IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OP RAILWAYS, AND IN THE MEANS OF APPLYING POWER TO PROPELLING CARRIAGES AND MACHINERY
Year: 1840

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
RANGELEY, of Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, 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 Third day of March, in the third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Rangeley, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said John Rangeley, my exors, admors, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Rangeley, my exors, admňors, 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
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OP RAILWAYS, AND IN THE MEANS OF APPLYING POWER TO PROPELLING CARRIAGES
AND MACHINERY;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that
I, the said John Rangeley, should cause a particular description of the nature
of my Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 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
John Rangeley, do hereby declare that my Invention of Improvements in
the Construction of Railways, and in the Means of applying Power to Propelling
Carriages and Machinery, relates to a mode of constructing railways in such

page_text: a manner that the power employed for propening carпас шегеон
to be transmitted by a series or train of wheels moving on axles supported
on stationary bearings fixed in the line of railway, and in such manner that
the carriages for passengers and goods are caused to pass over and be acted
on and moved by the rotatory motion of such wheels by the contact and
friction of their peripheries acting against the under sides of a pair of running
rails attached to each carriage. And I further declare that the manner in
which I carry these my improvements into effect is exemplified by the
Drawings hereunto annexed, as explained in the description thereof herein
following, reference being had to the figures and letters marked on the
Drawings in correspondence with those contained in the description.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents a side view of a train of pulleys, bands, and wheels,
with their supports and bearings, together with a carriage having two running
rails, each rail lying along upon four wheels of the train; only one of the rails
is seen in this Figure. Figure 2, an end view of the same, shewing the ends
of both running rails. Figure 3, plan of the train of wheels, pullies, bands,
bearings, and supports, in two parallel rows. Figure 4, a view of the under
side of one end of a luggage box attached to the carriage, shewing a pair
of guide wheels and their supporting frames, and also the under side of a
break attached to the under side of the luggage box. It is to be noted that
the same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the four Figures.
a represents sleepers of wood imbedded in gravel, the sleepers being capable
of adjustment by the ramming in of gravel under them, or by the taking
away of gravel from under them, as in the case of the sleepers of ordinary
railways; b, two lines of iron rails cast in twelve feet lengths and bolted
down in double pairs upon the sleepers to support the bearings of the wheels;
c, the bearings or plummer blocks, in which the axles of the wheels and
pulleys turn; d, the wheels, each fixed upon an axle revolving in two bearings;
e, a pulley fixed on the axle of each wheel, having two grooves around the
periphery, one groove for the band which is driven by the preceding pulley of
the train, and another groove for the band which drives the succeeding pulley
of the train f, the bands 'held together at the ends by hooks and eyes, or other-
wise, constituting them endless bands, each band passing around two pulleys g,
the running rails of the carriage resting on the peripheries of the wheels; g,
iron tire screwed to the under side of the running rails; h, a carriage built
upon the running rails representing two close coaches for first-class passengers,
and two open carriages for second-class passengers, with a compartment
or box at the bottom for luggage and goods; k, the luggage box; 1, rails to

page_text: prevent light luggage from slipping off from the roof of the carriage; m, two
horizontal guide wheels revolving under the luggage box to roll against the
inner sides of the rails b, and keep the carriage from moving sideways upon
the train of wheels; there are four of ach guide wheels to each carriage
placed near the ends; n, two spindles fixed in the horizontal wheels, the
wheels and the spindles revolving together; p, two frames bolted under the
bottom of the luggage box, the frames carrying steps or cups in which the
lower ends of the spindle n work; q, two frames bolted on the bottom
of the luggage box to receive and support screws which pass into cups formed
in the tops of the spindles; r, two screws, the lower points constituting
the upper pivots of the spindles, and working in cups formed in the tops of
the spindles in order that the upper pivots may not require oiling oftener than
the lower pivots which work in the steps; s, a seat for the conductor; s', the
foot board; t, a handle, shaft, and screw, for working a break to check
the speed and stop the carriage; u, the break, in two parts, fixed to the under
side of the luggage box, and made to press upon the two inner rails by
turning the screw t, communicating its power through the levers vand
connecting rods w; x, walls encasing the lower parts of the wheels to
prevent the gravel falling down and obstructing the motion of the wheels.
I have not thought it necessary to shew by Drawings the steam engine
connected with the first pair of wheels in the system, because every engineer
knows well how to effect the purpose of driving a pair of bands by two
riggers fixed on and turning with a horizontal shaft, receiving its motion
immediately from a fixed steam engine. I would, however, remark, that
I prefer, where local and other circumstances will allow of such an arrange-
ment, to have a steam engine at each mile of the distance or length of
railway. And I would also remark, that the driving shaft is to be placed
so low that the upper part of the riggers shall not be quite so high as the
upper part of the train of wheels, because the carriage must pass without
touching the riggers; and I have mentioned only bands held together with
hooks, and eyes for turning my trains of wheels, by which round bands are
implied, but it is evident that straps running on drums may be substituted,
and fastened together by any convenient means, and in rising steep acclivities
with a comparatively slow motion, chains may be used passing over pulleys
having studs in their peripheries to catch in the links of the chains. And
I would further remark, that I have, for the sake of clearness of description,
mentioned the casting of the rails in pairs of twelve feet length, which
it is obvious may be cast of different lengths and dimensions, together or
separate, according to convenience; the train, wheels, and pulleys, too, may
be larger or smaller, wider apart or nearer together, or may revolve on fixed

page_text: axles according to circumstances, and the carriage may be varied in size,
form, and ornament, as fancy may dictate, and I have not shewn any springs
between the running rails aud the carriage, because, when care is taken to
place the peripheries of the wheels in a straight line, the carriage will run
smoothly without springs; and I have not shewn any steps to the carriage,
because I contemplate erecting a platform at all the stations nearly on
a level with the floor of the carriage from which the passengers can step
at once into the carriages; and I have not shewn any buffers, because they
may be applied in any common manner.
The nature of my Invention, and the best manner I am acquainted with
of performing the same, having been thus described, I declare that I lay
no claim to the various parts separately, nor do I confine myself to any
precise arrangement of the details, so long as the peculiarity of my Invention
be retained; and although I have spoken of the steam engine which I consider
will be the best motive power in most cases, I do not confine myself thereto,
as other power may be employed. But what I claim is, the mode herein
described of constructing railways, whereby the power employed to propel
carriages thereon is transmitted by a series or train of wheels revolving on
axles, supported on stationary bearings fixed in the line of railway, and in
such manner that the carriages for passengers and goods are caused to pass
over and be acted on and moved by the rotatory motion of such wheels by
the contact and friction of their peripheries acting against the under sides of
a pair of running rails attached to each carriage.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Rangeley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of September, in the year of our
T
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Second day of September, in the
year of our Lord 1840, the aforesaid John Rangeley came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, 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 Third day of September, in the year of our Lord One