Improvement in Metallic Railway Ties or Sleepers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Metallic Railway Ties or Sleepers.
I, CHARLES BOROMEO MACNEAL, No. 1102 Walnut Street, in the City of
Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Merchant
Tailor, 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 metallic railway ties, and consists of certain improve-
ments which are fully set forth in the following Specification and are shown in the
accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.
The object of my invention is to construct an improved metallic railway tie which
can be cheaply manufactured, and which will admit of expeditious and secure
adjustment of the rails.
A further object is to utilize for cross pieces rails that have been discarded from
use on the track. I do not limit myself, however, to the use of rails as cross
pieces.
In carrying out my invention I employ slotted end pieces having projecting
braces to engage the flange of the rail on one side and cross pieces which are
received in the slots of the end pieces and are provided with projecting offsets to
engage the flange of the rail on the other side.
The top portion of the end pieces may be furnished with rebates to contain rests
of rubber, or other yielding material for the base of the rail.
My invention also relates to the peculiar construction of the slotted end pieces
whereby they may be used with cross pieces formed of discarded rails, and to the
construction of the cross pieces whereby they are adapted to be connected with the
end pieces and to clamp the rails of the track.
In the drawings :-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved railway tie; and
Fig. 2 is a similar view in detail of one of the end pieces and part of the cross
piece.
A is the cross piece which may be composed of an ordinary Trail.
A¹ is an overhanging or projecting offset at each end of the cross piece A adapted
to receive the flange of the track rail.
When ordinary Trails are employed for the cross piece A these offsets A' are
preferably formed by cutting away the end of the head of the rail as shown at A*
and making an undercut in the offset formed by the end of the remaining portion
of the head of the rail as is shown in Fig. 2, so as to form the overhanging or
undercut offset A' of proper shape to receive the flange of the track rail. This
construction gives greater strength to the undercut offset which thus possesses the
thickness of the metal of the rail head, and the head of the rail forms a
strengthening rib for the cross piece.
B are the end pieces which are provided with longitudinal slots B³ to receive the
ends of the cross pieces A. These slots are preferably of an inverted T shape as
shown to receive the T shaped cross piece. The end pieces are provided with
suitable bolt holes d, d, which register with bolt holes d', d', in the ends of the
cross pieces. By means of bolts D, I), passed through the holes d, d and d', d', the
end pieces B B and the cross piece A may be bolted together.
✗ are the track rails resting on the flat upper surface of the end pieces B, B.
The upper surfaces of the pieces B, B may be formed with rebates to receive
rests C of rubber, wood or other suitable material.
B' is a projecting or overhanging brace piece on the top of the end piece B
adapted to receive the flange on the outer side of the rail.

page_text: When the parts are put together the rail X is clamped between the brace B³ of
the end piece on its outer side and the offset A¹ of the cross piece A on its inner
side, the parts B' and A' fitting snugly over the outer and inner flanges respectively.
The rail is thus clamped firmly in place without the use of bolts or spikes.
While I prefer the details of construction that have been shown, I do not limit
myself to them as they may be varied without departing from the invention.
What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is :—
1st. A metallic railway tie consisting of two end pieces each provided upon its
outer side with a projecting overhanging brace to fit over the outer flange of the
rail, and a connecting cross piece adapted for connection at its ends with the end
pieces, and provided adjacent to each end with a projecting undercut offset adapted
to fit over the inner flange of the rail, and located a substantial distance from the
extreme end of the cross piece.
2nd. In a metallic railway tie a wrought iron cross piece consisting of a section
of a rail having the ends of the head portion cut away to form undercut projecting
offsets adjacent to the ends of the tie.
3rd. In a metallic railway tie a cast iron end piece B having the inverted
Tshaped slot B and the integral overhanging brace piece B' and having its upper
surface formed with rebates to receive a rail rest.
4th. In a metallic railway tie, the combination of the end portions having
inverted shaped slots and bolt holes in their sides, and the overhanging braces
on their upper surfaces, with cross pieces having ends of an inverted T shaped
cross section to fit the slots of the end pieces and provided with bolt holes, and the
bolts for securing the end pieces and cross pieces together.
CHARLES BOROMEO MACNEAL.