Improvements in Railings.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 4th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 9th Mar.. 1839
Improvements in Railings.
We, EDWARD HANDFIELD MORTON, Francis Morton & Co. Ltd., Naylor Street,
Liverpool, General Manager, and GEORGE TAYLOR, of Francis Morton & Co. Ld.,
Works Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to what are known as Dacoit" or inclinable Railings
and is applicable to railing formed with angle iron bars placed vertically and known
as as the Dacoit Railing and to the ordinary inclinable railing made with flat bars
placed vertically and rivetted to a top and bottom horizontal rail.
We construct the railing in such a manner that the vertical bars and horizontal
rails are secured the one to the other by rivets and yet so that the bars and rails
are able to play freely at the joints so that when the railing is being erected the
horizontal rails which are jointed at their end to fixed vertical parts may be set to
any angle to follow the slope of the ground whilst the vertical bars remain always
truly perpendicular to the horizon. We also so form the joints which connect.
the ends of the horizontal rails with the vertical fixed posts in such manner that
even if the pin of the joint were to break or -be. withdrawn the end of the rail
would still be retained in its place in a socket carried by the post, thus entirely
dispensing with extra cover plates which hitherto have been found necessary to
protect and strengthen this part of the railing.
In forming the railing of angle iron, the angle irons forming the horizontal rails
are set with with one side vertical and the other horizontal and the angle irons
forming the vertical bars are set with the edges of their two sides resting against
the vertical sides of the rails as heretofore. Where they cross the rails we insert.
a triangular filling piece between them with two of its sides resting against the
two sides of the vertical angle iron bar and the third against the vertical side of the rail.
We also form this third side of the filling piece with a cylindrical projection to pass
through a hole formed through the vertical side of the rail and to extend very slightly
beyond it. We also pass a rivet through a hole formed through the vertical rail at

page_text: the angle where its two sides meet and through the filling piece and its cylindrical
projection and through a washer placed against the end of the projection and then
rivet it over.
In this way the vertical bars are not clamped tightly to the rails by the rivets but
are able to turn around the rivets freely.
The fixed vertical posts we form of T iron and we fix to them castings for the
ends of the rails to be jointed to. Each casting we form with a passage through it
corresponding to the section of the post so that it may be slipped on to it and be
fixed at any required height by a rivet passed through the stem of the T and the
part of the casting which embraces it. Each casting we also form with two parallel
vertical flanges extending from each side of the stem of the Teach two flanges being
at a sufficient distance apart from one another for the end of one of the rails to pass
between them we also form it with top and bottom horizontal flanges extending
across from one vertical flange to the other. The end of the rail is rounded and a
hole formed through its vertical side a corresponding hole is also formed through
each of the above mentioned vertical flanges of the casting. The stem of a headed
bolt is passed through the holes in the vertical flanges and the rail and through a
thick washer or filling piece which lies between the flanges and is then secured by
a nut screwed on to its end. When the railing has been set up in place the end of
the stem of the bolt may be rivetted over to prevent its removal or a rivet may be
inserted in place of it.
The vertical flanges of the casting extend beyond the pin or bolt, but not the
horizontal flanges, so that the end of the rails can turn with perfect freedom around
the pin but if the pin were to break or be removed the horizontal flanges extending
above and below the rounded end of the rail would still keep the end of the rail
from dropping or from being forced upwards.
Dated this 16th day of May 1888

page_text: A clerical error in the original Specification having been amended by the
Patentee with the consent of the Comptroller, the printed Specification will now read
as shown below :-

page_text: Improvements in Railings.
We, EDWARD HANDFIELD MORTON, Francis Morton & Co. Ltd., Naylor Sirect,.
Liverpool, General Manager, and GEORGE TAYLOR, of Francis Morton & Co. Ld.,
Works Manager, 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 :-
This invention relates to what are known as Dacoit or unclimbable railings and is.
applicable to railing formed with angle iron bars placed vertically and known as the
Dacoit Railing and to the ordinary unclimable railing made with flat bars placed
vertically and rivetted to a top and bottom horizontal rail.
We construct the railing as represented by the drawings annexed.
Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section of a portion of the fencing.
Figure 2 is an end elevation.
Figure 3 is a plan partly in section Figure 4 is a vertical section and Figure 5.
shows to a small scale the fence as it appears when erected on uneven ground.
We construct the railing in such a manner that the vertical bars a and horizontal
rails are secured the one to the other by rivets and yet so that the bars and rails are
able to play freely at the joints so that when the railing is being erected the
horizontal rails which are jointed at their end, to fixed vertical posts d may be set to
any angle to follow the slope of the ground whilst the vertical bars remain always
truly perpendicular to the horizon. We also form the joints which connect the ends
of the horizontal rails with the vertical fixed posts d in such manner that even if
the pin of the joint were to break or be withdrawn the end of the rail would still
be retained in its place in a socket carried by the post, thus entirely dispensing with
extra cover plates which hitherto have been found necessary to protect and strengthen
this part of the railing.
In forming the railing of angle iron, the angle irons b forming the horizontal
rails are set with one side vertical and the other horizontal and the angle irons a
forming the vertical bars are set with the edges of their two sides resting against
the vertical sides of the rails b as heretofore. Where they cross the rails we insert
a triangular filling piece g between them with two of its sides resting against the two
sides of the vertical angle iron bar and the third against the vertical side of the rail.
We also form this third side of the filling piece with a cylindrical projection g¹ to
pass through a hole formed through the vertical side of the rail 6 and to extend very
slightly beyond it. We also pass a rivet through a hole formed, through the
vertical rail at the angle where its two sides meet and through the filling piece and
its cylindrical projection and through a washer placed against the end of the
projection and then rivet it over.
In this way the vertical bars are not clamped tightly to the rails by the rivets but
are able to turn around the rivets freely.

page_text: The fixed vertical posts d we form of Ṭ iron and we fix to them castings k for
the ends of the rails to be jointed to. Each casting we form with a passage through
it corresponding to the section of the post, so that it may be slipped on to it and he
fixed at any required height by a rivet passed through the stem of the Ṭ and
the part of the casting which embraces it.. Each casting we also form with two
parallel vertical flanges extending from each side of the stem of the T, such two
flanges being at a sufficient distance apart from one another for the end of one of
the rails to pass between them. We also form it with top and bottom horizontal
flanges extending across from one vertical flange to the other. The end of the
rail is rounded and a hole formed through its vertical side a corresponding hole is
also formed through each of the above mentioned vertical flanges of the casting.
The stem of a headed bolt is passed through the hole in the vertical flanges and
the rail and through a thick washer or filling piece m which lies between the flanges
and is then secured by a nut screwed on to its end. When the railing has been set
up in place the end of the stem of the bolt may be rivetted over to prevent its
removal or a rivet may be inserted in place of it.
The vertical flanges of the casting extend beyond the pin or holt but not the
horizontal flanges so that the end of the rails can turn with perfect freedom
around the pin but if the pin were to break or be removed the horizontal flanges
extending above and below the rounded end of the rail would still keep the end of
the rail from dropping or from being forced upwards.
The advantages to be found in this invention are,
1st. Great facility in fixing the railing in uneven or irregular undulating ground
and sloping earthworks of fortifications.
2nd. Obviating the necessity of careful levels and horizontal measurements being
taken when setting out the line of railing and ordering the same.
3rd. As the railing fits universally, no marking the various parts with corre-
sponding key-plans are necessary as a guide for fixing all chances of error being
done away with.
4th. Absolute security from the danger of the railway being detached and
unshipped from the main upright supports by accident or design.
5th. Great economy of space in stowing on board ship or elsewhere, the panels of
railing being sent out in a regular rectangular form would occupy the minimum
space for measurement and would therefore stow in the smallest compass.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. Dacoit or unclimbable railing in which the rails and bars are connected
together by free joints and the rails and post are also jointed and secured as herein
set forth.
2. Dacoit or unclimbable railing substantially as described and represented by
the annexed drawings.
1300