Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Railway Chairs and Sleepers, and to Means for Securing the Rails thereto.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Railway Chairs and
Sleepers, and to Means for Securing the Rails thereto.
We, JAMES HOWARD and EDWARD TENNEY BOUSFIELD both of Bedford in the
County of Bedford, Engineers, and WILLIAM ROBERT BOUSFIELD of No. 1, Temple
Gardens in the County of Middlesex, Barrister at Law, Associate of the Institution
of Civil Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
Our invention relates to the manufacture of railway chairs either separate from or
integral with a sleeper and to means for securing the rails in such chairs, and it
comprises the improvements hereinafter described.
Our improved chair is provided with two or more lugs or cheek pieces projecting
from a sole plate or from the upper surface of the sleeper, the said lugs, except in
special cases, being arranged to receive the rail between them.
Each chair is usually constructed with lugs or cheek pieces arranged side by side
in pairs at a given distance apart, two of such lugs forming one side of the chair,
and the corresponding cheek pieces or lugs the other side of the chair.
The rail may be secured in this chair by means of the ordinary wood wedge. In
order, however, to provide a sufficient bearing surface for the wedge and one which
shall at the same time be elastic, each lug upon which the wedge is. intended
to impinge can be provided with an inwardly turned portion, which inwardly turned
portions serve to bridge the space between the two lugs or cheeks. The said inwardly
turned portions of the lugs are so formed as to afford an elastic bed for the wedge;
when, therefore, the wedge is inserted in position it has a constant following pressure
exerted upon it, thus preventing any slackness between the key and the rail owing to
the contraction of the wood key. The latter is thus effectually prevented from
shaking loose and sliding out.
In some cases we bridge the space between the lugs which form the check of the
chair by a detachable elastic bridge piece or
« liner
which embraces the said lugs
and operates in a similar manner to the inwardly turned portions last described.
This elastic bridge piece or liner may also be used with advantage in a chair having
solid sides or jaws, and may be formed with corrugations. It may also be located
between the wedge and the rail instead of between the rail and the chair, and arranged
to embrace the wedge.
I sometimes employ a metal wedge instead of a wood wedge, in this case the said
metal wedge is very advantageously provided with grooves or serrations on one side
adapted to receive the lugs of the chair or the corrugations of the liner.

page_text: The rail has a bearing surface over the full width of the chair or sleeper, and the
form of the chair admits of the insertion of a wooden or other elastic cushion or
seating for the rail. Owing to the formation of the chair this clastic cushion or
seating may be so fitted to the chair that no shifting of the said cushion or scating is
possible.
Our improved chair may be made with a flat bottom to rest upon a wooden or
other sleeper, or it may be made with flanges at the outer edges in order to embrace
the sleeper.
The mode in which our improved chair and combined sleeper and chairs are most
conveniently and cheaply manufactured is as follows:-Bars of trough or other shape
having two or more longitudinal ribs on the upper surface are rolled or otherwise
produced. These bars are then cut to the desired lengths, the lugs being formed by
cutting away portions of the said ribs (by means of suitable machinery; and in some
cases without re-heating the bars) and the bridge piece by turning in portions of the
said ribs. By this novel method of manufacture, we produce an efficient railway
chair with a bridge piece and also a combined sleeper and chairs, at a low cost.
In order to do away with the necessity for wedges, we sometimes form our chairs
with a single cheek or lug on each side of the rail, these lugs being so shaped and
placed as to offer a support, when the rail is secured in position, to each side of the
rail, which, when inserted into the chair, is brought into contact with both checks or
lugs. The side of each cheek may be bent outwards so as to give an extended
bearing surface to the rail.
One method of securing the rail to the chair is by an eccentric block which is
mounted upon the chair and held in position by a suitable wedge or screw.
In some cases we roll three or more ribs upon the bars. We are then able to
form plates or sleepers with two or more sets of chairs on them, which may be used
either at the junctions of the rails or at points or crossings.
The means before described for bending the sides of the cheeks of the chairs to
form a
bridge piece for the fastening key we use with great advantage in different
ways to obtain a bearing surface for the rails, and also for bolt fastenings to secure the
rails-for example, in the construction of points where ordinary one-sided chairs are
used.
"
Our improved chairs, and sleepers with chairs are especially adapted for supporting
the junctions of the rails, where "fish-joints are commonly used. By our system,
the rail ends, do not overhang the chairs, the sleepers being made of extra width to
give ample bearing surface to the junctions of the rails which lie upon the chairs.
The "fish-plates are either embraced by the checks of the chairs or lie between them,
and they are so placed as to admit of the bolts of the "fish-plates" being screwed up.
In some cases (for example, when forming longitudinal sleepers) we bend or turn
down portions of the ribs, the rail being laid lengthwise along the sleeper between
such turned-down portions, which receive the flange of the rail on one side, and
the fastening key on the other side. Such longitudinal sleepers are connected
by cross-ties to preserve the gauge.
In some cases also we connect two chairs by one or more tie-rods or by a single
plate of metal, in order to form a combined sleeper and chairs.
This combination is intended as a substitute for the ordinary cast iron " 'pot
sleeper."
Our improved railway chairs and sleepers combined with chairs possess the
advantages of great strength with minimum weight, simplicity, durability and security
of the key fastenings as well as increased bearing surface for the rail.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1886
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Sleepers, and to Means for Securing the Rails thereto.
We, JAMES HOWARD and EDWARD TENNEY BOUSFIELD, both of Bedford, in the
County of Bedford, Engineers, and WILLIAM ROBERT BOUSFIELD, of No. 1 Temple
Gardens, in the County of Middlesex, Barrister at Law, Associate of the Institution of
Civil Engineers, 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 :-
Our invention relates to the manufacture of railway-chairs either separate from or
integral with sleepers, and to means for securing the rails in such chairs.
Our improved chair is provided with lugs or check-pieces projecting from a sole-
plate or from the upper surface of the sleeper, the said lugs or cheek-pieces, except in
special cases, being arranged to receive the rail between them.
Each chair is usually constructed with the lugs or cheek-pieces arranged side by side
in pairs at any desired distance apart, one pair of such lugs or check-pieces forming
one side of the chair, and the other pair thereof forming the other side of the chair.
The rail may be secured in this chair by means of a wooden wedge such as those
ordinarily used, or by means of any other suitable key. In order, however, to provide
a bed or bearing surface for the wedge or key, which shall have sufficient area and at
the same time be elastic, the lugs or check-pieces forming the side of the chair into
which the wedge or key is to be inserted are formed with inwardly turned portions,
that is to say, with portions which are extended so as to form a bed for the wedge at
right angles to the main portions of the said lugs, or cheek-pieces. These inwardly
turned portions bridge the space between the said lugs or check-pieces and form an
elastic bed, so that, when the wedge or key is driven into its proper position in the
chair, it will have a constant following pressure exerted upon it, which will effectually
prevent the slackening of the said wedge or key by contraction or vibration.
The lugs or check-pieces forming the other side of the chair may also be made with
inwardly turned portions to provide an extended bearing surface for the rail.
It is obvious that we can, if desired, make the lugs or cheek-pieces with outwardly
turned portions for the purposes above specified. We prefer, however, that the bearing
surfaces should extend between the said lugs or check-pieces.
The above described peculiar formation of the lugs or cheek-pieces we use with
great advantage in different ways to obtain a bearing surface for the rails and also for
bolt-fastenings for securing the rails, for example in the construction of points where
one-sided chairs are ordinarily used, and for supporting the junctions of the rails where
"fish-joints" are commonly used.
We also apply our improvements to longitudinal sleepers and to "pot-sleepers" as
hereinafter described.

page_text: in the accompanying drawings:
Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate one form of our improved railway-chair, Figure 1
showing the chair in plan with the rail secured therein by means of a wedge or key,
the rail being shown in horizontal section, Figure 2 being a transverse section of the
said chair, rail and wedge or key, and Figure 3 a section on the line, x, Figure 2,
the rail and the wedge or key being removed.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate another form or modification of our improved railway-
chair, Figure 4 being a plan of the said chair and Figure 5 a transverse section of the
same with the rail and the wedge or key therein.
Figures 6 and 7 illustrate another form or modification of our railway-chair, Figure 6
being a transverse section and Figure 7 a section on the line x, x', Figure 6.
Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the application of our invention to a jointing chair,
Figure 8 being a plan in which the rails are shown in horizontal section, and Figure 9
a section on the line 2, 2, Figure 8.
Figure 10 is a side elevation, partly in vertical longitudinal central section, of one
form of our combined sleeper and chairs.
Figures 11, 12, 13 and 14 illustrate a modification of our combined sleeper and
chairs, Figure 11 being a plan view in which the rail is shown in horizontal section,
Figure 12 a vertical longitudinal central section, the rail and key being shown in
transverse section, Figure 13 a section on the line y, y, Figure 12, the rail and koy
being removed, and Figure 14 a perspective view.
Figure 14 is a plan, and
Figure 14 a transverse soction on the line 3, ³, Figure 14°, illustrating another
form or modification of our combined sleeper and chairs.
Figures 15, 16 and 17 illustrate a further modification of our combined sleeper and
chairs, Figure 15 being a plan view, Figure 16 a vertical longitudinal central section,
the rail and key being shown in transverse section, and Figure 17 a section on the
lino y', y', Figure 16, the rail being shown in side elevation.
Figures 18 and 19 show a longitudinal sleeper made according to our invention,
Figure 18 being a side elevation and Figure 19 a transverse section on the line y², y²,
Figure 18.
«
Figures 20, 21, 22 and 23 illustrate a
pot sleeper" made according to our
invention, Figure 20 being a plan, Figure 21 a vertical longitudinal central section,
Figure 22 a transverso section on the line z, z, Figure 21, and Figure 23 a transverse
section on the line 2, 1, Figure 21.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
a is the sole-plate or base-plate of the chair; a', a¹ are the lugs or cheek-pieces
projecting upward therefrom. 6 is the rail which is placed between the lugs or cheek-
pieces on one side of the chair and those on the other side thereof. c is the wedge or
key for securing the said rail in the chair. a, a² are the portions of the said lugs or
cheek-pieces which are bent or turned inward, as above described, to form an extended
bearing surface for the rail and an elastic bed or bearing surface for the wedge
or key c.
The chair shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is made with a flat bottom to rest upon a
wooden or other sleeper, and the rail rests directly upon the sole-plate of the said
chair. The chair shown in Figures 4 and 5 is so formed as to admit of the insertion
of a wooden or other elastic cushion or seating d for the rail. This elastic cushion or
seating is formed with a recess on each side thereof and is fitted between the two
pairs of lugs or cheek-pieces, so that the latter extend into the said recesses and
effectually prevent accidental shifting or displacement of the said cushion or seating.
The chair shown in Figures 6 and 7 is made with flanges a³ to engage with or
embrace the sleeper.
In Figures 8 and 9, we have shown our invention applied to a jointing chair which
is provided with only one pair of lugs or cheek-pieces a', the portions a of which are
bent outward and serve as an efficient substitute for one of the fish-plates of the rail-
joint. An ordinary fish-plate e is used and the bolts are passed through the
portions a³, the rail and the said fish-plate, and are secured by means of screw-nuts f¹.

page_text: In Figure 10, we have shown a combined sleeper and chairs, the sleeper g having
the chairs formed integrally therewith according to our said invention. This combined
sleeper and chairs is straight from end to end. We have found, however, that, in
some cases, the use of a sleeper having the under part formed as in Figure 10 is
attended with certain disadvantages which may be effectually obviated by raising the
parts of the sleepers which are to form the seats for the rails (that is to say, the parts
under the chairs) above the other parts thereof. We are thus enabled to keep the rails
clear of the ballast and to facilitate the wedging of the ballast under the sleeper, and,
at the same time, to prevent the end wise motion of the sleeper. This modification of
our invention is illustrated in Figures 11, 12 13 and 14 wherein the sleeper g is made
with an arch g¹ under the chair. The ribs a' which form the lugs for holding the rail
may, as shown, in some cases extend from end to end of the sleeper except where they
are cut and bent inward as herein described to embrace the rail and form the bearing
surfaces at a².
The mode in which our improved chair and combined sleeper and chairs are most
conveniently and cheaply manufactured is as follows, that is to say -We produce in
the ordinary manner, by rolling or otherwise, bars which are trough-shaped or of
other suitable form and which have two or more longitudinal ribs projecting from the
upper surface thereof. Pieces of the required length are cut or severed from these
bars to form the chairs or combined sleepers and chairs, and the spaces for the rails
are formed by cutting away portions of the said ribs, or by cutting the said ribs and
bending portions of the same to form the bridge-pieces or bearing surfaces herein-
before referred to.
In manufacturing combined sleepers and chairs of the modified form shown in
Figures 11, 12, 13 and 14, the bars or pieces produced as above described, while still
hot from the rolls, may have the required form or configuration imparted to them in
a hydraulic or other press by means of suitable dies, or in any ordinary mode, the
parts of the bars which are to form the scats for the rails being raised or arched to
the desired height and the flanges of the bed-plate or sole-plate shaped as required;
the ribs may then be cut and bent as above described.
It will be seen that, in the chairs above described, the bearing surface upon which
the rail rests extends across the entire width of the sole-plate or sleeper.
Figures 15, 16 and 17 illustrate a modification in which the rails are of the form
shown, the sleeper being armed beneath the rails as before described. In these
Figures, we have shown a metal wedge c for securing the rails, which is formed with
a serrated or corrugated surface c¹ so that the ends of the ribs a² will engage there-
with and securely rotain it in place.
In some cases (for example in forming longitudinal sleepers), we bend or turn
down portions of the ribs; the rail is laid lengthwise along the sleeper between such
turned-down portions, which receive the flange of the rail on one side and the
fastening key on the other side. A longitudinal sleeper made in this manner is
shown in Figures 18 and 19, in which at, at are the turned-down portions of the
ribs; the remaining portions of the said ribs are, in this case, cut away; they may,
however, be retained if desired. Such longitudinal sleepers are connected by suitable
cross-ties to preserve the gauge.
In some cases, we connect two of our chairs by one or more tie-rods, or by a
single plate of metal, in order to form a combined sleeper and chairs.
In Figures 20 to 23, we have shown a modified form of combined sleeper and
chairs intended as a substitute for the ordinary cast-iron "pot sleeper."
The sleepery is made with ribs a¹ the parts a of which are bent or turned down to
form two chairs. It is, moreover, depressed in the centre to form a recess g³ for the
reception of the end of the tie rod h, as shown.
The ribs which form the lugs or cheek-pieces of our chairs or combined sleepers
and chairs may, if desired, be formed at the sides of the sole-plate or sleeper, as
shown for instance in Figures 14 and 14°, or in any convenient position between
the said sides.
When the said ribs are placed wide apart, we may perforate or cut away a portion

page_text: or portions of the sleeper hetween the said ribs, as shown for instance at g² in
Figure 14, to lighten the sleeper and also to afford facility for wedging the ballast
under the rail-seats.
Our improved railway-chairs and combined sleepers and chairs possess the advan-
tages of great strength with minimum weight, simplicity, durability and security of
the key-fastenings, as well as increased bearing surface for the rail.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we wish it understood that we are
aware that sleepers and chairs having ribs or projections formed on the sole-plate and
cut away to receive the rail have been heretofore proposed and some forms thereof
have been described in the specifications of the following former Letters Patent,
viz:-No. 2089 dated 16th July 1867, No. 1601 dated 15th May 1868, No. 4120
dated 1st December 1874, No. 4712 dated 16th April 1885, and No. 5389 dated
1st May 1885; and we make no claim to any of the devices or methods described in
these specifications, but we claim :-
First The improved railway-chair manufactured substantially in the manner
hereinbefore described and arranged as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Second-The combination, with such improved railway-chair, of a bed-picce of
wood or other suitable material substantially as herein before described with reference
to Figures 4 and 5.
Third The provision, in combination with such improved railway-chair, of
flanges a as hereinbefore described and shown in Figures 6 and 7.
Fourth-The modified form of railway-chair applied for jointing as hereinbefore
described and shown in Figures 8 and 9.
Fifth The combined sleeper and chairs one modification of which is shown in
Figure 10, the chairs being constructed and arranged substantially as shown in the
preceding Figures and the whole being manufactured and arranged substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Sixth The modified form of combined sleeper and chairs hereinbefore described
with reference to Figures 11, 12, 13 and 14, or to Figures 14 and 14b.
Seventh The modified form of combined sleeper and chairs hereinbefore described
with reference to Figures 15, 16 and 17, with or without the peculiar form of wedge
indicated.
Eighth A sleeper arched in the portions under the rails substantially as, and for
the purposes herein before described with reference to Figures 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
and 17.
Ninth The improved form of longitudinal sleeper hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 18 and 19.
Tenth The improved pot-sleeper substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 20, 21, 22 and 23.
EDWARD TENNEY BOUSFIELD.
Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.