MANUFACTURING MOULDED EARTHEN OR STONEWARE CROSS SLEEPERS FOR SUPERSEDING WOODEN ONES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Pierre Quantin, of Bouscat; near Bordeaux, in the
Empire of France, for the Invention of "MANUFACTURING MOULDED
EARTHEN OR STONEWARE CROSS SLEEPERS FOR SUPERSEDING WOODEN ONES
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 6th June 1862, and dated the 13th December 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Pierre Quantin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Pétition, on the 13th
December 1861.
I, PIERRE QUANTIN, of Bouscat, near Bordeaux, in the Empire of France,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "MANUFACTURING
MOULDED EARTHEN OR STONEWARE CROSS SLEEPERS FOR SUPERSEDING WOODEN ONES
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
Instead of using or employing wood sleepers or sleepers of iron, cast or
moulded, for the purpose of supporting rails, I manufacture moulded earthen
or stoneware cross sleepers of any required shape or size, and moulded hollow
or solid; and to suit the various descriptions of rails which may be employed,
I support the rails upon such cross sleepers either by the interposition of
wooden or other bed pieces, or without their intervention, and they may be
keyed or fastened in any of the ordinary ways.
Instead of employing clay alone, I mix it and temper it with any other
suitable material the better to adapt it to the purpose for which it is intended
to be employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Pierre Quantin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
June 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PIERRE
QUANTIN, of Bouscat, near Bordeaux, in the Empire of France, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Pierre Quantin, Her special licence that I, the said Pierre Quantin, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Pierre Quantin,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "MANUFACTURING MOULDED EARTHERN OR STONE-
WARE CROSS SLEEPERS, FOR SUPERSEDING WOODEN ONES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
RAILWAYS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I the said Pierre Quantin,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing, under my, or their,
or. one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
t
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Pierre Quantin, dó hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawing:-
j
Instead of using or employing wood sleepers, or sleepers of iron, cast or
moulded, for the purpose of supporting rails, I manufacture moulded earthen or
stoneware cross sleepers of any required shape or size, and moulded hollow or
solid;
and to suit the various descriptions of rails which may be employed, I
support the rails upon such cross sleepers, either by the interposition of wooden
or other bed pieces, or without their intervention; and they may be keyed or
fastened in any of the ordinary ways.
+
Instead of employing clay alone, I mix it and temper it with any other
suitable material, the better to adapt it to the purpose for which it is intended
to be employed.

page_text: The cross sleepers of my Invention can be made of various sizes and shapes
to suit the rails of different descriptions; they are composed of two blocks of
earthen or stoneware moulded to an uniform shape, which two blocks are
united together by an iron rod of suitable strength. Thicknesses of felt or any
other similar compressible material are inserted betwixt the blocks of earthen-
ware and connecting iron rod or bar; the chairs are placed over the rod or
bar, and the whole is bolted fast together to form cross sleepers ready to
receive the rails.
The annexed Sheet of Drawing illustrates my Invention. Fig. 1 is the
plan of a cross sleeper provided with its chairs, showing the rails keyed therein;
Fig. 2 is a front view of the same, showing the right part in section through
the line 1, 2.
A, earthen or stoneware blocks moulded to uniform shape and size with
holes for the tightening bolts S; B, flat iron bar connecting two blocks
together. a, b, thickness of felt or any other similar compressible material,
inserted betwixt the blocks A and iron bar B; C, cast-iron chairs bolted fast
by means of bolts S over the iron bar B; the head of the bolts are lodged in
a recess sunk on the under side of the block A, and the whole is screwed fast
together by means of nuts n. The rails R are fastened as usual in the chairs C
by means of wooden keys or wedges D. Wooden thicknesses or soles could
be put in the place of the compressible sheets a, b, and similar sheets could be
inserted between the iron bar B and chairs C.
Having now described my Invention, I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement so
long as the particular character of the Invention is retained; but I claim the
application of moulded earthen or.stoneware blocks combined with connecting
iron bars, and the introduction in the said sleepers of some compressible
material for making railway cross sleepers, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Pierre Quantin, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Third day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
J. LACOSTE, fils,
8, Rue Ausone, Bordeaux.
P. QUANTIN. (L.S.)