Improvements in Hollow Railway Rails.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 10th July, 1893-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hollow Railway Rails.
I, REINHARD MANNESMANN, Jr., of Pariser Platz No. 6, Berlin, Germany,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a construction of hollow railway rails with two side
webs stiffened by corrugations, described in the Specification to Patent No. 2991
of 1891; according to the present improvements, such rails, instead of being made
of a closed tubular structure without joint, as there described, are made either with
a joint at one point of their cross section, or they are made of two or more separate
parts, so as to enable the separate parts to break joint when the lengths of rail are
joined together longitudinally, or again they may be made either entirely or
partially open at bottom.
The transmission of the strains to which the rails are subjected is however
effected in the same way as in the constructions described in the said Specification,
and the vertical pressure on the head of the rail is transmitted to the feet or base
by means of side webs having corrugations, the ridges and furrows of which lie
transversely to the rail.
The foot or base can be either in one or in two parts, but in the latter case the
two parts must be secured in their relative positions by a suitable connection, and
for this purpose the sleeper or the tie rod can be utilised.
On the accompanying drawing are shewn various forms of rails constructed
according to my invention. Figs. 1 to 4 shew cross sections of hollow rails formed
of a single piece bent together longitudinally and having the meeting edges suitably
secured together.
In the construction at Fig. 1 the connection is effected at the middle of the
base; at Fig. 2 the joint is between the upper end of the one web and the
bottom of the head of the rail; at Fig. 3 the joint is between the lower end of
the one web and the base, the edge of the web being bent outward, as a flange,
while the edge of the base is bent round the edge of the web so as to be secured'
thereto.
In Fig. 4 the joint is formed in the middle of the head, the two parts being
secured together by screw bolts or rivets, as shewn.
Fig. 5 shews a rail built up of two separate parts, the base being made separate
from the head and webs, these being formed with outward flanges at bottom to
which the base is secured in any suitable manner such as by rivets or screw bolts,
or by bending its ends over the flanges, or by both means combined, as shewn.
Fig. 6 also shews a rail of two parts, the two joints being in this case formed in
the middle of the head and of the base, respectively.
The two parts of the head are formed respectively with a longitudinal groove
and a feather, fitting each other, in order to prevent any vertical shifting of the two
parts, and also to prevent the connecting rivets or bolts of the joint from being
subject to any shearing strain.
Fig. 7 shews a rail built up of three separate parts, namely the two webs, each
with a half head, and the base. The constructions at Figs. 6 and 7 enable the
longitudinal connections of the several parts to break joint.
Figs. 8 to 10 shew hollow rails that are not closed at bottom. In the con-
structions at Figs. 8 and 9 the lower ends of the webs are formed with flanges
that are fixed to wood sleepers by means of ordinary hook spikes, whereby they
are held securely in their relative positions.
In place of wood sleepers may be used hollow metal sleepers of a rectangular
:
:

page_text: cross section, the feet of the rail being in that case secured by rivets or screws
passing through the top of the sleeper.
The sleeper may however be dispensed with by tying the lower parts of the two
webs together at intervals by a tie rod, as shewn at Fig. 10, the feet of the rail
being made sufficiently wide to afford a firm support on the foundation.
All the above described constructions have the characteristic feature that there
are two side webs, which are stiffened by vertical corrugations, as shewn at Fig. 9ª,
which is a cross section at a-b Fig. 9.
Date : 101
1000
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hollow Railway Rails.
I, REINHARD MANNESMANN Jr., of Pariser Platz No. 6, Berlin, Germany,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention 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 a construction of hollow railway rails with two side
webs stiffened by corrugations, described in the Specification to Patent No. 2991
of 1891; according to the present improvements, such rails, instead of being made
of a closed tubular structure without joint, as there described, are made either with
a joint at one point of their cross section, or they are made of two or more separate
parts, so as to enable the separate parts to break joint when the lengths of rail are
joined together longitudinally, or again, they may be made either entirely or
partially open at bottom.
The transmission of the strains to which the rails are subjected is however
effected in the same way as in the constructions described in the said Specification,
and the vertical pressure on the head of the rail is transmitted to the feet or base
by means of side webs having corrugations, the ridges and furrows of which lie
transversely to the rail.
The foot or base can be either in one or in two parts but in the latter case when
the side webs are placed in angular positions, the two parts must be held in their
relative positions by a suitable connection for taking the horizontal component of
the strain exercised by the load, and for this purpose the sleeper or the tie rod can
be utilised.
On the accompanying drawing are shewn various forms of rails constructed
according to my invention. Figures 1 and 2 shew cross sections of hollow rails
with corrugated inclined side webs formed of a single piece bent together
longitudinally and having the meeting edges suitably secured together.
In the construction shewn in cross section and sectional plan on line a-b at
Figs. 1 and 14 the connection is effected at the middle of the base; at Fig. 2 the
joint is between the flanged lower end of the one web and the base, the edge of
the web being bent outward, as a flange, while the edge of the base is bent round
the edge of the web so as to be secured thereto.
Fig. 3 shews a construction in which the base is made as a separate plate,
rivetted or otherwise secured to flanges formed on the two side webs. In this
arrangement the base may advantageously be made with longitudinal corrugations
as shewn, the strength of the corrugations of this plate being so proportioned that
it remains approximately rigid when the rail is subject to a normal load, but when
it is subject to considerable concussive strains, the horizontal component is taken
up by the more or less elastic action of the corrugations, whereby the effect of
such concussions is correspondingly weakened. When such elastic action of the
base is not required, it may be made of a flat plate as at Fig. 7.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 shew constructions in which the closed base is dispensed with,

page_text: the transverse sleeper or the tie bolt being utilised for taking the horizontal
component of the strain.
Fig. 4 shews the flanged lower end of the side webs secured to a wood sleeper
by spikes, Fig. 5 shews the same secured to a metal sleeper, and Fig. 6 shews them
secured by a tie bar of hollow rectangular or other section.
For the purpose of forming a practically continuous rail, so as to avoid butt
joints, the rail can be divided longitudinally through the head, either into two
parts as at Fig. 8, or into three parts as at Fig. 7, so that the separate lengths of
each part can be shifted longitudinally so as to break joint with the other parts.
The two parts of the head are fitted together with one or more grooves and tongues
as shown, and are secured together by screw bolts underneath the head. At the
joints there may be provided a union piece fixed to the underside, consisting of a
piece of rail of the same or approximately the same section, which may be formed
of the waste ends or worn lengths of rails.
Fig. 9 shews a corresponding modification of the forms of rails shewn at
Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 7 of Patent 2991", namely with the base open instead of closed
and with flanges on the side webs, which are formed with transverse corrugations
as in the preceding cases, thus forming an ordinary bridge rail with corrugated
vertical side webs.
The above decribed constructions of bridge rails with corrugated sides may be
produced either by rolling or pressing in the ordinary manner, or by the method
of rolling described in the Specification to Patent No. 3371".
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Hollow railway rails stiffened by side corrugations, and having their base either
entirely or partially open, or entirely closed and with a joint at one point of their
cross section or closed by a separate flat or corrugated plate, secured to the side
webs by rivetting or otherwise, substantially as described.
2. Hollow railway rails stiffened by side corrugations, and constructed of two or
more separate parts secured together by rivets, screw bolts, or other means
substantially as described.
3. In hollow railway rails such as are referred to in the preceding claim,
arranging the separate parts to break joint, so as to form a practically continuous
rail, substantially as described.
4. Hollow or bridge-shaped railway rails with corrugated sides constructed as
herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 10th day of July 1893.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for Applicant.