IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAM RAILS AND IN THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: I PETER KIRK of Bankfield, Workington in the County of Cumberland, Iron
and Steel Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAM RAILS AND IN THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF
to be as
follows:
"
My Invention relates chiefly to reversible tram rails and consists in forming the
same of such a section that I am enabled to produce a reversible girder rail of any
requried depth and shaped in a rolling mill of the ordinary construction. Hitherto
reversible tram rails have generally been composed of two and in some instances of
more parts, the lower girder portion supporting a reversible top which is fastened
to the said girder, but such rails are costly in construction. My improved rail is
designed with a view to overcome the difficulties which have hitherto prevented
the production of a reversible girder tram rail of the proper depth, in an ordinary
rolling mill, without the employment of additional vertical side rollers. When
forming the wheel flange groove or grooves in the course of rolling my improved
section of tram rail, the rail assumes a position between the rolls in a plane which
is inclined with relation to the proper vertical plane of the rail when finished. The
angle of this inclination is determined by the amount of taper on the inside of the
said wheel flange grooves, and the angle or angles of other parts of the rail such for
example as the angle at which the enlarged portion of the head constituting the
wheel base retreats towards the central web is or are made to correspond with or
to be not more than the aforesaid governing angle of the groove or grooves. When
the grooves are being rolled the said governing angle occupies a plane which is at
right angles to the axes of the rolls. By forming my improved tram rail of a
section fulfilling the aforesaid conditions I am enabled to roll a reversible girder
tram rail of any required depth from an ingot or bloom and without the assistance
of any special side rolls. In laying the said tram rails where the reversible head is
not considered to be of sufficient breadth to give a steady base I apply sole plates
or chairs at regular intervals to that head of the rail which is turned downwards.
The said sole plates or chairs may be cut from lengths rolled to suit the rail
and are fixed to the rail by wedges or by other means so as to give the desired
support.
I may also roll other than reversible tram rails in the manner herein before
described as for example I might produce tram rails having a flange or flanges at
the foot.
Rails of the latter description may or may not have the aforesaid sole plate or
chair applied to the flanged lower part.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I PETER KIRK of Bankfield Workington in the County of Cumberland, Iron
and Steel Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAM RAILS AND IN THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF
" and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings: :-
My Invention relates chiefly to reversible tran rails and consists in forming the
same of such a section as that I am enabled to produce a reversible girder rail of
any required depth. and shaped in a rolling mill of the ordinary construction.
Hitherto reversible tram rails have generally been composed of two and in some
instances of more parts the lower girder portion supporting a reversible top which
is fastened to the said girder but such rails are costly in construction. My improved
rail is designed with a view to overcome the difficulties which have hitherto
prevented the production of a reversible girder tram rail of the proper depth in an
ordinary rolling mill without the employment of additional vertical side rolls. When
forming the wheel flange groove or grooves in the course of rolling my improved
section of tram rail, the rail assumes a position between the rolls in a plane which
is inclined with relation to the proper vertical plane of the rail when finished. The
angle of this inclination is determined by the amount of taper on one side of each
of the grooves and the angle or angles of other parts of the rail such for example
as the angle at which the enlarged portion of the head constituting the wheel base
retreats towards the central web is or are made to correspond with or to be not
'more than the aforesaid governing angle of the groove or grooves. When the
grooves are being rolled the said governing angle occupies a plane which is at
right angles to the axes of the rolls. By forming my improved tram rail of a
section fulfilling the aforesaid conditions am enabled to roll a reversible girder
tram rail of any required depth from an ingot or bloom and without the assistance
of any special side rolls.
In laying the said tram rails where the reversible head is not considered to be
of sufficient breadth to give a steady base I apply sole plates or chairs at regular
intervals to that head of the rail which is turned downwards.
I also roll other than reversible tram rails in the manner hereinbefore described
as for example I produce tram rails having a flange or flanges at the foot.
In the accompanying drawings Fig: 1 on Sheet 1. represents a pair of rolls
turned into suitable forms to produce a double headed tram rail in accordance with
my Invention.
Fig: 2 illustrates the method of rolling a single headed rail and
the formation of the rolls employed. In sheet 2. some of the sections which can
be rolled by my method are illustrated. In Figs: 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 the rail is
double-headed both heads being alike so that when one head has become greatly
worn the rail can be reversed and the head which has been below be made to take
the place of the worn head. In all these sections it will be seen that one side of

page_text: the groove a. is inclined from the perpendicular. When the rail is being rolled
this side is about perpendicular the web b. of the rail being inclined as seen at e.
and f. in sheet 1. This inclination enables me to completely form the rail by means
of the one pair of rolls. In the rolls as drawn the bloom is partly reduced in the
ordinary manner as indicated at c. and d. The bar is then introduced at e. wherein
it is still further reduced in section and is grooved above and below by means of the
beads g. g. upon the rolls. The partly formed rail is then passed through the grooves
at f. wherein the formation of the rail is completed. To straighten and give a finish to
the rail I prefer to pass it again through the rolls with the web in a horizontal position
as indicated at h. but I do not confine myself to this. I may roll the rails in a two roll
high mill or in a three roll high mill and may vary the number of reductions and
otherwise vary the formation of the rolls so long as the rail is rolled in an inclined
position as indicated at e. and f. whereby the grooves can be formed by beads upon
the rolls as indicated with reference to the beads g. g. In Fig: 8 the rail is
similar in section to a double headed rail but is not reversible having only one
groove. Such a rail would be rolled in the manner indicated in Fig: 1 but one of
the rolls would be without the beads g. In the sections in Figs: 6, 8 and 10 the
lips i. are supposed to have been pressed inward to some extent from the straight
outward inclining formation indicated in the other Figs. When considered to be
desirable this can be effected in the finishing grooves h. but this action of the rolls
to modify the forms of the grooves is not a part of my Invention. In Fig: 3 sole
plates 1. are secured to the rail at intervals to furnish the necessary base. These
plates are rolled with projecting ribs which are pressed or hammered inward so
as to grip the rail. In Fig: 4 a broad base is obtained by bolting angle plates m. m.
on each side of the rail these plates being rolled or shaped to fit the sides of the
rail. These plates may be in long lengths so as to form a continuous base or be in
short lengths secured to the rail at intervals. In Fig: 5 j. j. are cast metal blocks
which are shaped on their inner sides to fit against the rail and are secured to the
rail by means of bolts k. These blocks are of a cellular construction and are
bolted at intervals to the rail. When the tramway is laid the upper surfaces of
the blocks are flush with the roadway and take the places of stone sets where such
are used. When the rail is reversed it is not necessary to remove the blocks
excepting at the points at which it is advisable to disconnect the lengths of rail as
the blocks are reversible equally with the rail. In Figs 6. and 7 the latter being a
plan the clips on the sole plates are formed by cutting or slitting the edges of the
plate and by turning up portions x. between the slits. The rail is secured to the
sole plate by means of a split key n. In Figs 8 and 9. the rail is secured by
means of a split key to a sole plate of a formation similar to the same part in Fig: 3.
In Figs: 10 and 11 a sole plate formed with clips x. as in Fig: 6 is secured to the
rail by means of a condensed wood key or packing o.
In all of the examples the said sole plates are made from bars or plates rolled in
suitably long lengths and afterwards cut up into the lengths required to form the
sole plates.
I have shown my improved rails as provided with various forms of sole plates or
chairs in order that the method of mounting the rails may be properly understood
but I do not make any claim to the forms of the said sole plates and chairs apart
from my rails produced in the manner set forth.
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. The double headed tram rail of the section substantially as indicated in the
drawings.
2. The tram rails of the sectional forms adapted to be produced by the combined
operation of two rolls one roll or each roll being provided with beads g. to form
the grooves, substantially as indicated in the drawings.

page_text: 3. The method of rolling a tram rail with rolls so turned as that the rail is
inclined in the manner indicated at e. f. in sbeet 1. substantially as and for the
purpose set forth and indicated.
4. The rails produced as berein set forth and provided with sole plates secured
to the rails substantially as set forth and indicated.