Improvements in Railway Sleepers, Mine Timber, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1898--Accepted, 12th Mar., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Sleepers, Mine Timber, and the like.
We, HENRY FAIRFAX WILLIAMS, Contractor, residing at No. 2422, Howard Street,
and JOHN JUSTICE HALEY, Gentleman, residing at No. 1216, Golden Gate Avenue,
both in the City and County of San Francisco, State of California, United States of
America, 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 invention relates to wooden structures such as railway ties, mine timbers,
etc., and its object is to produce a structure for such purposes, from cheap material
which in strength, durability and general utility will be superior to solid timbers.
A timber constructed according to this invention comprises separate layers of
wooden blocks, strips or pieces united solidly together by an asphaltic or bituminous
composition, and provided with a wooden casing, which is also united solidly to the
inner composite mass by the same means.
In the following description we have fully set forth the manner of constructing
such timbers, and the timber itself, and have illustrated the same in the accompanying
drawings in which :-
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of a composite timber embodying the invention;
Fig. 2, is a cross section of the same;
Fig. 3, is a horizontal longitudinal section.
In constructing a timber, we make a box or casing A of any suitable wood, which
preferably has been thoroughly seasoned. This box has a bottom, two sides and two
ends, but is open at the top. Its external dimensions will be those of the railway
tie or other timber under construction. Upon the bottom of the box is poured a
layer of the adhesive composition which binds the parts of the timber together. For
this composition, we prefer to usé asphaltum mixed with carbonate of lime, which
when hard forms an exceedingly tough and adhesive asphaltic cement; but any
other substance of a tarry or bituminous nature, may be substituted for the asphalt.
This compound in liquid or semi-liquid consistency can be readily poured. While
the composition is soft we place upon the bottom, blocks, pieces or strips of wood B,
of the same thickness, and of such length and width, that they fill the length and
width of the box-with an easy fit. The grain of the wood throughout this layer of
pieces preferably run in the same direction. The bottom layer of wood is then
covered with the composition, and the easy fit of the pieces permits such composition
to work down around the edges, and so to harden between the interior pieces
and the enclosing box, thus binding the box firmly to the interior mass.
The interior structure is thus built up by separate layers of wood and composition,
the wood being preferably arranged so that the grain in each layer is transverse to
that in the adjacent layers. The composition spreads and flows through the joints
and interstices of the wood layers, binding the separate pieces firmly together, and
also binding the whole to the casing. The interior layers are continued nearly to
the open top of the box, which is then filled flush with the upper edges, with a top
layer of the composition to which a small quantity of small gravel may be added to

page_text: secure greater superficial hardness. The walls and bottom of the box, are then
thoroughly coated with the composition:*
A railway tie, mine timber or other wooden. support for sustaining weight or pres-
sure, is in strength equal to solid timber, and in durability, superior. Its durability
arises partly from the solidity of the composite structure, and partly from the fact
that the composition is a preservative of the wood from decay, the attacks of insects,
etc. The manner of laying the interior pieces with the grain of the wood alternating
throughout the successive layers, renders it impossible to split the wood, which is an
additional element of durability. Further, the interior layers can be made of small
pieces of waste timber of no other value, the manner of binding these together
making the composite timber as. firm and solid as if. hewn from the log. We have
indicated some of the uses to which our composite timber is adapted, but it is evident
that it is capable of substitution for solid timbers for many other purposes..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
A composite timber for the purposes set forth, consisting of a box of sub-
stantially the shape and size of the complete timber, and layers of wood placed
within the box and supported by the bottom, such layers being secured to one
another and to the bottom and walls of the box by layers of a composition
of substantially the character described.
Dated this 1st day of February 1898
FELL & JAMES,.
Agents for the Applicants.