IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Bowers, of No. 4, Singleton Street
South, East Road, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Bowers
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th February 1856.
I, WILLIAM HENRY BOWERS, of No. 4, Singleton Street South, East Road,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
First, I construct a sleeper or bearing of plate iron curved into a segment
of a circle, and secured from spreading out by a flat tie plate turned up at each
side, into which the curved plate is placed, and on the top of which is fastened
the rail, either by rivets, bolts, or chairs.
Second, I construct a sleeper or bearing of flat plate iron, under which is
fastened T or angle iron, to give vertical strength; on the top of this sleeper is
fastened the rail, by means of rivets, bolts, or chairs.
Third, 1 form a sleeper or bearing of a rectangular, or circular plate, having
one or more ribs on its under side, to give vertical strength; the rail is
fastened on the top of these plates (which are placed at certain distances from
each other) by rivets, bolts, or chairs.
Fourth, I construct a sleeper or bearing of a circular plate, corrugated to give
vertical strength, the corrugations being circular with the plate or radiating
from its centre; the rail is secured to these plates (which are placed at certain
distances from each other) by rivets, bolts, or chairs.

page_text: Fifth, to support the rails in corrugated bearings, I punch out a portion
of the plate crossways with the corrugations, and insert the rail in the openings,
which is thus supported without the use of the ordinary fastenings.
Sixth, I construct a rail to carry its own bearings or sleepers, the section
of which is similar to a common girder, the top flange forming the rail, and
the bottom flange having sufficient breadth or bearing to form the sleeper.
Seventh, I form a clip or fish joint for securing the ends of rails; it is
made in one piece of metal, and consists of two side plates connected by a
cross piece, which obviates the necessity for bolts and the danger attending
their getting loose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Henry Bowers in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th August 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY BOWERS, of No. 4, Singleton Street South, East Road, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Henry Bowers, Her special licence that I, the said William Henry
Bowers, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Henry Bowers, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others; from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Henry Bowers, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of tlie said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Bowers, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying. Drawings (that is to say). :-
Firstly, my improvements consist in forming a sleeper or bearing of plate
iron curved, and secured from spreading out by tie plates, which are turned
up at each end, and into which the curved plates are placed. This arrange-
ment is shown in Figure 1, which is a plan view, Figure 2 being a transverse
section of the same; (a) are the curved plates; '(b) the tie plates; (c) the rails,
and (d) the cross ties.
Secondly, my improvements consist in forming a sleeper or bearing of plate
iron and angle or T iron combined. Figure 3 is a plan view, and Figure 4 a
transverse section of one combination, in which (e) are the plates;****
iron; (g) the rails, and (h) the cross ties. Figure 5 is a plan view, and
Figure 6 a transverse section of a similar combination:; (i) being the plate;
()the angle or T iron; (k) the rail; and (2) the cross tie. Figure 7 is a plan
view, and Figure 8 a transverse section of another combination, which is
better suited for disconnected or separate bearings; (m) is the plate turned
down at the ends;. (2) the T or angle iron, and (o) the rail.
Thirdly, my improvements consist in forming sleepers or bearings of plates,
which are strengthened by being formed on their under side in the manner
shewn in the Drawings. One form is shown by. Figure 9, which is a plan
view; Figure 10 being an end view of the same; and Figure 11:a side
elevation, (p) is the sleeper or bearing, and (4) the rail;. Figure 12 is a plan
view, and Figure 13. the end elevation of another form of bearing, in which
the plate is bent in the manner shown, to give strength, and at the same time
hold the rail in position; (r) is the bearing, and (s) the rail; a modification in
the form of bearing last described is shown in Figure 14, which is a plan,
and Figure 15 an end view; (t) being the bearing, and (u) the rail.
Fourthly, my improvements consist in forming a bearing or sleeper corru-
gated, the corrugations being circular with the plate or radiating from its
centre. Figures 16 and 17 are plan views, and Figures 18, 19, and 20,
transverse sections of this description of bearing, the form of which may be
modified so long as the continuous or circular arrangement of corrugation is
adopted. In Figures 16 and 17 the rail is shewn in position; when these
bearings are made in cast-iron, chairs may be cast on the top to hold the rail,
or it may be held in the manner shown in Figures 21 and 22, which is a plan
view and transverse section respectively; (v) being the bearing, (w) the rail,
and (a) the keys or wedges.
Fifthly, my improvements consist in supporting the rails in sleepers or
bearings that have a corrugated or similar form, without the use of the ordinary

page_text: fastenings, which I accomplish by displacing. a sufficient portion of the
bearing to admit the rail and hold it in position. Figure 23 is a plan view
of the form of corrugation last described; the displacement of metal being
shown at (y). Figure 24 is a transverse section of the same,, shewing the
rail held in position. Figure 25 is a plan view of a form of corrugated
bearing in present use, the .displacement of metal to admit. the rail being
shown at (2); and Figure 26 is a longitudinal section of the same, taken
through the openings.
:
Sixthly, my improvements consist in constructing a rail to form its own
bearing. Figure 27 is a transverse section of this rail, which is made in
two parts; and bolted together in such a manner, as to break joint;
one part, marked (a*), forms the rail, having a wide bottom flange to
support the same, and the other part marked (6*) increases the vertical
strength and bearing surface at the same time. The arrangement shown
at Figure 28, in which the part marked (6*) is. reversed, may also be used if
desired.
Seventhly, my improvements consist in forming a clip or fish joint for
securing. the tails at their ends; it is. formed in one piece of metal, obviates
the necessity for bolts, and divides the usual gap left between the rail ends
into two of half the width. Figure 29 is a side elevation of the clip joint;
Figure 30 is an end view of the same, and Figure 31 is a plan view. In
Figure 29 the rails are shown in position. By forming lugs on the side
of the clip it may be secured to the sleepers in the manner of an ordinary
joint chair.
The various forms of sleepers or bearings herein described may be galvanized
.or otherwise protected from oxidation, if required.
In Figures 1 to 10, 12 to 16,
described, in connection with the
18, 21, 22, and 24 I have shown and
sleepers or bearings, various forms of
rails and cross ties; but I do not claim such rails and cross ties as my
.Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Bowers, have hereunto
.
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
WILLIAM HENRY BOWERS. (L.S.)