Improvements in and relating to Railway Ties or Sleepers.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1895-Accepted, 15th June, 1895
GUMI LETE STECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Railway Ties or Sleepers.
I, WILLIAM HENRI ADDICKS, of south-east corner of Chestout and Fifth
Streets, City of Philadelplua, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America,
Attorney at Law, 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
-
My invention relates to that class of metallic railway ties or sleepers in which
the tie is especially shaped for the purpose of securing the rails in position, its
object being to provide a secure and economical construction of tie, which, in
connection with auxiliary fastening devices of simple character, may be employed
to hold the rails in place, as more fully hereinafter set forth. In my improved
construction herein described the necessity for the employment of apikes, screws,
and the like is obviated and a firmer locking construction provided, in constructions
where spikes, screws, and the like are employed they are always liable to work
loose under the vibrations consequent upon the passage of trains. The parts
necessary to the complete construction of my invention hereu described are
reduced to a minimum, and these parts are constructed so as to be interchangeable
and readily replaced; in this construction the line and gange of the rails 80
adjusted will be accurate and positive and can be readily set into position without
loss of time and labour, as for instance, not only in the original construction of the
line but in case of accidental destruction or derangement of the line.
In the accompanying diawing
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation on the lino 1-1, Figure 2, of a railway tie
constructed in accordance with my invention
Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the tie or sleeper proper.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the rail fastening keys.
Figure 5 18 a similar vion illustrating a form of key, and spacing block which
may be placed between one of the rails, and a guard rail at bridges, curves or
switches, and
Figure 6 is an elevation of a slightly modified construction of tie.
Refening to the diawing, A represents the tie provided with two lower
depending flanges a, so as to form a channel bar, with a centrally located rib a', on
its upper surface, extending longitudinally of the tie, and being interrupted or cut
away at the points where the nails lay in order that the base of the rails may rest
dectly upon the biond upper surface of the main body of the tie, and be secured
thereon though the medium of the central rib.
The ib, al, is cut away and recessed at b to conform to the base and web of one
side of the rail, and at c is cut away at an angle, as shown more clearly in Figure 1.
To one side of the base of each rail the upper surface of the tie is provided with a
slot d, extending preferably in a line parallel with the length of the rail.
The securing key E, is formed of a block of metal of a thickness about equal to
that of the 11b a', and on one side is so shaped as to conform to the contour in
Cross-section of one side of the base and vertical web of the rail, aud on the
opposite side or end is cut away at an angle corresponding to the angle at which
the b a', 18 cut at c, and is of a size to fill the space intersening between the end
of the rib at c and the inner surface of the rail, to snugly fit therein and to hold the
Price 81

page_text: >
rail, laterally considered, rigidly in position On one face of the key is secured a
tongue g, which may be bent around at a right angle to the length of the key, as
shown in Figure 4, and when in position is adapted to enter an opening, formed
in the rib a', and then bent to luck the hey in position. The base of the key 18
provided with a tongue e, the length of the tongue, e, being somewhat less than the
length of the slot d, connected with the main body of the key by the shank, the
latter at its central portion being provided with slightly curved walls forming an
opening in which the shank or neck f, of the key may readily turn
In assembling the parts the tail is first laid in position on the tie and pressed
against the portion b, of the rib a', and the key E, is turned at a right angle to the
length of the rib a', and its tongue, 18 passed through the slot d, the key being
then turned it comes into alignment with or practically forms a continuation of the
nb a'. This turning of the key causes one of its ends to come into contact with
the web and base of the rail and its opposite end to pass under and in contact with
the portion c, of the rib a', while at the same time its tongue 9, will have passed
through the opening h, and can be turned parallel with the b, or given a slight
twist, as shown in Figure 2, in order to prevent its return.
When the key is in
place it is prevented from turning by this bending or twisting of the tongue g, and
is prevented from raising by reason of the inclined face c, of the rib a', and its
locking tongue e, which has been passed through the slot d, and then turned until it
1s at a right angle to such slot.
The surface of the walls or inclined face c, transversely cousidered, 18 at a night
angle to the length of the tie, when, therefore, the key is locked with its inner end
abutting against the surface c, the liability to lateral displacement of the rails 18
positively provided against; the rails cannot spicad owing to the outer portion of
the rigid ib a', and they cannot be forced inwardly, as above stated, as the mer
edge of the key E, coinciding with the lines of the walls or inclined face c, against
which it abuts, is held firmly by the inner portion of the rib a', against any inward
movement.
In Figure 6 I have illustrated a modification of the invention in which the height
of the 1b a', is materially reduced, and the fastening devices operate only on the
base or lower flange of the rail, to be employed principally where lateral support is
not especially desired.
Where a double, or guard rail, 18 used, as at curves, bridges, crossings, or
switches, the outer rail is first placed, in position against the specially shaped
portion, b, of the rib a', as showu to the night of Figures 1 and 2. The upper
surface of tho mam body of the tie is provided with a T-shaped slot 1, P, the
portion, extending at a right angle to the length of the tie while the portion, !, 18
formed inmediately in line with the rib a'. After the first, or outer iail has been
placed in position the base m of a spacing block or key, M, is passed through the
portion of the slot, and the koy is then moved up, in the portion until it is in
contact with the rail. The second tail is then placed in position, and locked us in
the first instance with a key E.
It will be noticed that the opposite ends of the key or spacing block, M, are
both shaped to conform to the contour of the sides of the main ail and the
guard rail so that both rails will be firmly clamped and held down in position
on the tic.
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. The combination of the railway tie having on its upper surface a recessed rib
one wall or edge of each recess being so shaped as to conform to the contour of one
side of the web and base of a railway rail and the opposite wall or edge being
inclined, there being in the upper surface of the main body of the tie a slot as d
extending at an angle to the length of the tie, with a locking key having one end so
shaped as to conform to the contour of one side of the base and web of the railway

page_text: ail and its opposite end being inclined at an angle corresponding to the angular
wall of the recess in said rib, a tongue formed integial with and extending parallel
to the length of the key, said tongue being adapted to enter the slot h, and means
for locking said key in position, substantially as specified.
2 In a metallic ailway tie having a centially disposed longitudinal recessed rib,
recessed for the reception of the rails, a removable locking key having a downwardly
projecting shank and a keyed head provided at the lower end thereof adapted to
fit into and through a recess provided in the base of the tie the upper surface of
the head of the shank constructed to impinge against the lower surface of the base
of the tie when the key is tuned against the rail in its locking position tending to
prevent upward displacement, said key being formed at one end to fit upon and
against the inner walls of the rail and at the opposite end having inclined surface
uci casing toward the base conforming in shape to the outer end of the inner central
portion of the rib and adapted to positively abut against the same at a right angle
to the length of the rib, and au L-shaped pin provided horizontally upon the side
of sand key, the L-poition adapted to enter and protrude through an orifice
provided in the cential portion of the b near its outer end and to be clinched in
Baid orifices, substantially as described.
3. A metallic railway the compusing a channelled base plate and recessed
longitudinal rib, the outer end portions of the rib constructed to bear upon
and against the outer side of the base and web of the rail, a removable
key adapted to a transversely disposed slot, said key having its outer end
constructed of a shape to enable said and to bear upon and against the inner
portion of the base and web of the rail, the opposite end of said key to abut
against the outer end of the inner portion of the central rib, and a locking pin
provided upon said locking key adapted to engage with the rib through an orifice
provided therein for the purpose, substantially as described.
4. A metallic railway tie having an upper longitudinally disposed recessed rib,
the inner portions of the onter ends of said rib formed by the recesses constructed
to hear upon and against the outer portion of the base and neck of the rail, a
transversely disposed slot provided in each recess, a renovable key adapted to be
engaged in said slot and to lock the tie m position, said key having one end of a
shape adapted to bear upon and against the inuer portion of the base and neck of
the rail, and having in the opposite end an abutting portion with its plane at a
ight angle to the line of its length adapted to abut against a similarly shaped
end of the centrally disposed portion of the longitudinal rib and locking pin
provided upon said key adapted to protrude into and through an orifice provided in
said b and to be clinched therein, substantially as described.
5. The combination of a metallic tie having an upper longitudinal rib provided
with a recess of a width greater than the combined width of a rail and guard rail
and securing keys adapted to slots provided in the upper surface of the main body
of the tic for locking the said rails in position upon the tie, and spacing block
having a contour at its opposite ends adapted to conform to the upper surface of
the base of the rails and integral downwardly projecting neck and elongated key
head provided upon the lower end of said neck adapted to pass through a T-shaped
slot piovided in the base of said tie said head adapted to engage against the under
surface of the upper portion of said tie when slid into looking position in the shank
of the T and to bold said spacing block against vertical displacement, substantially
as described.
6 The combination of the tie having an upper rib provided with a recess of a
width greater than the combined widths of a rail and guard tail and securing keys
adapted to slots provided in the upper surface of the main body of the tie
and to fill that portion of the recess not occupied by the rail and the guard
rail with means for locking such keys in position, substantially as specified.
7 The combination of the tie, A, having an upper rib a', provided with a recess
having walls and c there being in the upper surface of the tie a slot d extending
at an angle to the length of the tic, a locking key E, having a lower tongue e

page_text: adapted to pass through said slot d and a locking tongue g secured to or formed
integral with said key and adapted to extend through an opening in the nb a¹
substantially as specified.
8. The combination of the tie A, having an upper rib, a' provided with a recess
of a width greater than the combined widths of a rail and a guard rail there being
in the upper surface of said tie slots d'a key or spacing block M, having a buse
portion m adapted to enter tho slot I and to confine the adjacent faces of the rail
and the guard rail and a filling block or key E having a tongue e adapted to
the slot and a locking tongue g adapted to an opening in the rib a' substantially
as specified.
Dated this 14th day of May 1895.
h
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.