Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 11th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 17th Feb., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
I, REUBEN DILLON CULVER of Veedersburgh, Fountain County, Indiana,
United States of America, Manager do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :—
This invention relates to permanent way and has for its object to provide an
indestructible sleeper block supported upon a solid foundation and to secure the
rails to the blocks in such manner that allowance is made for expansion and
contraction, and the rail can be easily attached to, and detached from, the
sleepers.
The sleeper blocks are preferably constructed of terra cotta, or other suitable
indestructible material, and are formed with a broad flat base, upwardly tapering
sides, and a longitudinally ridged or beveled top, the sides of the block having
horizontal shoulders about midway of their height. The sleeper blocks are
arranged in ditches or trenches at suitable intervals and rest upon a solid founda-
tion consisting of a bottom layer of broken stones, a layer of grouting, and a top
layer of sand, so that a level seat is afforded and the sinking of the sleeper blocks
avoided. If desired, opposing blocks may be connected at their bases by means
of a cross tie rod, and a filling of grouting, coal tar, or asphalt may be placed
within the trench around the sides of the block.
The rails rest upon the tops of the sleeper blocks, their bases being shaped to
conform to the tops of the blocks and the rails are connected with each other by
cross tie rods arranged at intervals between the blocks. The rails are secured to
the blocks by longitudinal rods which extend along the sides and are arranged
beneath the shoulders of the blocks and bolts, the heads of which are connected
with the base of the rail and the ends of the shanks bent around the rods.
the rails are securely connected to the rods, and as the rods are held beneath the
shoulder of the blocks, the rails will be held firm upon the tops of the blocks. The
bolts are preferably arranged to cross each other diagonally and connect with the
rod upon the opposite side of the block.
Thus
For the purpose of making the bolts readily attachable to, and detachable from,
the longitudinal rods and also to allow for expansion and contraction the body of
the shank is coiled spirally thus providing a spring bolt which is sufficiently rigid
to hold the rail to the block, but which will yield to variations of temperature, and
which can be readily distended when it is desired to connect or disconnect the bent
end of the said bolt.
The heads of the bolts may be countersunk in the base of the rail, or the rail
may have vertical ears or flanges while the bolts have hooked ends, adapted to fit
over the said ears or flanges.
תנוונת
1 1000

page_text: "
Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
I REUBEN DILLON CULVER, of Veedersburgh in the County of Fountain and
State of Indiana, United States of America, Manager 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 :—
This invention relates generally to sleepers for railway rails and particularly to
an improved construction of sleeper block, the manner of arranging the same and
the means for securing the rail thereon.
The objects of my invention are to provide an indestructible sleeper .block; to
support the same upon a solid foundation; and finally to provide certain novel
means of securing the rails to the blocks whereby allowance is made for expansion:
and contraction, and by means of which the rail can be quickly and easily attached
to and detached from the sleepers.
With these objects in view my invention consists in the details of construction
and combination of parts shown in the drawings and hereinafter described and
claimed.
In the drawings forming part of this Specification
Figure 1 is a side view of a rail secured upon a series of my improved sleeper
blocks,
Figure 2 is a bottom plan view;
Figure 3 is a transverse section of a track taken on line 3, of Figure 1, and
showing the foundations upon which the sleeper blocks rest.
Figure 4 is a detail view showing a somewhat modified construction of the
securing blocks.
Referring to the drawings, 10, 10 indicate the rails of the track, and 11, 11 the
sleeper blocks upon which they rest. These sleeper blocks are preferably con-
structed of terra cotta, or other suitable indestructible material, and are formed
as shown with a broad flat base, upwardly tapering sides, and a longitudinally
ridged or bevelled top, the sides of the block. having horizontal shoulders 12
produced thereon, about midway of their height for a purpose hereinafter
explained:
The sleeper blocks are arranged in ditches or trenches at suitablé intervals
and rest upon a solid foundation 13, consisting of a bottom layer of..broken stones,
a layer of grouting, and a top layer of sand. By this means a level seat is afforded
and the sinking of the sleeper block avoided. If desired, opposing blocks may be
connected at their bases by means of a cross tie rod 14, and if necessary a filling of
grouting, coal tar, or asphalt may be placed within the trench around the sides of
the block, as shown at 15.
.
2773
The rails 10 rest upon the tops of the sleeper blocks 11, the bases of said rails
being shaped to conform to the ridged or bevelled tops of the blocks and the rails
are connected with each other by means of the cross tie rods 16, which are arranged,
at intervals between the blocks. In order to secure the rails upon the sleeper
blocks, I employ the longitudinal rods 17 which extend along the sides of a series
of blocks and are arranged beneath the shoulders 12 and to these rods between the
blocks are connected the securing bolts 18, the heads of which are connected with
the base of the rail while the ends of the shanks are bent around the rods 17, thus
securely connecting the rail to the rods, and as the rods are held beneath the
shoulders of the blocks, the rails will be held firm upon the tops of the blocks. The
securing bolts 18 are preferably arranged to cross each other diagonally as shown

page_text: and connect with the rod upon the opposite side of the block and by this means the
angular rail base is secured more firmly upon the ridged top than could be
accomplished by arranging the bolt vertically.
For the purpose of making the bolts readily attachable to and detachable from
the longitudinal rods and also to allow for expansion and contraction, the body of
the shank is coiled spirally as shown at 19 thus providing a spring bolt which is
sufficiently rigid to hold the rail to the block, but one which will yield to variations
of temperature, and which can be readily distended when it is desired to connect or
disconnect the bent end of the said bolt.
The heads of the bolts may be countersunk in the base of the rail as shown in
Figure 3, or the rail base may be provided with vertical ears or flanges 20 and
the bolts with hooked ends 21, adapted to fit over the said ears or flanges as shown
in Figure 4.
It will thus be seen that I provide a sleeper block which will not decay and
which being set upon a solid foundation is not liable to settle.
The blocks are furthermore held in alignment by means of the cross tie rods,
and also by means of the longitudinal securing rods. The rails are connected and
braced between the blocks by means of the cross tie rods, thus relieving any
weakness at that point, and by having the tops of the blocks ridged, the bases of
the rails angular, and the securing bolts arranged diagonally, I provide a com-
bination which will securely hold the rail upon the blocks and prevent all lateral
movement.
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 combination, with the sleeper blocks, of the rods arranged upon the sides
of the same, the rails arranged upon the blocks, and the securing bolts connecting
the rails and rods, substantially as shown and described.
2. The combination, with the sleeper blocks, of the longitudinal rods arranged
upon opposite sides of the blocks, the rails upon the blocks, and the securing bolts
connecting the rails and rods and crossing each other between the sleeper blocks,
substantially as shown and described.
3. The combination, with the sleeper blocks having ridged tops, of the rails
having angled bases and resting upon said ridged tops, the longitudinal rods
arranged upon the sides of the blocks, and the diagonally crossing bolts arranged
between the blocks and connecting the rails and rods, substantially as shown and
described.
4. The combination, with the sleeper blocks, of the rails thereon, the rods upon
the sides, and the spring bolts connecting the rods and rails, substantially as shown
and described.
5. The combination, with the sleeper blocks, of the rails thereon, the rods upon
the sides, the crossing bolts connecting the rails and rods between the blocks, and
having a bent end to engage the rod and a spiral shank, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
6. The combination, with the sleeper blocks having shoulders on the sides, of the
longitudinal rods arranged upon the sides and beneath the shoulders, the rails upon
the sleeper blocks, and the securing bolts connecting the rods and rails between the
blocks, substantially as shown and described.
7. The combination with the sleeper blocks having shoulders on the sides, of the
rails upon the blocks, the rods upon the sides and beneath the shoulders, the spring
bolts connecting the rails and rods between the blocks, substantially as shown and
described.
8. The combination, with the sleeper blocks having shoulders on their sides, the
rails arranged upon the blocks, the longitudinal rods upon the sides of the blocks
and beneath the shoulders, the securing bolts connecting the rails and rods
between the blocks, the cross tie rods connecting the bases of the blocks, and the

page_text: cross tie rods connecting the bases of the rails between the blocks, substantially as
shown and described.
R. D. CULVER,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.