Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Mar., 1891-Accepted, 2nd May, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
TER O
I, OTTO KLATTE of St. Ingbert, Bavaria, German Empire, Works Director,
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 relates to a construction of permanent way of railways in which
for joining the rails, fish plates, screw bolts and other small iron fittings are
dispensed with, a spring support given to the rails with less yielding at the joints
and amongst other advantages the invention is designed to secure greater safety of
railway travelling and cheaper maintenance of permanent way.
According to this invention the rails are laid or inserted in longitudinal metal
sleepers or sleeper-chairs in such a way as to be enclosed and grasped therein at the
part which extends downwards from the upper head of the rail.
Referring to the accompanying drawing Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a cross
sectional and a plan view of the construction referred to.
a are the rails here shewn of the double headed type. the longitudinal sleepers
or sleeper-chairs by the upper part of which the whole of the web and lower head
of the rail is grasped with a pressure due to the springing towards each other of
the two upper sides of the sleeper. The whole of the sleeper in one piece of
metal, the extensions c having such a curvature as will induce a springing action
when a load passes over the rails. These may be of any convenient section the
part of the sleeper in which they are grasped being shaped accordingly but which
should at least take in the greater part of the web of the rail. The rail ends
should come in the middle of the length of the sleepers or not less than half a
yard from their ends. In laying the line the feet d are sprung inwards by means
of a bar or rod fitted with pressure screws or by other suitable means so as to open
out the top of the sleeper and allow of the rail being introduced therein. The
feet d are then released upon which the two top ends of the sleeper spring towards
each other and grasp the rail between them with the requisite amount of pressure.
It is not absolutely necessary to construct the whole of the sleeper in one piece as
shewn in the drawing. The top and bottom parts may be connected together by
an intermediate piece or the sleeper may be composed of two side parts which
come on each side of the rail. For the purpose of holding the feet d together in
the proper position, clamps e are fixed thereto at certain distances apart. Besides
these gauge stays may be employed in curves.
The safety of railway travellers is increased by reason that the rails when
accidentally fractured do not break away and cause a gap in the line.
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:
In railways a longitudinal sleeper superstructure in which the web of the rails
is either wholly or for the greater part grasped longitudinally, the sleepers being
formed in one piece or in parts connected together so as to be capable of a springing
action, for the purpose of dispensing with the use of fish plate joints substantially
as described and shewn.
Dated th: 01
CAPITAINE & VON HERTLING,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.