ImprOVEMENTS IN REPAIRING WORN OR DAMAGED RAILS OF PERMANENT WAY, AND IN THE COMBINATION BINATION AND ARRANGEMENT OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hugh Baines, of Normanton, in the County of
York, Engineer, for the Invention of “ImprOVEMENTS IN REPAIRING
WORN OR DAMAGED RAILS OF PERMANENT WAY, AND IN THE COMBINATION
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hugh Baines at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th July 1870.
I, HUGH BAINES, of Normanton, in the County of York, Engineer,
5 do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REPAIRING WORN OR DAMAGED RAILS OF PERMANENT WAY, AND IN THE COM-
BINATION AND ARRANGEMENT OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to
be as follows:_
This Invention relates to improvements in repairing rails of permanent
way, and to a peculiar combination of machinery or plant, and to
certain peculiar constructions of the same whereby worn or damaged
rails may be economically, efficiently, and expeditiously repaired with a
minimum amount of manual labour.

page_text: In carrying out this Invention I propose to combine together in one
establishment or works certain plant or machinery arranged and con-
structed substantially in the manner herein-after set forth for the
expeditious repair of rails. The rails to be repaired are brought to the
works on railway trucks and discharged on to "skids," and taken thence
on a lorry running on a tramway to the heating furnace. This lorry
is provided with cams on rocking shafts for depositing the rails on move-
able overhanging "skids" which support their outer ends whilst the
damaged portion only of the rail to be heated is in the furnace. The furnace
is provided with multiple small doors opened by chains and overhead
levers so that as little air as possible enters the furnace when introducing
or removing a rail. Doors are provided at the front and back of the
furnace and suitable bearer bars (adapted to the forms of the rails) are
situate outside the doors. I prefer to use two furnaces, the waste heat
from one being employed for generating steam in a steam boiler. The
rails have patches of iron placed on their damaged parts before being
introduced into the furnace, the patch and rail being heated together.
These patches are specially shaped to suit the nature of the damage
to be made good and are combined with filling pieces in some cases
where an extra amount of metal is required. When heated to a welding
heat the rail with its patch is withdrawn and deposited on a rail carriage
provided with suitably shaped rollers to receive the rail according to the
particular form or section of rail under treatment. This carriage runs
on a rail track and presents the damaged rail to the rolling and finishing
mill. The rolling mill consists of top and bottom rolls or rings having
a portion of their periphery cut away to allow of the cold part of the
rail being entered, and to bring the patched part just up to the rolls.
On starting the rolls the patch is rolled and welded into the rail and
makes good the loss of metal occasioned by wear, the rolled or repaired
part conforming exactly to the remaining portions of the rail when
finished. In some cases side friction rolls are used in combination with
the top and bottom rolls. The finishing rings or rolls are formed on the
overhanging ends of the top and bottom rolls and have two grooves or
passes formed therein so arranged that the web or burr left by one pass
shall be completely obliterated by the other pass. These rolls are driven
by a screw and worm wheel actuated by crossed straps and reversing
pullies and are pressed together by weighted levers assisted by foot
pressure when required. One of the two side or friction rollers before
referred to is pressed towards the opposite friction roller by a foot lever

page_text: and cams when the nip is required. The rail having been thus rolled
is sawn to the exact proper length by a circular saw carried on the
housing of the rolling mill, but in order to gauge the proper length to
which the rail is to be cut a set of gauge posts with moveable gauge
pieces are erected in front of the saw. The sawn rail is then run along
flanged pullies or rollers carried in the tops of posts driven into the
ground, and thereby passed to skids or hot beds from which it is passed
along other flanged rollers to a hydraulic straightener which straightens
the rail, from the straightener the rail is passed along flanged pullies
to another set of skids or supports whence it is transferred along
another set of flanged rollers to a hydraulic punching machine which
punches the requisite bolt holes therein. The straightener and punch are
both worked with a continuous supply of water pumped through the
cylinders by force pumps actuated continually by the engine of the works.
Valves are adapted to the hydraulic cylinders so arranged as that on
moving a hand lever the ram of the apparatus can be instantly started
when required by reason of the circulation or outflow of the water from
the cylinder being stopped, the outflow pipe discharges into a funnel
mouth attached to the return pipe which is in communication with the
force pumps so that the same water may be re-employed. The repaired
rails are conveyed to inclined skids up which they are passed to a suffi-
cient elevation to be conveniently loaded on to the railway trucks and
conveyed to their destination. It is important that the height of the
skids with the exception of the first skids and the more elevated ends of
the last or inclined skids should be at one uniform height above the
ground, say 1 foot 9 inches, and that the tops of the cams in the lorry,
the bearer bars of the furnaces, the tops of the rollers in the roller carriage,
as well as the tops of the rollers on the several posts, should also be at
or near the same height from the ground in order to facilitate as much as
possible the transfer of the rails from one part to another of the works.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Hugh Baines in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th January 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HUGH
BAINES, of Normanton, in the County of York, Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Hugh Baines, Her special license
that I, the said Hugh Baines, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Hugh Baines, my executors,
administrators, or 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 REPAIRING WORN OR DAMAGED RAILS OF PERMANENT WAY, AND IN COMBINATION
AND ARRANGEMENT OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Hugh Baines, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, 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 I, the said Hugh Baines, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
My said Invention relates to a peculiar arrangement and combination
of machinery and plant, and to certain peculiar constructions of the
same, whereby worn or damaged rails may be economically, efficiently,
and expeditiously repaired with a minimum amount of manual labor.
It has been practically ascertained that by the use of this system of
repairing about two hundred rails can be repaired per day, at a cost of
about twenty pounds, the enormous expence of cutting up old rails and
re-rolling them being obviated.
In carrying out this Invention I propose to combine together in one
establishment or works, certain plant or machinery conveniently arranged
and suitably constructed for the expeditious repair of rails as shewn on

page_text: Sheet 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed, which represents a general
ground plan of the works, the said plant or machinery being herein-
after more fully described and illustrated in detail.
-
A, A, are the walls of the building, and B, B, are doorways; C, is
a track or siding along which the rails to be repaired are brought into
the yard outside the building in railway trucks or wagons. D, D, are
fixed skids or rails supported on posts driven into the ground and
resting on the surface thereof, on to which the damaged rails are laid as
they are unloaded from the truck. E is a lorry track situate on the
opposite side of the fixed skids D, to that on which the siding is laid
for the passage along it of a peculiarly constructed lorry E¹ herein-after
described, which travels to and fro between the skids D and one of a
pair of peculiarly constructed furnaces marked No. 1 and No. 2 respec-
tively (also herein-after described), in which the rails to be repaired
are heated, each rail having a properly shaped patch of iron herein-
after referred to placed upon the damaged part before it is introduced
into the furnace, so that the damaged part of the rail and its patch are
both heated together at the same time and in the same furnace.
F, F,
are sliding skids herein-after described for supporting the rail ends
when in the furnace. A peculiarly constructed rail carriage F' (herein-
after described) receives each rail singly from the furnace, so soon as
it is sufficiently heated and conveys it along a track G (at right angles
to the lorry track) in front of the rolls H which weld the patch to the
rail, and impart the desired shape or contour to the repaired part as
hercin-after described). These rolls consist of a set of friction rolls
and a pair of double pass finishing rolls, the passes in the latter being
so disposed that the ridge left by one pass shall be entirely removed by
the second pass as herein-after fully explained and illustrated by
Drawings. I is a peculiarly constructed guage (herein-after described)
situate opposite to a circular saw carried on the housings of the rolls,
between which guage and the saw the repaired rail on its carriage
must pass, thereby ensuring the rail being cut to the proper length;
K, K, are posts (colored blue in the Drawing Sheet 1) provided -each
with a single flanged roller on its upper end and situate in a line with
the saw guage I for the purpose of enabling the sawn rails to be run
direct off the carriage F in front of a hot bed, which consists of
a number of stationary rails L supported on other posts M, M', and
N, N', the posts M (colored red on Shect 1) are in line with the posts K.

page_text: .
and carry single flanged rollers as hercin-after described. The posts.
shewn in black in Sheet 1 merely serve as supports to the skids, and
do not carry rollers. Those colored blue carry rollers only and do not
serve as supports to the skids, whilst those posts coloured red not only
carry rollers, but at the same time serve to support the skids as herein-
after more fully described. O is a hydraulic straightener into which
the rails are run singly along the rollers on the posts M' (colored red)
in a line with the straightener in order to be straightened, after which
they are run along other rollers on the posts P, P, and Q (also in a
line with the straightener), the posts P, P, serving also to support the
fixed skid rails R which receive the straightened rails, Should the
rail require still further repair at the centre or at the opposite end it is
pushed along the skids R and is lifted on to another set of posts and
rollers S, S, and T, immediately in line with the hydraulic punch U which
punches the bolt and spike holes therein. The rails, as fast as they are
punched are turned round end for end and slid on to the skids V along
which they are pushed on to a second lorry V' (like the one E¹ first
referred to) running along the track W which conveys them in batches
of ten, say, to the furnace marked No. 2 which is similar to that marked
No. 1 where they are supported whilst being heated by resting upon the
overhanging sliding skid rails X, similiar to those marked F already
referred to in connection with No. 1 furnace. After having been duly
heated with its patch each rail is placed singly upon the charging
carriage F¹ running along the track G as before mentioned and is again
conveyed to the rolls H and afterwards guaged and sawn or not as is
found requisite. The rail having been thus repaired in every part is
passed out of the works along single flanged rollers on the blue and red
posts marked K, M, S, T, Y and Z, in line with the saw gauge and
pushed thence on to the skids a which incline upwards towards their
outer ends to a convenient elevation for transferring them into trucks or
wagons running along the track or siding 6 which convey them to their
destination. Should there not be sufficient rails requiring repair at both
ends to keep both the furnaces No. 1 and No. 2 going then some of the
rails to be repaired should be placed on the skids c, c, so as to keep the
furnace No. 2 constantly at work. The hydraulic straightener and
punch are connected by circulating pipes d and e, (shown in blue lines
on Sheet 1) with pumps worked by an eccentric from the main shaft of
the engine at f whereby a constant supply of water to both the machines
is maintained and is brought into use as required in the manner herein-

page_text: after fully explained. The draught for the heating furnaces is obtained
either by means of high chimney or by means of a fan 9 connected by
pipes with each furnace. The waste heat from the furnace No. 1 serves
to generate the steam in the boiler i, but in case such furnace be out of
work a grate is fitted under the boiler at the smoke box end which
enables the boiler to be heated independently, a damper in the neck of
the furnace No. 1 communicating with the boiler being then shut down.
A double forge for scarfing is erected at k.
Having given a general description of the arrangement and com-
bination of plant specially designed for the ready repair of damaged
rails, I shall now proceed more particularly to describe the various
elements of which such combination is composed, reference being had to
the illustrative Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 on Sheet 2 of my Drawings represents a sectional elevation
of one of the lorries or charging carriages marked E¹ and V' on Sheet 1,
which I employ for bringing up the damaged rails to the furnaces and
introducing them therein; Figure 2 is an end clevation of the same;
and Figure 3 is a plan thereof.
This lorry consists of two side frames A, A, connected together by
tie rods B, B, and mounted upon axles C, C, the wheels of which are
guaged to fit the tracks marked E and W on Sheet 1. In notches on
the upper edges of the frames A are fitted the journals a, a, of the
cams D, D, upon which the rails to be conveyed to say No. 1 furnace
(Sheet 1), are deposited as shewn in Figure 1. These cams lean slightly
out of perpendicular against the stops or lateral supports b, b, on the
frames A when loaded with rails. The dotted lines shew the cams
turned down for the purpose of passing under the moveable skid rails
as herein-after explained. A square end c is formed on each end of
the cam shafts and a lever or wrench is fitted thereon for turning the
cams D. The surface of the various skids (with the exception of the
upper ends of the inclined skids a), as also the tops of the various
rollers in the posts herein-before referred to, in reference to Sheet 1
should be all on the same level which I prefer to be about 1 foot 9
inches above the ground line. The hearths of the two heating furnaces
should also be at the same level. The apices of the cams D, D, in the
lorries E', V', should be a trifle higher than the tops of the sliding skids
marked F and X on Sheet 1. Or, say, 1 foot 10 inches above the ground
line. The rails to be repaired are lifted from the skids D, D, (Sheet 1)

page_text: and deposited on the upright cams D, D, on the lorry in batches of say,
10, so disposed that five rails shall come on to each side of the centre
pier of the furnace as herein-after explained. The lorry with its load
is then run along its track E (Sheet 1) up to the furnace No. 1 (Sheet 1)
but before this the overhanging ends of the moveable skids F, F,
(Sheet 1) are pushed back in order to admit of the lorry with its load
being brought up to the furnace. The doors of the furnace are now
opened and the rails pushed into it, sufficiently far to enable the
damaged part with a properly rolled patch (see Figures 4, 5, 6, 7,
and 8) deposited thereon to be heated. The moveable skids F, F,
(Sheet 1) are now run out so as to come underneath the ends of the
rails which overhang the front of the furnace. By turning down the
cams D of the lorry the rails will be lowered on to and supported by
the overhanging skids, whilst the lorry is free to pass under the over-
hanging skids back again for a fresh batch of rails.
Figure 9 (Sheet 2) is a sectional elevation of one of the pair of rails
and its supports constituting the moveable overhanging skids. It
consists of two parallel rails A- confined between top and bottom rollers
a, a, carried in brackets B, B¹, bolted to posts C, C', driven into the
ground. The rails A are free to run in or out between the antifriction
rollers a as may be required; in Figure 9 I have shewn them run out, their
overhanging ends supporting ten rails b, b, which are undergoing the
process of heating. In order to prevent this overhanging load fron
loosening or lifting the hind posts C¹, I dowel the lower ends of these
posts into wooden platforms about 5 feet beneath the surface, and weight
the same with blocks of stone, metal pigs, or other heavy bodies.
Before describing the furnace in which the damaged parts of the rails
with their patches are heated, I will describe the mode of preparing and
applying such patches. These patches are rolled in various shapes
according to the sections of rails to be repaired and to the nature and
extent of the damage to be made good, it being essential that little or
no extra new metal be applied to the rail beyond that which is requisite
to supply the loss incurred. In cases where extra damage has occurred I
make good the extra loss of metal by introducing filling pieces of iron
between the patch and the damaged part, but in all ordinary cases the patch
alone will be found to be sufficient to replace the loss of original material.
Figure 4 (Sheet 2) shews two kinds of patches applied to a double-
headed rail, the one A being rolled so as to fit the top and bottom

page_text: flanges as well as the web of the rail, but having nearly the whole of the
metal thrown into those parts which fit against the rail flanges; B is
a somewhat similar patch fitting the side of one of the flanges only.
In Figure 5 the patch C is laid upon the tread of the rail and is
hammered over the sides so as to cause it to clip the rail flange before
being introduced with the rail into the furnace;. Figure 6 shews a U large
rail with a flat patch D laid upon the tread, and Figures 7 and 8 shew a
side elevation and section of a patch E for a flat bottomed rail. In
those cases wherein a patch is applied to the centre portion of the rail
such patch should be scarfed at each end, but where a patch is applied
only to the end of a rail then that end which corresponds to the end of
the rail is left square and the other end only is scarfed.
Figure 8ª (Sheet 2) shows a transverse section and a corresponding
side elevation of another mode of patching a double-headed rail. a is
the rail; b, b, are the patches, and c, c, are packing pieces placed in the
webs immediately under the scarf end of each patch so as to supply an
extra quantity of metal which will at all times secure a perfect weld and
an uniform surface on each table of the rail.
Figure 10 (Sheet 3) represents a vertical section of my improved
furnace for heating the damaged parts of rails along with their patches;
Figure 11 is a corresponding sectional plan of the same; Figure 12 is a
tranverse section taken along the line 1-2, in Figure 11, and Figure 13
is a similar section taken along the line 3 and 4. A is the fire-place;
B, the fire-bridge; C, the heating chamber, over the bottom D of which
the rails to be heated are placed. This bottom is composed of fine sand,
and the chamber C communicates at one end by the neck E with the
flue and chimney F; G, G, are the front entrances of the furnace, and
H, H, are the back entrances situate opposite thereto, the two entrances
on both sides being separated by a centre pier of brickwork I. The front
entrances are closed by multiple small doors g, g, so as to expose as
small a space as practicable for the inlet of air when withdrawing the
rails, each door being capable of being opened or closed independently
by means of the levers K, K. In my Drawings I have represented
three doors for each of the front entrances, but of course their
number may be varied according to the width of the entrance. The
doors h, h, which cover the back entrances H, H, are each made in one
piece and are lifted by similar levers K' to those employed for the
multiple front doors g. M is a hole leading into the ash-pit under the

page_text: fire-place for the admission of the fan blast through the pipes marked h
on Sheet 1 of my Drawings. In front of the front and back entrances
to the heating chamber there is fitted a rail or horizontal bearer N, N',
the top edge of which should be slightly above the level of the furnace
bottom and serves as a rest or support for the rails whilst being heated.
These rests should be on the same level with the various skids and rollers
before referred to, or say one foot nine inches above the ground line,
whereby a great facility is afforded for the ready manovring or handling
of the rails; O is the firing hole. When heating flat bottomed and U rails
the bearers N, N³, have plain surfaces, but when heating double-headed
rails these bearers should be shaped in the manner shown at Figure 13
which represents on an enlarged scale a portion of such a rail bearer. In
this bearer a number of projections a are formed on its bearing surface
which fit the web only of the rail, thereby allowing the pieces or
patches intended to be welded to the rail to remain undisturbed by the
act of moving the rail in and out of the furnace.
Figure 14 (Sheet- 3) represents a plan of the rail carriage marked F¹
on Sheet 1, which travels along the track marked G on the same Sheet
and receives cach heated rail separately from the heating furnace in
order to convey it to the rolls marked H on Sheet 1 and herein-after
fully described. This carriage consists of a wooden or wrought iron beam
A supported upon four running wheels B, B, gauged to run on the track
G (Sheet 1). If made of wood as shown, the two overhanging ends
of the carriage are cased with cast-iron plates C supporting the rollers D,
D¹, two of which only are shown in Figure 14. These rollers should
be shaped to suit the shape of rail under repair. Thus, for example,
when a double-headed rail is being repaired the rollers D of the carriage
should correspond in contour to the bearer shown in Figure 13. The
centre roller D' which may be plain is carried between separate brackets
bolted to the sides of the carriage. The axles E of the running wheels
are keyed into the brackets F, F, and the wheels B run loose upon
them. When a rail is to be withdrawn from the heating furnace the
rail carriage (Figure 14) is run in front of the furnace, and the rail
to be removed is then slightly raised at its outer end, and the carriage
brought under it so as to receive its weight; the rail is then drawn out
of the furnace along the rollers D, D', the tops of which should be about
one inch above the tops of the sliding skid rails, the heated raib and patch
thus resting upon the rollers D. D', the carriage is run along its track G

page_text: opposite to the rolls marked H (Sheet 1). These rolls are illustrated
in detail on Sheets 4, 5, and 6.
Figure 15 (Sheet 4) represents a longitudinal vertical section of a
pair of rolls.
Figure 16 (Sheet 5) is an end elevation of the double pass finishing
rings on the outer ends of the roll; and Figure 17 (Sheet 6) is an
elevation of the opposite or driving end of the rolls.
In these 3 Figures A, A, are the housings; B is the top roll, and B'
the bottom roll (shewn in section); C is a ring for rolling the top of
a flat footed rail which is keyed on to the top roll B, this ring is shaped
to conform to the shape of the head of the rail, and has a portion cut
away as shewn by the dotted lines at a, to admit of the cold part of
the rail being pushed freely in between the top ring C and the bottom
ring C¹ keyed on the bottom roll B', the surface of the bottom ring is
plain in order to roll the flat foot of the rail. The sides of the rail
are rolled by the friction rollers D, D¹,
shaped to correspond thereto.
These rollers are contained in carriages E, E', resting upon the surface
of two bearers or beams, one of which is shewn at F. The carriage E
is fixed, but the carriage E' is capable of sliding along the bearers F
under the action of two cams G (one only of which is seen in Figure 15)
on the rocking shaft H to which a long foot lever i (shewn dotted) is
keyed. On inserting the cold part of the rail the friction roller D'
with its carriage E' moves back to allow it to enter, and when the
rolling of the damaged part and patch is to be effected a nip is put on
to it by the action of the cams G on pressing down the foot lever I.
The rail is presented to these rolls by the rail carriage before described
and illustrated by Figure 14 (Sheet.3). When repairing double-headed
rails by means of the friction rollers, these rollers must of course be so
shaped as to fit the rail. In lieu of driving the side rolls D, D', by
friction only as shewn in Figure 15 (Sheet 4), I prefer to drive such
rolls by mitre gearing, as shewn in Figure 15ª (Sheet 4), which arrange-
ment secures à sure traverse to the rail of whatever section it may
be. After passing through the friction rolls the rail whether flat footed
or double-headed is to be taken on its carriage F¹ to the double pass
finishing rings K, K', (herein-after described) and there completed.
The use of the friction rollers is however not absolutely necessary for
double-headed rails, as they may be repaired by means of the double
pass finishing rings K, K', alone, which I shall now proceed fully to

page_text: describe. The peculiarity of these rings K, K', here shewn as adapted
for the repair of flat footed rails is that two passes are made therein, and
that when adapted for flat footed rails the point of junction 6 between
the rolls or the open groove in No. 1 pass is left on the lower side, and
in No. 2 pass it is left on the upper side as shewn at U', so that the ridge
left by one pass is entirely removed by passing the same rail through
the other pass, as will be readily understood on referring to Figure 15.
Of course flats are left on the finishing rings K, K', as shewn by the dotted
lines in Figure 15 for the purpose of passing in the cold metal up to
the welding part; L, L', (Figure 16) are brackets carrying guide troughs
M, M', which are properly divided so as to direct the rail to cach par-
ticular pass as required. The hind trough M¹ (shewn partly broken
away in Figure 16 (Sheet 5) is longer than the entering trough M in
order to support the rail effectually when repairing the central portion
thereof. When repairing double-headed rails the trough should be
shaped similarly to the furnace bearers for those rails herein-before
described and illustrated at Figure 13ª, that is to say, they should be
formed with a central rib or projection which supports the rail and
keeps the flanges or heads from actual contact with the bottom of the
trough so as not to disturb the patches; Figure 18 (Sheet 5) represents
the two passes adapted for double-headed rails, the dotted lines shewing
the flat portions of the rings for the free entrance of the cold parts of the
rail between the rings; Figure 19 shews a double-headed rail with the
patch shewn in its place in dotted lines in the act of being rolled, and
Figure 20 shews in full lines the flat or open part of the rings with the
clearance allowed for inserting the rail. In Figure 18 the upper ring K
has deep tapered grooves to forge and cover the scarf. The repaired
part of the rail having been run through No. 1 pass, which is slightly
less than No. 2 pass, is run through No. 2 pass; the rail is then reversed
or turned upside down on the rail carriage and passed one or more
times through No. 2 pass again, which completes the repair.
these passes may be shaped to accommodate any section of rail.
shews a pass for a U-shaped or bridge rail, and Figure 22 shews the
flat part or open portion of the rings for the entrance of the rail. The
top roll B (Figures 15, 16, and 17) carrying the top rings is pressed
.down during the rolling action by weighted levers N which press upon
the top bearings in the housings, as shewn in Figure 15, such levers being
in some cases coupled to a foot lever so as to form powerful compound
levers where great pressure is required. The bottom-roll B' is driven by
Of course
Figure 21

page_text: means of any suitable gearing, but I prefer to drive it as shewn at
Figures 15 and 16 by means of a worm O on a reversing shaft P gearing
into a worm wheel Q keyed on the end of the bottom roll. The motion
of the bottom roll is transferred to the top roll by means of the spur
gearing R. The shaft P may be reversed by the well-known reversing
clutch, but I prefer to use an open and a crossed strap in conjunction
with two fast pullies S, S, and a centre loose pulley T (see Figure 17).
When the rail, whether a flat, double-headed, or bridge rail, has been
rolled it is conveyed whilst still upon the carriage, Figure 11, to the
circular saw U (Figure 16) to be cut to the proper length, the rail
end resting upon the saw bracket V, and as it passes across the saw
its opposite end passing just in front of the guage marked I on
Sheet 1, which regulates the length of the rail. I shall now proceed
particularly to describe this guage of which Figure 23 (Sheet 3)
represents a side elevation; Figure 24 is a plan and Figure 25 an end
view. This guage is adapted for cutting rails of three different lengths
and consists of three posts A, A, A, mortised into a longitudinal piece B,
and sunk into the ground so as to leave the tops of the three posts about
one inch lower than the several rollers and skids referred to on Sheet 1
of my Drawings. To each of these posts there is fitted a vertical slide C
which constitutes the actual guage pieces, such slide being connected to a
foot lever D so that when the lever is depressed the slide will be elevated
and the rail end brought just up to it, and when the lever is released the
slide will drop to a level with the top of the guage post. In Figures 23
and 25 I have shewn the slide or guage piece in dotted lines in its
elevated position. I have only shewn one slide as those on the other
two posts will be precisely similar. The rail having been sawn and
guaged the slide C of the guage is dropped down and the rail is run along
the rollers on the posts, colored blue and red on Sheet 1, and marked
respectively K and M, whence it is removed by being pushed on to the hot
bed or skids L (Sheet 1). Figures 26 and 27 (Sheet 2) represent
enlarged details of one of the blue posts shewn on Sheet 1, all such posts
being similarly constructed. K (Figures 26 and 27) is a stout wooden
post, driven firmly into the ground and carrying a single flanged roller k
as shewn for the rail to run over. Figures 28 and 29 (Sheet 2) are
similar details of one of the red posts marked M on Sheet 1, all which
posts are of the same construction and differ from the blue ones in
having a lug for the support of the ends of the skid rails L (see Figure
29) the top of the said skid rail and the upper surface of the smaller

page_text: .
diameter of the roller k being both on the same level in order to facilitate
the transfer of the rail sideways from off the roller on to the skids.
From the hot bed L the rails are pushed on to the rollers M', M³, (Sheet 1)
and run along them to the straightener marked O on Sheet 1, where it is
straightened by hydraulic pressure.
Figure 30 (Sheet 7) represents a front view in vertical section of the
straightener; Figure 31 is a side view of the same with the lower part
in section; and Figure 32 is an enlarged sectional detail of the valve
for starting and stopping the machine.
A, A, are the two supports upon which the rail to be straightened is
laid, and B is a hydraulic ram suitably faced for pressing upon the rail;
this ram works in the hydraulic cylinder C, and is lifted when the
water pressure is not on by the helical spring D acting on the spindle
E attached to the ram and working through a stuffing box on the top
of the cylinder, a is the aperture for the inlet and outlet of the water
into and out of the cylinder (shewn in dotted lines in Figure 30), this
aperture is shewn also at a in Figure 32.
A precisely similar arrangement of valve is applied to the hydraulic
punch shewn at Figures 33 and 34 (Sheet 7) and herein-after referred
to. In Figure 34 the valve is shewn attached to the hydraulic cylinder
of the punch, it being attached in a precisely similar manner to the
cylinder of the straightener at the part F (Figure 31), although not
repeated in my Drawing. This valve arrangement consists of a casting
G, having three passages cast in it marked respectively a, b, and c,
the passage a enters direct into the cylinder and has attached to its outer
end the supply pipe d¹; the passage is at right angles to the passage
a and is slightly above it, and opens into the vertical passage c as shewn
clearly in Figure 32. In this passage c a valve seat é is formed for
the reception of the valve d, the spindle of which works through a
stuffing box f. Upon the upper end of the valve spindle rests the
horizontal band lever g working on a fulcrum h, and provided with a
short arm i to which is attached a helical spring secured at its lower
end to a ring on a projecting boss in the casting G. This spring
serves to counterbalance the weight of the lever which might other-
wise prevent the self-opening of the valve. The return or outlet pipe e¹
is attached to the outer end of the passage b, and opens into a funnel
mouth on the return pipe, in order that no syphon action tending

page_text: to empty the cylinder may take place through the supply and return
pipes.
The force pumps for supplying the hydraulic cylinders of the straightener
and punch are shewn at Figures 35 and 36 on Sheets 8 and 9 respec-
tively. They are kept constantly at work by an eccentric on the engine
shaft as before described, and maintain a constant circulation of water
through the hydraulic cylinders, such water entering by the passage a,
(Figure 32) and escaping again (when no pressure is put upon the
valve d) by lifting such valve and passing out through the outlet
passage 6 and pipe e¹ to the funnelmouth e" of the return pipe. The
cylinder being thus kept full or nearly full of water is always ready for
action, and can be instantly set to work by placing the hand on the
lever g so as to close the valve d, which prevents the exit of the water,
and consequently allows the ram whether of the straightener or punch to
be forced downwards. On releasing the lever g the water commences
to circulate again as before, the force pumps being still at work.
the only difference between the straightener and the punch is in the
base of the machine, and in the fact of a punching tool being attached
to the ram no further description of the punch will be necessary.
As
In the force pumps, shown on Sheets 8 and 9, the eye A on each
plunger represents the point of connection with the actuating eccentric
rod of the engine, whilst d and e represent the supply and return pipes
leading to and from the straightener and punch as herein-before described
in reference to the general plan on Sheet 1 of my Drawings.
The rail having been straightened is conveyed to the punch to be
punched, and if requisite is subjected to further heating in furnace
No. 2 (Sheet 1) and to a second rolling and sawing, after which it is run
out of the works as herein-before described in reference to Sheet 1 of
my Drawings.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent
is,—
First. The general combination and arrangement of machinery or
plant for repairing old and damaged railway rails as herein-before
described and illustrated on Sheet 1 of the Drawings.

page_text: Second. The peculiar construction of lorry provided with moveable
cams for charging the furnaces with damaged rails as herein-before
described and illustrated on Sheet 2 of my Drawings.
Third. The peculiar construction of moveable or sliding skids and their
use in combination with the peculiar charging lorry and heating furnaces
as and for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated on Sheets
1 and 2 of my Drawings.
Fourth. The repairing of damaged rails by applying to the damaged
parts specially prepared patches in conjunction or not with filling pieces
when the rail with its patch and filling pieces adjusted thereon are
heated together simultaneously in the same manner as herein-before
described and illustrated on Sheet 2 of my Drawings.
Fifth. The construction and use of furnaces provided with a number of
separate and distinct small doors in front in conjunction with doors at
the back for the heating of the damaged parts of rails to be repaired
along with their patches as herein-before described and illustrated on
Sheet 3 of my Drawings.
Sixth. The application and use of a rail carriage for receiving the
heated rails from the furnace, and conveying them to the rolls and saw
as herein-before described and illustrated on Sheet 3 of my Drawings.
Seventh. The peculiar construction of rail carriage provided with
rollers, as and for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated on
Sheet 3 of my Drawings.
,
Eighth. The system or mode of driving the side rolls D, D', by mitre
gearing, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-before
described and illustrated by Figure 15° on Sheet 4 of my Drawings.
Ninth. The application and use to and in the finishing rolls of two
passes for flat or double-headed rails, so arranged that the ridge or web
left by the first pass shall be removed by the second pass as herein-before
described and illustrated on Sheet 4 of my Drawings.
Tenth. The driving the rolls by means of an endless screw and worm
wheel in conjunction with the fast and loose pullies as herein-before
described and illustrated on Sheets 4 and 6 of my Drawings.
Eleventh. The peculiar construction of saw gauge and its use in con-
junction with the circular saw, as and for the purpose herein-before
described and illustrated on Sheets 1 and 3 of my Drawings.

page_text: Twelfth. The application and use of posts provided with rollers and
their arrangement, with reference to the rest of the plant for the purpose
of facilitating the transport of the damaged and repaired rails from place
to place in and out of the works as herein-before described and illus-
trated on Sheets 1 and 2 of my Drawings.
Thirteenth. The system of maintaining a continuous circulation of
water through the cylinders of the hydraulic straightener and punch,
by means of pipes through which the water is constantly circulated by
force pumps worked direct from the main engine of the works, whereby
such apparatus are always in a condition ready for immediate use, as
and for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated on Sheets
1, 7, 8, and 9, of my Drawings.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hugh Baines, have to this my
Specification, set my hand and seal, the Second day of January,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
HUGH BAINES. (L.S.)