IMPROVEMENTS: IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FIXING OF RAILS OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND STRAIGHTENING SUCH RAILS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Tooth, of 5, Aldersgate Buildings,
Aldersgate Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS:
IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FIXING OF RAILS OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS,
AND IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND STRAIGHTENING SUCH RAILS."
Sealed the 30th July 1878, and dated the 17th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Tooth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th April 1878.
WILLIAM HENRY TOOTH, of 5, Aldersgate Buildings, Aldersgate Street, in the
City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FIXING OF RAILS OF
RAILWAYS AND Tramways, and in MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND STRAIGHTENING
SUCH RAILS."
The object of this Invention is,-
First. To construct or make railway rails or bars of such shape and to fix them
in such a way that the concussion is to a great extent prevented that takes place in
rails as at present laid, by the wheels of the engines and carriages crossing the joints
at the ends of the bars, and thereby gives comfort and safety to the passengers, by
preventing the oscillation and jolting which unavoidably takes place through the
present system of shaping and joining the ends of the railway rails or bars together,
and at the same time considerably reducing the wear and tear of the rolling
stock.
Secondly. In improvements in the construction of the machinery for straightening
and cutting railway rails or bars the desired shape, without any increased cost of
labour.
The first part of my improvements (viz., that of the construction of railway rails
or bars) consists of cutting the ends of the bars at a suitable angle, so that the ends
or sides of each bar will overlap the end or side of the other bar, and by this means
enable the wheels of the engines and carriages getting on to one bar before leaving
the other, so that the wheels will be on both bars at the same time.
Now, for the

page_text: purpose of constructing the rails or bars I make or cause to be made a saw frame or
standard, with suitable bearings to hold the saw spindle and saw at an angle of
forty-five degrees, or any other suitable angle, and so fix the same so that when
the railway rails or bars are forced against the saw they will be cut at the required
angle, instead of being cut at right angles. as at present. Or I fix the table on
which the rails or bars are fixed to be cut at the angle required, so that when the
table is worked up against the saw by means of a lever or otherwise the ends of the
rails or bars will be cut to the angle desired, but for cutting bridge or other rails or
bars I make or cause to be made a sliding plate, to work up and down a facing on
the saw frame or standard, on to which plate I fix the saw spindle in plummer
blocks, and I so arrange them that the saw can be worked up and down by means
of a lever or screw. I then place the railway rails or bars under the saw at a
suitable angle, and depress the saw with the lever or by other means until it has
cut off the end of the rail or bar at the angle required. I also cause the bars to be
passed into a pair of vice jaws made to fit the section of the railway bars, and so fix
the jaws that the ends of the rails can be cut off with a shear.
The second part of my Invention consists in straightening the frailway rails or
bars, which I effect as follows:-I make or cause to be made a series of rollers fixed
in a frame, and driven by gear. By preference I have three in a line called the
bottom rollers, and two upper rollers to work in a slot with suitable bearings, and
so arrange them that they will work opposite to spaces between the bottom or lower
rollers, in which arrangement I place suitable screws, that will raise or depress the
top rollers and adjust them to such a nicety that when the railway rails or bars
are passed through or between the rollers they can be made to come out
straight.
For fixing the ends of the railway rails or bars constructed as herein-before
described, I, in addition to the ordinary mode of joining with fish plates, make or
cause to be made chairs with their vertical sides perforated with holes to allow of
the insertion of bolts, and on the inside of one side of the rail projections are cast to
allow the sides of the railway rails or bars to rest against. On the other side of
the rails or bars I place a fish plate with countersunk holes to allow a countersunk
headed bolt to be inserted and still leave the flat surface of the fish plate clear of
the bolt heads, to allow a wedge to be driven in between it and the other side of
the chair, and by this means I prevent the deflection and deflexure of the rails or
bars and secure a good and permanent rest and joint.
For better security where fish plates are used, I make my fish plates with flanges
to go under the rail bars and bolt the flanges together, and thereby prevent the end
of one rail or bar from being depressed before the wheel gets on to the next rail
or bar.
Sometimes in addition to the chair above described I use a wrought-iron chair, to
take the bearing of the joints of the rails.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Willliam Henry Tooth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th
October 1878.
WILLIAM HENRY TOOTH, of 5 Aldersgate Buildings, Aldersgate Street, in the City
of London. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FIXING OF RAILS OF
RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND STRAIGHTENING
SUCH RAILS."
The object of this Invention is,―
First. To construct or make railway or tramway rails or bars of such shape and
to fix then in such a way that the concussion is to a great extent prevented that
takes place in rails as at present laid by the wheels of the engines and carriages
crossing the joints at the ends of the bars, and thereby gives comfort and safety to
the passengers by preventing the oscillation and jolting which unavoidably takes
place through the present system of shaping and joining the rails or bars together,
and at the same time considerably reducing the wear and tear of the rolling
stock.
Secondly. In improvements in the construction of the machinery for cutting and
straightening such rails or bars the desired shape without any increased cost of
labour.
The first part of my improvements (viz., that of the construction of railway or.
tramway rails or bars) consists in cutting the ends of the bars at a suitable angle,
so that the ends or sides of each bar will overlap the end or side of the other bar,
and by this means enable the wheels of the engines and carriages to get on to one
bar before leaving the other, so that the wheels will be on both bars at the same
time. Now, for the purpose of constructing the rails or bars I make a saw frame
or standard with suitable bearings to hold the saw spindle and saw at an angle of
forty-five degrees, or any other suitable angle, and fix the same so that when the
railway rails or bars are forced against the saw they will be cut at the required
angle instead of being cut at right angles as at present; or I fix the table on which
the rails or.bars are fixed to be cut at the angle required, so that when the table is
worked up against the saw by means of a lever or otherwise, the ends of the rails
or bars will be cut to the angle desired, but for cutting bridge or other rails or bars
I make a sliding plate to work up and down a fixing on the saw frame or standard,
on to which plate I fix the saw spindle in plummer blocks, and I so arrange them
I then
that the saw can be worked up and down by means of a lever and screw.
place the railway rails or bars under the saw at a suitable angle, and depress the
saw with the lever, or by other means, until it has cut off the end of the rail or bar
at the angle required. I also cause the bars to be passed into a pair of vice jaws
made to fit the section of the railway bars, and so fix the jaws that the ends of the
rails can be cut off with a shear.
The straightening of the railway rails or bars I effect as follows:-I make a'
series of rollers fixed in a frame and driven by gear. By preference I have three
in a line called the bottom rollers and two upper rollers to work in a slot with
suitable bearings, and so arrange them that they will work opposite to spaces
between the bottom or lower rollers, in which arrangement I place suitable screws
that will raise or depress the top rollers, and adjust them to such a nicety that
when the railway rails or bars are passed through or between the rollers they can
be made to come out straight.
For fixing the ends of the railway rails or bars constructed as herein-before
described, I (in addition to the ordinary mode of joining with fish plates) make
J

page_text: chairs with their vertical sides perforated with holes to allow of the insertion of
bolts, and on the inside of one side of the rail projections are cast to allow the sides
of the railway rails or bars to rest against. On the other side of the rails or bars I
place a fish plate with countersunk holes to allow a countersunk headed bolt to be
inserted, and still leave the flat surface of the fish plate clear of the bolt heads to
allow a wedge to be driven in between it and the other side of the chair, and by
this means I prevent the deflection and deflexure of the rails or bars, and secure a
good and permanent rest and joint.
to
For better security, where fish plates are used, I make my fish plates with flanges.
go under the rail bars, and bolt the flanges together, and thereby prevent the end
of one rail or bar from being depressed before the wheel gets on to next rail or bar. :
Sometimes, in addition to the chairs above described, I use a wrought-iron chair
to take the bearing of the joints of the rails.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS. -
Fig. 1 shows a front view of saw and saw frame for cutting ordinary double
headed rails.
A is the standard; B, shaft or spindle carrying saw C, the saw frame being
carried by standard A; C, saw; D, rail; E, bevel gearing which drives the saw,
same being actuated by band and pulley or other suitable means. The action in'
this case is that the rail is placed on the ordinary platform and brought against the
saw C, by which it is cut at the angle required and as shown. Saws can be put at
each end of the rail to enable both ends to be cut at the same time.
Fig. 2 is plan of another form of arrangements for cutting rails, preferable for
bridge or flange rails.
Fig. 3 shows the system of levers by which the rails are brought up to the saws; 2
F, bed plate with slide f'; G, platform fixed to the slide, same carrying rail D, said
platform resting on guides g, g, to support the ends of the rails. The saws Care
carried by shaft as shown, the riggers or pulleys H being placed between the
bearings. The rail is placed on the platform at the angle required, the system of
levers shown in Fig. 3 serving to bring the rail up to the saws. To effect this the 3
lever I which is centred at i is pulled and draws the lever J with it, and this causes.
the levers K and K' to move, and with them the rail which is brought up to the.
saws C and cut at the angle required.
.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 show by plan, end elevation, and side elevation, another
form of arrangement for cutting rails, same being constructed somewhat on the 3
principle of the weighbridge; L, the arms or levers carried by shaft having the
saw at one end carried by shaft . At the other end of L is the shaft
carrying the balanced weight M; H, rigger or pulley driven by band and driving
the saw C; N, lever or handle for lifting and depressing the weighbridge..
"
The action is as follows:-The rail D being placed in position the saw C is 4
brought into action, and the rail cut at the required angle. The lever N serves to
lift the weighbridge and with it the other parts out of gear when required.
Figs. 7, 8, and 9, show by plan, partial elevation, and partial end view a modifi-
cation shown by Figs. 2 and 3, the arrangement shown by these Figs. (7, 8, and 9)
being for cutting junction or crossing rails. Junction or crossing rails are of varying 4.
lengths, and to allow of one machine cutting any length I adopt the arrangements
shown, which consist of mounting the saws C on standard and plummer blocks, and
fixed to a plate O to each saw C, the plate O being fitted on an ordinary latho.
bed or slide rest provided with screw P, by which means the saws C are brought
nearer or farther apart as desired, so as to accommodate same to the length of rails. 50
or crossing rails placed on the table to be cut.
Figs. 10 and 11, side elevation and plan respectively of arrangements for
straightening the rails or bars.
Fig. 12 shows sectional view of the rolls with rail between, the pitch line of the

page_text: spur gear being shown for driving the top rolls. represents the lower or under
rolls provided with teeth, between which are the intermediate spur wheels Q', the
whole being supported by shafts passing through the framing R. S represents the
top rolls, same being driven by spur gear T attached to the end bottom rolls at the
other side of the frame R. U represents sliding brass or block fixed free to move
in a frame, and provided with a screw for adjusting the space between the rollers,
same being driven by toothed wheel working into spur wheel T.
The action is as follows:-The rail D is, when on end or upright, placed between
the rolls, as shown in Fig. 11, the rolls being grooved so as to hold the rails upright,
as shewn in Fig. 11. Whatever inequality or projection in the rail on the under
side is pressed up and straightened, and the like effect is obtained on the upper
surface by the pressure of the upper rollers, so that when the rail has passed through
the whole of the rollers the same is straight. To straighten the side the rails are
inserted sideways between the rolls--and passed between same.
In this case no
groove is required to the rollers. The machine is driven by an ordinary strap and
pulley, and motion conveyed by spur wheel V to the large toothed wheel V₁, and
by means of the wheels Q, Q, the whole of the rolls are set in motion.
Fig. 13 shows by section a method of fixing rails with an addition to the ordinary
mode of joining by fish plates. a, a¹, represents the chair with vertical sides per-
forated with holes b, through which the bolts are inserted. On the side a¹ are
projections c, against which the sides of the rail D rest. On the other side is the
countersunk fish plate d to admit of a countersunk bolt being inserted, and same
being clear allows of the insertion of the wedge e being placed between d and the
side of the chair, or the fish plate can be dispensed with and the holes countersunk
in the rails themselves.
Fig. 14 represents another form of arrangement for holding the rail. The fish
plates fare so formed as to grasp the rail, and are secured by bolt, as shown. The
said fish plates f, however, are provided with flanges h which go under the rail, said
flanges being bolted together, as shown.
Fig. 15 shows in plan rails as laid, said Fig. 15 also showing the rails cut at an
angle according to my Invention.
Fig. 16 shows the ordinary fish plates for securing the rail, but in addition thereto
I employ the chair k which is made of cast or wrought iron or steel, and so formed
as to support the joints so that it may have a bearing on the sleepers.
In fixing or securing tramway rails I prefer to adopt the arrangements shown by
Fig. 17. The rail is constructed of the ordinary section, and cut at the angle sub-
stantially as herein-before set forth and described, and mounted on sleepers of
ordinary or other suitable pattern, and same is secured by bolt or screw passing
through a countersunk hole in the rail in the groove, or at the side or sides thereof,
so that the head of the spike or screw resting in the countersunk hole cannot be
worn or give way till the rail itself is worn out. In this Figure, D is the rail; D',
the sleeper; W, the countersunk hole into which the spike or bolt X passes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the
said Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, I hereby declare that I claim the said Invention of "Improvements in the
Construction and Fixing of Rails of Railways and Tramways, and in Machinery for
Cutting and Straightening such Rails," substantially as herein-before set forth and
described, in which Invention the following are important points or features,―
First. The adoption of an angular joint to the longitudinal rails or bars, or on
curves, in form and manner, substantially as herein-before described.
Second. The arrangements or mechanism for cutting rails, substantially as herein-
before described.
Third. The arrangement or mechanism for straightening rails, substantially as
herein-before described.

page_text: Fourth. Fixing rails for railways or tramways, substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Tooth, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM HENRY TOOTH. (L.S.)
Witness,
T. MORGAN,
Secretary, Inventors' Patentright Association, La.,
21, Cockspur St.,
S.W.