CERTAIN IMPROVE MENTS IN RAILWAY CROSSINGS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Carr, of Peterborough, in the County of
Northampton, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE
MENTS IN RAILWAY CROSSINGS."
Sealed the 29th June 1855, and dated the 22nd January 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Carr at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd January 1855.
I, HENRY CARR, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CROSSINGS" to be as follows:-
I construct railway crossings with the point, the distance pieces between the
wing rails, and the bed of the crossing which rests on the sleepers or chairs, of
one solid piece of metal, which piece is somewhat similar to, and partly answers
the purpose of, the cast crossing, called in America the frog. I form the wing
rails, however, of the common rails according to the section used on the line
of railway to which the crossing is applied. These wing rails are brought
forward on each side of the solid point, and attached to it by means of bolts,
keys, or similar fastenings, the object being thoroughly to unite the solid point
with the wing rails, so as to prevent the see-saw motion which takes place

page_text: when the solid point is not securely attached to the wing rails, as is the case in
the American frog. The American frog is known in England as a contractor's
temporary crossing, but it has hitherto been excluded from lines with any im-
portant traffic, on account of its want of stability and attachment to the other
portions of the permanent way. The wing rails may be extended so as to be
attached to the point rails or not, at pleasure. The upper flanges of the wing
rails, where the edge of the wheel bears upon the overhanging part, are sup-
ported by filling pieces, on the principle described in the Specification of former
Letters Patent granted to me, and bearing date the Twenty-first day of April,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three. The extreme part of the frog
forms the filling pieces.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Carr in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th July 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
CARR, late of Peterborough, in the County of Northampton, but now of
Westminster Terrace, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Henry Carr, Her special licence that I, the said Henry
Carr, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Henry Carr, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN RAILWAY CROSSINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Henry Carr, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Oflice within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Carr, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and to the figures
and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
I construct railway crossings with the point, the distance pieces between
the wing rails, and the bed of the crossing which rests on the sleepers or
chairs, of one solid piece of metal, which piece is somewhat similar to, and
partly answers the purpose of, the cast crossing, called in America the frog. I
form the wing rails, however, of the common rails according to the section used
on the line of railway to which the crossing is applied. These wing rails are
brought forward on each side of the solid point, and attached to it by means of
bolts, keys, or similar fastenings, the object being thoroughly to unite the solid
point with the wing rails, so as to prevent the see-saw motion which takes
place when the solid point is not securely attached to the wing rails, as is the
case in the American frog. The American frog is known in England as a
contractor's temporary crossing, but it has hitherto been excluded from lines
with any important traffic, on account of its want of stability and attachment to
the other portions of the permanent way. The wing rails may be extended so
as to be attached to the point rails or not, at pleasure. The upper flanges of
the wing rails, where the edge of the wheel bears upon the overhanging part,
are supported by filling pieces, on the principle described in the Specification
of former Letters Patent granted to me, and bearing date the Twenty-first
day of April, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three. The extreme part
of the frog forms the filling pieces.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing is a view, in isometrical perspective,
of the crossing, with portions of one of the wing rails removed, to show the
piece of metal which I call a frog. A is the frog; B and C are the wing rails;
and D and E are the point rails. The frog A is formed of a single piece of
cast or wrought iron, or a combination of the two, having a base at each end,
by which it is secured to the sleepers F and G.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the narrow end of the frog; and Figure 3 is an
elevation of the wider end. Figure 4 is a section through the centre of the
frog. The point a is cast or made in one piece with the frog; or it is made of
wrought iron or steel, with the remainder of the frog cast upon it, as shewn in
section in Figure 5. This point forms the continuation of the point rails D, E,
which are introduced into the space between the two jaws b and c, and secured
by a key or cotter I, which passes through the jaws and the point rails. The
point rails may also be held together by a screw J, shewn in Figure 3, and

page_text: which is placed close to the end of the frog. The wing rails B and C lie on
each side of the frog, and are securely fixed to it by three bolts and nuts K, K, K,
passing through the whole; or the wing rails may be secured by wooden keys,
or otherwise. Thus the bases at each end of the frog may be made with jaws
to serve as chairs for the reception of the wing rails, which may be secured in
them by keys. The wing rails may also be made rather longer than shewn in
the Drawing, and secured to the point rails D and E by a bolt or bolts passing
through them, and through short blocks or distance pieces placed between
them. The sides of the frog are made to bear against the flanges of the rails,
as shewn in the Drawing, and they thus support and strengthen the upper
flanges of the rails. The wide part of the frog may be made hollow on the
under side; in order to save metal, as shewn in Figure 4; or it may be
made solid, as shewn in Figure 5. The frog may be made of cast iron, or
it may be forged of wrought iron, or made of a combination of cast and
wrought iron. "
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that what I
claim is, the constructing railway crossings by means of the piece of metal
which I call a frog, fitted to and secured between the wing rails, in manner
herein-before described...
In witness whereof, I,' the said Henry Carr, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
HENRY OSBURN;"
3, Westminster Terrace, Victoria Street,
Westminster.
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