IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS, AND IN THE. MEANS OF PROPULSION USED THEREON
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alfred Vincent Newton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th February 1867.-A communication from abroad by Joseph Auguste
Andre Fontaine, of New York City, in the United States of America.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane;.
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS, AND IN THE.
MEANS OF PROPULSION USED THEREON," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the application of steam power to a railroad car
which is propelled on an elevated track, the weight of the car being diminished
or rendered negative by the attachment thereto of a balloon of peculiar con-
figuration; sails may also be arranged on the car. Thus this apparatus will
for traversing level roads be propelled either by steam power or by the wind,
the balloon being so shaped as to offer the least possible surface and resistance
to the atmospheric air in front. For ascending, the balloon will be sufficient
to propel the car, while steam and atmospheric power have to be used for
descending, for which purpose also a weight may be attached to the front or
lower end of the car. Hand or spring power may be substituted for the
steam power on small cars. The wheels of the car are provided with deep
grooves around their peripheries, and they are made to travel between double
rails, that is to say, one rail is below and one above the wheels. If the weight
of the balloon is positive, then the wheels travel on the lower rail; if negative,
the wheels revolve on the upper rail, as in the latter case the balloon has the
tendency to raise the car. This railroad is to be applied for crossing rivers or

page_text: swamps, for ascending hills, and even for travelling over the level ground.
The balloon car is made of oiled or varnished silk or other suitable material,
supported on the inside by a suitable light framework, and covered on the
outside by a network of sufficient strength. The shape of the car is, by
preference, cylindrical with conical ends. Within the body of the balloon car,
or elevated above it, or otherwise connected with it, is a structure which
contains the steam (or other) engine, the cabins, and store rooms; one or
more of such structures may be arranged on each car, according to the size
and design of the car. For the purpose of keeping and securing the sub-
stantial structure well and secure in the flexible balloon a light framework is
arranged around the structure, and supported by ropes which are held in
metal embracing rings. The engine drives a horizontal shaft, on either end
of which is a grooved driving wheel. All the other supporting wheels which
are simply attached to the side of the car are also. deeply grooved, so as to
be prevented from running out of the track. All the wheels on each side of
the car are connected with each other by a bar provided with universal joints,
which allow of the expansion and contraction of that bar, as well as of any
bending of the same. The track consists of two wire ropes or flexible rods on
either side of the way. For certain purposes the rails may be made of solid
iron or wood; the rails are supported by posts which are provided with two
elbow arms, and to the respective upper or lower end of each a rail is secured;
thus the rails are continued through the supporting posts.