Improvements in Sleepers for Mine Railways.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Sleepers for Mine Railways.
We WILLIAM EDWARD GARFORTH of Normanton in the County of York mining
engineer, RICHARD SUTCLIFFE of Public Hall Chambers Barnsley in the County of York
mining and mechanical engineer, and WILLIAM BUXTON of Altofts in the County
of York colliery official do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is the construction of sleepers for the rails of mine
railways in such a manner, that the rails can be readily laid down and taken up; and
more especially is it intended for use for rails placed along the coal face, where coal
cutting machines are employed, and where the laying down of rails is only intended
to be temporary.
For this purpose we make use of two descriptions of sleepers, the one intended
for securing the rails where two successive or adjoining rails abut against each other,
and which are hereinafter designated the junction sleepers; the other intended for
securing the rails at other parts will however be simply referred to as sleepers.
The distinguishing characteristic of the latter is, that they are formed with inside
cheeks or inside distance pieces only; the rails being pressed and held tight against
these on the side next the coal face, by short struts of wood, wedged between the
rail and the lower part of the coal face; and on the opposite side by struts, wedged
between the rail and the timber supporting the roof. This arrangement has the
advantage, that not only are the rails readily put down or taken up, but the line of
rails is at the same time held firmly in position at a suitable distance from the coal
face. These sleepers are made of two pieces of bar iron or steel, rivetted together;
the longer and bottom bar extending a short distance on each side beyond the outer
sides of the rails; the shorter and top bar, which has the ends bent upwards to admit
the bottom flange of the rail is just of sufficient length to keep the rails at the
proper gauge on distance apart. The top bar may be made in two halves; or may be
dispensed with, the cheeks or distance pieces being formed by tongue pieces slit in
and pressed up from the body of the bottom bar.
The junction sleepers are formed of broader pieces of bar iron or steel and provided
with cheeks for both sides of the rails; one preferably the outer cheek of each pair
being provided with pin or nail holes and with corresponding holes in the bottom of
the sleeper; whilst the end of each rail is provided with two corresponding holes; ·
pins or nails being inserted through the holes in the cheek rail flange and the bottom
of the sleeper. The inner cheeks may be formed at the ends of a single bar, or
may be separate like the outer cheeks, or both the inner and outer cheeks may be
slit in and pressed up from the body of the sleeper.

page_text: We WILLIAM EDWARD GARFORTH of Normanton in the County of York Mining
Engineer, RICHARD SUTCLIFFE of Public Hall Chambers Barnsley in the County of
York Mining and Mechanical Engineer, and WILLIAM BUXTON of Altofts in the
County of York Colliery Official do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is the construction of sleepers for the rails of mine
railways in such a manner, that the rails can be readily laid down and taken up; and
more especially is it intended for use for rails placed along the coal face where coal
cutting machines are employed, and where the laying down of rails is intended to be
only temporary.
For this purpose we make two descriptions of sleepers; the one intended for
securing the rails where two successive or adjoining rails abut against each other,
and which are hereinafter designated the junction sleepers; the other, intended for
securing the rails at other parts, will however be referred to simply as sleepers.
The distinguishing characteristic of the latter is, that they are formed with inside
cheeks or inside distance pieces only; the rails being pressed and held tight against
these on the side next the coal face, by short struts of wood, wedged between the
rail and the lower part of the coal face; and on the opposite side by struts wedged
between the rail and the timber supporting the roof. This arrangement has the
advantage, that not only are the rails readily put down and taken up, but the line of
rails is at the same time held firmly in position at a suitable distance from the coal
face. These sleepers are made of two pieces of bar iron or steel, rivetted together;
the longer and bottom bar extending a short distance on each side beyond the outer
sides of the rails, the shorter and top bar, which has the ends bent upwards to admit
the bottom flange of the rail, is just of sufficient length to keep the rails at the
proper gauge or distance apart. The top bar may be in two halves; or may be dis-
pensed with; the cheeks or distance pieces being formed by tongue pieces slit in and
pressed up from the body of the bottom bar.
The junction sleepers are formed of broader pieces of bar iron or steel, and provided
with cheeks for both sides of the rails; one preferably the outer cheek of each pair
being provided with pin or nail holes, and corresponding holes are formed in the
bottom or base piece of the sleeper; whilst the end of each rail is provided with
corresponding holes; pins or round nails being inserted through the holes in the
cheek rail flange and the bottom of the sleeper. The inner cheeks may be formed at
the ends of a single bar, or may be separate like the outer cheeks, or both the inner
and outer cheeks may be slit in and pressed up from the body of the sleeper. In this
case however there are no holes in the base plate corresponding to the holes in the
outer cheeks.
And in order that our invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed may be more readily and clearly understood, we have annexed hereto the
accompanying sheet of drawings to illustrate our invention.
Fig 1 is a vertical section and Fig 2 a plan of a sleeper constructed in accordance
with our invention, consisting of a base piece a with a cheek piece b rivetted to it,
the ends of the latter being bent and turned to form inside cheeks c for the rail as
shewn. By means of wood struts d, resting with their lower ends on the ends of the
base piece a, and abutting against the rail on the outside, and with the other ends of
the struts abutting respectively against the coal face and the props supporting the
roof, pot only are the rails securely held against the rail cheeks, but the line of rails
as a whole is securely held in position.

page_text: Fig 3 is a vertical section and Fig. 4 a plan of a sleeper with inside cheeks only,
the cheeks c being formed by slitting the base piece a, and forcing and bending up
the slit portion as shewn.
In Figs 1 and 2 instead of one long cheek piece, the cheeks may be formed by two
shorter pieces as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig 2.
Fig 5 is a vertical section and Fig 6 a plan of a junction sleeper constructed in
accordance with our invention, in which a is the base piece, c the inner cheeks formed
at the ends of one-or in two pieces b as shewn, and rivetted to the base piece. care
the outside cheek pieces, in which several holes g are formed, corresponding holes
being forined in the base piece. Half the number of holes are formed in each end of
the outer rail flange and in corresponding positions, so that when the rails i are
placed in position and pins h inserted in the holes in the outer cheeks e, the pins can
be passed down through the corresponding holes in the outer rail flange and the
base plate.
It will be evident that where sleepers of our construction are employed, the lines
can be laid down and taken up with the greatest rapidity, requiring merely the
insertion of the props d and the pins h in the one case, and the knocking out of the
props d and the withdrawal of the pins h in the other case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
1 In mine railways the use and construction of sleepers with inside cheeks only
substantially as herein set forth and illustrated.
2. In main railways the use and construction of junction sleepers with inside and
outside cheeks the latter having pin holes with or without corresponding holes in the
base piece substantially as herein set forth and illustrated.
3. In mine railways the use in combination of sleepers and junction sleepers
substantially as and constructed substantially as herein set forth and illustrated.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1897
J. CLARK JEFFERSON
30 Park Row Leeds. Agent for Applicants.