IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PERMANENT WAYS FOR RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Percy Burrell and Henry Valpy, both of 5, Victoria
Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PERMANENT WAYS FOR RAILWAYS
AND TRAMWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Percy Burrell and Henry
Valpy at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th November
1880.
PERCY BURRELL and HENRY VALPY, both of 5, Victoria Street, Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PER-
MANENT WAYS FOR RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS."
The Invention has for its object the economical enlargement of the bearing
surfaces of sleepers and rails.
Their
Our improved sleepers may be used in combination with existing kinds of rails,
and our improved rails may be used in combination with existing kinds of sleepers,
or with our improved sleepers; or they may be used without sleepers of any kind.
Our improved sleepers consist of plates of iron or steel, thin by preference, in the
form of a square or parallelogram, the sides of which by preference we make
straight, but they may be slightly curved, or they may approach the form of a
circle or an ellipse. They may be with or without their extreme corners.
edges may be cut smooth and flat, or left rough, and may also be slightly turned
down or burred by the rolling mill and shears or otherwise. These bearing surface
plates we place under the rails and diagonally to their direction, and we fix to the
underside of the plates a cross tie either by rivets, screw bolts, key bolts, or other
equivalent mode of fixing which are interchangeable. Thus the rail and the cross
tie are in line with the two diagonals of the plate, the rail holding the plate on one
diagonal by its superimposed weight and attachment, and the cross tie below by
its attachments to the plate on the other diagonal. These attachments may be
rivets or screw bolts, or any equivalent mode of fixing. As the plates naturally
bend between the rail and the attachments to the cross tie, by reason of the load

page_text: they have to carry, and as such bending reduces the strain on the metal, these
plates may be flat and form their own archings; or we bend or arch them slightly
between the foot of the rail and its end attachments to the cross tie; or we arch
the plates in the four triangular spaces between the two diagonals. These archings
may be done before the metal is cold or when cold, and either before the cross ties
are fastened to the plates and rails, or at the time they are so fastened. The
archings may be in an upward or downward direction, but by preference upwards
so as to use the plates in tension. For special surfaces we prefer to use rivets for
fastenings, and for the final fixing bolts of the rail we prefer to rivet up loosely
the nuts to the screw bolts so that they cannot be removed, and we make them
to fix the parts by turning on the screw in the opposite direction to that which
nuts and screw bolts are turned for the purpose of tightening up. By preference
the ties pass from rail to rail; but it is not essential that every cross tie should
thus pass from rail to rail. For economy some ties may pass across the bearing
plates only, the intermediate ones only preserving the gauge.
Our improved rails we form of two special angle pieces rolled in the way that
angle irons are, and we obtain in this manner any desired width of base with great
facility in rolling, and we place these angle pieces close together, and make them
to interlock with each other by means of grooves and projections, so that a load
coming on one part of the rail is transmitted to the other part, each part being
rolled of iron or steel adapted in hardness to resist the work it has to do. These
two angle pieces we fasten together at intervals by rivets, screw bolts, key bolts,
or other equivalent mode of fastening which may be interchangeable. The parts
of the rail may break joint. The bearing surfaces of these rails may be made
sufficiently wide to be laid on soft longitudinal or transverse sleepers to which
they may be secured in the usual manner and ways used for fixing flange or bridge
rails; or we lay the suitably increased bearing surface of our rails on the ground,
or on concrete or other material with the usual iron or wooden cross ties fixed
so as to hold the rails to gauge. We also form our rails with two angle pieces and
a head, which is renewable by rolling the tops of the angles in such special form
that when fastened together they assume a V shape, to fit which a suitable head
is rolled and the tops of the angle irons enter the channel of the head when opened
out at their bases, and on being forcibly brought together again at their bases any
desired pressure may be exerted against the lower part of the two sides of the
V part of the head, and by further forcing together the angle pieces at the base,
the top ends of the angle pieces will be brought in contact with any desired
pressure against the internal angles of the V shaped groove of the head, and the
head is thus held in place without any screw or bolt fastening, and the angles are
held together at the top and bottom, and when rivetted or bolted the head is
securely fixed; as also by removing the rivets or bolts the angles may be separated
and a new head substituted, as before described. We make the heads of our
improved rails suitable for railways or tramways. Our rails may be fixed to the
plates by bolts or rivets either outside or through the flange of the rail in any of the
usual ways for fixing flange rails to iron sleepers, or in the manner hereinbefore
described. The rivets pass through the plate and through or to the sides of
or round the cross ties, and they may also be rivetted to the plates at other
places.
The accompanying Drawing is for the purpose of explaining our Invention; but
we do not confine ourselves to the precise details shewn or described, as these may
be varied without departing from the peculiar characteristics of the Invention.
Fig. 1 shews in plan the ordinary flange rail fixed diagonally on the top of a flat
square iron or steel bearing surface plate by rivets or screw bolts and nuts, and
plate washers outside the flange of the rail. These rivets or bolts are shewn to
pass thro' the plate and cross tie below; but they may be fixed to the side of or
round the cross tie. These cross ties are also rivetted or bolted to both the
transverse ends of the bearing surface plate above them. Fig. 7 is a sectional
elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 11 is a cross sectional elevation of Fig. 1, shewing in

page_text: section an angle iron cross tie; Fig. 2 shows in plan a one sided flanged rail fixed
diagonally on the top of a square, the corners of which are shewn cut off; the rail
is fixed to this bearing surface plate by a rivet or bolt through the flange of the
rail, the plate, and the cross tie, below which cross tie is also rivetted or bolted
to both the transverse ends of the bearing surface plate above it; Fig. 8 is a
sectional elevation of Fig. 2 shewing in section the bearing surface plate arched
between the foot of the rail and the transverse ends.
Fig. 3 shews in plan a flanged rail fixed on the top of the plate by rivets or bolts
passing thro' the flange of the rail, the plate, and the cross tie, which cross tie is
also rivetted or bolted to both the transverse ends, and at intermediate points of the
bearing surface plate, which plate is also slightly arched between the diagonals in
the four triangular bearing surfaces.
Fig. 15 shews the outside arched faces in elevation; Fig. 12 is a cross sectional
elevation of Fig. 3, shewing in section a side flanged rail as a cross tie.
Fig. 4 shews in plan a flanged rail fixed on the longer diagonal of a parallelogram
bearing surface plate by rivets or bolts passing in the centre through the flange of
the rail, the plate, and the cross tie, also through the flange of the rail and the plate
at its ends, and the cross tie is also further rivetted or bolted to both the transverse
ends of the plate; Fig. 13 is a cross sectional elevation of Fig. 4, shewing in
section a channel iron cross tie; Fig. 5 shews in plan a flanged rail fixed diagonally
on the top of the bearing surface plate of a quadrangular figure with four convex
sides by rivets or bolts through the rail, the centre of plate, and cross tie, also at
ends of plate and rail, as in Fig. 4, and at intermediate points. The cross tie is also
fixed as in Fig. 4, but with additional intermedite bolts or rivets. Fig. 9 is a
sectional elevation of Fig. 5.
Fig. 16 shews a cross section in the centre of a bearing surface plate parallel to
its sides, arched as in Fig. 3, also with its edges turned down; Fig. 6 shews in plan
a double headed rail fixed on the top of a bearing surface plate of a quadrilateral
figure with unequal diagonals and curved sides on the long diagonal. The rail is
fixed at the centre of the plate by bolts or rivets passing through clips and the
plate and the cross tie, which cross tie is also rivetted or bolted to both the
transverse ends of the bearing surface plate. Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of
Fig. 6; Fig. 14 is a section of cross tie and plate, shewing a Ṭ iron cross tie;
Fig. 17 is a cross sectional elevation of a tramway rail of any of the ordinary web
descriptions; the weight is distributed longitudinally and diagonally on our bearing
surface plate by means of a deep flat bar, as shewn, between the rail and the plate,
and is secured in an angle iron chair or chairs by bolts or rivets to the bearing
surface plate and rail. But the bar shewn may be replaced by an angle iron, T iron,
or equivalent section, which may form a base for the head, and to which the web
may be attached by bolts or rivets. Fig. 17 also shews a bar, which may be replaced
by an angle iron, &c., below the plate bearing surface of the cross tie, for the
purpose of giving extra metal and strength under the plate, which bar, &c., may
extend partly or wholly across the surface plate, and may be applied in all cases
both for railways and tramways where a cross tie is used for the sake of economy,
and that is otherwise insufficient to carry the cross strain from the plate. Fig. 18
shews in cross section our improved rail with wide extended base, and formed of
angle pieces. The head, also the heel of the foot of one angle, forming a groove for
the reception of the other angle, thus removing all cross strain from the bolts and
rivets. Fig. 20 shews in cross section a similar arrangement applicable to grooved
headed rails for tramways. The ends of the feet of the angle irons are rolled
down to give a firm hold. This is also applicable to any of the rails shewn
or described.
Fig, 21 shews in cross section a tramway rail with a groove on one heel, and a
projection on the other heel of the foot of the angle irons; Fig. 22 shows in cross
section a tramway rail with a centre groove, also with grooves in the heels of both
feet of the angle irons, which may be of other form, and fitted with a suitable bar

page_text: or pieces of iron; Fig. 19 shews in cross section our angle iron rail with renewable
head applicable to railways. The heel of the foot of the angle irons may also be as
shewn in Fig. 22. Fig. 23 shews in cross section our angle iron rail with renewable
head applicable to tramways. The heel of the foot of the angle irons may also be
as shewn in Fig. 22. Fig. 24 shews in cross section a head with centre top groove
suitable to the angle irons for tramways, as before described in Fig. 23. The
grooves, by preference, will be as shewn, but they may be varied in shape and
position or omitted.
Throughout the word iron is intended to mean iron or steel, and the word rivet
or the form representing a rivet in the Drawing is intended to represent either a
rivet or a screw bolt or other bolt or clip for holding parts together. The sleeper
plates of whatever form shewn are all interchangeable, both with the various kinds
of existing rails shewn or described, or with our improved rails, as also with any
existing kind of cross tie. The number and position of those bolts or rivets shewn
are also interchangeable, so far as they are suitable to the kind of rail and cross
tie used; and they may be increased in number to any extent to suit the thickness
of the parts and the work they have to do. The horizontal member of any clips
for fixing rails may extend for any length in either direction from the rail.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Percy Burrell and Henry Valpy in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th May 1881.
PERCY BURRELL and HENRY VALPY, both of No. 5, Victoria Street, Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PER-
MANENT WAYS OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS."
The Invention has for its object the economical enlargement of the bearing
surfaces of sleepers and rails. Our improved sleepers may be used in combination
with existing kinds of rails, and our improved rails may be used in combination
with existing kinds of sleepers, or with our improved sleepers, or they may be used
without sleepers of any kind.
Our improved sleepers consist of plates of iron or steel, thin by preference,
from a hundredth of an inch in thickness upwards, in the form of a square or
parallelogram, the sides of which by preference we make straight, but they may
be slightly curved, or they may approach the form of a circle or an ellipse.
They may be with or without their extreme corners. Their edges may be cut
smooth and flat or left rough, and may also be slightly turned down or burred by
the rolling mill and shears or otherwise. These bearing surface plates we place
under the rails and diagonally to their direction, and we fix to the underside of the
plates a cross tie, either by rivets, screw bolts, key bolts, or other equivalent modes
of fixing which are interchangeable. Thus the rail and the cross tie are in line
with the two diagonals of the plate, the rail holding the plate on one diagonal by
its superimposed weight and attachment, and the cross tie below by its attachments
to the plate on the other diagonal. These attachments may be rivets or screw
bolts or any equivalent mode of fixing.
As the plates naturally bend between the rail and the attachments to the cross
tie by reason of the load they have to carry, and as such bending reduces the strain
on the metal, these plates may be flat and form their own archings, or we bend or
arch them slightly between the foot of the rail, and its end attachments to the
cross tie, or we arch the plates in the four triangular spaces between the two
diagonals. These archings may be made before the metal is cold, or when cold,
and either before the cross ties are fastened to the plates and rails, or at the time
they are so fastened. The archings may be in an upward or downward direction,
but by preference upward, so as to use the plates in tension.
For special services we prefer to use rivets for fastenings, and for the final fixing
bolts of the rail we prefer to rivet up loosely the nuts to the screw bolts, so that
they cannot be removed, and we make them to fix the parts by turning on the
screw in the opposite direction to that in which the nuts of screw bolts are turned
for the purpose of tightening up. By preference the ties pass from rail to rail, but
it is not essential that every cross tie should thus pass from rail to rail. For
economy, some ties may pass across the bearing plates only, the intermediate ones
only preserving the gauge.
Our improved rails we form of two special angle pieces rolled in the way that
angle irons are, and we obtain in this manner any desired width of base with great
facility in rolling. We place these angle pieces close together, and make them to
interlock with each other by means of grooves and projections, so that a load
coming on one part of the rail is transmitted to the other part, or the grooves
and projections may be omitted in certain cases. Each part we prefer to roll of
iron or steel adapted in hardness to resist the work it has to do. These two
angle pieces we fasten together at intervals by rivets, screw bolts, key bolts, or
other equivalent modes of fastening which may be interchangeable.

page_text: The parts of the rail may break joint.. The bearing surfaces of these rails may
be made sufficiently wide to be laid on soft longitudinal or transverse sleepers, to
which they may be secured in the usual manner or ways used for fixing flange or
bridge rails; or we lay the suitably increased bearing surfaces of our rails on the
ground, or on concrete or other material, with the usual iron or wooden cross ties
fixed so as to hold the rails to gauge.
We also form our rails with two angle pieces and a head which is renewable. We
roll the tops of the angle pieces in such special form that when fastened together
they assume a V shape, to fit which a suitable head is rolled, and the tops of the
angle irons enter the channel of the head when opened out at their bases, and on
being forcibly brought together again at their bases, any desired pressure may be
exerted against the lower part of the two sides of the V part of the head, and by
further forcing together the angle pieces at the base, the top ends of the angle
pieces will be brought in contact with any desired pressure against the internal
angles of the channel of the head, and the head is thus held in place without any
screw or bolt fastening, and the angle irons are held together at the top and bottom,
and when rivetted or bolted the head is securely fixed. So also by removing the
rivets or bolts the angle irons may be separated and a new head substituted as
before described.
We make the heads of our improved rails suitable for railways or tramways. Our
rails may be fixed to the plates by bolts or rivets, either outside or through the
flange of the rail in any of the usual ways for fixing flange rails to iron sleepers, or
in the manner hereinbefore described. The rivets pass through the plate and
through or to the sides of or round the cross ties, and they may also be rivetted to
the plates at other places.
°
The accompanying Drawing is for the purpose of explaining our Invention, but
we do not confine ourselves to the exact details shewn or described, as these may
be varied without departing from the peculiar characteristics of the Invention.
Fig. 1, shews in plan the ordinary flange rail fixed diagonally on the top of a
flat square iron or steel bearing surface plate by rivets or screw bolts, and nuts and
plate washers, outside the flange of the rail. These rivets or bolts are shewn to
pass through the plate and cross tic below, but they may be fixed to the side of or
round the cross tie. These cross ties are also rivetted or bolted to both the
transverse ends of the bearing surface plate above them. When such plates are
laid flat before being arched, they should be of such quality of iron or steel as will
stretch to the extent required to form themselves into arches with suitable rise
without injury to the ultimate strength of the plates, or when flat plates are made
of such iron or steel that might be injured by so stretching them, we form the end
rivets or bolt holes either in the plate or cross ties, or both elongated in such
direction that the ends of the plates may slide towards the rails to the extent
required for the plates to form their own archings, as shewn in Fig. 8, with such
suitable rise as is required to reduce the strain produced by the working load
within the safe working strength of the metal, or by a test load.
Such elongations may be increased in certain cases for the purpose of allowing
the archings to rise to such an extent as will give a firm hold of the ballast, so as
to more effectually prevent lateral motion where sharp curves exist. Or the plates
may be bent by a suitable roll press or other tool to give the required force for
arching, and they may be put together in the factory, or on the line as before
mentioned.
Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 1 taken at the cross tie.
Fig. 11 is a cross sectional elevation of Fig. 1, shewing in section an angle iron
cross tie.
Fig. 2 shews in plan a one sided flanged rail fixed diagonally on the top of a
square, the corners of which are shewn cut off. The rail is fixed to this bearing
surface plate by a rivet or bolt through the flange of the rail, the plate, and the
cross tie, below which cross tie is also rivetted or bolted to both the transverse ends
of the bearing surface plate above it.

page_text: Fig 8 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 2, shewing in section the bearing surface
plate arched between the foot of the rail and the transverse ends.
Fig. 31 shews an enlarged plan of the attachments of the plate to the cross tie.
The ends of the plate are shewn rivetted to the cross tie, with plates or washers
above for better distributing the strain on the plate, but the washers, as shewn, may be
replaced by those of round, square, triangular, or of other forms or kinds; or they may
be omitted, and a suitable bearing surface may be obtained by enlarging the heads of
the rivets or bolts. The rail is shewn secured to the sleeper plate by a washer and
rivet on one flange, and a washer and screw bolt on the other.
Fig. 32 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 31, shewing the plate after being bent
with a washer between it and the cross tie for giving the usual inclination to the
rail without bending the cross tie. This washer is shewn hollowed out on its
lower side under the centre of the rail to give elasticity, but it may be hollowed
out on its top side or not at all, or the washer may be omitted and the cross tie
may be bent if inclination of the rail is required. Intermediate rivets or bolts may
also be added between the rail and the ends of the plate on the cross tie, of a
length suitable, to the arching, as shewn by the dotted lines, with or without
washers.
Fig. 33 shews in section another mode of fixing the ordinary flange rail to our
sleeper by means of a wooden key in a cast or wrought iron or steel jaw or chair
rivetted to the cross tie, with washer plate above for holding the other flange of the
and
rail. Or this washer holding plate may be made in one piece with the jaw,
the whole may be secured with one or more rivets or bolts to the tie as the case
may require. This kind of chair with wood or iron key may be formed suitably
for holding a double headed bridge or other kind of rail in the usual ways.
Fig. 34 shews in section a flanged rail fixed to our sleeper by a rivet and washer
plate on one flange, and by an immovable final fixing bolt on the other flange.
The top of the bolt is shewn rivetted loosely over the nut, so that it cannot be
screwed off or get lost. When the long axis is turned in the direction of the
railway the rail can be laid in its place, and by turning up the nut in the opposite
direction to that in which nuts for screw bolts are turned for the purpose of
tightening up, the longer sides ride up over the rail and the plate until they are
stopped by the rail, and the extra curvature of the plate when in work and the
inclination of the screw prevent the nut from working loose.
Fig. 35 is a plan of the nut, the dotted line shewing the stop against the
flange of the rail; or the head of the bolt may be made of the external form shewn
for the nut, and the nut may be placed below the cross tie. In such cases the
stationary nut below may be made of any convenient length, and take its bearings
at its two ends, leaving the centre part to act as a spring. Thus any desired
elastic pressure may be obtained, or any ordinary nut may be used with a washer
between it and the cross tie, such washer taking its bearing at the ends and leaving
the centre part free. In cases where such bolts are used to pass through the flange
of the rail, the head is made of such elongated form that it can pass through a.
suitable hole; all such bolts can be secured and made to act in the way before
5 described. An elastic pressure on the rail may also be obtained by making the
washers above the flange of the rail long, and bearing at their ends only on the
flange of the rail.
Fig. 3 shews in plan a flanged rail fixed on the top of the plate by rivets or
bolts passing through the flange of the rail, the plate, and the cross tie, which cross
0 tie is also rivetted or bolted to both the transverse ends and at intermediate points
of the bearing surface plate, which plate is also slightly arched between the
diagonals in the four triangular bearing surfaces.
Fig. 15 shews the outside arched faces in elevation.
Fig. 12 is a cross sectional elevation of Fig. 3, taken where the rail comes,
$5 shewing in section a side flanged rail as a cross tie.
Fig. 4 shews in plan a flanged rail fixed on the longer diagonal of a parallelogram

page_text: bearing surface plate by rivets or bolts passing in the centre through the flange of
the rail, the plate and the cross tie, also through the flange of the rail and the plate
at its ends, and the cross tie is also further rivetted or bolted to both the
transverse ends of the plate.
Fig. 13 is a cross sectional elevation of Fig. 4, shewing in section, a channel iron
cross tie.
Fig. 5 shews in plan a flanged rail (fixed diagonally on the top of the bearing
surface plate of a quadrangular figure, with four curved sides, by rivets or bolts
through the rail, the centre of the plate, and cross tie, also at ends of plate and
rail, as in Fig. 4, and at intermediate points. The cross tie is also fixed, as in
Fig. 4, but with additional intermediate bolts or rivets.
Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 5, taken where the cross tie comes.
Fig. 16 shews a cross section in the centre of a bearing surface plate parallel to
its sides arched, as shewn in Figs. 3 and 15, also with its edges turned down. The
turning down or burring of the plates by the rolling mill shears or otherwise may
be so slight as not to materially interfere with the bending of the plate to such
arching as may be required to carry the desired load. But in cases where the
ballast or earth requires the edges to enter further so as to check the fine ballast or
earth from slipping out, the edges may then be cut or notched so as to allow the
plates to be arched easily as before.
Fig. 6 shews in plan a double headed rail fixed on the top of a bearing surface
plate of a quadrilateral figure, with unequal diagonals, and curved sides on a long
diagonal. The rail is fixed at the centre of the plate by bolts or rivets passing
through clips, and the plate, and the cross, which cross tie is also rivetted or
bolted to both the transverse ends of the bearing surface plate.
་
Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 6, taken near the cross tie.
Fig. 14 is a section of cross tie and plate, taken under the rail, shewing a T iron
cross tie.
Fig. 17 is a cross sectional elevation of a tramway rail, taken under the rail of
any of the ordinary web descriptions. The weight distributed longitudinally
and diagonally on our bearing surface plate by means of a deep flat bar, as
shewn, between the rail and the plate, and is secured in an angle iron chair or
chairs by bolts or rivets to the bearing surface plate and rail. But the bar shewn
may be replaced by an angle iron, T iron, or equivalent section, which may form a
base for the head, and to which the web may be attached by bolts or rivets.
Fig. 17 also shews a bar which may be replaced by an angle iron, etcetera, below
the plate bearing surface of the cross tie for the purpose of giving extra metal and
strength under the plate, which bar, etcetera, may extend partly or wholly across
the surface plate, and may be applied in all cases both for railways and tramways
where a cross tie is used for the sake of economy, and that is otherwise insufficient 4
to carry the cross strain from the plate.
Fig. 18 shews in cross section our improved rail with wide extended base and
formed of angle pieces; the head, also the heel of the foot, of one angle forming a
groove for the reception of the other angle, thus removing all cross strain from the
bolts and rivets.
Fig. 20 shews in cross section a similar arrangement applicable to grooved
headed rails for tramways. The ends of the feet of the angle irons are rolled
down to give a firm hold, as shewn by the dotted lines. This is also applicable to
any of the rails shewn or described.
4
Fig. 21 shews in cross section a tramway rail with a groove on one heel and a 5
projection on the other heel of the foot of the angle irons.
Fig. 22 shews in cross section a tramway rail with a centre groove, also with
grooves in the heels of both feet of the angle irons, which may be of other form
and fitted with a suitable bar or pieces of iron. The foregoing sections may be
without grooves, projections, or bars.
Fig. 19 shews in cross section our angle iron rail with renewable head, applicable
'
5

page_text: to railways. The heel of the foot of the angle irons may also be, as shewn in
Fig. 22, with or without Fig. 28.
Fig. 23 shews in cross section our angle iron rail with renewable head, applicable
to tramways, with bar cross tie. The heel of the foot of the angle irons may also
be as shewn in Figs. 22 and 28.
Fig. 24 shews in cross section a head with centre top groove suitable to the
angle irons for tramways, as before described in Fig. 23. The grooves, by
preference, will be as shewn, but they may be varied in shape and position, or
omitted.
Fig. 25 shews in cross section our angle iron rail with renewable head applicable
to railways. In this the grooves are omitted, and they may be omitted in all cases
in which the channel of the head or strength of the fixing rivets or bolts render
the grooves unnecessary.
Fig. 26 shews in cross section our angle iron rail with renewable head, also
without grooves, applicable to tramways. One of the angle irons is shewn as
entering the head less than the other, for economy of metal. It may be finished
as shewn by the dotted line, or by the solid section. In the latter case it will be
placed in the head first, when the other angle piece may then be inserted and
forcibly tightened up as before described. The foot of the rail is shewn with a
piece of bar or hoop iron between the angles for holding in the ballast; this may
be used or not as required.
Fig. 27 shews a head with the tops of the angles curved and tightened up as
described.
Fig. 28 shews a bar which may be used with section 22 for holding in the
ballast.
Figs. 29 and 30 shew in elevation and plan a convenient mode of joining
tramrails at the factory or before laying.
This plan is also applicable to railways.
The word iron throughout is intended to mean iron or steel; and the word rivet,
or the form representing a rivet in the Drawing, is intended to represent either a
rivet or a screw bolt, or other bolt or clip for holding parts together. The sleeper
plates, of whatever form, are all interchangeable, both with the various kinds of
existing rails shewn or described, or with our improved rails; as also with any
existing kind of cross tie. The number and position of those bolts or rivets shewn
are also interchangeable so far as they are suitable to the kind of rail and cross tie
used, and they may be increased in number to any extent to suit the thickness of
the parts and the work they have to do. The horizontal member of any clips for
fixing rails may extend for any length in either direction from the rail.
This is specially the case with very thin plates arched as described and shewn in
Figs. 3 and 15, for the purpose of reducing the number of rivets. In such cases the
horizontal member may be used as a bar for holding down the plate longitudinally
over the cross tic. Our rails may be inclined in the usual way by notching the
sleeper, or by using inclined taper bearing pieces, or the angle pieces forming the.
rail may be rolled one a little acute and the other a little obtuse.
Also one or
both of the angle pieces may be rolled with a projection downwards to be let into
the sleeper or ballast for better holding to gauge and resisting side thrusts in sharp
curves. Our rails may be fixed to wooden sleepers in any of the usual ways. The
centre faces of the angle irons, and the internal faces in the heads, may be rolled
slightly hollow for the better fitting together of the parts.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, we claim, substantially as
set forth,
First. The construction of sleepers by such forms and dispositions of thin plates
in such relation to the rails and cross ties, whereby by their joint special action as
set forth they are enabled to distribute a load very heavy over a surface very large
in proportion to the thickness of the bearing surface plates.
Second. The construction of rails with two angle pieces placed close together of

page_text: such form that they can both be rolled in the easy way that angle irons are
rolled, whereby rails of suitably wide bearing surfaces can be made with great
economy.
Third. The construction of rails with two angle pieces placed close together, and
with a renewable head bearing on their top ends, and secured when the angle
pieces are brought together at their bases by the tops of the angle pieces opening
into the channel of the head and taking a firm hold at the top and bottom of or
throughout the channel of the head, whereby rails of suitably wide bearing surfaces
and with renewable heads can be made with great economy.
In witness whereof, we, the said Percy Burrell and Henry Valpy, have
bereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventeenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
PERCY BURRELL. (L.S.)
HENRY VALPY.
(L.S.)