Improvements in Rails for Railways.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 14th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rails for Railways.
I, REINHARD MANNESMANN of Landore, R.S.O., South Wales, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The rails heretofore employed for the permanent way of railways owing to their
rigidity transmit the blows or concussions received from the passing trains to the
foundatious without any appreciable elastic action beyond that which the rail may
offer between its supports on transverse sleepers when this system is employed.
This rigidity of the rails causes as is well known a very detrimental action on
the structure of the rolling stock producing frequent fracture of wheel tyres and
axles &c. and rapid wear of the wheels.
This invention relates to a construction of hollow rails which in affording a
considerable amount of elastic action shall obviate the above disadvantages.
Such hollow rails are manufactured out of seamless tubes obtained by the oblique
rolling system such tubes being for this purpose subject to further treatment in
calibre rolls whereby they are brought into such a sectional form that even at the
points of support they possess in themselves sufficient elasticity to weaken the
effect of prejudicial concussions and in addition to such sectional form parts thereof.
may be formed with longitudinal or transverse corrugations or flutings which still
further increase their elastic action.
I will proceed to describe the practical carrying out of my said invention with
reference to the accompanying drawings which show by way of example a variety
of sections of such elastic rails.
Figure 1 shows a rail corresponding as regards height and width of head and of
base to the ordinary flanged rail as at Fig. 1^.
From the head two slightly diverging side cheeks a a descend to the base
into which they pass over with sharply bent curves which in standing free as
shown afford a certain amount of elasticity and thereby materially weaken the
transmission of the heavy shocks to which the top of the rail is subjected.
Fig. 2 shows a similar construction in which however the side checks a a¹ are
formed with corrugations having longitudinal ridges and furrows which consequently
afford increased elasticity as each of the ridges and furrows can yield to a certain
extent under a blow and consequently the total degree of elasticity afforded is
proportionate to the number of corrugations.
Fig. 3 shows the same configuration as Fig. 1 with a larger sized rail.
In the construction at Fig. 4 the side cheeks a a¹ of the rail are made with a
certain curvature whereby they afford a corresponding amount of elastication while
their junction with the base is formed with a less curvature so that the rail is
thereby rendered suitable for fixing in chairs.
Fig. 5 shows a similar form of section in which the elasticity of the inner side
cheek a is increased by corrugations the ridges and furrows of which run in a
longitudinal direction as in Fig. 2 the curvature of the outer face a' being also
increased.
Fig. 6 shows a section with both sides a a¹ corrugated in a similar manner to
Figure 2.
Figs. 7 and 8 show respectively a cross section and part sectional plan of a rail
similar to that shown at Figs. 1 and 3 but in which the side cheeks a a' are also
corrugated with the ridges and furrows running in a vertical direction thereby also
affording the rail an increased degree of flexibility within the elastic limits in a
longitudinal direction which will still further prevent the transmission of shocks to
the foundation. Such flexibility may be still further increased by forming similar
corrugations with the ridges and furrows running transversely in the base b. Such

page_text: a construction renders it possible to imbed the lower part of the rail in the ballast
without causing any warping of the rail by variations in the atmosphere.
Fig. 9 shows a section with similar corrugations to the foregoing the base b of
the rail being somewhat curved and adapted in form to be carried in chairs.
Fig. 10 shows a section similar to Fig. 7 but with the inner side check a of the
rail made vertical while the outer cheek a is inclined.
Fig. 1 shows a rail with grooved head and curved side cheeks a a'.
Figs. 12, 13, and 14 show hollow double headed rails constructed according to
my invention, the side cheeks a a' being made thinner than the heads which in
Figs. 12 and 13 they join with a more or less sharp curvature while at Fig. 14 the
entire side cheeks are made with a certain amount of curvature.
The sections Figs. 12 and 14 are made with both heads alike so as to be
reversible while the section Fig. 13 is made with the lower head thinner than the
upper one.
Fig. 15 shows a similar section of rail with the side cheeks a a' corrugated in a
similar manner to Figs. 7 and 9.
Fig. 16 shows a section in which the required elasticity is obtained by imparting
a considerable curvature to the side cheeks the inner side a being curved inwards
and the outer one a¹ outwards.
At Fig. 17 the outer cheek a is curved outwards as at Fig. 16 but the inner
cheek is formed with corrugation. The head is formed as a grooved rail.
Fig. 18 shows a section of triangular form with very wide base so that the rail
itself constitutes a longitudinal sleeper requiring no further support the bearing
surface of the base being capable of being made even larger than that of ordinary
sleepers.
In this case the required degree of elasticity is obtained by forming the rail with
corrugations the ridges and furrows of which extend right round the base and the
two side cheeks a a' which are made thin. In this casc also the side cheeks alone
or the base alone might be made with corrugations. The side cheeks might also
be formed with an inward curvature so as to afford increased elasticity.
Figs. 19 and 20 show respectively a cross section and a sectional plan of another
modification of the form of combined rail and sleeper just described in which the
angular sides a al alone are made with corrugations having deep transverse ridges
and furrows that die away at the ends the base being flat.
It will be evident that a variety of other sections of rails may be adopted for
carrying out my said invention of providing more or less elasticity in the rail itself.
In all the above described constructions of hollow rails these may be filled either
with pulverulent matter such as sand in order to prevent excessive noise due to
vibrations on trains passing over them and also to increase their mass or weight
where required or they may be filled with glass granite or other suitable bodies
that liquify or become plastic at the temperature to which the rails are heated for
the rolling operation and are thus more or less incorporated with the internal
surfaces of the rails by such rolling whereby in addition to the before mentioned
greater or less prevention of noise and increase of weight the strength of the rails
to resist transverse strain will also be considerably increased. The adhesion of
such filling to the metal surface may advantageously be assisted by first applying
to the inner metal surfaces a thin coating of materials such as water glass
salts enamels or oxides that readily liquify at the heat to which the rails are
subjected and that have a greater tendency to adhere to the metal than the
material constituting the filling and which consequently serves as an effectual
cementing medium between the two and causes the strains to which the rail is
subjected to be readily transmitted to the filling. During the process of rolling
the latter is confined within the rail either by a suitable stopper inserted at each
end or by closing the ends by welding in.
Dated this 18th day of February 1891
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rails for Railways.
I, REINHARD MANNESMANN of Landore, R.S.O. South Wales, 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 relates to a manufacture of hollow rails for railways and mainly
such as are produced from seamless tubes, and it has for its object either, according
to one method of construction, to afford the rails a greater or less amount of elastic
action, or according to another method of construction, to afford them a maximum
of strength and rigidity with a minimum amount of metal.
I will first describe the manufacture of elastic rails.
The rails heretofore employed for the permanent way of railways, owing to their
rigidity transmit the blows or concussions received from the passing trains to the
foundations without any appreciable elastic action beyond that which the rail may
offer between its supports on transverse sleepers, when this system is employed.
This rigidity of the rails causes, as is well known, a very detrimental action on the
structure of the rolling stock, producing frequent fracture of wheel tyres and
axles &c. and rapid wear of the wheels.
According to my present invention I avoid the above named disadvantages by
manufacturing the rails out of seamless tubes such as are obtained by the "oblique"
rolling system and by other means which tubes are subjected to treatment in
calibre rolls so as to be brought into such a sectional form that even at the points
of support they possess in themselves sufficient elasticity to weaken the effect of
prejudicial concussions and, in addition to such sectional form, parts thereof may
be formed with longitudinal corrugations or flutings which still further increase
their clastic action.
I will proceed to describe the practical carrying out of my said invention with
reference to the accompanying drawings which shew by way of example a variety
of sections of such elastic rails.
Figure shews a rail corresponding as regards height and width of head and of
base to the ordinary flanged rail as at Fig. 1^.
From the head two slightly diverging side cheeks a a descend to the base
into which they pass over with sharply bent curves which, in standing free as
shewn, afford a certain amount of elasticity and thereby materially weaken the
transmission of the heavy shocks to which the top of the rail is subjected.
Fig 2 shews a similar construction in which however the side checks a a are
formed with corrugations having longitudinal ridges and furrows which consequently
afford increased elasticity, as each of the ridges and furrows can yield to a certain
extent under a blow and consequently the total degree of elasticity afforded is
proportionate to the number of corrugations.
Fig. 3 shews the same configuration as Fig. 1 with a larger sized rail.
In the construction at Fig. 4 the side cheeks a a of the rail are made with a
certain curvature whereby they afford a corresponding amount of elastic action
while their juncture with the base b is formed with a less curvature so that the rail
is thereby rendered suitable for fixing in chairs.
Fig. 5 shews a similar form of section in which the elasticity of the inner side
cheek a is increased by corrugations, the ridges and furrows of which run in a
longitudinal direction as in Fig. 2, the curvature of the outer face a being also
increased.
Fig. 6 shews a section with both sides a corrugated in a similar manner to
Fig. 2.
Fig. 7 shews a rail with grooved head and curved side cheeks a a, Figs. 8, 9
and 10 show hollow double headed rails constructed according to my invention, the

page_text: side checks a a being made thinner than the heads which, in Figs. 8 and 9 they
join with a comparatively sharp curvature while at Fig. 10 the entire side cheeks
are made with a certain amount of curvature.
The sections Figs. 8 and 10 are made with both heads alike so as to be reversible
while the section Fig. 9 is made with the lower head thinner than the upper one.
Fig. 11 shews a section in which the required elasticity is obtained by imparting a
considerable curvature to the side cheeks, the inner side a being curved inwards
and the outer one a outwards.
At Fig. 12 the outer check a is curved outwards as at Fig. 11 but the inner
cheek al is formed with corrugations. The head k is formed as a grooved rail.
Figs. 13 to 20 shew sections of rails constructed according to the second method,
in which the sides of the rail are formed with corrugations, the ridges and furrows
of which run in a transverse direction, thus affording the sides a maximum degree
of strength and rigidity with a minimum amount of metal. The section shewn in
cross section at Fig. 13 and in horizontal section at Fig. 14 is similar in form to
that shewn at Fig. 3, the side cheeks a a being made thinner however and with
vertical corrugations as shewn; Fig. 15 shows a modification of this section in
which the inner side of the rail is made vertical while the outer side a is inclined.
Figs. 16 and 17 shew two sections with corrugated sides, adapted to be fixed in
chairs by keys Fig. 18 shows a section of triangular form with wide base 6, so that
the rail itself constitutes a longitudinal sleeper requiring no further support, the
bearing surface of the base being capable of being made even longer than that of
ordinary sleepers. The vertical corrugations of the two side checks a a might also
be carried round the base, if desired. In order to afford some amount of elasticity
to the side checks, these might be curved inwards somewhat, as at Figs. 7 and 11.
Figs. 19 and 20 shew respectively a cross section and horizontal longitudinal
section of a triangular shaped combined rail and sleeper similar to that at Fig. 18,
but in which the vertical corrugations of the sides a are made comparatively
deep at the middle and dying away towards the head and base; the latter might
also he made with transverse corrugations.
It will be evident that a variety of other sections of rails may be adopted for
carrying out my said invention of providing more or less elasticity in the rail itself
or for increasing the rigidity thereof; also, that hollow rails of the kind described
may be produced by other means, such as by casting, welding, and the like.
In all the above described constructions of hollow rails these may be filled either
with pulverulent matter such as sand in order to prevent excessive noise due to
vibrations on trains passing over them and also to increase their mass or weight
where required, or they may be filled with glass, granite, or other suitable rigid
bodies that liquify or become plastic at the temperature to which the rails are
heated for the rolling operation and are thus more or less incorporated with the
internal surfaces of the rails by such rolling, whereby in addition to the before
mentioned greater or less prevention of noise and increase of weight, the strength
of the rails to resist transverse strain will also be considerably increased.
The adhesion of such filling to the metal surface may advantageously be assisted
by first applying to the inner metal surfaces a thin coating of materials such as
water glass, salts, enamels, or oxides that readily liquity at the heat to which the
rals are subjected, and that have a greater tendency to adhere to the metal than
the material constituting the filling, and which consequently serves as an effectual
cementing medium between the two and causes the strains to which the rail is
subjected to be readily transmitted to the filling. During the process of rolling,
the latter is confined within the rail either by a suitable stopper inserted at each
end or by closing the ends by welding in.
la manufacturing the above described hollow rails the requisite thickening of the
parts forming the heads of the rails may in the case where they are formed from
omly tick tubes in the first instance, be produced by the employment of
suitably shaped mandrils placed inside of the rails, so formed that in conjunction
with the configuration of the grooves of the rolls they tend to squeeze the metal

page_text: of the tube forming the rail from those parts that require to be thinner into those
parts that require to be thicker.
Or when the rails are produced from steel castings, these are at once cast
with thicker portions for the heads. For producing the described longitudinal
corrugations, the rolls are made with corresponding annular ribs and grooves as
are also the mandrils introduced within them so that the ribs of the rolls depress
the metal of the rail into the grooves of the mandril as it, passes through. For
producing the transverse corrugations the rail, after being rolled into shape, is
heated and, being filled with sand or other suitable material as before described,
is either passed through cogged rolls that will form transverse indentations therein,
or such indentations may be produced by means of sharp blows with hammers, with
or without the use of suitably shaped dies.
Or again such rails may be produced entirely by casting in moulds having the
required configuration.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A manufacture of hollow railway rails from seamless tubes, wherein the sides
either pass over by free-standing curved portions into the base, or are themselves
curved, whereby the rails are rendered more or less elastic in themselves, sub-
stantially as described with reference to the drawings.
2. A manufacture of hollow rails or rails from seamless tubes the sides of which
are formed with corrugations the ridges and furrows of which run in a longitudinal
direction, so as to afford such sides elastic action, substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. A manufacture of hollow rails, or rails from seamless tubes the sides of which
are formed with corrugations the ridges and furrows of which run in a transverse
direction, so as to afford such sides a maximum of strength and rigidity with
a minimum amount of metal, substantially as described with reference to the
drawings.
4. A manufacture of hollow rails or rails from seamless tubes, the bases of which
are formed with corrugations, the sides being either with or without corrugations
substantially as described.
5. In hollow rails such as are referred to the preceding claims, the method of
filling the rails with granite, glass or other suitable rigid bodies that liquify or
become plastic at the temperature to which the rails are heated for rolling, so that
on cooling, such filling will become solid and will at the same time adhere to the
metal and will thus both strengthen the rail and prevent noise from vibration,
substantially as described.
Dated this 14th day of November 1891.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.