Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 18th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 18th Jan., 1887.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of 53,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents,
do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows :-
This Invention relates to the permanent way of railways; and it has for its object
to prevent the rails from spreading and to enable the rails to be readily laid and
adjusted when necessary.
According to this Invention the rails are secured to sleepers composed of a pair of
parallel bars having a channel between them and separated by blocks of such length
as to give them a suitable bearing. The blocks are of such size and shape as to enter
the space or channel left between the bars and to fit snugly in said space or channel.
There is a hooked projection on the opposite side of each block of such form as to
overlap and fit snugly upon the base flange of the railroad rail. Four of the blocks
are used on each sleeper (two for each rail) and they are arranged so that the
projections of each pair of blocks will engage with the opposite flanges of the rail.
The blocks are secured in place by bolts passing through them and through the bars.
Two of the blocks-viz.-the outer block at one end and the inner block at the other
end are secured in place in the bars at the shop where the sleepers are made, the other
blocks are left loose.
In laying the road, the sleepers are placed upon the ground and the rails are
arranged in place, the sleepers are then moved longitudinally to bring the hooked

page_text: projections of the permanent blocks into place upon the flanges of the rails and the
other blocks are then moved into place and are secured by the bolts..
Instead of the blocks having fixed projections, they may be provided with recesses
extending wholly or partially through the blocks for the reception of spikes provided
with heads to overlap the flanges of the rails and wedges which are driven in between
the end of the recesses and the spikes and serve to hold the latter in place.
A. MELVILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of 53,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention (a communication to me from
abroad by Ellery Cowing Davis of Crookston in the County of Polk and State of
Minnesota United States of America Contractor) and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This Invention relates to the permanent way of railways; and it has for its object
to provide a sleeper or tie which will prevent the rail spreading while permitting of
the rails being readily laid and adjusted when necessary.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification in which figure 1 is a plan view of the improved sleeper or tie, shewing
parts of two rails secured to it, the ends of the sleeper being broken away; figure 2 is
a side elevation of a part of the same, part being shewn in section through the broken
line a- of figure 1. Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation of the same on, the line y—y
of figure 2, shewing a part of the rail in side elevation. Figure 4 is a sectional side
elevation of one of the rail holding blocks. Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form
of the improvement, and figure 6 is a side elevation of a part of the same, part being
shewn in section through the line z- of figure 5. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts in all the figures.
A A are two parallel bars which may be pieces of old railroad rails, or bars rolled
expressly for this purpose. In the latter case the adjacent sides of the heads of the
bars A can be omitted, so as to form between the said bars a channel with vertical sides
to receive the fastening blocks B. The fastening blocks B are made of such length as
will give them a suitable bearing, of such size as to enter the channel between the
bars A, and of such a shape at their sides and bottom as to fit snugly in the said channel.
On the opposite side of each block B is formed a hooked projection C of such a form
as to overlap and fit snugly upon the base flange of the railroad rail D, as shewn in
figure 2. Four of the blocks B are used on each sleeper, two for each rail, and they
are arranged so that the projections C of each pair of blocks will engage with the
opposite flanges of the rail. The blocks B are secured in place in the sleepers by
bolts E passing through them and through the bars A. Two of the blocks B, viz. the
outer block at one end and the inner block at the other end-are secured in place in the
bars A at the shop where the sleepers are made; the other blocks B are left loose. In
laying the road, the sleepers are placed upon the ground and the rails are arranged in
place. The sleepers are then moved longitudinally to bring the hooked projections C
of the permanent blocks into place upon the flanges of the rails, and the other blocks
are then moved into place and are secured by the bolts E.
Instead of forming the projections C permanently on the blocks B, I may also use
the construction shewn in figures 5 and 6, and in each of these blocks B, at opposite
sides of the middle part where the rails are to rest, are formed the recesses E¹ which

page_text: may extend partly or wholly through the said block. F are the spikes which are
placed in the ends of the recesses E next the rails and with their heads overlapping
the flanges of the said rails. The spikes F are secured in place by the wedge keys G
driven into the outer parts of the recesses E¹ along the outer edges of the spikes F,
shewn in figures 5 and 6. In the outer edges of the upper ends of the keys G are
formed recesses H to receive the end of a pinch bar or other suitable tool, so that the
said keys G can be readily drawn to release the spikes F.
as
With the construction shewn in figures 1 to 4 the rails are held securely in place
and the spreading of the same is prevented; and with the construction shewn in figures 5
and 6 the rails can be raised, when the track is thrown out of level by the frost, by
withdrawing keys G and removing the spikes F so as to loosen the rail. The rails
are then raised into a level position, and blocks of the proper thickness are placed
between the said rails, and the blocks B and the keys G are again driven into the
recesses E, thus locking the spikes F and the rails D securely in place. When using
the construction shewn in figures 5 and 6 only two blocks B are necessary for each
sleeper, one near each end.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is —
1. The combination with two parallel bars and two spacing blocks provided with
hooks and secured between said bars, as described, of two similar blocks adjustable
between said bars, and means for securing said adjustable blocks, substantially as shewn
and described.
2. A metallic railroad sleeper or tie constructed substantially as herein shewn and
described and consisting of two parallel bars A having a channel between them, the
blocks B fitted into the said channel and provided with hooked projections C to fit
upon the base flanges of the rails, and the bolts E securing the said blocks to the said
bars whereby railroad rails can be readily secured to the said sleepers and will be held
securely in place, as set forth.
3. In a metallic railroad sleeper or tie, the combination with the parallel bars A, of
the blocks B secured to and between the said bars by bolts E and provided with pairs
of recesses E¹, and the spikes F, and the keys G driven into the said recesses,
substantially as herein shewn and described, whereby the said rails can be readily
levelled when thrown out of level by the frost, and will be securely held in place, as
set forth.
A. MELVILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.