IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF STREET TRAMWAYS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Philip Rawlings, Marine Engineer, and Edward
Junes Barnes, Stationer, both of Whitechapel Road, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF
STREET TRAMWAYS.”
Sealed the 8th November 1878, and dated the 1st July 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Philip Rawlings and
Edward James Barnes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
1st July 1878.
JOHN PHILIP RAWLINGS, Marine Engineer, and EDWARD JAMES BARNES,
Stationer, both of Whitechapel Road, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF STREET TRAMWAYS."
This Invention relates to improvements in the permanent way of street
train ways.
According to our Invention we first lay the roadway with a substantial thick-
ness of good concrete (say six to twelve inches, according to the nature of the
foundation), to give solidity, the same being well smoothed on top. Over this we
lay planks, say of one inch thickness, by preference diagonally to the direction of
the rails; and again over these a layer of concrete, sufficiently thick to allow the
blocks of stone, wood, or other material forming the roadway to be well embedded
at their lower ends. We prefer the blocks to be of stone. Contrary to what is
ordinarily the case, the blocks forming the roodway are not laid so that the ends of
those nearest the rails, but against the sides of the rails. On the contrary, blocks
are grooved out and placed side by side, so that the successive grooves form a longi-
tudinal channel, and in this channel the rails are laid. The groove in each block

page_text: is made nearer one end than the other, and when placed in position the blocks are
alternately reversed endwise so as to place the blocks in such a manner that they
and the other blocks fitted to then will break joint. The rails are laid on wood
placed longitudinally in the channel formed by the grooves in the blocks. This
prevents the jar of the iron rail on the stone (when stone is used), and provides
also a means of adjusting the height of the top of the rail in relation to that of
the blocks through which it passes by varying the thickness of the said wood
beneath the rail. The two lines of rails are tied together at every length by cross
bars of iron, preferably flat. These bars pass right across the line, and are inserted
between the four ends of the four rails (abutting two and two), to each of which
rails the cross bar is attached by two angle irons inserted and bolted or riveted one
in each of the angles formed by the cross bar passing the end of the rail. The rails
may also, if desired, be tied down to the blocks through which they pass by any
suitable means, or any flat surface may be attached to the cross bars for any desired
number of the blocks forming the roadway to rest upon, and thus assist by the
weight thereof to hold down the rails.
We do not confine our Invention to any particular material in the blocks used
for forming the roadway, as they may be of stone, wood, or other material. If
moulded blocks are used, of course the groove described would be moulded also.
After the blocks are laid as described the roadway is grouted in the usual
manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Philip Rawlings and Edward James Barnes in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 23rd December 1878.
JOHN PHILIP RAWLINGS, Marine Engineer, and EDWARD JAMES BARNES,
Stationer, both of Whitechapel Road, in the County of Middlesex, England. IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF STREET TRAMWAYS."
This Invention relates to improvements in the permanent way of street
tramways.
And in order that our Invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect, we will proceed to describe the same with the aid of the accompanying
Drawings, reference being had to the letters and figures marked thereon, and in
which Figure 1 is a plan view of a permanent way of street tramways laid
according to our Invention; Figure 2, a front elevational view of Figure 1; Figure
3, a side elevational view thereof on a slightly enlarged scale; and Figures 4 and 5,
views of detached blocks of which the roadway is made. The same letter indicates
the same part or parts in all the several Figures.
According to our Invention we first lay the roadway with a substantial thickness
on good concrete A (say froin six to twelve inches, according to the nature of the
foundation) to give solidity, the same being well smoothed on top. Over this we
lay planks B, say of one inch thickness, by preference diagonally to the direction of
the rails; and again over these a layer of concreto C, sufficiently thick to allow the
blocks D of stone, wood, or other material forming the upper surface of the roadway
to be well embedded at their lower ends. We prefer the blocks D to be of stone.
Contrary to the method usually adopted in laying roadways with stones or blocks,
in our roadway the blocks are not laid so that the ends of those nearest the rails
butt against the sides of the rails. On the contrary, blocks are grooved out and
placed side by side, so that the successive grooves form a longitudinal_channel,
and in this channel the rails E are laid. The groove in each block (D), Figure 4,
is inade nearer one end than the other, and when the blocks are placed in position
they are reversed endwise, so that they and the other blocks fitted to them will
break joint. The rails E are laid on wood G, placed longitudinally in the said
channel formed by the successive grooves in the blocks D. This prevents the jar
on the iron rail on the blocks, especially necessary where such blocks are of stone,
artificial stone, or iron. The wood on which the rails thus rests provides also a
means of adjusting the height of the rails in relation to that of the blocks through
which they pass, in case of the wear of the latter by varying the thickness of the
wood beneath the rails. The two lines of rails are tied together at every length by
a cross bar or plate H of iron, preferably flat, as shown. These plates H pass right
across the line of the two rails, and are inserted between the four ends of the four
rails, abutting two and two, to each of which rails the cross plate is attached by
two angle irons inserted and bolted or rivetted one in each of the angles formed by
the cross plate passing the end of the rail. The rails may also, if desired, be tied
down to the blocks through which they pass by any suitable means, or any flat
surface I may be attached to the cross plate H for any desired number of the blocks
1 forming the roadway to rest upon, and thus assist by their weight to hold down
the rails.
The blocks immediately contiguous to the joints of the rails and the cross
plates are made in two pieces, as shown at Figure 5, so that they may be put into
position in halves, one from each side, and being removed in like manner.
enables the joints to be usually got at to be undone for removal or repair.
This
We do not confine ourselves to any particular material in the blocks D, as they
may be of stone, iron, wood, or other material. If moulded or cast blocks are used,
of course the groove described would be moulded or cast also. After the blocks are
laid as described, the roadway is grouted in the usual manner,

page_text: Where points and crossings are met with in laying the roadway, slight modifica
tions in the fixing of the cross plate to the rails may be found necessary, such as in
the attaching of the angle irons, but in all such cases the modification will be found
manifest, and therefore requires no special description here.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this our said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to or may be performed, we
claim as our Invention to be secured by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent-
First. Laying the rails in channels formed by grooves in successive blocks placed
side by side, substantially as described and illustrated, and for the purpose
specified.
Second. Laying the rails on wood placed in such channels, substantially as
described and illustrated, and for the purpose specified.
Third. The method of tying together and holding down the rails, substantially
as described and illustrated.
Fourth. The combined roadway, substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Philip Rawlings and Edward Jaines
Barnes, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eighteenth day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
eight.
Witness,
JOHN W. GRAY, C.E.,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
16, Southampton Bldgs.,
W. C.
JOHN P. RAWLINGS. (L.S.)
E. J. BARNES.
(L.B.)