Improvements in Railway Sleepers.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 21st Apr., 1896-Accepted, 23rd May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Sleepers.
I, XAVER POUZYNA, of 12 Catherine Canal, St. Petersburg in the Empire of
Russia, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The pressure exercised by the rolling stock on the rails (whether with or without
chairs or the like) is transmitted by the wooden sleepers and particularly by their
bases to the ballast.
According to my invention the base of the wooden sleeper is made concave that.
is to say the transverse section of the sleeper is bounded at the base by a concave:
curved line or by a series of straight lines.
In consequence of this concave form of the sleeper all pressure transmitted to.
the ballast tends to press it towards the middle of the sleeper that is to say to:
naturally cause the packing of the ballast towards the middle of the sleeper.
It is evident that the action described above belongs only to sleepers with.
concave bases.
Beneath the joint of the rails there are two sleepers the concavity or slope of
whose bases are directed towards each other forming a single concavity. These
sleepers may be either connected together or laid independently.
It is clear that the sleepers so doubled possess the same property as the single-
sleeper with a concave base that is to say they tend to press or pack the ballast.
towards their junction.
By arranging the rail joint above the junction of the double sleeper (whether
the rails be supported on chairs, plates or directly) the great advantage is attained
of having the shortest possible distance between the joint of the rails and that of
the sleepers.
If the sleepers are narrow, straight or triangular blocks of wood may be-
inserted between the pairs so as to insure the proper position of the ends of
the rails.
Dated this 22ud day of July 1895.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
1, XAVER POUZYNA, of 12 Catherine Canal, St. Petersburg, in the Empire of
Russia, 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 pressure exercised by the rolling stock on the rails (whether with or without
chairs or the like) is transmitted by the wooden sleepers and particularly by their
bases to the ballast.
According to my invention the base of the wooden sleeper is made concave that
is to say the transverse section of the sleeper is bounded at the base by a concave:
curved line or by a series of straight lines.

page_text: In consequence of this concave form of the sleeper all pressure transmitted to
the ballast tends to press it towards the middle of the sleeper that is to say to
naturally cause the packing of the ballast towards the middle of the sleeper.
Thus it will be seen from Figures 1 and 2 that each part of the pressure
exercised on the upper face of the sleeper transmitted by each unit of surface of
the base is divisible into components normal and tangential to the base. The
normal pressures in their turn are divisible into vertical and horizontal forces the
latter being directed towards the middle of the sleeper and consequently tending
to press the ballast towards the middle of the sleeper.
It is evident that the action described above belongs only to sleepers with
concave bases.
Beneath the joint of the rails there are two sleepers the concavity or slope of
whose bases are directed towards each other forming a single concavity as shown
in Figures 3 and 4. These sleepers may be either connected together or laid
independently.
It is clear that the sleepers so doubled possess the same property as the single
sleeper with a concave base, that is to say, they tend to press or pack the ballast
towards their junction.
By arranging the rail joint above the junction of the double sleeper (whether
the rails be supported on chairs, plates, or directly) as shown in Figures 5, 6, 7
and 8, the great advantage is attained of having the shortest possible distance
between the joint of the rails and that of the sleepers.
If the sleepers are narrow, straight or triangular blocks of wood may be
inserted between the pairs as indicated in Figures 9 and 10, so as to insure the
proper position of the ends of the rails.
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 :-
Concave or hollowed wooden railway sleepers substantially as described for the
purpose of pressing the ballast towards the middle of the sleeper.
Dated this 13th day of April 1896.