Pig. 1 is an end view of the carriage, with a cross section of the rail, and a pillar, showing its form, and manner of fixing.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the railway passing over an uneven surface, with three of the supporting pillars of unequal length. Upon the upper surface of the rail are seen the two carriage-wheels, and the manner of suspending the wag gone or receptacles from the axietrees, which is, however, better shown by Fig. 1, letters I III.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the same, which exhibits the comparative measurements, and the mode by which the receptacles are braced together. The same letters of reference refer to the same parts in the different figures. A, Fig. 1, repre sents an tyright pillar of cast iron, having, at the shoulder, a flange, which rests upon the surface of the ground. The pillar is formed with ribs at right angles, which converge towards the lower extremity, and are notched in the edges, for the better securing it firmly in the ground. The hole in which it is to be inserted is to be previously well rammed, by a kind of pile•driving engine, and the foot of the pillar surrounded with hard materials, which are also to be rendered as compact as possible. Three of these pillars are shown fixed in Fig. 2, placed about nine feet apart. At the upper extremities of the pillars are lung clefts or openings, to receive the rail B, which is 'composed of deal planks, set on their edges, with their upper surface C defended by cast or wrought-iron plates, a little convex on the upper side. When the rail has been some time in use, and all has taken a bearing, a little adjustment of the line may be requisite before the rail is bolted to the pillars; to effect which, a very simple and easy method is provided. In the cleft of the pillars, and under the rail, two wedges a a are introduced in opposite directions, whereby its level may be adjusted with the nicest accuracy. The wheels D I) are provided with flanges, to keep them on the rail, and their peripheries are slightly concave, to adapt their surfaces to that of the rails. E E are the arms or axles; H H are the receptacles for the goods, which are made of plate iron, and are suspended to the arms, as before mentioned, by the inflexible rods I I I I. To one of the arms a chain K is hooked, to which a towing-rope may be connected. Any number of carriages may then be attached together by chains hooked on to the angles.
The annexed Fig. 4 is intended to exhibit a portion of the railway in use, and the methods by which several of the obstacles which frequently present themselves are overcome. On the left is seen a jointed rail, or gate, that crosses the road over which the carriages have just passed, and the gate swung back, to leave the road open; the horse and man having just forded, the train of car riages is proceeding in its course, and following another train, Tint of which is seen on the right, crossing a rail bridge, simply constructed for that purpose. i
Provision is made for trains of carriages that are With in opposite directions, by means of " sidings " or passing places. With respect to loading, if both receptacles be not loaded at the same time, that which is loaded first must be supported until the second is full. Where there is a permanent loading place, the carriage is brought over a step or block ; but when it is loaded pro miscuously, it is provided with a support connected to it, which is turned up when not in use. From the small height of the carriage, the loading of those articles usually done by band becomes less laborious. The unloading may be done in various ways, according to the substance to be discharged, the recep tacles being made to open either at the bottom, the ends, or the sides. In some cases it may be desirable to suspend them by their ends, when, turning on their own centres, they are easily discharged sideways.
Among the advantages contemplated by the patentee of this railway, may be mentioned that of enabling the engineer, in most cases, to construct a railway on that plane which is most effectual, and where the shape of the country would occasion too great an expenditure on former plane—that of being maintained in a• prfeotly straight line. and in the facility with which it may always be adjusted ; in being unencumbered with extraneous substances lying upon it ; in receiving no interruption from snow, as the little that may lodge on the rail is cleared off by merely fixing a brush before the first carriage in the train ; in the facility with which the loads may be transferred from the railway on to the carriages, by merely unhooking the receptacles, without displacing the goods, or from other carriages to the railway, by the reverse operation ; in the preser vation of the articles conveyed from being fractured, owing to the more uni form gliding motion of the carriages; in occupying less land than any other railway ; in requiring no levelling or road-making ; in adapting itself to all situations, as it may be constructed on the side of any public road, on the waste and irregular margins, on the beach or shingles of the aea-shore,—indeed, where no other road can be made ; in the original cost being much less, and the impediments and great expense occasioned by repairs in the ordinary mode, being by this method almost avoided.