Sleepers and the Ends of Rails to each other.
Year: 1886

page_text: Sleepers and the Ends of Rails to each other.
I, JAMES DUFFIELD of Ashfield, Workington in the County of Cumberland
Manager of Steel Works do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FASTENINGS OF RAILWAY RAILS TO METALLIC SLEEPERS,
AND THE ENDS OF RAILS TO EACH OTHER and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention is an improvement upon the Patent No 13056 and dated
October 30th 1885, and to which I shall therefore refer in this Specification; the
object of my present invention is to give greater strength and lateral stiffness to
the ends of contiguous rails, when laid in the line, and which is commonly called
the "joint," and to make a more secure fastening of the rails to Sleepers generally.
And that my present invention may be fully understood I have annexed
drawings of same.
Figs 1 and 2, show the improvement as applied to the fastening of a rail to a
metallic sleeper.
Figs 3 & 4 ditto as applied to a rail joint.
Figs 5 & 6-a modification with bolts.
Figs 7 & 8, as applied to ordinary rails.
Fig. 9. a modified arrangement of keys.
I carry out my invention by making the metallic keys deeper in section than
those described in my former Specification, so that a bearing is taken by the top
edge of the keys under the head of the rail at A-Fig. 1-(sheet 1) in addition to
the bearing taken under the projection B, formed on the web of the rail, although
I wish it to be understood that the projection B, is not absolutely necessary with
the use of the improved key; in some cases I dispense with this bearing by leaving
a space between it and the key, and rely for the fastening solely upon the bearings
at A, C, D, E, see Figs 3 & 5.
And although I (as far as possible) propose to dispense with the use of bolts, as
parts of the fastenings of the "joint," or the junction of contiguous rails, I may in
some cases find it advisable to use them as "dowels" or retainers, by passing them
through clearance boles formed in the keys and webs of the rails, to prevent the
creeping of the rails, and the consequent separating at the joints as for example
P

page_text: in steep gradients, but these bolts shall not be tightened so as to draw the keys
from contact with their bearing surfaces C against the rail or the sleepers, see
Fig. 5 & 6.
I also propose to use this improved broad key as a fastening to metallic sleepers,
of any ordinary section of rails not having a longitudinal rib or projection on the
web, as shown in Figs 7 & 8. by causing the key to take a bearing on the
parts A, C, D, E on the rail and sleeper.
It will be readily seen that the above described novel arrangements of keys, are
also applicable for connecting the rail to the sleeper, at parts other than at the
"joint" and I may sometimes use a broad key on one side of the rail, and a narrow
one on the other, as shown in Fig. 9, thus combining the keys of both inventions
as a fastening for securing rails to sleepers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect,
I declare that what I claim is :-
1 The improved system of securing railway rails to Metallic Sleepers, sub-
stantially as herein before described and as illustrated.
2nd The method of securing the ends of rails to each other when in line sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
3rd In securing rails to Metallic Sleepers, the particular arrangement and
combination of the bearing parts A, B, C, D, E as shown in Figs 1 to 9 inclusive.
Dated the 21st day of May 188R
ROBT F. DRURY,
Agent for the Applicant.