Improvements in Permanent Ways of Railways and Tramways.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 3rd July, 1891-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Permanent Ways of Railways and Tramways.
We THOMAS HODDER HEARD of Rose Hill Derby Traveller and WILLIAM
KIRKLEY BIRKINSHAW of 9 Madeley Street Derby in the County of Derby do
hereby declare the nature of our said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
PERMANENT WAYS OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS to be as follows :-
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This invention is intended to reduce to a minimum the vibrating jumping motion
which is caused when locomotive and other wheels pass over the joints of rails and
may consist of a fish-plate or chair or both in combination formed after the following
manner :-
Regarding the manufacture of a fish-plate only-it is constructed to embrace
the outside part of the rail head, as well as the Hange and bottom part or flange
only, and is flush with the head of the rail and the tread of the wheel, so that when
a wheel is passing over the joint it rolls and rests upon the upper surface of the
said fish-plate and is carried over without vibration.
In the manufacture of the said fish-plate it is formed to describe the portion of
a circle longitudinally at its upper surface which prevents the wheel striking
against the ends thereof.
In the construction of a chair the outside jaw is similar to the before mentioned
fish-plate; and may be keyed or fastened to the rail joint by any suitable method.
Or, a loose plate may be bolted or fastened to a fish-plate and constructed in
similarity at its upper part to the before described fish-plate, and may be in com-
bination with the said chair.
The upper or flush part of the said fish-plate, chair, or plate may be of any
suitable section, and may have secured upon it, rubber, rope, leather or other desired
material for the purpose of softening the rolling of the wheel.
Dated this 1st day of October 1890.
WM.
MCGOWAN,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Permanent Ways of Railways and Tramways.
We THOMAS HODDER HEARD of Rose Hill Derby Traveller and WILLIAM
KIRKLEY BIRKINSHAW of Quarndon Derby both in the County of Derby, do
hereby declare the nature of our said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PERMANENT
WAYS OF RAILWAYS TRAMWAYS AND SIMILAR WAYS to be as follows :--
22
This invention is intended to reduce to a minimum the vibrating jumping motion
which is caused when locomotive and other wheels pass over the joints of rails and
may consist of a fish-plate or chair or both in combination formed after the following
manner.
Regarding the manufacture of the fish-plate only-it is constructed so as to
embrace the top and bottom heads of the rail in the ordinary method-but is
extended upwards so as to be flush with the head of the rail and the tread of the
wheel, so that when a wheel is passing over the joint it rolls and rests upon the
upper surface of the said fish-plate and is carried over the joint, thus reducing
the vibration and deflection to a minimum.
In the manufacture of the said fish-plate, it is formed to describe the portion of
a circle, or it may be formed so as to extend a level or partially curved surface to

page_text: the tread of the wheel, so as to prevent the wheel striking against the ends
thereof.
In the construction of the chair the outside jaw is made similar to the before-
mentioned fish-plate inasmuch as that it is made flush with the surface of the rail
thus bearing the tread of the wheel, and may be keyed or fastened to the rail
joint by any suitable method ;-or, a loose plate may be bolted or fastened to a
fish-plate and constructed in similarity at its upper part to the before described
fish-plate and may rest within or upon the chair.
The upper or flush part of the said fish-plate, chair or plate may be of any
suitable section and may have secured upon it, rubber, rope, leather or other desired
material for the purpose of softening the rolling of the wheel.
As a modification the beforementioned fish-plate or plate may be made to extend
at each end so as to rest upon the sleepers or bed of each chair or inside the jaw
of each chair so as to form an additional support to the fish-plate and counteract
any deflection which may take place at the joint of the rails when a wheel is passing
over.
The accompanying drawings illustrate our invention; the same letters of reference
applying to the different views throughout.
Fig. I is a front elevation shewing fish-plate A curved longitudinally, or partially
level, at its upper surface and flush with the tread of wheel at the joint of
rails B.
Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section through Figs. 1 and 2 at L M.
Fig. 4 is a view in section shewing loose plate C bolted to ordinary fish-plate and
flush with the tread of wheel at joint of rails.
Fig. 5 is a front view in elevation similar to Fig. 1 shewing ends of fish-plate A
extended so as to rest upon the beds of chairs D Ď.
Fig. 6 is a front view in elevation similar to Fig. 1 shewing ends of fish-plate A
extended so as to rest between the jaws of the chairs D D and web or flange of rail.
Fig. 7 is a view of rail in section and end of chair shewing one end of fish-plate A
secured by key E between the chair jaw and rail flange or web.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim-is-
Firstly. The manufacture of an improved fish-plate embracing the top and
bottom heads or flanges or webs of rails at their joints, and describing longitudi-
nally portion of a circle, or partially level or slightly curved outline, at its upper
surface, so that in any case the wheel shall roll and rest not merely on the rail
itself but on the fish-plate for the purpose of carrying it over the joint.
Secondly. The manufacture of a loose plate attached to the outside fish-plate
having an upper surface flush with the rail and describing portion of a circle, or
partially level or slightly curved outline, longitudinally at its said upper surface.
Thirdly. The manufacture of a chair having the outside jaw flush with the upper
surface of the rail and describing longitudinally portion of a circle, or, as before,
partially level or slightly curved surface at rail joint so that the tread of the wheel
shall roll and rest upon it as well as on the rail.
Finally. We claim that our invention comprises the tread of the wheel being
brought into direct bearing upon the before mentioned fish-plate, loose-plate or
chair, this bearing being carried downwards to the bottom flange of rail, chair or
sleeper, thus reducing the deflection at the rail joint itself to the lowest point,―as
herein before described, specified and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 30th day of June 1891.
WM. MCGOWAN,
Agent for the Applicants.