Improvements in Railway Sleepers.
Year: 1889

page_text: •Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1889
Specification Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1889
Improvements in Railway Sleepers.
I, WILLIAM GORDON BAGNALL of Castle Engine Works, Stafford in the County of
Stafford, Engineer, 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 sleepers are especially designed for light narrow guage or portable rail or tram-
ways, but they are equally suitable for permanent railways.
The sleepers may be stamped out of metal strips or flats, steel being preferably
employed, of thickness and dimensions according to requirements.
My sleepers are formed with one or more convex or concave corrugations or both
convex and concave, but the invention will be best understood by reference to the
accompanying drawings of which figs. 1 to 4 are plans of different arrangements of
sleeper showing one or more convex or concave corrugations formed thereon,
figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4ª are side elevations of the said different arrangements of which
figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 1; 2°, 3, and 4° are transverse sections the former figs. viz..
1b etc. being taken each on the line W X and the figs. 1° etc. each on the line Y Z of
the plan view of its respective group.
In fig. 1 A is the sleeper formed out of metal strips or flats with sides and ends
turned down as shewn in the other figures of this group, and its centre narrower than
the ends as seen in A¹.
The ends of the sleeper are flat but on the portion between the rail seats is formed a
preferably convex longitudinal corrugation B commencing at or near the two opposite
rail seats and tapering to both ends as seen in the drawing. Care the chairs for the
rails D to rest in.
In fig. 2 two convex longitudinal corrugations B are shewn-the water collecting
between the corrugations is carried off by the central channels passing under the
rail seats and formed in the ends of the sleeper by the throwing up of the
platforms A².
In this case the rails are carried on the two platforms A2 at each end these pre-
ferably inclining upwards from at or near the terminations of the central corrugations
so as to raise the outer flanges of the rails and tilt the rails inwards-thus relieving
the strain on the outer chairs C.

page_text: Fig. 3 again shows two convex corrugations B, between which corrugations and at
points near either end commence terminal concave longitudinal corrugations F
running to and deepening from the upper surface towards the ends of the sleeper,
these corrugations serving to carry off water collecting between the corrugations B,
and leaving flats C¹ at each end on which the rail rests."
Fig. 4 shows a similar arrangement described with reference to fig. 3-in this case
however three convex, and at each end two concave corrugations F are shewn.
The water collecting between the corrugations B is carried off by the concave
corrugations F.
In this case there are three flats C₁ at each end for the rails to rest on.
Instead of forming channels or concave corrugations such as E or F in the ends of
the sleeper I may form convex corrugations which will be flattened at the parts
beneath the rail scats.
It will be understood however that I do not limit myself to the number of corru-
gations formed on or in the sleepers or their height and depth or to their form as
they may be either concave or convex also that the inclinations A³ described with
reference to fig. 2 may be applied to any of the other arrangements. The corrugations
tend to materially strengthen the sleeper and give increased resistance to bending at
mid length. The improved form allows of its being pressed out of thinner metal than
is used in the case of ordinary rolled iron or steel sections and greater stability is
attained with a saving of weight and consequent increased portability.
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 18:
1. In a rail or tram-way metal sleeper the combination with one or more central
longitudinal convex or concave corrugations of one or more terminal concave or
convex corrugations or channels substantially as described.
2. A rail or tram-way metal sleeper having the rail seats thrown up and inclining
upwards from at or near the terminations of the central corrugation or corrugations
for the purpose of relieving the strain on the outer chairs Cand having between such
rail seats one or more channels or concave corrugations such as E substantially as
described and illustrated in fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.
3. A rail or tram-way metal sleeper such as described having at each end two or
more flats or platforms such as divided by one or more channels or corrugations
such as E or F in combination with raised central convex or concave corrugations
substantially as described.
• 10 doy of Wabruary 1980