AN IMPROVED TURNING-TABLE FOR RAILWAY PURPOSES
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CURRIE HARRISON, of Newland Street, Eaton Square, Pimlico, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Currie Harrison, Her especial licence, that I, the said
William Currie Harrison, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Currie Harrison, my exors, admors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED TURNING-TABLE FOR RAILWAY
PURPOSES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me,
the said William Currie Harrison, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause

page_text: the same to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months next and 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..
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Currie Harrison, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention
to consist in supporting the revolving plate or upper platform of the turning
table, as also it's stays, braces, arms, and supports, on the top of a fixed post,
well braced and resting on or planted in the ground, the top of which post
forms a pivot for the table to turn on, while support arms radiating from a
framework (the weight of which is also sustained on the post) moving round
the bottom part of the post with friction rollers and fastened to the outer
edges of the plate, stay the plate at all sides, and keep it steady to receive the
superincumbent weight of carriages, or whatever is to be turned upon it.
And in further compliance with the said proviso, I, the said William Currie
Harrison, do hereby describe the manner in which my said Invention is to be
performed, by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawing annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is

page_text: post, and it will therefore move very much more lightly and easily than
with the rollers round the circle in the ordinary manner, which is a matter of
great convenience as to expedition, but a matter of more importance still
when a turn-table is in almost constant motion. On the present or ordinary
principle of construction it is certain to be very soon out of order; but on this
new construction it is evident, from the very few wearing parts, that it will
continue very much longer in use without the liability of derangement, which is
a great recommendation to its adoption wherever a turn-table is required. The
friction rollers in the frame at the bottom of the support arms arc, as will be
seen, made to move round the post near the bottom-along with the turning
motion of the table, while the post is to be stationary, fixed to a set of braces
f, f, which, with the bottom of the post, are to be laid on concrete, stone, or
brickwork, economy deciding the choice of the materials, of such a depth
as the nature of the ground may require. The braces are here shown to be
put together in parts for the convenience of making and also of transportation.
They are brought up in an inclined form to connect with the outer ring.
Figure 8 has part of the outer ring removed, showing an elevation of the
table entire, and the spaces h for the braces f. Figure 4 is a plan of the
braces and outer ring with the post in its place. Figure 5 is the centre piece
for connecting the braces with the post, showing a section of the post and
also the spaces to receive the braces. Figure 6 is a plan of the rollers
and case and cross section of the post, the post being cast hollow. Figure 7.
is a section of the end of the brace which goes into the spaces h, shown
in Figure 5.
Now, whereas I claim as my Invention the improved turning-table herein-
before described, and such my Invention being, to the best of my knowledge
and belief, entirely new, and never before used within that part of Her said
Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her
said Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, I do hereby
declare this to be my Specification of the same, and that I do verily believe this
my said Specification doth comply in all respects fully, and without reserve or
disguise, with the proviso in the said herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent contained; wherefore I hereby claim to maintain exclusive right and
privilege to my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Currie Harrison, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of July, One thousand
aight hundred and forty one
W. C. (s.) HARRISON.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twentieth day of July, in the
year of our Lord 1841, the aforesaid William Currie Harrison 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.
Inrolled the Twenty-eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-one.