IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE TYRES OF RAILWAY WHEELS AND RAILS, SWITCHES, AND CROSSINGS OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Anderson, C.E., of the Royal Arsenal, Wool-
'
wich, in the County of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF THE TYRES OF RAILWAY WHEELS AND RAILS, SWITCHES,
AND CROSSINGS OF RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 24th February 1863, and dated the 29th November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Anderson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th November 1862.
I, JOHN ANDERSON, C.E., of the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, in the County
of Kent, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE TYRES OF RAILWAY WHEELS AND BAILS, SWITCHES,
AND CROSSINGS OF RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of the
tyres of railway wheels, and rails, switches, and crossings of railways, and
consists in causing the tyres of railway wheels, also the rails, switches, and
crossings of railways, when made of steel or carbonized iron, to be heated and
then quenched or cooled in oil. For this purpose the steel or carbonized iron
tyres, rails, switches, and crossings of railways are to be heated to a good or
bright red heat, and then quenched or cooled by immersion in oil. By this
means the quality of the metal of which the railway tyres, rails, switches, and
crossings are composed will be greatly changed in character, and at the same
time rendered more suitable for use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Anderson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS "SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ANDERSON, C.E., of the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, in the County of Kent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Anderson, Her special licence that I, the said John
Anderson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others. as I,
the said John Anderson, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE TYRES OF RAILWAY WHEELS AND RAILS,
SWITCHES, AND CROSSINGS OF RAILWAYS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Anderson, my executors or administrators; by an instru-
nient 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent....
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Anderson, 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 fol-.
lowing statement thereof, that is to say:
3
171.9
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of the
tyres of railway wheels; and rails, switches, and crossings of railways, and
consists in causing the tyres of railway wheels, also the rails, switches, and
crossings of railways, when made of steel or carbonized iron, to be heated
and then quenched or cooled in oil. For this purpose the steel or carbonized
iron tyres, rails, switches, and crossings of railways are to be heated to a good
or bright red heat, and then quenched or cooled by immersion in oil. By this:
means the quality of the metal of which the railway tyres, rails, switches, and

page_text: crossings are composed will be greatly changed in character, and at the same
time rendered more suitable for use.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
The tyres of railway wheels, also the rails, switches, and crossings of
railways, which are to be heated according to my Invention, are to be manu-
factured or formed in the ordinary manner, and they are to be heated in a
suitable air or other furnace up to a red heat. It should, however, be stated,
that it is found in practice that it is desirable that the degree of heat should
vary in proportion to the quantity of carbon in the carbonized iron or steel
employed, the red heat being less and less bright in proportion to the
increased quantity of carbon present, and in all cases it is found desirable to
employ a somewhat higher degree of red heat than would be resorted to
when like qualities of steel are to be quenched in water to harden the same.
In carrying out my Invention, railway wheel tyres, or the railway bars, or
the switches, or crossings of railways, having been manufactured in the
ordinary manner, and having been heated as uniformly throughout as may be
to a proper red heat, they are to be quenched in oil, and it should be stated,
that this quenching may, in the case of tyres, be performed after the red hot
tyres have been placed or fixed on cold wheels for shrinking. By thus
heating and quenching railway wheel tyres, the rails for railways, and the
switches and crossings of railways, their stiffness, toughness, elasticity,
tenacity, and temper will be found to be greatly improved.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Anderson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
JOHN ANDERSON. (L.S.)