IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Desnos, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin,
Paris, in the French Empire, and of 53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS."-A communication by Mr. Charles
Ferdinand Zorès, Civil Engineer, residing at 29, Boulevart St.
Martin, Paris.
Sealed the 25th September 1868, and dated the 6th April 1868.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Charles Desnos at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 6th April 1868, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
DESNOS, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, in the French Empire, and
of 53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
THE PERMANENT WAY OF RALLWAYS," and have petitioned Her Majesty
to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her

page_text: All these advantages are possessed by the pedestal as distinct from
the pedestal rail of this Invention, as may be at once seen by
comparing a section of the Hartwich rail with the sections of the
pedestal shown in Sheets 3, 4, and 5 of the Drawings aunexed, and
if in some of these sections there is less strength to resist strain and
transverse shocks at the upper part or head the minimum strength
taken as a whole is always much greater than that obtained with
the strongest double-headed Vignole or Brunel rails now in use; the
reduced strength of the upper part of the pedestal is at once converted
into incontestable superiority when the head is applied thercon.
Further, setting aside all the objections which might be adduced on
this subject the round iron tic rods employed for the Hartwich rail
are replaced by stays formed of flat iron plates placed edgewise, for
example, about three inches in depth, and from rd to th of an inch
in thickness, disposed as indicated in Sheets 1 and 2 of the Drawings,
about every yard apart, and shaped or bent at their ends so as to
give the rail pedestal the desired inclination and hold it firmly thereat
and oppose all strains tending to separate or bring the rails together,
as also all strains, shocks, or transverse pressure by entirely preventing
the longitudinal deviation of the line to which notwithstanding the
adhesion of the ballast the Hartwich rail is liable in steep inclines
and curves of small radius, and against which the round iron ties are
useless as preventatives. All the advantages of the Hartwich rail may
thus be claimed for the pedestal separate from the rail itself, and still
more so when it is completed by the addition of the head, which may
be of iron, or preferably of Bessemer steel.
The objections to the Hartwich rail are as follows:-1st, the wear or
deterioration of the head is produced notwithstanding the great weight
of the rail under exactly the same conditions as any other rail, hence
considerable expense is incurred in maintaining the permanent way.
2ndly, the impossibility, financially speaking, of manufacturing these
rails of Bessemer steel, which would alone increase their durability,
its weight rendering it so costly as to be unattainable by railway
companies for economical considerations. 3rdly, the necessity of
renewing the ballast, and consequently of a portion of the surface of
the line every time a worn out rail is removed and another substituted.
4thly, from the above there results the obligation of employing ballast
A 2

page_text: for fixing the rails in the longitudinal trenches. 5thly, fish plates
are required of a complicated and costly nature in consequence o
the great height of the rail, which fish plates alone require more bolts
than are necessary for connecting the pedestal and rail together
6thly and lastly, it requires more time with the samo number of
workmen to replace a worn out rail than for changing from 25 to 30
of the heads of the pedestal rails of this Invention. These objections
to the Hartwich rail arc so serious as to preclude the general adoption
of this improved metallic system of permanent way, but in the
pedestal rails of this Invention it will be found that all the above
objections are obviated to the great advantage of railway companies,
as I will now proceed to explain.
1st. The pedestal or support for the rail is completely embedded
in longitudinal trenches, see Sheet 1, and permanently fixed, entirely
protected from the influence of variations of temperature, at same
time that it is freed from the oxidation caused by the shaking produced
by trains passing over; further it is absolutely free from all shocks
or direct friction liable to produce wear or deterioration; hence it will
last for an indefinite time, there being no further expense incurred
beyond its first outlay. The head or top only of the pedestal rail is
directly exposed to the influence of the variations of temperature as well
as shocks and friction and consequent wear, hence the only expense
incurred is for maintaining the iron heads of the rails, thus effecting
a saving of 350 per cent. on the cost of the Hartwich rail, or 300 per
cent. even for the heaviest heads, and a saving of 150 per cent. on
that of the vignolo rail separate from its supports.
2ndly. If the great weight of the Hartwich rail renders financially
speaking its production in Bessemer steel impossible, although this
would have the effect of doubling its wear, the reverse is the case in
employing the pedestal rail, the combination of which permits of the
most economical application possible of the Bessemer steel for the
laying down and repairing of railways, and this fact will be so evident
on examining the sections in Sheets 3, 4, and 5, of the Drawings that
further demonstration will be unnecessary.
3rdly. Although the renewal or replacing of the Hartwich rails
is impossible without renewing the ballast, which is necessarily obliged

page_text: to be removed from the spot occupied by the rails, it is otherwise the
case with the pedestal rail, the pedestal of which remains fixed for
an indefinite period, while the head when worn or deteriorated may
be readily removed and renewed by screwing or unscrewing the bolts,
fixing it to the pedestal without interfering in any way with the
ballast or surface of the linc.
4thly. The necessity of remaking the line every time a Hartwich
rail has to be repaired or changed renders the exclusive use of ballast
for fixing said rails in the longitudinal trenches indispensable, while,
on the contary, the pedestal rail (the support of which is fixed as
firmly as possible) enables ballast to be entirely dispensed with, using
as a substitute a concrete or mortar for fixing the pedestal support in
wie longitudinal trenches (which are suitably drained) according to
the nature of the soil. This mode of fixing will not impair the
clasticity of the linc, which is sufficiently ensured by the great depth
of the superposed rail and support.
5thly. It will be sufficient to compare the mode of fishing
indispensable with the Hartwich rail with that employed for the
pedestal rail, which simply consists in making the junctions of the
heads to break joint with those of the supports, as shown in Sheet 1.
It will be at once seen that the advantage is cutirely in favor of the
pedestal rail, which, so to speak, dispenses with fish plates entirely.
6thly and lastly. It will also be readily seen that the combination
rail herein described enables from 25 to 30 rail heads when worn to
be renewed in the same lapse of time that an equal number of workmen
would require to take up the ballast, remove the tics and fish plates
of the Hartwich rail, remove it from the trench, and substitute another,
refix the fish plates and ties, fix the rail throughout its length, and
then fill in the ballast and renew the surface of the line.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the Invention consists in
the application of pedestal rails forming an improved permanent way,
as also in the several forms of rails of this system represented in
Sheets 3 to 5. Thus I may lay down rails with a base or foundation
fixed in well-drained longitudinal trenches either by means of ballast
of various kinds, blocks of stouc or concrete, with the addition of

page_text: mortar suited to the nature of the soil, said pedestal or base being fixed
at the desired inclination so as to prevent any longitudinal deviation
by the aid of stays of peculiar form and construction. The pedestal
being entirely embedded in the trenches is protected from all variations
of temperature and deterioration from oxide by the action produced
by the passage of the trains, which conditions ensure it an unlimited
duration, while at same time all interference with the surface of the
line is avoided, except from unforseen causes. The pedestal which is
composed of wrought iron rolled in one or two parts, as seen in the
several Figures, Sheets 3, 4, and 5 of the Drawings, possesses from the
proportions given to it, and the peculiar arrangement of the stays,
Sheets 1 and 2, a strength more than double that necessary for
resisting the most powerful strains, and vertical or horizontal shocks to
which they may be exposed, and may in fact serve with every security
as a tempory rail in case of necessity. In order to preserve the rail
support from wear and deterioration induced by friction and shocks I
cover it at top with a rail head formed either of wrought iron or
Bessemer steel. This head is fixed to the pedestal or support by mcaus
of the various kinds of bolts illustrated in Sheet 2, whereby it may be
readily secured in a few minutes without interfering with the surface
of the line. The same solidity is also obtained as when using fish
plates by making the ends of the rails break joint with those of the
pedestal supports, which, as before mentioned, are themselves fixed
by the peculiar forms of tics shown in Sheets 1 and 2. This system
of pedestal rail ensures such economy in the expense of laying,
maintaining, and renewing the permanent way as compared with
actual lines that in a period of thirty years at the most moderato
computation a saving of 100 per cent. may be obtained, whilo
increased security is further obtained against accidents caused by the
rails breaking.
In addition to the foregoing I will here give a summarised state-
ment of the comparative cost of a line constructed of Vignole rails
fixed on intermediate metallic supports, and one provided with pedestal
rails.
I take the figure £6. 16. 0 per ton as the average price both for the
Vignole and pedestal rails, as they can both be obtained on the same
conditions, to which must be added the cost of the metallic chairs and
accessories for fixing the rails, and giving the desired inclination,

page_text: weighing about 80 pounds (37 kilos.) per yard, at an average cost for
intermediate and joint chairs of S/- to which must be added about
Sd. per yard for cost of the fish plates, making the total for the metal
of a single line amount to about 188. 8d. per yard as under :-
or a saving of 1/6d. per yard (nearly 8 per cent.), to which may be
added the considerable saving in cost of ballast before mentioned.
Taking as a base of comparison the average weight of all the sections
of pedestal rails, represented in Sheets 3, 4, and 5, an economy of 8d.
per yard may still be obtained, although the average of the pedestal
rails shown (some of which are very heavy) will reach 262 pounds
per yard without including the weight of the tics and bolts. A com-
parison of the relative cost per yard of a line constructed entiroly
of metal on this system with that of Bessemer steel is sufficient of
itself to show the great advantage of employing pedestal rails. Thus
the price actually paid for Vignole rails of Bessemer steel of first
quality has amounted to £12. 12 per ton of a weight of 90 pounds
nor ward

page_text: The cost of the line constructed of pedestal rails of the form shown
at Figure 1, Sheet 4, is as follows:-
180 pounds for the pedestal of rolled iron @
73
"
21
1
Bessemer steel heads
averago weight of stays
average weight of bolts
£6 10 per ton
10 10
"
@
£12 16
84
"
"
@ £8
1 7
"
"
"
@ £24,
33
"
"
"
"
Cost of drilling, mortising, and shaping, per yard
744
Note. That in the above computation the 73 pounds of Bessemer
steel heads present an equal wearing surface to that of the Vignole
rails.
Toothed Rails.-Much attention has lately been given to the Fell
system of three lines of rails for ascending inclines with curves of
small radius by the aid of engines of peculiar construction provided
with vertical and horizontal wheels, the latter of which bear on the
heads of a rail fixed horizontally in bearings at the centre of the line
and on which they exercise the same kind of pressure as on metal
passing through a rolling mill. This system has been successfully
applied on Mount Cenis, and is also being now laid down on the Roanne
and Charlieu road at its steepest part, between Pouilly and Charlieu.
Great stability is obtained by metallic supports of concave section, in
which concavity the ballast is compressed, and there quickly acquires
under the action of passing trains the solidity of concrete, or more
properly of macadam, the said metallic supports being firmly fixed to
the line, together. with the rails attached thereto. In this manner a
bearing surface and increased power of resistance to longitudinal strains
is obtained on inclines which wood supports would fail to afford. The
ill success of the attempts hitherto made to employ toothed rails
on inclines may thus be attributed as much to the want of stability
of the wood supports to which they have been fixed as to any defects
in the combination or in the means employed for fixing them to their

page_text: supports, it being well understood that the question I propose here
to consider is simply that of supplying a means of increasing the adhesion
on inclines, setting aside any solution of the scientific questions depen-
dent thereon.
Metallic supports of concave section ensure perfect stability, while
the means of fixing them to the rails hercin-after described are
simple and certain in their effect, hence it only remains to obtain a
suitable combination of toothed rails such as I will now proceed to
describe, in order to unite the conditions desired for ascending inclines,
at least as easily as on the Fell system, and on much more economical
conditions, while at same time they are much more readily applied,
do not require a third rail, nor a special arrangement of locomotive
requiring a large cost for keeping it in going condition to judge from
the friction exerted by the horizontal wheels which constitute its
ascensional motive power.
On a line constructed entirely of metal with improved Brunel rails
herein-after described and illustrated in Sheet 12, and on the rail support
which may be made of increased thickness if desired, as at A, A,
Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 6, on the inside of the line, I apply an iron
bar B, B, about two inches in depth by an inch and a half in thickness,
provided with teeth C, C, at its upper part, and solidly fixed to the
Brunel rail about every four inches, by means of bolts D, D, so as to
enable it to be readily removed, and forming a fish plate breaking joint
with those of the rails. The flange of the tire E, E, Figures 1 and 2,
Sheet 6, with which the driving wheel of any kind of locomotive is
provided, is made of increased depth and toothed in the manner shown
at F, F, so as to gear with the teeth C, C, of the bar B fixed to the
rail, and this without interfering in any way with the action of the
wheel flange when running on rails without teeth after it has ascended
the incline. In a similar manner the untoothed flanged tires of the
other wheels of the locomotive tender and carriages are not affected by
the toothed gearing which is placed or fixed beyond their influence.
The slipping to which the Fell system is liable in wet or frosty weather
is impossible with this system of toothed rails, which may be described
as an addition to the improved Brunel rail of a toothed rail, and also
making dentations in the driving wheel tires of any locomotive of
sufficient tractive power.

page_text: 2ND PART. IMPROVEMENTS IN DOUBLE-HEADED VIGNOLE AND BRUNEL
RAILS AND SLEEPER RAILS.
It being granted 1st, that there exist conditions of resistance and
limits of thickness for the metal supports of rails to which it is necessary
to adhere in order to ensure the solidity indispensable to their pre-
servation; 2ndly, that of all the forms of metallic supports hitherto
adopted those shown in the sections Figures 1, 2, and 3, Sheet 7, of the
Drawings and at present in use, on eight large lines abroad unite in tho
highest degree the conditions of lightness, strength, and durability as
much from their form as from the disposition of the material in the
several parts of which they are composed. In order to fix double-headed
Vignole or Brunel rails to metallic supports so as to unite in the highest
degree the conditions of solidity, security, facility of application, and
in prime cost, I dispense with keys and wedges of all kinds,
and substitute a combined stop and bolt, the head of which is received
in a mortise in the top of the rail support serving as a bearing for the
nuts of the cramps, shown in Sheets 6, 7, and 11, as applied to the
several forms of rails.
economy
The only mode of obtaining still greater economy in the cost of fixing
double-headed Vignole and Brunel rails to metallic sleepers, consists in
modifying the form of the rails themselves and compensating therefor
as well as increasing their strength by the peculiar modes of fixing them
to their supports in order to obtain the greatest possible economy in
the laying and maintainance of metallic systems of railway.
The following are the results of experiments made with the above
object: 1st, with double-headed rails; 2ndly, with what are termed
Vignole or American rails; 3rdly, with Brunel or bridge rails without
exceeding the minimum weight allowed for these rails, and with tho
object of proving that by making economical improvements in the form
of these several rails with the aid of metallic supports of peculiar
construction herein-after described, it may be possible to still further
reduce the weight of the rails without affecting their present strength.
The minimum weight allowed by the French railway administration
is 78 pounds per yard run for rails fixed to intermittent supports, and
GS pounds for those fixed to continuous supports.
Double-headed Rails.-Double-headed rails are still preferred by
many of the most experienced engineers from the satisfactory results

page_text: which have long been obtained by their use combined especially with
the advantage of turning so as to double their wear and permit of both
their surfaces being utilized, which if not always realized is of sufficient
consequence to form an important consideration in the contest between
this and the Vignole rail. The improvements herein-after described
will also further assist in maintaining the struggle for superiority, as
by it all chairs are dispensed with, while the rails may invariably be
turned, with but few exceptions. This result I obtain by reducing
the weight of the rail to the minimum allowance without reducing its
power to resist strains and vertical or transverse shocks. These rails
are of the largest dimensions both in depth and breadth now in usc,
and fixed to non-continuous supports, as shown in the sections Figures 1
and 2, Sheet S, of the Drawings.
I modify the form of the rail heads which now serve to improve
their bearing and receive the brackets, fixing them to the chairs,
both of which I dispense with and produce a rail of the form shown
in Figure 5, Sheet S, weighing upwards of four pounds less per yard, or
8 pounds per yard of single line less than the rails shown in Figures 1
and 2, although combining the largest dimensions both in breadth and
depth.
In order to compensate in this improved form of double-headed
rail for the portions of which it has been deprived it is fixed to its
metallic support by means of a system of attachment of such strength
as to rivet it as it were to the support and form a prolongation of its
base. The following is the mode of connecting the parts:-The top
of the metallic support is mortised, as shown at a, a, Figure 3, Sheet 9,
for double-headed rails. Shect 10 show its application to rails with
heads of unequal size. I place at b, b, a rolled iron plate of the
form shown at c, c, having a three-fold object, viz., 1st, to give the
desired inclination to the rails; 2ndly, to prevent wear of the upper
surface of the support; 3rdly, to prevent wear of the rail head placed
thercon, the plate being made of very soft iron, so that it alone will
be subject to wear and preserve the support and rail head between
which it is interposed, thus avoiding one of the principal causes of
the rejection in turning a great number of rails through the damage
occasioned by the hardness of the cast-iron chairs in which they are
supported. The metal clamps rolled of the form shown at d, d, are
provided with checks of the form shown at e, e, the lower ends of
which form cramps f, taking into the mortises a, a, in the top of

page_text: the support B on each side of the part c. The rail A is perforated
at its centre at the point occupied by cach support with clongated
holes of oval form for the purpose, 1st, of facilitating the action of
the locking bolt in the movement of the clamps; 2ndly, to avoid
redrilling in turning the rails; 3rdly, to allow for variations in
temperature. The rail is placed on the parts c, c, the upper parts h, h,
of the clamps being raised on each side of the rail so as to make the
holes with which they are provided coincide with those of the rail; a
solid bolt i, i, is then passed through the whole, by screwing up the
nut of which the clamps are caused to abut against the under surface
of the top of the support at j, j, and at l, l, on the upper part of the
lower head of the rail and take a bearing thercon. The pressure is
equal to that of solid rivets being produced by the cohesion of the
rail and supports forming a solid whole more than replacing the inert
resistance afforded by the portion removed from the rails, Figures 1
and 2, Sheet 8, and offering from its solidity an amount of resistance
and strength which it is impossible to obtain with cast or wrought iron
chairs of any kind. This improved system of fixing double rails with
heads of equal or unequal size to metallic supports only weighs from 10
to 11 pounds per each support according to the size of the clamps,
hence besides its great strength and lasting properties an important
economy is obtained over the use of cast or wrought iron chairs, to
which must be added the saving of 8 pounds per yard of single line
obtained by the improved form of rail. The fishing of the rails, which
is very casily effected and possesses great strength, is obtained by
lengthening the clamps to the desired extent and bending them at
the proper part so that they may bear against the body of the rail.
The width and consequently the power of the cramps f, f, may be
doubled or tripled by increasing the width of surface of the joint
supports, sce Sheets 9, 10, and 11.
I will now proceed to consider tho various objections which may
be urged against this economic improvement in the form of double-
headed rails fixed to metallic supports.
If objection is made to the want of power to resist crushing or vertical
shocks or weight I would observe simply that its depth is as great as a
that of any double or single rails.
If objection is made to the insufficient thickness of the vertical web
or body of the rail, in reply I can state that it is equal to that of
the Vignole rails mostly used and th of an inch deeper.

page_text: If it is considered to possess insufficient power to resist transverse
blows or shocks I would reply that the width of the head is equal to
any hitherto employed, whether double or single, while the perfect
connection established between the rails and their supports by the
improved mode of attachment and the amount of adhesion between
the ballast and metallic supports through the large surfaces obtained
by their concavity considerably augments the power to resist strains.
If objection be made to the slight thickness of that part of the head
exposed to wear I would answer that it is greater than that possessed
by majority of double rails, and may be still further increased in
tl₁ ner shown in Figure 6, Sheet 8, without adding to its weight,
and if there is less thickness for wear than in the head of a vignole
rail by turning the rail the wear becomes 30 per cent. greater.
If the form of the rail heads are objected to they are exactly the
same as those of the Vignole rail, which answer so well in practice as
to be preferred by many engineers to double rails, while the principal
objection to the ordinary form of head, viz., the liability to vary the
inclination is prevented by fixing the rails to the supports in the manner
herein-before described.
If objection is made to the perforation of the rails opposite cach
support, I would add that the fish plates everywhere employed prove
that perforating the neuter axis of rails, even when the holes are close
together, has no injurious effect, neither for a stronger reason can holes
made every yard apart directly over the supports.
If the necessity of equally spacing the supports is considered an
objection I would say that it is rather an advantage than otherwise
to have perfect regularity in the dimensions of the metallic supports
as no such inconvenience can arise as when employing supports of
various sizes and differing in their action combined with wood sleepers.
If it is objected that the compressing action exerted by the clamps
is so great that they would be liable to break or bend in locking if
this is not carefully performed and that the upper part of the double
rail is not sufficiently supported, the addition of a simple lead washer
o, o, Sheets 9 and 10, would suffice to satisfy these objections, which
washers 1st prevent the locking action being sufficient to break or
put the check plates out of shape; 2ndly, it holds the upper part of
the rail, prevents all deterioration by contact, and adapts it to variations

page_text: in temperature. It may thus be concluded that the double rails arranged,
disposed, and fixed to the metallic supports in the manner described by
the two-fold economy obtained in cost and durability, as also in strength
and increased security they afford are especially adapted for use.
Viguole Rails. The above description relates to the economic
improvement in double rails based on the employment of a special
system of fixing the same to their metallic supports and the same
improvements are also applicable to Vignole rails, the form most generally
adopted being that shown in Figure 3, Sheet 8, but with this important
difference which is also in favor of the economy desired that the
weight of 78 pounds is retained, the head being made heavier for the
purpose (that is to say, the part most subject to wear and deterioration)
of affording the addition required to obtain the necessary weight of
78 pounds. The modification made in the foot of the Vignole rail as
shown in Figure 7, Sheet 8, reducing the weight of the rail, Figure 3,
to 75 pounds. The Vignole rail thus modified in form and fixed to
the metallic supports in the manner shown at Sheet 10 effects a saving
of 9 pounds per yard of single line added to the 25 per cent. longer
wear obtained by the increased size of the head which is subject to the
wear; it also possesses 30th more power to resist vertical pressure or
shocks, it having an increased depth equal to that amount. Further,
its power to resist transverse pressure or shocks remains the same, and
is even increased as the greater part taken from the foot being added
to the head, which is the point most liable to such effects. The foot
of the rail is firmly connected to its metallic support in the manner
shown in Sheet 10 so as to form a kind of continuation of the support,
and possesses a power to resist transverse pressure and stability in-
contestably superior to that of the Vignole rail fixed to the supports
by any other mode of attachment.
If it be objected that the foot of the Vignole rail thus reduced
by two-fifths in width will not have a sufficient bearing in its supports
at the base to afford the required transverse resistance it should be
remarked that the base or foot of the rail even when reduced, as shown
in Figure 7, Sheet 8, still possesses these requisite conditions and also
greater strength than any rails now in use of the unequal headed class,
among which may be included the improved Vignole rail, shown at
Figure 7, Sheet 8, and their narrowed base further does not prevent
their being preferred to the double headed rails. Figure 4, Sheet 10,

page_text: shows a mode of increasing the size of the rail foot so as to compensate
for its reduced width, which is necessary for making up the required
weight to 80 pounds, but this modification can only be applied where
the inclination of the rail is produced by the supports without the
aid of auxiliary parts.
Brunel or Bridge Rails.-This is a form of rail that has been
universally employed, although with but ill success, through the absence
of a bearing at the head of the rail and the homogeneous nature of
its frictional surface resulting from the conditions of rolling metal of
such form, its great vertical radius and the stability inherent to this
form of rail combined with the absence of chairs and its moderate
weight have been so many considerations urged in favor of the rails
while it dispenses with the employment of longitudinal sleepers and
also the difficulty of obtaining a perfect fishing of the rails. The
failure of this form of rail shown at Figure 4, Sheet 8, may however
be attributed to the want of improvement in its original form, thus
in the first place the depth of the rail, which never exceeds three
inches has always been sacrificed to the breadth of the flange;
2ndly, the employment of longitudinal sleepers has been considered
indispensable with rails of such small depth; 3rdly, the sleepers have
always consisted of wood and never of iron; 4thly, from the means
used for fixing the rails to the sleepers; 5thly, the defective fisli
plates; 6thly, and lastly, from the inclination being given to the running
surface and not to the rail itself.
The improvements in the construction of Bruncl rails indicated at
Figure 8, Sheet 8, as well as in Sheets 6 and 11, and the special
arrangements for its application in the construction of railways shown
in the latter two Sheets, arc of a nature to remedy the defects hitherto
inherent in this form of rail.
The rail is increased to a minimum depth of from five to five and a
quarter inches, while the increased power to resist pressure resulting.
therefrom permits of the section of the flanges at base being reduced
to a width of from four to four and three-quarter inches, and so held
as to prevent lateral deviation by the aid of a wrought sole plate b,
5 Sheets 6 and 11, rolled of a form adapted to the improved Brunel rail,
and fitting on the bottom flange of same, at same time giving the
desired inclination to the rail. The dimensions of the running surface
of the Brunel rail are the same as those of the licad of the Vignole rail

page_text: most usually employed, as shown at Figures 3 and 8, Sheet 8, con-
sequently the conditions of wear and resistanco of this part of the rail
would be identical if the form of the head of the Vignolc rail did not
constitute an inferiority which is still more increased by the superior
homogeneousness of the iron in Brunel rails produced by the rolling.
The depth of these two rails is the same, viz., five inches, but tho
thickness of the plates united to the body of the Brunel rail being
nearly ths of an inch, while that of the body of the Vignole rail is
only ths of an inch, the resistance to crushing or vertical weight is
thus th more in the improved Brunel rail than in the Vignole rail.
Supposing the width of the Brunel rail to be four inches and *ths,
while it is only 4 inches in the Vignole rails, the enlarged section of the
base of the latter gives by calculation a considerable superiority as
compared to the Brunel rail against the effect of transverse pressure or
shocks, although this is more apparent than real, as it must be con-
sidered, first, that the rail is increased one-fifth in thickness; 2ndly,
the combination of all the parts of the bridge rail conduce to resist
transverse shocks and pressure; 3rdly, the capability of fixing the rail
between its bearings so as to fill the hollow part with ballast; 4thly,
the assistance rendered to the resistance of the rail by the means of
attachment employed for fixing it to the supports; lastly, it should be
observed that the form of the base flange is superior to the unequal
headed rails now in use.
The Brunel rail modified in form, as seen in Figure 8, Sheet 8,
and applied in the manner shown in Sheets 0 and 11, may be considered
superior to the Vignole rail, Figure 3, Sheet S, as regards the durability
of the running surface and the resistance to crushing. If Bruncl rails,
with a base of from six to six and 4ths of an inch, and a maximum depth
of from 2 to 4 inches can only be used in conjunction with sleeper
supports, the modifications above described enable the rails to be fixed
to non-continuous metallic supports, the perfect stability of which
is the best remedy for the objections and accidents resulting from the
insecurity of wood sleepers at present in use with the rails. There
still remains the question of fish plates, which it has been endeavoured
to solve in many ways, but with indifferent results, attributable to
the fact that instead of adopting the same system as is employed for
vignole double-headed and other rails permitting of the free expansion
and contraction of the rails and fish plates by the variations in the
temperature, the contrary has been the case, but these objections are

page_text: entirely obviated by the system of fish plate represented in side elevation
at Sheet-11.
Sleeper Rails. The abandonment of the Barlow system of rails resting
directly on the ballast has been solely occasioned by the rapid deteriora-
tion of the rails. It is stated that the metallic sleepers, such as shown
in Figures 1, 2, and 3, Sheet 7, give very good results, the form having
a certain analogy to that of the Barlow rail, but differing therefrom in
the width of its bearing surface, and more especially in the longitudinal
flanges which ensure its stability, hence it may be inferred that the
form of the Barlow rail has been the cause of its rapid deterioration,
which may be remedied by the employment of metallic supports. It
may also be still further improved by making the frictional surface or
head of Bessemer steel. By adopting the system of sleeper rail shown
in Sheet 12 the greatest possible advantage may be obtained from the
use of the Barlow rail. This system of line with sleeper rails is fully
illustrated in Sheet 12, and next to that of the pedestal rail herein-before
described, ensures the greatest economy in the first cost and maintainance
above all other metallic systems of railway.
Having described the nature of this Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to
be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the
various improvements in the permanent way of railways herein-before
described and represented in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Desnos, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and sixty-eight.