IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILS, FASTENINGS AND PERMANENT WAY FOR RAILWAYS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Seaton, of Agar Strect, in the County of
Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILS, FASTENINGS AND
PERMANENT WAY FOR RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Seaton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th December 1881.
WILLIAM SEATON of Agar Street in the County of Middlesex. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN RAILS FASTENINGS AND PERMANENT WAY FOR RAILWAYS."
ог
This Invention relates to the rails fastenings and sleepers comprising the
permanent way of railways or tramways, and has for its object the simplification of
the parts so that few pieces are used with greater efficiency and economy than
heretofore. The improvements in rails consists in making them with a "Seaton "
saddle section solid, in lieu of hollow, and in such cases using fish or joint plates
placed and fastened over the upper table of the bottom web on each side; and in
some cases made with a section to embrace the sides of the bottom web, and in com-
bination with such improved solid headed rail and fish, using bolts with a solid
head and an adjustable collar and nut for insertion underneath the sleeper.
Also in combination with the said improvements or some of them using metal
longitudinal or cross sleepers of a T section with a foot piece or portion to take
the chief load and prevent the sleeper from sinking too far into the road and
allow the under and adjustable nut of the bolts to be readily got at without
disturbing the ballast under the bottom of the sleeper.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Seaton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th Juno
1882.
WILLIAM SEATON of Agar Street, in the County of Middlesex.
MENTS IN RAILS FASTENINGS AND PERMANENT WAY FOR RAILWAYS."
" IMPROVE-
This Invention relates to the form of rails, fastenings, and sleepers, comprising
the permanent way of railways, or tramways, and has for its object the simplifi-
cation of the parts, dispensing with the use of iron chairs so that fewer pieces are
used with greater efficiency and economy than heretofore. The improvements in
rails consists in making them with a bridge and saddle section, solid or hollow with
side flanges for fastening to the sleepers combined with fish or joint plates placed
and fastened over the upper table of the web, on each side of rail; and in some
cases made with a section to embrace the sides of the web, and in combination with
such-improved solid or saddle section rail and fish, using a key or keys and bolts
with a solid head and an adjustable collar and nut for insertion-underneath-the-
sleeper. Also in combination with the said improvements or some of them using
metal longitudinal or cross sleepers of a T section with a foot piece or portion to
take the chief load and prevent the sleeper from sinking too far into the road and
allowing the under and adjustable nut of the bolts to be readily got at without
disturbing the ballast under the bottom of the sleeper.
The accompanying Drawing will serve to show how my Invention may be
best carried into effect. Like letters referring to corresponding parts in all figures.
Figure 1 being a cross section. Figure 2 general plan. Figure 3 side elevation of
my permanent way. Figure 4 cross section at joint. Figure 5 plan at joint and
Figure 6 longitudinal section through rail and key at joint. Figure 7 cross section
of rail. Figures 8 and 8ª bolts. Figure 9 cross section showing a hollow rail.
Figure 10 general view in perspective. A is the rail. B longitudinal sleeper,
C cross sleeper. D key. E fishes, a bolts. b nuts. The construction of the
various parts will be well understood from the Drawing, the proportions being
varied to suit the exigencies of each case.
It will be observed that the ends of the rails are made each with a groove to
receive the key D to prevent upward movement, also that a plate is used placed
underneath the rails, but this plate may be dispensed with, the clip pieces or
fishes E not only secure the rail ends at their flanges but also embrace and keep in
place the key D; as regards the bolts I in some cases prefer to make them wholly
of gun, or galvanised metal to prevent rusting of the nuts and secure better
adjustment.
The advantages attending the adoption of this system of permanent way may be
shortly stated as follows:-
1. The rail is supported throughout by a solid and continuous bearing of timber,
having a bearing surface on the ballast of 10 inches in width, and 9 feet long of
cross ties.
It has in addition, the 3 inch longitudinal plank, giving an uniform
vertical bearing along the whole line of 11 inches, including the rail.
2. The rail has a firm surface bearing on the timber of 288 inches per lineal
yard, and the pressure being distributed uniformly throughout.
3. The rail and sleeper are less liable to decay or injury than the present system
with iron chairs, on which alone rests the entire weight of the train, thus injuring
both rail and timber under them.
4. The mode of joining and supporting the ends of the rails by an under solid
plate is thoroughly effective, and much less costly than any existing mode of fishing
or otherwise joining the ends of the rails.

page_text: 5. This system requires no iron or other chairs; no keys, fish-plates, pins, spikes,
or trenails, nor separate pieces liable to become loose; its only fastenings are a few
screw bolts with metal nuts and sockets on each side of the rail, there being no
tendency in the rail to quit its bed nor to work loose.
6. In regard to economy, both of first cost and especially of subsequent
maintenance, it far surpasses all existing systems, a fact which is due as well to the
saving of both timber and iron, as to the simplicity of its fastenings and their
immovability.
7. To the latter circumstance, to the absence of chairs or other fastenings likely
by accident to be brought into contact with the flanges of the wheels, and to the
perfect mode of joining the rails, we may look for an entire absence of that class of
dangerous accidents so common of late, where the tyre of a wheel has given way
from a violent concussion, and has too generally been attributed to unknown causes.
8. There are 12,600 fewer parts in this road than in the chair road, and the
estimate of cost will be less in proportion by from £350 to £400 per mile.
The merits of the system then may be summed up as follows:-
1. Simplicity of construction and firmness of parts.
2. Greater safety.
3. Economy in first. cost.
4. Economy in maintenance.
I claim as my Invention: The form of solid bridge rail or hollow saddle rail
with notched ends for the reception of metal key or keys in combination with, for
the purpose of steadying, securing and fastening the rails, horizontal longitudinal
plates or fastenings with curved ends and fang headed bolts secured or counter
sunk into the bottom of the sleepers into which a twin nut headed screw bolt
enters after first passing through the longitudinal plates or fastenings the rails and
the sleepers by which means all the parts can be screwed tightly together and the
rails so jointed together obtain the solidity of a continuous rail all substantially as
described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Seaton have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of June A.D. 1882.
WILLIAM SEATON. (L.S.)