Improvements in Chairs for Railway Rails.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 9th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 11th Mar., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chairs for Railway Rails.
I, RICHARD FRANCIS HAMILTON, of the New York Press Club, in the City and
State of New York, United States of America, now residing at 14, Kensington
Crescent, in the County of London, General Press Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My invention relates to chairs for railway rails, and has for its object to pro-
vide chairs for holding and fixing the rails upon the sleepers, by the use of which
vibration and noise during the passage of vehicles is reduced to a minimum; the
invention is especially applicable for use upon underground and elevated rail-
ways, bridges, and similar structures where vibration and noise have such
destructive and unpleasant effects. My improved chair is adapted to be readily
placed in position or removed therefrom, and it ensures for itself, the rails,
sleepers, and rolling stock, greater durability and reliability in use than ordinary
rail chairs.
A rail chair constructed according to my invention consists of,-
1. A supporting bed-plate or chair proper, upon which the rail lies and is
securely fixed.
2. A cushion of indiarubber or other resilient material interposed between the
said bed-plate and the sleeper.
3. A strong box or casing enclosing both bed-plate and cushion and bolted to
the sleeper.
is
The box-shaped casing is made of metal and may be formed in two parts; two
of its opposite sides are extended for a suitable distance down either side of the
sleeper and are secured thereto by strong horizontal bolts passing through the
sleeper and secured by nuts. Within the casing and resting upon the sleeper is
fitted the cushion which is of suitable thickness and is made of rubber or other
resilient material, such as creosoted wood or the like. Upon the cushion the
chair proper rests. It consists of a plate or mass of iron, wood, or other suitable
material fitting well within the box. Across the central part of its upper surface
a groove or recess for receiving the base of the rail and the surfaces slope down
to each side to drain off water. The bed-plate is firmly held down in proper
position in the box by a pair of bolts passing horizontally over same and through
opposite walls of the box at each side of and parallel with the rail. The rail is
secured to the chair by holding-down clamps at each side, bolted to the bed-
plate; these may be of V or other suitable shape and extend over at suitable
portions of the lower flange of the rail, fitting square against same, so as to effect-
ually prevent any lateral motion thereof. When a rail joint occurs upon a sleeper
one or both of the fish plates is, are, or may be extended laterally to form the
said side-clamps, or one of them in the latter case the other one is arranged as
above described, but both are securely bolted to the bed-plate, so as to prevent
any "creeping" of the rail.
Instead of these clamps I may secure the rail by casting or bolting on the bed-

page_text: plate the usual type of upstanding chair to which the rail is keyed and the
arrangement will vary with the type of rail employed; it is advantageous to
form races in the sleeper sides at each end of the chair to drain off water from
sanie.
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J
Tomma
1900
Improvements in Chairs for Railway Rails.
I, RICHARD FRANCIS HAMILTON, of the New York Press Club, in the City and
State of New York, United States of America, now residing at 14, Kensington
Crescent, in the County of London, General Press Agent, 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:-
--
My invention relates to chairs for railway rails, and has for its object to pro-
vide chairs for holding and fixing the rails upon the sleepers, by the use of which
vibration and noise during the passage of vehicles is reduced to a minimum; the
invention is especially applicable for use upon underground and elevated rail-
ways, bridges, and similar structures where vibration and noise have such
destructive and unpleasant effects. My improved chair is adapted to be readily
placed in position or removed therefrom, and it ensures for itself, the rails,
sleepers, and rolling stock, greater durability and reliability in use than ordinary
rail chairs.
A rail chair constructed according to my invention consists of,-
1. A supporting bed-plate or chair proper, upon which the rail lies and is
securely fixed.
2. A cushion of indiarubber or other resilient material interposed between the
said bed-plate and the sleeper.
3. A strong box or casing enclosing both bed-plate and cushion and bolted to
the sleeper.
I will fully describe my invention with reference to the accompanying draw-
ings in which Fig. 1 is a plan of my improved chair shewn fixed to the sleeper,
and carrying a railway rail. Fig. 2 is an end elevation, and Fig. 3 a central sec-
tion of same on line 1-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a separate plan of the bed-plate
and Fig. 5 a view of one combined fishplate and side-clamp.
A represents the box-shaped casing which is made of metal and may be formed
in two parts as indicated in Fig. 1: two of its opposite sides A1 A2 are cut away
as shewn to admit the rail and also extended downwardly for a suitable distance
at either side of the sleeper S, as shown clearly in Fig. 2; these two downward
extensions are secured to the sleeper by strong horizontal bolts BB passing
through them and preferably right through the sleeper, and secured by nuts. It
is advantageous to cut races such as ss in the sides of the sleeper at each end of
the chair to drain and clear off water from same. Within the casing A. and
resting upon the sleeper S is fitted the cushion C which is of suitable thickness
and is made of rubber or other resilient material, such as creosoted wood or the
like. Upon this cushion the supporting bed-plate rests. This forms the chair
proper, and as shown separately in Fig. 4, it consists of a plate or mass D of
iron or other suitable material fitting well within the box or casing A. Across
the central part of the upper surface of the bed-plate is a groove or recess E of

page_text: suitable shape for receiving the base of any rail, and the side surfaces dd are
formed to receive the holding-down clamps hereinafter described, and also are
inclined downwardly from each side of the said groove so as to readily drain off
water. The bed-plate D is secured in proper position in the box A by a pair of
side bolts F F passing horizontally over the outer parts of the surfaces dd, which
are shaped for the purpose, and through the opposite walls A¹ A³ of the box A,
at each side of and parallel with the rail R. These bolts FF not only firmly,
hold down the bed-plate D but also effectually prevent any tendency to tilting
movement thereof under unequal strains. The rail R is secured to the chair by
holding-down clamps G G disposed at each side, fitting upon and bolted to the
bed-plate D by vertical bolts gy passing through same. These clamps may be of
V or other suitable form with square and parallel ends; their inner ends extend
over a suitable portion of the lower part of the rail, and butt squarely against
same, or the vertical flange thereof; their outer ends butt squarely against, and,
it may be, partly embrace the side bolts FF. These twin side-clamps effectually
prevent any twisting or lateral motion of the rail in the chair, and they cannot
wear loose owing to the abutment of their ends against solid parts as above
described. When a rail joint occurs upon a sleeper one or both of the fishplates
is, are, or may be extended laterally to form a combined fishplate and side-clamp
as shewn in Fig. 5 and this construction prevents any longitudinal motion or
creeping" of the rail; where only one such combined fishplate and clamp is
used the other one is arranged as above described, but it is preferred to use a
pair, and in all cases both clamps are securely bolted down to the bed-plate as
described.
Instead of these twin clamps I may secure the rail by casting with, or bolting
upon the bed-plate the usual or an approved type of upstanding chair to which
the rail is keyed, and the arrangement will vary with the type of rail employed.
By the use of my invention many advantages accrue, amongst which the
following may be enumerated. The solid bed-plate D efficiently supports the rail
and distributes the rolling load well over the surface of the sleeper, thereby pro-
tecting same from crushing and injury. The resilient cushion C constitutes an
efficient support to the bed plate, and affords sufficient elasticity to the road. It
also absorbs and prevents the transmission of noise and shocks and vibration to
the structure beneath thereby prolonging the life of same.
The box-like casing A prevents squeezing out of the rubber cushion C under
any circumstances, and also serves to prevent any horizontal motion of the bed-
plate 1 and to secure same in a most efficient manner; its hold upon the sleeper
also is very secure, and not likely to injure the wood of same, and prevents varia-
tion of gauge of the road. The chair, as a whole, always holds the rail securely
and prevents horizontal movement thereof; also it effectually obviates the des-
structive effects of vibration upon iron or wood substructures and compensation
for strains. It is simply and quickly fixed and removed and is entirely reliable
and durable.
These improved chairs can be placed further apart than ordinary chairs, and
therefore material is saved, and cost of a road reduced, and by their use labour
is saved since there are no kevs or spikes requiring constant attention.
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:
1. A chair for railway rails comprising an outer enclosing box or casing having
two opposite sides extended downwardly and bolted to the sleeper, a bed plate
fitted and bolted as specified within and to the said casing upon which the rail
lies and is secured, and a resilient cushion interposed between said bed-plate
and the sleeper, substantially as described.
2. In a rail chair made in accordance with the foregoing claim, the arrange-

page_text: ment of the bolts F and side-clamps or combined side-clamps and fish-plates, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. The improved chair for railway rails constructed and arranged as and for
the purposes herein described and illustrated in the drawing.
Dated this Ninth day of February 1899.
For the Applicant,
J. C. CHAPMAN,
Chartered Patent Agent, 70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.