IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Brookes, of 37, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent and Registration Agent, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS." A com-
inunication from abroad by Emmanuel Edouard de Soigne, of Brussels, in the
Kingdom of Belgium. Civil Engineer.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Brookes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th August 1878.
:
WILLIAM BROOKES, of 37, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent and Registration Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS. IN THE
PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS." (A communication from abroad by Emmanuel
Edouard de Soignie, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Civil Engineer.)
This Invention relates to the construction of the permanent way of railways,
and consists in the improvements herein-after described, whereby economy, strength,
elasticity, and durability are obtained.
The said permanent way is composed of rails, herein-after called girder rails,
constructed so as to form longitudinal sleepers as well as rails somewhat of the
character of the rails generally known under the name of saddle rails. Each of the
said girder rails, which is made from one block of steel, consists of a rail head or
body of suitable section, the sides of which rail are prolonged downwards in
straight lines slanting outwards at an angle of about 50°, so as to form under the
body of the rail two projecting ribs or flanges, having in transverse section a shape
somewhat similar to that of an inverted V, the under part of each of the said ribs
or flanges being terminated by a short horizontal rib or flange projecting outwards,
by which the said combined girder rails are affixed to transverse iron sleepers or
bearing girders which connect the rails together and keep them to their required
gauge.

page_text: .
The body of the rail is constructed with a third rib or flange, projecting from its
under side and situated in the axis of the rail. The said third flange or rib which,
like the two side ribs or flanges, extends throughout the length of the girder rai!
is much shorter than the sides and serves to increase the rigidity and strength of
the body of the rails. The projecting sides of the said girder rails form between
them a hollow space, which, when the rail is laid in position on the line, is filled
with ballast, and the inclination of the said sides is such that besides giving rigidity
to the rail the said sides afford an excellent bearing which extends downwards in
the direction of the sides, the weight being.then supported by the ballast contained
in the girder rail itself, and also by the ballast underneath the said girder rail lying
between lines supposed to be drawn in prolongation of the said sides and to the
same inclination. The said girder rails are connected one to the other longitudi-
nally by means of angular fish plates or saddle pieces fitting within the hollow
part of the said rails: The said angular fish plates or saddle pieces are rivetted to
one rail and bolted to the two adjoining girder rails, the holes for the bolts being
formed so as to provide for the expansion and contraction of the girder rails. The
said girder rails are connected together transversely by iron bearing girders or
sleepers of the character described in the Specification of. Letters Patent granted to
me, bearing date the 25th of September 1877, No. 3594, that is to say, the said
transverse iron girders or sleepers are made of rolled iron of a section, sufficiently
narrow not to prevent the girder rails from settling uniformly on the ballast; the
girder rails are affixed to the said transverse iron sleepers by hooks or catches
rivetted thereto so as to grip the outside horizontal flange of the side of the girder
rail, thus keeping the said girder rails to their proper gauge.
4
The inner side of the girder rail is attached to the iron sleeper by means of
special bolts, the heads of which are passed through rectangular notches in the
sleeper from the top. The heads of the said bolts are rectangular in transverse
section and semicircular or curved in elevation, having the same width as the
shank of the bolts, a part of which shank is square; the bolt head having been
passed through the rectangular notch in the sleeper is turned through a quarter of
a revolution, so as to bring the projecting ends of the head at right angles to the..
rectangular notch, which then presents two open holes one on each side of the
shank of the bolt.
A small rectangular slotted bar or plate from the under side of which project two
teeth, corresponding in size and position with the open holes just described, is
passed on to the bolt, and the said teeth are made to penetrate into the said holes
and close them and effectually shut in the bolt head. The upper surface of the said
rectangular bar or plate is provided with a projecting rib or shoulder against which
abuts one side of a rectangular washer which is then placed on the bolt; a nut is
then screwed upon the bolt and the side of the washer is turned up against the nut,"
thus preventing it from working loose.
The bolts and nuts connecting the fish or saddle plates to the girder rails are
mounted and secured in position by similar means.
The girder rails, herein-before described, may be made heavier or lighter, according
to the railway upon which they are used.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Brookes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th
February 1879.
WILLIAM BROOKES, of 37, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent and Registration Agent. " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS." A communication from abroad by Emmanuel
Edouard de Soignie, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Civil Engineer.
This Invention relates to the construction of the permanent way of railways,
and consists in the improvements herein-after described, whereby economy, strength,
elasticity, and durability are obtained.
The said permanent way is composed of rails, berein-after called girder rails,
constructed so as to form longitudinal sleepers as well as rails somewhat of the
character of the rails generally known under the name of saddle rails. Each of
the said girder rails, which is made from one block of steel, consists of a rail head-
or body of suitable section, the sides of which rail are prolonged downwards in
straight lines slanting outwards at an angle of about 50°, so as to form under the
body of the rail two projecting ribs or flanges, having in transverse section a shape
somewhat similar to that of an inverted V, the under part of each of the said ribs
or flanges being terminated by a short horizontal rib or flange projecting outwards
by which the said combined girder rails are affixed to transverse iron sleepers or
bearing girders, which connect the rails together and keep them to their required
gauge.
:
The body of the rail is constructed with a 'third rib or flange projecting from its
under side and situated in the axis of the rail. The said third flange or rib which,
like the two side ribs or flanges, extends throughout the length of the girder rail
is much shorter than the sides, and serves to increase the rigidity and strength of
the body of the rail. The projecting sides of the said girder rails form between
them a hollow space, which when the rail is laid in position on the line is filled
with ballast, and the inclination of the said sides is such that besides giving
rigidity to the rail the said sides afford an excellent bearing, which extends down-
wards in the direction of the sides, the weight being then supported by the ballast
contained in the girder rail itself and also by the ballast underneath, the said girder
rail lying between lines supposed to be drawn in prolongation of the said sides and
to the same inclination. The said girder rails are connected one to the other longi-
tudinally by means of angular fish plates or saddle pieces fitting within the hollow
part of the said rails. The said angular fish plates or saddle pieces are rivetted to
one rail and bolted to the two adjoining girder rails, the holes for the bolts being
formed so as to provide for the expansion and contraction of the girder rails. The
said girder rails are connected together transversely by iron bearing girders or
sleepers of the character described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to
me, dated the 25th day of September 1877, No. 3594, that is to say, the said
transverse iron girders or sleepers are made of rolled iron of a section, sufficiently
narrow not to prevent the girder rails from settling uniformly on the ballast; the
girder rails are affixed to the said transverse iron sleepers by hooks or catches
rivetted thereto, so as to grip the outside horizontal flange of the side of the girder.
rail, thus keeping the said girder rails to their proper gauge.
The inner side of the girder rail is attached to the iron sleeper by means of
special bolts, the heads of which are passed through rectangular notches in the
sleeper from the top. The heads of the said bolts are rectangular in transverse
section and semicircular or curved in elevation, having the same width as the.
shank of the bolt, a part of which shank is square; the bolt head having been
passed through the rectangular notch in the sleeper is turned through a quarter of

page_text: a revolution so as to bring the projecting ends of the head at right angles to the
rectangular notch, which then presents two open holes, one on each side of the
shank of the bolt.
A small rectangular slotted bar or plate from the under side of which project
two teeth, corresponding in size and position with the open holes just described, is
passed on to the bolt, and the said teeth are made to penetrate into the said holes
and close, them, and effectually shut in the bolt head. The upper surface of the
said rectangular bar or plate is provided with a projecting rib or shoulder against
which abuts one side of a rectangular washer, which is then placed on the bolt; a
nut is then screwed upon the bolt, and the side of the washer is turned up against
the nut, thus preventing it from working loose.
:
The bolts and nuts connecting the fish or saddle plates to the girder rails are
mounted and secured in position by similar means.
The girder rails, herein-before described, may be made heavier or lighter, according
to the railway upon. which they are used.
Having now described the nature of the Invention I will proceed to describe,
with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the manner in which the same is to
be performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation parts of two girder rails, constructed and
connected together according to this Invention; Figure 2 is a cross section of the
same; and Figure 3 is a plan view of the same. Figures 1, 2, and 3 are drawn to
one-half the full size.
Figures 4 and 5 show respectively by a plan view and a cross section drawn to
a smaller scale a portion of a permanent way, constructed and laid according to
this Invention.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 are detached views drawn full size of parts herein-after
described.
The same letters indicate the same parts where they occur in Figures 1, 2, 3,
6, 7, 8.
"
In Figures 1, 2, and 3, a, b, b', b, c, represent the girder rail made of steel, and
consisting of a head or body a, the upper surface of which slightly inclines down-
wards from, the outside, as shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 2, where x is the
horizontal line, so that when tlie rails are laid on their horizontal iron sleepers their
upper surface has the required inclination to suit the tyres of the wheels. The
sides of the said body or head a project downwards, slanting outwards at an angle
of about 50 degrees, so as to form under the body a of the rail two projecting ribs
or flanges b, b, the under parts of each of which is terininated by a horizontal rib
or flange b². The body a of the said girder rail is constructed with a third rib or
flange c, projecting from its under side in the axis of the rail.
It will be seen that the projecting sides b, b', of the girder rail form between
them a hollow space A, Figure 2, which when the rail is laid in position on the
line is filled with ballast, and from the inclination of the sides b, b¹, the charge
upon the rail is supported not only by the ballast contained in the rail itself at Å,
but also by the ballast underneath the girder rail lying between the lines indicated
by dotted lines. The said girder rails are connected one to the other longitudinally
by means of angular fish plates or saddle pieces d within the hollow part of the
said rails. The said angular fish plates or saddle pieces d are rivetted to one rail
by rivets d, and are bolted to the adjoining rails by screw bolts 2 provided with
suitable screw nuts, the holes for the said bolts being made oval so as to provide
for the expansion and contraction of the girder rails. The said girder rails are
connected together transversely by narrow iron bearing girders or, sleepers e of the
character described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me, the said
William Brookes, bearing date the 25th of September 1877, No. 3594. The girder
rails are affixed to the said iron sleepers by hooks or catches frivetted thereto, so
as to grip the horizontal flange 6 of the outer side b¹ of the rail, thus keeping the
said girdér rails to their proper gauge, as seen in Figure 4.
The inner side 6 of the girder rail is attached to the iron sleeper e by means of

page_text: special bolts g, represented, separately drawn full size in elevation and plan,
Figure 6. The heads 'g' of the said bolts are rectangular in transverse section and
semicircular or curved in elevation, having the same width as the shank g, a part
of which is square. The bolt head is first passed through the rectangular notch or
slot in the sleeper e, and is then turned through a quarter of a revolution so as
to bring the projecting ends of the head at right angles to the length of the slot h,
which then presents two open holes, one on each side of the shank of the bolt.
A small rectangular slotted bar or plate i (represented separately in plan and
side elevation in Figure 7, drawn full size) formed with two teeth i projecting from
its under side is passed on to the bolt g, and the teeth are made to enter the said
holes and close them, and effectually to shut in the bolt head g¹. The upper side
of the rectangular bar or plate i is formed with a projecting rib or shoulder 1³,
against which abuts one side of a rectangular plate or washer j¹ (represented
separately in plan and transverse section, drawn full size in Figure 8), which plate
or washer jis placed on the bolt g; a nut m is then screwed upon the bolt and one
or both of the free sides of the washer j is or are turned up against the nut, as
shown at j, Figures 2 and 3, thus preventing the said nut from working loose.
The bolts d and nuts connecting the fish or saddle plates d to the girder rails
may be mounted and secured in position in the same inanner as the bolt I, herein-
before described, the holes for the passage of the bolt heads being then made
rectangular instead of oval.
The girder rails, herein-before described, may be made heavier or lighter, according
to the railway upon which they are used.
In some cases the central rib c projecting from the under side of the head or
body a may be dispensed with.
The said permanent way is laid as follows:-First, the iron sleepers e, with their
hooks or catches f rivetted upon them, are placed horizontally in their required
position upon the ballast, two of the rails herein-before described, their angular fish
plates or saddle pieces d having been rivetted to them at each end, are laid upon
the said sleepers e, and are set to their proper gauge by being pushed home against
the hooks or catches f; other rails, unprovided with fish plates or saddle pieces, are
now placed next the first rails, so that they fall astride upon the fish plates or
saddles fixed to the first rail. The second rails are then secured to the first by
bolts, as herein-before described, and the inner feet of the rails are bolted to the
sleepers, as described. The rails and sleepers being thus placed the ballast is
inserted into the hollow of the rails, and the permanent way is ready for use.
Any suitable number of the iron sleepers may be used in connection with the
rails, herein-before described.
Having now described the nature of the Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise details, herein-before described, and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of the said
Invention; but I claim as the said Invention,—
Firstly. The steel girder rails, herein-before described, and illustrated in
Figures 1, 2, 3 of the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, rails consisting each
of a steel, head or body, the upper surface of which is slightly inclined, and from
which head or body project downwards three ribs or flanges, two of which ribs or
flanges are straight and are extensions of the sides of the rail, and slant outwards,
whilst the third or shorter rib or flange projects downwards in the axis of the
said rail, the lower end of each of the extended sides of the rail being provided
with a short horizontal rib or flange.
Secondly. The mode of connecting the said girder rails together longitudinally
by means of angular fish plates or saddle pieces, essentially as herein-before
described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing; also the means of pre-
venting the bolts from becoming loose, essentially as herein-before described.
Thirdly. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the improved

page_text: permanent way, herein-before described, and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Brookes, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
WILLIAM BROOKES. (L.S.)