Improvements in the Construction of Underground Railways.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 3rd Nov., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Underground Railways.
I, HERMANN GRAUEL of Paulstrasse, Berlin in the German Empire, Manu-
facturer, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to increase the convenience and safety and reduce
the cost of construction and working of underground railways at the same time
enabling the speed of the trains to be increased, for which purpose the stations are
placed either at, or only a little depth below, the ground level and the rails laid ou
down gradients therefrom.
The whole of the line is divided into sections or lengths at the commencement
inclining downwards and at the end upwards so that the power obtained in the
downward travel of a train is utilised in and for the upward travel of the same,
the additional power required being comparatively small. The several sections are
BO laid out that they may be travelled over in about equal spaces of time and in
such a way that the trains may be said to oscillate from station to station when
employed in running to and fro between two stations.
In the drawing
Fig. 1 shews the surface of a line of underground railway with a curved
downward and upward gradient.
A, B, C, are three stopping or station places from which the line descends to a
and b. Supposing there to be a train upon each of the two sections A, B,
and B, C, each train starting from B they will run freely down by gravity to a and b
respectively and also to some extent up the upward gradients when the motive
power, electricity for instanco is to be applied and the trains pulled up the rest of
the distance the one to A and the other to C. With trains running in this way
each between two stations it is claimed that the working expenses will be much
reduced and that the speed of travelling may be very high.
The trains may be timed to arrive simultaneously at B after starting simul-
taneously from A and C whether the sections are or are not of equal length.
When not of the same length this end may be attained by a suitable construction
of the gradients, by laying a portion of the line level or by employing more or less
motive power but this is hardly necessary as the speed is high and with the stations
about a thousand metres apart the passengers would have barely a minute to wait
for the next train.
Fig. 2 shews the sections of a line with two gradients and a level middle
part a like running of the trains taking place. This construction will be the most
usual.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of an underground railway and stations and
Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a crossing place with lines for shunting and for
stationing spare carriages.
The train may be held fixed upon the gradient by means of braking mechanism
and instead of a train of vehicles a less number or only one may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of iny said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The construction of underground railways in a number of independent sections
or lengths each section having at one end a down gradient and at the other end an
up gradient so that vehicles thereon will move freely downwards of themselves and

page_text: so that the impulse thus obtained is utilised in ascending the opposite gradient or
in, running over an intermediate level portion of the railway or both for the
purposes specified, substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 29th day of September 1894:
CAPITAINE & VON HERTLING,
189, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.