Improvements in and connected with Railway Rails.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1896-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Railway Rails.
1, HERMANN BIERMANN, of 54, Paradiesstr., Breslau, in the Empire of
Germany, 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 :-
By this invention there is provided a safety rail for railways, by means of which
it is intended to prevent derailing. In the new rail, the head of the rail is provided
with a longitudinal rib or flange for its entire length. This flange projects so far
above the head of the rail, that the railway wheels are prevented from leaving the
line of rails. It is best to roll the flange together with the rail. The new rail may
be laid down on longitudinal sleepers or on cross sleepers. Or the longitudinal
sleepers may be in one piece with the rail, so that the foot of the rail, is developed
into a longitudinal sleeper. At level crossings it is convenient to use rails, which,
instead of having the flange rolled onto the rail, have a safety flange which can be
turned down. When the crossing gates are open, this flange is turned down, so as
not to impede the crossing. As soon as the train. approaches, the flange is brought
into a vertical position, and at the same time so fixed by means of bolts, that there
is the same security against derailing at the crossing, as on those parts of the line
where there is no interruption.
In the annexed drawing,
Figure 1 shews a cross section of the rail on the open line.
Figures 2 to 9. represent the arrangement of the appliances used at level
crossings, viz. :
Figure 2 shews the mechanisms for raising and turning down the flange, the
position shewn being that of the flange raised up;
Figure 3 is a front view of the arrangement, the flange being raised.
Figure 4 is a portion of Figure 3 seen from above.
Figure 5 shews the device by which the mechanisms for raising the flange are
actuated;
Figure 6 is a plan of the arrangement;
Figures 7, 8 and 9 shew in diagrams the manner of working of the appliance,
viz.:
Figure 7 shews the appliance in its ordinary position, with the flange turned
down.
Figure 8 shews the position of the various parts of the appliance, when the
arrangement serving for raising the flange is actuated;
Figure 9 shews the position of the various parts of the appliance when the
arrangement serving for turning down the flange is actuated.
At a certain distance before coming to the level crossing there is a device,
which is depressed by the wheels of the train passing over it, and transfers its
motion to the flange by means of the angle lever g and chain . The raising of
the flange a is done by the arms e, the flange a having inclined surfaces o on the
off side, against which the arms e strike in moving upwards, thus causing the
flange a to turn. When the arrangement f is being depressed by the passing train,
the weighted lever P, and with it the slotted bar q, is drawn towards the left,
carrying with it the pins of lever arm i, and by this means the arm e is raised, and
the flange a is got into a vertical position (see Figure 8). Whilst this takes place,

page_text: z
the pin s slides along the slot of bar q', which bar on the other hand is connected
with the weighted lever p', and by means of this, through the chain, with the
device on the other side past the level crossing. After the device has been
passed, the latter is pressed upwards by the spring 9, causing the weighted lever p
to swing back into a vertical position. This causes the slot z of the bar q to slide
over the pins of lever i, without altering the position of the same. If the train
passes on over the device, this is depressed, and the weighted lever p' is drawn
to the right by the chain (see Figure 9). The bar q' then carries with it the
pins of the lever arm i, which causes the arm e to turn down. The pins at this
time slides along slot z of the bar q. The flange a is so arranged that in its
raised position its centre of gravity lies outside its base. When, therefore, the
arms e turn down, the flange a of its own accord drops back into the horizontal
position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
A rail for railways, characterized by a longitudinal flange (a) projecting above
the head of the rail, and rolled in one with the rail for its full length, or hinged
onto the rail, whereby the wheels of the rolling stock are prevented from leaving
the railway; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated the 4th day of June 1896
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15 Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.