IMPROVE- MENTS IN LOCOMOTION
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Imray, of 190, Westminster Bridge Road,
in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOCOMOTION."
Sealed the 30th June 1868, and dated the 1st January 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Imray at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st January 1868.
1, JOHN IMRAY, of 190, Westminster Bridge Road, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention,
for IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTION," to be as follows:--
My Invention has for its object the transport of goods or passengers
in a course, clear of the ground from one point to another at a moderate
distance, such as two or three hundred yards, and their transport over
greater distances by successive stages each of such moderate length.
With the materials and modes of construction now known the length
of each stage is necessarily limited by considerations of strength and
stability in the apparatus which 1 employ. For this reason it is chiefly

page_text: applicable to such traffic as that of towns, with short and frequent
stages and stoppages, a few hundred yards from the destinations of
such goods or passengers as may be conveyed by it.
In order that the principles on which the apparatus is constructed may
be more easily understood, I will first state the following mathematical
proposition, referring to the annexed diagram. If round a fixed centre
C situated in a horizontal line G, C, H, a radius C, a, be made to
revolve, and if round A, the extremity of this radius, a shorter radius
A, B, be made to revolve with twice the angular velocity of C, A,
(so that the angle C, A, B, is twice the angle F, C, A), then the
extremity B of the shorter radius A, B, describes an ellipse of which
the curve B, D, E, is a portion.
[See Lithographed Diagram annexed.]
I will also, referring to the same diagram, state the following mecha-
nical propositions. If a drum or wheel be fixed on the centre C so that
it cannot revolve, and if another drum or wheel of half the diameter be
mounted on the centre A, and fixed to the radius A, B, so as to revolve
with it, and if a flexible strap, chain, or cord be passed round both drums
or wheels, then, when the longer radius C, A, is made to revolve round C
the flexible strap, chain, or cord winding on one side and off the other
side of the fixed drum or wheel C causes the drum or wheel A and with
it the radius A, B, to revolve round A with an angular velocity twice
that with which A, C, revolves round C. And farther, if the wheels or
drums and A instead of being truly circular be made with portions
of their peripheries of varying curvature, the relative angular velocities
of A, C, and A, B, may be varied at different parts of their respective
revolutions, and thus the curve B, D, E, instead of being a portion of
a true ellipse may be made to deviate somewhat therefrom, as indicated
by the dotted line.
In order to apply these principles practically, I construct the
apparatus as follows:-At B, H, and E, G, the terminal points of the
stage over which the transport has to be effected, I erect platforms for
receiving the car or chamber containing passengers or goods; and mid-
way between them at C, I mount in bearings on a firm foundation a
shaft or axis transverse to the line of transit. On this shaft I fix two
radial arms C, A, parallel to one another, and at such a distance apart
that the car or chamber can pass freely through between them. I extend
those radial arms beyond the point A, so that they may be firmly con-

page_text: I pass flexible
lower drums;
revolution, to
nected by a cross tie or brace at L. At AI mount another shaft or axis
parallel to the axis at C, in bearings in the radial arms C, A, and to this
I
second shaft I fix a single radial arm A, B, shorter than C, A.
suspend the car or chamber from B, the lower extremity of the single
radial arm A, B, and on its upper extremity or centre A, I fix a drum or
I
wheel, or two drums or wheels, one on each side of the radial arm.
also fix on the centre C a drum or wheel twice the diameter of that at A,
making it fast to the foundation, so that it cannot revolve, or I fix two
such drums or wheels corresponding to the two at A.
bands or chains round the peripheries of the upper and
and, as the stroke of C, A, is limited to a portion of a
prevent the bands or chains from slipping, I fix them at points on the
peripheries of the wheels or drums, whence they will not be unwound by
the movement of the radial arms. The bands or chains need not be
flexible throughout their whole lengths, but only at such parts as are
wound on the drums or wheels; they may therefore consist of flexible
portions next the drums or wheels connected by rigid rods, which can
move to and fro in guides on the radial arms C, A. The peripheries of
the drums or wheels may be made to vary more or less from the truly
circular form, as already described, care being taken that such variation
does not render the bands or chains unduly slack or tight at different
points of the movement. I apply any convenient power, such as a steam
or hydraulic engine, or other suitable apparatus, to cause. the radial
arms C, A, to swing from their extreme position on the one side of their
vertical or middle position C, F, to their extreme position on the other
side, indicated by the dotted line C, a, and by this movement the radial
arm A, B, with the car attached thereto, is caused to swing to the
position indicated by a, E. The car with its contents is thus transported
from the one platform B, H, to the other E, G, passing in its course
along the elliptical arc B, D, E, or along the dotted arc through between
the radial arms C, A, and at such height from the ground as is necessary
to clear houses or other obstructions. The car thus transferred from B
to E, can be detached from the radial arm a, E, and can be attached to
the radial arm of a second apparatus and so transferred over another
stage, and so on successively as far as may be desired. It is obvious that
gearing might be employed instead of the drums and bands, and that the
apparatus is applicable when the ground is not level, for it is not
necessary that the base line G, C, H, he horizontal; nor is it necessary
that the platforms at B and E, be of equal height or equally distant

page_text: from C; for the stroke of the radii can be extended more or less to either
side of the middle line C, F.
In cases where it is desirable to effect transport in both directions, I
render one series of such successive apparatus as I have described
available for this purpose in the following manner:-On the platforms
B and E of each stage I mount turntables, each capable of receiving two
cars, and I arrange each of the successive apparatus so that it shall
deposit its car on the turntable clear of the car deposited by the other.
When the two cars have been thus deposited on the one turntable, they
are detached from the arms and the table is partly turned round so as to
bring each of the cars under the radial arm of the succeeding apparatus,
to which it is attached, and by the movement of which it is conveyed
one stage farther, and so on successively. By this arrangement a series
of cars can be conveyed from right to left by successive strokes or
movements of the radial arms, while a series of cars is conveyed from left
to right by their back strokes.
For conveying a car or a series of cars continuously in one direction, I
arrange the mechanism by which each car is suspended to a radial arm
in such a manner that when it reaches the end of the stroke of one
system of arms, the next system being ready to receive it, it becomes
detached from the one and attached to the other by a self-acting hook or
catch. And this operation can be repeated successively through as many
systems as may be arranged for its transport.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said John Imray in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
IMRAY, of 190, Westminster Bridge Road, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Imray, Her special licence that I,
the said John Imray, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or

page_text: such others as I, the said John Imray, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTION," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Imray, my exe-
cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Imray, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
My Invention has for its object the transport of goods or passengers in
a course clear of the ground from one point to another at a moderate
distance, such as two or three hundred yards, and their transport over
greater distances by successive stages each of such moderate length.
With the materials and modes of construction now known the length
of each stage is necessarily limited by considerations of strength and
stability in the apparatus which I employ; for this reason it is chiefly
applicable to such traffic as that of towns, with short and frequent stages
and stoppages, a few hundred yards from the destinations of such goods
or passengers as may be conveyed by it.
In order that the principles on which the apparatus is constructed
may be more easily understood, I will first state the following mathe-
matical proposition referring to the annexed diagram, Fig. 6. If round
a fixed centre C, situated in a horizontal line G, C, H, a radius C, A, be
made to revolve, and if round A the extremity of this radius, a shorter
radius A, B, be made to revolve with twice the angular velocity of C, A,
(so that the angle C, A, B, is twice the angle F, C, A,) then the
extremity B of the shorter radius A, B, describes an ellipse of which the
curve B, D, E, represents a portion.
I will also, referring to the same diagram, state the following
mechanical propositions. If a drum or wheel be fixed on the centre C

page_text: so that it cannot revolve, and if another drum or wheel of half the
diameter be mounted on the centre A, and fixed to the radius A, B,
so as to revolve with it, and if a flexible strap, chain, or cord be passed
round both drums or wheels, then when the longer radius C, A, is
made to revolve round C, the flexible strap, chain, or cord winding
on one side and off the other side of the fixed drum or wheel C causes
the drum or wheel A, and with it the radius A, B, to revolve round A
with an angular velocity twice that with which A, C, revolves
round C. And further if the wheels or drums C and A instead of
being truly circular be made with portions of their peripheries of varying
curvature, the relative angular velocities of A, C, and A, B, may be
varied at different parts of their respective revolutions, and thus the
curve B, D, E, instead of being a portion of a true ellipse may be
made to deviate somewhat therefrom as indicated by the dotted line.
In order to apply these principles practically, I construct the
apparatus as follows:-At B, H, and E, G, the terminal points of the
stage over which the transport has to be effected, I erect platforms
for receiving the car or chamber containing passengers or goods, and
midway between them at C, I mount in bearings on a firm foundation
a shaft or axis transverse to the line of transit. On this shaft I fix
two radial arms C, A, parallel to one another and at such a distance
apart that the car or chamber can pass freely through between them,
I extend those radial arms beyond the point A so that they may be
firmly connected by a cross tie or brace at L. At AI mount another
shaft or axis parallel to the axis at C in bearings in the radial arms C, A,
and to this second shaft I fix a single radial arm A, B, shorter than C, A,
I suspend the car or chamber from B, the lower extremity of the single
radial arm A, B, and on its upper extremity or centre A. I fix a drum
or wheel, or two drums or wheels, one on each side of the radial arm,
I also fix on the centre C a drum or wheel twice the diameter of that
at A making it fast to the foundation so that it cannot revolve, or
I fix two such drums or wheels corresponding to the two at A, I pass
flexible bands or chains round the peripheries of the upper and lower
drums, and as the stroke of C, A, is limited to a portion of a revolution,
to prevent the bands or chains from slipping, I fix them at points on
the peripheries of the wheels or drums, whence they will not be unwound
by the movement of the radial arms. The bands or chains need not
be flexible throughout their whole lengths, but only in such parts as
are wound on the drums or wheels, they may therefore consist of flexible

page_text: rods which can
The peripheries
portions next the drums or wheels connected by rigid
move to and fro in guides on the radial arms C, A.
of the drums or wheels may be made to vary more or less from the
truly circular form as already described, care being taken that such
variation does not render the bands or chains unduly slack or tight at
different points of the movement.
I apply any convenient power, such as a steam or hydraulic engine
or other suitable apparatus to cause the radial arms C, A, to swing from
their extreme position on the one side of their vertical or middle
position C, F, to their extreme position on the other side indicated by
the dotted line C, a, and by this movement the radial arm A, B, with
the car attached thereto, is caused to swing to the position indicated
by a, E; the car with its contents is thus transported from the one
platforin B, H, to the other E, G, passing in its course along the elliptical
are B, D, E, or along the dotted arc, through between the radial
arms C, A, and at such height from the ground as is necessary to
clear houses or other obstructions. The car thus transferred from B
to E can be detached from the radial arm a, E, and can be attached
to the radial arm of a second apparatus and so transferred over another
stage and so on successively as far as may be desired. It is obvious
that gearing might be employed instead of the drums and bands, and
that the apparatus is applicable when the ground is not level, for it is
not necessary that the base hne G, C, H, be horizontal. Nor is it
necessary that the platforms at B and E be of equal height or equally
distant from C for the stroke of the radii can be extended more
to either side of the middle line C, F.
or less
In cases where it is desirable to effect transport in both directions,
I render one series of such successive apparatus as I have described
available for this purpose in the following manner-On the platforms B
and E of each stage I mount turntables each capable of receiving two
cars, and I arrange each of the successive apparatus so that it shall
deposit its car on the turntable clear of the car deposited by the other.
When the two cars have been thus deposited on the one turntable
they are detached from the arms, and the table is turned partly round
so as to bring each of the cars under the radial arm of the succeeding
apparatus to which it is attached, and by the movement of which it
is conveyed one stage further and so on successively. By this arrange-
ment a series of cars can be conveyed from right to left by successive

page_text: strokes or movements of the radial arms while a series of cars is
conveyed from left to right by thin back strokes.
For conveying a car or a series of cars continuously in one direction,
I arrange the mechanism by which each car is suspended to a radial
arm in such a manner that when it reaches the end of the stroke of one
system of arms, the next system being ready to receive it, it becomes
detached from the one and attached to the other by a self-acting hook
or catch, and this operation can be repeated successively through as
many systems as may be arranged for its transport.
or catch, and this operation can be repeated successively through as
many systems as may be arranged for its transport.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, and Fig. 2 is a transverse section of one set of
apparatus constructed according to my Invention, and Fig. 3 is part of a
plan of the same.
a is a strong shaft or axis mounted on bearings on a firm foundation;
b, b, are two jibs or radii fixed on the axis a, and supporting a shaft or
axis c in bearings at their outer ends; d is another jib or radius mounted
on the axis c between the two jibs or radii b, b; e, e, are two wheels or
drums firmly fixed to the foundation, so that they cannot revolve, and
1, f, are two wheels or drums fixed to the radius d; g, g, are chains,
ropes, or bands, which pass round the circumferences of the wheels
or drums e, e, and f, f. Of these chains, ropes, or bands only those
portions need be flexible which during the action of the apparatus
are wound on or off the wheels or drumus e, e, and f, f, the remaining
portions may be rigid bars or rods. When the apparatus is made
on a considerable scale 1 prefer to steady these bars or rods by passing
them through guides attached to the jibs or radii b, as indicated by
dotted lines at h, h. These guides may be fitted with rollers, so that
the bars or rods move freely through them. 1 prefer also to make
each of the wheels or drums e, e, f, f, in duplicate, or portions of them
in duplicate, and to make each of the chains, ropes, bands, or rods g not
in a continuous length like an endless chain, but in two separate lengths,
attaching the ends of each to points in the peripheries of the wheels or
drums on which they wind, so that they cannot slip. I sometimes
extend the jib or radius d beyond the axis c, and fix to its extremity a
heavy mass to serve as a counterbalance. The wheels or drums e, e,
have a diameter which is double that of the wheels or drums f, f. kis a

page_text: box, car, or vehicle containing the passengers or goods, which have to be
transported by the action of the apparatus, and this box, car, or vehicle
is suspended by a free joint from the extremity of the jib or radius d.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Force being applied to turn
the axis a or to swing the jibs or radii b, b, upon it they are moved round
to the position marked by the dotted lines b'. During this movement the
chains, ropes, or bands g, g, winding on to the peripheries of the wheels
or drums e, e, on the one side and off their peripheries on the other side,
cause the wheels or drums f, f, to turn through a portion of a revolution,
and thus cause the jib or radius d to swing through between the jibs or
radii b, b, to the position marked by the dotted lines d'.
The car or
vehicle is thus swung from the one position to the other position k¹,
the point from which the car is suspended moving in a course which is
the flat elliptical curve marked by the dotted line, 3, 3³, k¹. This curve
may be somewhat altered in shape by forming the peripheries of e and f
not perfectly circular. The vehicle or car may either rest on the ground
atk and or on special platforms constructed to receive it at any con-
venient level, and the apparatus may be so arranged that the car in
its course may be lifted clear over houses or other obstructions from
the one platform to the other. As the apparatus above described can
only effect transport of goods or passengers over a limited distance, it is
necessary for greater distances to repeat such apparatus in succession, so
that each receives the car or vehicle from the other and carries it on
step by step or stride by stride. In such a case it may be convenient
to detach the car or vehicle from the one apparatus and attach it to the
next, giving time for passengers to get in or out, or for goods to be put
in or removed. It may also be convenient to make such a succession
of apparatus double-acting, or so to arrange them that while each in the
one stroke effects the transport of a car in the one direction, it shall in
the other or back stroke effect the transport of a car in the opposite
direction. For this purpose I place turntables 1, l', at the extreme
points of the stroke of each apparatus, and I do not fix one apparatus
to act exactly in line with the next, but a little to one side, thus l', k,
(Fig. 3) being the line of action of one, k, m, is part of the line of
action of the next. The operation is as follows:-A car is transferred
from to the position on the turntable 1, and at the same time a car
is brought in the line m, 4, and lodged at ; both cars are then detached
and the turntable is turned so that the car k takes the place of k, and
vice versa; the cars are then reattached each to the apparatus which

page_text: it is brought to face, and these apparatus making their back strokes
convey the cars onwards.
It is not essential that the one apparatus
should act in a line exactly parallel to the other, for instead of k', m,
some other line such as k', m³, may be part of line of motion of the next
apparatus.
Sometimes it may be convenient to transport a car onwards by
successive apparatus without delay in detaching it from the one and
attaching it to the next by hand.
Figure 4 is a section, and Figure 5 is a plan to enlarged scale of
mechanism for suspending the car so that it may be detached and
attached automatically or by the action of the apparatus.
n, n, is the
end portion of the jib or radius of one apparatus, and n', n', the end
portion of the jib or radius of the next. These end portions are made
forked so that there is room for the car S to pass clear between the
two sides or arms of the fork. o, o, and o¹, o, are pins projecting
inwards from each arm of each of the forks; p, p, are double hooks
fixed to a shaft q which works in bearings or brackets 7, 7, attached
to the car S. The action of this mechanism is as follows:-The
arms n', n', being at rest, the other arms n, n, with the car suspended
from them by the hooks p which are engaged on the pins o lower
the car through the fork n', n', until the free sides of the hooks P, P,
engage with the pins o', o'. The arms n, n, still descending, the
hooks p are engaged on the pins o', o', and are lifted clean off the
pins o, o, on which they previously rested, and the car is thus trans-
ferred from the one apparatus to the next, which conveys it onwards.
The working of each apparatus may be effected by any convenient
power; I prefer hydraulic pressure, especially when there is a series
of successive apparatus to be worked. In such a case steam engines
or other motive power may be fixed in any convenient site, and
employed to pump water to a head or raise water to pressure in a
vessel or accumulator. A pipe from this head or accumulator may
convey the water under pressure to the working parts of each suc-
cessive apparatus, where its action can be controlled by suitable valves,
slides, or cocks. The operation to be performed in each case by the
power is to turn the shaft a through a portion of a revolution, or to
cause the jibs or radii b, b, to swing, carrying the shaft c through a
circular are c, c2, c', and back again. This may be effected in various
ways one of which is indicated diagrammatically on Figure 1. t, t, are

page_text: hydraulic cylinders fixed at a convenient angle in the foundation;
u are wheels or drums fixed on the shaft a or on the jibs or radii b, b.
The pistons of the hydraulic cylinders t, t, are connected by flexible
bands, chains, or ropes to points on the circumference of the wheels
or drums u over which these bands, chains, or ropes pass and to
which they are attached. When water is admitted under pressure
into one or other of the cylinders t, t, the tension of the band, chain,
or rope connected with its piston acts on the circumference of the
wheels or drums u and causes them to revolve in the one direction
or the other, the water in the other cylinder being permitted to escape.
Both the admission of the water to the one cylinder and its escape
from the other may be regulated by valves or slides so that the
movement of the jibs or radii b, b, can be controlled in velocity and
extent.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood
that I do not limit myself to the details represented in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Imray, have hereunto set
iny hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
JOHN IMRAY. (L.S.)
ALEXANDER WRIGHT,
Secretary to the Inventors' Patent Right Association,
Limited.