A Railway Rail Chair.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1896-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1896
A Railway Rail Chair.
I, HANS VON GERSDORFF, of Luben, Silesia, in the Empire of Germany,
Sub-Lieutenant, 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 following is a description of this invention reference being had to the
annexed drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view, Figure 2 is an end elevation, and Figure 3 is a
plan of the rail chair according to this invention.
The chair consists of 2 parts, viz., a fixed chair body a, attached in a suitable
manner to the sleeper A, and a movable locking part b. The locking part b has a
projecting flap b, preferably with a curved surface. On this flap 61 the rail rests,
and it is secured against tilting over, by means of the chair part a as well as the
part of the locking part b.
The measurements of the various parts are such that the rail while it is at
rest, i.e., as long as no train is passing over it, bears only on the curved part 6',
parts a' and at the same time lying against the web of the rail. Thus the rail is
in a completely secure and immovable position.
.
The present rail chair differs from the rail chair hitherto in use-with fixing
wedges, in this that the locking part cannot work loose. On the contrary, the
connection between the rail and the chair is never more secure and firm than just
at the moment when a train is passing over, for at this time the rail is heavily
pressed down and the part 6 more intensely pressed against the web of the rail.
The rail is pressed down to such an extent that the side parts of the rail-base bear
on the ledges a. The middle part of the rail-base at the same time remains
resting upon the curved part 61, and in consequence of this elastic support, rigid
knocks on the rail are obviated.
By the rail-base coming to bear on the ledges a³, the locking part b is thus
partially relieved of the weight, and thus only its elasticity, and not its actual
supporting power, is applied. When the track is not being used, the locking of
the connection between the rail and the chair takes place without tension,
whereas, when the train is pressing on the rail, the latter as well as the locking
part only vibrate slightly, corresponding to the elasticity of the part b.
It is less possible for the rail to tilt-in consequence of special circumstances―
say towards the side of the movable part b, the higher the centre of motion for the
part b is arranged, and it becomes absolutely impossible, if the front edge 6 is
made to come against the edge at (which is already in a state of rest) in such a
manner that the part can move downwards only, but not upwards.
A rail chair according to this invention may be applied to advantage in the
case of such rails as overlap each other at their joints, for, in such a case, if
the rail chair is placed under the joint, other connecting parts (screws and fish
plates) may be dispensed with, and the rails joined together in a solid manner
within the chair itself. On this account the very parts which require such
continuous and careful watching, can be dispensed with all along the track, and the
safety of the working will be increased.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A railway rail chair, constructed and adapted to operate substantially as set
forth, namely, a chair having a movable part which is acted upon by the weight
of the train through the rail, and causes the web of the rail to be thereby
gripped.
2. The rail chair constructed and adapted to operate as set forth with reference
to and shewn in the drawings.
Dated this 1st day of February 1896.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15 Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.