An Improved Railroad Tie or Sleeper and Rail Fastening.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1892-Accepted, 26th Nov., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Railroad Tie or Sleeper and Rail Fastening.
I, CALVIN M. REED, of Hoppenville, in the County of Montgomery, and State
of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Inventor, 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 stateinent:-
This my invention relates to an improved railroad tie or sleeper and rail fastening,
and my invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter
described and set forth.
My improved tie is formed of steel, malleable or wrought iron and is semi-
cylindrical in shape, being in the form of an inverted channel, it is open at the
ends and is provided upon the crown or rounded face of the tic, with notches in
which the rails lie. The said rails have an aperture formed through the web of
the same and are secured to the said ties by means of a wedge of peculiar shape
passed through the said aperture in the rail and bearing against the underside of
the said tie.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood reference is made to
the accompanying drawings in which—.
Figure represents a plan view of the device complete as applied to a track.
Figure 2 shows the tie or sleeper.
Figure 3 shows the wedge or key securing the rail to the tie, aud
Figure 4 shows a detail hereinafter described.
•
The sleeper A. is formed in the shape of an inverted U or semi-cylinder and has
notches a cut in the crown or upper face of the same in which the rails are laid
the said ties or sleepers A may be laid and secured to the track in any manner
as will be readily understood by all skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
The rail B is of the usual form but is provided with an aperture or hole cut
through the web as shown at b. The key C as shown in Figure 3 consists of a
double wedge as shown, the entering end d being tapered at a suitable angle.
Upon the upper face of the rear end of the key are teeth or serrations e the thin
part of the key behind the wedge acts as a spring as will be hereinafter
described. The under face of the tie or sleeper is also provided with serrations in
which the teeth upon the key engage.
The device is applied in the following manner :-
The sleeper or ties A. having been laid in place the rails are laid upon the same
so that the apertures formed through the web of the rails will be in line with the
underside of the tie. The rails are then secured by the insertion of the key which
is driven home by a hammer or otherwise. The elasticity of the key at the reduced
part in rear of the wedge will cause the teeth or serrations e to engage the notches or
teeth in the sleeper. The head of the key flies in a notch f' cut in the end of the
tie so as to lie on an approximate level with the upper face of the same which
renders the device much neater in appearance.
By my improved device the labour entailed in the laying of rails by the
ordinary method is entirely dispensed with as the rails may be laid and secured
in position without the expenditure of time for requiring the use of any special
tools. There are no bolts, spikes or other fastenings likely to come loose and my
device may be easily tightened by simply giving the key a tap with the hammer.
When it is desired to take up the rails or remove the keys the key is loosened by
forcing downwards the rear end of the same by the insertion of a crowbar or other
tool between the tie and the key which latter may then be drawn out.
The detail illustrated in Figure 4 is a plate intended to be used in tunnels
upon bridges or other situations where desired, it consists of a plate of steel or

page_text: iron which may be cast, wrought or otherwise fashioned and which is provided with
a notch or recess G in which the tie or sleeper is placed thus giving the latter a
more solid bearing. The configuration of the sleeper and the proportions of the
various parts may be varied to suit special requirements without departing from the
spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A tie or sleeper such as described having notches therein in combination with
rails adapted to be laid in the said notches, said rails having an aperture formed in
the web thereof and secured by a wedge passing through said aperture and bearing
against the underside of the sleeper, the whole being constructed and arranged
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The means for securing a rail to a sleeper consisting in the insertion of a wedge
the rear portion of which is flexible and adapted to engage teeth upon the upper
side of the key with similar teeth upon the underside of the sleeper, substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. The complete device of the tie and rail fastening constructed and arranged
substantially as described in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1892.
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.