IMPROVE- MENTS IN SLEEPERS FOR RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS AND IN FASTENINGS GUND BROD
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hamilton Lindsay-Bucknall, of 8, Victoria Chambers,
Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SLEEPERS FOR RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS AND IN FASTENINGS
GUND BROD"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hamilton Lindsay-Bucknall
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd July 1881.
HAMILTON LINDSAY-BUCKNALL, of S, Victoria Chambers, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEPERS FOR RAILWAYS AND TRAM-
WAYS AND IN FASTENINGS THEREFOR."
My Invention relates to the manufacture of glass railway and tramway sleepers
described in the Specification to my previous Patent of 4th March 1878, No. 866.
One part of my present Invention has for its object to enable the rails to be
secured to the glass sleepers by means of screw bolts without forming holes right
through the sleeper for the bolts. For this purpose, according to one arrangement,
in making the glass sleeper I mould therein recesses that at one point are wide
enough to receive the head of a screw bolt, while at another part they are under-
cut, so that when the bolt has been dropped into the wide part it can be slid with
its head into the undercut part so as to be securely held therein. In applying this
arrangement to sleepers for flanged or Vignoles' rails, I either form such recesses in
the part of the sleeper on which the rail beds (the sleeper being itself recessed to
receive the flange of the rail), so that the screw bolt passes through a hole in the
flange of the rail which is secured by a nut, or I form the recess outside the bed of
the rail, and I secure the latter by means of a dog or clip through which the screw
bolt passes and which overlaps the flange of the rail.
According to another arrangement, instead of forming a recess such as above
described, I mould an undercut groove right across the face of the sleeper, so that
the head of the bolt can be slid into the groove from either side and moved therein
to the point required for securing the rail. According to another arrangement for
securing flanged rails on to glass sleepers I employ a strong metal strap, one end of
which is formed with a hook or claw that grips the flange of the rail on the one

page_text: side of the sleeper, from which point the strap passes down and then diagonally
underneath the sleeper, rising up again on the other side thereof diagonally opposite
the said claw. This part is also formed with a hook or claw overhanging the flange
of the rail at a sufficient distance above the same for the insertion of a wooden
wedge or key, so that by driving in the latter the rail is held by the strap at two
diagonally opposite points, the sleeper being in this case only recessed for the bed
of the rail. This construction of fastening is also applicable to sleepers of other
materials than glass.
According to another arrangement I provide a strap or bolt having a hook or
claw at its lower end which passes underneath the bottom of the sleeper, while the
upper part passes up against the side of the sleeper and through a hole in the
flange of the rail; the upper end of the bolt is either threaded and provided with a
nut by which it securely fixes down the rail, or it may be formed with a loop and
secured by a cotter.
The glass sleepers may either be formed as transverse sleepers for taking both
the rails, or they may be separate blocks for each rail connected by ties. In the
Jatter case they are formed as solid blocks of either rectangular or elliptical shape,
by preference rounded off at the edges and having recessed beds for the rail or
chair, the latter being secured by bolts fitting in undercut grooves or recesses, as
above described. For connecting the two opposite sleepers a tie bar is used having
a head at each end, which is by preference made with a central hole or eye formed
by bending the bar round. In the ends of the glass sleepers are moulded recesses
corresponding in configuration to but larger than the said heads and end portion of
the tie bar, so that when the head is inserted into the recess a small space is left
all round between the two, into which I run a suitable strong cementing material,
by preference the material well known as Spence's metal," which on solidifying
will securely fix the tie bar in the sleeper. A portion of the cementing material
also enters the hole in the head of the tie bar from below, and thus acts as a stud or
pin, affording increased security. The recess in the sleeper may be made slightly
undercut, and the head of the tie bar be correspondingly dovetailed so as to afford
increased hold. The same method of fastening may also be applied to the before-
described screw bolts for fastening the rails or chairs, namely, the recesses be
made undercut and of such a size that the dovetailed head of the bolt can pass
freely into it, after which the intervening space in the recess is run in with melted
Spence's metal.
"
In securing flat tram rails to continuous glass sleepers the rail is formed with a
flange on each side embracing the top of the sleeper, and in the one side of the
latter is formed a recess, such as above described, into which-is fitted a dovetail
head formed on a strap that passes up to the one flange of the rail, and is secured
thereto by a screw.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Hamilton Lindsay-Bucknall in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th January 1882.
HAMILTON LINDSAY-BUCKNALL, of 8, Victoria Chambers, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEPERS FOR RAILWAYS AND TRAM-
WAYS."
My Invention relates to the manufacture of glass railway and tramway sleepers
described in the Specification to my previous Patent of the 4th March 1878,
No. 866.
One part of my present Invention has for its object to enable the rails to be
secured to the glass sleepers by means of screw bolts without forming holes right
through the sleeper for the bolts. For this purpose, according to one arrangement,
in making the glass sleeper I mould therein recesses that at one point are wide
enough to receive the head of a screw bolt while at another part they are undercut,
so that when the bolt has been dropped into the wide part, it can be slid with its
head into the undercut part, so as to be securely held therein. In applying this
arrangement to sleepers for flanged or Vignoles' rails, I either form such recesses in
the part of the sleeper on which the rail beds (the sleeper being itself recessed to
receive the flange of the rail), so that the screw bolt passes through a hole in the
flange of the rail which is secured by a nut, or I form the recess outside the bed of
the rail and I secure the latter by means of a dog or clip through which the screw
bolt passes and which overlaps the flange of the rail.
According to another arrangement, instead of forming a recess such as above
described, I mould an undercut groove right across the face of the sleeper, so that
the head of the bolt can be slid into the groove from either side and moved therein
to the point required for securing the rail.
According to another arrangement for securing flanged rails on to glass sleepers,
I employ a strong metal strap, one end of which is formed with a hook or claw
that grips the flange of the rail on the one side of the sleeper, from which point
the strap passes down and then diagonally underneath the sleeper, rising up again
on the other side thereof diagonally opposite the said claw. This part is also
formed with a hook or claw overhanging the flange of the rail at a sufficient
distance above the same for the insertion of a wooden wedge or key, so that by
driving in the latter the rail is held by the strap at two diagonally opposite
points, the sleeper being in this case only recessed for the bed of the rail. This
construction of fastening is also applicable to sleepers of other materials than
glass.
According to another arrangement I provide a strap or bolt having a hook or claw
at its lower end which passes underneath the bottom of the sleeper, while the
upper part passes up against the side of the sleeper and through a hole in the
flange of the rail; the upper end of the bolt is either threaded and provided with a
nut by which it securely fixes down the rail, or it may be formed with a loop and
secured by a cotter.
The glass sleepers may either be formed as transverse sleepers for taking both
the rails, or they may be separate blocks for each rail connected by ties. In the
latter case, they are formed as solid blocks of either rectangular or elliptical
shape, by preference rounded off at the edges, and having recessed beds for the
rail or chair, the latter being secured by bolts fitting in undercut grooves or recesses,
as above described. For connecting the two opposite sleepers a tie bar is used
having a head at each end, which is by preference made with a central hole or eye
formed by bending the bar round. In the ends of the glass sleepers are moulded
recesses corresponding in configuration to but larger than the said heads and
end portion of the tie bar, so that when the head is inserted into the recess a

page_text: Second. The arrangements herein described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 10,
11, 12, and 13 for securing rails or chairs to glass sleepers by means of dovetail or
lewis bolts, or straps and holes.
Third. The arrangements, herein described with reference to Figs. 7, 8, and 9 of
the Drawings for securing rails to glass sleepers by means of dovetail or lewis bolts
and undercut grooves.
Fourth. The arrangement herein described with reference to Figs. 14 and 15, for
securing rails to sleepers by diagonal straps and keys.
"
Fifth. The mode of securing tie bars to glass sleepers by forming the sleepers with
recesses, into which heads on the ends of the tie bars fit loosely, and in which they
are secured by running in "Spence's metal or other suitable cementing material,
substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 10 to 13 of the
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hamilton Lindsay-Bucknall, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
H. LINDSAY-BUCKNALL. (L.S.)