IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WARD HOBY, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, in Scotland, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Seventh day of
December, (One thousand eight liundred and fifty,) in the fourteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Ward Hoby, my exors, adñors, and assigns, Her
especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
I, the
James Ward Hoby, my exors, adñors, and assigns, or such others as
said James Ward Hoby, my exors, adññiors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man,
and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERMANENT WAY
OF RAILWAYS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I,
the said James Ward Hoby, shall cause a particular description of the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be
inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar

page_text: months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited
Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto bad, will
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Ward Hoby, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say:-
"
My Invention consists of improved constructions of iron bearers or sleepers
for supporting the rails of permanent way, and also of improved keys for
securing rails.
Figures 1, 2, and 3, shew one mode of constructing a transverse iron
sleeper or bearer according to my Invention. Figure 1 is a side view of this
sleeper, shewing sections of common double-headed rails A, A, placed in the
recesses of the sleepers, and secured by keys k, k. Figure 2 is a plan of the
same sleeper and rails; and Figure 3 is a transverse section of the sleeper,
taken through the line y, z, in Figure 2, showing side views of portions of
rails A, A, supported by the sleeper. In these Figures, B is the sleeper or
bearer, made with a trough or recess at each end; one shoulder or side g of
cach trough or recess being made so as to fit against the lower portion of the
rail A, which it is intended to support, the other shoulder or side h of the
trough or recess being made so as to admit and support such a key or keys
as may be used for securing the rail. The keys I have shewn in the Figure
are ordinary keys, but a trough and its shoulder h may be made so as to
receive and support any other description of key which may be used for
securing the rail. In Figures 4 and 5 I have shewn a side view and a plan.
of this sleeper, with my double or compound key herein-after described applied
for securing the rails, shewn as placed in the troughs. Figure 5 is a section
of the same.
The sleeper just described may also have its troughs made of
such a form as to receive and support bevil-edged bridge rails A, A, as
shown by the side view of such sleeper in Figure 6, trapezoidal or rhomboidal
keys k, k, being used for securing the rails. The bevil-edged bridge rails A, A,
shewn in this Figure, are of the form of an ordinary bridge rail, with the
flanges removed, and the lower edges bevelled so as to admit of their being
securely fastened by means of iron keys of the rhomboidal or trapezoidal
form shewn at k, k. The forms of these sleepers may be varied while still
retaining the principle of the recess or trough. Thus, in Figure 7, I have
shewn a section, and in Figure 8 a plan of a transverse bearer, which is

page_text: furnished with chocks or blocks G, G, of cast or wrought iron, bolted or
rivetted to the bearer in lieu of the shoulders h, h, shewn in Figure 1, for
supporting and securing one side of each of the rails; so also, in Figure 9,
I have shewn a section of a similar sleeper for receiving and supporting
bevil-edged bridge rails, one side of each of the rails being secured by the
chocks G, G. The sleepers shewn in Figures 7, 8, and 9, may also be varied
by having their chocks made and placed so as to admit keys for securing. the
rails, as shewn in the sections Figures 10 and 11. So also, in lieu of
furnishing my transverse sleepers, shewn in Figures 10 and 11, with chocks,
they may respectively be furnished with ribs p, p, made in one piece with the
sleeper, as shewn in Figures 12 and 13, for supporting the keys used for
securing the rails.
Instead of making that portion of a transverse sleeper which is between
its two shoulders h, h, two blocks G, G, or two ribs p, p, as the case may be;
of a flat piece of iron, as shewn in Figure 3, it may be curved in the manner
shewn in the sectional Figure 14, or in any other similar manner, so as to
strengthen it. These sleepers or bearers may be made of cast or wrought
iron, making them, when of cast iron, proportionally thicker or stronger than
when they are made of wrought iron.
In Figures 4 and 5ª, I have shewn a method of increasing their strength.
by forming them with ribs on their under surfaces. The ribs may be formed
partly on the lower and partly on the upper surface, if preferred.
Figure 15 is a side view, partly in section. Figure 16 is a plan, and
Figure 17 an end view of a bearer, formed of two cast-iron trough bearers
B, B, united by a bar I introduced into sockets K, K, in the base of the
bearers. These sockets are wider at one side than at the other, as shewn in
Figure 18, which is a sectional plan of the under side of the bearer at the
line a, a, in Figure 15.
Within the socket is a small stud or projection b, which enters a corre-
sponding notch in the bar I. The bar is introduced into the socket in the
angular position shewn in Figure 18, and is then brought round into its
proper position, so as to bring the notch on the stud b. The parts are so
proportioned to the bar I, which is bent down a little at the end, or sloped
off a little on its upper edge, so that in bringing it into its proper position it
may bear hard against the bottom of the socket K and the lower edges of
the bearer c, c.
By this means the bar I acts like a cross sleeper in preserving (both the
guage and cant or inclination of the rails. Figure 19 is a side view, partly in
section; and Figure 20 is a plan of a somewhat similar arrangement. B, B,

page_text: are the bearers, the sides of which are curved downwards in the middle, so
that the bar I passes over them and under the rail, as shewn in the Figures.
Figure 21 is a section through the bar I, shewing the inner side of the
bearer B. The bar I is angled into its place, as already described with regard
to Figures 15, 16, 17, and 18. The bar I has notches at d, d, which fit the
studs or projections b, b. A small inclined plane e is formed by the side of the
stud b, which raises the bar I as it is turned round, and makes it bear hard
against the part of the bearer beneath the rail. Or the top of the stud b
may be made sloping, and the inclined plane e may then be dispensed
with.
In Figures 22 and 23 I have shewn an improved description of railway
key, which I call a double or folding key. This key consists of two wedges m
and n, of which Figure 22 is a plan; Figure 23 shews the face of one of the
wedges. The mode of using this double key is shewn in Figures 4 and 5
already mentioned. In Figure 4, which is a side view of one of my transverse
sleepers or bearers, a double key of this description is shewn in section as
driven between each rail and the shoulder h for securing the rail in its proper
position; Figure 5 is a plan of the same sleeper or bearer, shewing the two
wedges composing a double key, and shewing the manner in which they are
placed between each rail and shoulder h for securing the rail, as before
mentioned. The wedges composing the key are to be introduced between a
rail and the shoulder block or rib, which is to support the key, with the thin
ends of the wedges in opposite directions, and so that the wedges may act
against each other, as shewn in Figure 5. The two wedges having been
introduced in this manner, they are then to be driven in opposite directions
until the double or compound key is sufficiently tight to secure the rail firmly
in its proper position.
This double or compound key may be used on any of the bearers herein-
before described, or. on any other description of bearer or sleeper adapted for
receiving keys, the shapes and dimensions of the wedges being varied according
to the sizes and shapes of the openings or spaces into which they are to be
driven for securing rails in their positions. This double or compound key may
also be used for securing rails in common chairs; and it may be made of
wood, iron, or any other material sufficiently strong and durable. In Figures
24 and 25 I have shewn a double key made of metal, and formed with a
hollow or recess in each wedge for the purpose of reducing its weight;
Figure 24 is.a plan of the two wedges, and Figure 25 is an end, view of one
of them. In Figure 12 I have shewn this metal key, which may be made of
cast iron, applied to securing rails in one of my transverse bearers.
In using

page_text: these double keys for securing rails, such keys may, if desired, be driven with
a piece of sheet lead or other soft metal between the key and the rail, or
between the key and the rib shoulder jaw of a chair or other support which
holds the key against the rail, or between the wedges or pieces which form the
key, so that such piece of lead or soft metal may have the effect of securing
the key in its place, and prevent it from being shaken out. Tar and other
viscid substances may also be used in a similar manner for the like purpose.
When such keys are made of iron, it is advantageous to introduce a piece of
wood between the wedges, or between the key and the rail, or between the
key and the rib shoulder jaw or other support.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that I claim as of my
Invention,
Firstly, the mode or modes of constructing the troughs of transverse iron
trough sleepers or bearers for holding and securing rails, so that one side or
shoulder of each trough shall fit and support one side of the rail placed within
it; and also so that a key or keys may be introduced within the trough on
the other side of the rail, for the purpose of supporting it, in manner herein-
before described.
Secondly, the mode or modes of constructing transverse iron bearers so that
a shoulder or side of each such bearer shall fit to and support one side of each
of the rails placed upon it, the other side of each of the rails being supported
by means of chocks, with or without the aid of keys, or by means of a rib and
keys, as herein-before described.
Thirdly, the mode or modes of connecting or combining the transverse bar I
with the bearers B, without the aid of bolts, rivets, or keys, as herein-before
described in reference to Figures 15 to 21 inclusive.
Fourthly, the mode or modes of constructing railway keys of two wedges, or
of two wedge-like or tapering pieces, in manner aforesaid, so that the wedges
or pieces may be driven or act in different directions, as herein-before
mentioned.
Fifthly, the mode or modes of applying a piece of wood, in combination with
the aforesaid double or folding keys, when such keys are made of iron, as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Ward Hoby, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-one.
JAMES WARD (L.S.) HOBY.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Sixth day of June, in
the year of our Lord 1851, the aforesaid James Ward Hoby came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Speci-
fication aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in
form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that
purpose.
Enrolled the Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand