Improvements in Railway Sleepers and Chairs.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 28th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 29th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Sleepers and Chairs.
I, PAUL ESPINASSE, of Monclar de Quercy (Tarn et Garonne), in the Republic of
France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
:-
This invention relates to metal sleepers and chairs for railways, and has for its
object to improve the construction of the same so as to provide for the requisite
strength and stability, and enable them to be easily manufactured at a low cost.
without the aid of special tools.
The improved sleeper is composed of a double T-shaped steel girder placed flat
upon the ground and carrying two chairs of rolled or stamped iron which are
arranged between the upper flanges of the said girder at the desired distance apart.
These chairs occupy the entire width between the two flanges of the girder; they are
made thin at their base so that the flanges of the said girder can be pressed down
upon it and firmly secure these chairs in their place. Snugs formed on the chairs
traverse the web of the girder, determine the distance between the chairs, and prevent
the sliding of the latter. When a chair has been put in its place upon the girder
the corresponding parts of the flanges on the web of the girder are forced down
upon the base of the chair through the medium of an hydraulic press which at the
same time is caused to press the extremities of the said parts upon the web of the
girder, thus forming shoulders which will hold the said chair firmly in position.
For rendering the connection still firmer the upper edges or surfaces of the base
of the chair are striated or provided with more or less deep indentations.
The rail rests upon the surface of the aforesaid turned-down parts of the flanges
so that further pressure is brought to bear upon the base or foot of the chair, which
provides for additional rigidity of the chair although the displacement of the latter
has been rendered impossible by the above described means.
A wedge placed between the exterior jaw of the chair and the rail is designed to
hold the latter in its place.
In order to prevent the loosening of the sleeper the extremities of the same can be
turned downwards so as to form boxes. The chairs can be made to suit any kind
of rails.
Sleepers constructed according to the above described invention are very simple,
and being especially adapted for the ballasting they add to the security and rigidity
of the railway; they can moreover be manufactured in an extremely simple manner
and their strength is much greater than that of the sleepers heretofore employed.
Accordingly the said invention provides for simplicity, strength, efficiency and
economy, which is the object aimed at.
Dated this 28th day of January 1890
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Sleepers and Chairs.
I, PAUL ESPINASSE, of Monclar de Quercy (Tarn et Garonue), in the Republic of
France do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to metal sleepers and chairs for railways and has for its
object to improve the construction of the same so as to provide for the requisite

page_text: without the aid of special tools.
The improved sleeper is composed of a double T shaped steel girder placed side-
ways or flat upon the ground and carrying two rolled or stamped iron chairs which
are arranged between the upper flanges of the said girder at the desired distance
apart. These chairs occupy the entire width between the two flanges of the girder;
their base is made thin so that parts of the flanges of the said girder can be pressed
down upon it and firmly secure these chairs in their place. Snugs or projections
formed on the chairs by stamping traverse the web of the girder, determine the
distance between the chairs, and prevent the sliding of the latter.
Referring to the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 shows an end view of the chair in which the rail is secured by means of
a bolt and nut.
Figure 2 an upper view, and
Figure
3 a side view of the same; whilst
Figure 4 represents an end view of the chair fixed to the sleeper.
Figure 5 a plan, and
Figure 6 an end view of the same, partly shown in section.
A designates the double T shaped girder whose flanges are represented by a, a',
bb; B denotes the chair placed between the two flanges bb' of the girder; d d'are
snugs or projections formed on the chair by stamping and which traverse the web of
the girder.
When the chairs have been put in their place upon the girder the parts bb' of the
flanges are forced down upon the base of the chairs through the medium of an
bydraulic press which at the same time is caused to press the extremities of the said
parts upon the web of the girder thus forming shoulders which will hold the said chair
firmly in position.
For rendering the connection still firmer the upper edges or surfaces of the base of
the chair are striated or provided with indentations of more or less depth.
The rail rests upon the surface of the aforesaid turned-down parts of the flanges, as
shown in Figure 4 so that further pressure is brought to bear upon the base or foot
of the chair, which provides for additional rigidity of the latter although the displace-
ment of the same has been rendered impossible by the above described means.
A wedge placed between the exterior jaw of the chair and the rail is designed to
hold the latter in its place.
In order to prevent the loosening of the sleeper the extremities of the same can be
turned downwards so as to form boxes. The chairs can be made to suit any kind
of rails.
Sleepers constructed according to the above described invention are very simple,
and being especially adapted for the balasting they add to the security and rigidity of
the railway they can moreover be manufactured in an extremely simple manner
and their strength is much greater than that of the sleepers heretofore employed.
Accordingly the said invention provides for simplicity, strength, efficiency and
economy, which is the object aimed at.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. A railway sleeper formed of a double T shaped girder placed sideways
upon the ground and carrying two chairs held between turned down parts of the
flanges of the girder, as herein before described and represented in the accompanying
drawing.
Second. In combination with a sleeper consisting of a double T shaped girder
placed sideways upon the ground, chairs whose feet, which are striated or indented at
their upper part, occupy the entire width between the flanges of the girder, and which
are fixed in their place by forcing down parts of the said flanges, as hereinbefore
described and represented in the accompanying drawing.

page_text: Third. In combination with a railway chair, a sleeper consisting of a double
Tshaped girder placed sideways upon the ground and parts of whose flanges are
forced down upon the chair so as to completely imprison its foot by forming on each
side a shoulder, the rail being supported upon the turned down parts of the flanges
of the girder, as hereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying
drawing.
Fourth. A railway chair held by the turned down parts of the flanges of the
girder which supports it, and provided at its lower part with a snug or projection
which traverses, the said girder and holds the chair in its proper place laterally,
as heretofore described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 28th day of October 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.