Certain Improvements in Rails for the Permanent Way of Railways, Tramways, and the like.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1886.
Complete Left, 9th Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 10th May, 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Certain Improvements in Rails for the Permanent Way of Railways,
Tramways, and the like.
1 ANDREW HOWAT, of 65 Bristol Street, Hulme, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILS FOR THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS, TRAMWAYS, AND
THE LIKE to be as follows:-
My invention consists chiefly in constructing each length of the rails for the
permanent way of railways, tramways, and the like in two separate pieces of which
the lower or foundation portion is made with two parallel webs or flanges to form a
space or groove to receive a web or projection formed on the under side of the upper
or wearing portion of the rail. The lower or foundation portion of the rail is secured
in position as usual by means of chairs or in other convenient manner and the upper
portion when its web or projection has been placed in the space or groove in the
lower portion is secured in position by bolts or otherwise.
By laying the upper portion of the rails so that they break joint with the lower or
foundation portion of the rails I am able to dispense with fish plates and also I am
able to renew the upper or wearing surface of rails without disturbing the foundation
or permanent way.
My invention is applicable to what are known as double headed rails usually
supported in chairs as well as to other constructions of rails, such as rails which have
a broad base.
H. B. BARLOW,
Agent.

page_text: Certain Improvements in Rails for the Permanent Way of Railways,
Tramways, and the like.
I ANDREW HOWAT of 65 Bristol Street Hulme Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Engineer 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 :-
My invention consists chiefly in constructing each length of the rails for the
permanent way of railways tramways and the like in two separate pieces of which
the lower or foundation portion is made with two parallel webs or flanges to form
a space or groove to receive a web or projection formed on the under side of the
upper or wearing portion of the rail. The lower or foundation portion of the rail is
secured in position as usual by means of chairs or in other convenient manner and
the upper portion when its web or projection has been placed in the space or groove
in the lower portion is secured in position by bolts or otherwise. By laying the upper
portion of the rails so that they break joint with the lower or foundation portion of
the rails I am enabled to dispense with fishplates and also I am able to renew the
upper or wearing surface of rails without disturbing the foundation or permanent way.
My invention is applicable to what are known as double headed rails usually
supported in chairs as well as to other constructions of rails such as rails which have
a broad base.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings reference being had to the
figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section and Figure 2 is a side elevation of a double
headed rail constructed according to my Invention.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views respectively to Figures 1 and 2 of a rail with a
grooved head and a broad base and also constructed according to my Invention.
Referring first to Figures 1 and 2-The rail here shown as embodying my Invention
is a double headed rail intended to be secured in position by chairs or other means not
shown. a is the lower or foundation portion of the rail which is in this case made
with two parallel webs or flanges a¹ forming a space or groove for the reception of a
web flange or projection 6' formed on the under side of the upper or wearing portion b
of the rail. The two portions a and b are secured together by bolts e which are passed
through the flanges a² and b¹.
I prefer to make both the upper and lower portions of the rails in equal lengths one
with the other and to lay the top rails b so that they break joint with the lower rails a
throughout thereby dispensing entirely with fish plates which are no longer necessary
as the adjacent ends of each pair of top rails come opposite the solid metal of the
flanges a¹ and the lower portion a.

page_text: Figures 3 and 4 illustrate my Invention as applied to a tramway or other rail with
a broad base or foundation.
In this case no chairs would be required as the rails are secured in position by
embedding the broad base of the rail in concrete or other suitable foundation or
securing it to longitudinal sleepers or otherwise fixing it in position. Both the upper
portions d and the lower portions e of the rail are formed with webs or flanges d¹
and e' respectively and with shallow grooves d² and to receive these webs the rails
are secured together by means of bolts c and are by preference made in equal lengths
and arranged to break joint one with the other as above described with reference to
Figures 1 and 2.
The upper portion d is here shown grooved to receive the rim of the wheel of a
tramcar or other vehicle and in Figures 1 and 2 the top rails b are shown of the
ordinary section for a flanged wheel but it is obvious that either of the top rails 6 or d
may have a wearing surface of any suitable section according to requirements without
in any way affecting the nature of my Invention.
In either of the constructions shown the top rails may be readily removed from the
lower rails and new top rails placed in position without removing or disturbing the
lower or foundation rails. In the case of tram rails this is a very great advantage
as the roadway need only be very slightly disturbed or displaced as the removal of one
stone or sett on either side of each rail will be sufficient to enable each bolt to be
released and taken out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is-
1. The improvements in rails for the permanent way of railways tramways and the
like said improvements consisting chiefly in constructing each length of rail in two
separate pieces one the lower for the foundation portion and the other for the upper
or wearing portion substantially as described with reference to the Drawings annexed.
2. The combination with a lower or foundation rail of an upper or wearing rail
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
3. The improved rail constructed arranged and applied substantially as and for
the purposes described and as illustrated by Figures 1 and 2.
4. The improved rail constructed arranged and applied substantially as and for the
purposes described and as illustrated by Figures 3 and 4.
Dated this 7th day of Anril 1887
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.