IMPROVEMENTS, IN RAILROADS, AND' IN THE CARRIAGES AND WHEELS EMPLOYED THEREON
Year: 1840

page_text: FETH
DI EVIT
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
PETTIT, of Wood House Place, Stepney Green, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Fifteenth day of October, in the fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Robert Pettit, Her. especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Robert Pettit, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and
such others as I, the 'said Robert Pettit, my executors, administrators; 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 "mentioned, should and lawfully
might make,. use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, and. in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations
abroad, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS, IN RAILROADS, AND' IN THE CARRIAGES
AND WHEELS EMPLOYED THEREON" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso, obliging me, the said Robert Pettit, 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 the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the'sáid' in
part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there into
had, will more fully and at large appear:
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert Pettit, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):―
My Invention of improvements in railroads, and in the carriages and wheels
employed thereon, I shall describe under two distinct sections or heads.
Section 1 comprehends, firstly, improvements in the forms and constructions of
the rails, and in the method of adapting them to the railroad or way, whereby
the structure is rendered more durable and less likely to get out of repair than
a railroad constructed on the old plans; secondly, improvements' in the con-
struction and arrangement of the carriages and wheels which are employed on
the improved railway, which render them less liable to be forced off the rail
from accidental causes; and, thirdly, in the application and construction of
certain arrangements of machinery to be employed for retarding the progress
of the carriages when required to stop suddenly, so as to avoid coming into
collision with another train, or from any other cause. Section 2 comprises
some parts of the above-mentioned improvements, modified so as to be applied
to railways and carriages of the ordinary construction.
I will now proceed to describe the improvements included under section 1
of my Invention. Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 represent transverse sections of four
different constructions of railways which may be employed according to circum-
stances; a, a, a, a, are the rails upon which the running wheels travel. These
wheels have plane or cylindrical circumferences, and are not furnished with a
flange as in ordinary railway wheels, which are very apt to wear away or
destroy the rail quickly, owing to the friction to which they are submitted as
the train travels round curves, or when the force of a side wind strikes the
train, and causes all the wheels on one side to bear with considerable force
against the inner edge of the rail. The flanges of the ordinary railway wheel
are used for the purpose of keeping the carriages in their proper position on the
rails, but I effect this object in a different manner; instead of flanges, I employ
four or more horizontal wheels b, b, b, b, mounted on vertical axles underneath
the carriage, and to prevent their rattling against the rails, I insert into a
groove round the periphery of each wheel rope-yarn, or other soft substances;
these wheels, shewn in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, may bear against the inner side of
the parallel rails, and by revolving freely on their axes, keep the carriage in its
proper position on the line of railway. In Fig. 2, the rails a, a, upon the
upper surface of which the carriages run, are merely flat bars or plates of iron
screwed or otherwise fastened on to longitudinal sleepers or blocks of wood,
and the guide rail c in the middle of the line is that against which the

page_text: horizontal wheels b, b, bear. This is employed for the purpose of keeping the
engine and carriages in their proper positions, and is equidistant from both the
side rails. This peculiar construction of railway 'will be found useful when oug
line of road branches off from another, as will be hereafter explained. Fig. 4
is a modification of Fig. 3, the only difference being the addition of top flanges
marked d, d, to the rails a, a, which flanges will restrain the horizontal wheels
from being raised out of their proper position, and prevent their passing over
the top of the rail from any accidental cause..
Fig. 5 represents a side elevation of one of the methods I employ for retarding
the progress of the carriages. This is effected by an apparatus which causes
one, two, or more breaks simultaneously to bear on the periphery of four
antifriction wheels attached to the running wheels. The breaks are worked by
a screw shaft a, a, the threaded end of which passes through a nut or box 6
attached to a horizontal bar c, c, the ends of this horizontal bar c are connected
to two upright rocking levers d, d, and also to two, connecting rods e, e, the other
ends of which rods are attached to two similar upright levers d, d, to which
breaks d* are attached. All these levers d, d, have their fulcrums at f. f, and
their lower ends are attached, by means of connecting rods, to the breaks g, g;
and whenever the breaks g are forced up against the periphery of the wheels
h, h, they will cause the connecting rods or bars on which the breaks are
mounted to spring a little downwards, and thereby depress the bars i, i, and
pull down the upper breaks j, j, causing them also to bear against the
peripheries of the wheels h, h. The bar i is mounted in suitable guides in
bracket arms, the same description of break being applied to all four wheels,
and upon turning the screw shaft a, a, by hand or otherwise, the breaks will
act simultaneously, as will be seen by inspecting the Drawing.
Fig. 6 represents a plan or birds-eye view of part of a railway, where one
line branches off from another. The ordinary part of the railway is constructed
on the plan shewn in Fig. 8, and the switch, or that part which guides the
train from one line to another, is constructed in the manner shewn in Fig. 2, in
which the guide rail is placed in the middle, between the two side rails, which
are merely flat iron plates secured to longitudinal wooden sleepers. In Fig. 6
the guide rail c is made moveable on a centre at z-at one end, and to the other
end is connected a rod y, which is moved by a lever at a, in the manner usually
employed on railways of the common construction. When the switch or guide.
rail c is by means of the lever and rod y brought into the position shewn
in the Drawing, the horizontal wheels b, b, of the carriages will guide the
running wheels into the branch line A, A; but if the switch remains in the
position shewn by dots, the carriages will continue to travel uninterruptedly

page_text: along the straight lines B, B. The carriage of the engine is furnished with
an apparatus in front for the purpose of directing the fore wheels when
it is required to pass the train from one line to another, or when passing
round curves; it consists of two horizontal wheels b, b, see Figs. 7 and 8, and
two small running wheels w, w, mounted in bearings attached to a framework
which is connected to the fore running wheels of the engine carriage, the
äxles of these fore wheels are allowed a little play, so that when the horizontal
wheels b, b, are turned out of the straight line, either by a switch or a curve
in the line, the fore running wheels may be allowed to edge round a little.
If-considered necessary, this apparatus.may be applied to all the carriages.
Figs. 7, 8, and 9 represent another part of my.Invention, namely, improve-
ments in constructing and connecting the carriages.employed on railways, for,
the conveyance of goods and passengers, and, combined with. this,. there is
nother description of break. adapted to the carriages, which may be cleno-.
minated a self-acting break. Fig. 7 is a side elevation, and. Fig. 8 a plan
view, of three carriages, the middle one being suspended between 'the other two
in the manner hereafter described'; should it be deemed desirable to use
springs for rendering the carriages more easy and comfortable for passengers, I
make a false bottom to the carriage, and place: the bottom on, springs, or the
seats may be made to bear on springs, and by: this means I dispense with the
use of external springs. The. improvement in the construction, of the carriages
consists in a peculiar manner or method of suspending them by means of a
imetallic or other framework; a, a, are the running wheels of the two.quter
carriages, the axles of which are affixed to an iron or other framework. b,b; b; b,
which passes round and supports the carriage, so that the. wheels. are.not cops
nected to the carriage. itself, but. only to. the framework which supports or
sustains the same. The middle carriage is. supported by, two horizontal
bars c, c, passed through slots made in the iron frame 6*, 6*, that sustains the
middle carriage; the ends of the horizontal bars c, c,. ȧre. supported by, the
iron framework b, b, of the other carriages. In case the weight contained in
the centre carriage should be such as to cause the horizontal bars.c, c, to bend,
the carriage in such case. will be partially supported by two small: running
wheels d, d, which, however, do not touch the rails, except; when required to
assist in supporting the carriage under an extraordinary, weight..
The self-acting break and other retarding apparatus is brought into, use, in 8
the following manner, if the train is to be stopped: suddenly:-At certain
stations along the line of road an apparatus; hereafter. described; is. placed, for
the purpose
of acting on certain levers or parts connected to or extending, from
the engine, and also certain levers extending from the carriages, which act

page_text: upon all the breaks as the train passes: This apparatus, is shewn at A, in
Figs. 7; 8, 9, and 10; it consists of a double inclined plane placed at the top
of a column, which is capable of being moved forward on the platform or
capital of the column, so as to bring the inclined plane into contact with
certain levers (as the train passes); if it be required to stop the engine, but if
the, engine is to be allowed to proceed, the inclined plane is kept back in the
position shewn by dots in the Drawing, so as to be out of the way of the levers
above alluded to as the train passes; but if the train is to be stopped, the
inclined planes are moved forward, as shewn in the Drawing, and secured in
that position, by a screw nut or other means, and, as the engine passes, the
lever- € attached to the engine will be forced backwards into the position
shewn by dots. A pulley f is fixed to the lever e; therefore, whenever the
levere is brought into the position shewn by dots in Fig. 8, the cords or
straps 9 and h, fastened to the pulley, become partially, wound upon it, and as
these cords or straps are connected with levers attached to the cock i; the cock
by this means will be turned, and the steam cut off from the cylinder and
allowed to pass into the steam whistle j, as seen in the partial end view,
Fig. 10; at the same time a pin k is pulled out of the socket, and the cord / is
loosened, which will cause two doors m, m, in the front part of the engine to
fly open, as shewn by dots, and by the pressure of the atmosphere a great
resistance will be presented to the progress of the engine: If required; another
cord may be connected to a break to act upon the wheels simultaneously as
the steam is cut off and the doors opened. The locomotive power of the
engine having been suspended by cutting off the steam from the cylinder, it
only remains to overcome the momentum of the train; this is effected by the
bent levers n of the carriages striking against the inclined planes at A, as they
come in contact with the same, which brings them into the position shewn by
dots in the Drawing, Fig. 8, thereby causing the breaks to act upon the
friction wheels. The breaks O, O, are attached to the lower ends of pendant
rods p; ; and the upper ends of these rods are jointed to long levers 9; 9,
having their fulcra at r, r: These long levers q; q, are supported by hooked
pieces s; s; formed at the ends of the horizontal rod t (see the plan view;
Fig. 8), and this rod is sustained in its proper position by a pin or stud u on
the bent lever n; therefore, when this bent' lever is (by coming into contact
with the inclined plane A) brought into the position shewn by dots in Fig. 8,
the pin or stud u is forced from under the horizontal rod t, which consequently
falls and allows the long levérs q, q, to assume the positions shewn by dots,
thereby raising the breaks o, o, and bringing them into contact with the
friction wheels. If desirable, the long levers 7, q, may be weighted at.

page_text: their ends, or a spring may be employed to force the break on to the
wheel. When the train has been stopped the breaks are brought into
their original positions by the cord v, which passes under and over the
pullies w, w, and is connected to the horizontal rod t. Upon pulling this cord
the long levers are raised into their original position, and the pin or stud u 5
of the bent lever is brought under the horizontal bar by pulling the cord or
chain or strap, which is attached to the end of the lever n.
Having now described my improvements, and the manner of carrying the
same into effect, as regards the first section or head of my Invention, I wish it
to be understood that I do not intend to confine myself precisely to the arrange 1
ment or construction of the mechanism shewn in the Drawings, as certain
parts may be varied to suit different circumstances; but I claim,-
Firstly, the improved construction and arrangement of railways shewn and
described in reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10; and
Secondly, the improvements described as relating to the construction of the 1
carriages and arrangement of apparatus to be attached thereto, and employed
on such railways; and
Thirdly, the methods and apparatus or mechanism described for arresting a
train of carriages independently of the will of the engine driver, guard, or other
person or persons travelling in such train, such mechanism cutting off the 2
steam from the cylinders, passing it through the whistle, and bringing into
operation the breaks of all the carriages, and opening the folding or retarding
doors in front of the engine.
The second section of my said Invention consists of certain mechanical
contrivances and arrangements, by means of which common railway trains 2
running upon railways of the ordinary construction may be always brought
to a stand without the agency and independent of the will of the engine driver,
guard, or other person or persons thereon or travelling therewith, and at any
given distance from a station, or at any part of the line where it may be deemed
advisable to have such independant means of stoppage provided; and for this 3
purpose I make, in the first place, the additions to the locomotive engines
herein-after described and represented in Sheet II. of Drawings hereunto
annexed. Fig. 1 is an end' elevation of a locomotive engine, and Fig. 2 is a
partial side view thereof. A is the handle of the steam regulator, and B is
the handle of the steam whistle. These handles are each fitted with loose 8
collars, but so as not to interfere with the common mode of using them by
hand. Each collar has a projection, to which the ends of the chains D and E
are attached respectively. F is a horizontal lever fixed upon the spindle G,
carrying the pins a and 7, and to the loose collars on these the other ends of the

page_text: .
chains are connected in like manner.
The vertical spindle G is secured near
the top by the bearing c fixed on the protecting rail; from this it descends
through the eye d, attached to the guide plate of the axle, on which it is sup-
ported by a collar, and H is 'crank lever fixed on the lower extremity.
When the engine is running and the whistle shut, the several parts described
are in the exact position shown in the Drawing, (viz.), both the chains D and E
strained tight, and the crank lever H standing out at a right angle to the side
of the engine. Now, it is obvious that by fixing any apparatus on the roadway.
outside of the rails, by means of which the lever H may be pressed against as
the engine passes to the extent of turning it about one-quarter of a revolution,
which will cause the two chains D and E to move with it, the steam will be
shut off from both the cylinders and simultaneously turned through the whistle.
It may be proper, however, here to point out that although the steam regulator
and whistle handles A and B are connected to a lever F by chains, yet those
handles can be worked by hand independantly, either for the purpose of shutting
off or putting on the steam to the engines, or blowing the whistle in the usual.
manner, leaving the crank lever standing in the position of Fig. 1. Rods
sliding in tubes, on the principle of the telescope, admitting of the requisite
contraction and expansion of the intervening distance, may-sometimes be found
convenient substitutes for the chains D and E, or any other suitable con
trivance may be employed. A vertical instead of a horizontal action may be
given to the lever F, by fixing it on a short horizontal axis connected to the
top of the spindle G by a small pair of mitre wheels, and supporting it by.
bearings fixed upon the most convenient part of the engine or carriage, or by
any other mechanical means, as circumstances may require. The apparatus
which I propose to affix to the roadway to act on the combination of levers,
for the purpose before mentioned, is represented at Figs. 1, 2, and 3: There
are four sleepers of sufficient length to extend from under the line of rails, to
receive the apparatus fixed upon them in the manner shewn in Fig. 3. Upon
the two outside ones are bolted the blocks T, T, of which Figs. 4 and 5
represent an end and side elevation. The two middle sleepers are connected
together about a foot asunder by the cross piece X, and they form beds fortified
with plates for the carriage N to slide upon. Figs. 6 and 7 represent an end
and side elevation of this carriage, shewing two ribs cast upon the bottom to
drop between the beds for the purpose of keeping the carriage in a proper
position during its backward and forward travelling motion. L, L, are two.
pieces of strong angle iron, though any suitable material and form may be
employed, which move on centre pins fixed in the top of the blocks T, T, while
their other ends rest upon the end of the sliding carriage N, to which they are

page_text: coupled by links' 0,:0, moving on centre pins fixed in the, back end of the
carriage: N; one end of the rod P is received by the jaws cast on the carriage N,
on which it moves freely, on a pin, and the other end is forked and forms a
moveable joint with a piece or tongue projecting from the edge of the lever R
(see Fig. 1), and the fulcrum of that lever is fixed to the cross timber morticed
into the sleepers, Fig. 3.. By joining the connecting rod P to a piece projecting
from the edge of the lever: R, the lever and rod, when the lever is put down,
will form a line occupying the position marked by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.
In the position in which the apparatus is shewn in Fig. 3, the pieces L, L, or
the slants as they may be termed, are parallel to the rails S, and of course stand
clear of the crank lever H,, which, is carried by the engine, see (Fig. 1); but
when it is necessary to act, upon the lever H, in order to stop the train, the
lever R.must be depressed, which operating on the sliding carriage N, through
the intervention of the rod p, advances or thrusts it forward, together with the
centre ends of the slants L, L, towards the rails S, to the extent of the dotted
lines, see Fig. 8, which are then in the position to act upon the crank lever H,
when brought into contact therewith by the advance of the engine. The break
lever K, Figs. 1 and 2; moves inside of, and is suspended when out of action on,
a projecting stud inserted in the vertical spindle G; W is a weight to increase
its power, or a spring to press upon the lever may be employed for the same
purpose. This lever is fixed upon a short spindle passing horizontally through,
and having its bearings in, two plates bolted to the engine frame, one within and
the other without; of these, the outside one only k is visible in Fig. 2; upon
the inside end of the spindle is fixed a short cross lever, the position and form
of which is shewn by Figs. 8 and 9. The ends of this lever K bear upon the
breaks h, h, when the lever K is down, but each end has two cross pins under
the straps 1, 1, secured and screwed on the breaks for lifting them off the
wheels on raising of the lever K; these breaks are brought into action by."
lowering the lever K, occasioned by the removal of the supporting stud on the
vertical spindle G, which is effected when that spindle is turned by the
crank lever H coming into contact with the slants L, L, in the manner before
described.
I wish it to be also understood that the machinery above described as
applicable to the breaks attached to the engine is also applicable to the
breaks attached to the different carriages in the train, and is worked and
operates upon such breaks by means of a spindle similar to the vertical
spindle G, in the manner before described. The lever R, which brings the
stationary apparatus into use, may be worked by hand by any of the policomen
stationed on the line, or other. persons appointed for the purpose.

page_text: And, with respect to the second section of my said Invention, I declare that
though I have specified under that head those contrivances and arrangements
by which I think the objects in view may be best accomplished, and mentioned
also certain contrivances which may be substituted for some of those so
preferred by me, I declare that I do not confine myself to the precise arrange-
ment and construction of the parts shewn, as they may be varied, under
different circumstances, without departing from the nature of my Invention;
but I claim a right to all modifications and variations of the same by which
the like effects may in the same general way be produced.
And I declare that what I claim generally under this head is, the addition
to railway engines and carriages of such a combination or system of levers
connected with the steam cylinders, alarums, and breaks, that, being acted upon
in the direction of the line of motion, they shall simultaneously, or nearly so,
shut off the steam, sound the alarums, and bring the breaks down on the
wheels; and also the fixing to or placing on railways of an apparatus, such as
that before described, in such a position that it can be made to act on the said
levers in the direction of the line of motion (by some projected part or parts
thereof) without the agency and independantly of the will of the engine driver,
guard, or other person or persons on the engine or train required to be
stopped. And I claim both of the mechanical means or system of means last
herein generally claimed, whether used together or used separately; that is to
say, whether both are used together, as I have described, or one of them only
in combination with some other wholly and different means or system of
means from that which I have specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Pettit, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord