IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING THE PERMANENT WAYS OF RAILWAY
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles William Ramié, of Camberwell, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING
THE PERMANENT WAYS OF RAILWAY."
Sealed the 2nd March 1858, and dated the 4th September 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles William Ramié
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th September 1857.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM RAMIE, of Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CON-
STRUCTING THE PERMANENT WAYS OF RAILWAY," to be as follows:-
My improvements consist, firstly, in a mode of supporting the rails of rail-
ways by means of a binged or jointed sleeper (constructed in two or more
parts of cast or wrought iron), the sides of which incline upwards in a manner
similar to that described in my former Patents, dated respectively 4th April
1856, and 29th September 1856. The wings are jointed together near to
their lower extremities, so that a weight pressing upon the rail shall by the
pressure of the inclined surfaces of the wings upon the ballast cause the
chairs or jaws which are form'd upon or attached to the upper side of each

page_text: wing of the sleeper to grip and hold the rail firmly between them. These
sleepers may be made of various forms, as for example, oblong or trough-like,
in the form of the segment of a sphere having its convex side downwards, &c.
They may also be constructed so as to form a continuous support for the rail,
or if preferred may be placed transversely thereto, and made sufficiently long
to replace the guage or tie bars. They may be used in conjunction with any
form of rail, or if found advisable the rail may be formed with a portion of
the sleeper, the other portion being hinged thereto as described.
Secondly, to a mode of securing rails in or to their chairs by clips or jaws
resting or abutting on the chairs, so that pressure upon the rail shall cause
the jaws to close and hold the rail firmly between them. Chairs thus con-
structed may be used in connection with wooden or other sleepers, and formed
with or attached to metallic sleepers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the. Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles William Ramié in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 4th March 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
WILLIAM RAMIE, of Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Charles William Ramié, Her special licence that I, the said Charles
William Ramié, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Charles William Ramié, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter, during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use,, exercise, and vend, within, the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and, Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS, IN CONSTRUCTING THE PERMANENT WAYS OF RAILWAY," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles William Ramié, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within

page_text: SIX Calendar Acdiately after the date of LANG SUITS
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles William Ramié; do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My improvements consist, firstly, in a mode of supporting the rails of rail-
ways by means of a hinged or jointed sleeper (constructed in two or more parts.
of cast or wrought iron), the sides of which incline upwards, in a manner,
similar to that described in my former Patents, dated respectively April 4th
and September 29th 1856; the wings are jointed together near to their lower.
extremities, so that a weight pressing upon the rail shall (by the pressure of.
the inclined surfaces of the wings upon the ballast) cause the chairs or jaws,
which are formed upon or attached to the upper side of each wing of the
sleeper to grip and hold the rail firmly between them. These sleepers
may be made of various forms, as for example, oblong or trough-like, in the
form of the segment of a sphere having its convex side downwards, &c..
They may also be constructed so as to form a continuous support for the rail,
or if preferred may be placed transversely thereto, and made sufficiently long.
to replace the gauge or tie bars. They may be used in conjunction with
form of rail, or if found advisable the rail may be formed with a portion
of the sleeper, the other portion being hinged thereto as described.
any
Secondly, in a mode of securing rails in or to their chairs by clips or jaws.
resting or abutting on the chairs, so that pressure upon the rail shall cause the
jaws to close and hold the rail firmly between them. Chairs thus constructed
may be used in connection with wooden or other sleepers, and formed with or
attached to metallic sleepers.
My said Invention, and the manner in which the same may be carried.
into effect, will be thoroughly understood. on reference to the accompanying.
Sheet of Drawings.
Fig. 1 represents a transverse section of a double-headed rail a, supported.
by a hinged or jointed sleeper, the wings 6 of which resting upon the ballast
incline upwards as described; and are jointed together at c, their upper
surfaces carrying or having attached thereto the jaws d. The bolt e is shewn
as one of many methods whereby the sleeper may be secured to the rail
when thought advisable.
Fig. 2 is a similar section, in which the wings 6 are curved upward and
jointed together at c, the jaws d attached to the wings being in this case

page_text: provided with wooden or other suitable cushions interposed between them and
the rail.
Fig. 3 in this section the wings 6 carrying the jaws d, when placed together
to form the sleeper constitute a bowl, and abut or meet together at the line l.
The pins c passing through the tie bar f, and through the vertical ribs g,
formed upon the under sides of the wings, constitute the means whereby, in
conjunction with the tie bar f, the wings are jointed or held together. The
holes h, formed in the ribs g, are elongated vertically to permit the jaws to
close upon the rail, by the action of pressure thereon as before described.
Fig. 4 in this arrangement the rail a rests upon the connecting piece i,
carrying the lugs k, to which are jointed the wings b, having the jaws d
attached thereto. The pressure of a weight upon the rail bears down the
piece i, and with it the inner ends of the wings, thereby causing the jaws to
close against and grip the rail between them as before described.
Fig. 5 represents a chair constructed according to the second part of my
Invention, and used in conjunction with a bowl sleeper, which is shewn in
section, in order to expose the chair. In this modification the rail a is sup-
ported by the lower part of the jaw d, which rests and turns upon the curved
abutment m, cast upon or attached to the sleeper s. The jaw o rests against
the abutment n, and is at liberty to move vertically with the rail. The effect
of pressure on the rail will cause the jaw to turn slightly upon its abutment,
and compress the parts firmly together. The key. p passing beneath a pro-
jection formed on the abutment n is employed to prevent the jaw from rising,
and may be made taper in form, so that when driven it shall draw the jaw o
firmly down upon the rail...
Fig. 6 is an elevation of a chair in which the rail is supported upon the
lower parts of the jaws d, which resting upon the curved abutments m and n
are caused by the weight of the rail and pressure thereon to close against and
hold the rail tightly between them. The jaws may be used either with or
without the cushions shewn as interposed between them and the rail. When
necessary a pin p, passing through the base of the chair and through one of
the jaws, may be employed to secure the chair to the rail.
Fig. 7 this chair is constructed in a manner similar to that described with
reference to Fig. 5 (the corresponding parts being similarly lettered), but
contains in addition a wedge or key 9, of wood or other suitable material,
interposed between the jaw d and the rail a, and by driving which the height
of the rail may be adjusted as required.
Fig. 8 this chair is represented as contained in a sleeper of wrought or

page_text: cast iron. It differs but little in construction from the chair described at
Fig. 6, and the corresponding parts being similarly lettered will be readily
understood by reference to the explanation of the Figure alluded to.
Fig. 9 in this case the moveable jaws d, which support the rail, have their
bearing upon inclined abutments m, n, whereby the pressure of the rail is
made to force the jaws inward and grip the rail between them. The keys p
passing through the chair and through corresponding notches formed in the
jaws, may be used to prevent the jaws from rising, and where deemed
advisable may be made taper in form, in order that when driven they may
tighten the jaws against the abutments.
Fig. 10: in this chair, as in the foregoing, the jaws are supported by inclined
abutments, and are thereby caused to close against the rail.
Fig. 11 this arrangement differs from the foregoing only in having the rail
bearing upon the lower part of the jaws d, and in the introduction of wedges q,
which passing beneath projections formed in the abutments, and through
corresponding notches in the jaws, serve to tighten the parts and secure the
chair to the rail.
Fig. 12 is a combination of parts of Figs. 7 and 10, and will be readily
understood on reference to them.
Fig. 13 in this arrangement the rail a is supported by the jaws d and o,
resting on the abutments m, n. The wedge or key 9, driven between the jaw
o and the abutment n, serves to tighten the parts firmly together and secure
the chair to the rail.
Figs. 14 and 15 are chairs formed each with one jaw d, resting upon a
circular abutment m, and having a key or wedge q, interposed between the
second jawo and the abutment n.
Fig. 16 this Figure represents a chair in which the rail a rests upon the
lower part of the jaw o, which rests and turns upon the abutment n, the other
jaw d resting against the abutment m, is free to rise or fall with the rail a.
The wedge or key q, driven between the rail and the jaw o, affords a
means of adjusting the level of the rail. The piece being dropped
between the back of the jaw o and the abutment n, follows up the yielding
of the parts, and serves to retain them at their point of maximum com-
pression.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to the details represented, but that what I claim in relation
thereto is,-

page_text: Firstly, the construction of sleepers having their sides or wings inclining,
upwards as described, and jointed: together so that a weight pressing upon the
rail shall (by. the pressure of the inclined surfaces of the wings upon the
ballast) cause the chairs or jaws attached thereto to grip and hold the rail
firmly between them.
And secondly, the construction of chairs as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles William Ramié, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
FRANCIS WISE, Patent Agent,
108, Fleet Street.
C. W (L.S.) RAMIE.