IMPROVE- 'MENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Murphy, of Newport, in the County
of Monmouth,. Civil Engineer, for the Invention of. "IMPROVE-
'MENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Murphy
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 17th February 1853.
I, JAMES MURPHY, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS"
to be as follows:-
It consists of certain appliances of improved bearings for the
support of all kinds of rails, according to the manner shewn in the
accompanying Drawing, and to be as follows: When double or
single headed rails are used with square or curvilineal shoulders,
one example of the latter of which, as shewn in Figure 1, of the ac-
companying Drawing, I place the bearings one on each side of the
rail, and firmly bolt it thereto. These bearings, break joint with the
rail and each other, so that no two joints come opposite each other.

page_text: These bearings I connect to the rail by bolts and nuts cottered to
prevent loosening. At spaces in the length of the rail the bolt
passes through from edge to edge at the bearing, and is bolted
or united thereto, as, shewn in the Drawing, or otherwise. I also
use for double headed rails the arrangements shewn in Figure 3,
with a wrought iron tie passing under the rail, as shewn in the
Drawing. When flange rails are used I employ a continuous
bearing, with or without a rib, as shewn in Figure 2. The advan-
tages of this mode of laying are the ease which the same can be
effected, the cheapness and durability of the combination, and con-
siderable saving in the annual maintenance of the permanent way.
These arrangements are applicable to all kinds of double or single
headed rails and all flange rails.
'
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by" the said James Murphy in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 16th August 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES MURPHY, of Newport, in the County of Monmouth, Civil.
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in
the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said James Murphy, Her
especial license that I; the said James Murphy, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Murphy,
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 Islè. of Man, my
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," upon the con-

page_text: dition (amongst others) that I, the said Jaines Murphy, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and scal, 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 James Murphy, 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, reference being had to the illus-
trative Sheet of Drawings hereunto. annexed, and forming part of
this my Specification, on which certain diagrams, numbered 1 to 5
inclusive, are drawn, and to the letters of reference marked upon the
said diagrams:
My Invention consists of certain appliances of improved cast or
wrought iron bearings for supporting all kind of rails for railways.
The rails and bearings. or appliances are to be laid on or in the
ballast of the road way, and not dependant upon what are ordinarily
termed sleepers for their support or foundation. Among the ad-
vantages of the modes of laying rails according to Figures 1, 2, and
3, in the Drawing, are the gaining of a longitudinal continuous
bearing for double or single headed rails, as well as a complete
"fishing" or support for the joints of the said rails, also great
durability, and a considerable saving in the annual maintenance of
the permanent way will be achieved. The mode of laying rails,
shewn by Figures 4, and 5, on longitudinal or transverse bearing
plates, combine the advantages of great durability and strength,
with facility for laying and maintaining thereof.
I shew, at Figures 1, and 2, of the accompanying Drawing, two
examples of the mode of using double headed rails. I place the rail
between the bearings, formed, as illustrated, in either mode, and
firmly bolt or otherwise fasten it thereto. In Figure 1, the mode
of fastening the bearings to the rail D, is shewn, which rail is
secured by a bolt d, with nut and cotter, which bolt is elongated at

page_text: each end, and consequent on such elongation serves to connect the
outer edges of the bearings a, a, by being bolted, rivetted, or other-
wise fastened or secured thereto. Figure 2, shew the bearings
similar to those above described, bolted to the rail D, a tye bar f,
passing from one edge of the bearing to the other, and under the
rail (as illustrated), and connected to such ends by bolts, rivets,
screws, or other fastening. The shoulders of the bearings a; a, may
be fitted close to the under side of the upper web of the rail D; but
I prefer the mode I have shewn. These bearings, as before de-
scribed, are laid longitudinally, and can be laid continuously or at
intervals, as may be desired. At Figure 3, the bearings and rails
laid continuously are shewn with the abutting joints. at g, con-
nected by a butt plate h, and bolted, rivetted, or otherwise secured.
These joints may also be connected by a lap joint. The bearings
are also shewn to break joint with the rails and with each other,
but they can with propriety be laid with joints opposite each other,
as may be desired. The tye bars i, i, are shewn to preserve the
guage of the rails. Figure 4, shews a cast or wrought iron bear-
ing b, to be laid longitudinally at intervals or transversely, for the
support of rails of any form placed in chair or otherwise. Here I
have shewn a form in which the rib thereof c, may be made, and
which form I prefer; but it may be made or manufactured in divers
other forms without departing from the principle carried out. This
rib or strengthening piece e, is attached to the under side of the
bearing; and it may be rolled or cast in one piece with it, or made
separately, and subsequently fastened thereto, as shewn at Figure 5,
where the strengthening piece or rib e, is shewn as a separate piece,
and attached to the bearer b, by bolts and rivets, or it may be
otherwise firmly secured. On the top of this bearer, Figure 5, will
be seen a projection or stop k; by the use of which stop it is in-
tended the bolts or other fastenings of the rails or bearers should be
relieved from under shocks or strains. Where rails are used flat
bottomed they may be rolled or made with a hollow or groove
therein to enable them to receive this stop. The abutting joints of

page_text: these plates or bearings may be connected by abutting plates or lap
joints bolted, rivetted, or otherwise firmly secured.
Having now described the nature of my "Improvements in the
Permanent Way of Railways," and the various modes or ways by
which such improvements may be made or carried into practical
effect, and illustrated the same in and by the Diagrams 1 to 5 in-
clusive in the annexed Drawing, which forms part of this my Speci-
fication, I desire it to be understood that I do not claim as being
new the use of iron bearings in one or more pieces bolted or other-
wise fastened to the side of a rail, or used as a saddle, bearing plate,
or sleeper for the support of rails laid longitudinally, continuously,
at intervals, or transversely; neither do I claim as new the use of
connecting rods or bolts of wood or iron to preserve the guage of
the rails, or to connect the outer edges of the bearings, nor the use
of butt plates or lap joints to connect the abutting joints of the
bearings; but what I do claim and maintain to be as of my Inven-
tion is,
-
Firstly, I claim the sole use of cast or wrought iron bearings for
rails manufactured or made, and placed on each side of the rails,
and between the upper and lower webs of the double headed rail,
the same being applicable to single headed rails as herein described,
and illustrated in the Drawing.
Secondly, I claim the sole use of bearing plates or sleepers for the
support of rails or chairs (holding or supporting rails), used with a
strengthening piece or rib, as at Figures 4, and 5, or with a stop or
projection on the upper side of the bearing, as at Figure 5, of the
annexed Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Murphy, have heretofore
affixed my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of August, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JAMES MURPHY. (L.S.)