IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1861

page_text: & Son, Patent Agents 123 Chancery Lane, London for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS."-A com-
munication from abroad by Laurent Rigolier, of Lyons, in the Empire
of France.
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS."-A com-
munication from abroad by Laurent Rigolier, of Lyons, in the Empire
of France.
Sealed the 21st March 1862, and dated the 4th October 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th October 1861.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes & Son, Patent
Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," a
communication to me from abroad by Laurent Rigolier, of Lyons, in the
Empire of France, to be as follows:-
Each chair is formed with a large bed plate, having inclined edges on the
outside to prevent the accumulation of water or sand. One of the cheeks of
the chair is moveable, and so formed that the rail rests upon it between the
two cheeks. The lower part of the said moveable cheek fits a groove in the
bed plate, and is pressed up by a key so as to force the moveable cheek
against the rail, and hold it fast. Under the bed plate there are strong ribs
for the purpose of strength, and to prevent the chair from shifting in the
ground. Connected to each chair there is a bar extending across the line, in

page_text: order to hold the two opposite chairs firmly at the proper distance apart, and
each chair is provided with a groove or recess to allow of the junction of the
rails.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd April 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 123,
Chancery Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special licence that I, the said Edward
Thomas Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, 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 Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Laurent Rigolier, of Lyons, in the Empire of
France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Thomas
Hughes, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Edward Thomas Hughes, 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 (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists in forming each chair with a large bed plate,
having inclined edges on the outside to prevent the accumulation of water or
sand. One of the cheeks-of-the-chair-is moveable,-and-so-formed that the

page_text: rail rests upon it between the cheeks. The lower part of the said moveable
cheek fits a groove in the bed plate, and is pressed up by a key or wedge-so
as to force the moveable cheek against the rail, and hold it fast. Under the
bed plate there are strong ribs for the purpose of obtaining strength, and to
prevent the chair from shifting in the ground. Connected to each chair
there is a bar extending across the line in order to hold the two opposite
chairs firmly at the proper distance apart, and some of the chairs are provided
with long cheeks acting as splints to allow of the junction of the rails.
These improvements will be clearly understood by referring to the figures
and letters on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a
plan, and Fig. 2, a vertical elevation of the cross bar fixed to two improved
chairs, having cheeks adapted to hold the rail between its ends. Fig. 3 is a
plan, and Fig. 4 a vertical elevation of the cross bar fixed to two chairs, with
long cheeks adapted for holding the ends of the rails.
In all the Figures a represents part of an ordinary rail; b, the large: bed
plate forming the base of the chair; c, the fixed cheek of the chair; d, the
moveable cheek; and e, the cross bar for connecting the two opposite chairs
together.
The bed plate b is made large for the purpose of obtaining solidity, and its
edges are bevilled to prevent the accumulation of water and sand. At the
under side of the bed plate there are flanges f in order to obtain strength,
and to prevent the chair from shifting in the ground, the said flanges being
placed at such distance, apart as to form a groove for the reception of the
cross bar e, which extends under the entire width of the bed plate, and is held
firmly to it by the bolts and wedges g, of which there may be as many and
placed in such positions as required.
The fixed cheek c is on the outside of the rail; it is higher and more
massive than the other cheek, in order to give greater resistance. The move-
able cheek d is provided with a-small plate or slab h, under which is a parallel
projection acting as a slide, and fitting a groove in the bed plate, as shewn by
the dotted lines ; the projection passes under the rail, and is pressed by a
key or wedge l, so as to hold the moveable cheek fast against the rail. The
cross bar e is made of malleable iron, but the bed and cheeks are of cast
iron; in the Figures the bar is of a flat shape, but it may be made of a double
augle, or any other desired form.
The rail is placed against the fixed cheek of the chair, and the under pro-
jection of the moveable chair introduced into the groove in the bed plate, and
pushed forwards until the chair is against the rail; then the key or wedge
is put in its place, and on receiving a blow on its head, the moveable check is

page_text: pressed strongly against the rail. The cross bar is now made to enter
between the flanges f of the bed plate, and held fast by the bolts and keys 9,
the platforms, rail supports, and cross pieces being placed at certain distances
from one another as at present.
The principal advantages of this system consist in opposing to the effort
exerted by the passage of the trains on the rolling surface of the rails points
of resistance or supporting points susceptible of elasticity, in multiplying the
supporting points of the rails, and consequently dividing the effort exerted by
the passage of the trains, and thereby lessening the vibration and trepidation
of the trains on the rails, in economy of material and workmanship, in strength
and resistance of the supports and cross bars, and but little wear and tear of
the parts of the apparatus.
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention, as
communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I would have it understood
that I claim improvements in the permanent way of railways, as herein
described and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
EDW. T. HUGHES. (L.S.)