IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILS FOR RAILWAYS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Barker, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, and James McFarlane, of the
same Place, Engineer, at present residing in Middlesborough-on-
Tees, in the County of York, England, for the Invention of “Iм-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Barker and
James M*Farlane at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 14th June 1871.
We, GEORGE BARKER, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Engineer, and JAMES MCFARLANE, of the same Place, Engineer,
at present residing in Middlesborough-on-Tees, in the County of York,
England, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILS FOR RAILWAYS," to be as follows,
that is to say:—
This said Invention has reference to a new or improved construction
or mode and means of constructing the rails of railways, or of railways
sometimes termed tramways, which will be more suitable for permanent

page_text: ways, heavy traffic, or much-worked railways, as they will be far more
durable and last for a much longer period or time, and when laid down
be more equally clastic or yielding under the action of the rolling stock
and train of carriages than lines of rails have been in themselves
(without longitudinal beams below them) as heretofore constructed.
.
And the nature of this Invention consists in tempering or hardening
steel rails of any desired sectional form, but specially and by preference
with the form of bearing head, and having a central vertical feather
or web, thickened or enlarged towards the lower edge, and made in
blocks or lengths, by preference much shorter than such rails have
heretofore been made, that is of such a length as would be suitable and
compatible with the breaking test or quality of the particular hardened
steel used, as, say, from six feet to six inches in length; all so bound
together as to form a continuous running or bearing T-headed rail,.
by and in the centre between continuous lengths of ordinary rolled or.
formed angle iron or kneed bars, formed either of iron or steel not
hardened, bolted on each side of the central feather of the said hardened
steel rail and with their end joints "breaking band," and having the
two upper edges of their vertical sides bearing on and supporting
the lateral sides of the new hardened central running rail by the under
side of the head, while the two low or horizontal outer sides of these
binding and carrying angle iron bars form a duplex lateral projecting
and broad or narrow level sole, which may either be secured to transverse
or longitudinal sleepers, as the lower broad flanged rails have been made
to do heretofore, or be made to rest on the ballast or the ground itself
in certain cases, when the lower sides of the angle iron are made wide
enough and have their outer edges curved down all along or at intervals
to catch the ballast and support the working pressure of the trains and
traffic as malleable iron and cast-iron sleepers do. The two single rails
so constructed are bound and secured together in the usual manner (to
the proper width or gauge to form the duplex line of rails) by transversc
tie bars or rods secured to the vertical webs or to the horizontal resting
flanges, or both when desired, substantially as done in the usual manner
in other constructions of rails or sleepers.
The new or improved rails (for the general traffic rails of railways
and tramways) are by this Invention made also of chilled cast iron, all
otherwise substantially as herein described in reference to those having
hardened steel bearing centre rails, except that to suit most kinds of

page_text: chilled iron castings, which are more brittle than hardened steel, the
length of the chilled rails, blocks or pieces will vary as, say, from four
feet to four inches, according to the tensile and breaking quality of the
chilled iron. When desired these improved hardened steel and chilled
rails so made may be fixed in or on to any of the ordinary forms of cast
or malleable iron chairs or sleepers heretofore in use; the same as other
forms and constructions of rails have been. These new or improved
hardened steel rails or blocks may be either cast or rolled as other bars
or blocks of steel are for other purposés, according to the kind of steel
employed, and afterwards tempered or hardened on the bearing and
wearing part of the T head, or wholly so hardened by sudden cooling
as such steels are usually hardened, and as well known and so hardened
for other purposes; and when they are made of chilled cast iron they
are cast and chilled either on the top of the T head, or wholly as desired
in cold cast iron or other moulds in the same manner that other chilled
cast iron articles have been made heretofore. These hardened stcel or
chilled rails may also be made in long lengths, and either broken into.
the short lengths (capable of standing' the pressure and work) before
being put together between their elastic binding bars or angled iron,
or broken or allowed to be broken after being put together, and before
or when laid down, or when laid down by the weight and action of the
rolling stock and traffic. The ends of these short articulate rails may
either abut square on to each other, or be spliced or checked into each
other horizontally or laterally, and the bolts for securing the angle iron.
bars at the sides to them may either pass through holes in the body
of their vertical web or through recesses formed at the ends of each
piece, according as preferred to suit particular applications and cases.
No claim of novelty is made by the petitioners as to the modes of
hardening the steel or steel rails, or chilling the cast iron or cast-iron
rails, nor do the petitioners make claim to inventing or making the
crossings or the short lengths of the rails or points for these and
the shifting parts of "off-sets" of railways with hardened or case
hardened" steel or chilled cast iron, as these may have been done
heretofore; the novelty of the said Invention consisting substantially in
making the general rails of railways and tramways of the said hardened
and chilled metals, all so as to stand the great strain required of them
in all the temperatures of different climates, with the requisite clasticity
or yielding deflection necessary for their practical success in sustaining-

page_text: the general traffic of permanent ways, and even give and maintain a
greater uniformity of the bearing and acting surface with a greater
durability or age of duration than is possible with the other rails
heretofore in use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Barker and James McFarlane in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 12th December 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
BARKER, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer,
and JAMES MCFARLANE, of the same Place, Engineer, at present
residing at Middlesborough-on-Tees, in the County of York, England,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said George Barker and James McFarlane,
Her special licence that we, the said George Barker and James
McFarlane, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said George Barker and James McFarlane, 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 CON-
STRUCTION OF RAILS FOR RAILWAYS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said George Barker and James McFarlane, our exccutors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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 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 George Barker and James
McFarlane, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in

page_text: what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say:—
Our said Invention' has reference to a new or improved construction
or mode and means of constructing the rails of railways, or of railways
'sometimes tormed tramways, which will be more suitable for permanent
ways, heavy traffic, or much worked railways, as they will be far more
durable, and last for a much longer period or time, and when laid
down be more equally elastic or yielding under the action of the rolling
stock and train of carriages than lines of rails have been in themselves
(without longitudinal beams below them) as heretofore constructed.
"
And the nature of our said Invention consists in tempering or
hardening steel rails of any desired sectional form, but specially and
by preference, with the T form of bearing head, and having a central
vertical feather or web thickened or enlarged towards the lower edge,
and made in blocks or lengths by preference much shorter than such
rails. have heretofore been made, that is, of such a length as would
be suitable and compatible with the breaking test or quality of the
particular hardened' steel used, as say from six feet to six inches in
length, all so bound together as to form a continuous running or
bearing-headed rail, by and in the centre between continuous lengths
of ordinary rolled or formed angle iron, or kneed bars, formed either of
iron or steel not hardened, bolted on each side of the central feather
of the said hardened steel rail, and with their end joints breaking
band," and having the two upper edges of their vertical sides bearing
on and supporting the lateral sides of the new hardened central running
rail by the under side of the T head, while the two low or horizontal
outer sides of these binding and carrying angle iron bars form a duplex
lateral projecting and broad or narrow level sole, which may either be
secured to transverse or longitudinal sleepers, as the lower broad flanged
rails have been made to do heretofore, or be made to rest on the ballast,
or the ground itself in certain cases, when the lower sides of the angle
iron are made wide enough, and have their outer edges curved down
all along or at intervals to catch the ballast and support the working
pressure of the trains and traffic as malleable iron and cast-iron sleepers
do. The two single rails so constructed are bound and secured together
in the usual manner (to the proper width or gauge to form the duplex

page_text: line of rails) by transverse tie bars or rods secured to the vertical webs,
or to the horizontal resting flanges, or both when desired, substantially
as done in the usual manner in other-constructions of rails or sleepers.
The new or improved rails (for the general traffic rails of railway s
and tramways) are by this Invention made also of chilled cast iron, all
otherwise substantially as herein described in reference to those having
hardened steel bearing centre rails, except that to suit most kinds of
chilled iron castings, which are more brittle than hardened steel, the
length of the chilled rails, blocks or pieces will vary as say from four or.
six feet to four inches according to the tensile or breaking quality of
the chilled iron. When desired these improved hardened steel and chilled
rails so made may be fixed in or on to any of the ordinary forms of
cast or malleable iron chairs or sleepers heretofore in use, the same as
other forms and constructions of rails have been. These new or improved
hardened steel rails or blocks may be either cast or rolled as other bars
or blocks of steel are for other purposes, according to the kind of steel
employed, and afterwards tempered or hardened on the bearing and
wearing part of the T head, or wholly so hardened, by sudden cooling, as
such steels are usually hardened, and as well known, and so hardened for
other purposes,
and when they are made of chilled cast iron they are cast
and chilled either on the top of the T head, or wholly, as desired, in
cold cast-iron or other moulds, in the same manner that other chilled
cast-iron articles have been made heretofore. These hardened steel or
chilled rails may also be made in long lengths, and either broken into
the short lengths (capable of standing the pressure and work) before
being put together between their elastic binding bars or angled iron,
or broken or allowed to be broken after being put together, and before
or when laid down, or when laid down by the weight and action of
the rolling stock and traffic. The ends of these short articulate rails
may either abut square on to each other, or be spliced or checked into
cach other horizontally or laterally, and the bolts for securing the angle
iron bars at the sides to them may either pass through holes in the
body of their vertical web or through recesses formed at the ends of
each piece according as preferred to suit particular applications and
'cases.
The novelty of our said Invention consists substantially in making
the general rails (or main "running" parts of these) for railways and
tramways of the said hardened and chilled metals, and yet all so as to

page_text: stand the great strain required of them in all the temperatures of
different climates, with the requisite elasticity or yielding deflection
necessary for their practical success in sustaining the general traffic
of permanent ways, and even give and maintain a greater uniformity
of the bearing and acting (or traction and rolling) surface, with a
greater and longer durability or age of duration than is possible with
the constructions of rails and railways heretofore in use.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing
the same may be properly understood, we shall now proceed to describe
the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings which we
have hereunto appended for the purpose of showing what we at present.
believe to be the best modifications and arrangements for so carrying.
the same into effect or practice, the same letters of reference indicating
the same or like parts in all the Figures.
---
--
.
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively transverse and longitudinal sections.
taken on the lines 1. 1, and 2 - 2, in the corresponding plan,
Figure 3, all of (or showing) a single length of two rails (of the new
or improved construction) forming a short piece of a single line of
railway secured to transverse sleepers, which are shown as broken away
to save space in the Drawing and constructed in accordance with and
illustrative of one modification or construction and adaptation of our
said Invention. Figure 4 shows a transverse vertical section of the
rail as taken on the line 3 . 3, in Figure 2 to a large scale, so as to
show the form and details of construction of the several parts in this
modification and arrangement, and Figures 5 and 6 are transverse
sections of our new or improved construction of rails being very slightly
different from that shown in Figures 1 to 4.
-->> M
Referring to these Figures I to 6 the part of each rail on which the
wheels run is formed of short lengths A, A³, of either steel or cast iron
hardened or chilled, by preference on the acting and wearing surface à
of the broad head A, having a strong deep central feather A¹ in the
form of a T, widening out at the lower part a', (although these central
parts may be of other forms in cross section). These short hardened
lengths or blocks A, A', are firmly secured close in a line end to end
(with flat joints as shown in Figure 2ª, or with checked or lapped
joints as, shown at Figures 2b or 3) by the two long rolled knee iron
binding bars or rails B, B', of malleable iron, or it may be of steel not

page_text: hardened, one bar on each side of the vertical web or feather A' fixed
by bolts or rivets C, C¹, passing through the whole three vertical
feathers B, A, B, which draw the top edges of the outer binding
bars B', B³, close up to the under side of the head A assisted by the
expanding part a¹ at the lower part of the central feather A³, while the
horizontal webs B, B, form a continuous flat sole or base by which
the whole compound rail so formed rests on and is secured to the wood
or iron cross sleepers D or D¹, by the usual wood thread screws, spikes,
or bolts d, ď, d, or it may be to wood or iron sleepers laid longitu-
dinally as shown at D³, D", Figures 7, 7, the ends of the binding
bars B, B, (which give the main or tough elasticity and strength to
the long compound rail so constructed) are made to pass each other
as shown at B", all so as to "break band" or joint and "fish." these
ends and the centre parts A, A', of the adjacent rails so completely
together as to make a continuous line of rail with a hard true traction
and running surface and of a most uniform and durable and strong
character. In one line of rail, Figures 1 to 3, the binding bolts Care
shown passed through holes e one on each side of every end joint a
of the short central parts A, A³, of the rail, which is secured by coarse
threaded screws d to the wood sleepers D, the other line of rails being
shown with the binding bolts C passed through holes or cheoks C"
formed in or at the joints o" of the short parts A, A', of the rail which
is shown as scoured to the sleepers by spikes and to the iron sleepers
by screw bolts a".
In some cases the vertical webs B', A¹, B', may be bound together
by rivets C¹ as shown at Figure 6 and other Figures, especially when
it was desired to send out these rails so made in long single lengths
ready for being laid and "fished" together on the spot, the sleepers
D, D', being laid on the ground or ballast as heretofore. The hardened
short lengths or blocks A, A¹, when made of steel may be rolled
in long lengths of the desired shape in cross section and then cut
into the short lengths desired while yet hot by circular saws, and have
the running surface a of the head A tempered or hardened by dipping
it into a bath of cold water while at the red heat necessary for so
hardening it, or the wholo picce may be so hardened by wholly
immersing it, the length of each piece depending on the quality of the
steel and the hardness thus given to it and lateral breaking strength of
the piece, and when these pieces A, A³, are made of cast iron they can

page_text: be moulded and cast (as other castings) of the desired sectional shape
and short lengths, having a cold iron piece or "chill" J for the part
of the mould forming the head, as indicated in red lines. at the
sectional diagram Figure 1º, and which could be ground in the groove
forming the surface a so as to insure correctness and uniformity of size
and shape. The length of these pieces A, A³, will vary as experience
may determine according to the quality of the steel used; we consider
from twelve inches to four or even six feet, and for chilled cast iron
from six inches to two or even three feet according to the quality of the
metal employed, but the exact limits cannot well be fixed. The holes o
for the binding bolts C or rivets C₁ in the central parts A' of the rails
may either be cast or bored in them and be slightly larger than the
bolts, and these holes in the binding bars B, B', can either be punched'
while hot or cold or be bored in them.
Figures 7, 8, and 9, are respectively transverse and longitudinal
sections and plan of a part of a line of railway showing onc length of
another modification of our Invention and improved construction of
rails (somewhat different from those described in reference to Figures 1
to 6) in which the hardened central rail parts A, A¹, are made of cast
iron, bound or "fished" together by two simple flat bars B', fitted into
the hollow part on each side between the head A and sole B,. and
shown as secured by rivets C', passed through the joints a", and when
so riveted the overlapping end B" of the binding bars B¹ may have
extra holes and bolts to secure them as indicated at c in Figure 8, the
enlarged lower parts in this modification are extended out laterally
at a" in the form of rail (known as the "Vignoles" rail) or of a turned H
or reverse double L (I,.,) section, as seen in the transverse section
to a large scale in Figure 10, so that these extended flanges, a² form
the sole or base (equivalent to B, B, in the former examples Figures 1-
to 6) for fixing the whole composite rail to its sleepers D³, D", which
in this arrangement are preferred to be of the longitudinal class, either,
of wood or of an ordinary construction as shown, or they may in some
cases be laid down on and secured by bolts (as d", in Figures 3 and 7°)
to strong permanent cast-iron longitudinal sleepers D"; by preference
with a thin thickness of wood or other soft or elastic durable substance
between the sole a² and the sleeper D", as indicated at Figure 7", in
which case the rails may be retained at the gauge width by tie bars E
or E¹ passed through the body B', A¹, B', of the rails, or the sleepers D¹
instead of the ordinary transverse beams F, Figures 7, 8, and 9..... .j

page_text: .
Figure 11 is a transverse section of a slightly different modification
of our improved rails (from that shown in Figures 7 to 10) in which the
sole part of the hardened cast-iron central parts A, A', of the rail is
extended over to the one side in the form of an L, having the other side B
of the sole formed by the long malleable iron knee binding bars B, B¹,
as described in reference to Figures 1 to 6; this construction of rail
also is more applicable for longitudinal than for transverse sleepers.
Figures 12, 13, and 14 are respectively transverse and longitudinal
sections and plan of part of a line of rails, showing the construction and
arrangement of the parts of another modification of our said improve-
ments, shown also in transverse section to a large scale in Figure 15, in
which the sole part B, B, of the malleable iron knee binding bars B, B¹,
is extended much wider than shown and described in reference to
Figures 1 to 6, still more in the form of a reverse or double()
with the edges curved down so as to form a long, broad, hollow
segmental base or sleeper G, resting on the ground, sand, or ballast Z,
upon which it takes a great hold from being held and compressed within
the hollow part g; the two rails thus constructed and laid are secured
and retained at the gauge by the broad edge tie bars E riveted or
bolted to the vertical web B¹, A', B', at e, or theso tie bars may
be either secured or cottered to the webs or the segmental sleeper
part G.
Figures 16, 17, 18, and 19 are respectively a transverse and longi-
tudinal section, plan, and enlarged transverse section of a modification
of the improved rails of the form described in reference to Figures 12
to 15, in which, however, the longitudinal segmental sleeper part G is
formed or cast along with the short central rail parts A, A', thus forming
the rail and sleeper combined in short pieces, bound together by the
malleable iron knee bars B, B¹, having narrow flanges B, in this case
screwed up tight between the under side of the head, and the top of
the arched sleeper made straight for some distance at the central part b.
The top surface a is hardened or chilled, as herein-before described, the
whole resting by the cast-iron segmental part G on the ballast as a
continuous sleeper, as shown at G, or as segmental pot or bed sleepers
with the corners cut away or rounded off, as shown respectively at
G¹, G", in Figures 17 and 18, with one or more transverse strengthening
feathers g', and which allows the ballast Z to be conveniently ramined
under and within the arched or sleeper parts G', G", (after they have

page_text: been laid down or when they sink) to raise the rails to their proper
level.
Figures 20, 21, and 22 are respectively transverse and longitudinal
sections and plan of another modification of short rail parts A, A³, and
sleeper G being formed in one of the round or elliptical pot sleeper,
or hollow domed sleeper form and class. retaining the earth, sand, or
ballast below and within the hollow part g all round.
The form and construction of the parts are clearly seen in the large
scale side elevation and plan, Figures 23 and 24 of one of the combined
cast-iron rail and pot sleeper pieces A, A', G, (corresponding to Figure 19
which also answers as a transverse section of this modification, as well
as that of Figures 20, 21, and 22, and to which it corresponds in other
respects,) these rail and sleeper parts A, A, G, being similarly bolted by
the knee rails B, B', B, B', and secured to gauge width by the transverse
tie bars E by the bolt C, or passed and bolted or cottered through the
holes indicated in red at E or E' in Figures 23 and 24.
Figures 25 and 26 show transverse sections of (double-headed I) rails
suitable for tramways, having the running rail A, A', either made of
steel or cast iron hardened or chilled, and the large head A flat and level
with the roadway having the groove f in it for the flanges of the
wheels of the carriages and waggons to run in, the whole top surface a
and groove being hardened or chilled, as indicated by the white part
left round the chilled surfaces in all the large scale transverse sections
on the Sheet of Drawings. The centre chilled rails are bound together
by double knce malleable iron bars B, B', one on each side of the central
feather A¹, as shown and described in reference to Figures 1 to 6, and
secured by rivets C¹; that shown at Figure 25 is made with the
sole B, B, flat, for resting on a longitudinal sleeper D³ of the same
width as the head A sunk in the ground, for the purpose of being
retained between the deep stones H of the roadway. Figure 26 shows
the base flanges B wider than in the former Figure, and angled down-
wards at G so as to form a long broad recess to hold and retain the earth
or ballast under and within it (as described in reference to Figures 12
to 15), thus forming the continuous sleeper and rail resting and em-
bedded in the ordinary material or ballast of which the roadway is made,
the two rails being in this case kept at gauge distance by screwed,
cottered, or riveted transverse stays E.
'

page_text: Figures 27, 28, and 29 are a transverse section, side elevation, and
plan of a portion of a length or line of rails to a small scale of the
modification of combined rail and sleeper shown in Figure 26, suffi-
cient to show the general construction and arrangement of these rails
applicable to a tramway.
Figure 30 is a transverse section of a similar form of our improved
construction of rails (suitable for tramways) to that shown and described
in reference to Figure 25, except that the main short chilled rails are
riveted together by and through two narrow flat binding bars B', one
on each side, the lower broad base part or head a being formed of cast
iron in one with the central rail and web A, A', so as to rest on or be
secured to longitudinal beams of wood or sleepers D³ analogous to that
described in reference to Figures 7 to 10 and 25, and sunk between and
on a level with the stones forming the roadway.
Figure 31. is a transverse section of a bridge-shaped hardened or
chilled cast-iron rail for tramways otherwise substantially similar to that
shown and described in reference to Figure 30, except that small bosses
or eyes A³ are cast with the holes c through them for the binding
rivets C¹ or bolts C when these are used.
Figures 32 to 38 are transverse sections, shown to a large scale, of
various modifications of our improved construction of rails, in which
the short pieces A, A¹, are formed substantially with the same T-headed
rail, having the enlargement a at the bottom on one or both sides
of the rib A³, but this rib or feather A' may also be made parallel, as
shown at Figure 34, when desired, otherwise they are all as shown and :
described in reference to Figures 1 to 6, and like those capable of
being made with hardened running heads A either of steel or cast iron,
and all bound together by rivets C¹ or bolts C passed through their side
binding malleable iron rails B¹, B, or wood beams B³ as continuous
longitudinal sleepers, all capable of being laid on and into the roadway a
or ballast up to the bottom or shoulder of their running heads A, as
indicated in the several Figures at ½, so as to be very strong and steady
to resist the lateral and tilting strain better than those forms of rails
'which stand the whole depth of the rail above their base and point of
fixture. Figure 32 has the broad horizontal flanges B of the binding a
sleepers B, B', at the top with the tie bar E for maintaining the gauge
of the two rails bolted to the under side of the near flange B, which is
shown lower on that side where the flanges of the running wheels work,

page_text: to give more wearing height to the hardened licad A. and freedom to
the wheels. Figure 33 is much the same as that shown at Figure 32,
only the vertical feather A' is made deeper to allow of the short
hardened running rails A, A¹, being secured by the two longitudinal
wood sleepers B³ one on each side, secured by long bolts passed through
the whole; this arrangement is very suitable for countries where.good
wood is plentiful for forming these sleepers. Figure 34 is substantially
the same as Figure 32 with a parallel central web A' and the horizontal
bearing flanges as B on the same level.
.
Figures 35 and 36 show two slightly different modifications with the
horizontal bearing webs B of the binding sleepers reversed, the one up
at the surface of the roadway and shoulder of the head, and the other
at the bottom of the rail; the first Figure 35, showing the tie bar in red
as either secured to vertical feathers A', B¹, or the bearing flange B of
the sleeper B, B', according to the side the flanges of the wheels are
made to run on; the latter, Figure 36, showing an arrangement made
suitable for tramways by forming a recess f¹ between the running side
of the head A and a vertical feather 6 on the bearing framing B of the
slecper.
Figures 37 and 38 show two modifications with the lower long broad
bearing sleeper part B³ made in one piece, the former having the binding
vertical web part B¹ formed by a knec, and the latter by a projecting
vertical supporting and binding feather B both capable of being rolled
in malleable iron and bound and "fished" by a long rolled malleable.
iron binding knee bar B, B', in both cases secured so as to bind the
rail A, A, between them by bolts or. rivets C, C, passing through the
vertical webs B¹, A¹, B¹¹¹, and the soles B and B³ of the binding and
fishing" knce bar and sleeper.
"
•
Our said improved composite rails A, A³, B, B, may also be made, as
shown at 6, 6b, by bolting or riveting the short hardened steel or chilled
cast iron running rails A, A³, between two plain solid vertical steel or
malleable iron binding bars B', one on each side, in the form of rails
capable of being wedged or otherwise fixed as usual into chairs or com-
bined chair, pot, and other sleepers, as plain single forms of rails have
been fixed heretofore. In making these rails A, A¹, we prefer to make
○ in.
them similar on both sides of their central vertical line O - -
Figure 4 so that the binding web B¹ will fit either side, and the whole rail
may either be set with this line O - - - - O to the angle inwards to make
.

page_text: ..
the
upper surface a of the head A of the rail to suit the rolling surface
of the wheels, or this surface a of the rail may be angled for this purpose
when the rail would stand vertically.
Although throughout the Specification we have shown and described
the shape as the best for making the short central hardened steel or
cast-iron rails A, A', of, as it allows of two binding rails B' more simply,
yet still it is to be understood that these parts of our improved rails may
be made of other shapes and sizes than those shown and described, and
that instead of chilling the heads only of these as described they may
also be cast wholly of hard or hard mixtures of cast iron which would
be strengthened in the same manner as the tempered steel or chilled
ones by their. long binding bars B, B'. In manufacturing these com-
pound rails they may be riveted up in lengths leaving the ends B" of
the long splicing or "fishing" binding bars B' projecting at opposite
sides (as shown in the several plan views Figures 3, 9, 14, & 18) so 1
that each single length or rail could be bolted or riveted together when
laying them down on their sleepers or ballast; .or otherwise the parts.
A, A, and B, B', could all be sent out separately and screwed or riveted
together on the spot when laying the railway whichever was found most
convenient for transit and shipment.
2
Instead of the hardened steel and chilled cast-iron rails A, A³, being
made in short lengths as described they may, if preferred, be made and
riveted or bolted up in long rails between their binding bars B, B¹, or B¹,
and allowed to be broken after being laid down by the weight and
action of the running wheels and stock at the parts and to the.lengths 2
their tensile strength would stand.
Having thus particularly described the nature of our said Invention
and the manner in which the same is or may be performed, we have to
state that we do not claim the mere modes and means of hardening
steel rails or of chilling iron or cast-iron rails generally or as a principle, 3
nor do we claim as new the making of crossings, or the short angled
lengths of rails or points for these and the shifting parts of "off-sets" of
railways with hardened or case hardened" steel, or chilled cast iron,
as these may have been done heretofore; but what we consider novel.
and original- and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the 3
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the making and using
of the rails of railways and tramways with the bearing part of steel
hardened, or of hard or chilled cast iron, and binding them together
66

page_text: with long bars of malleable iron or of steel not hardened so as practi-
cally and successfully to give the upper surface great hardness and
wearing power, and the whole rail so made great tensile strength, all
substantially in the new or improved manner herein described and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Barker, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
10 Witness,
JOHN THOMSON,
Patent Agent,
20, Buchanan Street,
Glasgow.
(L.s.) GEORGE BARKER.