Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 18th Sept., 1891-4ccepted, 31st Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
We, THE SAMPAN PATENT RAILWAY SLEEPER AND STEEL PLANT
SYNDICATE LIMITED, of Staleybridge in the County of Chester, Manufacturers,
and SAMUEL RIDEAL, of Ward's Buildings, Deansgate, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in the construction of permanent way for
railways in which combined metallic sleepers and chairs are used similar to those
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me No. 3821 of 1885.
:
It is designed with the object of providing means to extend the bearings or
supports for the rails upon the sleepers of diminishing the number of component
parts; of reducing the first cost and the cost of maintenance; and of providing
sleepers and chairs that will wear equal to and as long as steel rails.
We make the improved sleepers and chairs either of rolled pressed or cast.
metal preferably of mild cast steel or tough cast iron with one two or more on each
sleeper and we secure the rails to the chairs upon the sleepers by means of keys or
wedges or other similar device capable of being quickly inserted in position and of
being removed and replaced when needed.
These sleepers are inade in three forms which are used conjointly to support the
rails or for narrow gauge or light railways two of these forms may be used
together.
The first form of sleeper which we shall call the joint sleepers are preferably
constructed to be laid longitudinally with the rails and are provided with a single
chair or two chairs placed side by side to receive the rail ends and form a joint.
The rail ends are secured in these chairs by a couple of wedges entering from
different sides and drawn together by a long bolt passing through them or by other
suitable device by which means the use of fish-plates bolts and holes in the rails are
avoided.
The second form of sleepers which we call the intermediate longitudinal sleepers
are formed with two chairs with a space between them to which the rails are
secured by keys or wedges.
The third form of sleeper which we call the transverse intermediate sleepers are
formed with one chair placed cross wise in the centre and with rail bearings extend-
ing the entire width of the sleeper.
The joint sleepers and the longitudinal intermediate sleepers are placed in line with
the rails and each pair of sleepers are connected together by the bars placed across
between the rails. These tie bars are preferably connected to the sleepers by a
loosely fitting joint and are so bent or curved as to lie beneath the ballast. And
the transverse intermediate sleepers are placed across the rails alternately with the
longitudinal intermediate sleepers.
The undersurface of each of the sleepers is formed with webs lengthwise and
cross ribs, also with rims or sballow flanges at each edge to give anchorage or
holding and to retain the ballast underneath the sleepers and prevent its being
pumped or forced out by passing traffic. The cross webs are splayed or cut away
towards the outer edges to facilitate packing or ramming the ballast into the cells
formed by the ribs underneath the sleepers. The rims or shallow flanges at the
edges also serve to retain the air between the surface of the ballast and underside
of the sleepers whereby an elastic cushion is formed and thus smooth silent running
for the rolling stock is obtained.
By thus arranging and connecting together the sleepers and the rails the

page_text: strains thereon caused by the passing traffic,are in compression only-and there is
freedom from torsion or buckling each line of rails being free and not affected by
any undue settlement of the other. For this purpose the tie bars are fitted
loosely they maintain the gauge of the road and being embedded in the ballast
are out of harms way when in position.
The weight and number of parts by these means being reduced to a minimum
it will be apparent that the utmost economy in first cost and maintenance of
road and of rolling stock will result by the use of this invention as the whole
surface of the sleepers and the increased bearings for the rails will enable them
to sustain heavier moving loads without the necessity of increasing the section and
weight of the rails at present employed.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
.6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
We, THE SAMEAN PATENT RAILWAY SLEEPER AND STEEL PLANT
SYNDICATE LIMITED, of Stalybridge, in the County of Chester, Manufacturers,
and SAMUEL RIDEAL, of Ward's Buildings, Deansgate, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer, 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 improvements in the permanent way for railways in
which combined metallic sleepers and chairs are used, the sleeper and chair being
cast or formed in one piece and each sleeper being coupled by means of astic
rodzor bar with the corresponding sleeper on the opposite rail, as described-in the
Specification of Letters Patent No. 3821 of 1885, granted to the said Samuel
Rideal.
It is designed with the object of providing an extended bearing or supporting
surface-upon-the-sleepers-for-the-rails; of diminishing-the-number-of-the-com--
ponent parts; of reducing both the cost of manufacture and the cost of main-
tenance; and of producing sleepers and chairs that will wear equally as well and
as long as steel rails and capable of holding the rails with increased security and
of being easily handled and removed.
The improved sleepers and chairs are made either of rolled pressed .or cast
metal, preferably of mild cast steel or tough cast iron with one two or more chairs
-son each sleeper, the rails being secured to the chairs by means of keys or
wedges or other similar devices capable of being quickly inserted in position and
of being removed and replaced as required..
The surface which supports the rail or upon which the rail rests extends in
the longitudinal direction of the rail at each side the chair and affords an increased
ihearing surface to support the rail.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. is a plan of permanent way constructed according to the invention.
Fig. 2, side elevation of same.
Fig. 3, plan of permanent way showing all the sleepers laid longitudinally.
Fig. 4, side elevation of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5, side elevation of longitudinal,sleeper and chair with rail in position.
Fig: 6,plan of longitudinal sleeper.
Fig. 7, plan from below of sleeper..
Fig. 8, transverse sectional elevation of sleeper and trail online:<showing
double headed rail.
Fig. 9, transverse sectional elevation showing:single headed trail.

page_text: Fig. 10, transverse sectional elevation on line y-y showing double headed rail.
Fig. 11, plan of sleeper in which the rails are jointed.
Fig. 12, plan of cross or transverse sleeper.
Fig. 13, end elevation of transverse sleeper with rail in position.
Fig. 14, plan of wedge for securing the rails in position in the chairs.
Fig. 15, plan of double wedge for forming the joints of the rails in the chairs.
The sleeper A, is formed of a thin cast foundation plate upon the upper surface
and formed in one piece with which are the two fixed jaws, Band (which form
the chair to receive and hold the rail D. The under surface of the sleeper A, is
formed with a longitudinal rib a, cross ribs a', and a rim or shallow flange, at
cach.edge. The cross ribs are preferably of the form shown in Figs. 10 and 13
inclined at such an angle as to readily allow of the packing of the ballast_under
the sleeper when it is in position. These ribs and flanges serve to give anchorage
or holding and to retain the ballast underneath the sleepers and prevent its being
pumped or forced out by passing traffic. The rims or shallow flanges at the edges
also serve to retain the air between the surface of the ballast and underside of the
sleepers whereby an elastic cushion is formed and thus smooth silent running for
the rolling stock is attained.
The rail D is held in the chair formed by the fixed jaws B and C by a wedge b
driven in between the rail and the jaw B and it rests upon a supporting surface d
which is extended for some distance at either side of the jaws to present a con-
siderable bearing surface at each sleeper and chair for the rail to rest upon.
The sleepers are laid in pairs and either each alternate pair or each pair of
sleepers are connected together by a tic bar E, which holds them together and
prevents any alteration of the gauge The bar E, is bent or cranked at each end
which fits into a hole e formed in the sleeper. The bend or crank in the tic bar E,
is preferably such that the bar will lie beneath or bedded in the ballast.
These combined sleepers and chairs are made in three forms which are used
together conjointly to give support to the rails and to secure them in position, two
of them running longitudinally with the rails and the other transversely there-
with. For narrow gauge or light railways the two longitudinal forms only may
be used.
The first form or joint sleepers shown in Fig. 11, are preferably constructed to
be laid longitudinally with the rails and are provided with the jaws B and C so
placed as to form either a single chair or two chairs placed side by side to receive
the rail ends and joint them firmly together. The ends of two rails are brought
together in the centre of the double chair and are secured tightly therein by
means of two tapering wedges entering from different sides of the jaws B
which are also inclined. The wedges are drawn together and tightly held
between the jaws B and the rail Ď by a long bolt c¹ passing through them from
end to end and secured by an elongated nut or other suitable means.
By this
means the rail ends are firmly secured in the jaws B and C of the sleeper A, and
the use of fish plates and the punching of holes in the rails is avoided. The joint
sleepers are connected together in pairs by the tie rods E. The bearing surface d
upon which the trail rests extends from the chair to the outside edge of the
sleeper.
The second form or intermediate longitudinal sleeper as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7,
is formed with two sets of jaws B and C forming two chairs at some distance apart
with a space between them to which the rail D is attached by the keys or
wedges b. The bearing surface d extends out at each side of the jaws B and C
forming a considerable surface upon which the rail D is supported. These sleepers
are also connected together in pairs by the rods E.
The third form or intermediate cross sleeper as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, is
formed with one set of jaws B and C to form a chair placed cross wise in the
centre and with the rail bearing surface d extending the entire width of the
sleeper. These sleepers are laid transversely with the rails and alternately with
the longitudinal sleepers as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and serve in conjunction with

page_text: the longitudinal sleepers to give greater stability and endurance to the permanent
way. They may if desired be connected together in pairs by short tic rods similar
to E or they may be used without any such connections.
For narrow gauge and light railways the transverse sleepers may be dispensed
with and the longitudinal sleepers may be employed as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.
The wedges or keys are preferably made of mild cast steel and are formed
with corrugations on the face which come in contact with the rail so as to allow
for any unevenness on the rail surface and the single wedge has a slot run
through it at the narrow end to form a spring to give a better grip when
inserted. Between the rail D-and the surfaced on the sleeper A upon which the
rail rests a piece of felt or thick woven or other suitable material d' is placed to
prevent jarring between the two metallic surfaces and the consequent noise, which
would otherwise occur.
By thus arranging and connecting together the several parts constituting the
sleepers and the rails the strains thereon caused by the passing traffic are in
compression only and there is freedom from tension or buckling, each line of
rail being free or independent and not affected by any undue settling down or
strain upon the other. For this purpose the tie rods E which maintain the
gauge of the road are fitted loosely into the sleepers and being embedded in the
ballast are out of harms way when in position.
The weight and number of parts-constituting the chairs and sleepers being thus
reduced to a minimum the utmost economy in first cost and in the cost of main-
tenance of the road and also of the rolling stock will result. by the use of this
invention as the whole surface-of-the-sleepers and the increased-bearing surface (i)
for the rails will enable them to sustain heavier moving loads without increasing
the section and weight of rails at present employed..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be nonformed it in doslound shoot what in
1. A permanent way for railways having combined metallic sleepers and chairs
to which the rails are secured placed alternately longitudinally and transversely
-with-the-rails-the longitudinal sleepers being connected together by tie rods sub-
stantially as described.
2. A metallic sleeper for the permanent way of railways constructed with two or
more sets of fixed jaws (B & C), forming chairs, with their axes parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the sleeper and rail substantially as described.
3. A combined metallic sleeper and chair for the permanent way of railways pro-
vided with a bearing surface (d) for the rails extending beyond the sides of the
chairs substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. A permanent way for railways with the several parts constructed and arranged
substantially as described and shown.
"Dated this 17th day of September 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.