Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1887
Complete Left, 1st Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1888
I, THOMAS WALROND SMITH of 19 Maddox Street, Regent Street, London, W.
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has more particularly for its object improved constructions of metal
sleepers whereby the rain water falling upon them is intercepted and prevented from
penetrating into the ballast underneath the sleeper, where it and the ballast would
become churned up into mud by the movements to which the sleeper is subjected by
the traffic, thus destroying the foundation. When once the mud is formed it is
impossible to remove the water from it by any system of drainage and when dry the
mud becomes dust.
Some of my present improvements relate to the form of sleeper described in the
Specification to my previous application No. 6575 of 1886 wherein the sleeper is
constructed with a central longitudinal trough or channel into which the rain water
flows and in which it is carried off.
The construction of sleepers to the above described end permits in some cases of
other improvements, whereby amongst other advantages I am enabled to strengthen
the chairs at their weakest part under the rail seating, to combine in some cases the
chair and sleeper in one piece, and to lighten and strengthen the sleeper by a system
of trussing.
According to one of my improvements I strengthen the sleeper consisting of a deep
narrow central channel having wide lateral flanges at top as described in my aforesaid
Specification when it is made of thin wrought or cast metal, by making transverse
corrugations or depressions at the points where the flanges meet the channel, such
depressions being by preference made deepest at the channel and made to die away at
a certain point in the width of the flange; they may however be made to extend right
.

page_text: across. These depressions also facilitate the flowing of the rain water from the flanges
into the channel. The outer edges of the flanges may be either flat or strengthened
with a slight thickening or bending over of the metal either on the lower side or
npwards to prevent water trickling over the edge. The flanges may thus be made to
incline slightly downwards from the channel towards the outer edges so as to produce
a slight inward wedging action on the ballast tending to consolidate it instead of
inclining from the middle upwards as I proposed in my previous patent. I also in
some cases make longitudinal depressions extending from the transverse ones and
either parallel with or sloping up to the flanges to further facilitate drainage.
For further strengthening the sleeper I thicken the metal at the bottom of the
channel in some cases.
In lieu of the screw bolts passing through the channel, and tubular distance pieces
as described in my aforesaid Specification I in some cases construct the distance piece
with a screwed socket at each end into which enter two screws inserted from the
outside of the channel, the threads being right and left handed so that they may be
tightened up by turning the distance piece or the distance piece may have right and
left threaded ends screwing into the thickness of the channel, after screwing up, the
ends may be turned over to prevent loosening. A continuation of these screws
forming stays may also be extended upward outside the channel and be secured by screw
nuts or rivets or equivalent fastenings to the flanges so as to strengthen these by trussing.
They may be used in combination with a horizontal bar transverse to and resting on
the flanges and passing through eyes at its extremities; this bar is for staying the top
flange when brought under strain by the action of the truss. Sometimes make these
trussing rods pass below the bottom of the channel with or without a saddle piece
embracing the latter and fastened to it in any ordinary way or clipping it. This
trussing may be square to the sleeper or passing diagonally across it or part thereof.
Two or more of these trussing rods may cross each other at the saddle piece and have
eyes to pass over a stud projecting downwards therefrom to which they are secured
by a nut screwed on, or a rivet head, and which has a shoulder for them to bear
against. When the channel is shallow the stud may be elongated to increase the
depth and therefore the effectiveness of the trussing and when there no channel this
stud or strut may have a shoulder bearing against the metal of the top portion of the
sleeper and rivetted or bolted through it. I prefer to place this stud or strut beneath
the rail seatings or supports and for sleepers of all kinds I sometimes use tie rods to
connect the ends of the adjacent struts and thus further strengthen the trussing of the
sleeper. In some cases I make the stud in two or more parts sloping upwards away
from each other and sometimes they are rivetted or bolted to the base plate of the
chair when the latter is used. When the trussing rods pass through and are bolted or
rivetted to the flanges I prefer to make them with shoulders bearing against the
flanges underneath to enable them to act both as struts and ties. Sometimes the
trussing bolts or stays do not pass through the channel but are bolted or rivetted to
its sides. When a central channel is absent I sometimes employ a trussing bolt
or stay in its place and fastened to the flanges as above described or in any ordinary
way.
It is sometimes convenient to use the described channelled sleepers inverted with
the flanges plain or strengthened as described to form a longitudinal rail (of which a
pair is held in place by distance pieces) in order to make a temporary track or line of
way for bringing up the other heavy portions of the permanent way or materials or
to make a cheap track. In this case I sometimes make the channel a little wider than
in other cases.
For facility of manufacture and transport I, according to another improvement,
divide the said sleepers longitudinally into two separate parts, each part consisting of
one flange with the adjacent side of the channel of which the lower ends are canted
or curved overlapping each other to form the bottom of the channel. The halves are
so formed that they will pack closely one upon the other for transport, the two parts
are secured together in position by screw bolts and distance pieces or equivalent
fastenings. Sometimes I make the bottom of tho channel separate but carried along

page_text: the lower part of the sleeper to receive the water passing downwards between the two
portions thereof. In other cases instead of making the channel extend from the
surface down to the bottom of the web, there may be made either firstly a closed
channel of circular or other convenient section at or near the bottom of the web
extending all or part way along it or inclined to one or both ends with small passages
leading downwards from the top to it through the upper part of the web which is
otherwise solid, or secondly an open shallow channel may be made at the upper part
of the web, the lower part being solid and with or without a bottom flange; or a
sleeper may be formed with its central portion according to the last described and its
extremities according to the previously described construction. In this case I make
the closed channels with a considerable inclination towards the ends of the sleepers to
prevent the deposit of grit and render its removal more easy. Or lastly in some
cases the sleeper of the above forms may be divided vertically along the centre for
facility of manufacture or transport and rivetted or bolted together.
These and the former construction may also be strengthened by transverse ribs or
wings formed on or fixed to the underside of the flanges and the sides of the channel
or central web and when they are fixed on as separate pieces as described in my afore-
said specification the outer ends instead of being secured by hook bolts fixed
thereto and passing through the flanges the outer end of the rib or wing may have
its upper part slit and turned up and bent over into a notch on the outer edge of
the flange.
For cast or wrought sleepers I sometimes use marginal channels in relief of the
central channel the water being led into the latter by the transverse corrugations in
the flanges before described, they will receive and retain grit and mud carried down
from the ballast and can be more readily cleaned out than the central channel which
is partly impeded by bolts &c.; they also permit of the flanges being made with a
fall inclined or curving outwards, instead of inwards thus avoiding the possibility of
any prejudicial wedge like action tending to loosen the ballast. prefer to make the
outer edge of the marginal channel with the metal turned up to prevent water
trickling over. These marginal channels may also be used with any known, or heroin
described, kinds of metal sleeper and in the case of pot sleepers may extend all round,
the water is sometimes led to special outlets where drains are provided to carry it
away and I sometimes use them with the inverted sleepers before described. I prefer
to place the channel on the margin but it need not be absolutely so.
When separate lengths of the longitudinal or transverse sleepers of the within
described flanged channel or other shaped section have to be joined together I make
the ends overlap, the one end being by preference recessed to receive the other end
and I form in such overlapping ends either one or two or more sets of bolt holes in
varying positions so that different sets of the bolt holes in the two ends are made to
coincide with each other according as the ends are made to overlap to a greater or
less degree, thus affording means for lengthening or shortening the sleeper composed
of two or more such lengths and thus adjusting the gauge in the case of transverse
sleepers.
Instead of using a narrow covering rolled or flat for the channel as described in
my previous Specification I in some cases, in order to exclude water from the track,
cover the surface of the sleeper, whether of wood or metal, and the space beyond
with thin sheets of tarred felt, metal, wood, textile fabric, or other material which in
the case of metal sleepers may have holes or divisions over or near to the channel of
the sleeper, through which the rain water can enter these; the whole or part of the
water may in some cases be conducted by such sheeting into drains beyond the
sleepers. The covering may pass beneath the rail or chair seating and may have
gravel laid over to keep it in place.
In combination with some of these coverings of metal I sometimes use the before
described marginal channels to carry off the water.
In the cases where I substitute a web for a central channel being of the T form
generally I may make its bottom edge with or without a flange and parallel to the
top flange, or for pot or transverse-sleepers, of a greater depth below the rail bearing

page_text: and tapering or curving to a less depth towards the ends or the middle of the track.
In some cases the flange will be useful to steady the sleeper in the ballast as well as
to increase its strength. In other cases I make the web of open braced work the
braces being vertical or inclined or partly the one and partly the other and sometimes
having transverse ribs and sometimes for facility of manufacture and transport
I make sleepers of this kind in two halves longitudinally as if divided along the
middle line and bolt or rivet them together.
In the various herein described arrangements with water channels these may be
inclined in various ways to enable them to deliver the water effectually, thus they
may have an incline from one end to the other, or from the middle towards the two
ends, or from the ends to the middle when an outlet is there provided, or towards
both the ends and the middle, such inclines being made either only in the bottom of
the channel or in the entire sleeper. At the outlets of the channels I sometimes
make a projecting lip and movable apron to carry off the discharged water and
prevent its being drawn back under the sleeper on the latter rising after a train has
passed.
When the construction of sleeper with central channel is used as transverse sleeper
in combination with separate chairs either for double headed or flanged rails as
described in my former Specification, namely, with a deep rib on the underside
fitting into the channel, I according to my present improvements for strengthening
and lightening such chairs form them with marginal flange to the central rib both
on the under and upper side of the base plate, the flanges in the latter case falling
into the sides of the two jaws for receiving the rail, the said marginal flange is
preferably curved or splayed slightly outwards on both sides of the base plate to
afford mutual support. I also sometimes use the marginal flange for strengthening
and tightening the jaws of ordinary chairs without any lower rib. Suitable holes are
sometimes formed in the lower rib for the passage of screw bolts for securing the
chair in the channel of the sleeper as described in my previous Specification, these
may be either inside the marginal flange or through lugs formed externally to it.
When the chair has a flanged lower rib as above described it may be made
parallel to the top flange and used with angle irons or wood sleepers bolted on each
side of its rib. The angle irons are preferably made to fit tightly against the inner
surfaces of the flanges and not against the middle web, the surfaces in contact being
slightly inclined (as in a fish plate) for taking up wear by means of the screw bolts.
When the supports are wood the same end is effected by making each in two parts
longitudinally, the bearing between the two being bevilled. The upper sections
which may be of harder wood are by screwing up the bolts drawn inwards and
upwards and thus take up the wear of their surfaces; they may extend throughout
the sleeper or only near each chair.
In the above improvements I prefer to use wrought metal particularly steel for
sections approximately uniform; it is rolled, stamped or bent to the required figure
but for complex forms I use cast metal preferably steel.
When making the sleepers whether transverse or longitudinal as herein described
of cast metal the chairs or seats for the rails whether of known patterns or as herein
improved may be cast in one therewith in which case the sleeper has one or more
transverse ribs or webs formed on its underside at the points where the chairs or
Beats are cast on the upper side, such ribs being carried through the channel, when
this form is used leaving a sufficient free space between it and the bottom of the
channel for the water to flow through. Other transverse ribs are sometimes placed
in intermediate positions.
Sometimes an outside flange is made to the transverse ribs below the rail seating
and carried under and falling into the bottom of the channel or longitudinal bottom
flange of the sleeper. When a marginal channel is formed in longitudinal sleepers,
the flange to the transverse ribs may be continued above as well as below the rail
seating and falling into the jaws of the chairs. It may pass inside or outside the
marginal channel.
With a combined transverse sleeper and chair the sleeper may be made with a

page_text: central and two or more side channels of equal depth or in other words it may
assume a corrugated form in cross section strengthened by transverse ribs, and in
one with this are cast saddle pieces with the jaws of the chair or seat where the rails
are to come.
The transverse corrugations or depressions in the upper flange of the sleeper
herein before described may sometimes be made of equal depth throughout that
flange and when used with sleepers having a marginal channel, in some cases may
have a fall outwards towards such channels. They may also be used with any flanged
sleeper having no channels.
The width of the top flange of the described sleepers or combined chairs and
sleepers may be uniform throughout or may be greater or less at or near the chairs
or other rail supports.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: СПО І Сщадень vway or scariwау.
I, THOMAS WALROND SMITH of 19 Maddox Street, Regent Street, London, W. Civil
Engineer 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 :-
My Invention has more particularly for its object improvod construction of metal
sleepers whereby the rain water falling upon them is intercepted and prevented from
penetrating into the ballast underneath the sleeper where it becomes churned up by
the vertical vibrations to which the sleeper is subjected by the traffic thus destroying
the foundation.
Some of my present improvements relate to the form of sleeper described in the
Specification to my previous Patent No. 6575 of 1886, wherein the sleeper is
constructed with a central longitudinal trough or channel into which the rain water
flows and in which it is carried off.
The construction of sleepers to the above described end permits in some cases of
other improvements, whereby amongst advantages I am enabled to strengthen the
chairs at their weakest part under the rail seating to relieve the chair fastening from
strain and render them less liable to become loose, to combine in some cases the chair
and sleeper in one piece and to lighten and strengthen the sleeper by a system of
trussing.
According to one of my improvements I strengthen the sleeper consisting of a deep
narrow trough having wide lateral flanges at top, as described in my aforesaid
Specification, when it is made of thin wrought or cast metal by making transverse
corrugations or depressions at the points where the flanges meet the trough as shown
at d Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings such depressions being by
preference made deepest at the trough and made to die away at a certain point in the
width of the flange, they may however be made to extend right across. These
depressions also facilitate the flowing of the rain water from the flanges into the
trough. The outer edges of the flanges may be either flat or formed with a slight
thickening as at c¹, or they may be made with shallow longitudinal channels for
intercepting the rain water, in which latter cases the flanges may be made to incline
slightly downwards from the trough to the outer edges as indicated by dotted lines a¹
so as to produce a slight inward wedging action on the ballast tending to con-
solidate it.
The edges of the flanges may also be bent downwards as at c³ when the transverse
channels are used.
In some cases longitudinal depressions or corrugations as at d³ and d³ in Fig. 2
may also be formed at one or more points in the width of the flanges intersected by
the said transverse channels in order further to facilitate drainage and strengthen the
flanges. The transverse corrugations are also applicable for strengthening against
lateral bending the top portion of any self draining sleepers. For further strengthening
the sleeper I thicken the metal at the bottom of the channel in some cases as indicated
by a dotted line at e.

page_text: The trough a is stayed across at the top either by a tubular distance piece g through
which and through the sides of the trough a screw bolt or rivet is passed as shown at
Figures 1 and 2 or the distance piece may have threaded sockets at its ends as at g¹
Fig. 3 into which enter two screws f inserted from the outside of the trough, the
threads being right and left handed so that the screws may be tightened up by turning
the distance piece or the distance piece may have right and left threaded ends as at f*
in Fig. 4 screwing into the thickness of the metal; after screwing up the ends may
in some cases be turned over to prevent loosening as shewn dotted at f³. The screws
may have extensions forming stays to the flanges of the sleeper as shewn at f1
Fig. 5, the screwed ends being passed through the flanges as shewn and secured by
screw nuts or rivetting at top, thus forming a truss, the compression strain of which
may be taken by a transverse bar / through which the stays are passed. The stays fl
may have shoulders f" butting against the flanges underneath or against the sides of
the channel. Or such stays may be arranged as shewn at Fig. 6 where they pass
round the trough and may be rivetted thereto and are turned over the edge of the
flange and may be rivetted to it as at or to the flange and the cross piece as shewn
at or as at Fig. 7 where a saddle piece i having an eye or notch is fitted or fixed in
any ordinary way on the underside of the trough and the stay rod f' is passed round
or through the saddle piece.
Fig. 8 shows a modified form of the last arrangement in which the trough a is only
of slight depth and the saddle piece i has a strut ¹ on which the stay rods fit with
eyes. The trussing stays f¹ may be arranged either at right angles to the line of the
sleepers or there may be two stays crossing each other diagonally at a greater or less
angle. They may also have shoulders as described with reference to Fig. 5.
This form of trussing may also be applied to sleepers consisting merely of flat or
curved plates such as as shown in side view and plan at Figs. 9 and 10 the strutį
being arranged under the part of the plate b on which the rail or its support rests and
being formed with a bolt passing through the plate and secured by a screw nut or by
rivetting preferably countersunk; the stays are here shewn fixed to the plate 6 by
rivets passing through the plate and stays but may have any equivalent fastening.
The trusses under the supports of any sleeper may be connected by a tie bolt as
shewn in dotted lines at 1. In place of a simple strut j a combination of two bent
bars may be used as at j¹ Fig. 11.
It is sometimes convenient to use the described channelled sleepers such as in
Figs. 1. 2. 5 and 14 inverted with the flanges plain or strengthened by the methods
therein described to form a longitudinal rail (of which a pair is held in place by
distance pieces) in order to make a temporary track or line of way for bringing up
the other heavy portions of the permanent way or materials or to make a cheap
track. In this case I sometimes make the channel a little wider than in other cases.
Also a marginal channel may be formed for intercepting and carrying off the rain
water as herein explained for metal sleepers.
For facility of manufacture and transport. I according to another improvement
divide the before described trough shaped sleepers longitudinally into two separate
parts, each part consisting of one flange and one half of the trough, the bottom
part of the one half being made to overlap that of the other half as shewn at
Fig. 12.
The halves are so formed that they will pack closely one upon the other for
transport and when in position they are secured together by screw bolts and distance
pieces as shewn or by other suitable fastenings.
The bottom part of the channel or trough may also be made separate from the two
side parts as shown at Fig. 13 where the gutter m is wholly detached from the two
upper parts n n secured together by distance pieces and through bolts or rivets and
is intended to carry off the water.
Fig. 14 shows a modified form of the trough a in which the upper part is made
quite narrow the sides being rivetted together as shown in the figure leading into a
circular enlargement at bottom into which the water drains from above through the
narrow part. and the flanges may have transversed corrugations as at o¹ or if the

page_text: sleeper is made of cast metal the tubular channel may be formed at the bottom of a
solid web a' through which small vertical channels pass as shown at Fig. 15.
When this form of sleeper is made of cast metal it may be strengthened with
transverse ribs q as shown in dotted lines and it may also have transverse depressions
at intervals for leading the water into the before mentioned vertical channels.
The channel of Fig. 15 may either be made horizontal or with an incline or sudden
drop in its length or partly open or partly closed as indicated by dotted lines in
Fig. 16.
Fig. 17 shews another modification for a cast or wrought metal sleeper in which
the trough or channel a is formed at the upper part of the central web, the lower end
of which may be formed with a flange and when made of cast metal transverse ribs
are sometimes formed as at q.
The sleepers of the above forms or with a middle web may be divided vertically
along the centre or they may be formed of two angle irons for convenience of
manufacture and transport and bolted or rivetted together as shewn at Fig. 18.
Fig. 18 shows a section of this form of rail made in one piece.
In the case of wrought metal sleepers these may be strengthened by transverse
wing plates which also give it a hold on the ballast as shown at Figs. 19 and 20
where plates p are formed with a flange bearing against the side of the trough a and
in some cases a second flange bearing against the underside of the flanges 6 being
attached to the former by means of the bolts of the distance pieces passing through
them and to the latter by slitting the end part of the upper flange and bending it over
the edge of the flange b nicked to receive it as shown at Figs. 19 and 20 or by slitting
the top corner of the vertical plate and bending it over the edge of the flange b
nicked to receive it as at p¹¹ in Figs. 19 and 20.
Another means for effecting the before described object of intercepting and
discharging the rain water coming upon the sleeper is shown at A. B. C. and D in
Fig. 21. I form marginal channels o at or near the edges (which may be either
horizontal, vertical or inclined) of the metal sleeper. These channels also serve to
strengthen the sleeper. They may extend along the side or sides of the sleepers or
all round them and may be formed with special lips or openings wherever found con-
venient for discharging the water. They are applicable to either transverse longitu-
dinal or pot sleepers. They may be used in combination with a central channel as in
Fig. 22 in which case the herein described transverse corrugations or depressions may
be used to convey the water into the central channel as shown at o¹ or with a
Tshaped or inverted trough sleeper as shown in Figs. 23. 24 and 25 respectively or
with any known or herein described kinds of metal sleepers.
Figs. 26. 27. 28 and 29 show the arrangements I employ for joining when
required the lengths of the herein described sleepers with either a central trough or a
vertical rib, the end of the one length being made to overlap the other length which is
by preference recessed as shown to receive it and the two parts are secured together
by one or two screw bolts passing through one or other of a series of holes in each
length arranged in varying positions there being either a single set as shown at
Fig. 26, or where extra strength is required two sets as at Fig. 28 so that according as
the two lengths overlap to a greater or less extent one or more of the holes in the
one length will correspond with one or more of the holes in the other length, so that_
in the former case one bolt and in the latter case two bolts can be passed through.
Figs. 26 and 27 refer to channelled sleepers and Figs. 28 and 29 illustrate the
principle when applied to those with a vertical rib in which the horizontal flanges are
halved but the same arrangements of bolts can be applied to channelled sleepers. By
this means the length of a transverse sleeper composed of two such separate parts can
be adjusted for the purpose of varying the gauge of the line.
When employing the above described constructions of sleepers with a trough or
channel it is preferred to cover the top of the trough by a thin sheet of metal, tarred
felt, wood or textile fabric &c. that may cover the whole or part of the sleeper and
any part of the surface beyond as shown at r Fig. 30 which prevent dirt and
sand from entering the trough or channel and which may have perforations or

page_text: divisions above the latter through which the rain water can drain into it or these
sheets may serve to conduct the rain water into channels beyond the sleeper. Fig. 31
shows the method of covering a wood sleeper with a thin sheet of metal with the
before described marginal channels o and it may be carried beneath the chair or rail
seating in which case it assists in preserving the wood from abrasion at the seating of
the chair.
In the various constructions of sleepers with water channels herein before described
these may be inclined in various ways to enable them to deliver the water effectually
thus they may be inclined from the one end to the other as shewn in dotted lines, or
from the middle towards each end as shewn by full lines at Fig. 32 or as at Fig. 33
from the ends to the middle when an outlet is there provided or both towards the ends
and to the middle as at Fig. 34 when an outlet is provided at the middle, the inclina-
tion being made either only in the bottom of the channel or in the entire channel or
sleeper. At the end of the sleeper may be provided a projecting lip or opening as
ats Fig. 35 delivering the water either into a movable apron t of pottery or suitable
material from whence it is carried to the side or other drains so as to carry away the
water and prevent it from being drawn back underneath the sleeper on the latter rising
after a train has passed.
When constructing cast metal sleepers with a central rib or web cither in one part or
divided instead of a trough the rib. may be made as shewn in Fig. 36 with openings
to give it a greater hold on the ballast which are preferably so arranged as to diminish
the strength of the sleeper as little as possible: when made solid the rib whether
divided or not may either be of uniform depth or deeper at the seating for the chairs
than at the other parts as at Fig. 37 such webs will be useful for steadying the sleepers
in the ballast as well as for affording them increased strength where most required. In
some cases I make a flange along the base of the rib as shewn.
Sometimes the upper surface of the sleeper is made curved longitudinally as shewn
by dotted lines at Fig. 37 and curved transversely as shown by dotted lines at
Fig. 23.
The above described construction of sleeper with deep central trough may be used
in combination with separate chairs for either double headed or flanged rails in which
case construct such chairs with a deep rib v on the underside as shewn in side view
at Fig. 38 and as described in my previous patent the rib being formed so as to
strengthen the chair under the rail seating and to fit into the channel in which it is
secured by screw bolts or equivalent fastenings passing through holes both in the rib v
of the chair and the trough a. I sometimes prefer to make this bottom rib with a
marginal flange v² as shewn in Fig. 38. The holes in the chairs for the bolts are
sometimes elongated vertically upwards to relieve the bolts from downward stress from
the rib.
In order to afford increased strength together with lightness I form the ribs to the
upper jaws of chairs for double-headed rails with flanges or enlargements at their
outer edges as shewn at el in Fig. 38 and the sectional plan at Fig 39 which flanges
in the case of chairs with a bottom flanged rib may be a continuation of the bottom
flange. They are also applicable to chairs without a bottom rib. The bolt holes may
be formed in lugs outside the flange of the rib as indicated by dotted lines in
Fig. 38 instead of inside.
Fig. 40 shows a method of adjusting the gauge of the railway when applied to
transverse sleepers by varying the positions of the bolt holes in the chair as shewn by
dotted lines whilst the positions of the holes in the sleepers remain generally constant..
This system is also applicable to the vertical holes in chairs formed without a bottom rib.
Fig. 41 shews the improved form of chair as applied to a flanged rail. Fig. 42
shews the chair in combination with two angle irons w forming the sleeper. Fig. 42"
shews the chair detached or in place of angle irons two balks of timber may be used
as shewn in cross section and side view at Figs. 43 and 44. In these cases the rib v
of the chair is made rectangular or nearly so and sufficiently deep for the sleeper to
fit within the top plate and the bottom flange as shewn, the angle irons w being by
preference made to fit against the slightly slope i underside of the top plate and the
R

page_text: top side of the bottom flange and not against the rib so as to take up wear by tightening
the screw bolts. When the sleeper is of wood as at a Fig. 43 the same end may be
effected by making each balk of two separate pieces with inclined meeting faces as
shewn by the dotted lines ¹ the upper parts which may be of harder wood and through
which the bolts y pass, being stopped short at some distance from the web of the
chair as shewn so that by screwing up the bolts such upper parts will be made to
exercise a wedging action upon the lower parts tightening the wood against the chair.
The upper parts may either extend the whole length of the sleeper or only be
provided near the chair as indicated at Fig. 44. The holes in the wood for the bolts
may be made elongated to permit of the displacement of the bolt in tightening up.
The dotted lines in the upper portions of Figs. 42. 43 and 44 shew the form of the
upper part of the chair when used for double headed rails but other forms may also be
used.
When making the sleepers, whether transverse or longitudinal, as herein described of
cast metal, the chairs or seats for the rails may be cast in one therewith, in some cases
the sleeper has one or more transverse ribs or webs, formed on its underside at the
points where the chairs or seats are cast on the upper side the ribs being carried
through the channel when this form is used, leaving a sufficient free space between it
and the bottom of the channel for the water to flow through.
Fig. 45 shows a cross-section of this construction of cast channel sleeper when
applied us a transverse sleeper and Figs. 46 and 47 shew a cross-section and longitudinal
section of the same applied as a longitudinal sleeper; the sleeper is specially adapted
for combination with a chair either for double headed rails as shewn in dotted lines or
for flanged rails such as the upper part of Fig. 41 or for other forms. The ribs are
sometimes formed with flanges y as shewn for affording increased strength. Figs. 48
and 49 show similar constructions of cast metal longitudinal sleepers, the sleepers are
specially adapted for combination with chairs, either for double-headed rails as shown
in dotted lines, or for flanged rails such as the upper part of Fig. 41 or for other forms.
The transverse ribs have in some cases a flange y¹ being either made to stop on the
inner side of the channels as at Fig. 48 or extended round the channels and forming.
a continuation to the ribs of the chair when this is employed for double-headed rails
as indicated at Fig. 49 in which case holes are formed in the upper ribs over the
channels.
Fig. 50 shews another modification of the principle applicable to the case of longi-
tudinal or transverse cast sleepers. Seatings for the rails are cast in one with a
corrugated plate space or spaces for the water to drain off being left beneath the
seating at the middle depression or depressions: the outer corrugations or channels
are preferably left clear as shewn. Sometimes I use transverse ribs z' for the purpose
of strengthening the sleeper and giving it a better hold on the ballast. The dotted
lines in the upper part of the figure shew the application of the principle to double-
headed rails when used with transverse sleepers but it may be used with any other
kind of rail or laid longitudinally. When footed rails are used
chair or seating as shewn in the upper part of Fig. 41.
prefer to make the
The width of the top flange of the above described sleepers or combined chairs and
sleepers may be uniform throughout, or may be greater at or near the chairs or other
supports as shewn in plan at Fig. 51. The ends and middle portions of the sleeper-
being made comparatively smaller for lightening the metal.
L
When the sleepers are of wrought metal I prefer to make them of steel, rolled
stamped or bent to the desired pattern, when cast I prefer to use cast steel. In either
case other metal or alloy may be used. Instead of fixing separate chairs by bolts or
other fastenings to the sleepers as described I sometimes cast them in situ on the
wrought metal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1
The ubination i
11: hannah wit

page_text: transverse corrugations or depressions and with or without longitudinal corrugations
substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
2. The combination with metal sleepers having a central channel of the distance
pieces substantially as described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4 respectively.
3. The combination with metal sleepers having a central channel and two broad side
flanges of the methods of trussing by stays substantially as described with reference
to Figs. 5. 6. 7 and 8 respectively.
4. The combination with any flat or round sleeper of the methods of trussing
substantially as described with reference to Figs. 9. 10 and 11.
5. The use as longitudinal rails of inverted sleepers of the form substantially as
described with reference to Figs. 1. 2. 5 and 14 respectively.
6. Constructing metal sleepers with central channel formed of separate parts connected
together substantially as described with reference to Fig. 12.
7. The combination of a metal sleeper consisting of two angle or bent irons with a
detached drain for throwing off rain water substantially as described with reference to
Fig. 13.
. 8. Constructing, a metal sleeper, with a bottom drain substantially as described with
reference to Fig. 14.
9. Constructing a cast metal sleeper with a bottom drain closed or partly closed
with vertical holes leading to the flanges substantially as described with reference to
Figs. 15 and 16.
10. The combination of a metal sleeper having a central channel with a bottom rib
beneath the channel and with or without a flange at the base of the rib substantially as
described with reference to Fig. 17.
11. Constructing a metal sleeper in two parts or of two angle irons bolted or rivetted
together the lower members having flanges substantially as described with reference
to Fig. 18.
12. In combination with metal sleepers having a central channel and two broad
side flanges the use of transverse wing plates secured to the central channel and
to the flanges substantially as described with reference to Figs. 19 and 20 respectively.
13. Constructing a marginal channel either along the side or sides or all round any
metal sleeper substantially as described with reference to Fig. 21.
14. The combination with a metal sleeper having a central channel and broad side
flanges of marginal channels and with or without transverse corrugations substantially
as described with reference to Fig. 22.
15. Constructing metal sleepers of a T or inverted trough form with the before
described marginal channels substantially as described with reference to Figs. 23. 24.
and 25 respectively.
16. The method of joining a metal sleeper having a central channel either with one
bolt in conjunction with one set of holes substantially as described with reference to
Figs. 26 and 27 or with two bolts in conjunction with two sets of holes substantially
as described with reference to Figs. 28 and 29.
17. Covering over the channel of any sleeper or part of the sleeper and the ballast
substantially as described with reference to Fig. 30.
18. The combination with any sleeper of a covering with or without marginal
channels substantially as described with reference to Fig. 31.
19. Constructing the channel or channels in any metal sleeper with an inclination
or inclinations to throw off the water coming on the sleeper substantially as described
with reference to Figs. 32. 33 and 34 respectively.
20. Constructing the vertical rib of a metal sleeper with openings substantially as
described with reference to Fig. 36.
21. Constructing the vertical rib of a metal sleeper inclined or curved and of greater
depth below the rail substantially as described with reference to Fig. 37.
22. Constructing marginal flanges to the transverse ribs of the upper jaws of chairs
for the purpose of strengthening and lightening them substantially as described with
reference to Figs. S and 39 respectively.
23. The method of varying the gauge when separate chairs are used with transverse

page_text: sleepers by varying the positions of the bolt holes in one or both chairs substantially
as described with reference to Fig. 40.
24. The combination of a chair with a lower rib and marginal flange with angle
irons substantially as described with reference to Figs. 42 and 42º.
25. The combination of a chair with a lower rib and marginal flange with wood
sleepers either in one piece or in two pieces with bevelled slopes on each side of the
lower rib substantially as described with reference to Figs. 43 and 44.
26. Constructing cast metal transverse sleepers with a central trough and lateral
flanges substantially as described with reference to Fig. 45.
27. Constructing cast metal longitudinal sleepers with a central trough and lateral
flanges substantially as described with reference to Figs. 46 and 47.
28. Constructing cast metal longitudinal sleepers with a central and lateral ribs and
marginal channels substantially as described with reference to Figs. 48 and 49.
29. Constructing combined cast metal sleepers with longitudinal corrugations and
chairs or seats for rails substantially as described with reference to Fig. 50.
30. The casting any chair in situ on the wrought metal sleepers described with
reference to Figs. 1. 2. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 15. 18. 24. 25. 26 and 27
respectively.