A New or Improved Railway Tie and Rail Fastening Device.
Year: 1885

page_text: A New or Improved Railway Tie and Rail Fastening Device.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign.
Patent Solicitors, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and
323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED RAILWAY TIE AND
"
RAIL FASTENING DEVICE (a.communication from abroad by Leander Edmund
Whipple of Hartford, City, and County, State of Connecticut, United States of
America) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in metallic railway
ties and in devices for attaching rails thereto.
The aim of this invention is to produce a strong inexpensive and durable tie,
and to provide a means whereby the rails may be attached thereto securely and
easily.
To this end it consists in a tie composed of top and bottom plates flanged to
engage the edges of two upright curved supporting plates, the whole constituting
the body of the tie. The bottom plate is constructed of flat form and of uniform
width with its two edges curled upward and inward to form lips or flanges. The
top plate which is usually of a width somewhat less than that of the base plate,
has its outer edges curled downward and inward forming lips or flanges thereon.
The body plates are each of a semi-circular or substantially semi-circular form in
cross section, and are placed together side by side with their convex surfaces bearing
against each other and seated between the top and bottom plates. Their lower
edges are seated within the flanges of the base-plate, and their upper edges within
the flanges of the top plate.
It will be observed that when thus, arranged the top plates are seated and
confined firmly against each other so as to give mutual support and maintain the
top plate rigidly in position.
The flanges or lips may be compressed with more or less firmness upon the body
plates, and, if desired, nuts, rivets, or equivalent fastening devices may be passed
through the edges to confine the parts in their proper relative positions. If
preferred, the top and bottom plates may be extended beyond the top plates and
the flanges closed together at the extremities in order to prevent end motion of the
parts with respect to each other. In order to provide for the slight variations
which may occur in the expansion and contraction of the several parts, the rivet
holes may be elongated in the direction of the length of the tie.

page_text: While it is preferred to have the body plates of substantially semi-circular form
in cross section it is to be understood that they may be made of angular or other
appropriate form provided they are adapted to support each other midway of their
height or thereabout.
The rail-fastening device consists of two plates. The main plate of such length
that when placed transversely upon the tie it will project on both sides, the
extended ends being adapted to be bent downward to engage beneath the edges of
the tie for the purpose of retaining the device thereon. On one edge of the plate
there is a projection which is curved upward and inward forming a lip to engage
over one side or edge of the base of the rail. The opposite edge of the rail is
secured in place by a removable plate provided with holes to receive rivets, bolts
or equivalent fastening devices by which it is united to the main plate.
In making use of this device it is placed on top of the tie and beneath the rail
and the ends hammered into position to clasp securely the edges of the tie. This
bending may take place either before or after the device is applied to the tie. After
the rail is placed in position with one edge engaged beneath the lip, the plate is
secured in place. The movement of the fastening devices lengthwise of the tie may
be prevented by extending one or more of the bolts or rivets downward into holes
in the top of the tie, or by any other appropriate fastening device.
The fastening is commonly constructed of plate, steel or equivalent material
possessing the quality of elasticity in order that its edges may engage with a
yielding or elastic pressure so as to maintain a close connection of the parts and
prevent the noise and clatter which would otherwise occur.

page_text: To this end it consists in a tie composed of top and bottom plates flanged to
engage the edges of two upright curved supporting plates, the whole constituting
the body of the tie.
It further consists in a plate having depending arms or lips to engage the edges
of the tie and upturned lips to engage the edges of the rail.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1. represents in perspective one end of my improved tie with the rail-
attaching device applied thereto, the removable lip of the latter being separate.
Figure 2. is a perspective view of the rail-attaching device as it appears previous
to its application to the tie.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through one end of the tie with the
rail and fastening device in position thereon.
Figure 4 is a top plan view showing the original form of the blanks from which
the fastening device is constructed.
Referring to the drawings:-
A, represents the tie, consisting of the top plate a, the bottom plate b, and the
two supporting plates c and c¹. The bottom plate is constructed of flat form and
of uniform width with its two edges curled upward, and inward to form lips or
flanges. The top plate a which is usually of a width somewhat less than that of
the base plate, has its outer edges curled downward and inward forming lips or
flanges thereon. The body plates c c¹, are each of a semi-circular or substantially
semi-circular form in cross section, and are placed together side by side with their
convex surfaces bearing against each other and seated between the top and bottom.
plates as shown. Their lower edges are seated within the flanges of the base-plate,
and their upper edges within the flanges of the top plate in the manner plainly
shown in the drawings.
It will be observed that when thus arranged the body plates are seated and
confined firmly against each other so as to give mutual support and maintain the
top plate rigidly in position.
The flanges or lips may be compressed with more or less firmness upon the body
plates, and, if desired, nuts, rivets or equivalent fastening devices may be passed
through the edges to confine the parts in their proper relative positions. If
preferred, the top and bottom plates may be extended beyond the body plates and
the flanges closed together at the extremities in order to prevent end motion of the
parts with respect to each other. In order to provide for the slight variations
which may occur in the expansion and contraction of the several parts, the rivet
holes may be elongated in the direction of the length of the tie.
While it is preferred to have the body plates of substantially semi-circular form
in cross section it is to be understood that they may be made of angular or other
appropriate form provided they are adapted to support each other midway of their
height or thereabout.
Referring now to the rail-fastening device B, it will be found to consist of two
plates d and e, the main part d consists of a plate such as shown in Figure 4 of
such length that when placed transversely upon the tie it will project on both sides,
the extended ends being adapted to be bent downward to engage beneath the edges
of the tie for the purpose of retaining the device thereon. On one edge of the
plate there is a projection f which is curved upward and inward as shown in
Figures 2 and 3, forming a lip to engage over one side or edge of the base of the
rail. The opposite edge of the rail is secured in place by a removable plate e
provided with holes to receive rivets, bolts or equivalent fastening devices by which
it is united to the main plate.
In making use of this device it is placed on top of the tie and beneath the rail,
as represented in Figure 2, and the ends hammered or otherwise bent into position
to clasp securely the edges of the tie. This bending may take place either before
or after the device is applied to the tie.
After the rail is placed in position with one edge engaged beneath the lip f, the
plate e is secured in place. The movement of the fastening devices lengthwise of

page_text: the tie may be prevented by extending one or more of the bolts or rivets downward
into holes in the top of the tie, or by any other appropriate fastening device.
The fastening is commonly constructed of plate steel or equivalent material
possessing the quality of elasticity, in order that its edges may engage with a
yielding or elastic pressure, so as to maintain a close connection of the parts and
prevent the noise and clatter which would otherwise occur.
- Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a railroad tie, the combination of a base-plate, a top plate, and two inter-
vening plates of curved or angular form in cross section arranged to bear against
each other.
.
2. The railroad tie, consisting of a flanged top-plate, the flanged base plate, and
the substantially semi-circular plates c c¹, seated against each other and within the
flanges of the top and bottom plates, substantially as described and shown.
3. In a railroad tie, a top plate and two supporting plates therefor seated against
each other midway of their height and separated at their upper and lower edges.
4. In a railroad tie, the combination of a base-plate, a top plate, and two curved
supporting plates united midway of their height by bolts or rivets, substantially as
described and shown.
5. In a railroad tie, the base plate and the top plate in combination with the
curved supporting plates, and the rivets or bolts connecting the supporting plates
with each other and with the top and bottom plates respectively.
6. The rail fastening device having lips on the upper side to embrace the base of
the rail, and ductile lips on the under side to engage the edges of the tie.
7. The fastening consisting of the plate d having the extended ends and the
lip f, formed thereon, and the separate plate e, adapted for attachment thereto.
Dated this 15th day of March 1886.