Improvements in Conduit System Tramways, and Appliances for the same.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left. 13th Apr., 1897-Accepted. 15th May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Conduit System Tramways, and Appliances for
the same.
We, GEORGE HENRY CAPEWELL HUGHES, Manufacturer, of Earlsbury Grange,
3, Trinity Road, Birchfields, in the County of Stafford, and THOMAS MEACOCK,
Consulting Engineer, of 18, Burlington Chambers, New Street, in the City of
Birmingham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention consists of an improved method of arranging tramways in which a
conduit or central opening is required either for cable, electrical or other systems of
traction, whereby we are enabled to dispense with the ordinary sunk rails employed
for the car wheels, and to utilise instead the slot or central opening of the conduit
rails as the guiding portion for the wheels.
In carrying our invention into effect we employ any form of flange or other rails
for the plain unflanged wheels of the car to run upon, and we mount upon the car
axles guiding discs or wheels which run or fit into the slot of the central conduit, these
central guiding wheels being made V-shaped or formed with a single flange, when so
desired, formed with a flange on each side for complete guidance of the vehicle. We
take the weight of the vehicle upon the ordinary side rails having the unflanged
wheels running thereon, and allow the central discs or wheels to be employed for
guiding purposes only.
To take up the wear upon the central slot we may employ renewable side or face
strips, which we attach to the carriers or bearers by screws, keys or other ordinary
fastenings.
We do not limit the application of our invention to any particular form of central'
slot or special type of rail employed therein, neither do we limit our invention to any
special form of guiding wheel and plain bearing rail, but we modify the form of wheel
and the type of guiding disc to suit the system of traction and form of conduit which
is to be employed in any particular district.
1000
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Conduit System Tramways, and Appliances for
the same.
We, GEORGE HENRY CAPERWELL HUGHES, Manufacturer, of Earlesbury Grange,
3 Trinity Road, Birchfields, in the County of Stafford, and THOMAS MEACOCK,
of 18 Burlington Chambers, New Street, in the City of Birmingham, Consulting
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
Our invention consists of an improved method of arranging tramways in which a

page_text: conduit or opening is required either for cable, electrical, or other systems of traction.
whereby we are enabled to dispense with the ordinary sunk or grooved rails employed
for the car wheels, and to utilise instead the slot or opening of the conduit rails as the
guiding portion for the wheels.
In the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred to.
Figure 1 is a sectional end elevation of a tramway track showing also one axle of a
tramcar, arranged in accordance with our invention.
Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation through the central slot of the track, showing
also the central guiding wheel of one of the axles.
Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation to a larger scale showing the flange of the
central guiding wheel in position within the slot.
In carrying our invention into effect we employ any form of flange or other rails
such as A for the plain unflanged wheels B of the car to run upon, and we mount
upon the car axles guiding discs or wheels such as C which run or fit into the slot of
the central conduit. These central guiding wheels can be made V shaped or may be
formed with a single flange, or plain disc, but we preferably employ a wheel such as C
having a central flange with a projection on each side as illustrated. We take the
weight of the vehicle upon the ordinary side rails A having the unflanged wheels B
running thereon, and allow the central discs or wheels to be employed for guiding
'purposes only.
To take up the wear upon the central slot we may employ renewable side or face
strips as D, which we attach to the carriers or bearers by screws, keys, or other
ordinary fastenings.
We do not limit the application of cur invention to any particular form of central
slot or special type of rail employed therein, neither do we limit our invention to any
special form of guiding wheel and plain bearing rail, but we modify the form of
wheel and the type of guiding dise to suit the system of traction and form of conduit
which is to be employed in any particular district.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.―
1. In conduit system railways, the utilisation of the slot or opening to the conduit
for guiding the vehicle substantially as described.
2. In conduit system tramways, the combination comprising a guiding wheel or
wheels running within the slot or opening to the conduit, with plain or unflanged
wheels such as B running upon the rails A having a plain or ungrooved surface
exposed to the roadway, substantially as described and as illustrated.
Dated this 10th
11007
MARKS & CLERK,
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13 Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.