IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS
Year: 1884

page_text: We ROBERT GEORGE FAIRLIE, ROBERT HENRY HEPBURN and FRANK ARCHBOLD
FAIRLIE, all of Palace Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS" to
be as follows:
Our invention consists of improvements in railways and has reference to the
sleepers, chairs and key fastenings, and has for its object the construction of
railways, for use particularly in hot climates, in which perishable or destructible
materials such as wooden sleepers and keys, and inconvenient modes of attachment
such as bolts and nuts (which are apt to become loose and lost) are as far as
possible dispensed with.
We make the sleepers and chairs all in one piece by pressing or blocking the
chairs from the solid wrought iron or steel of which the sleeper is formed, that is
to say, at each place where a chair is required we press or block up on the one side
the jaw or clip to receive one edge of the flange or foot of the rail and on the
other side the jaw between which and the rail (when the latter is placed in
position), the key fastening is to be driven. When the chairs are pressed or
blocked from a flat or round topped sleeper the foot of the rail will rest upon the
portions of the sleeper at the sides of the chairs. The jaws have webs at the back
to increase their strength these webs being formed at the same time as the jaws.
When on the other hand the sleepers are formed of angled iron, such as
or
Λ
the sleepers are pressed or blocked so as to form both a seat for the foot
of the rail and jaws or lips respectively to receive one edge of the foot of the rail
and to act as the surface between which and the rail the key fastening is driven.
If the sleepers be formed of 2 angle or angled irons such as
or
the space between the 2 irons may be filled in for any desired portion of their length
with cast iron or other suitable solid material to give the sleepers stability and
these filling pieces would have to be hollowed out to assist in forming the chair.
and they may also have feet or other means, to prevent the angle irons spreading
under the action of heavy traffic. When the sleepers are made of channel iron,
Hor U we cut recesses in the ribs to form the chairs, the portions of the ribs at
the recesses being shaped or turned outwards or inwards into the form of lips to
-:

page_text: v
serve as the surface between which and the rails the key fastenings are driven.
These lips are by preference formed with webs at the back to increase their
strength and elasticity. Or, the chair portions may be rolled in the channel irons
by means of excentric rolls. Or, we form the chairs each from a separate length
of angle angled or channel iron in the same way as when we form them in angle
or channel iron sleepers as above described, that is to say, in the case of channel
iron for example we cut recesses in the ribs of the channel iron to form the chairs
the portions of the ribs at the recesses being shaped into lips (with strengthening
webs as above described) to serve as the surface between which and the rail the
key fastenings are driven. The channel iron or angled iron chairs thus formed are
then bolted or otherwise secured to flat-topped sleepers. We roll flat-topped
sleepers thicker where the chairs are to come than at other parts to avoid the
insertion of rubbing pieces such as are frequently used to prevent wear which
occurs in sleepers with thin tops and to give a better hold to the bolts or fastenings
which secure the chairs thereto.
In making chairs from separate lengths of T iron we block or press up the ends
of the iron so as to form the jaws of the chair; the centre or middle part of the
head of the T constitutes the seat for the foot of the rail while the middle part of
the web of the T is secured to the sleeper which may be either flat-topped or made
of angle irons.
P
Sometimes instead of pressing or blocking both the jaws of the chair from the
solid metal of the sleeper as before described and especially where a broad gauge
and consequently increased strength are required we press or block from the sleeper
only that jaw which forms the clip to receive one edge of the flange or foot of the
rail and we employ as the other jaw a movable or loose piece between which and
the rail the key fastening is driven. This movable key jaw is so shaped and
fitted that in the event of the key working out, the jaw cannot fall out of the
sleeper but will move inwards until it comes against the foot of the rail.
With this object we pass the head or body of the movable jaw through an
aperture made in the sleeper, and we form the tail of the movable jaw with n
flange or enlargement which we pass through a distinct aperture in the sleeper.
When the parts are in position the key keeps the back of the head or body of the
jaw against the edge of the aperture through which it passes, while the tail flange
rests upon or against the sleeper beyond the other aperture. Then in case the
key works out, the flange prevents the jaw falling out; the jaw moves forward
until it comes against the foot of the rail and prevents the rail moving out of
guage.
We make key fastenings of steel of such form that they have several points or
centres from which to diverge or "give" which is not the case with keys of
approximately C form now much used; these keys having only one diverging or
giving point soon get a permanent set and lose their elasticity. The form of our
improved keys is in section that of 2 C's facing each other and connected together
either diagonally so as to form approximately an S or Z placed on its side thus
or connected together crosswise so as to form approximately an
and bottoms turned inwards thus
Ө
ΟΙ
with the tops
These improved keys not
only have several points of "give" but they fit snugly between the rail and chair
jaw, as they bear under the rail head, take into the corner between the rail foot
and web, and also between the rail foot and jaw and under the inwardly turned
upper edge or lip of the jaw.
Dated the 30th day of Aucunt 1004

page_text: We ROBERT GEORGE FAIRLIE, ROBERT HENRY HEPBURN and FRANK ARCHBOLD
FAIRLIE all of Palace Chambers, Victoria Street Westminster, Engineers do hereby
declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS" and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
Our invention consists of improvements in railways and has reference to the
sleepers, chairs and key fastenings. Its object is the construction of railways, for
use particularly in hot climates in which perishable or destructible materials such
as wooden sleepers and keys, and inconvenient modes of attachment such as bolts
and nuts (which are apt to become loose and lost) are as far as possible dispensed
with.
We make sleepers and chairs all in one piece by pressing or blocking the chairs
from the solid wrought iron or steel of which the sleeper is formed, that is to say,
at each place where a chair is required we press or block up on the one side the
jaw or clip to receive one edge of the flange or foot of the rail and on the
other side the jaw between which and the rail (when the latter is placed in
position) the key fastening is to be driven. When the chairs are pressed or blocked
from a flat or round topped sleeper the foot of the rail will rest upon the portions
of the sleeper at the sides of the chairs. The jaws have webs at the back to
increase their strength, these webs being formed at the same time as the jaws.
Figure 1 of the annexed drawings is a longitudinal section, Figure 2 a transverse
section and Figure 3 a plan showing a portion of a wrought iron or steel flat
topped sleeper and one of its two chairs pressed or blocked up therefrom as above
described. a is the sleeper formed of trough or channel iron or steel. b is the clip
c is the other or main
or jaw to receive one edge of the flange or foot of the rail.
jaw between which and the rail the key fastening is to be driven; both these jaws
have been pressed or blocked up from the metal of the sleeper. d represents the rail
and e the key fastening. The foot of the rail rests upon the portions of the sleeper
at the sides of the chairs, that is to say, upon the portions marked 1, 1. f. fare
the strengthening webs before described at the back of the jaws b, c.
Instead of making the sleepers and chairs all in one piece by pressing or blocking
the chairs as above described from the solid wrought iron or steel of which the
sleeper is formed, we make them in one piece, in accordance with another modifi-
cation of our invention, by rolling the chair portions in the channel irons by means
of excentric rolls. This mode of forming the chairs in one piece with the sleeper
is illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6 in which b, b, c, c represent the chair portions
which have been rolled out of the metal of the sleeper a by means of excentric
rolls; these portions are afterwards punched or cut to prepare them to receive the
rail and key fastening.
Instead of making the sleepers and chairs all in one piece we, in accordance with
another modification of our invention, make the chairs from separate lengths
of T iron by blocking or pressing up the ends of the iron so as to form the jaws of
the chair; the centre or middle part of the head of the T'constitutes the seat for
,

page_text: the foot of the rail while the middle part of the web of the T is secured to the
sleeper which may be either flat topped or made of angle irons. Figures 7 and 8
represent a chair thus formed and then secured by rivets or bolts to a sleeper made
of two angle irons. Figure 9 is a section of the T iron before being blocked or
pressed up to form the chair. The middle part g of the head of the T constitutes
the seat for the foot of the rail as seen in Figure 7 while the ends of the iron
form the jaws b, c; the middle part h of the web of the T is secured by rivets i
between the two angle irons a, a of which the sleeper is formed, while the end
portions of the T form strengthening pieces f, f to the jaws b, c. Figures 10, 11
and 12 represent the same modification applied to a flat topped or channel iron
sleeper in which case after the chair has been pressed or blocked up from the
Tiron, the middle portion of the web of the T is passed through a longitudinal
slot in the top of the sleeper and then secured to the sleeper by being hammered
out as seen at h. Figure 13 shows the same modification applied to form a chair
for a double headed rail. The T iron may obviously be formed with more than
one web, the middle portion of each web being secured to the sleeper after the
chair has been pressed or blocked up.
Sometimes instead of pressing or blocking both the jaws of the chair from the
solid metal of the sleeper as before described, and especially where a broad gauge
and consequently increased strength are required we press or block from the sleeper
only that jaw which forms the clip to receive one edge of the flange or foot of the
rail and we employ as the other jaw a movable or loose piece between which and
the rail the key fastening is driven. This movable key jaw is so shaped and fitted
that in the event of the key working out, the jaw cannot fall out of the sleeper
but will move inwards until it comes against the foot of the rail. With this object
we pass the head or body of the movable jaw through an aperture made in the
sleeper, and we form the tail of the movable jaw with a flange or enlargement
which we pass through a distinct aperture in the sleeper. When the parts are in
position the key keeps the back of the head or body of the jaw against the edge
of the aperture through which it passes, while the tail flange rests upon or against
the sleeper beyond the other aperture. Then in case the key works out, the flange
prevents the jaw falling out; the jaw moves forward until it comes against the
foot of the rail.
This part of our invention is illustrated in Figures 14, 15 and 16. a is the
sleeper and b the clip or jaw pressed or blocked therefrom. c is the movable jaw;
its head or body is passed through an aperture k in the sleeper and its tail has a
flange or enlargement which is passed through a distinct aperture m in 'the
sleeper. When the parts aro in position, as is seen in the figures, the key e keeps
the back of the head or body of the jaw c against the edge of the aperture k and
the tail flange rests upon the sleeper beyond the aperture m. If the key works
out the flange prevents the jaw falling out; the jaw moves forward until it comes
against the foot of the rail.
We make key fastenings of steel of such form that they have several points or
centres from which to diverge or "give" which is not the case with keys of
approximately C form now much used; these keys having only one diverging or
giving point soon get a permanent set and loose their clasticity. The form of our
improved keys is in section that of two C's facing each other and connected
together either diagonally so as to form approximately an S or Z placed on its
side, see Figure 17, or connected together crosswise so as to form approximately an
Hwith the tops and bottoms turned inwards thus
see Figure 18.
These improved keys not only have several points of "give" but they fit snugly
between the rail and chair jaw, as they bear under the rail head, take into the
corner between the rail foot and web, and also between the rail foot and jaw and
under the inwardly turned upper edge or lip of the jaw, see Figures 1, 10 and 14,
in each of which one of our key fastenings is shown in place.
H
ог
8.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim in respect of railways is
1. A combined wrought iron or steel sleeper and chairs in which the chairs aro
pressed or blocked from the metal of which the sleeper is formed, substantially as
hereinbefore described and represented in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
2. A combined wrought iron or steel sleeper and chairs in which the chair
portions are rolled from the metal of the sleeper by means of excentric rolls and
then punched or cut to receive the rail and key fastenings substantially as herein-
before described and represented in Figures 4, 5 and 6.
3. A chair formed of a separate length of T (or similar) iron blocked or pressed
up so as to form the chair jaws and a seat for the foot of the rail substantially as
hereinbefore described and represented in Figures 7 to 13.
4. A combined sleeper and chairs in which the chairs are formed of separate
lengths of T (or similar) iron, blocked or pressed up so as to form the chair jaws
and seats for the foot of the rail and in which the sleeper is formed of anglo irons
to which the chairs are secured, all substantially as hereinbefore described and
represented in Figures 7 and 8.
5. A combined sleeper and chairs in which the chairs are formed of separate
lengths of T (or similar) iron blocked or pressed up so as to form the chair jaws
and seats for the foot of the rail and in which the sleeper is flat topped and has the
chairs secured thereto, all substantially as herein before described and represented
in Figures 10 to 13.
6. A movable or loose chair jaw substantially of the form shewn in Figures 14,
15 and 16 to be passed through apertures formed for the purpose in the sleeper as
hereinbefore described and shown.
7. A wrought iron or steel sleeper having at cach place where a chair is required
a clip or jaw, such as 6 Figures 14, 15 and 16, blocked or pressed up from the
metal of the sleeper and two apertures such as k and to receive a movable jaw,
substantially as described.
8. The combination with movable or loose chair jaws, substantially of the form
shown in Figures 14, 15 and 16, of jaws or clips blocked or pressed up from the
metal of the sleeper and of apertures in the sleepér for the passage of the movable
jaws, all substantially as herein before described and represented in Figures 14, 15
and 16.
9. Key fastenings substantially of the form represented in Figure 17.
10. Key fastenings substantially of the form represented in Figure 18.