Improvements in Sleepers, Chairs, and Rail Fastenings for Railways and Tramways.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 11th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sleepers, Chairs, and Rail Fastenings for Railways
and Tramways.
I DAVID LEATHAM, Engineer, Glasshoughton Collieries, Glasshoughton near
Pontefract do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Railway sleepers for permanent ways, tram roads, corve roads, cane field tram-
ways and any other vehicles. My invention consists of one main bottom plate
having suitable housing formed in & moveable clamps, set up by means of one or
more gibs and cutters said housing & clamps forming the chair to receive the rail
ends, each having a slot to receive stay bits formed along with said clamps, the
rails when set in position are correctly fixed to guage by the said gibs cutters &
clamps, and the said stay bits hold the rails free from end movement when finally
adjusted by said gibs & cutters.
Dated November 11th 1891
DAVID LEATHAM.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sleepers, Chairs, and Rail Fastenings for Railways
and Tramways.
I, DAVID LEATHAM, Engineer, of Glasshoughton Collieries, Glasshoughton,
near Pontefract, 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 has reference to certain improvements in sleepers, chairs, and rail
fastenings for railways and tramways.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a plan of my invention.
Figs. 2 and 3 are plans of modifications of Fig. 1.
According to my invention I employ a main bottom plate or sleeper A having
suitable housing formed by fixed jaws B and movable jaws or clamps C so providing
a chair for receiving the end of the rails D which are provided with slots or holes E
to receive stay bits F preferably formed upon the movable jaws or clamps C so that
end movement of the rails is prevented when the movable jaws or clamps C are
adjusted or set up against the rails. The rails when set in position are correctly
fixed to guage. For imparting motion to the movable jaws or clamps C I prefer
to employ gibs or cotters G which act upon the ends or inclined planes H of the
movable jaws or clamps C, as shown in Fig. 1. Or in lieu thereof I employ a cam
or double quadrant piece J centered or fixed in the main bottom plate or sleeper A
and which is operated by means of a key applied to the square of the stud K, see
Fig. 2. Or I may employ right and left hand screws L and M working in nuts N
fixed in the movable jaws or clamp C by means of studs O formed upon the said
nuts. Motion being imparted to the right and left hand screws by means of key
applied to the square P. The stay bits F and slots or holes E are dispensed with
when fastening the rails at positions other than their ends.
My invention is particularly applicable for tram roads, corve roads, cane field
tramways, and other analogous purposes.
My invention is also applicable for locking fixed points and check rails.

page_text: 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. Fixing the rails D upon the sleepers A by means of chairs having fixed
jaws B and movable jaws or clamps C operating as and for the purposes shown and
described.
2. The means for imparting motion to the movable jaws or clamps C so as to
cause them to lock the rails in the manner and for the purposes shown and
described.
3. The construction of sleeper, chair, and rail fastening, as and for the purposes
shown and described.
igust 1892.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.