Improvements in Railway Sleepers and Securing Rails thereto.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Jan.. 1338
Specification Accepted, 17th Feb., 1888
Improvements in Railway Sleepers and Securing Rails thereto.
I, WILLIAM PERRY HALL, of Piqua, in the County of Miami, and State of Ohio,
United States of America, gentleman, 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 has relation to certain new and useful improvements in rail-way cross-
ties, it having particular reference to that class or character of ties, which consist
essentially, of a single strip or sheet of metal bent or formed into shape while hot, by
means of suitable tools and appliances, as will fully hereinafter appear.
The invention also relates to novel improvements in rail-chairs to be attached to the
tie to hold and clamp the rails securely thereon.
The principal objects of the invention are to produce an extremely light and durable
cross-tie at a minimum cost, which will at the same time possess sufficient strength
and firmness to support the great weight transported over the rail-way; also to
provide a tie that will possess and retain the requisite amount of elasticity to prevent
injury to the rolling stock; also to provide a tie which will present a bearing surface
that will possess the necessary superficial area for the adequate support of the rails;
also to provide a tie whose sides or limbs will not spread while in use, but will retain
their original shape and elasticity for a comparatively long time; also to provide a
bearing surface for the rails which will afford a sure and ready means of attachment
for the rail chairs or fastening; and also to provide for attachment to the improved
tie, a rail-chairs of simple and inexpensive construction, that may be readily applied
to the tic, and which will when so applied preserve the alignment of the rails and at
the same time serve to assist in preventing spreading of the tie, and add materially to
its elasticity and strength, as will be more fully hereinafter specified.
That others skilled in the art may use and construct my invention, I will now
proceed to describe it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in
which:-
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the tie with the rail-chairs attached
thereto.
Figure 2 a vertical transverse sectional view of the same, taken through one of the
rail-chairs.
:
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1

page_text: Figure 3 a vertical transverse sectional view of the tie, taken through the switch
rail-chair.
Figure 4 a perspective view of the switch rail-chair before it is applied to the
tie, and
Figure a perspective view of one end of the improved tie, showing the slight
notches or indentations in the edges of the T-shaped bearing surfaces for the reception
and retention of the rail-chairs.
My improved tie A is constructed of a single sheet of metal, formed or rolled into
shape by means of suitable appliances.
The broad bearing surface B is forined by making two bends or folds a longitudinally
through the sheet of metal at equal distances from a central line drawn through the
sheet, and folding or bending the two outer portions of the sheet close under the
center portion preferably until they meet midway thereof, where they are again bent
or folded at band turned downwardly, the contiguous faces of these folded portions
being pressed into close contact.
The two outer portions of the sheet are separated a short distance below the bearing
surface B and carried downward and curved outwardly, to form the convex elastic
sides C, the lower extremities of which are slightly turned in towards the vertical
center line of the tie, to prevent them spreading and afford the desired amount of
elasticity. The sides when thus bent form approximately ares of the same circle, and
their lower longitudinal edges are bent outwardly at c, and turned up so as to form
flanges D, which set at an acute angle to the sides C as shown, to assist in preventing
spreading of the same.
It will be readily seen that by folding the metal upon itself in the manner described,
I have a broad and ample bearing surface for the rails that will be very strong in
proportion to its weight, and will also afford means whereby the rail-chairs may be
rigidly secured to the tie, to resist spreading of the rails when in place. The sides C
as constructed are not only prevented from spreading, but will also add strength and
elasticity to the tie.
In the projecting longitudinal edges of the bearing surface of the tio at the
proper distance apart, I form indentations, notches, or depressions d for the reception
and retention of the rail-chairs or clamps E, these notches serving to hold the rails in
perfect alignment, and obviating the necessity of using bolts or rivets, or shoulders in
the tie for the purpose.
The rail-chairs are each formed of a single strip of metal, cut to a proper length
and provided about midway its length with ears, e, which are adapted to be bent over
to clamp the flanges of the rail when in place upon the tie.
The strip is bent to a shape similar to the tie and is slipped over its end while hot,
and it is then forced and shrunk into the notches d, and under the projecting flanges
of the bearing surface, the ends of the strip being carried down to the side of the tie,
and turned up at their ends to rest upon the flanges D. The chair thus formed will
closely embrace and strengthen the tie and all possibility of lateral movement upon
the tie is obviated by means of the notches d in which the chairs are forced or
shrunk.
The chairs are so formed and secured to the tie that the ears for clamping the rails
will be on top of the rail bearing surface of the tie as shown.
By thus forcing or bending the limbs of the chair up under the flanges of the
hearing surface, I not only strengthen the same, but the chair is rigidly and per-
manently attached to the tie, so that it will not work loose from the continual jarring
of the trains passing over the road, and by continuing the limbs of the chair
downwardly as shown, and bending them so as to closely embrace the curved sides C
and rest upon the upturned flange D, I greatly strengthen the sides and render them
more elastic, and also assist them in retaining their original curvature.
The switch-rail or guard-rail chairs F are also formed of a single strip of sheet
metal and are adapted to be clamped upon any desired portion of the T-shaped
bearing surface of the tie. The strip is provided at a proper point in its length with

page_text: ears, e, for clamping the rail-flanges, and at one of its ends is bifurcated so as to form
the tongues, h, for clamping the flanges of the bearing surface of the tie.
The strip is first bent into the shape shown by figure t, that is one end of it is bent
and curved so as to closely embrace the flange of the bearing surface, and extend a
short distance down upon the convex elastic side C as shown at k, and one of the ears, e,
are turned up to the proper position to clamp the rail flange. The chair is then
applied to the tie, and forced or pressed into the slight notches, d, in the edges thereof,
as shown clearly in figure 3, the tongues, h, being bent around closely under the
flange of the bearing surface to clamp the chair securely thereto.
The object in extending the end, k, of the strip of the chair, F, down upon the
side of the tice, is to assist in securely and permanently attaching it to the tie as the
tendency of a heavy weight upon the chair will be to clamp the side of the bearing
surface upon which the extension is placed as is evident.
It will be evident from the foregoing that the essential features of my present
invention are the broad, firm, and very strong bearing surface for the rails, so con-
structed as to afford a ready and secure means of attachment for the rail-chairs, the
elastic sides so constructed.as not to spread or lose their shape, and the rail-chairs
adapted to embrace the T-shaped bearing, surface, and the elastic sides of the tie
in such a manner as to be permanently attached thereto, and strengthen and render
them more elastic.
I wish it understood that I do not confine myself to the exact construction of parts
shown and described, for it is evident that any person skilled in the art, might vary
some of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. A railway cross-tic constructed of a single sheet of metal folded through its
center, so as to form a broad firm T-shaped bearing surface and the depending elastic
sides C, spread apart and flanged, substantially as described.
2. A railway cross-tie constructed of a single sheet of metal folded and bent
throughout its center so as to form the broad T-shaped bearing surface for the rails,
and the depending outwardly curved clastic sides provided with flanges at their
lower edges, substantially as described.
3. A railway cross-tie constructed of a single sheet of metal, bent and folded
upon itself throughout its length, forming the broad and strong T-shaped bearing
surface for the rails, and the depending convex elastic sides baving their lower
edges bent or turned in towards the center line of the tie and provided with flanges D,
substantially as described.
4. A railway cross-tie constructed with the T-shaped bearing surface, and the
convex elastic sides C, flanged at their lower longitudinal edges, in combination
with the rail-chair constructed of a single strip of metal provided with clamping
ears, and bent around and shrunk upon the tie thus constructed so as to embrace
it closely, the lower ends of the said strip being bent so as to rest upon the lower
flanges of the sides C of the tie, substantially as described.
5. The combination with the tie constructed with a T-shaped bearing surface,
and elastic depending flanged sides C, the projecting flanges of the said bearing
surface being provided with notches or indentations of the rail-chair, provided with
clamping ears and bent so as to closely embrace the tie, and forced and shrunk into
the notches or indentations in the bearing surface, substantially as described.
6. The combination with a metallic railway tie, constructed with a broad T-shaped
bearing surface and convex elastic sides depending from the center of the lower
side of the bearing surface, the edges of the said bearing surface being provided
with slight notches or indentations, of the switch rail-chair F, constructed of a strip
of metal provided with clamping ears, the said strip being bent so as to closely
embrace the said bearing surface, and rest in the notches in the same, and provided

page_text: with a continuation which extends down upon one of the convex sides of the tie,
all arranged as and for the purpose described.
7. The combination with a metallic railway tie, constructed with a broad T-shaped
bearing surface, and elastic depending sides, the edges of the bearing surface being
provided with slight notches d, of the switch rail-chair F constructed of a strip of
metal provided with clamping ears e, the strip being bent so as to closely embrace the
bearing surface of the tie and rest in the notches d in the opposite edges thereof.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1888.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.