IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VEHICLES USED ON RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS, OR COMMON ROADS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Brodie, of Edinburgh, in the County
of Mid Lothian, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VEHICLES USED ON RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS,
OR COMMON ROADS."
Sealed the 15th November 1870, and dated the 18th May 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Brodie at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 18th May 1870.
I, WALTER BRODIE, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VEHICLES USED ON RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS,
OR COMMON ROADS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention which relates to improvements in vehicles used or to be
used on railways, tramways, or common roads, consists in the employment
of vulcanite as the material out of which either the entire body, doors,
(in cases where they are used), and framework of the vehicle may be
formed; or in lieu of making all the parts of the body of the vehicl
of vulcanite, this material may be used for some portions of it only.

page_text: The Invention is carried into effect by employing moulds of the
requisite shape and dimensions to receive the caoutchouc for forming
the several parts of the body of the vehicle. For the purpose of giving
additional strength to the vehicles or parts of vehicles so constructed,
bars, frames, or plates of metal, wood, or other material may be inserted
in the caoutchouc before it is vulcanised. And to give lightness to any
of the parts they are or may be made hollow. In order to impart any
desired colour to any part or parts of the vehicle so constructed the
necessary colouring matter is admixed with the caoutchouc before it is
vulcanised. It is to be understood that the constructing of the wheels
of vehicles of vulcanite forms no part of my Invention, and that one
of the advantages resulting from its employment is that the use of paint
and varnish may be dispensed with.
+
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the. conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Walter Brodie in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th November 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALTER
BRODIE, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the 33rd
year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Walter Brodic, Her special license, that I
the said Walter Brodie, my exécutors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Walter Brodie, my executors, 'adminis-
trators, or 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 THE CONSTRUCTION
OF VEHICLES USED ON RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS, AND COMMON ROADS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Walter Brodie, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly

page_text: 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
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Walter Brodie, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :-
My said Invention which relates to an improved method of constructing
vehicles such as are used on railways, tramways, or common roads,
consists in the employment of vulcanised caoutchouc, commonly known
as vulcanite, as the substance or material from which the entire body,
doors (in cases where such are used), and framework of the vehicle is or
may be constructed, but it is preferred to employ a light framework of
wood, iron, or other metal, as the basis of the vehicle, and to cover the
said frame with vulcanised caoutchouc. When the said vehicles are
constructed entirely of vulcanite they are manufactured by pressing
caoutchouc in the plastic state, usually employed for vulcanisation, in
metallic or other moulds of the shape or configuration of the different
parts of the vehicle to be produced. The caoutchouc before being placed
in the said moulds is admixed with sulphur or other suitable material
usually employed in the manufacture of vulcanite, and after the said
admixture of caoutchouc and sulphur or its equivalent has been moulded
to the required shape it is submitted to a temperature of heat sufficient
for vulcanising it in the method usually adopted for effecting that
change. In lieu, however, of employing plastic caoutchouc as above
set forth, sheets of hard vulcanite may be placed on blocks or in moulds
of the required shape and dimensions and submitted to heat, when the
vulcanite becomes soft and falls into the shape of the block or mould on
or in which it has been placed, after which it is allowed to cool, when it
regains its original stiffness. In order to give additional strength to
vehicles constructed as above set forth, bars, plates, or tubes of metal;
wood or other material, may be inserted into the caoutchouc before it is
vulcanised, or in cases where caoutchouc which has previously been
vulcanised is employed, the plates, bars, or tubes of metal, wood, or other
material may be inserted into the vulcanite whilst it is being heated and
bent to the required shape, or immediately after it has been heated and
before it is allowed to cool. After all the different parts of the vehicle

page_text: have been thus constructed they are built up and firmly secured together
by means of bolts or rivets.
As herein-before stated, however, it is preferred to construct light
frameworks of wood, iron, or other suitable material of the shape of the
body, turntables, shafts, etc., and to cover these frames with a sufficient
thickness of vulcanite. This may be accomplished either by dipping the
frames into a solution of caoutchouc and sulphur, or its equivalent, or by
covering the frames with caoutchouc and sulphur or its equivalent in a
plastic state, and thereafter submitting the said frame to a sufficient
temperature of heat for vulcanising the said combination of caoutchouc
and sulphur, or the body of the carriage may be constructed by covering
the iron, wooden, or other frame with sheets of vulcanised caoutchouc, cut
to the proper shape and size, and fixed to the frame with screw bolts,
rivets, or other suitable means. In the construction of the doors and
roofs of close vehicles, moulds of the shape of the door or roof to be
formed are employed, into which the plastic or dissolved caoutchouc is
placed and thereafter vulcanised, or sheets of hard vulcanite may be
placed on blocks or in moulds of the shape of the doors and roof and
manipulated with in the manner herein-before set forth. In treating
the springs of vehicles each blade of the spring is dipped into the
solution or covered with plastic caoutchouc separately, and after being
vulcanised they are polished and put together in the usual manner, by
this means the springs are preserved from rusting by being exposed to
rain or damp. In order to impart any desired colour to any part or
parts of the vehicles constructed as herein-before set forth, the necessary
colouring matter is admixed with the caoutchouc before it is vulcanised,
and any part or parts of the vehicle may be further ornamented by first
covering the said part or parts with caoutchouc of one colour and
again covering it with a thin coating of a differently coloured caoutchouc,
and after these coatings have been vulcanised by cutting lines or curves
in the outer surface the colour of the caoutchouc underneath is exposed,
and by this means the use of paint and varnish is dispensed with.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be used
or carried into practice, I would observe in conclusion that the con-
structing of the wheels of vehicles of vulcanite forms no part of my
Invention, but what I consider novel and original and therefore claim
as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited

page_text: Letters Patent is, the construction of vehicles such as are used on
railways, tramways, or common roads of vulcanised caoutchouc in either
of the modes herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Brodie, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of November One thousand
eight hundred and seventy.
WALTER BRODIE. (L.S.)