IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING RAILWAY CROSSINGS, POINTS AND SWITCHES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Maw, of Doncaster Iron Works, Yorkshire,
for the In vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING RAILWAY CROSSINGS,
POINTS AND SWITCHES."
Sealed the 26th January 1858, and dated the 1st August 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Maw at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st August
1857.
I, EDWIN MAW, of the Doncaster Iron Works, Yorkshire, do hereby declare
the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING RAILWAY
CROSSINGS, POINTS, AND SWITCHES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in constructing railway
crossings, points, and switches. For these purposes the point rails, the wing
rails, and the check rails of crossings, and the stock rails and tongue rails
of switches, are made of wrought steel; and in order to give strength and
stiffness to crossings, horizontal bars of angle iron are used between the wing
rails, the points, and point rails, and such rails and strengthening bars are
bolted at intervals. Like horizontal bars are used between the stock and
tongue rails of switches to give strength and stiffness thereto, and are fixed to
the stock or to the tongue rails. The tongue rails of switches are also made
with ribs on the inside and outside.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Edwin Maw, Her special licence that I, the said Edwin Maw,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Edwin Maw, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONSTRUCTING RAILWAY CROSSINGS, POINTS, AND SWITCHES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edwin Maw, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edwin Maw, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object improvements in constructing railway
crossings, points, and switches. For these purposes the point rails, the wing
rails, and the check rails of crossings, and the stock rails and tongue rails
of switches, are made of wrought steel; and in order to give strength and
stiffness to crossings, horizontal bars of angle iron are used between the wing
rails, the points, and point rails, and such rails and strengthening bars are
bolted at intervals. Like horizontal bars are used between the stock and
tongue rails of switches to give strength and stiffness thereto, and are fixed to
the stock or to the tongue rails. The tongue rails of switches are also made
with ribs on the inside and outside.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more fully to
describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shews a plan of a crossing, and Figures 2, 3, and 4 shew three
transverse sections, taken at the points indicated on Figure 1. In addition to
constructing the points of railway crossings of wrought steel, as described in

page_text: the Specification of a former Patent granted to me, I also construct the point
rails, the wing rails, and check rails of railway crossings of wrought steel, by
which such crossings are rendered more lasting; such rails may be rolled or
they may be forged into the sectional forms desired, in the same manner
as like rails of wrought iron have heretofore been rolled or forged. b, b, are
horizontal bars of angle iron, or it might be, if preferred, of angle steel; these
bars are placed horizontally between the several rails, and they are all fixed
securely together by screw bolts c, c, passing through at intervals, as shewn in
Figure 1, such screw bolts receiving screw nuts on their ends.
Figure 5 shews a plan of switch constructed according to my Invention.
The tongue rail and the stock rail I make of wrought steel in place of
wrought iron, in order to prevent the great and quick wear which is consequent
on using tougue rails and stock rails of wrought iron. This part of my
Invention is equally applicable when using other sections of rails as when
using the section of rails shewn. Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 shew transverse
sections, taken on Figure 5 at the points marked on such Figure. b, b, are
horizontal bars, fixed either to the stock rails or to the tongue rails, and they
are applied to obtain greater stability to these parts. In constructing the
tongue rails of railway switches according to part of my Invention, whether of
wrought steel or of wrought iron, I form them with longitudinal ribs e, e, on
both sides, in order to obtain greater stiffness and strength.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is,―
First, the constructing the wing rails, the point rails, and the check rails of
railway crossings, and the stock rails and tongue rails of switches, of wrought
steel.
And, secondly, I claim the application of angle iron bars b, b, and strength-
ening ribs e, e, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Maw, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
THOMAS MARGETTS.
EDWIN MAW. (L.S.)