AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR PRESERVING THE ROADWAY ADJACENT TO TRAMWAY RAILS
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Kerr at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 6th February 1880.
JAMES KERB, of King William Street, in the City of London, Gun Manufacturer.
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR PRESERVING THE ROADWAY
ADJACENT TO TRAMWAY RAILS."
The object of my Invention is to provide simple and comparatively inexpensive
means for preserving or preventing the rapid wearing away of that portion of the
roadway immediately adjacent to the outside edge of the rails of a tramway, which
wearing away is caused by ordinary vehicles, such as carts, cabs, wagons, and the
like.
It is well known that the drivers of such vehicles take advantage of the tram-
ways, and very frequently run their vehicles upon the rails thereof; but as the
wheels of these vehicles are in nearly all cases farther apart than the tramway
rails, one wheel runs upon one rail, and the opposite wheel runs just outside the
opposite rail, that is to say, upon the wood, stone, or other material of which the
roadway is made at this part of the same. This is such a constant practice that
the material forming the roadway just outside the rails is very soon worn away, in
such a manner that a rut or groove is formed which continues to increase in depth, so
that instead of the rails and the roadway remaining practically flush with each other
as when the rails are first laid down, the edge of the latter projects, making it very
dangerous for carriages and other vehicles which cross the line of rails. There is
reason to believe that more injury is caused to private and other carriages through
the existence of these grooves or ruts than through any other cause connected with
tramways. Moreover, frequent repairs of the roadway are necessary, and con-
siderable expense is thereby incurred.
Many attempts have been made to remedy this defect, but all the methods
heretofore employed of which I have any knowledge are more or less defective,
some being too costly for practical use, and others of little value when tested.
According to my said Invention I lay blocks, preferably of wood, along the
outside of the rails. These blocks may be of any suitable dimensions, but a con-
venient size for each one will be three inches wide, five inches deep, and eight inches
long. Between each two blocks I place a plate of iron or steel about three eighths
of an inch thick, and four inches long, the depth of the plate being practically the
same as that of the blocks. The said metal plates are placed edgewise and at right
angles to the rail, one edge abutting against the latter, so that if an ordinary
vehicle runs upon the tramway, the wheel or wheels just outside the rails will pass

page_text: over a block of wood, and over the upper edge of one of the metal plates alternately.
It will be readily seen that the metal plates so arranged will protect the wooden
blocks, and that it will be almost impossible for grooves or ruts to be formed as is
now the case.
The said plates may be made with a flange at the lower part thereof to fit
underneath one of the blocks, or with two flanges, one of which will fit under each
block; or the plate may be simply a flat piece provided with holes for nails, screws,
or bolts to pass through for attaching it to the block. Moreover, the said plates
may be formed with an inclined edge on the side that abuts against the rail, the
widest part of the plate being against the bottom of the rail, so that the action of
the cars passing along the rails will have a tendency to keep the said plates down
instead of to raise them out of place.
The principle of my Invention may also be applied when the stone blocks are
employed in place of wood blocks for the roadway, or whatever may be the
material of which the latter is made.
I do not confine myself to the dimensions above mentioned, as these may be
varied according to varying circumstances, and although I have described the metal
plates as being placed between each two blocks, the said plates may in many cases
be farther apart, that is to say, there may be two or more blocks between each plate
according to the circumstances existing in any particular case.
If it should in any case be desirable or necessary similar plates may be placed in
like manner on the inside of the rails.