IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAMWAYS AND IN ENGINES AND CARRIAGES EMPLOYED THEREON
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Ellis Allen at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
November 1869.
I, EDWARD ELLIS ALLEN, of 33, Pelham Place, Brompton, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAMWAYS AND IN
ENGINES AND CARRIAGES EMPLOYED THEREON," to be as follows:-
The first part of these improvements applies to the rails used for
tramways and consists in forming a reversible rail in shape like to:
the letter Z either in one piece or of two angle irons bolted together
thus the angles being thickened so as to allow for wear. These rails
rest upon transverse or longitudinal timber or on transverse or longi-
tudinal corrugated iron plates (the corrugations running at right angles
to the length of the sleeper) either flat or curved, a light piece of timber
running longitudinally under the top table of the rail. If the rail be
formed of two angle irons these may be made wide enough to dispense
with any kind of sleeper. In cases where a large and heavy traffic exists
it is preferred to bolt between the angles above described a steel rail.
the angles being of ordinary iron. To form the inner side of the groove

page_text: in which the flanges of the wheels run a light angle iron way be used a
small stringer of timber. Where steep inclines are to be worked a strong
rack or bar with teeth on its upper side is dropped down into the groove,
i.e., on the inclined portions of the road, the flanges of the engine wheels
working into the said rack, as hereafter described.
The second part of the Invention has reference to the engines used on
tramways, and consists of arrangements by which one or more wheels
or drums attached to the engine are raised or lowered when required for
the purpose of increasing the adhesion when ascending steep inclines.
These drums are of the same size as the driving wheels, and are connected
so as to constitute drivers by a rod or rods with the main axle or axles.
The drums are formed of cast or plate iron plain or serrated, and some-
times fitted with wooden blocks or discs (end grain) or india-rubber
rings or discs secured between rings of metal or suitable flanges (by
preference dovetailed), so as to hold the said discs in place. The Inven-
tion further consists in forming an atmospheric condenser of short
vertical or horizontal tubes (open at the ends to the air) enclosed in cases
placed upon the frames of the engine by preference along cach side of
the boiler, if this be of ordinary, i.e., horizontal form, or in front across
the frames if the boiler be vertical. In this latter case the openings of
the tubes may be directed against the air as the engine travels, and the
tubes may be fitted with cones or funnell-shaped mouths. As described
in a former Patent granted to me in 1864, No. 439, the condenser may
bé placed in connection with the ash-pit of the furnace, so that the air
passing through the said condenser may alone supply the furnace.
Another part of the Invention consists in the arrangement of frictional
ór spur gearing under the smoko box and proportioned so as to allow of
the pistons making the full number of strokes, although the engine may
be progressing slowly when mounting a hill or drawing a heavy load.
This is accomplished by the engine connecting rods giving motion to an
independent shaft carrying the said gearing and which works into corre-
sponding gearing on one of the axles to which the driving wheels are
fixed. Outer or side rods connect the two or more pairs of driving
wheels. By this arrangement full power is maintained whether the
engine or train to which it is attached be travelling fast or slowly.
Another part of the Invention consists in an arrangement of
diaphragms fitted in the boiler so as to constitute separate water spaces
of limited length connected together when required by means of an outer.

page_text: tube with the injector or pump. Instead of this arrangement the boiler.
may be swung at or about its centre of gravity, and the smoke box end
caused to rise or fall so as to preserve the horizontal position of the
boiler. This is effected by having an hydraulic jack under the smoke
box end worked by filling and discharging the water therefrom by hand
gear or by placing the said jack in connection with a tank at the tail of
the engine, so that the level of the water in the chamber of the
jack would rise or fall as the engine descended or ascended inclinations.
The last part of the Invention as regards the engines consists in
forming the flanges of the driving wheels with teeth to work into the
racks already described on heavy inclines, such racks not being continued
all along the road, but only on the inclined portions where required. It
is preferred in this case to have what are known as loose tyres on the
wheels so as better to insure the teeth working fairly into those of the
rack. This rack arrangement is not used usually when the extra traction
wheels or trams before described aro employed.
The third part of this Invention relates to the carriages, and consists in
placing the bodies low down, so that no platforms are required, the wheels
being arranged to come in cases under the seats.
A further part of the Invention consists in the arrangement of
carriages for tramways where steep inclines are worked, so that the bodies
of the said carriages are always kept in a horizontal position. This is
accomplished by floating the bodies of the carriages in fluid contained in
separate frames or boxes, a flexible joint or connection being made of
india-rubber, or instead of the casing containing the said fluid extending
the whole length of the body of the carriage the body may be hung in
the centre, boxes or cases for the fluid being at either end connected so
as that its level may be maintained. This plan may be modified by fixing
at or bearing upon cach end of the carriage one or more plungers work-
ing in cases or cylinders (hydraulic jacks). In some cases a jack or
jacks at one end of the carriage would suffice, the carriage being hung or
centred at or near its centre of gravity, the said jacks to be worked by
hand or otherwise as described in reference to the engine.
The last part of the Invention consists in arranging the seats so as to
get more room than usual in omnibuses or cars in such manner that the
back of one seat projects over or slopes towards the seat behind it, the
faces of the passengers on opposite sides not being opposite to each other,
but directed towards the doors and centre line of the cars either when

page_text: arranged as above described or in the usual manner along the sides of
the car. When the carriages are not adjustable each scat is made separate
and rests or is suspended by india-rubber or other springs, so that when
the body of the carriage inclines the seats retain their horizontal position.
The same may be done with the outside seats.