IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY CARRIAGES FOR FACILITATING THEIR PASSAGE OVER OR ROUND CURVES
Year: 1884

page_text: I EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER of 33 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex
Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature of
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY CARRIAGES FOR
FACILITATING THEIR PASSAGE OVER OR ROUND CURVES (A communication to me
from abroad by Messieurs T. Grondona and C° of Milan Italy) to be as follows:-
"
This new arrangement of railway and tramway carriages is characterized by the
independency of the axles with regard to the frames allowing the carriage to run
over curves of very small radius, and the invention is applicable to carriages having
two or more axles.
According to this invention, in railway and tramway carriages, there is applied
to the axle box appliances or apparatus whereby the weight of the carriage body
is transmitted to the boxes through a frame, cross bar and links or rods while the
axis is free to move perpendicularly to that of the axles.
There is an iron frame free to slide up and down the axle guard or hanger on the
left hand or leading axle this frame carries a bearing spring and transmits the
weight of the carriage to the axle box through vertical rods or links which are
secured to the frame at bottom and at the top to a cross bar by means of loose pins,
this cross bar is fixed to the axle box allowing the axle to move freely, backwards
or forwards. The oscillations to which the rods or links are subjected allow the
axles to adapt themselves automatically to the position suitable to the curve to be
run over.
The displacement to which the vertical rods or links are subjected is such that
their axes assume a perpendicular position to the axis of the axles while the axis
of the rods or swing bolts of the right hand or trailing axle are displaced in a
direction parallel to that of the axle. When the axles leave their ordinary position
the rods move in accordance therewith and according to the curve to be run over.
When the carriage is running in a straight line on the road the weight of the
body and that of the frame compel the rods to take a vertical position but they

page_text: change this position when the carriage meets with a defective joint on the rail or
any other obstacle, to resume it again as soon as passed.
The advantages resulting from this new arrangement are as follows:
First the possibility to use very long carriages with very long inter-axis and
this without the bodies of the carriages resting more on one side than the other.
Second: Reduction of the resistance to traction and wearing of tyres and rails
through friction.
Third: Reduction of expenses in construction of railway lines by the possibility
to adopt lines having very short curves without having recourse to independent
tracks.
Fourth Avoiding the jerking motion which is due to the mobility or flexibility
of the axles.
Dated this Twenty fifth day of Ann 1001

page_text: I, EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER of 33 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex,
Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature of
said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY CARRIAGES FOR
FACILITATING THEIR PASSAGE OVER OR ROUND CURVES (a communication to me
from abroad by Messieurs T. Grondona and Co of Milan Italy) and in what manner;
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This new arrangement of railway and tramway carriages is characterised by the
independency of the axles with regard to the frames allowing the carriage to run
over curves of very small radii and the invention is applicable to carriages having
two or more axles.
1
According to this invention in railway and tramway carriages with two axies
there is applied to the axle box appliances or apparatus whereby the weight of the
carriage body is transmitted to the boxes through a frame cross bar and link or rods
the axis of which is free to move perpendicularly to that of the axles, and in a
carriage with three axles the application to the boxes of the two end axles of
similar appliances or apparatus whereby the weight of the carriage is transmitted
to the boxes through the medium of frame cross bar and rods. Figure 1 shows a
longitudinal elevation of a carriage with two axles constructed according to this "
invention. Figure 2 is a longitudinal elevation of a carriage with three axles.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the special arrangement adapted to the axles (Figure 1);
of vehicles with two axles in order to obtain the required elasticity. Figure 4 is an -
elevation of the arrangement applicable for the same object to the two end axles Di
(Figure 2) of a three axle carriage while the axle E is provided with the ordinary
axle box. Figure 5 is a section through line m, 'n of Figure 3. Figure 6 is a
section through line p, q, of Figure 4. Figure 6ª showing in detail on a larger:
scale part of Figure 6. Figures 7 and 8 show respectively in part elevation and.
part cross section the adaptation of links instead of rigid bolts.
There is an iron frame G free to slide up and down the axle guard or hanger F
on the leading and trailing axle, this frame G carries a bearing spring and
transmits the.weight of the carriage to the axle box I through vertical rods or
links A which are secured to the sliding frame G at bottom and at the top to a cross
bar H by means of pins or pivots, this cross bar H is fixed to the axle box I
allowing the axle to move freely backward or forward. The oscillations to which
the rods or links A are subjected allow the axles to adapt themselves automatically
to the position suitable to the curve to be run over. The displacement to which
the vertical rods or links A are subjected differ to those of rods B shown at
Figures 2, 4, 6 and 6° such that their axes assume a perpendicular position to the
axes of the carriage axles while the axes of the rods or swinging bolts B are also,
or in addition displaced in a direction parallel to that of the axle.
In Figures 3, 4 and 6 the dotted lines a, a, b b¹ show the respective positions
taken by the axes of the rods A, A, B, B. When the axles leave their ordinary
position the rods move in accordance therewith and according to the curve to be run
over. Figure 6 shows in sectional detail the universal joint arrangement in the
thickness of the cross bar H and in the frame G where the rods or bolts B pass
through this joint allowing the motion of the axis of the rod B to form the
generatrix of a cone.

page_text: The arrangement shown at Figures 7 and 8 differs only from the preceding one
in that the rigid rods B in this case are replaced by chains formed of a certain
number of links B de shown in the drawings. One of the end links e rests on
the cross bar H over the axle box I the other end links d are fixed to the lower
part of frame G. by means of the small plate c which is made to receive the link d.
This plate c has its lower end made in form of screw which passes through frame G
and is fastened there by means of nuts b.
The two links which compose the two parts of the chains may be made alternately
one circular and the other oblong in order that by turning the circular links their
contact point with the other links and end pieces may be changed as soon as they
get warm.
When the carriage is running in a straight line on the road the weight of the
body and that of the frame compels the rods to take a vertical position but they
change this position when the carriage meets with a defective joint on the rail or
any other obstacle, to resume it again as soon as passed. The advantages resulting
from this new arrangement are as follows.
First, the posibility to use very long carriages with very long inter-axes and
this without the bodies of the carriages resting more on one side than the other.
Second. Reduction of the resistance to traction and wearing of tyres and rails
through friction.
Third. Reduction of expenses in construction of railway lines by the possibility
to adopt lines having very short curves without having recourse to independent
tracks.
Fourth. Avoiding the jerking motion which is due to the mobility or flexibility
of the axles..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim as
the invention communicated to me is
.
First: In railway and tramway carriages with two axles the application to the
axle boxes of appliance or apparatus whereby the weight of the body is transmitted
through a frame, cross bar and links or rods the axes of which are free to move
perpendicularly to those of the axles all substantially as set forth.
Second. In railway or tramway carriages with three or more axles the application
of appliances or apparatus whereby the weight of the body is transmitted to the
axle through the medium of frame cross bar and rods or links the motion of the
axes of which is free to describe or form the generatrix of a cone all substantially
as set forth.
Dated this Twenty fourth day of January 1885.