Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 18th Mar.. 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 1st June, 1889
We, JOHN HUGHES and CHARLES LANCASTER, City Road, Chester, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of our said invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates mainly to that class of Tram Cars which are propelled by the
expansive force of compressed air acting by means of an engine contained in and
carried by the Tram Car the air being supplied to receivers carried on the car from
a "main" (pipe) laid along the track on which the car runs, or from stations along
the route.
According to our invention we form the reservoir for the compressed air by con-
structing the main framework of the car of tubes or chambers so jointed and
connected together as to form one continuously connected receiver thus, the main
longitudinal beams, the cross beams, and the main uprights with their cross ties,
constituting the skeleton framework of the car; under our invention consists of tubes
or chambers screwed into, or otherwise to one another, all of as large diameter as
can be conveniently employed, and upon which the woodwork constituting the floor,
sides, roof and seats of the car or some of them can be laid. We also place under-
neath the car tubular vessels surrounding the axles of the running or driving wheels,
such vessels being built with internal tubes sufficiently large to allow the axles to
pass through them and to have clearance for the rise and fall of the car upon its
springs, the vessels form annular reservoirs round the axles, and are connected
together by tubes at right angles to them, and have tubes from each end extending
under the end platforms of the car and are also connected to the tubes forming the
frame of the car. In some cases these air vessels are placed longitudinally under
the car side by side extending the whole length of the car, the axle clearance tubes
passing through them at right angles. By the above described arrangement of tubes
and vessels a large reservoir is provided for the storage of compressed air upon the
car.

page_text: "
In order to avoid any interference with or diminution of the space required for the
air reservoirs we employ to drive the car a revolving engine such as "Riggs or
"Wilsons" revolving engine or their equivalents and we place the Engine or
Engines underneath or at the side of the car about midway between the two axles.
The engine works a shaft carried across the car and geared to the two axles at one
or both ends by suitable wheel, chain, or other gearing, the starting, reversing, and
regulating levers, being fixed on the platforms at each end and connected by rods
or tubes to the engine so that it can be controlled from either end of the car. This
arrangement allows for the rise and fall of the car on the springs without materially
affecting the gearing between the wheels and the engine whether such gearing be
wheels or chains. To enable the reservoirs on the cars to be rapidly connected to
the compressed air main for the purpose of re-charging we attach to the main at
suitable intervals flexible pipes which can be coiled or otherwise disposed in a box
in the street, and we provide on each car a suitable valve coupling by which connection
can be rapidly effected by means of a connecting nozzle or other suitable contrivance
on the end of the flexible pipe. In order to convey the necessary lubrication to the
shaft and axle bearings and other working parts of the engine requiring it, we
employ a closed vessel or tank containing the oil, which is forced through small tubes
to the parts requiring it by means of air pressure, acting direct upon the surface of
the oil in the tank in a manner similar to that employed in the apparatus known as
Shone's sewage ejector for forcing sewage through pipes. The air reservoirs can also
be charged with compressed air as required from depôts or stations at suitable
distances along the route or by means of valves placed at intervals on the compressed
air main laid along the track, the hose or other connections used to connect the
reservoirs with the main being carried on the car.
Any of the methods of supplying the air and charging the air reservoirs with air
at points along the route which have from time to time been designed for such
purpose may be employed; as for instance the system proposed in the Specification
of Patent No. 523283 granted to English, Hanseen and Sturgeon or any like system
or mere modifications thereof could be employed in connection with the present
invention.

page_text: We, JOHN HUGHES and CHARLES LANCASTER both of City Road, Chester, in the
County of Chester, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention
to be as follows :-
Our Invention relates mainly to that class of Train Cars which are propelled by
the expansive force of compressed air acting by means of an engine contained and
carried by the Tram Car, the air being supplied to receivers carried on the car from
"main" (pipe) laid along the track on which the car runs, or from stations along
a
the route.
According to our Invention, we form the reservoir for the compressed air, by
constructing the main framework of the car of tubes or chambers, so jointed and
connected together as to form one continuously connected receiver, thus the main
longitudinal beams, and cross beaus, and the main uprights with their cross ties,
constituting the skeleton framework of the car, under our Invention, consist of tubes
or chambers screwed into or otherwise connected to one another, all of as large
diameter as can be conveniently employed, and upon which the woodwork consti-
tuting the floor, sides, roof, and seats of the car, or some of them, can be laid. We
also place underneath the car tubular vessels surrounding the axles of the running
or driving wheels, such vessels being built with internal tubes sufficiently large to
allow the axles to pass through them, and to have clearance for the rise and fall of
the car upon its springs; the vessels form annular reservoirs round the axles, and
are connected together by tubes at right angles to them, and have tubes from each
end extending under the end platforms of the car, and are also connected to the tubes
forming the frame of the car. In some cases these air vessels are placed longitudi-
nally under the car side by side, extending the whole length of the car, the axle
clearance tubes passing through them at right angles. By the above described
arangement of tubes and vessels a large reservoir is provided for the storage of
compressed air upon the car.
י,
In order to avoid any interference with or diminution of the space required for the
air reservoirs, we use, to drive the car, a revolving engine, such as Riggs" or
" Wilsons revolving engine, or their equivalents, and we place the engine or
engines underneath, or at the side of the car, preferably about midway between the
two axles. The engine works a shaft carried across the car and geared to the two
axles at one or both ends by suitable wheel, chain or other gearing, the starting,
reversing, and regulating levers being fixed on the platforms at each end, and
connected by rods or tubes to the engine, so that it can be controlled from either
end of the car. This arrangement allows for the rise and fall of the car on the
springs without materially affecting the gearing between the wheels and the engine,
whether such gearing be wheels or chains. In working, the air reservoirs can be

page_text: charged with compressed air as required from depôts or stations at suitable distances
along the route, or by means of valves placed at intervals in a compressed air main,
laid along the track, suitable hose or other connections being used to connect the
reservoirs with the main.
Any of the methods of supplying the air and charging the air reservoirs with air
at points along the route which have from time to time been designed for such
purpose may be employed.
Having thus specified genera ly the nature, object, and purposes of our Invention,
its description will now be proceeded with in reference to the annexed drawings,
which make a part of this specification and explain more fully the nature of our
Invention, like letters and figures being used to denote like parts throughout the
several figures.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the Tram Car taken at X. X. Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation of the Tram Car taken at X, X Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the back of the engine showing the expansion and
reversing gear.
Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the framework of the Tram Car.
With reference to the drawings, it will be seen that the main frame work of the
car is constructed of tubes, so jointed and connected together, as to form one con-
tinuously connected receiver. Thus the main longitudinal beams a, cross beams a¹,
and the uprights a² constituting tho skeleton framework of the car, consist of tubes
screwed or otherwise connected to one another. Upon this tubular framework the
woodwork constituting the floor, sides, roof, and seats of the car are laid. 6 are
tubular vessels placed underneath the car, and surrounding the axles c of the
wheels d, the axles e passing through internal tubes and having clearance for the
rise and fall of the car on its springs. These vessels b form annular reservoirs round
the axles, and are connected together by tubes 62 at right angles to them and are
also connected with tubes 63 extending under the end platforms of the car. These
tubes b, 62, 63 are connected to the tubes a, a', a² forming the frame of the car. By
this arrangement a large reservoir is provided for the storage of compressed air upon
the car.
e is the engine for driving the car. It is of the revolving type such as
"Riggs"
or "Wilsons" revolving engine, and it is preferably placed about midway between
the wheel axles c as shown. The engine e works a shaft f, carried across the car
and geared to the two axles c by chain gearing g. h are the reversing and regulating
levers which are connected by rods to levers fixed on the platforms of the car at
both ends, so that the engine can be controlled from either end of the car.
For working, the air reservoir, consisting of the tubes such as above described,-
can be charged with compressed air from suitable stations along the route, or by
means of valves placed at intervals in a compressed air main laid along the track
any of the known methods being employed to connect the air reservoir with the
main.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A tram car in which the frame or framework is constructed of tubes, inter-
connected, and adapted to serve as a compressed air reservoir; for the purposes set
forth.
2. The improvement in pneumatically propelled tram cars substantially as herein
described, which consist in forming the reservoir for the storage of compressed air
by constructing the main framework of the car of tubes, so connected together as to

page_text: form a continuously connected receiver, and connected to tubular vessels underneath
the car.
3. In a pneumatically propelled tram car, tubular vessels adapted to surround the
axles of the running or driving wheels, and to serve as compresed air reservoirs ; for
the purposes set forth.
4. In a pneumatically propelled tram car in which the axles are surrounded by
tubular vessels for the purposes described, constructing such vessels with internal
tubes in which the axles are placed and free to move; as set forth.
5. The combination and arrangement of vessels, b, 62, 63, adapted to serve as com-
pressed air reservoirs, substantially as set forth with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3
of the Drawings.
6. A pneumatically propelled tram car comprising a system of air reservoirs and
a revolving engine, of the type such as specified, said engine being adapted to operate
the wheels of the tram car, and arranged in such a manner as not to interfere
substantially with or diminish the space available for air reservoirs; substantially as
described.
7. In a pneumatically propelled tram car, the combination of a system of air
reservoirs disposed below the body of the car, and a revolving engine, such as of the
type described, also disposed in the lower part of the body of the car; substantially
as set forth with reference to Figures 1. 2. 3. and 4.
Dated this 19th d... ML 1000