IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING AND WORKING RAILWAYS, AND IN CONSTRUCTING RAILWAY TUNNELS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter William Barlow, of Blackheath, in the County
of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING AND
WORKING RAILWAYS, AND IN CONSTRUCTING RAILWAY TUNNELS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said l'eter William Barlow
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 9th September 1864.
1, PETER WILLIAM BARLOW, of Blackheath, in the County of Kent, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CON-
STRUCTING AND WORKING RAILWAYS, AND IN CONSTRUCTING RAILWAY TUNNELS," tu
be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in constructing and working
railways, and in constructing railway tunnels. For these purposes in con
structing and working railways in order to economize the cost of power
employed on railways where there are numerous stations, and consequently
stoppages of trains at short intervals, stationary power is employed at cach
station, arranged to start each train, and to continue propelling each train
till it has brought up to or attained such a speed or momentum as will enable
it without continuing the effort of the local power on the train to pursue its
course till it arrives at the next station, or where it is to stop, and by this
arrangement economy is obtained, not only by the substitution of stationary
for locomotive power, but the average velocity is increased by the vis inertia
[Price 8d.1

page_text: of the trains being more rapidly overcome. Although it is not essential, it is
preferred to combine with such local application of power the constructing of
the parts of railways between stations in such manner that there shall be an
incline ascending each way to each station, so that the breaks are assisted in
bringing the trains to rest on the arrival at each station. The mode in which
the local power is arranged to act in order to start, and for a time to continue
the application of the power to propel the trains of carriages may be greatly
varied; but I prefer from its simplicity and economy cylinders worked by
hydraulic power, conveniently placed to put in motion driving wheels situated
between or near the rails, so that their upper surface is level or nearly so
with the upper surface of the rails, and are thus conveniently situated to
haul a rope connected with the train. Such machines of less power may be
used avantageously in railways worked principally by locomotive power to
start heavy trains, and as a substitute for the locomotive and horse power
used in large stations for shifting carriages and trucks.
I do not, however, limit myself to such machines when propelling trains
without locomotive power, but I may employ comparatively small steam
power at each station, which shall be as continuously at work as may be, so
that the power exerted thereby may be stored during the times intervening
between trains, and the storing of the power may be by elevating water, or it
might be other ponderous matter, which is allowed to descend when power is
required to start and for a time to propel a train till the desired or sufficient
momentum has been attained to carry the train to the next station without a
longer continuance of action of the local power on the train. The descent of
the water or other ponderous matter may be caused to give motion to an
endless rope or other mechanical arrangement, and thence to the train. The
endless rope or other mechanical device is to be constructed so as to be
readily disconnected from the train when the desired speed has been com-
municated to the train, depending in cach case on the speed the traius are
desired to run between stations, also on the construction of the line of rails
between the point at which the local power is caused to cease its effort on
the train, and also on the distance a train is to run before it arrives at the
next station. Or the local steam or other power may be caused to exhaust a
suitable vessel, in order that an atmospheric system of propulsion may be
used to start and for a time to propel a train till it has arrived at the speed
requisite to carry it to the next station without further requiring the local
power to continue its action on the train. This system of employing local in
contradistinction to constant power to propel trains of carriages on railways is
peculiarly suitable for underground railways and railways running through

page_text: tunnels, and in fact to railways in general where the trains are required to
start and stop at short intervals.
In constructing tunnels for such and other railways, particularly where the
tunnels are to pass under rivers, or under towns and places where the upper
surface cannot without serious injury be broken up or interfered with, a
cylinder of somewhat larger internal diameter than the external diameter of
the intended tunnel is employed. The forward edge of this cylinder is made
comparatively thin; within this cylinder and near the forward end thereofare
upright plates parallel to each other, also formed with cutting forward edges,
in order to cut freely through the soil in front when the cylinder is forced
forward. The earth is continuously removed from within this cylinder, and
the cylinder is from time to time forced forward a short distance, to admit of
a ring of iron being put together within the inner end of the cylinder, such
iron rings being of a strength suitable for forming a permanent lining to the
tunnel. It is desirable that the thickness of the iron of the cylinder should
be as little as may be, in order that the space between the outer surfaces of
the rings and the earth which surrounds them may not produce any subsidence
in the surface of the land above.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Peter William Barlow in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th March 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
WILLIAM BARLOW, of Blackheath, in the County of Kent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Peter William Barlow, Her special licence that I, the said Peter
William Barlow, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Peter William Barlow, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING AND WORKING RAILWAYS, AND IN
CONSTRUCTING RAILWAY TUNNELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,

page_text: the said Peter William Barlow, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and inme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Peter William Barlow, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
power
This Invention has for itsobject improvements in constructing and working
railways, and in constructing railway tunnels. For these purposes in con-
structing and working railways in order to economize the cost of
employed on railways where there are numerous stations, and consequently
stoppages of trains at short intervals, stationary power is employed at each
station, arranged to start each train, and to continue propelling each train
till it is brought up to or attained such a speed or momentum as will
enable it without continuing the effort of the local power on the train to
pursue its course till it arrives at the next station where it is to stop, and
by this arrangement economy is obtained not only by the substitution of
stationary for locomotive power, but the average velocity is increased by the
vis inertia of the trains being more rapidly overcome. Although it is not
essential, it is preferred to combine with such local application of power the
constructing of the parts of railways between stations in such manner that
there shall be an incline ascending cach way to each station, so that the breaks
are assisted in bringing the trains to rest on the arrival at each station.
The mode in which the local power is arranged to act in order to start, and
for a time to continue the application of the power to propel the trains of
carriages may be greatly varied, but I prefer from its simplicity and econony
cylinders worked by hydraulic power conveniently placed to put in motion
driving wheels situated between or near the rails, so that their upper surface
is level or nearly so with the upper surface of the rails, and are thus con-
veniently situated to haul a rope connected with the train. Such machine of
less power may be used advantageously in railways worked principally by
locomotive power to start heavy trains, and as a substitute for the locomotive
and horse power used in large stations for shifting carriages and trucks.
I do not, however, limit myself to such machines when propelling trains
without locomotive power, but may employ comparatively small steam power
at each station, which shall be as continuously at work as may be, so that the

page_text: power exerted thereby may be stored during the times intervening between
trains, and the storing of the power may be by elevating water, or it might be
other ponderous matter which is allowed to descend when power is required
to start and for a time to propel a train till the desired or sufficient momentum
has been attained to carry the train to the next station without a longer con-
tinuance of action of the local power on the train. The descent of the water
or other ponderous matter may be caused to give motion to an endless rope
or other mechanical arrangement, and thence to the train. The endless rope or
othermechanical device is to be constructed so as to be readilydisconnected from
the train when the desired speed has been communicated to the train, depending
in each case on the speed the trains are desired to run between stations; also
on the construction of the line of rails between the point at which the local
power is caused to cease its effort on the train, and also on the distance a
train is to run before it arrives at the next station. Or the local steam or
other power may be caused to exhaust a suitable vessel, in order that an
atmospheric system of propulsion may be used to start and for a time to.
propel a train till it has arrived at the speed requisite to carry it to the next
station without further requiring the local power to continue its action on
the train. This system of employing local in contradistinction to constant
power to propel trains of carriages on railways is peculiarly suitable for under-
ground railways and railways running through tunnels, and in fact to railways
in general where the trains are required to start and stop at short intervals.
The mode of applying the stationary power here suggested differs from
that hitherto employed, inasmuch as it is not connected from station to station,
or connected through several stations, like the system formerly resorted to on
the Blackwall railway, but each station has a propelling power independent
of the other station, although the power may be directed from one engine
It also differs inasmuch as the power is used accumulatively, and being con-
veyed by a hydraulic or atmospheric main, one engine constantly at work
supplies several stations.
The mode preferred of applying the proposed system to a line of railway
may be thus described. Stationary engines will be erected at convenient
positions about 3 or 4 miles apart, and by a hydraulic main power will be laid
on to accumulators at each station. The accumulator will be employed to
propel a rope horizontally in a mauner similar to that used in hydraulic cranes
to raise weights vertically, and the machine will be correctly described as a
horizontal hydraulic crane, having the velocity of the piston increased by
multiplying so as to exert a force horizontally for a distance sufficient (with-
out undue acceleration) to put into the train such an amount of power or vis.

page_text: viva as will be sufficient to propel it beyond the next station, so that the break
is required to stop it. The length for which the propelling power is required
to be applied will depend upon the distance and gradient between the stations,
and will probably vary from 100 to 400 yards, and the machinery will require
to be varied to meet cach particular case, so that in long distances water-
power engines similar to those now used in goods sheds for propelling
trains may be a more advisable system for giving motion to the rope, such
water-power engines acting in the same manner as stationary engines now
used in propelling trains by ropes, or they may be used to propel by atmo-
spheric pressure by exhausting air in a pipe. The carriages are proposed to
be attached and detached from the rope in the same manner as is now adopted
in carriages detached from fast trains, or it may however be found preferable
to have a small propelling carriage attached to the rope, which would push a
projection under the carriage, and would cease to act the instant the machi-
nery was stopped without depending upon the guard of the train. The former
method, however, answers perfectly well in practice.
In constructing tunnels for such and other railways, particularly where the
tunnels are to pass under rivers or under towns and places where the upper
surface cannot without serious injury be broken upor interfered with, a cylinder
of somewhat larger internal diameter than the external diameter of the
intended tunnel is employed, such cylinder being by preference of wrought iron
orsteel. The forward edge of this cylinder is made comparatively thin. Within
this cylinder, and near the forward end thereof, are upright plates parallel to
each other, also formed with cutting forward edges in order to cut freely
through the soil in front when the cylinder is forced forward. The earth is
continuously removed from within this cylinder, and the cylinder is from time
to time forced forward a short distance to admit of a ring of iron being put
together within the inner end of the cylinder, such iron rings being of
a strength suitable for forming a permanent lining to the tunnel. It is
desirable that the thickness of the iron of the cylinder should be as little as
may be, in order that the space between the outer surfaces of the rings and
the earth which surrounds them may not produce any subsidence in the
surface of the land above.
In the Drawing annexed, Figure 1 shows a longitudinal elevation partly in
section of a portion of a tunnel composed of a succession of rings of iron put
together with screw bolts and nuts, and also of the cylinder by and within
which the work of removing the earth is performed. The cylinder is from
time to time forced forward by screws, and the rings of the iron tunnel are
then put together, whilst the surrounding earth is upheld by the cylinder. If

page_text: the soil is weak, provision may be made for using poling boards as is well
understood. The space as it is left between the earth and the exterior of the
tunnel may be filled by injecting or running in fluid cement.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter William Barlow, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
PETER WILLIAM BARLOW. (L.S.)