IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILS, AND BEARERS FOR THE SAME FOR THE Permanent WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Alfred Jowett, of Hayes, in the County of
Middlesex, John Eaton Jowett, of Sawlay, in the County of Derby, Civil
Engineer, and John Bell Muschamp, of No. 17, Pembroke Road,
Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILS, AND BEARERS FOR THE
SAME FOR THE Permanent WAY OF RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 28th March 1865, and dated the 28th October 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Alfred Jowett,
John Eaton Jowett, and John Bell Muschamp' at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 28th October
1864.
We, HENRY ALFRED JOWETT, of Hayes, in the County of Middlesex, JOHN
EATON JOWETT, of Sawlay, in the County of Derby, Civil Engineers, and JOHN
BELL MUSCHAMP, of No. 17, Pembroke Road, Kensington, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILS, AND BEARERS FOR THE SAKE, FOR
THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
⚫ This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of rails,
and bearers for the same, for the permanent way of railways.
In manufacturing double-headed railway rails, we make the same about
2 inches on running surface as heretofore, but in place of forming a deep
web as in the ordinary double-headed rails, we employ a web not exceeding

page_text: one inch in depth, and the inner sides of the top and bottom flanges of the rail
are made nearly at right angles to the web, so that there is formed as it were
a narrow rectangular groove running from end to end of the rail on each side.
To secure the rails to the sleepers we cut or form a groove in the sleeper in the
direction of the length of the rail to admit of one head of such rail, and at
convenient distances apart (corresponding with the distances between the
sleepers if transverse sleepers are employed), a plate is inserted into the
groove in the rail on each side; one side of each plate enters the groove and
the other is spiked, bolted, or otherwise fastened to the sleeper. For coupling,
joining, or fishing the rails we employ similar plates but of somewhat greater
length, and the plate on either side enters into the square recess of the two
adjacent rails, or we would in preference to this arrangement employ as fish
plates two square bars of metal of the same thickness as the square grooves ;
these are placed in the grooves at the joint, and project an equal distance
along the two rails to be connected; the bars are secured either at the two
ends by bolts with hook-formed heads passing through the webs of the rails
and receiving nuts on the other side, or jibs and cotters passing through both
the bars and also the webs of the rails may be employed. To obviate the
necessity of grooving sleepers either transversely or longitudinally we in some
cases roll an angle iron bearer of a Z shape and of such a size that the upper
edge may fit the grooves in the rails, and the other edge is bolted or otherwise
secured on to the sleeper or sleepers. The lower head of the rail may either
rest on the sleeper, or the rail may be suspended on the angle bearers.
This section of rail and rail bearer, or method of securing the same, is
applicable to switches, crossings, and turntables, as well as to the ordinary
road.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry. Alfred Jowett, John Eaton Jowett, and John Bell
Muschamp in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th April 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY SO
ALFRED JOWETT, of Hayes, in the County of Middlesex, JOHN EATON JOWETT,
of Sawley, in the County of Derby, Civil Engineers, and JOHN BELL MUSCHAMP,
of No. 17, Pembroke Road, Kensington, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 85
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of October, in the year of our

page_text: Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Henry Alfred Jowett, John Eaton Jowett, and John. Bell
Muschamp, Her special licence that we, the said Henry Alfred Jowett, John
Eaton Jowett, and John Bell Muschamp, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Henry Alfred Jowett, John Eaton
Jowett, and John Bell Muschamp, our 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILS, AND BEARERS FOR THE SAME,
FOR THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," upon the condition. (amongst others)
that we, the said Henry Alfred Jowett, John Eaton Jowett, and John Bell
Muschamp, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of
us or them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
• NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Eaton Jowett and John Bell.
Muschamp, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the annexed;
Sheet of Drawings making a part of this Specification :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of rails
and bearers for the permanent way of railways, and consists chiefly in forming
the rails with a rectangular groove upon the sides running from end to end,
and in securing said rails in position by the use of plates or bearers, one edge
of which is inserted into the grooves, the other edge being. secured to the
sleepers, thereby dispensing with the use of the ordinary chairs, and keys, and
also in the mode of uniting the adjacent ends of. the rails.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a section of a rail formed according to our Invention, of full
size; Figure 2 is a plan of said rail shewing the method of. securing it to the
sleepers; Figure 3 is a section of the same; Figure 4 is a detached view of one.
of the plates shown in Figures 2 and 3; Figures 5, 6, and 7. show a method,

page_text: employed for coupling or fishing the rails. Like letters refer to corresponding
parts on the several Figures.
In Figure 1 is shown a section of our improved rail. The width of the
faces or running surfaces of the flanges or heads A is about the same as that
of an ordinary double-headed rail, but in place of a wide web we form by
rolling in the usual manner the rail, with a web B, about one inch in width.
The inner sides of the flanges or heads A are made at right angles to the web
B, forming therewith a rectangular groove or channel C running from end to
end of the rail on each side. The rails thus shaped are secured to the
sleepers D by inserting one edge of the plates or bearers E into the grooves
C, and bolting or otherwise fixing the other edge of the plates to the sleepers,
as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The form of the plate or bearer E is clearly
shown in Figure 4. A groove F is formed in the sleepers D to admit the
lower flange or heads A of the rails, which comes nearly in contact with
the bottom of the groove, as shown in Figure 3, and may, if found
desirable, rest thereupon, and be partially or entirely supported thereby. This
groove is formed in the direction of the length of the rail, but either in the,
direction of the length or width of the sleepers accordingly as transverse or
longitudinal sleepers are employed. The plates or bearers E are inserted in
the grooves C on both sides of the rail, as shown in Figure 3, at suitable and
convenient distances apart, which generally corresponds in practice with the
distance between the sleepers D when transverse sleepers are used. Similar
plates may be employed for coupling or fishing the rails, but they are advan-
tageously made longer than required at other parts of the rail. When the
bearers or plates E' are used for this purpose they are inserted in the grooves
C at the joints, and extend an equal distance along the adjacent ends of the
rails, being bolted or otherwise firmly fixed to the sleepers D. This method of
coupling or fishing the rails is only practicable when the adjacent ends thereof
meet over the sleeper.
Another method, illustrated in Figures 5, 6, and 7, is employed when the
ends of the rails are not directly supported by a sleeper, and may advan-
tageously be employed when such support is given. Two square metal bars G
are employed as fish-plates. These bars are placed in the grooves C at the
joint, and extend an equal distance along the adjacent ends of the rails, and
are of sufficient thickness to completely fill said grooves. The bars G may be
secured to the rails by means of screw bolts H with hook-formed heads, as
clearly shown in Figures 5 and 6, or in any other suitable and convenient
manner, the object being to firmly connect the two bars G. Should it be
deemed undesirable to groove or channel the transverse or longitudinal

page_text: sleepers angle-iron bearers of a Z shape, and of such a size that the inner
edge may fit the grooves C may be employed, the outer edge being bolted or
otherwise secured to the sleeper or sleepers D. When this method is adopted
the lower flange or head A may either rest on the sleeper or the rail may be
suspended on the angle bearers.
Our improved rail and method of securing the same by the use of said
bearers or plates is applicable to switches, crossings, and turn-tables, as well
as the ordinary line of railway.
Having thus fully described our improvements, and shown how the same
may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, we wish it
understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact mode of application
illustrated on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, or to the precise details herein-
before set forth, as these may be varied without essentially departing from the
nature of our Invention; but we claim,―
First, the rail formed of two heads or flanges A, A, with rectangular grooves
or channels C, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Second, securing the rail in position by the employment of the rail bearers
or plates E, substantially as specified.
Third, coupling or fishing the rails by means of the bars G, substantially as
specified.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Eaton Jowett and John Bell
Muschamp, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-
seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-five.
TATY TIMON TABER
JOHN EATON JOWETT. (L.D.)
J. B. MUSCHAMP.
(LS.)
Witness,
GEORGE HAZELTINE,
8, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane,
London.