Year: 1888

page_text: I, ARTHUR DURAND, residing at No. 939 Pennsylvania Avenue, City of Washington,
District of Columbia, 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 :-
This invention pertains to certain new and useful improvements in railroad ties
or sleepers.
The object of the invention is the provision of a metallic tie of approximately
inverted, U, shape throughout its entire length, the ends thereof being open, whereby
an elasticity is obtained, and the ballast always held firm and secure, said tie or
sleeper being widened at the portions where the rails are secured and provided with
gutters or inverted arches and with a corrugated or waved surface to add to the
strength thereof.
To these ends the invention consists in the formation and arrangement of the parts,
substantially as hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1, is a plan view of my invention;
Figures 2 and 3, are detail views thereof;
Figure 4, is an end view;
Figure 5, is a central cross sectional view on the line, x, x, figure 1;
Figure 6, is a longitudinal section taken through the line,,, of figure 1
;
Figure 7, is a longitudinal section taken through the line, y, y, of figure 1, showing
the slight inclination given to the end portion of the tie ;
Figure 8, is a detail view of the tie or sleeper showing the surface thereof, corru-
gated or waved; and
Figure 9, is a detail.
In carrying out my invention, I make the tie or sleeper, A, of sheet-iron or steel
of the desired texture.
This tie or sleeper throughout its length is made of approximately inverted,
U, shape, the sides of the end portions, a, a, commencing at points equal distances from
LD
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page_text: the center, being bent and flared downwardly and outwardly on an incline, as shown
at, a', the ends of the tie or sleeper being left open or the inclined sides uuconnected
and said end portions are slightly inclined, as shown in figure 7.
The central slightly inclined portion of the tie or sleeper carries out or observes
the inclination of the end portions and has a narrowed connecting neck, a", from the
lower edges of the flared sides of which project continuous longitudinal webs or
flanges, a², as shown in figure 1.
In the center of each end portion, a, of the tie or sleeper is formed a longitudinal
narrow gutter or approximately inverted arch, b, stamped in or struck out from the
metal, whereby the strength of the tie or sleeper at these points is greatly augmented
and means provided for preventing melted snow or water from remaining on the
sleeper the same being caused to readily run off from the gutters by reason of the
inclination given the end portions of the tie or sleeper.
On either side of each gutter or inverted arch, b, are formed raised portions or
flanges, of approximately, V, shape, the same being struck up from the metal and
provided, each with an aperture at the center of its widest edge; and Figure 4 is
a downwardly projecting arched end flange.
The opposite wide ends of these, V, shape flanges, 61, are on a line parallel with
each other, and sufficiently far apart to permit of the placing of a rail, B, therein
between, said rail being held in position on the upper surface of the tie or sleeper by
means of fastening bolts. F, of a peculiar construction. These bolts are formed with
a screw-threaded shank, F, having a bottom head provided with two shoulders, f,
and, f, arranged at opposite sides of the shank and at different heights, as is shown in
the drawing. The shank. F', is passed through the aperture in the flange, 1, and a
nut, G, applied to its upper end, bears upon the bottom flange of the rail and serves
to clamp the same down upon the metal tie or sleeper.
As shown in figures 6 and 7, the lower shoulder, f, on the fastening bolt rests in
contact with the lower-most portion of the flange, 61, on the metal tie and the other
shoulder, f, bears against the under surface of the flange or raised portion of the tie.
In this manner by screwing down the nut on the bolt a very secure fastening of the
rail is attained.
The object of the. V, shape flanges is to additionally hold the rails in position and
to serve as guides in inserting the fastening bolts.
By reference to figure 1, it will be seen that the end portions, a, a, of the tie or
sleeper are made wider at the points where the rails rest thereon, so as to increase the
bearing surface therefor.
I have shown the horizontal slightly inclined surface of the, U, shape tie or sleeper
as being plain or smooth, but do not restrict myself thereto, because when it is
desired to add strength to said tie or sleeper so as to make the same more durable
and lasting, I make said surface corrugated or waved longitudinally as shown
in figure 8.
By thus corrugating the plain or smooth portions of the horizontal surface of the
tie or sleeper the same is rendered extremely strong and durable and thereby made
capable of standing great pressure; and further by means thereof the tie or sleeper is
the better imbedded in the earth surface or ballast.
From what has been said it will be seen that my invention is extremely simple and
far more durable and lasting than the wooden ties now in use; that the inverted,
U, shape gives to the tie the advantage of packing and retaining the ballast by reason of
its flared sides; that by having the ends of the tie open or unconnected an elasticity
is produced that gives in the passing of the train; that by means of the gutters or
inverted arches, the strength of the tie or sleeper is greatly increased, and that the tie
or sleeper being in practice, so completely buried in the road-bed prevents the displace
ment which is produced by trains running over short curves at a high rate of speed or
conséquent upon rains.
It is well known that wooden ties which are placed generally in holes made therefor,
after severe rains always shake the ballast whereas in my invention by reason of the
formation given the tie or sleeper, the weakening of the road-bed is prevented.

page_text: There is another advantage in my invention, namely that in the shipping of the tie
from the place of manufacture the fastening bolts are placed in position and loosely
secured by the nuts so as to prevent the loss thereof in shipping, whereby, when the
rail is to be placed in position the nuts are removed and replaced after the rail is laid.
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 railroad tie or sleeper formed of sheet metal or steel plate having an approxi-
mately inverted, U, shape throughout its length and having an inclination at its ends
and central portions, as shown and described.
2. A railroad tie or sleeper formned of sheet metal or steel plate provided with an
approximately inverted, U, shape throughout its entire length and slightly inclined on
its upper surface and having its sides flared and open at its ends and throughout its
length, as shown and for the purpose stated.
3. A metallic railroad-tie or sleeper of approximately inverted, U, shape through-
out its length and having central inclined connecting neck and horizontal webs or
flanges projecting therefrom, as shown and described.
4. A metallic railroad-tie or sleeper having gutters or approximately inverted
arches in its upper surface and running longitudinally the length of the tie in the end
portions thereof, substantially as shown and for the purpose stated.
5. The combination with a metallic tie or sleeper having, V, shape oppositely
disposed flanges or raised portions, of the fastening bolts having threaded shanks and
bottom heads provided with upper and lower shoulders the former being designed to
bear against the underside of said flanges, and the latter in contact with the lower-
most portion thereof, and the retaining nuts, substantially as shown and described.
6. The herein-described railroad tie or sleeper consisting of the metallic plate of
approximately inverted U, shape having the downwardly projecting sides flared and
open at the ends, the longitudinal gutters or inverted arches formed in the end portions
of said tie or sleeper, the upwardly projecting, V, shape flanges having apertures the
connecting neck and the horizontal webs or flanges, all constructed and arranged
substantially as shown and described.
7. A railroad tie or sleeper formed of a sheet metal or steel plate of approximately
inverted, U, shape having a corrugated or waved upper surface running longitudinally
the length of the sleeper, as and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 17th day of July 1888
ARTHUR DURAND.
Per Jensen & Son,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents.