IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAMWAYS AND TRAMWAY WHEELS
Year: 1884

page_text: JOHN RICHARDSON 6+ Torriano Avenue, Camden Rd. London N.W. Scientific
Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAMWAYS AND TRAMWAY WHEELS to be as
follows:-
Instead of employing two grooved rails as heretofore I employ only one grooved
rail, the other and corresponding rail being plain and without groove, and in order
to prevent the paved portion of the road immediately abutting on the rails from
having a tendency to sink below the level of the rail I make the rails of a conical
form in section, the face of the stone blocks in contact with the rails being made to
an angle corresponding to the angle of the rails, by this means they are prevented
from sinking, being supported by the conical form or angles of the rails.
The wheels are made to correspond to the rails, those running on the plain rail
being made without a flange, and those running on the grooved rail having a
flange.

page_text: JOHN RICHARDSON, 64 Torriano Avenue, Camden Rd London, N.W. Scientific
Instrument Maker do hereby declare the nature of any invention for IMPROVE.
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAMWAYS AND TRAMWAY WHEELS and in what
manner the same is to be perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
The object of my invention is to construct Tramways in such a manner as to
lessen their objections to other vehicles, and also for the better maintenance of the
roadway in a state of repair, for this purpose instead of employing two grooved
rails as heretofore I employ only one grooved rail, the other corresponding rail
being made with a plain surface without groove, and in order to prevent the paved
portion of the road immediately abbutting on the rails from sinking below the level
of the rails, I make the rails of a conical form in section, and the face of the blocks
of stone or other material in contact with the rails being made to an angle corre-
sponding to the angle of the rails, by this means they are prevented from sinking
being supported by the conical form or angles of the rails.
The Wheels are made to correspond to the rails, those running on the grooved
rail having a flange, and those running on the plain rail having a plain surface
without flange.
The rails may be laid on longitudinal sleepers and the sleepers may be angled so
as to form a continuation of the angles of the rails as shown in Fig 1. 2. the angles
of the rails need not be continuous but may be hollowed out for lightness or for
convenience of fixing as shown in Fig 3.
With respect to the relativo position of the grooved and plain rail, in the case of
double lines what may be called the down line would have, say, the grooved rail
on the left, and the up line the grooved rail would be on the right, this is to suit
cars that do not turn round.
Fig 1. shews grooved rail and whorl with flange.
Fig 2. shews plain rail and wheel without flange.
Fig 3. shews section of rails. (enlarged).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is ;
1 The employment of one rail having a groove in combination with one rail
having a plain surface without groove substantially as described.
2 The employment of wheels, those on one side having flanges in combination
with those on the opposite side having no flanges.
3rd The employment of rails having angles in in such a way that the ai gles