IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY SLEEPERS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Vaughan, of the Firm of Messrs. Bolckow and
Vaughan, of Middlesborough Iron Works, Middlesborough-on-Tees, in
the County of York, Ironmaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
Sealed the 28th November 1861, and dated the 7th June 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Vaughan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th
June 1861.
I, JOHN VAUGHAN, of the Firm of Messrs. Bolckow and Vaughan, of
Middlesborough Iron Works, Middlesborough-on-Tees, in the County of
York, Ironmaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY SLEEPERS," to be as follows:-
These improvements consist in moulding surface, packed, or bowl sleepers
for tram and railroads by having the pattern of the usual shape, or any other
form suitable, with two loose ends, one at the gib end, and the other at the
key or cotter end; these ends being kept in a firm and correct position
during the operation of moulding; the pattern is then drawn from the sand
mould in the usual way, leaving the two loose ends. After adjusting and
finishing the mould the loose ends are drawn out. By this method the greatest
accuracy is obtained in the length between the gib and key ends of the sleeper;
giving a very correct gauge between the rails. The above is a description of
this Invention, the details of which may probably' be varied in practice.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Vaughan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th December 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Jonn
VAUGHAN, of the Firm of Messrs. Bolekow and Vaughan, of Middlesborough-
on-Tees, in the County of York, Ironmaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Vaughan, Her special licence that I, the said John Vaughan,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said John
Vaughan, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY SLEEPERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
1, the said John Vaughan, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under nry, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 John Vaughan, do bereby declare
the nature of my 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, by the
figures and letters marked thereon and herein-after referred to, that is
to say:-
My Invention consists in making, manufacturing, or moulding surface,
packed, or bowl sleepers by having the pattern for moulding (D) of the usual
shape, or any other form suitable, with two loose ends (A and B), one at the
gib (B), and the other at the key or cotter side A of the bowl. The loose
ends A and B of the pattern are made. dovetail or tapering, with a corre-
sponding recess in the pattern (C, C,) where the tie bar passes through, by which
means all the parts of the pattern are kept in a firm position during the
operation of moulding. The pattern D is then drawn from the mould, leaving

page_text: the loose ends A, B, in the sand. After adjusting and finishing the mould,
the loose ends A, B, are drawn out; by this method the mould is not dis-
turbed, consequently the greatest accuracy is obtained in the gauge between
the gib and cotter ends A and B of the bowl sleeper.
If the correct gauge
is not obtained, either one or both of the loose ends A and B of the pattern
can be easily adjusted, until the gauge is regulated to suit the length of the
tie bar; this will also give the correct gauge of the railway. It must be
understood that I do not confine myself to have both ends A and B of the
pattern loose, but to use one or both, as convenient. In moulding surface,
packed, or bowl chairs from this pattern, fillets or clipping pieces are not
required upon the castings at A and B, as at present; hence it follows the
great expense of fitting and clipping the ends to a gauge is prevented, and the
number of chairs made per diem increased.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that I
claim the use and adoption of a pattern for moulding surface, packed, or bowl
sleepers with chairs, with either one or two loose ends, which are generally
termed the gib and cotter ends of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Vaughan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
JOHN VAUGHAN. (L.S.)
Signed and sealed in the presence of
Witness,
THOMAS WIGHT.