IMPROVE- MENTS IN SLEEPERS AND CLIPS FOR RAILS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Clark Bunten, of the Anderston Foundry, Glasgow,
in the County of Lanark, and James Livesey, of No. 9, Victoria Chambers,
Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SLEEPERS AND CLIPS FOR RAILS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION filed by the said James Clark Bunten and
James Livesey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th
December 1877.
JAMES CLARK BUNTEN, of the Anderston Foundry, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, and JAMES LIVESEY, of No. 9, Victoria Chambers, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEPERS AND CLIPS FOR RAILS."
Our Invention relates to sleepers and clips for supporting and securing the
rails of railways.
According to one construction suitable for wrought-iron or steel-bowl sleepers,
or sleepers which are separate for the two rails, we subject a plate of wrought iron
or steel to pressure or blows in a mould, so as to give it the desired bowl or other
form, and also to raise up a portion of the plate as a swell or protuberance; part of
which we separate by a cut and raise sufficiently above the general surface of the
plate to form a clip, under which is inserted the edge of one of the flanges of the
rail. Instead of thus separating the clip a portion of the metal that is swelled up
may be curved back under the raised part, so as to form a recess, into which the
edge of the rail flange is inserted. Instead of one such clip two or more may be
formed on the face of the sleeper to take the flange of the one side of the rail. For
securing the other flange of the rail we in like manner at another part of the plate
raise a clip of considerably greater dimensions to admit the flange, and also a key
or wedge for tightening the rail in its place. In order to strengthen this clip we
prefer to form it with one or more corrugations, which act as ribs, giving it
stiffness to resist flexure.

page_text: .
In order to prevent the key or wedge from shaking out of its place we prefer to
use the known form of key, having small indents or corrugations on its back; and
we provide corresponding indents on the inner face of the clip, which has sufficient
spring to allow the key to be driven in over the indents.
The clips, instead of being forined, as above described, by producing swells on the
plate, may, when a thicker plate is used, be formed by cutting through the plate,
so as partially to separate from it the portions of metal intended to form the clips
The portions thus partially severed are turned upwards and bent over at
their free ends to form clips, and are corrugated, so as to give them the required
stiffness.
The larger clip, which receives the key or wedge, may however be a separate
piece, suitably corrugated and indented as described, and rivetted on the sleepor.
When this is applied to sleepers extending across the line, in order to prevent them
shifting in the direction of their length we secure by the same rivets that hold the
clips an angle piece extending down into the ballast.
According to another construction we cut two holes through the upper surface
of the sleeper plate, one hole on each side of the rail base; and through these holes
we pass a bar of iron or steel, bent to such a form that one end being inserted into
the one hole can be passed under the plate and made to protrude at the other holo,
both ends then appearing above the plate and being bent over inwards or towards
each other, so as to form the two clips, one for each flange of the rail, one of them
being sufficiently large to take also the wedge or key.
We prefer to make the bar longitudinally corrugated, to give it stiffness, or to
make it with one or more longitudinal ribs outside; and in the latter case we cut
a notch in the rib or ribs in such a position that when the bar has been inserted in
the sleeper it can be pushed a little in the direction of its length, so that the edge
of one of the holes. of the sleeper plate engages in the notch, and so prevents the
bar from dropping out of its place.
The bar, instead of having both ends hook shaped, may have one of its ends
straight and provided with a bolt projecting upwards through a hole in the sleeper,
and having a nut to secure a washer or piece of metal, which forms a clip, jaw, or
abutment for one of the rail flanges.
In order slightly to vary the gauge as required at curves we make the holes in
the sleeper through which the hooked bar is passed wide enough to take besides
the bar, a key, which may be inserted at either side, according as tho gauge has to
be narrower or wider. Or we make the washer or abutment piece above mentioned
with unequal sides, so that it may be turned on the bolt to the attitude suitable for
the required gauge.
Clips formed, as above described, of bent bars inserted through holes in the
sleepers may obviously be used when the sleepers are of cast iron. Also without
such bent bars the unequal-sided washer or abutment piece may be employed
generally for regulating gauge.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Clark Bunten and James Livesey in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th June 1878.
JAMES CLARK BUNTEN, of the Anderston Foundry, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanaik, and JAMES LIVESEY, of No. 9, Victoria Chambers, Westininster, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEPERS AND CLIPS FOR RAILS."
Our Invention relates to sleepers and clips for supporting and securing the rails
of railways.
According to one construction suitable for wrought-iron or steel-bowl sleepers,
or sleepers which are separate for the two rails, we subject a plate of wrought iron
or steel to pressure or blows in a mould, so as to give it the desired bowl or other
form, and also to raise up a portion of the plate as a swell or protuberance, part
of which we separate by a cut and raise sufficiently above the general surface of
the plate to form a clip, under which is inserted the edge of one of the flanges of
the rail. Instead of thus separating the clip a portion of the metal that is swelled
up may be curved back under the raised part, so as to form a recess, into which the
edge of the rail flange is inserted. Instead of one such clip two or more may
be formed on the face of the sleeper to take the flange of the one side of the
rail. For securing the other flange of the rail we in like manner at another part
of the plate raise a clip of considerably greater dimensions to admit the flange, and
also a key or wedge for tightening the ail in its place In order to strengthen
this clip we prefer to form it with one or more corrugations, which act as ribs,
giving it stiffness to resist flexuie.
In order to prevent the key or wedge from shaking out of its place we prefer to
use the known form of key, having small indents or corrugations on its back; and we
provide corresponding indents on the inner face of the clip, which has sufficient
spring to allow the key to be driven in over the indents.
The clips, instead of being formed, as above described, by producing swells on the
plate may, when a thicker plate is used, be formed by cutting through the plate,
so as partially to separate from it the portions of metal intended to form the clips.
The portions thus partially severed are turned upwards, and bent over at their free
ends to form clips, and are corrugated, so as to give them the required stiffness.
The larger clip, which receives the key or wedge, may however be a separate
piece, suitably corrugated and indented as described, and rivetted on the sleeper.
When this is applied to sleepers extending across the line, in order to prevent them
shifting in the direction of their length we secure by the same rivets that hold the
clip an angle piece extending down into the ballast.
According to another construction we cut two holes through the upper surface of
the sleeper plate, one hole on each side of the rail base; and through these holes we
pass a bar of iron or steel, bent to such a form that one end being inserted into the
one hole can be passed under the plate and made to protrude at the other hole, both
ends then appearing above the plate and being bent over inwards or towards each
other, so as to form the two clips, one for each flange of the rail, one of them being
sufficiently large to take also the wedge or key.
We prefer to make the bar longitudinally corrugated to give it stiffness, or to
make it with one or more longitudinal ribs outside; and in the latter case we cut
a notch in the rib or ribs in such a position that when the bar has been inserted in
the sleeper it can be pushed a little in the direction of its length, so that the edge
of one of the holes of the sleeper plate engages in the notch, and so prevents the
bar from dropping out of its place.
The bar, instead of having both ends hook shaped, may have one of its ends
straight, and provided with a bolt projecting upwards through a hole in the
sleeper, and having a nut to secure a washer or piece of metal which forms a clip,
jaw, or abutment for one of the rail flanges.

page_text: In order slightly to vary the gauge as required at curves we make the holes in
the sleeper through which the looked bar is passed wide enough to take besides
the bar, a key, which may be inserted at either side according as the gauge has to
be narrower or wider; or we make the washer or abutment pieco above mentioned
with unequal sides, so that it may be turned on the bolt to the attitude suitable for
the required gauge.
Clips formed, as above described, of bent bars inserted through holes in the
sleepers may obviously be used when the sleepers are of cast iron. Also without
such bent bars the unequal-sided washer or abutment piece may be employed
generally for regulating gauge..
Fig. 1 represents the section of a bowl sleeper made of plate, punched or pressed
to shape with protuberances A and B raised on the upper surface and curved
under, so as to form clips for the rail flange, the one clip B being made larger than
the other, so as to take a tightening key C.
Fig. 2 represents a section of a similar sleeper, in which the clips are formed by
cutting the metal and bending the cut parts upwards, the parts so bent up being
corrugated to give strength and stiffness, as shewn in Fig. 3, which is a part longi-
tudinal section on X, X, of Fig. 2. The clip B, besides having one or more deep
furrows to give the required strength and stiffness has also shallow indents on its
inner face to receive the indents of a serrated key C, which can be driven in, the
elasticity of the clip allowing the indents to pass, but which is by these indents
prevented from shaking out.
Fig. 4 represents a transverse section; and Fig. 5, a plan of a similar sleeper, on
which the clip B is secured by rivets.
Fig. 6 represents a part longitudinal section of a trough sleeper extending across
the line. In this case the rivets that secure the clip B serve also to hold an angle
piece D projecting down into the ballast to prevent the sleeper from shifting in the
direction of its length.
Fig 7 represents a part longitudinal section of a similar sleeper, the rail clips of
which are formed by inserting a bent piece E of metal, of the section shewn in
Fig 8, through holes formed in the upper face of the sleeper To prevent the clip
piece E from dropping, its ribs are notched at e, so that the edge of the plate
catches in the notch, and a key F is inscited to keep the clip picce in position By
'notching the ribs of the clip piece at f, and transferring the key F to the other end
of the piece at e, the clip piece can be shifted a little in the direction of its length,
to allow for variations of the rail gauge, as at curves.
Fig 9 represents a section; and Fig. 10, a plan of a sleeper, in which the bent
clip piece E is bent only at the one end, the other end receiving a bolt or rivet
which secures a rectangular washer or abutment piece G, which also serves as a
clip. This piece is made with the bolt hole not in its centre, so that by turning
it half or quarter round it suits slightly different gauges of the rails.
Fig. 11 represents a part longitudinal section of a similar arrangement of clip for
a trough sleeper crossing the line. In this case the clip piece E is bent down, so as
to have a part H projecting into the ballast to prevent the sleeper from shifting in
the direction of its length.
It is to be understood that the bent pieces E in Figs 7 to 11 inclusive, as well as
the clips B in Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive, are by preference indented on their interior
face to receive a serrated key C, as above described.
Though we have shewn the clip and abutment pieces E and G in Figs. 7 to 11
inclusive as applied to sleepers made of wrought iron or steel plate, it is obvious
that they could in like manner be applied to cast-iron sleepers, allowing merely for
the greater thickness of metal,

page_text: Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, we claim,-
First. Forming the clip or clips for rail flanges in one piece with a wrought-iron
or steel-plate sleeper by setting up a protuberance or protuberances thereon, and
bending or notching the metal under the same, substantially as herein described
with reference to Figs. 1, 4, and 5 of the accompanying Drawings.
Second. Corrugating the clips for rail flanges, so as to give them greater strength
and stiffness, substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 2 and 3 of
the accompanying Drawings.
Third. Secuing in its place the bent clip piece employed for the flanges of a
rail, by notching its ribs at the one end and driving a key at the other end, sub-
stantially as herein described with reference to Figs 7 and 8 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Fourth. In trough metal sleepers crossing the line, providing a piece projecting
into the ballast to prevent longitudinal shifting of the sleeper, the said projection
being secured by the rivets which hold the clip, as shewn in Fig. 6, or in one piece
with the clip piece, as shewn in Fig. 11 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth. Forming clips for rail flanges by the use of a piece of metal bent to hook
form at the one end, and secured at the other end by a bolt or rivet holding a
washer or abutment piece, substantially as herein described with reference to Figs
9, 10, and 11 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whercof, I, the said James Livesey, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight
TAG TTERATRY
JAMES LIVESEY. (L.S.)