IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS, AND IN THE MEANS OF PROPELLING AND CARRYING THEREON
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
SWINBURNE, of Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Third day of January, in the ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Swinburne, my exors, adñors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Thomas Swinburne, my
exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Swinburne, my
exors, admors, 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, in the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and
Plantations abroad, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS, AND IN THE
MEANS OF PROPELLING AND CARRYING THEREON;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso that I, .the said Thomas Swinburne, shall cause a par-
ticular 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

page_text: 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Swinburne, hereby declare that my said improvements in railways
have relation to the class of railways known by the name of atmospheric
railways, and that my improvements in propelling and carrying have relation to
railways of all descriptions; and the nature of the said improvements respec-
tively, and in what manner the same are to be performed, are fully described
in and by the present Specification thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
My Invention consists,―
Firstly, in employing, instead of one long continuous atmospheric traction or
propelling tube, several short and discontinuous traction or propelling tubes,
placed at intervals more or less distant apart. Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings
represents a sectional elevation of a portion of an atmospheric railway on this
plan. A, B, represents one of a series of tubes perfectly close except at the
end A, which is open, and at the passage D, which communicates with the
ordinary exhausting apparatus. H is an air-tight piston situated at the end A
of the tube. M is a flexible rope or chain fastened to a frame k, k', which
runs between guides E, E, for the purpose of keeping it steady. At l, l, in
the guides, there are shoulders against which the bar k' of the frame is pressed
when the air is exhausted from the tube, and which, by means of the bar and
rope or chain M will keep the piston stationary at A till the bar is pressed
below the shoulder. P is an upright bar bolted to the frame k, k¹, the use of
which is to bring the frame into connection with the carriages. The tube
A, B, being exhausted, the apparatus in the state above described is ready for
the propulsion of the train. In order to make these means of propulsion
available, the leading carriage R of the train is furnished on the under part
with a hinged tappet F, which will pass over the upright bar P on coming
in contact with it, but which will not allow the bar to pass back again when
the piston is set in motion, and also with another tappet G placed at a suitable
interval behind the other, and so adjusted that it will give way and allow the
upright bar P to escape at any given pressure. In advance of the tappets,
but so as not to interfere with them, are attached to the bottom of the same
carriage two inclined planes S, S, one of which is seen in the Drawings.
These inclined planes are so fixed that as soon as the upright bar P has passed
behind the tappet F they may come upon the bar k', and press it down, and so
disengage it from the shoulders l, l, as shewn in Figure 2, when the piston
•

page_text: will be free to move. When therefore the front carriage, furnished with such
tappets and inclined planes as aforesaid is brought up to the upright bar P,
so that that bar shall be between the two tappets, and the bar k¹ is then
disengaged from the shoulders, the piston will pass to the end of the tube,
dragging with it the upright bar P and propelling the train. On the piston
reaching the end B of the tube, the upright bar P will come in contact with
the tappet G, which will give way, and the train will proceed with the
impetus it has now acquired to the second or next succeeding traction tube
A', on arriving at which the second upright bar P¹ will pass under the tappet
F, the inclined planes S, S, will disengage the bar k", and the piston will be
set in motion as before. If the piston does not in the first instance travel so
fast as the train is now moving, the tappet G (which may be made to with-
stand any required pressure) will carry on the frame and upright bar till the
piston acquires a velocity greater than the train. The upright bar P¹ will
then be brought against the tappet F, and the train be again propelled, after
which it will be disengaged from the upright bar, as before, and will be
accelerated again on arriving at the next traction tube. The advantage of
this mode of propulsion is that the tubes, on account of their perfect closeness,
can be more perfectly exhausted, and also that the shortness of the tubes
allows of their being made of much larger calibre, and consequently of greater
power than heretofore. It will probably be found that with tubes of three
feet in diameter and of fifty or one hundred yards in length the traction tubes
may be fixed two or three miles or more apart from each other. I prefer
employing close tubes, as before described; but it will be obvious that my
system of discontinuous propelling tubes is also applicable to tubes of the kind
now ordinarily used, that is, tubes having a longitudinal valve, along which the
connecting bar passes, but in that case each tube would have a separate piston
and connecting bar.
Secondly, my Invention consists in combining with a series of short discon-
tinuous and entire traction tubes, as before described, the peculiar mode of
exhausting the same represented in the Plan, Figure 3. A, B, represents a
close tube, with a piston at the end A, to which is attached a rope or chain M,
the tube being made perfectly close by means of the stopcock t, or otherwise,
after the piston is brought to the end B. C is another rope furnished with
apparatus for attaching it at pleasure to the bar k¹ of the frame k, k'. This
rope runs over a roller N at a suitable distance from the tube, and is con-
nected with drawing machinery placed at a proper distance in a sunken pit
(not shewn in the Drawing), and the object of which machinery, whether
worked by manual or other power, is to pull the piston along the tube from

page_text: B to A. On the arrival of the piston at A the bar will have arrived at E,
and being passed over the shoulder t'of the guide will retain the piston
at A. The rope or chain C may then be detached from the bar or frame, as
before, when the apparatus will be ready for propulsion.
Thirdly, my Invention consists in the following improved means for render-
ing and keeping the piston air-tight. For this purpose let the piston have
two or more packings, as represented in the Drawing, Figure 4, with an
interval n of a few inches between the packings to be filled with soft and
plastic matter, such as a compound of tallow and plumbago. The mode of
filling the interval I propose is this:-Let there be an opening (a) in the tube
closed by a stopcock or valve, and let the piston be placed in the tube, so that
the interval between the packings may come exactly under this opening, and
the matter may be introduced through it. This matter it is evident will tend
to stop the air from passing between the tube and piston when the latter is
drawn up.
Fourthly, my Invention consists in a method of preserving the vacuum
when once obtained in short and discontinuous atmospheric railway tubes, such
as before described. Instead of having the tubes entirely open at one end,
which would occasion a heavy and continued pressure on the piston and
continued strain upon the rope, let a smaller tube a, a, as shewn in Figure 5,
be fixed to the end of the main tube A, and another tube c, c, so as to leave a
hollow space between them. At the end of the piston let another tube b, b,
be fixed, so as to pass within the space between the tubes a and c. Let the
interval between the tubes a and c be filled with some yielding plastic matter,
such as white lead or clay mixed with oil, to prevent it drying, and let the end
of the tube A be furnished with a valve s opening outwards. It is plain that
if the piston be drawn up to the end of the tube the tube 6 will enter and
become embedded in the clay or other matter contained in the interval
between the tubes a and c. The air between the piston and the end of the
tube will have escaped by the valve s, which will close, and the pressure of the
atmosphere will be excluded, except as to that part of the piston which
is within the tube b, b. The communication between the air and the interior
of the tube will be then cut off, and there will remain only the pressure upon
so much of the piston as is left exposed by the tube b, which pressure is
easily opposed by the chain C until the moment arrives when it is required to
propel the carriage.
Fifthly, my Invention consists in combiuing with short discontinuous and
entire traction tubes, such as before described; the following method of
impelling the working pistons through the same:-S
-Suppose T, Figure 6, to be

page_text: an arched building over the line, which is carried up to the height of (say)
forty feet and upwards, and on the top of this building let there be a reservoir
filled with water, communicating with the traction tube A, B, by means of
pipes V, V, each provided with a stopcock by which the water in the reservoir
may be let into the tube. The stopcocks being opened, the water will rush
with great rapidity and force into the tube, and drive the piston to the end of
the tube. The piston may be made, as it passes the valve S, to open
that valve to allow of the escape of the water in the tube, and the stopcocks of
the supply pipes V, V, must be simultaneously closed.
Sixthly, my Invention consists of a carriage suitable for railways of all
descriptions of the new construction represented in elevation and plan in
Figures 7 and 8. A, Figure 8, is the body of the carriage, which consists of a
hollow cylinder, having at each end a broad flanged rim B similar to that of
the ordinary railway wheel. From each end of the cylinder a short axial arm
projects, for the purpose of passing the shafts b over it, as represented in the
Drawings. A hinged door, C, of any convenient size, is made in the periphery
of the cylinder. To render this sort of carriage more extensively available for
carrying by railway, each carriage is provided with a set of caps, by the fitting
on of which to the broad rims of the carriage the whole of these rims may be
raised to a level with the tops of the outside flanges, and so present a plain
surface to the ground. They are secured in their places by means of bolts
passed through holes s, s, s, and secured on the other side by linch pins. The
carriage is thus rendered useable on common roads; and on arriving at a
railway all that is necessary is to take out the linch pins and remove the caps.
For the purpose of more readily attaching and detaching the caps, a piece
of each cap, say eighteen inches in length, may be made separate from the
rest, and fitted on separately from the rest of the cap, as indicated in the
carriages X, Y, Figure 7, and shewn separately in Figs. 9 and 10. Thus,
supposing a cap were brought up to the carriage in such a position that the
open or broken part of it was downward, in order that the cap might not
be obstructed by the ground, the bolts should then be fastened, and the
carriage turned so as to bring the open part of the cap away from the ground,
and to give room for fastening the detached piece. The carriages Z, Z,
Figure 7, are represented with the caps entirely removed and ready for
railway travelling. The carriage Y, Figure 7, is represented as fitted with
the caps complete, and in a state fit for common road transit.
Seventhly and lastly, my Invention consists of an application of the
improvements firstly and sixthly herein-before described to rapid conveyance,
especially of goods, letters, &c. Let C, C, Figure 11, represent a train of

page_text: carriages of the description. last herein-before described, except that there is
no rim, and only a hoop at each end, as shewn in the separate view, Fig. 11ª;
and let A, B, and C, D, represent a series of short discontinuous and entire
tubes of a rectangular form,.having valves at B and D opening outwards, and
also at A and C opening in the same direction, and containing inside of them
rails for the carriages to run upon. The tubes are intended to be made just
large enough to admit the carriage to run through them, and no larger.
When these tubes are exhausted, the valves at B and D will necessarily
remain closed by the pressure of the atmosphere; but suppose the valve at A
to be kept closed by the bolt or latch 6 commanded by a trigger (C), then, if
the carriage or train of carriages C, C, is now put into the open part of the
tube, and the trigger drawn, the bolt will be removed, whereupon the valve at
A will fall, and the carriage or train will be driven along the tube. Before
the carriage or train arrives at B, the air will have got in advance of the
carriage, and becoming compressed between the carriage or train and the
valve at B, will throw down that valve, and the carriage or train will pass on;
and on arriving at the next traction tube the carriage or train will enter the
open part of the tube, and the carriage or first carriage will strike the trigger,
whereupon the valve at C will fall, and the carriage or train will pass through
the tube, as before. Instead of the end of the first or starting tube A, B,
being open, it might be closed, and the train impelled through the tube by
compressed air instead of the natural atmosphere, and that even without any
valve at B or exhaustion of the tube A, B. The desired velocity being once
acquired would only have to be kept up, which might be done by the
succeeding tubes by the agency of the natural atmosphere. The carriages
may easily be stopped at their destination by receiving them in a tube closed
at the end. It is obvious that this mode of propulsion may be also applied to
other kinds of carriages besides those herein-before described.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I-declare that what I claim is,―
First, the employment in atmospheric railways of short and discontinuous
traction or propelling tubes placed at intervals more or less.apart, as before
described.
Second, the application of the traction or propulsive power obtained by the
exhaustion of such short and discontinuous tubes to the propelling of carriages,
by the means and in manner before described.
Third, the combination of the improvements firstly and secondly before
claimed, with the peculiar mode of exhausting the tubes herein-before
described.

page_text: Fourth, the means of packing the pistons of atmospheric railway tubes
before described.
Fifth, the mode before described of preserving the vacuum when once
obtained in such short, discontinuous, and entire atmospheric railway tubes, as
aforesaid.
Sixth, the combination of the improvements firstly before claimed with
the method of working the pistons by hydraulic pressure, as before described.
Seventh, the carriage of the peculiar form and with the appliances before
described.
Eighth and lastly, the combination of the improvements firstly and seventhly
herein-before claimed for the purposes of rapid conveyance, especially of goods,
letters, &c., as before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Swinburne, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Third day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
THOMAS (L.S.) SWINBURNE.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Third day of July, in the year
of our Lord 1846, the aforesaid Thomas Swinburne, Esquire, came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
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 Third day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty-six.