Means of Increasing Adhesion between Rails and Wheels.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 17th May, 1895-Accepted, 22nd June, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Means of Increasing Adhesion between Rails and Wheels.
We, JOSEPH CRAWHALL CHAPMAN, M. Inst. C.E., of 70, Chancery Lane,
London, and FOLLETT HOLT, Locomotive Superintendent, Ferro Carril, Buenos
Aires y Rosario, La Banda, Argentina, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to increase adhesion between rails and wheels of
engines and train vehicles so as to prevent or reduce slipping during pulling up
especially at dead ends, in termini and like places, and also at starting, on inclines
and so forth. For this purpose we roughen and render irregular the head of the
rails by forming transverse nickings, serrations (inclined or vertical), corrugations,
or equivalent irregularities or depressions in the rail surface. These may be
arranged continuously side by side or at intervals and they may be of the same or
varying forms and suitable depths. Such roughenings may be produced during the
rolling process or they may be formed by suitable machinery. In effect they
serve to prevent continuous and uninterrupted lengths of greasy or wet surfaces,
to drain the rail heads and keep same more or less dry, to increase adhesion.of
passing surfaces, and hence to facilitate stopping and starting, and to avert
accidents.
Dated this 17th day of dumunt 1001
ACORDO sing Aunesion between Rails and wheels.
We, JOSEPH CRAWHALL CHAPMAN, M. Inst. C.E., of 70, Chancery Lane,
in the County of London, and FOLLETT HOLT, Locomotive Superintendent,
Ferro Carril, Buenos Aires y Rosario, La Banda, Argentina, 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 :-
The object of our invention is to increase adhesion between rails and wheels of
engines and train vehicles so as to prevent or reduce slipping during pulling up,
especially at dead ends, in termini and like places, and also at starting, on inclines
and so forth.
For this purpose we roughen and render irregular the head of the rails by
forming transverse nickings, serrations (inclined or vertical), corrugations, or
equivalent irregularities or depressions in the rail surface. These may be arranged
continuously side by side or at intervals, and they may be of the same or varying
forms and suitable depths. Such roughenings may be produced during the rolling
process, or they may be formed by suitable machinery.
In further explanation of our invention we have added the annexed sheet of
drawings illustrating sundry kinds and forms of irregular head surfaces of rails,
but we do not limit ourselves to these, since according to our invention any
P7

page_text: effective kind of irregularities, interruptions, or roughenings of surface may be
adopted.
Fig. 1 shows in elevation a modified corrugated form with short bearing
surfaces a a and curved depressions or channels b; the latter may be sloped in
each direction and their ends rounded off as shown in cross section, Fig. 2.
Fig. 3 shows a corrugated form of rail head, both bearing surfaces a and
channels being curved, and the latter run off laterally to one or both sides as in
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5 shows a serrated form of head, and Fig. 6 is a section through the
channel which may be run off to one side only, or both sides as indicated.
Fig. 7 illustrates a rail with a transversely nicked head, the channels b being run
off substantially in the manner illustrated in the section, Fig. 8.
The manner in which the channels are run off laterally is unimportant provided
that they serve to drain the bearing surfaces.
In effect these roughenings or irregularities of surface serve to prevent
continuous and uninterrupted lengths of greasy or wet rail surfaces, to effectually
drain the rail heads and keep same practically dry, to increase adhesion of passing
wheel surfaces, and hence to facilitate stopping and starting, and to avert
accidents.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
The construction and use of rails having their heads roughened or rendered
irregular so as to prevent uninterrupted lengths of greasy or wet bearing surfaces,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinabove set forth.
Dated this 17th day of M 1905