Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Railroad Ties or Sleepers.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1889-Accepted 12th Oct., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Railroad Ties
or Sleepers.
We, ALDEN CHARLES NICKLOY, residing at the Corner of First Avenue and Jay
Street, and WILLIAM WALLACE WHITAKER, residing at Number 12, Marshall
Avenue, Gloversville, in the County of Fulton and State of New York, one of the
United States of America, Manufacturers, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide what, for want of a better name, may be
called an indestructible railroad tie.
The invention relates to metallic railroad ties in which a certain amount of elasticity
exists or is provided for.
The invention consists of a railway tie constructed by preference, of steel, though
other metal may be employed, and substantially in the form of a flattened coil so as to
possess transverse and longitudinal elasticity.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating our invention-
Figure 1, is a perspective view of a section of track.
Figure 2, is a perspective view of one of the ties detached.
Figure 3, is a cross-section of a tie, and―
Figure 4, is a longitudinal section of a tie with the rails attached.
The tie, a, in the preferred form, is constructed of plate-steel wound helically about
a mandrel and flattened to substantially the shape shown in the drawings, but any
process of manufacture may be adopted in order to obtain a metallic tie split or divided
spirally throughout its length. The divided edges may stand away from each other,
or they may be in close contact. In any event, a tie so constructed will yield in the
direction of its length to a very slight extent, but insufficiently to spread the rails, and
will also yield transversely in order to afford the desirable cushioning effect in that
direction. In this latter respect, the tie has all the advantages so highly prized in
wood ties, but the tie is superior to a wood tie in its durability. The tie, being practi-
cally an arch, not liable to be crushed under superposed weight.
The form of the tie shown in the drawings, viz.: a flattened tube, is believed to be the
most desirable and practicable on the score of strength, durability, necessary rigidity,
and as affording the largest possible bearing surface for the rails.
We
Many different mediums may be employed for securing the rails to our tie.
have shown the tie as provided at each end with pairs of holes, b, and the bases, c, of
the rails, d, are provided with corresponding holes through which bolts, e, may be
passed. And if bolts be used, their heads may rest upon the upper surfaces of the
bases of the rails, and the nuts, f, be arranged within the ties, as shown at the right-
hand side of the drawings, or the reverse arrangement may be employed as shown at
the left-hand side of the drawings.
Of course other forms of fastenings may be employed.
We do not claim broadly a metallic tie for railroads neither do we claim an elastic
metallic tie, for such ties, we are aware, are old.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is-
:
First A metallic tie for railroads, slitted spirally in the direction of its length,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Second: A metallic tie for railroads, constructed of a tubular helix, substantially as
case decorihad

page_text: Third A metallic tie for railroads, constructed of a tube slitted spirally in the
direction of its length and thereby adapted to yield longitudinally and transversely,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Fourth A tubular metallic tie for railroads, slitted spirally in a longitudinal
direction, and having a flattened rail-receiving surface, substantially as and for the 5
purpose described.
Dated this 27th day of 1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.