IMPROVEMENTS IN STREET RAILWAYS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Philip Tregaskis, of Lamb's Conduit Street,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STREET RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 8th September 1864, and dated the 15th March 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Philip Tregaskis
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 15th March 1864.
I, THOMAS PHILIP TREGASKIS, of Lamb's Conduit Street, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STREET RAILWAYS," to be as follows :-
In carrying out this Invention I propose to construct a railway on each side
of the street or road, the "up" line to be on one side thereof, and the "down"
line on the other; the rails to be carried by a series of arches supported upon
pillars or columns placed (in single file) at the outside edge of the pavement
or footpath, and between it and the roadway, and the rails to be as high as
the second story windows of the houses, or at any other convenient height.
The arches are to be made of strong tubulated or boiler-plate iron rivetted
together, and the pillars to be tubular, fixed deeply into the ground, and
stayed by projecting ramifications underneath the surface. There are to be
three rails, the central one being much higher than the outer ones, so that

page_text: there may be no danger of the carriages running off the line. The large
traction wheels of the engine which draws the train to run (by preference) on
the outer rails, and the inner rail to act as a stay or guide.
The carriages are to be made so that the bottom forms an obtuse angle
with three sets of wheels, the central set to be higher than the others so as to
run on the central line, and with a tent-like covering or sloping roof, the
passengers sitting back to back and facing outwards. The street lamps may
remain-as usual, or they may be suspended from the arches which support
the rails.
The engines are to be furnished with pans or boxes to receive the falling
ashes, and to be constructed so as to consume their own smoke.
At the stations a platform is to be erected over the footway on a level with
the carriages, so that the passengers may readily reach the carriages or alight
therefrom.
For ascending hills or gradients the wheels are to be furnished with an
inner rim of teeth gearing into toothed rails or racks, which are laid inside the
other rails only at such places where an additional hold on the rails may be
required.
This improved street railway would occupy little or no space, and would in
no way interfere with the ordinary traffic or with private property, excepting
at the stations or terminus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Philip Tregaskis in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
PHILIP TREGASKIS, of Lamb's Conduit Street, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of March,- in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Thomas Philip Tregaskis, Her special licence that I, the said
Thomas Philip Tregaskis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Thomas Philip Tregaskis, my executors, administrators, and
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

page_text: 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 STREET RAILWAYS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Philip Tregaskis, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly 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 Thomas Philip Tregaskis, 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. in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, that is to say :-
In carrying out this Invention I. propose to construct a railway on either or
both sides of the street or road; in the latter case the "up" line to be on
one side thereof, and the down line on the other. The rails to be carried by a
series of arches supported upon pillars or columns placed (in single file)
at the outside edge of the pavement or footpath, and between it and the
roadway, so as not to interfere with either, and the rails to be as high as the
first or second story windows of the houses, or at any other convenient height.
The arches are to be made (by preference) of strong tubulated or boiler-plate
iron rivetted together, and the pillars to be tubular, fixed securely into the
ground, and stayed underneath or above the surface, or both, as may be found
desirable. There are to be three rails, the central one being much higher
than the outer ones, so that there may be no danger of the carriages running
off the line. The large traction wheels of the engine which draw the train or
carriage to run (by preference) on the outer rails, and the inner rail to act as
a stay or guide.
The carriages are in this case to be made so that the bottom forms an angle,
and with three sets of wheels, the central set to be higher than the others so
as to run on the central line, and with a tent-like covering or sloping roof,
the passengers sitting back to back and facing outwards. The street lamps
may remain as usual, or they may be suspended from the arches which
support the rails or from the pillars.
The engines (if steam be employed) are. to be furnished with pans or boxes
to receive the falling ashes, and to be constructed so as to consume their own
smoke.
At the stations a platform. is. to be erected over the footway on a level, with

page_text: the carriages, so that the passengers may readily reach the carriages or alight
therefrom..
This improved street railway would occupy little or no space, and would in
no way interfere with the ordinary traffic or with private property, excepting
at the stations or termini..
Instead of having a locomotive engine, the carriage or train may be drawn
or propelled by means of a stationary engine or by any other suitable motive
power.
:
It will evident that a railway of this construction may also be employed
with advantage to cross the country where extreme economy of space and
material are desired.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improvements
in Street Railways," I will now proceed to describe more in detail the manner
in which the same is to be or may be performed or. carried into practical effect,
and in order that the same may be distinctly understood I have annexed
hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same
with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof, that is to say :-.
In the annexed Drawing, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a street
railway constructed according to my Invention, and Fig. 2 is a transverse
section of the same.
a, a, are the pillars placed at the edge of the footpath and supporting the
arches b, b, which carry the three rails c, c, and d, the latter being the
central one.
In this arrangement of my Invention the central rail d is the highest, and
the carriages are so constructed that the passengers sit back to back and
facing outwards,. the bottom of the carriages sloping upwards from the outer
rails towards the central one and forming an angle; e, e, represents the
platforms at the termini or stations.
Figure 3 is a side elevation, and Fig. 4 a transverse section of a modifi-
cation of the above, wherein the central rail is lowest, and the carriages are
constructed so that the passengers sit facing each other.
In this arrangement the weight of the passengers is placed below the outer
wheels so as to prevent the possibility of the overbalancing of the carriages ;
and Figures 5 and 6 are similar views of a further modification, wherein the
weight is placed still further below the point of suspension, and the central
rail is altogether dispensed with.
"
.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
Improvements in Street Railways," together with the manner in which the

page_text: same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I would
remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention the improved construction
of street railways as shewn in the Drawings annexed and above described, or
any mere modification or imitation thereof, and especially I claim supporting
such railways upon columns and arches placed in single file at or near the
edge of the footpath so as not to interfere with the latter nor with the ordinary
traffic of the roadway.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Philip Tregaskis, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
GEORGE DAVIES,
Patent Agent,
1, Serle St., Lincoln's Inn.
T. P. TREGASKIS. (L.B.)