IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING CARRIAGES, AND IN PROPELLING VESSELS FOR INLAND NAVIGATION
Year: 1832

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH.
SAXTON, of Sussex Street, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanician, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date.
at Westminster, the Twentieth day of December, in the third year of His
reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Joseph Saxton, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said Joseph Saxton, my exors, admors, and.
assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Saxton, my exors, admors,
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 expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROPELLING CARRIAGES, AND IN PROPELLING VESSELS FOR INLAND NAVIGATION;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Joseph
Saxton, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in
His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Joseph Saxton, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascertained in
and by the following description thereof, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention consists in the application of pullies of different diameters,
which I denominate "the differential -pullies," or of a pulley and wheels,
according to the principles hereafter described, whereby I am enabled to take
advantage of the results which are obtained from such difference of diameter by
obtaining considerable velocity to carriages or to vessels used in inland navi-
gation, whilst the rope by which the motion is produced is caused to act
through a very small space, in proportion to the distance travelled by the
carriage, or by a vessel used in inland navigation, as will be fully described
hereafter, when I come to describe the various Figures shown in the Drawing.
But, in order that my Invention may be most fully understood, it will be
desirable, in the first place, to go into a short description of the principles on
which my improvements act before I describe their application to carriages
and to vessels for inland navigation.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1. represents a combination of two pulleys, their diameters being as
c, d, is an
six to seven; a being the larger pulley, and 6 the smaller one.
endless rope passing over the sheaves e, e. And it should be observed that
this endless rope takes a turn around each of the pulleys 'a and b; that is to
say, the part c taking a turn around the larger pulley a, and the part d taking
a turn round the smaller pulley b. If then the rope d be caused to move in
the direction of the black arrow it will have a tendency to draw the lower
part of the pulley 6 in the same direction with the rope d; meanwhile the
part c of the endless rope will be moving in the direction of the red arrow, and
will have a tendency to, move the lower part of the pulley a in the same
direction with this part of the rope; consequently the two pulleys a, b, (they
being fixed together) would.: turn on the mean point f, as a fulcrum
is the
centre of the two pulleys. Let it, then, be supposed that the part d of the
endless rope be moved from h to i,it will be evident that the centre g of the
differential pulleys a, b, would be moved to the point j; and, consequently, if any
object were connected to the centre 9 of these differential pulleys it would
.be propelled from g toj by the endless rope.c, d, being moved the much
smaller distance of h to i, as is clearly, indicated by the dotted lines, and these
distances will be as thirteen to one.

page_text: And
Having now shown the principles on which the differential pulleys ȧct,
the various applications hereafter described will be readily understood.
I would observe, that in all the other Figures in the Drawing the same
letters of reference will be used to indicate similar parts wherever they occur.
Figure 2 represents my improvements applied to a carriage, the construction
of which is represented to be an omnibus for the carriage of passengers; but it
is evident the description of carriage is immaterial, and will vary to suit the
purposes to which the carriages are to be applied. The carriage is placed on
four wheels, as usual, two of which-wheels-k, k, are shewn in this Figure.
a and 6 are the differential pulleys applied to the-carriage, according to my.
Invention, a being the larger pulley, and 6-the smaller one; these pulleys are
placed on an axis 9 (see Fig. 3) which represents the pulleys, together with the
parts in which they are placed; m is an arm or frame which carries the
differential pulleys, and which is fixed to the carriage, as shown at Fig. 2,
the arm m being cylindrical, and capable of turning in bearings n, n, affixed to
the carriage. The object of this turning of the arm m is to permit the
pulleys a, b, to stand at an angle, by which the endless rope may be led into
the sheaves when the carriage is going in a curved direction: The projecting
arm m is forked at the outer end; as shown in Figs. 2 and 3; at o, o, and; the
forked ends serve as bearings to the axle g of the differential pulleys a and b,
the pulley a being permanently affixed to the axle g, whilst the pulley b.is
capable of turning loosely on this axis when it is not retained by the pin or
.9, which locks the two pulleys a and b together at the times required, and
thus they are at such times the same as if they were permanently attached.to
each other. The object of thus having the nicans of disconnecting the two pulleys
a and b is, that by disconnecting them the power will no longer tend to drive
the carriage, as will be fully described hereafter. r, Fig. 2, is a lever. turning
on a fulcrum s, the bearing of which fulcrum is attached to the carriage; the
upper end of this lever r is formed into a handle, and is in such a position that a
person sitting in front of the carriage may have it under his control: The other.
end of the lever r, that is, the part below the fulcrum, has a crotch, which receives
the flanch of a sliding socket t within it, as shown in Fig. 2. This socket
slides on the arm m, according as the lever r is moved out. from or is.drawn
towards the carriage; u is a cranked or bent lever having its fulcrum at v, on
the forked frame m, o, as shown in Fig. 3. One end of this cranked lever u. has
a crotch which receives the flanch t of the sliding socket t, see Fig. 3, and the
other end of the bent or cranked lever u has also a crotch therein, by which
it is enabled to slide the socket w on the axis g backwards and forwards. x is
an arm affixed to the sliding socket w, through which the bolt or-pin 7 passes,
bolt

page_text: and this pin or bolt also passes through one of the spokes of the wheel or
pulley a, and when it protrudes beyond the pulley a it passes between the
spokes of the pulley 6; and, consequently, when the pin or bolt q comes in
contact with one of the spokes, or the part of the inner rim of the pulley b,
which is cut away (as shewn in Fig. 2) for that purpose, the two pulleys
will be held securely together. On to the bolt q is placed a spiral spring,
its object being that in case the lever r be moved for the purpose of forcing
in the bolt q at a time when it is not opposite the part of the inner rim which
is cut away, the spiral spring will have a tendency to force in the bolt, yet at
the same time will not offer sufficient resistance to prevent the turning of the
pulley, and the bolt q will be forced in when the part of the pulley where it is
cut away comes opposite to the bolt, at the same time there is a spring to
prevent a sudden concussion.
In Fig. 2, c, d, is an endless rope, tho part c taking a turn around the
pulley a, and the part d taking a turn around the pulley 6, as described in
Fig. 1. This endless rope is supported at proper intervals of the road on
sheaves (as shown in Fig. 2), to prevent the rope falling on the ground, and
thereby greatly encrease the friction. This endless rope passes around a
rigger at each end, by which the rope is kept sufficiently tight; but to insure
the endless rope being kept sufficiently tight I cause one of the riggers around
which the rope passes to be placed in bearings capable of being slided in the
direction of the length of the railway on which the carriage travels, and then
by means of weights attached to a rope or chain, and passing over a pulley
affixed at the top of a well, and having sufficient weights attached to keep the
endless rope c, d, sufficiently tight to prevent its sliding on the differential
pulleys a, b.
If then the
Having now described the various parts shown in Figs. 2 and 3, I will
proceed to describe the manner of their action, in doing which I will suppose
the bolt or pin is passed through the two pulleys a and b, and thus retains
them together as if they were permanently fixed to each other.
endless rope
d be moved in the direction of the arrow, a similar action will
take place to that described in Fig. 1; that is, the carriage, being attached to
the centre g of the differential pulleys a and b, will be propelled forward on a
railway with a much greater velocity than the rope travels, and the distance so
travelled by the carriage in comparison with the distance through which the rope
moves will depend on the difference of the diameters of the pulleys a, b, and the
ncarer the respective diameters of the pulleys approach each other the greater
will be the relative velocity the carriage will travel to the velocity with which
the rope moves. In order to prevent the two parts of the rope rubbing against

page_text: each other in leading on and off the differential pulleys the axis g of these
pulleys is placed at an angle a little varying from a right angle with the
direction of the motion of the carriage.
Figures 4 and 5 show two applications of my improvements; but in these
Figures the applications somewhat vary from that shewn in Figure 2; for in
these instances there is only one pully, whilst the two front or two back
wheels of the carriage act the part of the other pulley.
In Figure 4, a is one of the front wheels of the carriage, which also acts as
the larger pulley; b is the smaller pulley, and is the only one around which the
rope c, d, passes, the wheels a and the pulley b being on the same axis g,
which runs from side to side of the carriage, and turns in bearings affixed to the
carriage. In this arrangement the point f, at which the wheels touch the
rail, becomes the fulcrum on which the wheel a turns; and it will thus be
evident that, if the rope c, d, be drawn forward in the direction of the arrow
a similar effect will be produced as described in Fig. 2, and as is clearly
shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4; yet, at the same time, if the wheels and
pulley a and b be of the same relative diameters as those in Fig. 2, the carriage
at Fig. 4 would only be propelled at the velocity of seven to one, owing to the
fulcrum at which the wheels a turn being removed from the mean point f,
Fig. 2, between the two diameters, and placed at the extreme end of a radiating
line drawn from the centre of the wheel a to the point at which it touches the
railway.
In Fig. 5, the rope is passed around the pulley a, which is larger whilst the
carriage wheels act the part of the smaller pulley b, the pulley a and the
wheels 6 being on the same axis g. In order that the pulleys in this arrange-
ment may stand at an angle for clearing the rope the axle g is formed of three
parts, connected by universal joints, and one of the wheels 6 thus travels a little
forwarder than the other, and thus the rope will clear itself. And it should be
observed that in both these arrangements the pulley around which the rope passes
is to be made capable of being disconnected from revolving with the axle, as
described in Figs. 2 and 3. In the arrangement Fig. 5 the fulcrum f on which
the wheels turn is the point at which the wheels 6 touch the rail or road,
and the difference in the arrangements Figs. 4 and 5 is that the power in
Fig. 4 is applied by the rope between the fulcrum f and the centre 9 cf
the wheels or pulley a, b, where the weight to be drawn is attached, whilst in
Fig. 5 the fulcrum is between the centre of the pulley and wheels a, b; conse-
quently the arrangements differ in the order of leverage, and in this instance
the velocity will be as six to one.
In these two last arrangements the rope c, d, may be either an endless rope,

page_text: ás described in Figs. 1 and 2, or the rope may be single, and, taking a turn
around the pulley a or b, is to be wound on and off a drum at each end of the
distance which is to be run by one length of rope.
Having now described my improvements as applicable to the propelling of
carriages, I will proceed to describe their application to the propelling of
vessels in inland navigation. This application is an arrangement similar to
that shown and described in Figs. 2 and 3, A representing a canal barge or
boat, having an upright standard B affixed on one side thereof; see Figs. 6 and 7;
at the top of this standard the bearings C, C, are formed to receive the pro-
jecting arm D. In other respects the parts are similar to Fig. 2, and the same
letters are used to denote the various parts. At proper intervals sheaves are
placed on standards at the side of the canal or river to support the ropes c, d,
as shown in these Figures. In propelling vessels the same description given of
Figs. 1 and 2 applies, and is fully descriptive of the effect which takes place by
the application of my improvements.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
constructing and applying the same, I would observe, that the power to be
employed for causing the rope c, d, to be moved may be varied according to
circumstances. Thus, for instance, by attaching a horse or horses, according to
the power required, to the rope c, d, and causing it to move slowly, a very con-
siderable velocity will be obtained to the carriage, or to the barge or vessel, as
above described, or the power may be derived from a fixed steam engine or
water wheel, or manual labor. And in order to have perfect controul over
the carriage or vessel; and be enabled to stop at any time, although the rope is
continuing to move, it will be necessary to separate the two pulleys a, b, by
withdrawing the pin or bolt q. The power will then no longer act to propel the
carriage or vessel; and consequently there will only be the momentum already
obtained the carriage or vessel to be overcome; and this in a carriage may
be effected by aid of a brake on any of the carriage wheels k.
Having now fully described the manner of applying and using my Inven-
tion, I would have it understood that I lay no claim to the parts sepa-
rately of which the same is composed; and I would observe, that some of the
details may be varied to meet the various circumstances to which works of this
kind are at all times liable, but which will be readily arranged and adopted by
any engineer competent to undertake works of the like nature. And I would
further observe, that I am aware that endless ropes, as well as drag ropes,
have been before known and used for purposes of propelling carriages, but in
such the carriage or vessel travels only at the same rate of speed with the
cases
rope, therefore the use of an endless rope, or a drag rope, forms no part of my

page_text: my
Invention, and are only necessary means for effecting the object of Inven-
tion as above described.
And I do hereby declare that I confine my claim of "Improvements in
Propelling Carriages, and in Propelling Vessels for Inland Navigation," to the
application of the differential pulleys, or of a pulley and wheels a, b, for pro-
pelling carriages and vessels, as above described, whereby I am enabled to
take advantage of the results which are obtained from the difference of their
diameters, and thus obtaining considerable velocity to such carriages and
vessels whilst the rope by which the motion of the carriage or vessel is pro-
duced is caused to act through a very small space in proportion to the distance
travelled by the carriage or vessel, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Saxton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord
icht hundred and thirty-three.