Improvements in Permanent Way for Elevated and other Railways.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Permanent Way for Elevated and other Railways.
I, JOHN ISRAEL NEWBURG, of Vicksburg, in the County of Warren and State
of Mississippi, in the United States of America, Merchant, 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 relates to the general structure of elevated railways, and con-
templates the provision of an elevated railway constructed entirely of metal in
such a manner as to admit of it being expeditiously built, and render it light
and yet strong and stable and capable of withstanding the great weights and
strains which such structures are ordinarily subjected to.
While designed more particularly for embodiment in an elevated railway con-
structed entirely of metal, the invention embraces features which are susceptible
of being used to advantage in both surface and elevated railways in which wooden
sleepers or ties are employed.
The invention will be fully understood from the following description and
claims when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of an electric railway constructed in accord-
ance with my invention.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken in the plane indicated by the line 2-2
of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the rail chairs embraced in my improve-
ments.
Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of a chair and a rail therein.
Fig. 5 is a broken perspective view of a portion of one of the cross beams.
Fig. 6 is a detail section illustrative of the manner in which the cross beams
are connected to the stringers of the structure.
Fig. 7 comprises broken perspective views of the contiguous ends of two rails.
Fig. 8 is a detail view of the rail joint plates or fish plates.
Fig. 9 is a view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the keys employed to connect
said joint to the contiguous ends of two rails.
Fig. 10 is a plan view of one of the blanks of which the cross beams are formed.
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one of the chairs which are provided to receive
the rails when wooden beams or ties are employed in lieu of metallic ones.
Referring by letter to said drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1-10
thereof:
A are the parallel Z-bar stringers of my improved elevated railway structure;
the same being arranged with their upper flanges directed outwardly and their
lower flanges directed inwardly. Bare cross bars which are interposed between
the stringers and are designed to serve as braces and prevent lateral motion of
the road bed, and C are cross beams which serve to connect the stringers, and
also as a bed for the rails presently described. The brace bars are by preference
slightly bowed upwardly in the direction of their length, and are arranged
parallel and disposed obliquely between the stringers, as best shown in Fig. 1.
At their ends they rest on and are connected by bolts to the lower, inwardly
directed flanges of the stringers, and are provided adjacent to their middles
with apertures 6 for a purpose presently described.
The cross beams C, which are disposed in a plane above the bars B, are of
inverted U-shape in cross section and are each formed of a blank of sheet metal
such as shown in Fig. 10; the sheet metal being preferable because of its light-

page_text: ness and strength and also because of the facility with which the beams may be
made. Said beanis C are arranged parallel to each other and oblique to the
stringers, and they are also disposed in a direction opposite to that of the bars B
so as to cross said bars at the longitudinal centre of the railway. The lower
edges of the side walls of the beams C rest in the same plane as the underside of
the brace bars B, and are recessed as indicated by c for the passage of said brace
bars. The recesses c are formed by cutting the side walls of the beams and bend-
ing portions d laterally outward therefrom. These portions or ears d have aper-
tures e, and they are designed, when the bars B rest in the recesses c, to rest
above the said bars and be connected thereto by bolts f. At their ends the side
walls of the beams C have outwardly directed flanges g. These flanges are
interposed between the ends of the braces B and the vertically disposed portions
of the stringers A whereby they are fixedly secured in position. Their lower
ends rest on the lower flanges of the stringers A, and hence but two bolts need
be employed to connect each of them to the vertical portions of the stringers.
The employment of a minimum number of bolts for the purpose stated is advan-
tageous because it contributes to the facility with which the parts may be con-
nected, and also because the few bolt holes do not materially weaken the stringers
or cross beams.
The cross beams serve as sleepers to support the rails, and they also serve to
connect the stringers and to brace the same. They are necessarily arranged close
together, and therefore must be made of light material in order not to render
the road bed unduly heavy. While they are light it will be noticed that their
depth renders them very strong and rigid.
The construction thus far described forms what may be properly termed the
bed of my improved elevated railway. This bed, as will be appreciated from the
foregoing, is susceptible of expeditious construction, and yet is exceedingly light
and at the same time strong, durable and stable, whereby it is rendered capable
of withstanding the weights and strains incident to trains passing over it. Said
bed may be supported in any approved manner, but as the said support is no
part of my invention, I have deemed it unnecessary to illustrate the same.
1 are the rail chairs of the railway which are each formed of a single piece of
sheet metal of such weight that it is susceptible of being readily bent through the
medium of the proper appliances. These chairs are similar in construction and
therefore a description of the one shown in Figures 3 and 4 will suffice for all.
The said chair E comprises a cruciform body i having lips jon two opposite arms
designed to engage the opposite sides of the base of a rail, as shown in Figures 1
and 4, and also having depending lips k on the opposite edges of its other two
arms designed to rest at opposite sides of a cross beam C after the manner shown
in Fig. 3, and be connected to the vertical portions of said beam by bolts kl.
But one lip of each pair need be apertured as two bolts are ample to connect the
chair to a beam and securely hold the same in its proper operative position.
The chairs E are made complete and of a size to snugly fit the rails and cross
beams. They are twisted on the rails at proper points while said rails are sup-
ported in a plane above the cross beams by blanks or the like interposed between
their ends and certain of the cross beams. When a sufficient number of chairs
are thus placed on each rail, the blocks or supports are removed from beneath
the ends of the rail and the same is lowered so as to rest on the cross beams. The
chairs being arranged at proper points on the rail, it follows that when said rail
is lowered the lips k of the chairs will assume positions at opposite sides of the
beams. It also follows that the rails may be placed and secured in position in
the manner described very expeditiously.
By reason of the oblique disposition of the cross beams C and the chairs E
engaging the same as described, the chairs are not liable to casual lateral move-
ment and in fact cannot be moved laterally or in the direction of the width of the
railway. This is a highly important advantage since it insures the rails remaining
at the standard distance apart.

page_text: The bolts are not essential but I prefer to employ two of them in conjunc-
tion with each chair in order to hold the chairs down on the cross beams.
After two parallel rails have been placed and secured to the beams C at the
standard distance apart, no more measurements are needed since the angular
disposition of the cross beams and chairs insures the other rails resting at the
standard distance apart. This is also true of turns in the railway where it is
necessary to use curved rails.
a
The
F are the rails of my improved railway. Each of these rails is provided at
one end with a recess in its base, and has its web and head beveled as indicated.
by m. Each rail is also provided at its opposite end in its base with
recess, and has the end of its web and head beveled as indicated by m¹.
recess is disposed at the opposite side of the web with respect to the recess 7,
and the bevel m¹ at one end of the rail is parallel to the bevel m at the opposite
end of the rail. By reason of this one end of a rail is enabled to fit in the com-
plementary end of another rail so as to break joints and greatly strengthen the
connection between the two.
G are the fish plates in which the meeting ends of the rails are seated. These
plates are similar in construction and therefore a description of the one shown in
Fig. 8 will suffice for all. Said plate comprises two longitudinal sections G7
shaped in cross section in conformity to the bases and webs of the rails which the
plate is designed to snugly receive. Each section G7 is provided in its upwardly
extending portion with apertures p. These apertures are designed to coincide
with apertures in the webs of the rails and receive connecting keys H, one of
which is shown in Fig. 9. The said key comprises a body portion r having a
beveled head at one end and a shoulder s adjacent to its opposite end, and a
resilient arm t. The arm t, when the key is passed through the coincident aper-
tures of joint sections G7 and rail, is designed to exert a pressure against the
walls of said apertures and thereby hold the head and shoulder s in engagement
with the opposite sections of the plate, and render the employment of threaded
bolts and nuts unnecessary. As will be readily observed, the keys of the construc-
tion described may be quickly and easily placed and secured in position to effect
the connection stated.
By reason of the construction of my improved rail joints as above described,
the upper sides of the rails are held flush and the wheels of a train are prevented
from striking the square ends of the rails. This overcomes the unpleasant jar
which is generally incident to the wheels passing over the joints of rails such as
at present in use, especially when the rails are subject to detraction.
It will also be noticed that the sectional fish plates are adapted to be quickly
and easily adjusted to the rails and secured in position.
In Fig. 11 of the drawings, I illustrate a chair E which is designed for use
when wooden ties or sleepers are employed in an elevated or surface railway in
lieu of metallic ties or beams. This chair E7 is similar to the chair E shown in
Fig. 3, with the exception that two of its opposite arms have bolt holes and are
not equipped with depending lips.
When chairs such as E are employed the tie or sleeper may be laid at right
angles or at any other desired angle to the length of the railway. Such chairs E
are also advantageous when employed in conjunction with wooden ties or cross
beams as they do not entail the employment of bolts or screws which are liable
to work loose.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing that all of the features of my im-
proved railway contribute to the strength of the railway and its ability to with-
stand great weights and strains. It will also be noticed that all of the parts are
constructed with a view of permitting the railway to be very quickly built with
but a minimum amount of labor which is an important advantage.
It will further be appreciated from the foregoing that when used in conjunc-
tion with the metallic beams C, the chairs E prevent the expansion and contrac-

page_text: tion of the said beams from interfering with or changing the gauge of the track,
which is an important desideratum.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1-In an elevated railway, the combination of stringers having inwardly directed
flanges, brace bars arranged parallel to each other and oblique to the stringers
and having their ends arranged upon and connected to the flanges of the stringers.
and the sheet metal cross beams arranged parallel to each other and oblique with
respect to the stringers, and also arranged above the brace bars and extending
in a direction opposite to the same; the said cross beams being of inverted
U-shape in cross section and having the recesses e receiving and the lugs & con-
nected to the brace bars and also having outwardly directed flanges at the ends of
their vertical portions interposed between the ends of the brace bars and the
stringers and connected to the latter, substantially as specified.
2-In an elevated railway, the combination of stringers having inwardly directed
flanges, oblique brace bars interposed between and connected to the stringers
and resting on the flanges thereof, and oblique cross beams arranged above and
intersecting the brace bars; the said cross beams being of inverted U-shape in
cross section and being connected at their ends to the stringers and at inter-
mediate points of their length to the brace bars, substantially as specified.
3-In an elevated railway, the combination of stringers, obliquely disposed
sheet metal cross beams of inverted U-shape in cross section interposed between
and connected to the stringers, rails disposed longitudinally above the cross
beams, and sheet metal rail chairs; the said chairs being each formed in one
piece and comprising a cruciform body, lips at opposite sides of opposite arms
of the body engaging the opposite edges of the base of a rail, and depending lips
at opposite sides of two opposite arms resting at the sides of a cross beam, sub-
stantially as specified.
4 In a railway structure, the combination of a rail having a recess 7 in its
base and also having the end of its web and head beveled, a complementary rail
having a recess in its base and also having the end of its web and head beveled,
a joint receiving the said ends of the rails, and keys taking through coincident
apertures of the rails and fish-plates; the said keys each comprising a body
having a head adapted to bear against one side of a plate and a shoulder adapted
to bear against the opposite side of the plate, and a resilient arm connected to
the body and arranged to bear against the walls of the apertures in the fish plate
and rails and thereby hold the head and shoulder of the body in engagement
with the plate, substantially as specified.
5 In a railway, the combination of cross ties or beams of wood, metal or other
suitable material, rails disposed above said ties or beams, and sheet metal rail
chairs; said chairs being each formed in one piece and comprising a cruciform
body adapted to bear on and be held to a cross tie or beam, and lips at opposite
sides of opposite arms of the body engaging the opposite edges of the base of a
rail, substantially as specified.
In a railway, the combination of obliquely disposed cross beams, rails dis-
posed longitudinally above said cross beams, and sheet metal rail chairs; said
chairs being each formed in one piece and comprising a cruciform body, lips
at opposite sides of opposite arms of the body engaging the opposite edges of the
base of a rail, and depending lips at opposite sides of two opposite arms resting
at the sides of a cross beam, substantially as specified.
Dated this 19th day of September 1899.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, Agents.