IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Gedge at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th June 1864. -A communication from abroad by François Nicaud,
of 39, Faubourg Saint Martin, Paris, France.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of
No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," a communication to me from
abroad by François Nicaud, of 39, Faubourg Saint Martin, Paris, France, to
be as follows:-
The several improvements forming the subject of this Invention will be best
understood by reference to the accompanying Sheets of Drawing, forming part
of this Provisional Specification, and to the figures and letters of reference
placed thereon.
Sheet 1 shews in plan and section one of the said improvements. f, an iron
cross bar or sleeper bent at its extremity as shewn; a, fixed jaw or chair arm;
b, a movable jaw; c, a pin or bolt which fixes the apparatus on blocks of
chestnut wood h.
Sheet 2 shews also in plan and section another improved method. a, fixed
jaw with shoulder resting on cross bar or sleeper; b, movable jaw; c, tight-

page_text: ening key or cottar; d, guide piece; e, pin or cramp iron fixing the apparatus
to the wood; f, iron sleeper or cross piece, the ends forming angle iron; h,
wood.
Sheet 3 shews another method. a, fixed jaw; b, movable jaw; c, tight-
ening key; d, guide; e, pin fixing apparatus; f, iron cross bar or sleeper;
9, angle iron; h, wood.
Sheet 4 shews another arrangement in plan and section. a, fixed jaw;
b, movable jaw; c, pin fixing apparatus to block of wood; d, tightening
key; e, bolt holding the movable piece; f, iron cross piece or sleeper;
h, wood.
Sheet 5 shews another arrangement in plan and section. a, rail; b, iron
cross piece and apparatus; c, wood; d, stone sleeper.
Sheet 6 shews top plan view and cross section of another arrangement. A,
iron rod or cross bar; B, wooden block; C, wooden wedge; D, rail; E, iron
pin; F, ribs. The chair is such as now used on the Orleans railway. This
apparatus is united by casting to the extremity pierced with holes of the flat
iron cross bar, the tightening is effected with wooden wedges and a tapped
projection holds the apparatus on the wood.
On Sheet 7, Figure 1 shews in cross section through centre of chair, cast
iron apparatus and wrought iron cross bar; the cast iron is run on to the cross
or tie bar. The base of this apparatus is hollow and of oval form; Figure 2
shews in cross section another base of apparatus with bolt having a shoulder
and sharp point; Figure 3 plan of chair seen from above. A, cast iron rail;
B, iron bolt; C, iron cross or tie bar; D, ribs.
Sheet 8 shews top plan and cross section through centre of chair of a cast
iron apparatus run or moulded on a round cross bar flattened at its ends.
A, round iron tie bar; B, rail; C, wooden wedge; D, ribs; E, piece of oak;
F, bolt; G, stone sleeper.
Sheet 9 shews in cross section and lateral view, an apparatus of steel or
iron cement fixed by three rivets to an angle iron cross or tie bar, the rail
being tightened by a wooden wedge fixed by two pins to a wooden block. A,
rail; B, wooden wedge; C, block of wood; D, angle iron. The base of all the
cast-iron apparatus may have the hollow and oval shape shewn Sheet 2.
Where the Drawing represents but one extremity of the cross bar or sleeper
with its apparatus, it will be understood that the corresponding ends are
precisely similar, the whole forming a complete sleeper without break across
the way.
Amongst the special characteristics of my Invention are, bending the ends
of the cross bar or sleeper as shewn, and the method of uniting the cross bars

page_text: or sleepers to the apparatus, which consists in running the cast on to the
wrought iron. To avoid the inconveniences resulting from the contact of the
rails with the cast or wrought iron parts, a piece of felt will be placed between
them, more particularly beneath the rail, and the use of this felt also forms
part of these improvements.