IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAMWAYS AND RAILWAYS, AND APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Gowans, of Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid-Lothian, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAMWAYS AND RAILWAYS, AND
APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 1st October 1872, and dated the 3rd April 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Gowans at the
☐ Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd April 1872.
I, JAMES GOWANS, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid-Lothian,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAMWAYS AND
RAILWAYS, AND APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows, that is to
say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus to.
be used in the construction of tramways or railways, and for effecting
other generally similar work, part of which apparatus is also applicable
for excavating, quarrying, or mining purposes, and also for the dressing
of stone

page_text: It consists of a wheel or disc or of straight or other shaped arms
attached to a revolving or reciprocating drum or shaft, which when
revolving or reciprocating lift to the required height a pick or picks,
or a causeway beater or beaters, or hammers, and these after being so
lifted are detached from the wheel or disc or arms by coming out of
contact with a pin, stud, stop, or other suitable appliance attached to
the machine, and by which it or they were lifted, and being so detached
fall, thus giving a blow on the material to be operated upon, the force
of which can be increased by the use of a spring acting from the frame
of the machine upon the picks, beaters, or hammers. The pin while the
pick, beater, or hammer is in motion can be so altered by means of a
handle as to regulate the blow given by the pick, beater, or hammer.
The pick head consists of two parts; first, a socket attached to the pick
shaft, into which is jinserted a picking point or tool kept in its place by
means of screws, pinching pins, or wedges, cotters, or otherwise, so that
when one pick point is blunted it can be taken out and replaced by
another.
"
.
purpose
of
The machine herein described may also be applied for the
hammer dressing and tooling" granite or other hard stone, and for
using as a hammer or maul in mining or quarrying operations.
The picks, beaters, or hammers may be driven by manual labour or
directly from the piston of a steam engine, either by coupling it to the
revolving or reciprocating shaft herein-before referred to or by placing
one or more cylinders vertical and attaching one or more picks, beaters,
or hammers to the lower part of the piston rod or rods.
When arranged in the manner now last set forth, that is to say, to be
driven by steam, self-acting gear is provided for propelling the machine
either along the line of railway or tramway operated upon, and it is
mounted also on rails at right angles to the said line of railway or
tramway which are supported on the carriage whereon the mechanism
rests, so that the picks, beaters, or hammers may be brought to operate
at any point desired in the line of railway or tramway.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent;
filed by the said James Gowans in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd October 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
GOWANS, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid-Lothian, North Britain,
send greeting:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the 35th year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said James Gowans, Her special license that I, the
said James Gowans, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said James Gowans, my executors, administrators, or
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 MACHINERY USED IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAMWAYS AND RAILWAYS, AND APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES;" upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Gowans, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 James Gowans, 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, reference being had to the, accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thercon, that is to
say :-
My said Invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus
to be used in the construction of tramways or railways, and for effecting
other generally similar work, part of which apparatus is also applicable
for excavating; quarrying, or mining purposes, and also for the dressing
of stone.

page_text: It consists of a wheel or dise or of straight or other shaped arms
attached to a revolving or reciprocating drum or shaft, which when
revolving or reciprocating lift to the required height a pick or picks, or a
causeway beater or beaters, or hammers, and these after being so lifted
are detached from the wheel or disc or arms by coming out of contact
with a pin, stud, stop, or other suitable appliance attached to the machine,
and by which it or they were lifted, and being so detached fall, thus
giving a blow on the material to be operated upon, the force of which
can be increased by the use of a spring acting from the frame of the
machine upon the picks, beaters, or hammers. The pin while the pick,
beater, or hammer is in motion can be so altered by means of a handle
as to regulate the blow given by the pick, beaters, or hammers. The
pick head consists of two parts; first, a socket attached to the pick shaft,
into which is inserted a picking point or tool, kept in its place by means
of screws, pinching pins, or wedges, cotters, or otherwise, so that
when one pick point is blunted it can be taken out and replaced by
another.
The machine herein described may also be applied for the purpose of
hammer dressing and "tooling" granite or other hard stone, and for
using as a hammer or maul in mining or quarrying operations.
The picks, beaters, or hammers may be driven by manual labour or
directly from the piston of a steam engine, either by coupling it to the
revolving or reciprocating shaft herein-before referred to or by placing one
or more cylinders vertical and attaching one or more picks, beaters, or
hammers to the lower part of the piston rod or rods.
When arranged in the manner now last set forth, that is to say, to be
driven by steam, self-acting gear is provided for propelling the machine
either along the line of railway or tramway operated upon, and it is
mounted also on rails at right angles to the said line of railway or
tramway which are supported on the carriage whereon the mechanism
rests, so that the picks, beaters, or hammers may be brought to operate
at any point desired in the line of railway or tramway.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, that is to say :-
On Sheet 1 of the Drawings hereunto appended Figure 1 is a side
elevation of the first arrangement of my improved pick; Figure 2 is a

page_text: plan thereof, whilst Figure 3 is an end elevation of the same. As shewn
by these Figures it consists of a spur wheel A carried on a shaft B, which
is supported in suitable bearings formed in the upper parts of brackets C.
The brackets C are attached to and carried on a framing D which forms
the upper portion of a compound carriage for supporting and transporting
the apparatus. Situated on each side of the spur wheel A is a pick,
shaft, or arm E, hinged at one extremity on the shaft B, whilst the other
extremity carries a socket a, in which is inserted the picking point or
tool b, which is kept firmly in position by means of a pinching screw c,
or by its equivalent, such as a wedge. The spur wheel A gears with a
pinion F, carried on a shaft G, which is supported in bearings H attached
to the framing D. The ends of the shaft G are provided with handles I,
by means of which it is revolved, thereby rotating the pinion F and
spur wheel A. The spur wheel A is provided with a number of pins
or studs d, which pass through holes formed in the arms thereof, as
shewn more particularly at Figure 1, Sheet 1, of the Drawings. A
spring e is also provided to each of the pins d, which are formed with
an eye
at one extremity, through which one end of the spring e passes,
the other end of the spring e being attached to an arm of the spur
wheel A. The springs e, as shewn by the Drawings, are placed on
alternate sides of the arms of the spur wheel A, in order to actuate
both picks as herein-after described. Formed on or attached to the
shaft B is a frame K, which is provided at its upper part with a pair of
wedges f, situated one on each side of the spur wheel A. The pins or
studs d are made of sufficient length to catch, as the spur wheel A is
revolved, on the under side of the pick shafts E, thereby lifting them
upwards until the pins d arrive at the wedges f, which enter between
the ends of the springs e and the sides of the spur wheel A, shewn
more particularly at Figures 2 and 3, forcing the pins d outwards,.
until they release the pick shafts E, which fall by their own weight,
thus giving blows on the material to be operated upon, the force of
which can be increased by the use of springs (not shewn on the
Drawings) acting from the frame of the machine on the pick shafts E.
The pins or studs d, on clearing the wedges f, as the wheel A revolves,
are forced back into position by the action of the springs e. Owing to
the [springs e being placed on alternate sides of the arms of the spur
wheels A, the pins or studs d project alternately at each side thereof,
thereby lifting and releasing the pick shafts E alternately. By means
of a handle L, attached at one end to the shaft B, the frame K with
'

page_text: the wedges can be set at different angles, the force of the blow being
regulated thereby. The framing D, forming the upper part of the
compound carriage, is supported on two pairs of wheels M, which travel
on a line of rails g, carried by a second framing N, which is also
supported on two pairs of wheels O, which are shewn in the Drawings 5
as travelling on an ordinary line of tramway rails P. The line of rails g
are situated on the framing N, transversely to the line of tramway.
rails P. The compound carriage is actuated to traverse the line of
tramway rails P, by means of a hand wheel Q, situated at the upper
end of a shaft h, which is carried in a bracket i, attached to the 1
framing N. At the lower end of the shaft h is a bevil pinion k, which
gears with a bevil wheel 1, situated on the axle m of one pair of the
wheels O. The upper part of the compound carriage is actuated to
traverse the line of rails g, by means of a hand wheel R, situated at the
upper end of a shaft n, which is supported in a bracket o, attached to 1
the framing D. The lower end of the shaft n is provided with a bevil
pinion p, which gears with a bevil wheel q, situated on one end of the
axler of one pair of the wheels M. In place of using "picks" in the
above described machine beaters or hammers may be employed.
Figure 4, Sheet 1, of the Drawings is, a side elevation of the second a
arrangement of my improved road or causeway pick, beater, or hammer;
Figure 5, Sheet 1, is a plan thereof, whilst Figure 6, Sheet 1, is an end
elevation of the same. As shewn by these figures the apparatus is
carried on a compound carriage, similar in construction to the one
herein-before described in reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3, Sheet 1, of 2
the Drawings. It consists of a spur wheel A, carried on a shaft B,
which is supported in bearings formed at the upper part of the brackets
C. The spur wheel A is provided with three or other required number
of studs a, situated at one side of the periphery thereof. The studs a
as the spur, wheel A is revolved come in contact with an arm & formed
on or attached to a vertical rod D. The vertical rod D is supported at
its upper part in a guide c, which is attached to a strong standard c¹,
forming part of the framing of the compound carriage. Situated at.
the lower end of the vertical rod D is the beater D¹, which consists
of a block of metal attached to the vertical rod by means of a
"cottar" d. The lower portion of the beater D¹ is formed with a cavity
into which is driven a plug of hard wood e, by means of which the
force of the blow is "cushioned" on the causeway stone or other similar

page_text: 1
material. The spur wheel A gears with a pinion E, carried on a shaft F,
supported in bearing blocks G. At one extremity of the shaft F is a
hand wheel H, whilst at its other extremity is a handle I, by means of
which the shaft F is revolved, and with it the spur pinion E and
wheel Α. As the spur wheel A revolves one of the studs a comes in
contact with the arm 6 attached to the vertical rod D, by means of
which it is carried upwards with the beaters D¹ until the stud a releases.
itself from the arm 6, when the beater D₁ falls by its own weight, and
is again in position to be carried upwards by the next stud.
At Figure 7, Sheet 1, is shewn in side elevation a third arrangement
of my improved road or causeway beater, pick, or hammer; Figure 8
is a plan thereof, whilst Figure 9 is an end elevation of the same.
Under this arrangement the vertical rod A, to which is attached the
beater B, is actuated by means of two duplex arms C, carried on 'a
shaft D, which is supported in a similar manner to those herein-before
described. As the duplex arms C revolve one of them comes in contact
with studs a; attached to the vertical rod A, by means of which it is
carried upwards with the beater B, until the arm C releases itself, when
the beater B falls, and is again in position to be carried up by the other
duplex arm C. A spur wheel E is situated on the shaft E, which gears
with a pinion F, carried on a shaft G; which is supported in bearing.
blocks H. At one end of the shaft G is a handle I, whilst at the
opposite end is a hand wheel J, by means of which the mechanism is
actuated. The studs a are made adjustable in a groove 6, formed in
the vertical rod A, by means of which the extent through which the
beater is lifted and the force of the blow therefore given by it can be
regulated.
On Sheet 2 of the Drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my
improved steam road or causeway beater, pick, or hammer; Figure 2.
is a plan of the same. As shewn by these Figures, it consists of a
vertical boiler A, carried on a framing B, which forms the upper part,
of a compound carriage. A vertical cylinder D is securely attached
to the side of the boiler A. and framing B. The beater Ẹ is attached
by means of a "cottar" a to the lower end of the piston rod 6. Steam
is admitted to the cylinder D by means of a steam pipe F, leading
from the steam space of the vertical boiler A., The steam pipe F
is provided with a throttle valve c, by means of which the steam
may be cut off at any moment from the valve d, of the cylinder D.
.

page_text: The beater E is actuated by means of a handle f, supported in a
guide g, which is attached to the framing B. By means of the handle f
the valve d is opened, and the steam admitted under the piston into
the cylinder D, in a similar manner to an ordinary steam hammer, the
exhaust steam escaping by means of an exhaust pipe G. A water tank H,
carried on brackets h attached to the carriage B, is situated at one side
of the boiler A for supplying the same with water. The carriage B
is supported on two pairs of wheels I, which are situated on a line of
rails k, carried on a second carriage J, which is also supported on two
pairs of wheels K, which are shewn as travelling on an ordinary line
of tramway rails L. The line of rails k, are situated transversely to
the line of tramway rails L, in a similar manner to those herein-before
described and illustrated on Sheet 1 of the Drawings. The compound
carriage is actuated to traverse the line of tramway rails L by means
of a hand wheel M, carried at one end of a shaft l, which is supported
in bearings m, attached to the framing J. The opposite end of the
shaft, is provided with a bevil pinion n, which gears with a bevil
pinion o, situated at one extremity of a shaft p, which is supported
in suitable bearings attached to the framing J. The other extremity
of the shaft p is also provided with a bevil pinion q, which gears with
a bevil pinion r, carried at one end of a shaft s, which is supported in
bearings t, attached to the framing J. On the shafts & and t are
situated worms v and v¹ respectively, which gear with wheels w, carried
on the axle of one pair of the wheels K. The upper part of the
compound carriage is actuated to traverse in a transverse direction on
the line of rails k, by means of a hand wheel N, carried at one end of
a shaft y, which is supported in bearings attached to the carriage B.
The other end of the shaft y carries a spur pinion o, which gears with
a spur wheel P, situated on the axle z of one pair of the wheels I.
In place of traversing the machine as herein-before described self-
acting ratchet and pall gear may be provided for propelling the
machine either along the line of railway or tramway operated upon.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe
in conclusion that what I consider novel and orignal, and therefore claim
as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, the general arrangement of mechanism and combi-

page_text: nation of parts constituting the same as herein-before described and
shewn upon the appended Sheets of Drawings, or any mere modifications
thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Gowans, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of September One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-two.
JAMES GOWANS. (L.S.)