IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE RAILWAYS, AND IN THE ROLLING STOCK AND OTHER APPLIANCES TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE RAILWAYS, AND IN THE
ROLLING STOCK AND OTHER APPLIANCES TO BE USED THEREWITH." A com-
munication from abroad by Paul Decauville, of Paris, in the Republic of
France.
•
Sealed the 5th January 1877, and dated the 26th July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th July 1876.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
PORTABLE RAILWAYS, AND IN THE ROLLING STOCK AND OTHER APPLIANCES TO BE
USED THEREWITH."
This Invention has reference to the laying down of the track and to the con-
struction of the rolling stock used by railway contractors and others, the object of
the Invention being to aid in the development of this kind of transport for
agricultural and other industrial purposes by employing the most simple combina-
tions for easily and rapidly laying down the track, as well as for the most solid and
economical construction of the service wagons.
The improvements which form the subject of this application will apply to the
rails and the turntables, to the trucks or trolleys, wagons, and hand-barrows, in the
construction of which only metal is used.
In carrying out this Invention the ends of the rails are fitted together in such a
manner as to prevent any vertical movement at the joints of the rails, and in lieu
of the transverse wooden sleepers a metal stretcher is employed to maintain the
rails at their proper gauge.
The rails are rivetted or otherwise firmly secured to the metal stretchers, and
one end of each rail is furnished either on the inside or outside with a fish plate,
which is solidly rivetted thereto, and which enters into the space between the top
and bottom flanges of the abutting rail and holds it firmly in position.
Sometimes the stretcher may with advantage be placed on planks or old sleepers,
in which caso holes are punched in the stretchers whereby they may be fastened
down to the sleepers. The turntable is composed of a cast-iron platform, which
revolves on a fixed pivot attached to a bottom plate. This platform is supported on
antifriction rollers, which are carried in bearings in pockets let into the bottom plate,
which rests on the bare ground, holes having been first scooped out to receive the
[Price Gd.]

page_text: pockets. The antifriction rollers may be dispensed with, if desired, four half-round
pieces of iron secured in a similar position on the underneath plate to that occupied
by the antifriction rollers being found to answer. These pieces of iron are placed
at right angles the one to the other, that is to say, they all four radiate from the
centre.
The trucks, trolleys, or wagons are constructed entirely of iron, and are intended
to receive tipping boxes or hand-barrows of any suitable shape or size. These
trucks, trolleys, or wagons consist of two plates resting on double T girders, which
are carried by the wheel axles so as to leave an open space between them.
The two plates are held together at their outer ends by angle irons, which are
rivetted or otherwise. secured thereto; and these angle irons will also serve to
prevent the barrows from slipping off the top. A flat draw bar having at one end
a hook and at the other an eye is attached in any suitable manner to the wheel
axles for the purpose of coupling the wagons together.
When applying tipping boxes to these trucks upright standards are rivetted on
to the two plates, and the fulcra on which the boxes tip are supported in bearings
carried by these standards; the boxes when being filled are supported in the
horizontal position by a pillar or other suitable arrangement, which may be rivetted
or otherwise secured to the platform of the truck. The tipping boxes are provided
with suitable fastenings to prevent them from tipping until they are required to do
so, but should the workman unhook this fastening before the time means are
provided whereby the contents should not be thrown out in the wrong place, and
these means consist in a double-cranked rod, one end of which is bent upwards and
bears against the door of the box, while the other end is bent downwards and is-
provided with a hook, which takes under a pin fixed to the body of the truck; this
lower end of the cranked rod is also provided with a counter-weight, which will
keep it always down unless lifted up by the attendant. This rod is capable of
turning in bearings in the framework of the tipping box.
The hand-barrows above referred to consist of two frames, the lower of angle iron,
and the upper of half-round iron, and they are connected together and held in
proper position by four or more iron bands, each of which passes round two sides
and the bottom, and is rivetted thereto; the spaces between these bands are filled
in with half-round bars, which are also rivetted to the frames. The barrows thus
constructed are provided with handles, by means of which they can be moved about
or placed upon the truck or trolleys.
Instead of constructing the truck or trolleys as above described with the girders,
which are mounted on the wheel axles, the sides of the trucks or trolleys may be
formed of cast iron, with axle boxes for the reception of the wheel axles. These
cast-iron sides are firmly secured in any convenient manner to cross pieces, and
instead of the draw bar are provided with two semi-circular pieces, which are
firmly secured to the ends of the cast-iron sides. The axle boxes are constructed in
two pieces, the lower portion of which is formed so as to slide in a recess in the
upper portion when the wheel axle is in its place.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th
January 1877.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. ." IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
PORTABLE RAILWAYS, AND IN THE ROLLING STOCK AND OTHER APPLIANCES TO BE
USED THEREWITH." A communication from abroad by Paul Decauville, of Paris,
in the Republic of France.
This Invention has reference to the laying down of the track and to the con-
struction of the rolling stock used by railway contractors and others, the object of
the Invention being to aid in the development of this kind of transport for agri-

page_text: cultural and other industrial purposes, for the transport of materials on farms, in
forests, large manufacturing establishments, ironworks, quarries, or mines.
The object of the Invention is effected by employing the most simple com-
binations for easily and rapidly laying down the track, as well as for the most
solid and economical construction of the service wagons, trucks, or trollies to be
used thereon.
The improvements which form the subject of the present Invention apply to the
rails and to the construction of the turntables, the trucks or trolleys, wagons, and
hand-barrows used with the railway. In the construction of these appliances only
metal is used, and the mode of connecting the several parts together constitutes an
essential feature of the Invention.
In constructing the railway the ends of the rails are fitted together in such a
manner as to prevent any vertical movement at the joints of the rails, and in lieu of
the usual transverse wooden sleepers for supporting the rails a metal stretcher is
employed, which also maintains the rails at their proper gauge.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 represents in elevation, and Fig. 4 in plan,
the end of a short line of railway constructed according to the present improve-
ments; Figures 2 and 3 represent cross sections of the same.
The rails A are rivetted or otherwise firmly secured to the metal cross pieces or
stretchiers B, so that the railway is formed in sections of short length. One end
of each rail A is furnished either on the inside or outside with a projecting fish
plate D, which is solidly rivetted thereto, and which enters into the space between
the top and bottom flanges of the abutting rail and holds it firmly in position.
Sometimes the stretcher may with advantage be placed on and supported by planks
or old sleepers, in which case holes T are punched in the iron stretchers B, whereby
they may be fastened down to the old sleepers. The other ends of the rails A, A,
are connected together by iron plates C, Fig. 4, which act as cross sleepers to
support the joint formed by the connection of two lengths or sections of rail
together endwisc.
Figures 5 and 6 represent in elevation and plan a modification of the joint just
described. In this arrangement the iron cross sleeper C of Fig. 4 is dispensed with,
and in place thereof short iron plates c are rivetted to the foot of the rail in such a
manner that about half their length projects beyond the ends of the rail. The
other ends of the rail are provided with projecting fish plates or splints d. By this
means each rail is furnished at one end with a projecting foot plate, and at the
other end with a projecting side splint or fish plate, so that when the sections or
lengths of rail are placed end to end the continuous way will have a scries of male
and female joints.
The turntable is composed of a cast-iron platform E, Figures 7, 8, and 9, which
revolves on a fixed pivot p attached to a bottom plate G. This turntable is shown
in sectional elevation at Figures 7 and 8, and in plan at Fig. 9. The moveable
turntable E is strengthened by the cross rails which form part of the road, and also
by vertical projecting feathers which radiate from the centre a, as seen at Fig. 9.
All these parts are cast with the plate E on the under side of the plate E, and cast
therewith is a circular projecting rail F, Fig. 8, indicated by dots in Fig. 9, so that
the platform may be supported on antifriction rollers H, which are carried in
bearings in pockets attached to or let into the fixed bottom plate G, which rests on
the bare ground, holes having been first scooped out to receive the pockets. In
order to place this turntable it will only be necessary to dig holes for the pockets of
the antifriction rollers, and then place the plate G (to which they are attached) on
the soil, and then to mount the moveable table or platform E on the fixed pivot.
The antifriction rollers may be dispensed with if desired in the manner shown at
Fig. 7, in which half-round pieces of iron H are secured in a similar position (on
the fixed underneath plate C) to that occupied by the antifriction rollers H of
Fig. 8. These pieces of iron are placed at right angles the one to the other, that is
to say, they all four radiate from the centre of the platform, the circular inner rail
F of which rests thereon as it does on the rollers of Fig. 8.

page_text: The wagons or trucks are constructed entirely of iron, and are intended to
receive tipping boxes 'or hand-barrows of any suitable shape or size. Fig. 10 is
a side elevation, and Fig. 11 an end elevation of one of the improved trucks or
wagons.
These trucks, trolleys, or wagons consist of two iron plates I resting on double
T girders which are carried by the wheel axles so as to leave an open space
between them. The two plates are held together at their outer ends by angle irons
which are rivetted or otherwise secured thereto, and these angle irons will also
serve to prevent the barrows from slipping off the top. A flat draw bar L, having
at one end a hook and at the other an eye, is attaclied in any suitable manner to
the wheel axles at points equidistant from or midway between the wheels.
Fig. 12 is a transverse vertical section, Fig. 13 a longitudinal vertical section, and
Fig. 14 a plan view of a tipping wagon. It consists of a wrought-iron tipping box
adapted to a truck, such as that shown at Figures 10 and 11.
When applying tipping boxes to these trucks vertical standards ML are rivetted
on to the two plates I of Fig. 11, and the fulcrum on which the boxes tip is sup-
ported in bearings N carried by these standards M, the boxes when being filled are
supported in the horizontal position by a pillar S, or other suitable arrangement
which may be rivetted or otherwise secured either to the platform of the truck or
to some part of the box. The tipping boxes are provided with suitable fastenings
to prevent them from tipping until they are required to do so, but should the
workman unhook this fastening before the time means are provided whereby the
contents should not be thrown out at the wrong place, and these means consist in
a double cranked rod V, one end of which is bent upwards, and bears against the
door P of the box, while the other end is bent downwards, and is provided with a
hook which takes under a pin fixed to the body of the truck; this lower end of the
cranked rod is also provided with a counterweight O, which will keep it always
down in its proper place unless lifted up by the attendant. This rod V is capable
of turning in bearings in the framework of the tipping box.
In order to release the door P it will only be necessary to knock the weighted
end of the lever on one side when its opposite end will fall on one side and allow
the door P to fall outwards and discharge a part of the load. When the workman
closes the door again the locking bolt V will fall into its place automatically by
the action of the weight, and will secure the door. When the door falls outwards
it will rest on the two projecting horizontal bars Q, so that it will form a continu-
ation of the bottom of the box. The locking bolt V1 serves to prevent the box
from tipping over at the wrong time. It consists of a lever R which is capable
of turning on a stud fixed to the frame of the truck, and holds down the support
or bridle piece S. In order to tip the box it is only necessary to turn the lever R
on its stud, and thus release the bridle piece S, when the box will be able to tip
or oscillate on its centre of motion N.
A great inconvenience incidental to ordinary earth wagons is their liability to
tip over accidentally when the attendants are inattentive, or release the fastenings
before opening the door. In order to obviate this inconvenience, I have shown
an improved kind of fastening which will render it impossible that this kind of
accident should take place; moreover, this improved fastening will not require
any particular attention on the part of the attendant.
Fig. 15 is an end elevation, Fig. 16 a side elevation of a tipping box mounted
on a truck and with these improvements adapted thereto. A bar of round iron Ụ
is supported under the box by the guides X, X, and as in the other wagons already a
described is bent at right angles at each end. The end y also carries a counter-
weight Z, which always tends to keep the end under the catch c. When the tipping
box is empty and the attendant, after having brought it to the horizontal position,
raises the door, the catch c hooks on to the piece 7 fixed to the framing of the
truck. By this means the counterweight effects at the same time the closing of
the door and safely securing the box. The attendant therefore need no longer
be afraid of accidents from neglect or inattention, because he cannot tip the box

page_text: without first opening the door. The ends of the truck are each provided with an
iron half circle, one of these half circles is furnished with a hook , and the other
with a ring or eye o, for connecting the waggons together. This arrangement is
very convenient, as it only presents one point of contact for the two connected
trucks when they come together or pass round curves.
I have stated that upon the trucks, shown at Figures 10 and 11, hand-barrows
may be placed. These are constructed entirely of iron, and may be provided either
with fixed or moveable handles. Figures 18, 19, and 20 represent three different
views of a hand-barrow with fixed handles.
These hand-barrows consist of two frames A and B, the lower one of which is
made of angle iron C¹, while the upper is made of half round iron D¹. On each
side they are connected together and held in proper position by two vertical iron
bands E, each of which passes round two sides and the bottom and is rivetted
thereto. The spaces between these bands are provided with half round bars F¹,
which are also rivetted to the frames. The bottom is similarly provided with flat
bands G', and two of the vertical bars on each side are furnished with sockets to
receive the handles H', which are of wood. The other two sides of the barrow
are strengthened with bars P¹, which will give this part proper rigidity. The
barrows thus constructed and provided with handles can be moved about or placed
upon the trucks or trolleys.
This kind of cage may be provided with moveable handles, as shewn at Figures
21 and 22. To effect this object a flat iron band jis rivetted round the cage at
the height for placing the handles, which are received in bridle pieces . The cage
when thus made will be perfectly strong and rigid.
Instead of constructing the truck or trolleys as above described with the double
girders, which are mounted on the wheel axles, as shewn at Figures 10 and 11,
the sides of the trucks or trolleys may be formed of cast iron with axle boxes for
the reception of the wheel axles.
Fig. 23 is a side elevation, Fig. 24 a plan view, and Fig. 25 a transverse vertical
section of this modification.
The double T girders J, J, of Figures 10 and 11 are dispensed with, and two
cast-iron side pieces Q are used in place thereof as supports for the necessary
bearings. These side pieces are connected at their ends by cross pieces, or the whole
may, if preferred, be cast in one piece. The central buffer R, which in all cases
should be of iron in order to give it a certain amount of elasticity and resistance to
the blows of the next truck, is simply supported against and bolted to the end of
the truck framing. It carries at its central part an appendage which forms a hook,
over which passes a ring S, so that the truck has the same pull on the adjoining
truck in every direction. In order to lubricate the axles of the wheels and preservo
them from dust, I employ the plan of axle box which is shewn at Figures 25, 26,
27, 28, 29, and 30, in which the system is shewn in all its details.
The axle boxes are constructed in two pieces, the lower portion of which is formed
so as to slide in a recess in the upper portion when the wheel axle is in its place.
The front of these axle boxes is partly closed by a plate T provided with a dove-
tailed grove. In a seat specially made in the interior of the box a bearing V,
Fig. 26, is introduced, and under which is placed the journal of the axle. At the
lower part of the plate T there is a dovetailed groove x, in which slides like a drawer
a cast-iron box Y, Fig. 30, which contains a sponge soaked in oil. In order to keep
this box in place in the groove of the plate Ta bolt or pin z, Fig. 29, is employed.
This mode of lubricating completely protects the journals of the axles from dust
and grit, which frequently promotes the rapid wear of the rubbing parts. In order
to provide all the other parts necessary for the railway and rolling stock, I have
shown at Fig. 31 a plan of a double crossing. The changing of the points is
effected very easily by means of an end of rail about five feet long, which will serve
as a moveable switch before a crossing of a given radius. The centre part of the
crossing is made of steely iron, and each crossing should have two points, the onc
with a male end and the other with a female end, according as it is intended for a
facing point or a trailing point. Fig. 32 represents a triple crossing.

page_text: Having now described the Invention of "Improvements in the Construction of
Portable Railways, and in the Rolling Stock and other Appliances to be used there-
with," which has been communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and
having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Inven-
tion secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid-
First. The mode herein set forth of constructing portable railways in sections so
arranged that they can be easily and rapidly put together end to end, as above
described.
Second. The mode or modes herein shown and described of constructing portable
turntables.
Third. The mode shown and described with reference to Figures 10 to 17 and
25 to 30, both inclusive, of constructing trucks, trollies, or wagons entirely of
metal for use on portable or temporary railways. I also claim the arrangement and
construction of the parts for holding and tipping the boxes and for securing the
doors of the same.
Fourth. I claim the modes herein shown and described of constructing hand-
barrows.
Lastly. I claim constructing portable switches or crossings, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, tho said Henry Edward Newton, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, the Twenty-fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
TT
E NEWTON.
(LS)