Improvements in Ship Railways.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 12th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ship Railways.
I, AMEDÉE MATHURIN GABRIEL SÉBILLOT of 18 Rue Boursault, Paris,
France, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to simplify and improve the working of ship
railways so as to enable the transport of ships over land to be performed with the
same degree of certainty and simplicity as the working of an ordinary railway and
to apply to ship railways the means which experience has shewn in the working
of ordinary railways to be calculated to contribute to the rapidity and power of
such transport.
The working of ship railways as heretofore proposed involves complicated
operations, it being necessary to employ lifts to raise the vessel out of the water and
bring it to the level of the rails on which the traction is effected by attaching
locomotives to the carrier cradle in which the ship is docked.
These operations are long and not adapted to the requirements of a rapid service,
such as is necessary when dealing with a considerable amount of traffic, and it is
the object of the improvements about to be described to simplify the matter.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification; wherein
Figure is a side elevation of the ship carrier,
Figure 2 is a plan,
Figure 3 is a central cross-section, and
Figure 4 a cross-section at the end.
The ship carrier is composed of a metal structure, A, B, C, D, forming a sort of
lock chamber, except that there are no gates, so that if the ship be drawn up an
inclined way the water runs off freely and the hull emerges gradually until it rests
high and dry upon the floor of the ship carrier. The general form is therefore
that of a metallic caisson, with the outer sides vertical and the inner sides curved
to the shape of the bottom of the vessel's hull, there being sufficient space between
the inner and outer walls for the installation of the propelling mechanism hereafter
described, the two inner and outer walls being braced together by metal beams as
in shipbuilding. The floor of the carrier cradle is constructed of longitudinal and
transverse girders, forming a metal bridge of which the vertical walls form the side
girders. This platform is supported on two sets of wheels, the one set E, occupying
the middle portion, being without flanges so as to be free to shift laterally on the
rails, according to the curvature of the track. The other set Fare flanged and
are grouped in two bogie frames G and H, one at each end of the platform, each
swivelling on a central bogie pin I, two sets of friction rollers running between
concentric paths J, K, so as to enable the bogies to readily swivel and adapt them-
selves to the radius of the curves to be traversed. These wheels F are simply
guiding and carrying wheels, the motive power being applied to drive the wheels of
the first series E. Two other sets of flangeless wheels E' E', similar to those E,
may also be provided at front and rear whereby to avoid the overhanging of the
ends of the platform, and, by enabling the bogie pins 1 to be brought closer
together, facilitate the passage of curves of relatively short radius. The weight
necessary for adhesion having been calculated, the number of driving wheels may
be deduced. The number shewn on the drawing is merely given by way of
illustration and may be varied.
The propulsion of the carrier is effected by engines N mounted in the spore

page_text: between the inner and outer walls of the carrier, the engines in this example being
of the compound inverted type as generally used for marine purposes, a pair o
engines being applied to each driving axle, which is cranked and passes through
stuffing boxes at 0 0. In order to drive the wheels, and yet allow of each whee
resting on the track, they must be independent and each have a slight amount of
play for this purpose the driving axle is in lengths coupled by universal joints PP
between the wheels so that each wheel is pressed on by its own springs which
distribute the load uniformly over the whole of them and over the whole of the rail
surface. The steam boilers Q are placed at the upper part of the side walls of the
carrier in sufficient number to supply the power necessary for the propulsion of the
carrier and its load.
;
It will thus be seen that the essence of this invention is the rendering of the ship
carrier self-propelling, by converting it into an immense locomotive. The con-
siderations which, in the majority of cases, render this arrangement preferable to
separate locomotives attached to the ship carrier, are the following;
In order that ship railways may be of general application, the ability to travel
on steep gradients is necessary, especially as it is frequently required to transport
ships over a ridge more or less broken between two navigable basins, and this
implies a considerable tractive power in the case, for example, of a ship of 5000 tons,
making with the carrier a load of 8000 tons, ascending a gradient of 2 in 100, as
would be frequently the case, for which a tractive force of 240,000 kilogrammes
would be required, and, at a speed of 5 metres per second, a motive power of
13.500 H.P. whilst the weight to which adhesion is due amounts to 1,600,000 kilo-
grammes, which corresponds to 40 locomotives of 40 tons each or a large locomotive
of 1600 tons. The use of such a locomotive would, however, lead to a great
increase of expense for materials, weight to be transported, and cost of traction.
For these reasons, it is better to make the ship carrier itself the locomotive, the
only difference being that as the cylinders are situated in the submerged portion of
the structure, stuffing-boxes are required as in the case of screw-shafts.
It will be seen that the locomotive ship carrier described is a powerful apparatus
proportioned in all its parts to the enormous loads to be transported and having the
power of propulsion as well in water as on land. The whole weight of the load is
utilised for the purpose of adhesion, which enables very much steeper gradients to
be ascended than would be possible on an ordinary railway when the locomotive is
hauling behind it a considerable number of vehicles. In the case of the ship
railway, the load is indivisible and, from the point of view of the ability to ascend
steep gradients, the conditions are the same as though on an ordinary railway it
was only required to propel the locomotive carrying its own load. This comparison
shews that, contrary to what has been thought in respect of the transport of large
masses, such as ships of heavy tonnage with their cargoes, it is not necessary to
have a level road but on the contrary that the conditions of the load are such as to
enable steep gradients to be ascended with greater case than on an ordinary railway.
On the other hand it will be observed that the use of two sets of wheels, the
central set flangeless and the end sets flanged and grouped on bogie frames, enables
curves of small radius to be passed, provided only that the width of tread of the
middle wheels should be such that they will always bear fairly on the rails, which
width may be easily calculated from the versed sine of the angle of which half the
wheel base is the sine. The locomotive carrier fulfils the twofold condition of
being able to ascend steep gradients and pass round curves of relatively short
n
radius.
The point and crossings are easily arranged for. a -hewn in the diagram,
Figure, the switches R presenting in particular feature and being, except in
respect of dimensions, exactly similar to the points and crossings of an ordinary
railway, which of course follows since the guiding of the carrier by the flanged
wheel of the bogie trucks presents no difference from that of ordinary railway
vehicles.
From the foregoing description, the working of the ship railway may be readily

page_text: understood. The locomotive ship railway about to receive a ship is run down the
inclined way under water (which the railway terminates at each end) until it
reaches the necessary depth to allow the vessel to float above the level of the keel
blocks W; as soon as the vessel has entered it is made fast by four moorings and
four steadying screws Y which are screwed up gradually into contact with the hull
and then tightened when the keel rests upon the line of keel blocks W. When, by
the movement of the carrier up the incline, the hull gradually emerges, the bilges
are supported by elastic supports Z formed by steel bands or belt covered with
ads of soft material, such as tow, and are drawn taut by hydraulic pistons Z
working in cylinders in communication with an accumulator supplying water under
pressure so calculated as to apply a constant and predetermined pressure against
the bilges of the hull. The vessel is thus supported immovably in its carrier, it
rests on its keel, is supported beneath its bilges, and is held rigidly in the upright
position by the steady-screws. It can thus be transported without shock or
vibration like a locomotive engine running light, whose movements are always much
more easy than those of vehicles which are hauled. Moreover, the moderate speed,
15 to 20 kilometres, which it is suitable to maintain, cannot give rise to shocks or
vibrations in any way comparable with those which the ship is called on to with-
stand in the least bad weather. When the transport of the carrier has been
effected it re-descends the terminal incline, the pads and supports are relaxed and
the ship is free to float off, the carrier then being free to receive another ship
requiring to be transported in the opposite direction, and so on.
It remains to describe an improvement of great practical importance, namely the
lubrication which should be capable of being effected under water as well as on
land and without requiring personal attention to maintain an efficient state of
lubrication of the rubbing surfaces which would involve considerable expenditure.
The lubrication is effected automatically by means of the devices represented in
Figures 6, 7, and 8, which illustrate an automatic axle box; as will be seen, the
axle box is surmounted by a bearer a which rests on a series of springs & represented
by cupped steel discs. The axle box slides in the horn plate and in order to
effect the lubrication the bearing has a cavity d to which the oil is supplied through
a pipe e (which is flexible for a certain length in order to allow free play of the
axle box in the horn plate guides) from an oil reservoir common to all, or by a
pump. The flow of the oil is regulated both by the pressure and by the fact that
it must traverse a series of brushes disposed in quincunx, in order to reach the
wicks which distribute it on the journal surface. 11, therefore, the tightness of the
brushes, the pressure, and the area of the channels are properly calculated, each
journal will receive a constant predetermined quantity of oil: when in motion the
lubrication is capable of being modified by varying the pressure. The considerable
dimensions of the journals forming part of a single vehicle render this system of
lubrication as easy of application as it is efficacious for maintaining the good working
condition of the rubbing surfaces.
Such is the combination of new arrangements whr. by the working of a ship
railway is enabled to b. brought down to the shoplicity of that of an ordinary
railway.
The diagrams, Figures 9 and 10, represent the ideal view of a ship railway:
from g to is the terminal incline under water of the main line which is in coin-
munication at the other end with the other terminal incline ij whilst at k is a
iding or passing place where there may be several tracks if necessary.
The construction of the permanent way is represented in Figures 3 and 4, and
consists of a metal framework of longitudinal sleepers L and cross-sleepers M.
The rails are flat steel strips forming the rolling surface and are of only sufficient
hickness to give room for the flanges of the guide wheels. The longitudinal
leepers rest on foundation walls of concrete S wherever the ground is not rocky
very compact. By means of this construction, and the surface being such that
he pressure on the ground will not exceed 2 kilogrammes per square centimetre,

page_text: a track is formed resembling a continuous bridge which cannot settle down or
- deviate from its original plane or direction.
1001
A. M. G. SÉBILLOT,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ship Railways.
I, AMÉDÉE MATHURIN GABRIEL SÉBILLOT of 18, Rue Boursault, Paris,
France, Civil Engineer, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to simplify and improve the working of ship
railways, so as to enable the transport of ships overland to be performed with the
same degree of certainty and simplicity as the working of an ordinary railway and
to apply to ship railways the means which experience has shewn in the working
of railways to be calculated to contribute to the rapidity and power of such
transport.
The working of ship railways as heretofore proposed involves complicated
operations, it being necessary to employ lifts to raise the vessel out of the water and
bring it to the level of the rails on which the traction is effected by attaching
locomotives to the carrier cradle in which the ship is docked. These operations
are long and not adapted to the requirements of a rapid service, such as is
necessary when dealing with a considerable amount of traffic, and it is the object
of the improvements about to be described to simplify the matter.
Reference is to be had to the drawings accompanying my Provisional Specification,
wherein figure is a side elevation of the ship carrier,
Figure 2 is a plan,
Figure 3 is a central cross-section, and
Figure 4a cross-section at the end.
The ship carrier is composed of a metal structure A, B, C, D, forming a sort of
lock chamber, except that there are no gates, so that if the ship be drawn up an
inclined way the water runs off freely and the hull emerges gradually until it rests
high and dry upon the floor of the ship carrier. The general form is therefore
that of a metallic caisson with the outer sides vertical and the inner sides curved
to the shape of the bottom of the vessel's hull, there being sufficient space
between the inner and outer walls for the installation of the propelling
mechanism hereafter described, the two inner and outer walls being braced together
by metal beams, as in shipbuilding. The floor of the carrier cradle is constructed
of longitudinal and transverse girders, forming a metal bridge of which the vertical
walls form the side girders. This platform is supported on two sets of wheels, the
one set E occupying the middle portion being without flanges so as to be free to
shift laterally on the rails according to the curvature of the track. The other set
of wheels are flanged and are grouped in two bogie frames G and I one at each
end of the platform, each swivelling on a central bogie pin I, between which
platform and the hogie frames roll two concentric sets of friction rollers J, K, so
a to enable the hogies to readily swivel and adapt themselves to the radius of the
curve to be traversed. These flanged wheels Fare simply guiding and carrying
wheel, the motive power being applied to drive the wheels of the first series E.
Two other set of flangeless wheels E' E' similar to those E may also be
provided at front and rear whereby to avoid the overhanging of the ends of the
platform and by enabling the bogie pins I to be brought closer together, facilitate
the passage of curves of relatively short radius. The weight necessary for

page_text: ulhesion having been calculated, the number of driving wheels may be deduced.
The number shewn on the drawing is merely given by way of illustration and may
be varied.
.L
pair of
The propulsion of the carrier is effected by engines N mounted in the space
between the inner and outer walls of the carrier, the engines in this example being
of the compound inverted type as generally used for marine purposes,
engines being applied to each driving axle which is cranked and passes through
stuffing boxes at OO (Figure 3). In order to drive the wheels and yet allow of
each wheel resting on the track, they must be independent and each have a slight
amount of play; for this purpose the driving axle is made in lengths coupled by
universal joints P P between the wheels so that each wheel is pressed on by its
own springs which distribute the load uniformly over the whole of them and over
the whole of the rail surface. The steam boilers Q are placed at the upper part
of the side walls of the carrier, in sufficient number to supply the power necessary
for the propulsion of the carrier and its load.
It will thus be seen that the essence of this invention is the rendering of the
ship carrier self-propelling, by converting it into an immense locomotive. The
considerations which, in the majority of cases, render this arrangement preferable
to separate locomotives attached to the hip carrier, are the following-In order
that ship railways may be of general application, the ability to travel on steep
gradients is necessary especially as it is frequently required to transport ships over a
ridge between two navigable basins and this implies a considerable tractive power
in the case, for example, of a ship of 5000 tons making with the carrier a load of
8000 tons ascending a gradient of 2 in 100 as would be frequently the case, for
which a tractive force of 240,000 kilogrammes would be required and at a speed
of 5 metres per second a motive power of 13:500 H.P. whilst the weight to
which adhesion is due amounts to 1,600,000 kilogrammes which corresponds to
The use of
40 locomotives of 40 tons each or a large locomotive of 160 tons.
such a locomotive would, however, lead to a great increase of expense for materials,
For these reasons it is better to
weight to be transported, and cost of traction.
make the ship carrier itself the locomotive, the only difference being that as the
cylinders are situated in the submerged portion of the structure, stuffing-boxes are
required as in the case of screw-shafts.
It will be seen that the locomotive ship-carrier described is a powerful apparatus
proportioned in all its parts to the enormous loads to be transported and having
the power of propulsion as well in water as on land. The whole weight of the
load is utilized for the purpose of adhesion which enables very much steeper
gradients to be ascended than would be possible on an ordinary railway, when the
locomotive is hauling behind it a considerable number of vehicles.
In the case of
the ship railway, the load is indivisible and from the point of view of the ability to
ascend steep gradients, the conditions are the same as though on an ordinary rail-
way it was only required to propel the locomotive carrying its own load. This
comparison shews that contrary to what has been thought in respect of the
tran-port of large masses, such as ships of heavy tonnage with their cargoes, it is
not necessary to have a level road but on the contrary, that the conditions of the
load are such as to enable steep gradients to be ascended with greater ease than on
an ordinary railway. On the other hand it will be observed that the use of two
sets of wheels, the central set flangeless and the end sets flanged and grouped on
bogie frames, enables curves of small radius to be passed, provided only that the
width of tread of the middle wheels should be such that they will always bear
fairly on the rails, which width may be easily calculated from the versed sine, of
the angle of which half the wheel base is the sine. The locomotive carrier fulfils
the twofold condition of being able to ascend steep gradients and pass round curves
of relatively short radius. The points and crossings are easily arranged for, as
shewn in the diagram figure 5, the switches R presenting no particular feature and
being, except in respect of dimensions exactly similar to the points and crossings of
an ordinary railway which of course follows, since the guiding of the carrier by the

page_text: manged wheels of the bogie trucks presents no difference from that of ordinary
railway vehicles.
From the foregoing description, the working of the ship railway may be readily
understood. The locomotive ship carrier about to receive a ship is run down the
inclined way (by which the railway is terminated at each end) under water, until it
reaches the necessary depth to allow the vessel to flont above the level of the keel-
blocks W. As soon as the vessel has entered it is made fast by four moorings and
four steadying screws Y (Figure 2) which are screwed up gradually into contact
with the hull and then tightened, when the keel rests upon the line of keel-
blocks W. When by the movement of the carrier up the incline the hull gradually
energes, the bilges are supported by clastic supports Z formed by steel bands or
belts covered with pads of soft material, such as tow, and are drawn tant by
hydraulic pistons Z' working in cylinders in communication with an accumulator
supplying water under pressure so calculated as to apply a constant and predeter-
mined pressure against the bilges of the hull. The vessel is thus supported
immovably in its carrier, it rests on its keel, is supported beneath its bilges, and is
held rigidly in the upright position by the steady-screws.
ported without shock or vibration like a locomotive engine running light whose
It can thus be trans-
movements are always much more easy than those of vehicles which are hauled.
Moreover the moderate speed. 18 to 20 kilometres, which it is suitable to maintain,
cannot give rise to shocks or vibrations in any way comparable with those which
the ship is called on to withstand in the least bad weather.
the carrier has been effected it re-descends the terminal incline, the pads and
When the transport of
supports are relaxed, and the ship is free to float off, the carrier then being free
to receive another ship requiring to be transported in the opposite direction, and
so on.
r
It remains to describe an improvement of great practical importance, namely,
the lubrication which should be capable of being effected under water as well as
on land and without requiring personal attention to maintain an efficient state of
lubrication of the rubbing surfaces, which would involve considerable expenditure.
The lubrication is effected automatically by means of the devices represented in
Figures 6, 7, and 8, which illustrate an automatically-lubricated axle box; as will
be seen, the axle box is surmounted by a bearera which rests on a series of springs b
represented by cupped steel dises. The axle box slides in the horn plates and
in order to effect the lubrication, the bearing has a cavity d to which the oil is
supplied through a pipe e (which is flexible for a certain length in order to allow
free play of the axle box in the horn plate guides) from an oil reservoir common to
all, or by a pump. The flow of the oil is regulated both by the pressure and by
the fact that it must traverse a series of brushes disposed in quincunx, in order
to reach the channels which distribute it on the journal surface.
fore the tightness of the brushes, the pressure, and the area of the channels, are
properly calculated each journal will receive a constant predetermined quantity of
oil. When in motion, the lubrication is capable of being modified by varying the
pressure. The considerable dimensions of the journal formning part of a single
vehicle, render this system of lubrication as easy of application
for maintaining the good working condition of the rubbing surfaces.
as it is efficacións
Such is the combination of new arrangements whereby the working of a ship
railway is enabled to be brought down to the simplicity of that of an ordinary
railway.
If there
The diagrams, Figures 9 and 10, represent the ideal view of a ship railway.
From to is the terminal incline under water of the main line which is in con
munication at the other end with the other terminal incline whilst at 1- M
siding or passing place where there may be several tracks, if necessary.
The construction of the permanent way is represented in Figures 3 and 4 and
consists of a metal framework of longitudinal sleepers L and cross-sleepers M. The 5
rails are flat steel strips forming the rolling surface and are of only sufficient
thickness to give room for the flanges of the guide wheels. The longitudinal

page_text: sleepers rest on foundation walls of concrete S wherever the ground is not
rocky or very compact. By means of this construction and the surface being
such that the pressure on the ground will not exceed 2 kilogrammes per square
centimetre, a track is formed resembling a continuous bridge which caunot settle
down or deviate from its original plane or direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1-t. The herein described system of locomotive ship carrier, provided with
its own engines and boilers, for the transport of ships either under water or on
land.
2nd. The employment, in a ship-carrier of the kind herein described, of two sets
of wheels the central set being flangeless and the end sets provided with flanges and
grouped on bogie frames placed at the ends of the platform, for enabling the passing
of curves of small radius.
3rd. The arrangement of automatic lubricator for the wheel axle boxes, as herein
described.
4th. The herein described construction of the cradle and of the permanent way
for use with this system of locomotive ship-carrier.
5th. The application to ship railways of the points and crossings as herein
described.
Dated this 12th day of February 1909
A. M. G. SÉBILLOT,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.