Improvements in Portable Ramps for Railways and Tramways.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 11th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 29th Apr.,.
1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Ramps for Railways and Tramways.
We JAMES RUSSELL of 15 Windsor Road Ealing in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman and VICTOR ISIDORE FEENY of 60 Queen Victoria Street in the City
and County of London, Consulting Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in portable ramps for use on railways and
tramways and has for object the construction of a ramp for rerailing derailed trucks
carriages or locomotives, which ramp can be used either inside or outside of the
railway path without the use of any straps or other fastenings and is from its
construction considerably lighter and stronger than ramps hitherto in use.
Our improved ramp which may be constructed of steel or other suitable material
consists of an inclined surface or path of a dome or arch shape, slightly widened at
both ends to facilitate the entrance and exit of the wheel of the derailed vehicle.
On both sides of this inclined surface or path and extending throughout its entire
length are flanges of a corrugated or other suitable section for the purpose of
guiding the wheel of the vehicle to be rerailed during its passage, and upon the
underside of the upper end of the inclined surface or path are two projections or
horns shaped so as to saddle the rail and at the same time permit of the ramp being
placed on either side of the same.
These projections or horns are preferably made of such a depth as will ensure
their coming in contact with the chair supporting the rail and thus serve to secure
the ramp in its proper position when in use.
Upon the underside of the lower or widest end of the path of the ramp, which
when in use rests upon the sleeper or ballast are preferably two or more suitable
projections or spikes for the purpose of retaining the ramp more securely in position
during the operation of rerailing a vehicle.
Upon the underside of the ramp may also be formed ribs for the purpose of
increasing its strength.
Dated this 13th day of June 1892.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Ramps for Railways and Tramways.
We, JAMES RUSSELL of 15 Windsor Road Ealing in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, and VICTOR ISIDORE FEENY of 60 Queen Victoria Street in the City
and County of London, Consulting Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the saine is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in portable ramps for use on railways and
tramways and has for object the construction of a ramp for re-railing derailed trucks,
carriages and locomotives, which ramp can be used either inside or outside of the
railway path, without the use of any straps or other fastenings and is from its
construction considerably lighter and stronger than ramps hitherto in use.
In previous constructions it either has been necessary to use ramps of different
forms according as the derailed vehicle is to the right or left of the rail, or else a
projecting claw or similar attachment has been provided on each side to grip the
rail, or a double ramp having an opening in the centre through which the rail
projects, and an inclined platform on each side, has been used.

page_text: In the first of these cases the number of ramps required for a given railway is
doubled; in the second the liability to breakage of the projecting claws is
objectionable; whilst in the third the additional weight incurred is found to be
expensive and inconvenient. Further no reliable means has been provided to
prevent the ramp when in use from sliding along the length of rail.
Our improved ramp as illustrated on the accompanying sheet of drawings, upon
which Fig. 1, represents a side elevation of the ramp and rail in position; Fig. 2,
is a plan of a ramp and rail, the ramp being shewn on the left side of the rail;
Fig. 3, is a similar view but shows the ramp on the right side of the rail; Fig. 4,
is an inverted plan of the upper end of a ramp shewing the general construction of
its underside; and Fig. 5, is a transverse section through line 1-2'; may be
constructed of steel or other suitable material, and consists of an inclined surface or
path A of a dome or arch shape, slightly widened at both ends to facilitate the
entrance and exit of the wheel of the derailed vehicle.
On both sides of this inclined surface or path A and extending throughout its
entire length are flanges F. F. of a corrugated or other suitable section for the
purpose of guiding the wheel of the vehicle to be re-railed during its passage, and
upon the underside B of the upper end of the inclined surface or path A are two
projections or horns C. C. forming with the underside B of the ramp, a saddle
fitting over the rail D. These horns C. C. are in plan, of approximately triangular
section so that whether used for a derailed vehicle to the right or to the left of the
rail D, they possess two parallel faces E. E. which clip the rail D and prevent
lateral motion.
These projections or horns C. C. may be made of such a depth as will ensure their
coming in contact with the chair G or other support for the rail D, and thus serve
to secure the ramp in its proper position when in use, and we may give to the front
face of each of these projecting horns C. C. a chisel point or knife edge e. so
constructed and arranged as to be capable of engaging with the side of the rail D
when driven forward, thereby preventing the ramp from travelling in a longitudinal
direction when in use.
If desired there may also be formed upon the underside B of the lower or widest
end of the path A, which when in use rests upon the sleeper or ballast, two or more
suitable projections or spikes for the purpose of retaining the ramp more securely in
position during the operation of rerailing a vehicle.
The underside B of the path A may also be ribbed for the purpose of increasing
its strength.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. In ramps, constructing on the underside B, two horns C. C. of approximately
triangular section forming with the underside B a saddle which will fit over the
rail D, whether the ramp is placed to the right or to the left of it.
2. In ramps, constructing on the underside B two horns C. C. of sufficient depth
to embrace the head of the rail D for the purpose of securing the ramp when in
position during the operation of re-railing, and either with or without chisel points
or knife edges e for the purpose of preventing longitudinal motion, substantially as
described.
Dated this 11th day of March 1202