CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING OP RAILWAYS
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
WHEELER, of Speenhamland, in the County of Berkshire, Machinist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster,
the Twenty-second day of January, in the ninth year of Her reign, did
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Wheeler, my exors, adñors, and
assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Charles Wheeler, my exors, admors, and assigns, and such others as I,
the said Charles Wheeler, my exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times hereafter,
during the terms of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad,.
my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING
OP RAILWAYS;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that
I, the said Charles Wheeler, shall cause a particular description of the nature
of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be enrolled in Her
said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
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.

page_text: NOW KNOW IE, that in compliance with the said proviso, 1, the said
Charles Wheeler, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon (that is to say):
My Invention consists,-
Firstly, in the construction of railways by means of an improved form of
rails, as shewn at Figures 1 and 2 in the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1
being a side elevation of a portion of my improved rail; and Figure 2 being
a cross section of the same, through the line a, b. This rail is trilateral,
having three edges or surfaces A, A¹, A", capable of being used as bearing
surfaces for the wheels of carriages to run upon, each of which surfaces may be
placed upward in succession as those previously in use became worn or injured.
This rail may be secured to the sleepers, as shewn in the Drawings, where B
represents a portion of a sleeper, to which a half round piece of timber B
is nailed, which exactly fits the hollow under side of the rail, and forms a
central bearing for. it while two of its edges A¹, A", rest on the body of the
sleeper. C is a cast-iron holding bracket, bolted down to the sleeper B, a
piece of felt or other suitable material being interposed between the sleeper
and the rail. Or the bracket may be formed with a recess on the under side,
in which an oak or other wedge may be inserted, as is shewn at D. What
I claim as new, and of my Invention, is the trilateral or three-edged rail, as
herein-before described and shewn by Figures 1 and 2 in the accompanying
Drawings. And I claim the construction of railways with rails thus formed.
Note, that I do not claim any particular process for forming such rails, as
they may be produced by rolling the iron between three rollers or otherwise,
as is well understood by manufacturers.
My second Invention consists in a new and improved method of construct-
ing and working railways, as set forth in the following description thereof.
Figure 3 represents a cross section of a twelve-inch cast-iron main pipe,
through the line e, f, of Figure 4, which is a longitudinal section of the same.
This main pipe has a narrow angular slit or opening in its upper surface,
which extends through its whole length, and is flanged at the ends for joining
any required number together to form a line. E, E¹, are two horns' which
support and guide a covering valve or diaphragm F, F, of leather, gutta
percha, or other suitable flexible material, which is bolted to the side of the
main pipe at G, G. This diaphragm is strengthened in the midde of its
upper and under surfaces throughout its length with leather or other straps,

page_text: one thickness being placed on the upper side, and two or more on the under
side, so as to fill up the angular slit or opening in the top of the main pipe.
These straps are farther strengthened and proctected by short brass or other
metal plates placed on their under and upper surfaces, and rivetted through.
This diaphragm or covering valve F ordinarily lies on the top of the pipe,
closing the opening therein in the manner shewn in the Drawing, Figure 3,
and making it air-tight throughout its whole length. In Figure 4, H is
a piston traversing the interior of the main pipe in a 'nearly air-tight manner,
and is attached to a piston frame and carriage H₁; this frame runs upon
antifriction wheels I, I, within the tube, and carries a large internal driving
wheel K, which projects some distance above the opening in the top of the
main pipe, raising the diaphragm F in the manner shewn in this Drawing,'
and by the dotted lines in Figure 3. L, L, represents a portion of the
under framing of an ordinary railway carriage, beneath which in suitable
bearings is placed the external driving wheel M. A line of main pipes thus
constructed and arranged being laid down between two lines of rails of the
ordinary kind (or of the improved form herein-before described), and suitable
provision being made for producing a vacuum by means of air pumps, steam,
or otherwise, in that portion of the main pipe which is in front of the
piston H, the pressure of the atmospheric air behind the piston will cause"
it to advance with a force proportioned to the extent of the exhaustion. In'
obedience to this force the piston and piston frame will move forward, carrying
with them the internal driving wheel K, which lifting the diaphragm F, and
impinging against the external driving wheel M, will cause it to advance and
draw with it the carriage to which it is attached. At the hinder part of this
carriage there is a small wheel N, capable of being raised or lowered at
pleasure, which follows the driving wheels K and M, guiding the diaphragm
F, and pressing the central strengthened part thereof into its place in the
slit or opening in the top of the pipe. It will be seen that no atmospheric
air can enter the main pipe except at its further extremity behind 'the piston,*
by which means no loss of power from leakage can possibly occur. If it is
desirable to admit the atmospheric air through the piston H, in aid of the
breaks in stopping the carriage or otherwise, it can be effected by the guard
or other person on the carriage drawing back the lever O, which depresses'
the small wheel O¹; this wheel, pressing down the diaphragm F, depresses an
internal wheel P, which, by means of the lever P¹, raises and opens a valve Q
on the end of a pipe Q', which passes through the piston. When this valve is:
opened the atmospheric air will pass through the piston into that portion of
the main pipe which is in advance thereof. At other times the valve Qis

page_text: kept closed, and the proper position of the wheel P and lever P¹ maintained
by the balance weight. R.
Figure 5 shews another arrangement of the covering valve or diaphragm
F, F, which, instead of one broad piece of leather or other elastic material, is
composed of a number of strips of such material united at the edges lengthways
by rivetting, sewing, or otherwise. When at rest, the upper and broader strip
of leather or other material, which is connected to the narrower strips on each
side lies flat on the top of the main pipe, as shewn in the Drawing, the
central strengthened part of the covering (which is the same as herein-before
described and shewn in Figure 3) lying in and filling up the opening in the
upper part of the main pipe. The dotted lines shew the form taken by this
covering valve when it is raised by the passing of the internal driving wheel K.
These dotted lines also shew the manner in which the strips of material are
united at their edges, so as to form a close and air-tight covering to the main
pipe. Note, that the same letters of reference apply to similar parts of this as
of the two preceding Figures. Figure 6 is a vertical view of the top of Figure
5, shewing the position and form of the outer metal covering plates, against
which the wheel M runs. In this arrangement, as in that last herein-before
described, no opening is made throughout the entire length of the pipe, and
therefore the atmospheric air can only enter at the extreme end of the pipe,
whereby loss of power from leakage is avoided. The piston, piston frame,
and driving wheels, &c. may be the same in both cases, the only difference.
being in the form and arrangement of the covering valve or diaphragm on the
top of the pipe, as herein set forth.
What I claim as new and of my Invention is the mode of constructing and
working railways by means of a piston, acted upon by atmospheric pressure,
and traversing in a main pipe having no communication with the atmospheric
air, except at its extreme end behind the piston, as herein-before described
and shewn in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6; and I do not claim any of the parts
separately, except in so far as they are necessary for constructing and
working railways in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described
and shewn.
My third improvement in the construction and working of railways consists
of an improved horizontal spring valve for atmospheric railways. Figure 7
is a horizontal plan of this valve; and Figure 8, a vertical section of the
same; Figure 9 being a cross section of the main pipe and valve through
the line g, h; and Figure 10 a similar section through the line k, l. The
same letters refer to similar parts in all these Figures. The main pipe is
cast with a central slit or opening in its upper part, having on one side of

page_text: it a raised guide or fence a, a, and on the opposite side a flat top or table.
b, b, represent a series of similar guides or fences, free to move on the flat
top of the pipe. The moveable fences or guides b may be in lengths of from
four to six feet each, and united to each other by rule joints at C. They
are connected to the pipe by a series of continuous leather flaps, one edge
of which is screwed or otherwise affixed to the main pipe at d, while the
other end passes up over the front of the fence plate, and is secured on the
top by a plate of metal screwed or riveted down upon it as shewn. The
rounded edge of the moveable fence plate 6 fits into a hollow groove cast
in the opposite side of the fixed fence, making by means of the interposed
leather a close joint. These parts are kept in close contact by springs e, e,
which are supported at intervals on brackets f, and press against the outer
edges of the fence plates, which are made projecting for that purpose. The
ends of the springs are equipped with grooved rollers, to reduce the friction, and
to maintain the horizontal position of the moveable fence plates. A piston H
fitting the interior of the main pipe is connected with an arm or coulter K,
which passes up through the opening in the main pipe. Immediately above
the fence plates this arm or coulter is connected with a wedge-formed
horizontal carriage L, furnished with three wheels m, m³, m¹¹, so disposed as
to occupy about two inches more space than the width between the fences
a and b when the valve is closed, as is shown by the dotted lines in Figure 9.
When the carriage L therefore enters between the fences it forces back the
moveable one 6, and opens the valve, leaving a free passage for the arm
or coulter K; as soon as the carriage L has passed, the springs push back
the fence plate and close the valve. A free passage is thus continually afforded
for the passage of the arm or coulter K, while the valves before and behind
The arm or coulter K
it are kept closely shut by the action of the springs e.
being continued upward, is attached to a railway carriage, which is thus drawn
along the railway by the atmospheric air acting upon the piston, in front of
which a vacuum has been formed, as is well understood.
What I claim as new and of my Invention is, the horizontal sliding valve
in combination with the wedge-shaped carriage by which it is opened, and
the springs for closing the same, as herein-before described and shewn in
Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10; and I do not claim any of these parts separately, but
only in combination in the manner and for the purpose herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Wheeler, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
CHARLES (L.s.) WHEELER.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twentieth day of July, in
the year of our Lord 1846, the aforesaid Charles Wheeler 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 Twenty-second day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-six.