IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF LIGHT RAILWAYS, AND IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES TO BE EMPLOYED NYPD RAN
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Barraclough Fell, of Sparke Bridge, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF LIGHT RAILWAYS, AND IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES TO BE EMPLOYED
NYPD RAN "
Sealed the 19th September 1879, and dated the 26th April 1879.
Sealed the 19th September 1879, and dated the 26th April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Barraclough Fell at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1879.
JOHN BARRACLOUGH FELL, of Sparke Bridge, in the County of Lancaster
Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LIGHT RAILWAYS, AND IN
LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES TO BE EMPLOYED THEREON."
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of light railways of
any gauge, but generally of gauges of two feet and upwards, and consists in the
employment of an improved form of iron or timber structure, or of a combination
of both these materials, the parts being so arranged as to give greater strength and
stability than would be obtained from the forms of structure described in the
Specification of a Patent granted to myself and George Noble Fell, Number 1014,
and dated the 19th March 1873; and these structures are used as a substitute
for the earthworks, ballast, and masonry of which ordinary railways are formed.
The timber structures consist of two or more upright or inclined supports bound
together by cross ties or lattice bars, and rest upon a frame or on sleepers firmly
embedded in the ground.
To these supports are bolted two hollow beams or girders strengthened by struts,
one end of each strut being firmly fixed in the hollow part of the beam, and the
other end rests on a cross bar fixed to the support. These beams are made with
two vertical sides, and a filling or bridge piece spiked or bolted between the
upper sides of the beam.
Or otherwise a plank or cover is or may be laid on the vertical sides of the beam,
which plank, or the bridge piece above named, would furnish a continuous bearing
for the rail; or cross sleepers are or may be laid at suitable distances upon the
beams, to which the rails may be spiked in the usual way; wooden lattice girders
are or may also be used, the lattice bars of which and the longitudinal parts of the

page_text: girders being so recessed and framed together as to give greater strength and stiff-
ness than the ordinary method of making lattice girders, and where the height
above ground requires it hollow lattice pillars are or may be used as supports for
the beans in place of the form above described.
For the iron structure the supports are made of four vertical or inclined angle
irons, or of two T irons held together by a web of lattice bars rivetted or bolted
on the outsides or between the angle irons. For obtaining greater stiffness and less
vibration wooden packing is or may be introduced between the bars and the angle
irons, or washers of leather or india rubber are or may be used.
Upon these supports are placed iron or steel lattice girders or rolled iron beams,
upon which a cross sleeper permanent way is laid, as before described.
The different forms of light railways herein described are or may be employed
with advantage in combination with the centre rail system, as shown in the Speci-
fications of Letters Patent granted to myself, No. 227, and 3182, A.D. 1863, and
No. 889, A.D. 1869, or any other more recent improvements of the centre rail
system.
For working upon these light railways a special form of engine is used, the
weight of which is distributed over from three to six pairs of carrying wheels, the
leading wheels being placed in front of the smoke box, and the trailing wheels
behind the fire box, the one or more intermediate pairs being placed between the
fire box and the cylinders.
By this arrangement the size and power of the engine may be increased without
increasing the weight per lineal foot of structure. The cylinders being carried
between two pairs of wheels there is loss lateral oscillation, and the fire box being
also placed between two pairs of wheels a larger fire box can be used than if limited
to the space between the wheels on the same axle.
For passing round sharp curves the leading and trailing wheels are or may be
furnished with radial axles.
Another form of engine for light railways is made with on ecylinder only, placed
on the longitudinal axis of the engine, and connecting rod working on to a crank
axle.
Two of these engines are or may be used back to back, and be coupled together
by means of toothed wheels attached to the trailing axles, with or without the
addition of a flexible shaft, or of two shafts connected by a universal joint.
The engines being coupled together in this manner are or may be made to help
one another over the "dead points," being so coupled that when the connecting
crank of one of the ongines is on the centre the crank of the other engine will be on
the midstroke.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Barraclough Fell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
October 1879.
JOHN BARRACLOUGH FELL, of Sparke Bridge, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LIGHT RAILWAYS, AND IN
LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES TO BE EMPLOYED THEREON.'
"
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of light railways of
any gauge, but generally of gauges of two feet and upwards, and consists in the
employment of an improved form of iron or timber structure, or of a combination
of both these materials, the parts being so arranged as to give greater strength and
stability than would be obtained from the forms of structure described in the
Specification of a Patent granted to myself and George Noble Fell, Numbered 1014,
and dated the 19th March 1873. And these structures are intended to be used as
a substitute for the earthworths, ballast, and masonry of which the substructure of
ordinary railways are formed, and also for military field railways.
The timber structures consist of two or more upright or inclined supports, bound
together by cross heads and lattice bars, and rest upon a frame or on sleepers firmly
embedded in the ground.
To these supports are bolted two hollow beams or girders strengthened by struts,
one end of each strut being firmly fixed in the hollow part of the beam, and the
other end rests on a cross bar fixed to the support. These beams are made with
two vertical sides, and a filling or bridge piece spiked or bolted between the upper
sides of the beam. Or otherwise a plank or cover is or may be laid on the vertical
sides of the beam, which plank or the bridge piece above named would furnish
a continuous bearing for the rail; or cross sleepers are or may be laid at suitable
distances upon the beams, to which the rails may be spiked in the usual way.
Wooden lattice girders are or may also be used, the lattice bars of which and the
longitudinal parts of the girders being so recessed and framed together as to give
greater strength and stiffness than the ordinary method of making lattice girders;
and where the height above ground requires it, hollow lattico pillars are or may be
used as supports for the beams in place of the form of support above described.
For the iron structures the supports are made of four vertical or inclined angle
irons, or of two T irons held together by a web of lattice bars rivetted or bolted on
the outsides, or between the angle irons. For obtaining greater stiffness and less
vibration wooden packing is or may be introduced between the bars and the angle
irons, or washers of leather or india rubber are or may be used.
Upon these supports are placed iron or steel lattice girders or rolled iron beams,
upon which a cross sleeper permanent way is laid, as before described.
The different forms of light railways herein described are or may be employed
with advantage in combination with the centre rail system, as shown in the
Specifications of Letters Patent granted to myself, No. 227 and 3182, A.D. 1863,
and No. 889, A.D. 1869, or any other more recent improvement of the centre rail
system.
For working upon these light railways a special form of engine is used, the
weight of which is distributed over from three to six pairs of carrying wheels, the
leading wheels placed in front of the smoke box, and the trailing wheels behind the
fire box, the one or more intermediate pairs being placed between the fire box and
the cylinders.
By this arrangement the size and power of the engine may be increased
without increasing the weight per lineal foot of structure. The cylinders being
carried between two pairs of wheels there is less lateral oscillation, and the fire
box being also placed between two pairs of wheels a larger fire box can be used
than if limited to the space between the wheels on the same axle.

page_text: For passing round sharp curves, the leading and trailing wheels are or may be
furnished with radial axles.
Another form of engine for light railways is made with one cylinder only, placed
on the longitudinal axis of the engine, the connecting rod working on to a crank
axle. Two of these engines are or may be used back to back, and be coupled
together by means of toothed wheels attached to the trailing axles with or without
the addition of a flexible shaft, or of two shafts connected by a universal joint. Or
such engines are or may be coupled by a swivel coupling rod between cranks in the
middle of the trailing axle of one engine and the leading axle of the other engine,
the two engines being connected by a bar jointed over the centre of the axles, or by
an endless link chain working on pulleys.
"E
The engines being coupled together in this manner are or may be made to help
one another over the dead points," being so coupled that when the driving crank
of one of the engines is on the centre, the crank of the other engine will be on the
midstroke. The iron structures consist of lattice work supports, on which are laid
two lattice or rolled iron girders, and upon the girders is laid with suitable
fastenings the ordinary cross sleeper permanent way.
Figs. 1 and 2 are side elevation and cross section, showing the lattice supports,
girders, and permanent way as above described. The parts marked a in the
supports are four angle irons placed either vertically on an inclination, and formed
into a hollow square on the plan by the lattice bars marked b; they are also further
strengthened by a central upright bar marked c. The top and bottom ends of the
supports are formed by the angle irons d, the girders being fixed on to the former,
and the latter resting on wooden frames or sleepers marked e, sunk to a convenient
distance below the surface of the ground. Wrought or cast iron sleepers for the
supports to rest upon of any suitable form may also be used. The girders may be
either of the form called the Warren girder, or they may be made with double or
cross lattice bars, and the lattice bars may also be made of wood framed together
in the manner hereinafter described, the horizontal web of the angle irons forming
the longitudinal parts of girders being turned either inwards or outwards, as the
circumstances in each case may require. The angle irons and wood lattice bars are
fastened together by either bolts or rivets, the girder thus formed being made of
wood and iron combined.
The Warren form of girder is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each girder being mado
with two Tirous marked f, or four angle irons and the lattice bars marked g. On
to either end are rivetted two angle irous h, the lateral webs of which being bolted
together, have the effect of fish plates, and give continuity to the girders. bare
the cross sleepers, and j the rails of the Vignoles form of the permanent way.
It will be seen that the structure above described, which consists of easily
moveable parts, and may be made in the workshops and completed ready for
erecting, forms an equivalent for earthworks, masonry, and ballast for which it may
be used as a substitute with the advantage of economy in the first cost, and
maintenance of the work, and a further economy in the cost of the land, the quantity
occupied being much reduced, the structure also causing no severance.
Steel may
be used for any or all parts of the structure instead of iron.
Figs. 3 and 4 are a form of structure, the supports of which consist of four
upright or inclined angle irons, or two T irons, and a central bar connected together
by one set in place of four sets of lattice bars. The lattice bars may be rivetted or
bolted on to the outsides or between the angle irons. For obtaining greater
stiffness and less vibration, wooden packing is or may be introduced between the
bars and the angle irons; or for the same purpose washers of leather or india rubber
are or may be used. These supports rest upon wooden frames or on wood or iron
sleepers, and on their supports are laid corbels, on which are placed the girders
which are bolted through the corbel g, and upper angle irons of the supports. Tho
pieces marked a are tho upright or inclined angle irons; b, the lattice bars; c, the
central bar; d, the top and bottom angle iron frames; c, the sleepers; f, the wooden

page_text: packing; and g, the corbels. The lattice girders and permanent way are or may
be the same as those described, as Figs. 1 and 2.
In Figs. 5 and 6, the supports are or may be the same as those described in Figs.
1, 2, 3, and 4, and the beams are formed of what is called bulb iron, connected
together by fish plates, and bolted on to the supports as above described, the two
beams or rails being kept in gauge by cross bars. In place of bulb iron, rolled
deck beans may be used, or plate girders on which are laid the ordinary cross
sleeper permanent way, of the form and in the manner above described.
a are the
bulb iron beams, being a rail and beam roller in one piece; b, the fish plates; and
c, the cross bars or tie rods.
The timber structures consist of two or more upright or inclined supports bound
together by cross ties and lattice bars which are recessed together at the points of
intersection, and resting upon a ftame or on sleepers firmly embedded in the ground.
These supports are shown in Figs. 7 and 8, on which are laid two hollow beams or
girders composed each of two vertical sides, and a filling or bridge piece spiked or
bolted between them or otherwise; a plank or cover is or may be laid on the
vertical sides of each beam, which plank or the bridge piece above named would
furnish a continuous bearing for the rail or cross sleepers which are or may be laid
at suitable distances along the beams to which the rails may be spiked in the usual
way.
These hollow beams are or may be strengthened by struts, one end of each strut
being firmly fixed in the hollow part of the beam, the other end resting on a cross
bar fixed to the support. The parts marked a are the three vertical posts of the
supports; b, the diagonal or lattice bars; c, the cross bars; d, the sleeper; e, the
corbels; f, the vertical sides of the beams; g, the bridgo piece; h, the sleepers; i,
the rails; ;, the fish plates; and k, the struts.
Wooden lattice girders are or may be used, the lattice bars of which are or may
be so recessed and framed together as to give greater strength and stiffness than
can be obtained from wooden lattice girders of the ordinary form.
The longitudinal parts of the girders may also be recessed, and the whole girder
thus becomes a piece of compact frame work firmly bolted together at the intersec-
tion of the lattico bars.
In Figs. 9 and 10, the girders shown are of a Warren form, and are framed
together as above described. The supports are similar to those of Figs. 7 and 8,
excepting that the diagonal struts are dispensed with, and also the cross pieces on
which they rest, and lattice bars are substituted. a are the three vertical posts of
the supports; b, the lattice bars; c, the sleepers; d, the upper cross pieces; e, the
corbels; f, the longitudinal pieces of the girder; g, the lattice bars; h, the upper
cross sleepers. In all the wood structures the upright supports (a) are or may be
made to pass up through the hollow or lattice girder beams, as shown.
Figs. 11 and 12 are a span of timber structure composed of double lattice girders
and lattice box supports, being a form adapted for greater heights than those for
which Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 are intended. These box supports may be made in sec-
tions of any convenient size, and built up from the ground, the different sections
being connected one to the other by means of fish plates firmly bolted to the upright
corner pieces and cross bars of the support. a are the corner posts; b, the cross
pieces; c, the lattico bars; d, the bottom cross sleepers; e, the top cross sleepers; f,
the corbels; g, the longitudinal parts of the girder; h, the cross lattice bars, and i, the
rails of the permanent way. Either of the forms of wooden supports above described
may be used in combination with rolled iron deck beam or iron lattice girders; and
structures formed of wooden supports and iron girders are more especially adapted
for the rapid construction of military field railways, for which purpose, for greater
expedition in erecting the structure, the supports, and particularly those of the box
form, may be placed on the surface of the ground and then banked up with earth,
by which means excavation for "grading" purposes may be avoided.
Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a timber structure composed of lattice girders of a
form adapted for wider spans than any of those previously described, the lower end

page_text: of the lattice bars being continued through to the vertical supports on the two sides
of the span.
The angle formed by the two middle bars and a vertical line drawn between
them are equal, those of the other pairs of bars being unequal, the angle of the one
increasing and the other diminishing as their distance increases from the centre of
the span.
The two lowest lattice bars are not parts of pairs but form continuous ties
between the supports from the top of one support to a point some distance below
the top of the other adjoining support.
The lattice bars are or may be recessed or framed together, and are further
strengthened and secured by a bolt at each intersection. a are the lattice bars in
pairs; a', the lower single bars; b, the longitudinal parts or beams of the girder;
c, the sleepers; d, the vertical supports; and e, the sleepers on which the structure
rests.
The different forms of structure herein before described and intended to be used
as a substitute for earthworks and masonry in all cases where they can be so used
with greater economy, but on the portions of the line where the earth works are
light the ordinary method of cutting and embankment and ballast would be used
with the cross sleeper form of permanent way, but for all heights exceeding 5 feet,
or such other height at which a timber or iron structure becomes less expensive
than earthworks and masonry it would be used as a substitute for them.
For working upon railways constructed as above described a special form of engine
is or may be used, the weight of which is distributed as equally as may be over
from three to six pairs of carrying wheels, the leading wheels being placed in front
of the smoke box, the trailing wheels behind the fire box, and the one or more
intermediate pairs of wheels being placed between the fire box and the cylinders.
By this arrangement the size and power of the engine can be increased without
requiring a corresponding increase in the strength, weight, and cost of the
structure.
By the cylinders being carried between two pairs of wheels there is less lateral
oscillation, and by the fire box being placed between two other pair of wheels a
larger fire box can be obtained than if it were limited to the space between the
wheels upon the same axle.
For passing round sharp curves the leading and trailing wheels of the engine aro
or may be furnished with radial axles.
Fig. 14 illustrates two engines connected back to back, with one cylinder in the
centre of each, driving a crank in the middle of the axle. The axles of each engine
are or may all be coupled together by outside coupling rods and cranks in the usual
manner. The trailing axle of one engine is connected with the leading axle of the
other engine, so that the driving crank of one engine is kept at a right angle to that
of the other engine.
This is or may be done by mitre wheels a and b and a shaft d. The wheel a is
secured on one axle (c) reverse to that on the other axle.
The shaft is carried on bearings on the framing of the engines, or its bearings are
carried on a beam having bearings resting on the two axles (c) to be connected, and
the shaft d is or may be made in two halves, connected by a helical spring strong
enough to resist the torsion of driving with only a slight spring, or the shafts are
connected by a universal coupling.
In place of mitre wheels spur wheels are or may be used.
Fig. 15 illustrates another mode of coupling the two axles c by an endless linked
or jointed chain of that works upon toothed pulleys (9) secured on the axles; the
teeth of the pulleys (g) enter the spaces between the links of the jointed chain f.
Fig. 16 illustrates another mode of coupling the axles of two single cylinder
engines. There are cranks in the middle of the two axles (c) to be coupled, and
each crank has a bearing formed in two halves secured on its journal, which bearing
has trunnions for a forked coupling rod j.

page_text: Instead of this forked coupling rod (5) the journals of the cranks (c) are or may
be made partly spherical, and the brasses of the coupling rod to fit them, the journals
and coupling rod thus forming a ball and socket connection, both arrangements
being intended to allow of the axles (c) working at a small anglo to each other when
the engines are passing curves.
The cranks of the axles (c), which are thus coupled, are set at an angle of 45
degrees in relation to the driving cranks of the two engines. The axles of each
engine are coupled together by outside rods and cranks in the ordinary manner
The two engines are rigidly connected by a bar k jointed to the framing of each
engine exactly over the centre of the axles and the cranks upon them; thus the
connecting bark and coupling rod j are (from centre to centro) exactly of the same
length.
I have now particularly described the nature of the said Invention and the mode
of carrying it into effect, and claim as my Invention for rail or tramways having
two carrying rails,—
Firstly. The combination, arrangement, and construction of substructures and
super structures of metal or wood, or a combination of metal and wood, as herein-
before described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. The combination, arrangement, and construction of two wood box
girders, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by Figs. 7 and 8 of
the Drawings.
Thirdly. The combination and arrangement of wood box girders with their
supports and struts, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs.
7 and 8 of the Drawings.
Fourthly. The combination, arrangement, and construction of lattice girders of
wood, framed and recessed together, substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the Drawings.
Fifthly. The combination, arrangement, and construction of supports in sections,
so as to be built up one upon the other and fished together, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by Figs. 11 and 12 of the Drawings.
Sixthly. The combination and arrangement of girders of wood, or wood and
metal, or of metal alone, combined with cross sleepers to carry the rails, substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and
13 of the Drawings, and also the combination of iron girders and wooden supports,
as herein before described, and adapted for the rapid construction in war time of
military field railways.
Seventhly. The combination, arrangement, and construction of structures, sub-
stantially as herein before described and illustrated by Fig. 13 of the Drawings
Eighthly. The combination and arrangement of two locomotive engines together,
each with a single cylinder, and coupled by gearing or endless linked chain, substan-
tially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 14 and 15 of the
Drawings.
Ninthly. The combination and arrangement of two locomotive engines together,
each with a single cylinder by a swivel coupling rod and cranks set at an angle of
about 45 degrees in relation to the driving cranks, combined with the connecting
bar k, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by Fig. 16 of the
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Barraclough Fell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
JOHN B. FELL. (LS.)