of revolving wheels, as such a mode of propulsion
is or may be in common use; neither do I claim exclusive right to the use of
the ballast waggons and water power for passing trains up inclines, apart from
the mode herein-before described of returning such ballast waggons to the top
of the incline, and of returning such water to the reservoir whence it is
'supplied by steam power, under such an arrangement as prevents the necessity
for employing a large amount of power to effect the whole of the labor in a
very limited space of time. But I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly, the arrangement of rotary railway herein-before described, in which
each pair of wheels on the peripheries whereof the carriages to be propelled
are borne is fixed on a single axis, together with the drum or driving wheels,
as herein-before described.
Secondly, the construction of carriages to be propelled on rotary railways,
having grooved beds or slides, the roofs of which are lined with bars of iron,
having a circular face downwards to secure them on the peripheries of the
propelling, wheels, the edges of which wheels are likewise circular, and also

page_text: having protecting wheels attached to the beds for running in the safety grooves
or passages and turnouts or sidings, as herein-before described, together with
the construction of such safety grooves or passages.
Thirdly, the construction and application on railways of endless chains of
wire or other metal links, having ferules or waste burrs to protect the wire or
metal links from wear, and also the modes of tightening such chains; also the
construction of the driving wheels or drums, with semicircular depressions or
chocks made at equidistant points on the flanges thereof, and provided with
convenient openings for receiving wooden or brass chairs or bushes, having
similar depressions or chocks against which the connecting pins of the endless
chains are made to bear or work.
Fourthly, the mode of preparing and using the mastic or cement herein-
before described, for forming foundations to rotary and other railways.
Fifthly, the mode of using the force of gravity through the medium of
ballast waggons in connection with steam power for propelling railway trains
up inclines, and the mode of returning to the summit of the incline such
ballast waggons by means of stationary power, as herein-before described.
Sixthly, the mode of employing water power in combination with steam or
other motive power for propelling carriages on rotary or other railways, and the
construction of counter-bucketed water wheels for reversing the motion when
required, as herein-before described.
Seventhly, the retarding and stopping of trains on any kind of railways by
the pressure of levers exerted horizontally, either against the wheels or
against the tram rails forming the railway, or against an iron rail or rails,
or plates planted for the purpose of receiving such pressure, as herein-before
described.
Eighthly, the construction and employment of a system of signals on rotary
railways, and the construction of the traffic dial or register, whereby the
approach of a train is announced at any convenient distance, and its progress
pointed out on the dial, as herein-before described.
And, ninthly, the application of safety rollers, having concave surfaces in
front of locomotive engines to support and retain the engine on the line of
rails, in the event of the wheels under the engine breaking down, as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Benton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-three.
ROBERT (L.S.) BENTON.

page_text: AND. BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eleventh day of January,
in the year of our Lord 1843, the aforesaid Robert Benton came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specifi-
cation aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Sixteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-three.