Improvements in or relating to Rolling-stock for Single-rail Tracks.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1896-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Rolling-stock for Single-rail Tracks.
1, HENRY JOHN LAWSON of 40 Holborn Viaduct, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to rolling-stock for single-rail tracks, that is to say to
locomotives and vehicles with some or all of their wheels normally in a single line
as in a bicycle.
According to this invention the frame of the locomotive or vehicle is of simple
construction, being composed of tubes to which most of the various appurtenances
are attached; the motor in the case of the locomotive may be of any desired type,
an explosion-engine being hereinafter referred to by way of example; preferably
the motor is geared to the wheels of the locomotive through a clutch so that the
motor may run free at first, and afterwards be thrown into gear for propelling the
locomotive, this arrangement being necessary in many cases owing to the inability
of explosion-engines to start themselves and to the inability of other engines of
small size to start with full load on.
The vehicles may all be of the locomotive or self-propelling type, or some of thein
may be simply cars to be drawn by the locomotive; each may be provided with a
turning-engine or device equivalent to the barring-engine employed in inill engines
for instance, this turning engine being employed to overcome the initial resistance
of the vehicles at starting or, where explosion engines are used, to serve as starting
gear therefor. In certain of the locomotives or vehicles hereinafter described the
leading wheel is in a fixed bearing and the trailing wheel is trailed like a castor
from a swivelling stem or is otherwise arranged to have a certain amount of freedom.
to move laterally in passing round curves in the line. Other arrangements for
easing the passage of curves are hereinafter referred to.
In one construction the wheels of the locomotive or vehicle are arranged as in a
well-known type of tricycle the leading and trailing wheels running on a single
track and the large or driving wheel running on the ground alongside.
In a further alternative construction the locomotive or vehicle has four wheels
arranged in two pairs, somewhat as in an ordinary four-wheeled vehicle; two of
the wheels on one side of the vehicle run in or upon the single track of the railway,
and the two wheels at the other side of the vehicle run on the ground alongside ;
these wheels are on axles fixed rigidly to the frame or the rear pair is on a
swivelling bogie, or they are all so controlled by well known or other convenient
arrangement of link work that their axes in passing round curves will be radial to
the centre of the curve.
In the different vehicles the wheels employed to run on the rail are broad and
are curved on the tread to fit the rail, having a central flange to engage
therewith.
Where necessary certain of the vehicles carry laterally-extended arms with
pneumatic rollers or castors on them, lightly inflated, which are clear of the
ground except when the vehicle tilts as it may do when stationary. Or these
arms may be adjustable so that the rollers can be let down or taken up when
desired.
In the accompanying drawings
1
:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one type of locomotive constructed according to

page_text: and trailing wheels in line with each other are arranged to run on a single track,
the large or driving-wheel, in a different plane, running on the ground alongside,
Figure 3 being a like view of the four-wheeled locomotive hereinbefore
referred to;
Figure 4 is a transverse section of one of the improved wheels, and
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the same.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
With reference first to Figure 1, the principal member of the frame, is a single
tube A or several tubes joined, with ends A¹ A which are approximately vertical.
B is a motor attached to the frame and in operative connection through chain
gear B E B as shown, or otherwise, with the leading wheel C which turns in
fixed bearings in the framing B³.
The trailing end A2 of the tube A forms a pivot on which turns a sleeve D to
the lower end of which is fixed a fork D¹ for the trailing wheel C', the wheel being
placed as shown so as to touch the rail at a point in the rear of the axis of the
pivot produced. By this arrangement the locomotive is made to take the curves
easily and automatically, i.e. without the employment of steering-apparatus.
When the motor is an explosion-engine there may be employed any of the
starting-devices which are commonly fitted to explosion-engines.
To enable the motor to be run free, that is to say, unloaded, and to be coupled
up with the track wheel C after having acquired a suitable speed, a clutch is
employed to effect the desired connection and disconnection. In the example
illustrated the pulley B2 driven by the motor through the chain E is not fixed to
the axle C of the wheel C but can be coupled to it or uncoupled from it by a cone
friction-clutch F of the usual or any convenient construction, concentric with it
and controlled by the handle F¹.
The wheels C and C upon which the locomotive runs are provided with a central
flange C and rims C extended laterally as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 in such a
manner that they fit fairly close to a rail having a central longitudinal corrugation
and being of some such form as is indicated at X, Fig. 1.
A are arms extended laterally from the principal member A of the frame; at
the end of each arm is a lightly inflated pneumatic roller A', which is so arranged
that it only touches the ground when the vehicle tilts. These rollers serve to
support the locomotive or vehicle when it is stationary. Instead of being borne
directly upon the ends of the arms A, the rollers A' may be attached to it like
castors trailing rearwardly therefrom.
Jare the seats for passengers which may consist of cushions disposed in two
rows at opposite sides of the centre line of the vehicle in order that the weight of
the passengers like that of the vehicle itself may lie mainly in the longitudinal
central plane of the apparatus. The seats are supported upon bands of webbing,
steel bands or the like, J, attached to the suitably-arranged tubes K' connected to
and supported by the main tube A. Jis the driver's seat and L M are handles
controlling the motor and brake and disposed in convenient proximity to the
driver.
N is an awning or other cover of any suitable material, with curtains or side walls
if desired to close in the vehicle and protect the passengers.
The lateral movements of the fork D' herein before referred to may be determined
solely by the action of the track rail upon the wheel C¹ carried in it, or may be
under the control of springs; or the trailing wheel may be carried in radial
axle-boxes instead of in a fork.
Wherever possible, clamps O are employed to connect the various parts of the
locomotive together.
The motor may be reversible, and adapted to be driven from either end of the
vehicle.
.
In the modification illustrated in Figure 2 the wheels C and C¹ engage with and
run upon the track rail X, like the wheels similarly lettered in Fig. 1, but the large

page_text: wheel P fitted preferably with a pneumatic tyre runs upon the ground alongside the.
track and serves as the driving wheel, being driven by the motor B through toothed
gear wheels B B the relative proportions of which are so arranged that the motor
makes several revolutions for each single revolution of the driving-wheel. The
driving shaft of this locomotive as in the example previously described, is provided,
with a cone clutch F or its equivalent and control mechanism F for the same, in
order to enable the motor to be run independently of the driving wheel P for
reasons such as are herein before explained. The wheels C and C in Figure 2 are,
each pivotted to the frame in forks D' which turn about vertical axes, the two
forks being connected by arms R and a rod R' so that their angular movements are.
made equal and opposite in a manner well understood. As an alternative one or
both these wheels C'C' can be trailed rearwardly from their pivots, like castors, and
left free to be adjusted by the track rail in the passage of curves in the same.
manner as the wheel C in Figure 1.
In the modification illustrated in Figure 3 the locomotive has a frame of
tubes A K supported on four wheels C C C C; the wheels C C are fixed to a
driving axle C carried in bearings A attached to the frame; this axle is rotated,
by a motor B geared to it by chain gearing B' E B2, the wheels C C³ being carried
at opposite ends of the axle C* fixed to the frame. The wheels C C run in,
the groove of the single track rail X; the other wheels C C are fitted with,
pneumatic tyres and run on the ground alongside. Or as aforesaid the rear axle
may be constructed to turn about a pivot on the frame as a bogie or the front and
rear axles may both be constructed to swivel, and be linked together to have equal
and opposite angular movements in a horizontal plane. When swivelling axles or
their equivalent are employed in combination with axles in fixed bearings it should
preferably be the rear wheels that have freedom to move laterally. In the four-
wheeled vehicle the seats and other parts may be disposed to one side of the
longitudinal central plane so that a little more weight is thrown on the track wheels.
than on those which run alongside.
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. In a locomotive or vehicle for a single rail track the combination with the
tubular frame A of a rigidly supported driving wheel at one end and a castor wheel,
at the other.
2. In a locomotive or vehicle for a single rail track an arm such as A³ with
rollers upon it to engage the road-bed when the vehicle tilts and prevent it from,
falling over.
3. In a locomotive for a single rail track having small leading and trailing wheels
normally in one plane the combination with a larger wheel in another plane of a
motor for the purpose described.
4. A three-wheeled locomotive or vehicle for a single wheel track having small
leading and trailing wheels normally in one plane and one or both arranged to act.
as castors free or coupled as by the rod R substantially as and for the purpose.
described.
5. A four wheeled locomotive or vehicle for a single rail track with the track,
wheels arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.
6. In a locomotive or vehicle for a single-rail track a fixed or adjustable arm A
with a lightly inflated pneumatic roller or castor A upon it for the purpose
described.
7. A locomotive or vehicle for a single rail track having a castor wheel at
one end.
8. In a locomotive or vehicle for a single rail track a wheel with a face or
tread C and central flange C substantially as described.
9. In a locomotive or vehicle for a single rail track the employment of clamps.
such as O substantially as and for the purpose described.

page_text: 10. In a locomotive or vehicle for a single rail track a frame whereof the
principal member is a single tube or series of connected tubes substantially as
described.
11. A four-wheeled locomotive or vehicle for a single rail track so constructed
that a greater share of the weight is borne by the track wheels C C¹ than by the
other wheels Cº C.
12. A locomotive or vehicle for a single rail track constructed and arranged
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in Figure 1 or
Figure 2 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
13. A wheel to run on a single rail track substantially as described and illustrated
in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 11th day of July 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant..