IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAIL- WAYS AND TRAMWAYS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Featherstone Griffin, of 19, Great George
Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAIL-
WAYS AND TRAMWAYS
"
Sealed the 31st December 1870, and dated the 12th July 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Featherstone
Griffin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 12th July 1870.
I, GEORGE FEATHERSTONE GRIFFIN, of 19, Great George Street, West-
minster, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT
WAY OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS," to be as follows:-
The improvements herein-after set forth are a further developement of
the system of permanent way for which I obtained Letters Patent in
the year 1869 under the No. 1014.
I use a modification of the rails with flanges high up on the web,
secured to me by the above-mentioned Patent, such modification con-
sisting in forming the rail with deep web below the flanges with the

page_text: outer flange higher than the inner one; this gives me with the strength
necessary a lighter rail with adequate bearing, and much greater amount
of wearing surface than in ordinary sections of rails of equal weight.
To give greater strength to the entire way and to obtain the combined
advantages of the longitudinal and transverse systems of railway, I
propose to scat the longitudinal 'timber upon one or more transverse or
partially transverse pieces of metal which may in some cases form the
guage or tic bars. For this purpose I use T, girder, angle, or other iron
or irons cut in lengths regulated by the guage, and preferably suffi-
ciently long to project many inches beyond and outside the longitudinal
timbers. Upon such T, girder, angle, or other iron I form chairs to
receive the longitudinal timber, making such chairs by rivetting or
bolting pieces of angle or other suitable iron on to the Ṭ, girder, angle, or
other iron, or by fixing thereon jaws made to any shape which I may
find preferable.
The most important feature however of this system of supporting
longitudinal timbers upon transverse metal sleepers is that I can make
almost the whole of a new railway from old material with the greatest
facility, and at an insignificant cost, by adapting worn out and defective
rails, and waste ends of the same of almost any section for use as
transverse or partially transverse sleepers, as well as almost all descrip-
tions of T, girder, angle, or other suitable sections which may have been
condemned for ordinary purposes. For example, I take a "Vignoles"
rail, cut it in suitable lengths, rivet or bolt pieces of angle or other
iron upon its bottom to form a chair for the rail or rail and timber, and
lay it head downwards in the ballast. Or I take an ordinary double-
headed rail rivetting the jaws upon one of its sides, the other resting
upon the ballast. Or I use the bridge or any other description of rail
which I may find applicable to this purpose.
I consider it important that the chairs should not be formed at the
extremity of the transverse sleepers, but that the ends of these sleepers
should extend beyond and outside. The effect being to give a better
and more steady bearing and to check any tendency to tilt or roll in
the ballast. I prefer to use my regulating bolts for bolting the timber
to sleepers thus formed, but any suitable fastening may be used.
A way thus laid will be found really permanent, for in renewing the
way the solid iron transverse portion of the sleepers will only at very
long intervals require to be disturbed.

page_text: When a new rail or timber is necessary by simply withdrawing the
regulating bolts either can be. replaced in a few minutes. The rail
bearing immediately on the timber no packing is needed.
To avoid any possibility of the nuts of my regulating bolts shaking
loose I have the holes in the chair jaws or metal through which they
pass, a little larger than the collar upon the nuts, and slightly flattened
at the top, and the collar upon the nuts also flattened to the same extent
on two opposite sides.. When the bolt is passed through the jaw or
chair and the nut is screwed up tightly, the rail having always a
tendency to rise brings the flattened surfaces in the holes of the chair
jaws or metal, and the flattened surfaces on the collar of the nut in
close contact, so that at every half turn of the nut they lock together
and it requires a strong wrench of a spanner to separate them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Featherstone Griffin in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 11th January 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
FEATHERSTONE GRIFFIN, of 19, Great George Street, Westminster, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Featherstone. Griffin, Her special
licence that I, the said George Featherstone Griffin, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Feather-
stone Griffin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no. others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-.
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS,”-
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Feather-.
stone Griffin, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in,

page_text: writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Featherstone Griffin, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, 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 accom-
panying Sheet of Drawing, and to the figures and letters of reference
placed thercon, similar letters of reference denoting similar parts in
each of the Figures respectively.
The improvements herein-after set forth and described are a further
developement of the system of permanent way for which I obtained
Letters Patent in the year 1869 under the number 1014.
To give greater strength to the entire permanent way of a railway or
tramway and to obtain the combined advantages of the longitudinal and
transverse systems of railway I seat the longitudinal timber upon one
or more transverse or partially transverse pieces of metal which may in
some cases form the guage or tie bars. For this purpose I use T, girder,
angle, or other iron or irons cut in lengths regulated by the guage, and
preferably sufficiently long to project many inches beyond and outside
the longitudinal timbers. Upon such T, girder, angle, or other iron I
form chairs to receive the longitudinal timber, making such chairs by
riveting or bolting pieces of angle or other suitable iron on to the T,
girder, angle, or other iron or by fixing thereon jaws made to any shape
which I may find preferable.
The most important feature, however, of this system of supporting
longitudinal timbers upon transverse metal sleepers is that I can make
almost the whole of a new railway from old material with the greatest
facility, and at an insignificant cost, by adapting worn out and defective
rails and waste ends of the same of almost any section for use as transverse
or partially transverse sleepers, as well as almost all descriptions of T,
girder, angle, or other suitable sections which may have been condemned
for ordinary purposes. For example, I take a "Vignoles" rail, cut it
in suitable lengths, rivet or bolt pieces of angle or other iron upon its
bottom to form a chair for the rail or rail and timber, and lay it head
downwards in the ballast as shewn on the accompanying Sheet of

page_text: Drawing. Or I take an ordinary double-headed rail, riveting the jaws
upon one of its sides, the other resting upon the ballast. Or I use the
bridge or any other description of rail which I may find applicable to
this purpose.
I consider it important that the chairs should not be formed at the
extremities of the transverse sleepers, but that the ends of these sleepers
should extend beyond and outside. The effect being to give a better
and more steady bearing, and to check any tendency to tilt or roll in
the ballast.
The rail which I prefer to adopt in combination with longitudinal
timber and transverse metal sleeper or support is a modification of the
rails with flanges high up on the web secured to me by my above
mentioned Letters Patent, No. 1014, A.D. 1869, such modification con-
sisting in forming the rail with deep web below flanges with the outer
flange higher than the inner one; this gives me with the necessary
strength a lighter rail with adequate bearing and much greater amount
of wearing surface than in ordinary sections of rails of equal weight.
I prefer to use my regulating bolts for bolting the timber to sleepers
formed as above described, but any suitable fastening may be used.
A way thus laid will be found really permanent, for in renewing the
way the solid iron transverse portion of the sleepers will only at very
long intervals require to be disturbed. Further, a line thus formed with
transverse iron supports is naturally drained by the supports themselves,
and instead of timber lying rotting in the ballast all moisture is carried
off by the supports.
The rail
When a new rail or timber is necessary, by simply withdrawing the
regulating bolts either can be replaced in a few minutes.
bearing immediately on the timber no packing is needed.
My system of combining longitudinal and transverse sleepers or
O supports applies not only to combinations of longitudinal timber with
metal supports but extends also to supporting any kind of longitudinal
metal sleeper upon a transverse or partially transverse metal sleeper.
An example of which is herein-after described in reference to Figs. 3
of the annexed Sheet of Drawing. To avoid any possibility of the nuts
5 of my regulating bolts shaking loose, the holes in the chair jaws or metal
through which they pass are made a little larger than the collar upon
the nuts and slightly flattened at the top, the collar of the nut is also
flattened to the same extent on two or more sides. When the bolt is

page_text: passed through the jaw or chair, and the nut is screwed up tightly, the
rail having always a tendency to rise brings the. flattened surface in the
hole of the chair jaws or metal and one of the flattened surfaces on the
collar of the nut in close contact, so that at every half turn or less of
the nut they lock together and it requires a strong wrench of a spanner
to, separate them. This arrangement may be applied to any bolts under
the same conditions
Figure 1 is a top plan view of part of a permanent way formed by a
combination of longitudinal timber with transverse or partially transverse.
metal sleepers or supports according to this Invention; Figure 2 is an
elevation of same.
A, A¹, indicate longitudinal timbers; B; my rail with deep web a
below flanges, and outer flange b higher than inner flange c; C; partially
transverse angle iron sleeper supporting timbers A, A¹; d; d, angle iron
forming chairs for longitudinal timbers; D, transverse T iron sleeper
also forming tic bar; E, girder iron partially transverse sleeper. Theso
sections of transverse sleepers are best seen at Figures 5; F, double-headed
rail used as partially transverse support; G, bridge rail as support and tic
ar guage bar, and H, "Vignoles" rail used as partially transverse sleeper.
These sections of rails. are best seen Figs. 5a. I would here observe
that the transverse supports of a permanent way upon this system may
be all of one section of metal or of several sections intermixed; I, my
regulating bolts passing through jaws d, longitudinal timbers A, A¹, and
deep web a of rail B. These regulating bolts will be found fully
described in the Specification to my Letters Patent, No. 1014, A.D.
1869.
On reference to the plan view, Fig. 1, it will be seen that the transverse
metal supports all project outside the longitudinal timbers, and for the
reasons above stated I deem this very desirable; it may nevertheless in
some cases be found convenient to have the chairs or jaws at the
extremities of the transverse support.
The sections of iron and of rails shown on the Drawing are simply
illustrative of my combination, and I purpose employing any other
sections which I may find suitable, and I need scarcely observe that
of those sections may be used either as a wholly transverse or a partially
transverse sleeper or support.
any

page_text: I would further observe that the description of longitudinal timber
will vary with the section of rail adopted, and that although I prefer the
use of a deep webbed rail other sections of rail and longitudinal supports
may be used in combination with my metal transverse or partially
transverse 'sleepers.
Figures 3 show in plan and in side and end elevations an application
of my combined longitudinal and transverse system to a permanent way
wholly of metal. D, transverse iron sleeper or support; G, bridge
rail support; t, tic or guage bar. Other sections may be used as supports,
but the bridge rail is peculiarly adapted for fixing and altering the
guage of tie bar, as shewn at u. d, chairs keyed and riveted, or which
may be otherwise fastened on supports D and Ġ; K, curved metal plate
forming longitudinal metal sleeper or support for "Vignoles" rail L,
and giving great elasticity to the way. This longitudinal support K
may be riveted on to the flanges of the transverse support, as at e, e, or
the extremities of the head of the iron may be bent over it as at f, f,
or it may be otherwise fixed as may be found most convenient. I,
regulating bolt, securing rail in chair. To draw the rail down on to the
longitudinal support K, unscrew the nut g, screw up that h, and the
wedge i passing further into web of rail keeps it more firmly on to K.
k, sheath passed over smaller diameter of regulating bolt to protect
thread of small diameter of bolt, and to keep the rail from oscillating in
its chair.
Figures 4 (drawn to an enlarged scale) illustrate my method of making
the nut of cach fastening securely lock itself, so that it cannot possibly
work loose. M, jaw or other piece of metal through which the bolt
passes; N, nut; O, collar of nut; 1, 1, flattened sides of collar; m,
flattened part at top of hole into which the collar O enters. It will be
observed that the flattened parts 7 and m are in close contact; this, as
previously stated, results from the tendency of the rail to rise, and
cannot be overcome otherwise than by the downward pressure given
when unscrewing the nut with the spanner. All danger of the nut
shaking loose is therefore obviated. It will be seen that the nut locks
at every half turn, but it may be made to do so at every quarter or lesser
turn by increasing the number of flattened sides on the collar.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein

page_text: given, as variations may be made therefrom while preserving the main
features of my improvements; for example, any suitable chair or jaws
may be adapted to my transverse or partially transverse sleepers, which
may scat many
kinds of longitudinal supports and sections of rails, and
be secured by any fastenings which may be found suitable; and that I
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent,―
Firstly. Seating longitudinal sleepers or supports, whether of timber
or of metal, upon transverse or partially transverse pieces of metal, and
particularly upon old rails or parts of rails and waste iron of any suitable
section, for the purpose of forming a permanent way for railways and
tramways, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated on the
accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. The method of preventing the loosening of the nuts of my
regulating bolts and other bolts, substantially as herein-before described
and illustrated Figures 4 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Featherstone Griffin, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.