Means for Re-railing De-railed Trams, Tubs, and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Aug., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 18th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 30th May, 1896
Means for Re-railing De-railed Trams, Tubs, and the like.
I, DAVID JAMES DAVIES, of London House, Abercrave, Swansea Valley,
Breconshire, Colliery Overman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :-
This invention has reference to re-railing de-railed trams, tubs, and like vehicles
used more particularly on colliery and analogous rails or tramways.
In colliery tramways, frequent derailment of the trams or tubs takes place, and
these derailments, in many cases, cause considerable loss of property by shaking
the timbering in the collieries and damaging the sleepers and permanent way; and
also, in some cases, cause a great amount of debris to fall through the roof and
sides, besides causing delay generally. Now, my invention is designed to and has
for its object to obviate these defects, and others resulting from de-railment.
According to this invention, there is introduced in the rails of the permanent
way, devices by which, when one or more of the trams or tubs become de-railed,
such tubs or trams are automatically, by the continued movement thereof, caused
to replace themselves on the rails. These devices are placed at intervals along
the line on both sides, and form part of the permanent way, the distance apart
along the line being varied according to circumstances and conditions of working.
A re-railing device according to the invention, has on each side, preferably, of
the rail portion, a plate which is inclined upwards from either end, and at the
centre, reaches the level of the rail itself, while at each edge of the plate is a
side bar or ledge of suitable height, having an inclination from either end of the
device towards the central point, where they come up to, or close up to, the central
rail. By these outside rails or ledges, the wheels of the trams or tubs are pressed
and moved towards the rail in the rerailing action, while they are raised by the
inclined plates to the level of the rail; and so by these combined actions, the
wheels are forced on to the rails and take their normal running position. On
the inside, along the rail portion of the devices there is a shallow groove provided
to allow for the flanges of the wheel.
The ordinary rail would come up to the ends of the rail portion of the devices,
and be connected to them in any suitable way; and the devices themselves
would be suitably fastened down onto the sleepers or other suitable holding down
means.
Dated this 28th day of August 1895.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15 Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.
Means for Re-railing De-railed Trams, Tubs, and the like.
I, DAVID JAMES DAVIES, of London House, Abercrave Swansea Valley,
Breconshire, Colliery Overman, 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 has reference to re-railing de-railed trams, tubs, and like vehicles
used more particularly on colliery and analogous rails or tramways.

page_text: In colliery tramways, frequent de-railment of the trams or tubs takes place, and
these de-railments, in many cases, cause considerable loss of property by shaking
the timbering in the collieries and damaging the sleepers and permanent way; and
also, in some cases, cause a great amount of debris to fall through the roof and
sides, besides causing delay generally. Now, my invention is designed to, and has
for its object, to obviate these defects, and others resulting from de-railment.
According to this invention, there is introduced in the rails of the permanent
way, devices by which, when one or more of the trams or tubs become de-railed,
such tubs or trams are automatically, by the continued movement thereof,
caused to replace themselves on the rails. These devices are placed at intervals
along the line on both sides, and form part of the permanent way, the distance
apart along the line being varied according to circumstances and conditions of
working.
A re-railing device according to the invention, has on each side, preferably, of
the rail portion, a plate which is inclined upwards from either end, and at the
centre, reaches the level of the rail itself, while at each edge of the plate is a
side bar or ledge of suitable height, having an inclination from either end of the
device towards the central point, where they come up to, or close up to, the central
rail. By these outside rails or ledges, the wheels of the trams or tubs are pressed
and moved towards the rail in the re-railing action, while they are raised by the
inclined plates to the level of the rail; and so by these combined actions, the
wheels are forced on to the rails and take their normal running position. On
the inside, along the rail portion of the devices there is a shallow groove provided
to allow for the flanges of the wheel.
The ordinary rail would come up to the ends of the rail portion of the devices,
and be connected to them in any suitable way; and the devices themselves
would be suitably fastened down onto the sleepers or other suitable holding down
means.
In the drawings illustrating this invention, I shew the means for re-railing
de-railed tram and like vehicles, or carriages, in detail, and also in general arrange-
ment. The details are shewn in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive; and the general
arrangement in Figure 6. Of Figures 1 to 5, Figure 1 is a plan, Figure 2 a
section at A A Figure 1, and Figures 3, 4, and 5 cross sections at B B, CC,
and D D, respectively, of Figure 1.
Referring now to the drawings, the re-railing device shewn consists of the
following formation and construction of parts:-The base consists mainly of
inclined plates a, a', ou the outer and inner sides, respectively, of the rail or
central longitudinal portion, such plates being inclined upwards towards the centre
of the device from either end, and being wide at the ends, and narrowed laterally
towards the centre point in both directions. bis the rail portion proper, extending
centrally and longitudinally through the device, as shewn, on which the wheels of
the vehicles normally run. Near and at the central point of the device, the outer
part or platform a of the base reaches the level of the rail b itself; whilst the
inside inclined part a' of the base is only carried up so high as will bring the flat
or rim of the vehicle wheel when running up these inclines on its flange above the
level of the rail when it approaches and reaches the central part of the device. In
the complete arrangement, of the devices (as shewn in Figure 6), the inclined
parts a of the two devices will be placed outside both rails of the railway, and the
inside parts a will both be inside the rails. At the edges of each of the inclined
planes a and at a projecting side bar or ledge c, inclined upwards, correspondingly
with these planes towards the central point, is provided; and at this central point,
they are disposed sufficiently close together, and to the inner edge of the rail b, as
to cause the vehicle wheels to be replaced on the rail 6 in the proper position at
this point when run up the devices; and accordingly as the truck or carriage has
been de-railed on one side or the other of the track, the outer or inner of the
bars c will come into action, and press upon, either the outer edge of the rim

page_text: of the wheel, or its flange. Between the rail b and the inner side bar or ledge c,-
there is a longitudinal groove or depression d provided, in which the flange-
of the wheels will run normally, and into which such flanges will drop, when the-
wheels are run up the devices in being re-railed. The ordinary rails of the track
are secured to the ends of the base plate and the devices by bolts or other suitable
means.
As shewn in Figure 6, the width of.the ends of the base portions a, a¹, is such
that the two inner parts a¹ of the two devices meet in the centre of the space-
between the rails of the track; and they therefore will receive the wheels of a
de-railed vehicle, no matter how badly displaced, within practical limits, and
guide them into position, and eventually again place them and the vehicle on
the rails. The devices, as will be seen, are supported by sleepers O at either
end, and a central sleeper P, at the centre; and they are secured to these sleepers
by treenails, woodscrews, or other means, by flanges e formed in the devices at
each end and at the centre, such flanges being disposed outside of the side bars or
ledges c.
In action, assuming a truck or other vehicle to be de-railed, and approaching
one or other end of the re-railing devices, one wheel would come onto the outer-
inclined plane a of one of the devices, and the other wheel, would come onto the
corresponding inclined plane a' of the other device; and will be run upon their
flanges, up inclined planes of the devices. In so doing they will come in contact
with the outside and inside ledges c of these devices, respectively, and the wheels.
and vehicle, as they travel in the direction of movement of the train, will be
simultaneously forced or pressed laterally towards the rail portions 6; and when.
they approach the central parts of the devices, the flange of the outside wheel.
will stand at the same level as the rail, while the inside wheel will have its rims.
standing above the level of the top surface of the rail b, and thus, when the wheels
reach the centre of the device, where the side bars or ledges c are close together,.
as specified, they will be forced onto the rails, the outside wheel dropping from its
flange from the top of the rail, onto its rim or running part, the flange falling into.
the groove or way d; whilst the flange of the inner wheel will drop from the-
inclined portion a next the side bar c into the groove or way d and so bring the-
flat of the wheel onto its rail.
The re-railing devices are placed at intervals along the permanent way, and.
therefore in any event of derailment, by the continuous travelling of the trucks or
vehicles along the trackway the derailed vehicle or vehicles when they arrive at.
one of the sets of the devices, such vehicle or vehicles is or are run up and upon.
the devices, and are thereby automatically re-railed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In railways of the kind herein referred to, means for re-railing de-railed
railway vehicles, comprising inclined planes arranged on either side of the rails,.
and forming substantially a portion of the permanent way, and operating
substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. In railways of the kind herein referred to, means for re-railing de-railed
railway vehicles, consisting of a device having inclined planes at either side of
the rail, and rising upwards from either end towards the central part thereof, and.
having side ledges or bars disposed relatively far apart at the ends and closely
together at the central part, by which the wheels of a de-railed vehicle are pressed
towards the rail as they approach the central part of the device; substantially as.
set forth.
3. The device for rerailing de-railed railway vehicles, constructed and adapted
to operate as set forth with reference to and shewn in Figures 1 to 5 of the:
drawings.

page_text: 4. In a railway the arrangement and construction of devices for re-railing
de-railed vehicles, as set forth with reference to and shewn in Figure 6 of the
drawings.
Dated this 8th day of April 1896.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15 Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.