Improvements in or relating to Metal Railway Sleepers.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Aug., 1890-Accepted, 4th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Metal Railway Sleepers.
A communication from CHARLES DELORME and EMILE BROCHON, both of 42, Boulevard
Bonne Nouvelle, Paris, in the Republic of France, Manufacturers.
1, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The improved metal sleeper constituting the object of this invention consists of
two distinct parts, a body and a base.
The body is of iron or steel of channelled section the upper surface of which
forms the bed or seat of the rails while the downwardly depending vertical webs
form the sides of the sleeper. The base is also constructed of preferably rolled
iron or steel and is formed with two longitudinal parallel grooves into which fit
the lower edges of the two vertical webs of the body of the sleeper.
Beyond these parallel grooves at each side of the sleeper extends the base so as
to form two longitudinal edges which support the weight of the rails whereby the
sleeper when once fixed in position will be solidly bedded and held in a vertical
position.
It can be easily understood that by the webs of the body being retained in the
grooves of the base the rigidity of the body is considerably increased. The webs
of the body by being so retained in the grooves cannot become spread apart or
closed towards each other while at the same time the sleeper retains sufficient
elasticity.
Among the many forms of sleepers hitherto devised are some which are made
with a view to economy but these have been deficient in rigidity, and those which
possessed sufficient resistance were of no practical value because owing to their
complicated nature and great weight they were too costly.
The simplicity of construction combined with the lightness of the sleepers con-
structed according to this invention lessens their cost to an extent not hitherto
attained.
The body of the sleeper is attached to the base my means of rivets or bolts
which serve at the same time to hold the clips or chairs of the rail. So constructed,
the sleeper is of great strength but taking into account the transverse strains
which are to be met more particularly at the curves of the track by the bolts or
rivets joining the two parts of the sleeper, the body and base act to diminish
that strain and thereby afford greater security. To attain this object the base is
made longer on both sides than the body and each of the said projecting portions
is divided by two longitudinal cuts. The two symmetric or outer parts include
the before mentioned grooves and the central part is between the two symmetric
parts. The two outer parts are turned up to a right angle against the ends of
the wings of the body which fit up to a certain point of their height into the
upturned parts of the grooves. In the same way the rivets or bolts and also the
base assist with the ends raised against the body to hold the latter transversely
whereby the bolts or rivets are to a corresponding extent relieved.
The central part is bent downwards to a right angle to the base in such a way
as to enter the ballast and thus afford all the required anchorage to secure the
sleeper in position. The edges of the raised outer parts on both sides of the
grooves also contribute to retain the sleeper in position as these parts are also
bedded in the ballast. The sleeper can be used for supporting rails of any
section which may be secured thereto either by means of chairs, clips, jaws or
their equivalent.
The chairs may be fixed upon the upper surface of the sleeper by means of the

page_text: same rivets or bolts as serve to join together the body and base of the sleeper.
When a flange rail is used the flange of the rail is placed in the chair and is
held there by a key which may be provided with a hole into which a pin may
be placed for the object of preventing any displacement of the key.
As it is sometimes necessary to maintain the rail upon the sleeper by means of
clamps, spikes or screws there is placed into the empty space in the interior of
the sleeper at its ends a block of wood which may be fixed in position by the
rivets or bolts employed to hold together the two parts of the sleeper and in the
upper surface of the body are formed holes so as to leave a passage for the wood
screws or clamps which serve to attach the rail to the sleeper. These wood-screws,
spikes or clamps fit solidly into the wood and maintain in position the rail as
perfectly and satisfactorily as if wooden sleepers were used.
It is evident that the dimensions and the metal of which these sleepers consist
can be varied according to requirements, and also differently shaped rails may be
fixed upon the sleepers and also that there may be used any kind of chairs or
clips other than those before described for securing flanged rails in position.
Dated this 27th day of November 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Metal Railway Sleepers.
A communication from CHARLES DELORME and EMILE BROCHON, both of 42, Boulevard
Bonne Nouvelle, Paris, in the Republic of France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., 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 improved metal sleeper constituting the object of this invention is represented
in the drawing accompanying this Specification, in which drawing
Fig. 1 is an elevation and
Fig. 2 a plan of the sleeper with portions of rails attached.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line A B of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is another sectional view on the line CD of Fig. 1.
Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective detail views of parts of the sleeper.
On examining these figures it can be seen that the metal sleeper consists of two
distinct parts, the body E and the base F.
The body F is of iron or steel of shaped or channelled section, the upper
surface of which forms the bed or seat of the rails while the vertical webs form the
sides of the sleeper. The base F is also constructed of preferably rolled iron or steel
and is formed with two longitudinal parallel grooves G G¹ into which fit the lower
edges of the two vertical webs of the body F of the sleeper.
Beyond the grooves G G at each side of the sleeper extends the base F so as to
form two longitudinal edges which support the weight of the rails whereby the
sleeper when once fixed in position will be solidly bedded and held in a vertical
position.
It can be easily understood that by the webs of the body E being retained in the
grooves G G¹ of the base F the rigidity of the body is considerably increased. The
webs of the body E being so retained in the grooves G G¹ cannot become spread
apart or closed towards each other while at the same time the sleeper retains sufficient
elasticity.
Among the many forms of sleepers hitherto devised are some which are made
with a view to economy but these have been deficient in rigidity, and those which
possessed sufficient resistance were of no practical value because owing to their
complicated nature and great weight they were too costly.

page_text: The simplicity of construction combined with the lightness of these sleepers
lessens their cost to an extent not hitherto attained.
The body E of the sleeper is attached to the base F by means of rivets or
bolts H which serve at the same time to hold the clips or chairs of the rail. So
constructed this sleeper is of great strength but taking into account the transverse
strains which are to be met more particularly at the curves of the track by the bolts
or rivets joining the two parts of the sleeper, the body E and base Fact to diminish
that strain and thereby afford greater security. To attain this object I make the
base F longer on both sides than the body E as is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6
and I divide by two longitudinal cuts the said projecting portion. The two sym-
metric parts R include the grooves G G¹ and the part S is between the two parts R.
The two parts R are turned up to a right angle against the ends of the wings of the
body E which fit up to a certain point of their height into the upturned parts of
the grooves G G¹. In the same way the rivets or bolts H and also the base F assist
with the ends R raised against the body E to hold the latter transversely whereby the
bolts or rivets H are to a corresponding extent relieved.
The part S is bent downwards to a right angle to the base in such a way as to
enter the ballast and thus afford all the required anchorage to secure the sleeper
in position. The edges of the raised parts R on both sides of the grooves G G¹ also
contribute to retain the sleeper in position as these parts are also bedded in the
ballast. This sleeper can be used for supporting rails of any section. At X in Figs. 1,
2, and 31 represent as an example a flange rail held upon this sleeper by means of
the chair clips or jaws of iron, steel or any other suitable metal.
This chair is fixed upon the upper surface of the sleeper by means of the same
rivets or bolts H as serve to join together the body E and base F of the sleeper.
The flange M of the rail is placed in the chair I and is held there by a key L which
may be provided with a hole N into which a pin may be placed for the object of pre-
venting any displacement of the key L.
As it is sometimes necessary to maintain the rail upon the sleeper hy means of
clamps, spikes or screws as is shown with the rail Y in Figs. 1 and 2 I place into
the empty space in the interior of the sleeper at its ends a block P of wood which I
fix in position by the rivets or bolts H employed to hold together the two parts of
the sleeper and I form holes Q in the upper surface of the body E so as to leave a
passage for the wood screws or clamps which serve to attach the rail to the sleeper.
These wood-screws, spikes or clamps fit solidly into the wood P and maintain in
position the rail as perfectly and satisfactorily as if wooden sleepers were used.
It is evident that the dimensions and the metal of which these sleepers consist can be
varied according to requirements, and also differently shaped rails could be fixed
upon these sleepers and also that there may be used any kind of chairs or clips other
than those before described for securing flanged rails in position.
The strength and security of the rail fixed to the sleeper by means of screw
bolts, may be moreover considerably enhanced by the application of the arrange-
ments shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 of the drawing.
Upon the sleeper, on each side of the bottom flange or foot of the rail, and
pressing upon the edge of such bottom flange, is arranged a plate M (Figs. 8, 9
and 11) the lower surface of which is provided with two projections or lugs m m
which fit into corresponding openings m m³ provided in the upper surface of the
sleeper (Fig. 9). Upon the edge opposite to the said projections m m the plate M
bas an opening N countersunk in it for the passage of the screw bolt Q.
Owing to the application of this plate M the rail is firmly maintained upon the
sleeper against transverse displacement; in addition to which the tightening action
of the screw bolt is by far stronger owing to this rational arrangement inasmuch
as the lower surface of the head of the bolt is thereby caused to press both upon
the bottom flange of the rail and upon the plate M which forms, as it were, an
extension of the said bottom flange and acts as a washer; besides the shank of
the screw bolt is guided by the opening N in the said plate M which renders it
still more secure.

page_text: When it is desired that the rail should be inclined in relation to the sleeper, at
the curves for instance, one of the plates M may be constructed as shown at M¹
Figs. 7 and 10 the upper surface V of this plate M being in that case inclined in
relation to the lower surface V₁ lying upon the sleeper and it is then upon this
inclined surface V that the bottom flange of the rail will rest so that the rail will
necessarily be inclined at the angle corresponding to the incline of the surface V.
This supporting plate M¹ is also provided with projections m m¹ in the sleeper
and with a countersunk aperture N through which the screw bolt Q is to be passed.
Thus in combination with the plate M, as shown in Fig. 7, it firmly maintains the rail
and at the same time secures the desired incline in relation to the sleeper.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is ;--
1. A sleeper consisting of the combination of the channel-shaped body E with the
base F provided with two longitudinal grooves G G¹ into which fit the lower edges
of the vertical webs of the body E the said fitting-in serving to prevent any depression
or distortion of the sleeper substantially as herein specified and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
2. In a railway sleeper a base such as F longer than the body E the parts pro-
jecting beyond the ends of the body being divided into three parts R R S the first
two including the prolongation of the grooves G G being turned up towards the ends
of the webs of the body E which webs fit into the grooves G G of the said base while
the third part S is bent downwards to a right angle to the base in order to fit into
the ballast substantially as herein specified and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
3. In a railway sleeper such as described the arrangement in the empty space of
the sleeper at each end of a block of wood P held by means of bolts or rivets H and
into which can be fixed the wood-screws spikes or clamps to secure the rail upon
the sleeper substantially as herein specified and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
4. In a railway sleeper the combination with a body portion such as E of a base
such as F secured thereto by the same bolts or rivets as serve to secure to the sleeper
the chair clips, clamps or other fittings for holding the rails substantially as herein
specified and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. In a railway sleeper the combination with a body portion such as E of a base
such as F secured thereto by the same bolts or rivets as serve to secure in the sleeper
wooden block such as P substantially as herein specified and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
6. The application on each side of the foot or bottom flange of the rail (in the case
of rails fixed to the sleepers by means of screw bolts) of plates M when the rail should
not be inclined at an angle to the sleeper; or of a plate M₁ in combination with a
plate M when the said rail should be so inclined in relation to the sleeper, such
plates M and M being provided with projections m m engaging in corresponding
openings m¹ m' provided in the sleeper and with an opening N provided for the
reception or passage of the screw bolt Q whereby the rail is fixed in place substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3 IL: 09nd day of A manct 1800
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.