Improvements in Supports for the Ends of Rails on Railways and Tramways.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Supports for the Ends of Rails on Railways and
Tramways.
I, JOHN BARRET SQUIRE, of The Wynd, Streatham Park, in the County of Surrey,.
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
It is well known that the principal source of the rattle and noise caused by the
passage of the wheels of railway or tramway carriages over the ordinary rails is
that, at the junction of each rail with the succeeding one, the joint, although
strengthened by fish-plates in the usual way, is unsupported from below, the
nearest supporting chairs being arranged as nearly as convenient to the ends of the
fish-plates, which latter are of considerable length. The tendency to deflection
of the ends of the rails when the weight passes over them causes a certain amount
of shock, every time the wheel passes over a joint, and such shocks rapidly repeated
lead principally to the rattle and vibration which are so objectionable in railway
travelling, and are the cause of a large proportion of the cost of maintenance of
permanent way.
My present invention has for its object a method of supporting the ends of the
rails between the adjoining neighbouring chairs, in such manner that the support
is sufficiently rigid and effective, whilst at the same time it is sufficiently elastic
to allow the very small amount of deflection which is advisable in order to ensure
smooth running of the wheels and durability of the permanent way.
My improved device consists essentially of a suitably shaped support, preferably
of steel, the ends of which are carried by the adjoining sleepers whilst its centre
is arranged below and supports the rails at the point where the ends of two adjoin-
ing ones meet or nearly meet and are connected by the fish-plate to form the joint.
I preferably form the required support by stamping it out of steel plate to the
required shape, but it may also be manufactured in various equivalent ways from
iron, steel, or other materials or combination of materials; the form of which may
be varied more or less.
For instance, I take a steel plate of suitable thickness and strength, of a length
sufficient to extend from the outer sides of the two sleepers or of the chairs at
each side of the joint and fish-plate, the ends of the plate being fitted between
the bottom of the chairs and the top of the sleepers. The central part between
the sleepers is curved or arched down for a sufficient depth, and from the bottom
of this curved part is stamped up or otherwise formed a part projecting up, and
hollow below, rising sufficiently high at the centre to support the bottom of the
rail joint where the ends of the two rails meet, and curving down to and meeting
the main plate near the inner edges of the sleepers. This projection is made
preferably considerably narrower than the width of the plate, so that a margin of
the latter is left upon each side of the hollow projection, the sides of which are
made to curve into these margins; and the sides of the plate between the sleepers
may curve in on each side so that their narrowest part may be at the centre. The
centre of the hollow projection may be slightly depressed at the top in a line with

page_text: the rails, so that the ends of the latter may take a larger and better bearing upon
it. The ends of the plate need not necessarily extend to the two outer sides of the
sleepers.
As a modification of the above, a plate similar to that already described may be
used, its ends being adjusted and fixed between the chairs and the sleepers, but
without being curved or arched down. In this case the hollow projection is stamped
up to a sufficient height from the central part of the flat plate, the sides of which
may either be parallel or curved inward, as in the arrangement first described.
The ends or sides of the hollow projection are curved so as to gradually meet
the flat plate, and its top is depressed at the centre the better to support the ends
of the rail, as in the first described arrangement.
In another somewhat modified form of arrangement, I take a flat plate such as
has been already described, and I form the vertical projection by making two
parallel longitudinal cuts through it at a sufficient distance apart, and forming
the projection which supports the rails by bending or curving up sufficiently the
central strip so separated, the ends of which however remain attached to and form-
ing part of the plate. The top of the projection may be slightly depressed, as
already described, to better support the ends of the rails.
The side strips of the plate, upon each side of the central strip which forms the
projection, may be cut transversely through at their centre so as to better allow
the central strip to be bent up; the cut ends being then re-united by rivetting or
other equivalent means.
Or, in another simple form, I take a flat plate of the kind and size described, and
I bevel the upper edges of the inner sides of the opposite sleepers which support
it, bending the plate itself down so as to fit against these. bevelled edges, and then
curving or arching up the remainder of the plate to a sufficient height for its centre
or crown to form the support for the ends of the rails, the part which so supports
them being slightly depressed, in the way already described. The flat ends of
the plate may be let into the top of the sleepers, across which they only partly
extend.
The central part of the plate may be made narrower, instead of the sides being
parallel.
'I do not confine myself to the precise form and arrangement of the plates arranged
and used for the purpose described, as they may evidently be modified and varied
in many ways, those above described being used as illustrative examples, my in-
vention consisting substantially in supporting the ends of the rails by arched or
girder shaped supports carried on the adjoining sleepers.
In all cases, holes are made in the proper positions through the ends of the plates,
the spikes or fastenings of the chairs passing through these holes into the sleepers.
Or they may be fastened by tie bolts or other equivalent means.
Dated this 29th day of September 1897.

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, and accompanying drawings, that is to say: -
It is well known that the principal source of the rattle and noise caused by the
passage of the wheels of railway or tramway carriages over the ordinary rails is
that, at the junction of each rail with the succeeding one, the joint, although
strengthened by fish-plates in the usual way, is unsupported from below, the
nearest supporting chairs being arranged as nearly as convenient to the ends of the
fish-plates, which latter are of considerable length. The tendency to deflection
of the ends of the rails when the weight passes over them causes a certain amount
of shock every time the wheel passes over a joint, and such shocks rapidly repeated
lead principally to the rattle and vibration which are so objectionable in railway
travelling, and are the cause of a large proportion of the cost of maintenance of
permanent way.
'
My present invention has for its object a method of supporting the ends of the
rails between the adjoining neighbouring chairs, in such a manner that the support
is sufficiently rigid and effective, whilst at the same time it is sufficiently elastic
to allow the very small amount of deflection which is advisable in order to ensure
smooth running of the wheels, and durability of the permanent way.
an end
The accompanying drawings are in illustration of my invention. Figure 1 is
a side view, Figure 2 a plan, Figure 3 a transverse section, and Figure
view, showing one form of my improved support, with rails, chairs, and fish-plates.
Figure 5 is a side view, Figure 6 a plan, Figure 7 a transverse section, and Figure 8
an end view, of a somewhat modified support. Figure 9 is a side view, Figure 10
a plan, Figure 11 a transverse section, and Figure 12 an end view of a modified
form of the support shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8. Figure 13 is a side view,
Figure 14 a plan, Figure 15 a transverse section, and Figure 16 an end view of
another modified form of my improved support.
My improved device consists essentially of a suitably shaped support, preferably
of steel, the ends of which are carried by the opposite adjoining sleepers, whilst
its centre is arranged below and supports the rails at the point where the ends of
two adjoining ones meet or nearly meet, and are connected by the fish-plate to form
the joint.
I preferably form the required support by stamping it out of steel plates to the
required shape, but it may also be manufactured in various equivalent ways from
iron, steel, or other materials or combination of materials; the form of which may
be varied more or less.
For instance, (as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4), I take a steel plate a of
suitable thickness and strength, of a length sufficient to extend from the outer sides
of the two sleepers b, b', or of the chairs c, c¹, at each side of the joint and fish-
plates d, d, the ends of the plate a being fitted between the bottom of the chairs c, c¹,
and the top of the sleepers b, b'. The central part between the sleepers is curved
or arched down for a sufficient depth, as shewn at e, and from the bottom of this
curved part e is stamped up or otherwise formed a part projecting up; and hollow
below, rising sufficiently high at the centre to support the bottom of the rail joint
where the ends of the two rails meet at g, and curving down to, and meeting, the
main plate a near the inner edges of the sleepers b, bl. This projection f is made
preferably considerably narrower than the width of the plate a, so that a margin
of the latter is left upon each side of the hollow projection, the sides of which are
made to curve into these margins; and the sides of the plate à between the sleepers
may curve in on each side so that their narrowest part may be at the centre, a'; a¹,
Figure 2. The centre of the hollow projection f may be slightly depressed at the
top at i in a line with the rails, so that the ends of the latter may take a larger
and better bearing upon it. The ends of the plate a need not necessarily extend
to the two outer sides of the sleepers..
a
As a modification of the above, illustrated in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, a plate
similar to that already described may be used, its ends being adjusted and fixed
between the chairs and the sleepers, but without being curved or arched down. In

page_text: this case the hollow projection f is stamped up to a sufficient height from the central
part of the flat plate a, the sides of which may either be parallel or curved inward,
as in the arrangement first described. The ends or sides of the hollow projection f
are curved so as to gradually meet the flat plate, and its top is depressed at the centre
at i the better to support the ends of the rail as in the first described arrangement.
In another somewhat modified form of arrangement, (illustrated in Figures 9,
10, 11, and 12), I take a flat plate a such as has been already described, and I form
the vertical projection f by making two parallel longitudinal cuts through it
at a, a, at a sufficient distance apart, and forming the projection f which supports
the rails by bending or curving up sufficiently the central strip so separated, the
ends of which however remain attached to and forming part of the plate a.
top of the projection may be slightly depressed at i, as already described, to better
support the ends of the rails.
The
The side strips of the plate a, upon each side of the central strip which forms the
projection f, may be cut transversely through at their centre at k, k so as to better
allow the central strip at f to be bent up; the cut ends being then re-united by
rivetting or other equivalent means, as shown.
Or, in another simple form, (illustrated in Figures 13, 14, 15, and 16), I take
a flat plate a of the kind and size described, and I bevel the upper edges of the
inner sides of the opposite sleepers b, 6 which support it, bending the plate itself
down so as to fit against these bevelled edges at 1, 1, and then curving or arching
up the remainder of the plate at f to a sufficient height for its centre or crown to
form the support for the ends of the rails, the part which so supports them being
slightly depressed at i, in the way already described. The flat ends of the plate a
may be let into the top of the sleepers, across which they may only partly extend,
as shown.
The central part of the plate may be made narrower, instead of the sides being
parallel.
I do not confine myself to the precise form and arrangement of the plates or
supports arranged and used for the purpose described, as they may evidently be
modified and varied in many ways, those above described being used as illustrative
examples, my invention consisting substantially in supporting the ends of the rails
by arched or girder-shaped supports carried on the adjoining sleepers.
In all cases, holes are made in the proper positions through the ends of the plates,
the spikes or fastenings of the chairs passing through these holes into the sleepers,
Or, they may be fastened by tie bolts or other equivalent means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
-
1. Supports for the ends of the rails on railways and tramways, consisting of
arched or girder-shaped supports, upon which the ends of the rails are supported,
the ends of the supports being carried by the two opposite sleepers, substantially as
described.
e,
and
2. The support consisting of a plate a, curved or arched down at its centre
curved or arched up at f so as to form a hollow projection f which supports the ends
of the rails, the ends of the plate a being carried upon the opposite sleepers b, b',
substantially as described, and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
3. The support consisting of a plate a, having a hollow, curved or arched pro-
jection f, which supports the ends of the rails, the ends of the plate a being carried
upon the opposite sleepers, substantially as described, and illustrated in Figures 5,
6, 7, and 8.
4. The support consisting of a plate a, having its central part of separated from
the sides by cuts at a, a, the part f being curved or arched up sufficiently to
support the ends of the rails, and the remaining side strips of the plate being cut
through transversely at k, k, and re-united when they have been adjusted at the

page_text: proper length, the ends of the plate a being carried upon the opposite sleepers,
substantially as described, and illustrated in Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12.
5. The support consisting of the plate a, bent at 1, 7 to fit against the bevelled
inner edges of the sleepers b, b', the central part of the plate being curved or arched
up sufficiently to support the ends of the rails, the ends of the plate a resting upon
the opposite sleepers, substantially as described, and illustrated in Figures 13, 14,
15, and 16.
6. In the arched or girder-shaped supports described in Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5,
the depression at the top of the support at i, the better to support the ends of the
0 rails, substantially as described and illustrated.
1007
EDWARDS AND Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.