IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Clark, of 11, Gray's Inn Square, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 5th May 1868, and dated the 7th November 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th November 1867.
I, THOMAS CLARK, of 11, Gray's Inn Square, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the permanent way of
railways. In constructing the permanent way of railways where double-
headed rails are used, the ends of the rails are usually cut off square or at
right angles to the length of the line of railway so that the wheels pass
suddenly from one rail to another and an uneasy motion is the result.
Now according to my Invention I cut off the ends of the double headed
rails in a direction inclined to the length of the line of railway, and I connect.

page_text: the ends so cut off with fish plates secured by bolts and nuts and the fished
joints so formed are placed intermediate of the chairs by which the line of
railway is supported. The rails are so laid on the railway that the wheels on
the inner or flange side may meet the obtuse angle of the end of each rail.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
CLARK, of 11, Gray's Inn Square, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Clark, Her special. licence that I, the said Thomas Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Clark, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT
WAY OF RAILWAYS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Thomas Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in 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 Thomas Clark, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same, is to be
performed to be particularly described, and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say::-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the permanent way of
railways. In constructing the permanent way, of railways where double
headed rails are used, the ends, of the rails are usually cut off, square or at
right-angles to the length, of the line of railway so, that the wheels pass
suddenly from one rail to another and an uneasy, motion is the result.

page_text: Joints so form
railway is supported.
praced ntermed
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2 is a side view of a joint constructedl
according to my Invention. a, a, are the sleepers on which are fixed the
chairs b, b, these chairs receive the two double headed rails c which they hold
at a distance from their ends so as to receive between them the fish plates
d, d; e, e, are the screw bolts passing through the fish plates and through the
webs of the rails; Figure 3 is a side view of the end of one of the rails separately.
and shows more clearly the angle or incline at which the end of the rail is
cut off. By the combined arrangement above described for forming the
joints between double headed rails, it will be seen that I obtain all the
advantages of ordinary fished joints suspended or placed intermediate of the
supporting chairs and together with these advantages, which are so well known
that it is unnecessary here to restate them, I obtain the further advantages
resulting from the oblique form given to the ends of the rails, the wheels do
not meet the ends of the rails suddenly, but the weight is transferred
comparatively gradually from rail to rail; a stronger joint is also obtained both
vertically and laterally. The greatest durability will be obtained if the rails
be laid so that the flanges of the wheels meet the obtuse angle at the end of
each rail, this arrangement does not however admit of the rail being turned
over and replaced in its former position if it be desired to turn the rails
without changing their positions on the line; the angles opposed to the flanges
of the wheels should be alternately obtuse and acute.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our
Lord Oue thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.