IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL RAILWAY SLEEPERS, AND IN THE MODE OF FIXING THE RAILS THERETO
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, ERNEST DE PASS, of 68 Fleet Street, in the City of London, Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL RAILWAY SLEEPERS, AND IN THE MODE OF FIXING THE
RAILS THERETO, communicated to me from abroad by Paul Sévérac, of 162 Boulevard
Magenta, Paris, France, Engineer, to be as follows:-
The improvements in metal sleepers for rails consist in giving to the transverse
section of the sleepers the form of a single or a double T, with horizontal upper wings
or flanges either straight or more or less bent; and in separating the upper wings ou
each side of the vertical part or rib for a certain length, at both ends of the
sleepers, then in turning down, more or less, these portions of the upper wings
(which have been separated from the vertical part or rib) in order to close the
sleepers at their ends. These bent portions of the upper wings or flanges may
likewise terminate in horizontal bearings more or less prolonged,
The improvements in the mode of fixing the rails consist in placing the said rails
on the metal sleepers (no matter whatever may be the section of the sleepers) by
means of chairs having two claws or clips of a special shape, which chairs give to
the rails the required inclination with regard to the axis of the permanent way, and
are fixed on the sleepers by rivets or bolts. The two claws or clips, or one of them
of each chair, may be turned over on the foot of the rail to hold it, or may be turned
up to free the said foot.

page_text: I, ERNEST DE PASS, of 68 Fleet Street, in the City of London, Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL RAILWAY SLEEPERS, AND IN THE MODE OF FIXING THE
RAILS THERETO, communicated to me from abroad by Paul Sévérac, of 162
Boulevard Magenta, Paris, France, Engineer and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The improvements in metallic sleepers for rails consist in giving to the transverse
section of these sleepers the form of a single T, or of a double T, with horizontal
upper wings or flanges, either straight or more or less bent, the width of the lower
wings or flanges being, by preference, like that dictated by experience for the
ordinary wooden sleepers employed which gives a bearing surface in conformity
therewith.
The height or vertical rib of the single, or of the double T, must be equal also,
by preference, to that experimented on for the height of wooden sleepers which gives
a sufficient resistance, resulting from experience, against longitudinal movement.
To resist lateral movement the ends of the upper or lower wings or flanges are
turned up, or bent down, as indicated in the drawings, in which Fig. 1, shews a
single T sleeper, the ends of which BB, of the upper wing or flange are bent down
at the end of this wing or flange A, at each side of the vertical rib C.
Fig 2 shews another form of turning down the ends B, B, and Figs: 3 and 4
shew the same arrangements of sleepers, with this difference, that they are double T
sleepers. Fig: 5. shews a double T sleeper in which the lower wing or flange D of
the extremities are turned up at BB.
As all these figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 only shew the half of the metallic sleeper, it must
be understood that the other half (not shewn) is formed with wings or flanges,
turned up or bent down, in one of the ways shewn, which would allow of the
fastening of the sleepers at their two ends so as to suitably resist all lateral
movement; in proof of this two spaces are thus constituted one on each side of the
vertical rib C, which spaces may be filled with ballast forming a weight of about
150 Kilos, which would allow of these sleepers resisting lateral movement much
better than any others.
As regards the improvements relating to the mode of fixing the rails, they consist
in placing the said rails on the metallic sleepers (whatever may be the transverse
section of these sleepers), by means of chairs of special construction so that the said
chairs give to the rails contained in them the required inclination as regards the
axis of the permanent way; these chairs are fixed on the sleepers by rivets or
bolts.
The chairs may be provided with two claws or clips HH, with an arrangement
such as that shewn in figs. 6, 7, 8 of the drawings, in which fig. 6 is a transverse
section of the rail R placed in the chair S, and held in position by a key T, between
the two claws or clips H H.
Fig: 7 shews a transverse section of the rail R, arranged in its chair and
mounted on the metallic sleeper A, shewn as a single T, with its rib C, but which
might just as well be a double T.
Fig: 8 shews, in plan, the combination of the rail R, with the chair S, held by
the key T, which may be a metal or a wooden one.

page_text: Thus it will be seen this invention permits of a metallic sleeper being obtained
which presents a large bearing surface, especially when it is of double T form, very
heavy, and offering great resistance to longitudinal movement and to the lateral
oscillations of vehicles in motion.
Fig: 9 shews the combination of these metallic sleepers with the chairs, in
which one is an arrangement for a double champignon rail, and the other an
arrangement for another form of rail.
All the experience that can be derived from applications already made with
wooden sleepers, is here utilized to constitute these metallic sleepers, which, fulfil
the same conditions in a more advantageous manner and with a much longer
duration.
This combination of chair and sleeper is also applicable to tramway rails.
Special tools, of forms readily imagined, may be used for effecting the turning
down, or the straightening of the ends of the wings or flanges of the sleepers.
The dimensions of the upper or the lower wings or flanges of these metallic
sleepers may be varied, and may be equal or unequal according to the requirements
of the case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
1. A metallic sleeper of the form of a single T, in cross section, having wings or
flanges bent down at both ends so as to form against the rib of the sleeper two
spaces in which the ballast is enclosed when laying the sleepers, substantially as
described.
2. A metallic sleeper, of the form of a double T, having wings or flanges bent at
both ends against the metallic rib of the sleeper, said bending being effected either
by turning down the ends of the upper wing or flange, or by turning up the ends
of the lower wing or flange, substantially as described, so that a metallic sleeper is
obtained in perfect conditions for resistance to all movements and to all pressures
which may take place in any direction.
3. The special arrangement of metallic sleepers herein described and shewn in the
drawings.
4. The arrangement of chair formed with a double claw or clip holding the rails
by means of simple keys capable of being rapidly inserted or withdrawn, said chairs
being secured by rivets or bolts on the upper wing or flange of the metallic sleepers,
substantially as described, in order to attain the best practical method of laying.
5. The special arrangements of chairs herein described and shewn, by way of
example, in the drawings.
6. The combination of the metallic sleepers, of the form of single or double T,
with the chairs constructed as herein described, said combination being applicable
to railway and tramway rails.
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