IMPROVEMENTS IN IRON AND STEEL SLEEPERS FOR RAILWAYS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter David Jones, of Harborne, in the County of
Stafford, Iron Master, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN IRON AND
STEEL SLEEPERS FOR RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 5th December 1879, and dated the 11th June 1879.
Sealed the 5th December 1879, and dated the 11th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter David Jones at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th June 1879.
WALTER DAVID JONES, of Harborne, in the County of Stafford, Iron Master.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN IRON AND STEEL SLEEPERS FOR RAILWAYS."
My Invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in iron and
steel sleepers for railways, whereby the said sleepers are furnished with slightly
yielding or elastic seats, upon which the rails or the chairs of the rails are supported
and fixed, and the said sleepers have also the further advantages hereinafter pointed
out.
In making an iron or steel sleeper according to my Invention, I roll in the
ordinary way plates or bars of iron or steel, and I take one of the said plates or
bars having a length considerably greater than that which the finished sleeper is
intended to have. While the said rolled iron or steel plate or bar is still hot from
the rolls, or after being reheated, I make at each end of the said plate or bar a
double bend, or fold, or flat coil, the first or inner coil or fold of the double fold
bearing upon the upper face of the sleeper. There is thus produced at each end of
the sleeper a hollow seat, standing above the level of the body of the sleeper, the
said seat being slightly elastic. Upon these elastic seats or raised ends of the
sleeper, the rails or the chairs of the rails are supported and fixed, the said seats or
raised ends slightly yielding when the load passes over them. The slightly elastic

page_text: seats of the sleeper may either be flat or parallel with the body of the sleeper, or
be slightly canted or inclined inwards, as may be desired.
I prefer to give the body of the sleeper provided with the slightly elastic or
yielding seats or ends described a semi-circular, or bowed, or arched figure in cross
section; or of a trough form, or of a trough form with flanges. By giving a trough
arched or curved figure to the body of the sleeper increased strength, combined with
lightness, is obtained in the sleepers, and the said sleepers embed themselves more
firmly in the ballast than flat sleepers.
Slightly elastic seats or ends of the construction described may however be
applied to iron or steel sleepers the bodies of which are flat.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Walter David Jones in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
December 1879.
WALTER DAVID JONES, of Harborne, in the County of Stafford, Iron Master.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN IRON AND STEEL SLEEPERS FOR RAILWAYS."
My Invention consists of the improvements herein after described in iron and
steel sleepers for railways, whereby the said sleepers are furnished with slightly
yielding or elastic seats upon which the rails or the chairs of the rails are supported
and fixed.
In making an iron or steel sleeper according to my Invention, I roll in the
ordinary way plates or bars of iron or steel, and I take one of the said plates or
bars having a longth considerably greater than that which the finished sleeper is
intended to have. While the said rolled iron or steel plate or bar is still hot from
the rolls, or after being reheated, I make at each end of the said plate or bar a
double bend or fold, the first or inner fold of the double fold bearing upon the
upper face of the sleeper. There is thus produced at each end of the sleeper a
hollow seat standing above the level of the body of the sleeper, the said seat being
slightly elastic. Upon these elastic scats or raised ends of the sleeper, the rails or
the chairs of the rails are supported and fixed, the said seats or raised ends slightly
yielding when the load passes over them.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in cross section, Figure 2 in
end elevation, and Figure 3 in plan, one end of a rolled iron or steel sleeper made
according to my Invention, in combination with a flanged rail.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
Drawing.
a is the body of the iron or steel sleeper, and b, 63, 63, is the elastic seat or raised
end of the sleeper; c is the flanged rail supported upon and fixed to the said seat.
The elastic seat of the sleeper is made by doubling, folding, or bending the end of
the sleeper a upon itself while hot from the rolls, or after the end has been reheated
into the form best seen in the cross section, Figure 1, that is to say, the extreme
end of the sleeper is first folded or bent at b³, and a second fold or bend is then
given to the end of the sleeper so as to form the hollow elastic seat b, b², b, the
summit of the seat being flat at 62, or otherwise shaped to suit the sectional figure of
the rail used; and the sides of the seat being either inclined as at b, b, or curved or
bowed. The first or inner fold or bent part bs of the elastic seat bears upon the
upper face of the sleeper a, and is fixed to the body of the sleeper by screw bolts
and nuts at d, d.
The flange or foot of the flanged rail c is fixed upon the flat or other shaped
summit 63 of the elastic seat by the screw bolts and nuts at e, e.
Instead of the rails being connected directly to the elastic seats of the sleepers,
chairs for supporting double headed rails, or rails having other sectional figures
may be fixed to the summit b of the seats.
I do not limit myself to the figure represented of the elastic seat or raised end
of the sleeper, but I have found that a folded or bent end having the figure repre-
sented in cross section in Figure 1 answers well in practice.
The parts of the slightly elastic seats of the sleeper which receive the rails or the
chairs for the rails, may either be parallel with the body of the sleeper as repre-
sented, or be slightly canted or inclined inwards, as may be desired.
Instead of making the elastic or yielding seats in one piece with the sleeper as
described and represented, the said seats may be made separately from the body of
the sleeper, and connected to the sleeper or bearer by bolts and nuts, or otherwise
connected. The sleeper to which the separable seats are connected may either be
flat, or troughed, or dished. In the latter case, the sleeper has a firmer hold upon
the ballast than when flat sleepers are used, When the seats and sleeper are made

page_text: in one piece, I prefer to give the body of the sleeper a semi-circular, or bowed, or
arched figure, or an inverted arched figure in cross section; or the body of the
sleeper may be made of a trough form, or of a trough form with flanges in cross
section.
By giving a trough, arched, or curved figure to the body of the sleeper, increased
strength combined with lightness is obtained in the sleepers, and the said sleepers
embed themselves more firmly in the ballast than flat sleepers.
My Invention is applicable to longitudinal sleepers, as well as to cross sleepers.
When longitudinal sleepers are used, they are joined together by tie rods in the
ordinary way.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention
the improvements in iron and steel sleepers for railways, herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is to say, providing at each end of
the wrought or rolled iron or steel sleeper a slightly elastic or yielding seat for
supporting the rails or chairs for the rails of railways, the said elastic or yielding
seats standing above the level of the body of the sleeper, and being made either by
doubling or folding the ends of the sleeper, or made separately from the sleeper, and
attached to the sleeper by screw bolts or otherwise, substantially as described and
illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter David Jones, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
WALTER DAVID JONES. (L.S.)