Improvements in Railways for Pleasure Gardens, Feasts, Fairs, and the like.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 14th May, 1889-Accepted, 22nd June, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railways for Pleasure Gardens, Feasts, Fairs, and
the like.
ADA TOLSON Springfield Place Dewsbury, School Mistress do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of two or three lines of rails, laid in the form of a series of
curves, the outside line of each curve to be raised to prevent the cars from falling
over when going quickly.
As an additional security, I have the rails formed with a recess on the sides.
I then fix in addition to the wheels that carries the cars, small flanged pulleys to
run on a horizontal shaft the flange to run in the recess formed in the rails.
I propose to use the railway and cars in two ways.
Firstly; by laying the lines in the form mentioned to terminate in or about a
straight line from commencing, and propel the cars by a rope or other known
methods.
Secondly to lay the lines in the form mentioned but in a circle, and propel the
cars by the method known in roundabouts.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railways for Pleasure Gardens, Feasts, Fairs, and
the like.
I, ADA TOLSON, of 4 Springfield Place, Dewsbury, in the County of York, School-
mistress, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention has reference to a new form or construction of railway to be used
for pleasure purposes, consisting of a series of curves or serpentine lines, the outside
line of such curves being at a higher altitude or elevation than the inner curved line.
Carriages or coaches are made to run upon these curved lines by any form of motive
power. A central groove is arranged between the curved railway lines for the purpose
of guiding the wheels of the carriages as they travel upon the undulating curved line.
The ends of the lines may join each other so as to form a sort of circular railway, or
the curved undulating lines may be continuous.
Such being the nature and object of my invention, I will now proceed to describe
the same more fully, and for that purpose make reference to the annexed drawings,
wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved form of railway and Fig. 2 is a cross
section of the same where it will be seen that the inner railway line A is level, but
curved or serpentine, and the outer line B is undulating in addition to having a
serpentine curve, as illustrated in Fig. 2, where it will be seen that one part of line B
is elevated above line A, whilst another part of B gets below line A, and so on along
its course, by which it will be understood that a carriage travelling upon such
serpentine curves will, in addition to having a zigzag course to travel upon in the
forward direction, such carriage will have an oscillating or up and down motion from
the inner line to the outer. The carriages, which are illustrated at C, are provided
with wheels D fixed upon a shaft E capable of oscillating upon centre F so that the wheels
can adjust themselves to the curved lines without disturbing the position of the carriages.
Fig. 3 is a cross section of the carriages, and Fig. 4 underneath view thereof, and
Fig. 5 is elevation of two carriages coupled together, which is the method I prefer to

page_text: employ. In order to guide the wheels along the curved railway lines I attach to each
axle E a sort of link G, carrying a grooved pulley H, such link being attached by
connecting rod I to the axle of an adjoining carriage. The grooved pulley H is
placed into the central groove J, and as the carriages are propelled, the grooved pulley
causes the axle and the wheels thereon to follow safely along the railway lines and
to adjust the axle and the wheels as they pass along the serpentine railway. Fig. 6
shews cross section of the bottom of a carriage with the connecting rod and pulleys
attached. In order that the axle E may alter its position without disturbing the carriages,
each axle is provided. with small friction bowls K working in contact with circular
plates L, see Figs. 3 and 4, for the small pulleys to revolve against, so as to reduce
friction and permit of the easy and free movement of the axle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
Firstly. In railways, the arrangement of a series of serpentine curved lines where
the outer curved line undulates or varies in height.
Secondly. In railways, the arrangement of a series of serpentine curved lines where
the outer curved line undulates or varies in height, in combination with a central
serpentine groove for guiding and controlling the wheels of the carriage upon the
: serpentine lines.
Thirdly. The general arrangement and combination of railways substantially as
herein described when employed for purposes of pleasure.
Dated this 13th day of May 1889.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.