IMPROVEMENTS IN STREET RAILWAYS, AND WHEELS, AND APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Albert Shepard at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th April 1861.
I, WILLIAM ALBERT SHEPARD, of Pall Mall, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STREET
RAILWAYS, AND WHEELS, AND APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREWITH," to be as
follows:-
In constructing a street railway, a combination of two rails of dissimilar
sections as herein-after described is employed with wheels adapted to run
upon the same, and other combinations of apparatus are also used as herein-
after mentioned. One form of rail (which may be called the guide rail)
has two flat surfaces or wheel tracks, one on each side of a raised centre rail
which runs continuously with the flat surfaces. This raised portion of the
rail may be made of a rounded or angular form, or in place of a raised rib
or rail a groove may be formed between the two plain surfaces suitable for
receiving a flanch on a wheel. The other rail which is to be laid parallel
to the one above described to complete a line of way is (wherever the track
is straight or the curves are not too abrupt) a simple flat rail of the same
width as the other. Both these rails are to be laid flush with the street.
The wheels have each two flanges which project one on each side of the
treads or peripheries of the wheel sufficiently to run smoothly upon the flat
surfaces at the sides of the raised centre of the rail, the raised part of the rail

page_text: thus becomes a guide to keep the wheels, and the carriage upon the line
of rails. These wheels are each in two parts, the plane of division being
perpendicular to the axle of the wheel, and being a continuation of the plane
of the inner surface of the inner or outer flange of the wheel according as
the case may require. When a wheel is thus divided, one part is fixed to
the axle and revolves with it, while the other revolves on the axle, thus
preventing the two flanges from binding on a curved way and from running
off the guide rail. When a groove, in place of a raised rib or rail is used,
the wheels are made with a rib or projecting band or ring to run therein
and be guided thereby. These wheels may be arranged with various
apparatus according to the use required of them. Should the single guide
rail be insufficient to keep the carriage upon the track, owing to the obstruction
of stones or dirt upon the rail, or to very abrupt curves, the following apparatus
may be applied. A guide bar, fitted at the lower end with two small guide
wheels to run one on each side of the raised portion of the guide rail, may
be placed in front of the forward wheel, this bar being free to turn slightly
to suit a curve, and to work up in a slot for a given distance against a wire
spring so that it may pass over any obstruction on the rail without raising
the car, and then being pressed down by a spring at once resumes. its place,
thus holding the carriage steady while the wheels pass over the same obstruc-
tions. A stiff wire brush presenting an acute angle in front may be placed
forward of this bar, or of the wheels, to keep the rails clear from dirt or stones:
When a groove in place of a raised rib or rail is used a single wheel
suitable to run therein and be guided thereby will be employed on the bar
above mentioned.