IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAM RAILS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Henry Betteley, of No. 40, Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAM
RAILS"
Sealed the 18th April 1879, and dated the 19th October 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Henry Betteley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th October 1878.
JOSEPH HENRY BETTELEY, of No. 40, Fleet Street, in the City of London,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAM RAILS."
The object of this Invention is the construction of tram rails with a central top
groove, and with a projection or bulge directly under the groove within the space
between the two side walls, so that as the top surface of the rail wears and the
groove becomes cut or worn by the flanges of the wheels running in it, the objec-
tionable splitting or separation of the rail from that cause is obviated. The bottoms
of the walls of my tram rail have splayed out flanges, either continuously or at
intervals, for the stones next the rail to rest upon, and to thereby preserve the level
surface of the roadway at that part.
These splayed flanges also form bearers to rest upon the timbers or upon concrete,
to which they can be secured by spikes or other fasteners if necessary. The central
grooved rail, as above described, enables the rail to be reversed end for end on the
timbers or concrete, so that as one top side surface on which the wheels have run
have become worn, a fresh surface can be brought into position and the rail be made
useful again, instead of being set aside, as is now the case. The projection or bulge
under the groove enables this to be done with advantage.
In some cases the side walls of the rails are notched or formed with ratchet teeth-
like projections, so that the stones can be set upon the splayed flange or flanges at
an angle to the line of rail, the notches and the stones being so set as to resist the
onward bearing thrust of the vehicle, and thereby also preserve the level of the road
at the sides of the rails. The splayed flange or flanges prevent the stones dropping

page_text: should water get below the rail, as is now the case, whereby the substructure is made
rotten.
The bulge or projection under the groove, as herein-before mentioned, is applicable
for all kinds of hollow tram rails.
According to another plan I make a top and bottom double-faced central grooved
tram rail, and key it at intervals within chairs which are attached to the timber.
This rail is reversible end for end and face to face from both working faces, whereby
each rail can be available for. four working surfaces.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Henry Betteley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
April 1879.
JOSEPH HENRY BETTELEY, of No. 40, Fleet Street, in the City of London,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAM RAILS."
The first part of my Invention relates to hollow tram rails having a top groove,.
and consists in forming a projection or bulge directly under the groove within the
space between the two side walls, so that as the top surface of the rail wears and the
groove becomes cut or worn by the flanges of the wheels running in it, the objec-
tional splitting or separation of the rail from that cause is obviated. The bottoms
of the walls of these tram rails may have splayed out flanges, either continuously or
at intervals, for the stones next the rails to rest upon, and to thereby preserve the
level surface of the roadway at that part.
These splayed flanges also form bearers to rest upon the timbers or upon concrete,
to which they can be secured by spikes or other fasteners if necessary.
If the rail has a central groove the rail can be reversed end for end on the timbers
or concrete, so that as one top side surface or tread on which the wheels have run
has become worn, a fresh surface can be brought into position and the rail be made
useful again, instead of being set aside as is now the case. The projection or bulge
under the groove enables this to be done with advantage. The projection or bulge
under the groove is applicable to double and single tread hollow tram rails, whether
the bottoms of the side walls have splayed out flanges or not.
The second part of this Invention consists in notching the side walls of the rails
or forming them with ratchet teeth like projections, so that the stones can be set (in
some cases upon the splayed flange or flanges) at an angle to the line of rail.
Instead of the rails being notched or angled spaced, I can attach to the sides of a
tram rail a notched or ratchet toothed flange plate of any convenient form, held to
the sides of the rail by fastenings, the plates presenting a flat surface to the road,
and the toothed edge to the stones or "pitching," to resist the onward bearing
thrust of the tram car and preserve the level of the road at the sides of the rails,
and particularly so if the stones rest upon the splayed flanges, which also prevents
the stones dropping should water get below the rail, as is now the case, whereby the
substructure is made rotten.
According to another plan I make a top and bottom double-faced central grooved;
tram rail, and key it at intervals within chairs which can be attached to the timber,
the timber being sufficiently wide to form a bed for the stones.
This rail is rever-

page_text: sible end for end and face for face from both working sides, whereby each rail can
be available for four working surfaces; said tram rails may be built up from shaped
metal of convenient forms by the rolling operation.
My Invention is clearly shown in the annexed Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a
perspective sectional view of a portion of a hollow tram rail having double treads
A, B, and an intermediate groove C for the flange of the car wheels to run in to
keep the vehicle on the track. D is the projection or bulge under the groove to
give an increased thickness of metal at that part to prevent, as before stated, a
separation of the rail through the cutting action of the edges of the wheel flanges,
which bear on the bottom of the groove as the treads A, B, are worn down by the
traffic. E, E, are the side walls of the hollow rail, and I purpose filling the
chamber F with concrete or other material to give solidity to the rail, and also that
the grooved portion finds a solid bearing upon the foundation, which may be of
timber or other material. G, G, are flange webs to rest upon the foundation, to
which the rails can be bolted or spiked in the usual manner.
Figure 2 is a sectional perspective view of a single tread rail of the same pattern,
the bulge D being under the groove, as before explained. The flange webs
G, G, of these rails are sufficiently wide on the surface to carry the first row
of pitch stones of the road, which are supported by the flanges, said stones
being thereby prevented sinking into the earth should water get under them.
In practice by present construction of tram tracks the first row of stones next tho
tram rails resting upon the earth or upon concrete are being continually shifted by
vibration caused by the passage of cars, the weight of which always in the samo
direction thrusts the track onwards sufficiently to push the first row of stones away
from the rails as to produce a looseness of these stones, which allows rain or other
water to pass down the interstices so formed, and the foundations to be kept wet.
The stones in consequence of this looseness and from the soppy state of the earth
produce a rottenness of the track, and as the wheels of ordinary vehicles are con-
tinually crossing the track, these stones become pressed into the soft earth and
below the level, a continual trituration of the earth going on until the track becomes
dangerous.
The flange webs G, G, may have strips of wood laid upon them to serve as a
cushion for the first row of pitch stones to rest upon to reduce the vibration from the
onward thrust of the cars, and the crushing effect and concussion of ordinary vehicles
passing over them.
Figures 3 and 4, Sheet 2, represent the ends of two adjoining tram rails with my
bulge under the groove. El is a shoe or socket for receiving the two rails' ends, the
shoe resting upon the wooden sleeper foundation I, to which it is fastened in the
ordinary manner: The shoe is hollow, and its upper part is shaped to correspond.
with the under surface of the rails. L, M, are the side stones next the rails, and
resting upon the flanges, as before referred to.
Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of portions of two of my rails, on the
flanges of which strips of wood J, K, are placed for the stones next the rails to rest
upon. In Figure 5 the hollow of the rail is filled with concrete, and in Figure 6
it is left open.
Figure 7 is a sectional view of one of my hollow rails with the side walls E, E,
splayed out, the web flanges being dispensed with. This construction of rail can
rest direct upon a timber foundation, to which it can be held to by "dog spikes;"
or the bottoms of the walls can rest in clip chairs for preventing the walls springing
open to a greater extent, and also to hold the rails down upon the timbers.
Figure 8 represents a single tread reversible rail attached by bolts to a continuous
chair, or it may be to chairs, at intervals. In this arrangement I prefer that the
chair be continuous to preserve the inner wall of the groove, and for the first row
of stones upon the flange to rest against to preserve the evenness of the road, the
flanges G, G, preventing the first row of stones sinking, as before explained.
Figure 9 is a sectional view of another form of single tread reversible rail. This
I prefer should be held in chairs fitted at intervals to which the rail can be fixed

page_text: by bolts N, the chairs resting upon the timber foundation in the usual manner.
The chairs if continuous have the flanges for the first row of stones on each side of
the rail to rest upon.
Figure 10 represents a section of a form of compound rail. In this arrangement
the treads A, B, of each side piece P, Q, are capable of being reversed, the rail
serving for either inside or outside flanged car wheels, or for doubled tread car
wheels having a central flange. The chair of this rail I prefer should be continuous,
but the chairs may be at intervals, the groove being filled in to the necessary
height by wood or other material.
Figure 11 is a view of a portion of a rail with pieces removed from a top side
flange on one side, whereby spaces are left into which pitch stones can be arranged,
as on the left-hand part of Figure 12.
Figure 13 represents a portion of a rail with angled spaces formed in the top
flange, in which the pitch stones can be set at an angle, as on the right-hand part
of Figure 12.
Arranging the first row of stones next the rails, according to either of the
methods shown in Figure 11 or 13, resists the onward thrust given to the per-
manent way by the weight of heavily laden cars, which causes the stones to loosen
and the grouting to separate into distinct particles, and ultimately to become
squashy, as is now the case.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
The construction of hollow rolled tram rails in steel or wrought iron with a bulge
or projection under and in line with the groove, as described with reference to
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the annexed Drawings.
Secondly. I claim the construction of rolled hollow train rails with a bulge or
projection under the groove, and with or without spread flanges for the rows of
stones next the rails to rest upon, as set forth with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, and 7 of the annexed Drawings.
Thirdly. The single tread reversible tram rail, described with reference to Figure 8
of the annexed Drawings.
Fourthly. I claim the single tread reversible tram rail, described with reference
to Figure 9 of the annexed Drawings.
Fifthly. I claim the double tread reversible rail, described with reference to
Figure 10 of the annexed Drawings.
Sixthly. I claim the construction of tram rails with notched or angled spaced top
flanges, or with notched or angled spaced plates attached to' tram rails, as described
with reference to Figures 11 and 13 of the annexed Drawings, whether said rails
are hollow or solid, or have my bulge or projection under the groove or otherwise.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Henry Betteley, have hereunto set 'my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
Witness,
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent,
40, Fleet Street,
London.
JOSEPH HENRY BETTELEY. (L.S.)