Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 14th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 19th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
I, ISAAC BROWN, of Swatara in the County of Schuylkill, and State of Pennsyl-
vania, United States of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide a combined metallic railway sleeper or
tie and chair, of simple light and durable construction capable of use in connection
with either T- or bull rails, from which the rail may be expeditiously and con-
veniently removed or wherein the tie may be as readily detached from the rail when
occasion demands. The object of the invention is also to provide means whereby
the rails may be effectually held in contact with the tie and prevented from being
pushed out of gauge or place.
In carrying out the invention, the tie and the chairs, which are preferably integral,
are constructed of metal (for instance cast or wrought iron) and the said tie may be
made in two sections or in a single piece. When made in two sections the tie may be
advantageously used in yards and in places where, owing to the close proximity of a
number of tracks, it is difficult to introduce or withdraw from beneath the track a
full length tie.
In order to make the tie as light as possible, consistent with the necessary strength,
it is made to comprise a horizontal body portion provided at its sides and ends with
a vertical flange which body portion may be either flat, convex, or concave upon its
upper face.
When the tie is made in two sections, the body is flat and each section
is provided with a downwardly and an upwardly extending flange integral with its
inner end, the said flanges of each section being bolted together or otherwise secured.
At each end of the tie upon the upper face of the body a chair is formed com-
prising a base section slightly raised above the body of the tie and a post projected
upward from each end of the base, the distance between each two opposed posts being
such as to neatly accomodate the flange of the rail. When a T-rail is employed,
the bottom of the chairs between the posts is flat, and when a bull rail is used said
surface is concaved to accomodate the cylindrical head of the rail. A key-hole slot
is produced in each post of the chair, the said slots being in longitudinal alignment
and formed by intersecting an upper semi-circular transverse opening with a vertical
opening whereby shoulders are obtained, the vertical opening extending in the form
of a groove longitudinally across the base of the chair. A pair of key clamps are
provided for insertion into the respective key hole slots of the chairs. The one clamp
comprises a head having a slot in its lower end and a horizontal body portion, semi-
cylindrical in cross-section, integral with the inner face of the head near its upper
end, the cylindrical surface being uppermost. In the under straight face of the
body at its free end, there is a recess which, when the clamp is inserted into the chair,
is adapted to contact with the flange of a T-rail and the side surface of the under
head of a bull rail the extreme free end of the clamp contacting with the web of
the rail. It will be understood that the form of the recess may be varied to accomo-
date the clamp to different styles of rails. The other clamp is similar except that
the slot in its head is omitted and a shank is projected downward from the under
face of the body at the rear of the recess and is also integral with the head and a
horizontal rod is formed integral with the lower inner edge of the shank and has a
threaded extremity. When the rail is seated in the chair, the latter clamp is inserted
into the key hole slot of the inner post, its rod being made to pass through the base
groove out through the key-hole slot in the outer post. The other clamp is now
inserted into the slot of the outer post and a lock-nut is screwed upon the threaded
end of the pin to a contact with the head of said clamp until both clamps firmly bear

page_text: against the rail. If in practice it is found desirable, both clamps may be made similar
to the slotted clamp and united by a bolt independent of the clamp and a spring
washer may be used in connection with the lock nuts. If in practice it is found
desirable, the rail may be made to rest upon a cushion preferably formed of elastic
material.
In order that the rail need not be raised very high to remove the tie, the posts of
the chair may be so shortened that a portion of the cylindrical surface of the clamp
body will be exposed.
In a modification the opposed posts of the chairs are provided near opposite ends
with a vertical recess and each recess is intersected by a diagonal bore produced in
the base of the chair one bore being inclined in an opposite direction to the other.
The clamps employed consist of a hook or claw-shaped boily adapted to clamp the
flange of the rail and a pin threaded at its outer end projected at an inclination
downward from the lower end of the body. The pin of one clamp is passed down
through the recess in one post until the claw or hook contacts with the rail and a nut
is then screwed upon the projecting end of the pin. The other clamp is inserted
in the recess in the opposed post and secured also by a nut, the pin passing down
through the bore in the chair. In this form of device a clamp is made to bear firmly
against each side of the rail at each chair.
Dated this 4th day of February 1890.
I. BROWN.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
I, ISAAC BROWN, of Swatara, in the County of Schuylkill, and State of Pennsyl-
vania, United States of America, 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 :—
The object of my invention is to provide à combined metallic railway sleeper or tie
and chair, of simple light and durable construction capable of use in connection with
either Tor bull rails, from which the rail may be expeditiously and conveniently
removed or wherein the tie may be as readily detached from the rail when occasion
demands. The object of the invention is also to provide means whereby the rails may
be effectually held in contact with the tie and prevented from being pushed out of
gauge or place.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specifi-
cation in which figure 1 is a side elevation of the tie, partly in section. Figure 2 is
a plan view of the same. Figure 3 is a side elevation of a slightly modified form of
tie. Figure 4 is a section on lineær figure 1. Figure 5 is a perspective view of
two opposed key clamps adapted for insertion in the chairs and for contact with
the rails. Figure 6 is a side elevation of another modification, broken away on
line y y, figure 7. Figure 7 is a plan view of the tie illustrated in Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a side elevation of a further modification, broken away on line z =
figure 9; and figure 9 is a plan view of the tie illustrated in figure 8. Similar
figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.
In carrying out the invention, the tie 10 and the chairs 11 which are preferably
integral are constructed of metal (for instance cast or wrought iron) and the said
tie may be made in two sections A and B, as shewn in figures 1 and 2, or in a single
piece, as illustrated in the other figures. When made in two sections the tie may be
advantageously used in yards and in places where, owing to the close proximity of
a number of tracks, it is difficult to introduce or withdraw from beneath the track a
full length tie.
In order to make the tie as light as possible, consistent with the necessary strength,

page_text: t is made to comprise a horizontal body portion provided at its sides and ends with
a vertical flange which body portion may be either flat convex or concave upon its
When the tie is made in two
upper face, as illustrated in figures 1, 3, and 6.
sections A and B, as shewn in figures 1 and 2, the body is flat and each section is
provided with a downwardly and an upwardly extending flange 12 and 13 integral
with its enner end, the said flanges of each section being held in rigid contact by
bolts or their equivalents.
At each end of the tie upon the upper face of the body a chair 11 is formed com-
prising a base section 14 slightly raised above the body of the tie and a post 15.
projected upward from each end of the base, the distance between each two opposed
When a T-rail
posts being such as to neatly accomodate the flange of the rail 15ª.
is employed, the bottom of the chairs between the posts is flat and when a bull rail is
used said surface is concaved to accomodate the cylindrical head of the rail, as illus-
trated. A key hole slot 16 is produced in each post of the chair the said slots being in
longitudinal alignment and formed by intersecting an upper semicircular transverse
opening with a vertical opening, as shewn in figure 4, whereby shoulders 17 are
obtained, the vertical opening extending in the form of a groove longitudinally across.
the base of the chair. Key clamps 18 and 19 are provided for insertion into the
respective key hole slots of the chairs, which clamps are illustrated in detail in
figure 5.
The clamp 18 comprises a head 20 having a slot 21 in its lower end and a horizontal
body portion 22 semi-cylindrical in cross-section integral with the inner face of the
head near its upper end, the cylindrical surface being uppermost. In the under straight.
face of the body at its free end a recess 23 is produced which recessed portion when
the clamp is inserted into the chair is adapted to contact with the flange of a T-rail
and the side surface of the under head of a bull rail, as shown in figures 1 and 3, the
It will be
extreme free end of the clamp contacting with the web of the rail.
understood that the form of the recess 23 may be varied to accomodate the clamp to
different styles of rails. The clamp 19 is similar in construction to the clamp 18.
except that the slot in its head is omitted and a shank 24 is projected downward from
the underface of the body at the rear of the recess 23 and is also integral with the
head and a horizontal rod 25 is formed integral with the lower inner edge of the shank
and has a threaded extremity. When the rail is seated in the chair, the clamp 19 is
inserted into the key hole slot of the inner post the rod 25 being made to pass
through the base groove out through the key hole slot in the outer post. The
clamp 18 is now inserted into the slot of the outer post and a lock nut 26 is screwed
upon the threaded end of the pin to a contact with the head of said clamp 18 until
both clamps firmly bear against the rail.
If in practice it is found desirable both clamps may be made similar to the clamp 18
and united by a bolt 30 independent of the clamp, as shewn in figures 6 and 7, and
a spring washer 31 may be used in connection with the lock nuts.
If in practice it is found desirable the rail may be made to rest upon a cushion
preferably formed of elastic material.
In order that the rail need not be raised very high to remove the tie, the posts of
the chair may be so shortened that a portion of the cylindrical surface of the clamp
and 7.
body will be exposed, as illustrated in figures
In the modification illustrated in figures 8 and 9 the opposed posts of the chairs
are provided near opposite ends with a vertical recess 27 and each recess is
intersected by a diagonal bore produced in the base of the chair, as shewn in
figure 8, one bore being inclined in an opposite direction to the other. The clamps
employed consist of a hook or claw-shaped body 28 adapted to clamp the flange of
the rail and a pin 29 threaded at its outer end projected at an inclination downward
from the lower end of the body. The pin of one clamp is passed down
through the recess 27 in one post until the claw or hook contacts with the rail and
a nut is then screwed upon the projecting end of the pin. The other clamp is
inserted in the recess in the opposed post and secured also by a nut, the pin

page_text: passing down through the bore in the chair. In this form of device it will be
observed that a clamp is made to bear firmly against each side of the rail at each
chair.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The combination of a railway sleeper or tie provided with chairs at its ends
comprising a base and spaced recessed or slotted posts, key clamps adapted to enter
the slots or recesses of the posts and contact with the rail, and roils or bolts for locking
the key-clamps in position, substantially as herein shewn and described.
2. The combination, with a metal railroad tie, of chairs integral therewith com-
prising a base and spaced recessed or slotted posts projected from the base, key clamps
adapted to enter the slots or recesses of the posts, and threaded rods or bolts
connecting the opposed clamps of the chairs, substantially as shewn and described.
3. The combination, with a tie provided with spaced and slotted posts at each end,
of the key clamps 18 and 19 each formed of a head 20 and a horizontal body portion 22
the head 20 of the clamp 18 being slotted at 21 and the clamp 18 provided with the
shank 24 depending from the body portion and the rod 25 having a screw threaded
end projecting from said shank, substantially as herein shewn and described.
4. The combination, with a metal railroad tie, of chairs integral therewith com-
prising a base having a bore therein and posts projected from said base provided with
a key hole slot, a clamp adapted to enter each post slot consisting of a head, a
horizontal body secured to the head, having a recessed under face, and a bolt or
pin connecting the two opposed clamps, substantially as shewn and described.
5. The combination, with a metal railroad tie, of chairs integral therewith comprising
a base having a bore therein and posts projected therefrom, the said posts being
provided with a key hole slot, a pair of key clamps adapted to enter the post slots
of each chair consisting of a head, a semi-cylindrical body integral with the head,
having a recess upon its under face, and a bolt or threaded pin integral with one
clamp and adapted to pass through the head of the other, substantially as shewn and
* described.
6. In a combined metal tie and chair, the combination, with the sides of the chair
having aligning key-hole slots therein, of key clamps adapted to enter said slots,
'consisting of a head and a semi-cylindrical horizontal body projected from the head,
having a recess in its under face at its inner end, and a bolt or threaded rod, uniting
the two opposed clamps, substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 14th day of March 1890.