AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MODE OF SUPPORTING THE IRON RAILS FOR EDGE RAILWAYS
Year: 1833

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
STEPHENSON the younger, lately of Saint Mary's Cottage, Downshire Hill,
Hampstead, (but now of Haverstock Hill, Hampstead), in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I did, by petition, humbly represent to His most Excellent
Majesty King William the Fourth that I had invented "AN IMPROVEMENT IN
THE MODE OF SUPPORTING THE IRON RAILS FOR EDGE RAILWAYS," which I believed
would be of general benefit and advantage, and that I was the true and first
Inventor thereof; and thereupon His said Majesty, being willing to give
encouragement to all arts and inventions which may be for the public good,
was graciously pleased to issue His Royal Letters Patent under the Great
Seal of England, bearing date at Westminster, the Eleventh day of December,
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-three, in the fourth year of His reign,
and by those Letters Patent His said Majesty did, for Himself, His heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Stephenson the younger,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, His especial licence, sole privilege
and authority, that I or they, or such others as I or they, by myself or them-
selves, or by my or their deputies, servants, or agents, or such others as I or they
should at any time agree with (and no others), from time to time and at all times
during the term of fourteen years from the date of the said Letters Patent, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend my said Invention within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed: And whereas the said
Letters Patent contain a proviso requiring me, the said Robert Stephenson the
younger, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in

page_text: writing under my hand and seal, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert Stephenson the younger, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is described
and ascertained in manner following, and by the aid of the two Sheets of
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :--
My said Improvement in the Mode of Supporting the Iron Rails for Edge
Railways relates to the construction of the chairs or iron supports in which the
iron rails for edge railways are to be seated and fastened, and which chairs are
to be firmly bedded and spiked down upon stone blocks, or upon wooden sleepers
or cross bearers, in the manner now usually practised for the ordinary chairs of
edge railways; and the object of my said improvement is to provide firm and
secure bearings at the bottoms of the notches in the chairs for the rails to
rest upon, those bearings being capable of self-adjustment, in order that they
may adapt themselves correctly to the under parts of the rails; and adequate
provisions being also made for fastening the iron rails securely downwards
upon such self-adjusting bearings, as well as for confining the rails laterally
within the notches in the chairs, but in such manner that the said self-adjusting
bearings will not be subject to be deranged, nor the said fastenings to be
loosened, by the effect of any such slight tilting or inclination of the chairs in
the direction of the length of the rails as may result from partial or unequal
subsidence of the ground beneath the stone blocks or wood sleepers upon
which the chairs are fastened, nor by the effect of any such slight elongations
and contractions in the length of the rails as they are usually liable to from
ordinary changes of temperature. And my said improvement consists in the
application of a self-adjusting segmental bearing piece into a suitable cell at the
lower part or bottom of the notch in each chair, in order to form a bearing
surface for the rail to rest upon, the said segmental bearing piece being in the
form of a segment of a circle, and lodged with its convexity or circular arch of
the segment downwards within the cell, which is of corresponding concavity, and
excavated below the usual level of the bottom of the notch in the chair, the flat
side or chord of the said segment being uppermost, and forming the bearing
surface at the bottom of the notch in the chair. Upon that bearing surface
the under side of the iron rail is to rest, and the said bearing surface will
always accomodate itself to the said under side of the rail so as to form an
even contact therewith, in consequence of the lower convex part of the seg
mental bearing piece assuming a suitable position within its cell, whereby the

page_text: said uppermost or rail bearing surface of the said segmental bearing piece will
always preserve its conformity to the under side of the rail, although the chair
itself in which the said bearing piece is applied should come to tilt or incline in
the direction of the length of the rail, in consequence of unequal settlement of
the ground in which the stone block or the sleeper is bedded; and in order to
fasten the rails securely downwards upon my said segmental bearing pieces,
as well as to confine the rails laterally within the notch of each of the chairs,
the parts with which each chair is provided for the purpose of such fastening
must take its (or their) hold of the rail (or of the rails), at or very near to the
centre of the circular curvature of the said segmental bearing piece, and of the
cell wherein the same is lodged, because a settlement or tilting of the chair,
and the corresponding self-adjustment of the segmental bearing piece in its
cell as aforesaid, will not have any material tendency to loosen or interfere with
the holding-down action when the same is applied at or very near to the centre,
about which the motion attendant on the said self-adjustment will take place.
And further, the said holding-down action, which is to be applied as aforesaid,
by taking hold of the rail or rails at or near to the said centre, must take that
hold in such manner as will permit of slight elongation and contraction of the
rail or rails in the direction of their length, without relaxing the effort of the
holding-down action or displacing the point of action thereof away from the
said centre. And likewise the same parts which perform the holding down must
effect the lateral confinement of the rails within the notches of the chairs, and
must also retain the rails edgeways upwards in a proper position for the
wheels of railway carriages or of locomotive steam engines to travel upoñi
them. The mode of holding down and fastening the rails upon my
said segmental
bearing pieces, which I recommend for the fulfilment of the aforesaid con-
ditions, is by the application of cylindrical centre pins of iron, which are fitted
into corresponding sockets formed through the cheeks or sides of the
notches of the chairs, so as to be firmly held in a horizontal direction, or nearly
horizontal, and crossways to the direction of the length of the rails, and which
cylindrical pins terminate with obtuse conical points at those ends which
project from the sockets into the notches of the chairs, and the said points
enter into oblong or grooved recesses which are formed in the upright sides
of the under part of the rails suitably for the reception of the said points, the
oblong elongation of the said grooved recesses being in a longitudinal direction
along the rails. Each of the said cylindrical pins is transfixed by a tapering or
wedge-like key, which is inserted horizontally through a suitable mortice
opening in the cheek of side of the chair, so as also to pass crossways through
a suitable mortice opening across the cylindrical pin at right angles to the

page_text: length thereof, and in a direction parallel to the length of the iron rails; the
said tapering key being so applied in its mortices through the cheek of the
chair and through the cylindrical pin that when the key is driven in through
its mortices the cylindrical pin will be forced forwards endways with its
conical end or point in contact with the rail in consequence of the tapering
form of the wedge-like key; and the conical end of the cylindrical pin being by
that means forced into the aforesaid grooved recess in the rail, that conical end
will bear on the lower part of that recess with an oblique bearing-down action,
which will jamb the rail downwards upon its self-adjusting bearing piece, at the
same time that it confines the rail laterally within the notch of the chair; and
note, those chairs which are to receive and support the extremities of the
several lengths of iron rails at the junctions of those extremities, require to be
provided with two of the aforesaid cylindrical pins and wedge keys in each
chair, viz, one cylindrical pin through each cheek or side of the notch in the
chair, with the conical points of those pins directed towards each other. The
extremities of the lengths of iron rails, may be united by what are called.
scarf or half lap joints, which apply flatwise to each other side by side, and the
double or overlapping parts at the ends of two adjoining rails being included
within the notch in the same chair, the conical points of the two opposite
pins of that chair are both to be forced forwards by their respective wedge-
like keys into the grooved recesses aforesaid, which are made at the outside
of each of the two halves of the half lap or scarf joint, by which means
the pressure occasioned by the wedging up of the two pins will hold the
said two halves firmly together, at the same time that the action of each
of the conical points of the pins within its own grooved recess in one half
of the joint of the rails, will hold that half down upon any segmental
bearing piece which is applied as aforesaid in its cell at the bottom of
the notch in the chair for the ends of the two rails to act upon, wherefore
by the keying of the two opposite pins of the same chair the junction of
two rails is made secure laterally, and also the extremity of each of those
two rails which form the junction is fastened downwards independantly of the
fastening down of the extremity of its fellow rail in the same chair, and
on the same segmental bearing piece at the bottom of the notch of that
chair; but those chairs which are to form the intermediate supports for the
several lengths of iron rails between the junctions of those lengths, require
only one of the said cylindrical pins in each chair, viz, through one of
the sides or cheeks of the notch of the chair, the opposite side or cheek being
a flat vertical surface, (or nearly so), against which the flat vertical surface of
the iron rail is pressed laterally, and held firm thereto by the keying-up of

page_text: the cylindrical pin through that cheek or side of the notch of the chair to
which the said flat vertical surface is opposite, and at the same time the action
of the conical point of the cylindrical pin in its grooved recess in the rail
holds the rail forcibly downwards upon my segmental bearing piece, which is
applied in its cell as aforesaid, at the bottom of the notch of the chair, for the
under-side of the rail to rest upon. The said intermediate chairs, with one
cylindrical pin in each chair, holding the rails laterally against the flat
vertical side or cheek thereof, as above mentioned, will keep the rails edge-
ways upwards, and firmly retained in their proper positions for the wheels
of railway carriages and locomotive steam engines to travel over them. The
other kind of chairs herein-before mentioned, with two cylindrical pins in each
chair, confine the junctions of the several lengths of iron rails together laterally,
at the same time that they hold down the extremity of each rail on my seg-
mental bearing piece. The grooved recesses which are formed in the sides of
the iron rails for the reception of the conical points of the cylindrical pins,
and for giving them their oblique bearing-down action, being of an oblong
form in the direction of the length of the rails as aforesaid, that form will
permit of slight elongations or contractions of the rails lengthwise, without
causing any relaxation or alteration in the confinement of the rails in their
hair s, because elongations and contractions will have no influence on the
lateral pressure which the said conical points are required to exert against the
rails, nor on the holding-down action which results from the same lateral
pressure, in consequence of the oblique bearing-down action of the conical
points against the lower part of the grooved recesses in the sides of the rails.
And in consequence of the centre of the said conical points being at or very
near to the centre of the circular curvature of the cell at the bottom of the
notch in the chair, (and of my segmental bearing piece which is lodged in that
cell), any slight tilting or inclination of the chair in the direction of the length
of the rails, and consequent self-adjustment of the said segmental bearing-piece
in its cell, will not cause any relexation of the confinement of the rails in their
chairs, because such tilting will have no influence either on the lateral action
of the conical points, or on the holding-down action which results therefrom
by oblique action of the said conical points in the grooved recesses in the
rails. And note, in lieu of mere conical points to the said cylindrical pins,
the latter may terminate with obtuse wedge-like or chissel ends, adapted
to enter into and act obliquely within the aforesaid oblong grooved
recesses in the rails, in which case the cylindrical pins must be allowed
a small liberty of turning motion in their sockets through the sides
or cheeks of the chairs, in order that their chissel ends may continue to con-
form to the grooved recesses in the rails, notwithstanding any slight tilting of

page_text: the chairs themselves; for this purpose the mortices, through the cylindrical
pins, must be as much wider than the thickness of the wedge-like keys, which
are to be driven through the said mortices, as will permit of the requisite
turning motion of the cylindrical pins in their sockets, and the acting extre-
mities of the said cylindrical pins, whether conical points or chissel ends, may
be casehardened, or they may be made of steel hardened and tempered in
order to give them durability, if required. And note, the sockets for the said
cylindrical pins may be made through the cheeks or sides of the chairs in
a direction somewhat inclining from the horizontal instead of being horizontal,
as herein-before mentioned, the conical or chissel-shaped ends of the pins
beng rather lower than the other ends, in order that the lateral action and
pressure exerted by the pins may act against the rails with a downwards
tendency, when the pins are forced endways by their cross keys into the
grooved recesses in the rails. The holding-down action on the rails will be
rather greater if the pins are so inclined than if the pins are horizontal; but
their inclination from the horizontal must not be so great as to cause any sensible
impediment to the turning action, which the conical points of the pins must
make within the grooved recesses in the rails, or else the turning motion which
the chissel-ended pins must make in their sockets, in order to accommodate to
a tilting inclination of the chairs. And for the more complete explanation of
the manner of carrying my said improvements into effect, I have hereunto
annexed two Sheets of Drawings, which exhibit two chairs for supporting the
iron rails of edge railways, when the same are constructed according to my
said improvement.
Figure 1, in Sheet I., is a perspective view, and in Sheet II., Figure 2
is a lateral elevation, Figure 3 a transverse section, and Figure 4 a hori-
zontal plan of a chair for supporting and uniting the extremities of the lengths
of iron rails for edge railways. A, A, is the flat bottom or base of the chair
which is to be bedded upon the stone block or wooden sleeper, and firmly
fastened thereto by spikes driven down through the holes a, a. B, B, are the
cheeks or sides of the notch in the chair, that notch being the parallel space
which is left between the said cheeks or sides for the reception of the rails
C, C, D, d, which may join together with a half-lap joint, as is shewn in the
perspective view, Figure 1, and in the plan, Figure 4, the double oro ver-
lapping parts c, d, being of the same size, or nearly of the same size as the
other parts of the rails, and those parts are included within the notch of the
chair. The bottom of the said notch is deeper than necessary for receiving
the rails, and is depressed into a concavity or cell suitable for the reception of
my segmental bearing piece 4; see also Figure 1, where the same is repre-
sented separately. The under edges of the rails rest upon the uppermost flat

page_text: surface of the said bearing piece 4, the undermost part of which is a circular
curve, and the form of the cell corresponds thereto. 5 and 6 are the
cylindrical pins, which are fitted into cylindrical sockets through each of
the cheeks or sides B, B; and 8, 9, are the tapering or wedge-like keys,
which are inserted through suitable mortices in the cheeks and across the
pins 5 and 6, for the purpose of forcing forwards those pins, so that their
pointed extremities may press obliquely upon the lower parts of the grooved-
recesses in the rails with a bearing-down action, which will confine the
rails downwards upon the bearing piece 5, at the same time that they are
confined laterally in the chair. The cylindrical pins, represented in Figures
1, 2, 3, and 4, are in an inclined direction, in order that their bearing-down
action may be more efficient, but the pins may be horizontal; in either
case, the centre of curvature of their points, at the places where those
points bear in the grooved recesses of the rails, being at or very near to
the centre of curvature of the lower part of my segmental bearing-piece,
and of the cell in which it is lodged. In Figure 1 the cylindrical pins are
shewn detached, in order to explain the manner in which the pointed extremity
applies into the grooved recess in the rail, so as to exert a bearing-down action
thereon;
and in the same Figure 1 a chissel end is represented as well as a
conical point. Figure 5, Sheet 1, is a perspective view, and Figure 6, Sheet II.,
is a transverse section of a chair for supporting the iron rails at intermediate
distances between the extremities or junctions of their several lengths; it has
only one cylindrical pin 5 fitted through one of its cheeks B, the opposite
cheek K being a flat vertical surface, against which the flat side of the rail is
pressed and held firm by the keying-up of the cylindrical pin 5, so as to confine
the rail laterally, at the same time that the oblique action of the point of the
cylindrical pin 5 in the grooved recess in the rail produces a bearing-down
action which confines the rail down upon my segmental bearing-piece 4,
which is applied in a cell at the bottom of the notch of the chair, exactly
the same as in the chair with two cylindrical pins, before described, The.
chairs are to be made of cast-iron; the sockets for the cylindrical pins, the
mortices for their wedge-like keys, and the cells for my segmental bearing
pieces, being all formed in the casting, as well as the holes for the holding-down
spikes. The wedge-like cross keys, the cylindrical pins, and the segmental
bearing pieces, are to be made of wrought iron.
Having now described the nature of my said improvement, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I, the said Robert Stephenson the
younger, do hereby declare, that the new Invention, whereof the exclusive use
is granted to me by the aforesaid Letters Patent, consists in the mode herein-
before described of supporting the iron rails for edge railways upon a segmental

page_text: bearing-piece, which is lodged in a suitable cell at the bottom of the notch in-
each chair, the rail being confined downwards on such bearing-piece by the same
force of keying action which also confines the rail laterally in the chair, and
the action or pressure which produces such confinement being applied at or
very near to the centre of curvature of the said segmental bearing-piece, and
of the cell wherein the same is lodged, in order that the supporting and con-
finement of the rails may not be disturbed or relaxed by a slight tilting or in-
clination of the chair in the direction of the length of the rails, as herein-before
explained; and as to the mode herein-before described of producing the
requisite confinement of the rails in the chairs by means of wedge-like cross
keys and cylindrical pins applied in suitable sockets through the cheeks or
sides of the chairs, and by forcing the pointed extremities of those pins into
oblong grooved recesses in the rails, so as to exert an oblique bearing-down
action on the rails by the same force of keying which produces the lateral con-
finement of the rails in the manner herein-before described, I wish it to be
understood, that although the said mode of producing the requisite confine-
ment was invented by me, yet the same was brought into use, (but without my
segmental bearing-pieces for supporting the rails), some months before the date
of the said Letters Patent, wherefore I do not make claim to the exclusive use
of the said mode unless my segmental bearing-pieces are used in concert there-
with for supporting the iron rails of edge railways.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Stephenson the younger, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of June, One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-four