CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN 'CROSSINGS' TO BE EMPLOYED ON RAILWAYS OR TRAMWAYS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Johnson, of Stoke-upon-Trent, in the County
of Stafford, Engineer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
Sealed the 9th March 1866, and dated the 26th October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
October 1865.
I, JAMES JOHNSON, of Stoke-upon-Trent, in the County of Stafford,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN 'CROSSINGS' TO BE EMPLOYED ON RAILWAYS OR TRAMWAYS," to
be as follows :-
The Invention is designed for the purpose of increasing the strength of the
rails constituting that part of the permanent way of railways which is termed a
"crossing," and consists in an angular junction of two rails at the point where
two lines diverge. This junction between the two rails has hitherto been
effected by cutting away a portion of one rail and fitting the other into the
recess at an angle which has considerably weakened the cut rail.
My improvements consist in grooving or recessing the flanges of one rail in
a taper form, so as to receive the projecting flanges of the other rail, so that
when placed together both rails will converge to a taper point, the flanges of
one entering into the taper grooved flanges of the other, and the middle or
body of each rail being in close solid contact for a certain distance, which
considerably increases the strength of the rails at the junction. The angle of

page_text: the grooves will differ so as to suit the varying angles of different crossings,
and the rails may be secured together at the junction by means of "fish
plates," or by any other well-known and approved method, but if "fish
plates are employed, one of the plates is to be reduced in thickness within
about two inches from the end, leaving the remaining two inches of thickness
to fit into the hollow or "body" of the longer rail, and the shoulder to fit
close against the end of the shorter or grooved rail, thereby preventing the
rail from moving endways.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
JOHNSON, of Stoke-upon-Trent, in the County of Stafford, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Johnson, Her special license that I, the said James Johnson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Johnson, 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 IMPROVEMENTS IN
** CROSSINGS' TO BE EMPLOYED ON RAILWAYS OR TRAMWAYS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Johnson, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, 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 Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Johnson, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-

page_text: The Invention is designed for the purpose of increasing the strength of the
rails constituting that part of the permanent way of railways which is termed
a "crossing," and consists in an angular junction of two rails at the point
where two lines diverge. This junction between the two rails has hitherto
been effected by cutting away a portion of one rail and fitting the other into
the recess at an angle which has considerably weakened the cut rail.
My improvements consist in grooving or recessing the flanges of one rail in
a taper form, so as to receive the projecting flanges of the rail, so that when
placed together both rails will converge to a taper point, the flanges of one
entering into the taper grooved flanges of the other, and the middle or body
of each rail being in close and solid contact for a certain distance, which con-
sequently increases the strength of the rails at the junction. The angle of
the grooves will differ so as to suit the varying angles of different crossings,
and the rails may be secured together at the junction by means of the "fish
plates," or by any other well-known and approved method; but if "fish
plates" are employed one of the plates is to be reduced in thickness within
about two inches from the end, leaving the remaining two inches of thickness
to fit into the hollow or "body" of the longer rail, and the shoulder to fit
close against the end of the shorter or grooved rail, thereby preventing the rail
from moving endways.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made upon a scale of
about three inches to the foot, and having similar letters of reference marked
upon corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 represents a plan view of that portion of a railway crossing where
the rails join, and from which the diverge; Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5, represent
respectively vertical sectional views of the same through the lines A, B, C, D,
E, F, and G, H; Fig. 6 represents in elevation the inner side of the
crossing rail.
In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, a, a, represents the metals of the main line,
and 6 the junction from which the crossing rail c diverges; the surface of this
rail c that comes into contact and forms the junction with the rail a is
tapered and grooved or recessed the length of its surface in contact with the
raila, so as to receive the projecting flanges of the said rail a, as shewn in
the sectional Figures 4 and 5, when it will be seen that the flanges of the
rail a enter and fit into the tapered grooves formed in the flanges of the
tapered end of the crossing rail c, and that the middle or body of the rails
come into close and solid contact with each other, which increases the strength
of the rails at their junction. When fitted together as described, they may

page_text: be secured by means of the ordinary "fish plate":d and e, and the bolts f,f,f,
or other fastening, the fish plate e being partly reduced in thickness, so as to
leave a shoulder to fit against this end of the crossing rail, and thereby assist
in keeping it from moving endways. I would also remark that by this
peculiar construction the rail is capable of being reversed and used either side
up, which object cannot be attained by the use of the present construction.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
method of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I claim the novel method of forming the junction between
two or more rails which diverge from each other at an angle, by so grooving
or recessing the flange of one rail at a required depth and taper that the
projecting flange of the other shall fit therein, so as to bring the middle or
body of the rails into close contact for a certain distance, whereby strength
of joint is obtained, as herein-before described, set forth, and fully illustrated
in the Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Johnson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
JAMES JOHNSON. (L.S.)