IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING SAND TO THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Beall, of Effingham Place, Cheshunt,
Herts, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
APPLYING SAND TO THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 6th June 1854, and dated the 8th December 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Beall at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th December 1858.
I, JAMES BEALL, of Effingham Place, Cheshunt, Herts, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR APPLYING SAND TO THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the construction of apparatus to be
applied to locomotive or other carriages, in order to apply sand, when
desired, to the surfaces of the rails of a railway. For this purpose the
sand is placed in a suitable vessel, the shape of which may be varied,
and from this vessel a tube descends to near the surface of the rail on
which sand is to be laid, and in order to regulate the supply of sand to

page_text: the rail a valve is employed at or near the upper part of the tube,
which when down closes the opening into the tube. The valve may
be varied in its form; the one I prefer consists of a flat valve, coated
with vulcanized india-rubber, which comes on to a ring or edge
surrounding the entrance into the tube, the valve being constantly
pulled on by an india-rubber or other spring, or in place of such form
of valve as above described, the valve may consist of a hollow cup,
which when closed covers the opening into the tube. The valve is in
connection with a suitable pull or instrument, for opening it and
keeping it open against the action of the vulcanized india-rubber
spring.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Beall in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th June 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES BEALL, of Effingham Place, Cheshunt, Herts, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Beall, Her special licence
that I, the said James Beall, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said James Beall, my executors, administra-
tors, 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 APPA-
RATUS FOR APPLYING SAND TO THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Beall, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the samė
was to be performed; and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal

page_text: 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 Beall, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof (that is to say):-
-
.
This Invention has for its object the construction of apparatus to be
applied to locomotive or other carriages, in order to apply 'sand, when
desired, to the surfaces of the rails of a railway. For this purpose the
sand is placed in a suitable vessel, the shape of which may be varied,
and from this vessel a tube descends to near the surfaco of the rail on
which sand is to be laid, and in order to regulate the supply of sand to
the rail a valve is employed at or near the upper part of the tube,
which when down closes the opening into the tube. The valve may
be varied in its form; the one I prefer consists of a flat valve, coated
with vulcanized india-rubber, which comes on to a ring or edge sur-
rounding the entrance into the tube, the valve being constantly pulled
on by an india-rubber or other spring, or in place of such form of valve
as above described, the valve may consist of a hollow cup, which
when closed covers the opening into the tube. The valve is in con-
nection with a suitable pull or instrument, for opening it and keeping
it open against the action of the vulcanized india-rubber spring.
Having described my Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I will now describe the accompanying Drawing, which exhibits a
longitudinal sectional elevation of my improved apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
a is the box or reservoir for sand, grit, &c., having a lid b, so formed
as to exclude moisture. The bottom of the box or reservoir a is formed
in such manner as to conduct the sand, grit, &c. to the opening c, which
is provided with a valve d, formed of vulcanized india-rubber, such
value d having at all times a tendency to close by the action of the
spring e (also of vulcanized india-rubber, but any other spring or a
weight might be used in lieu thereof). The spring e is attached at its
one end to the under side of the valve d, and at its other end to the

page_text: cross pin f, which is passed into the taper tube or channel 9. The
valve d is attached to the shaft or axis k by a cord, wire, or chain i, in
such manner that by turning the handle m (and consequently the axis k
to which it is affixed) the cord, wire, or chain i will be partially wound
on to the axis k, and thus be the means of raising the valve d, so that
the sand, grit, &c. may flow through the opening c, down the taper
tube or channel g into the tube h, which tube h reaches within a few
inches of the rails of the railway; and I prefer to clothe the extremity
of the tube by a tube of vulcanized india-rubber h', which extends
downwards towards the rails of the railway in such manner as nearly
to touch them, by which the sand, grit, &c. may be distributed upon
the rails in windy weather, and the flexible nature of the tube h¹ will
bo less likely to suffer by any slight impediment than if the metal tubes
k were carried equally close to the rails.
Having thus described my Invention, and also shown and described
the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into prac-
tice, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself to
the precise details given, as the same may be varied without departing
from my Invention. But what I claim is, the mode of arranging and
combining apparatus as herein described for applying sand to the rails
of railways.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Beall, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
JNO. COOK,
12, Cursitor Street,
Chancery Lane.
JAMES BEALL. (L.B.)