IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Featherstone Griffin, of New Adelphi
Chambers, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Featherstone
Griffin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Peti-
tion, on the 1st December 1862.
I, GEORGE FEATHERSTONE GRIFFIN, of New Adelphi Chambers, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," to be as
follows:-
On the 23rd day of July 1861, I obtained Her Most Gracious Majesty's
Letters Patent No. 1843, for my then Invention relating to "Improvements
in the Permanent Way of Railways." Experiments have shewn me defects in
the permanent way of railways and improvements to be made in the construc-
tion thereof. I propose to lower the rail into the body of the sleepers, using
the curve or lateral arch of the sleeper to support the rail on one side, and to
form jaws or chair arms to support it on the other side, and I propose to recess
pieces of wood the whole length of the sleepers under the rail, also to place
wood in recesses in the jaws or chair arms, and in the iron keys for wedging
up the same. Instead of at all times fixing a catch spring (when the use of

page_text: a spring catch is desirable) in the jaw or chair arm, I propose when such
arrangement is preferred to arrange a spring catch in the iron key, which
will fall into a ratchet formed in the jaws or chair arms; or the spring may
be recessed in the inside of the jaw. I propose to use instead of a tie bar
having a full T-head, one with a head formed of only a portion of its depth.
I further propose for certain.combinations 'forming permanent way to use a rail
having a convex curve on the under side, or a common double-headed rail rolled
with acute angles in the web, corresponding angles being made in the jaws
and keys of the sleepers. I propose also to adapt an iron sleeper (either with or
without a foundation or bed of wood or other material, elastic or semi-elastic
recessed in the metal) with a rail (which for the sake of distinction I will call
a safety rail), formed by bending it at a right or other sharp angle, so forming
it with two running surfaces on one side, that whilst one of the faces is in use
the other stands up at a right or other sharp angle, thus serving as an edging
or flange to prevent the rolling stock or train in motion from leaving the rail.
When one face of this rail shall have been worn down by the action of the
wheels, the other may be substituted, and the worn face serve in its turn for
an edging as aforesaid. The sleepers on which these rails rest may be con-
nected together by lengths of iron of any convenient form, the ordinary bolt
passing through the pieces of iron, the rail, and the sleeper, and being then
secured by a nut; or these rails may be wedged between suitable projections
cast on the sleepers, one or more of which may be made to pass through holes
in the web of the rail.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Featherstone Griffin in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st June 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
FEATHERSTONE GRIFFIN, of New Adelphi Chambers, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Featherstone. Griffin, Her special licence that I, the said
George Featherstone Griffin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said George Featherstone Griffin, my executors, admi-

page_text: nistrators, 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 PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Featherstone
Griffin, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, 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 I, the said George Featherstone Griffin 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 Sheet of Drawing here-
unto annexed, and forming part of this my Specification, and to the figures
and letters of reference placed thereon, similar letters denoting similar parts
where such parts appear, or may be seen at each of the Figures respectively.
The improvements hereafter described are partly such as experience has led
me to make in the method of permanent way for which I obtained Letters
Patent, dated the 23rd day of July 1861, and numbered 1843, and partly
improvements not necessarily connected therewith. They consist in lowering
the rail into the body of the sleepers, using the curved or lateral arch of the
sleeper to support the rail on one side, and forming jaws or chair arms to
support it on the other, by which means I obtain greater strength, and a larger
bearing surface to prevent lamination of the rail; further, the keys being placed
inside, should one accidentally' become displaced there would be no danger of
the rail getting out of guage. Recessing wood the whole length of the
sleepers under the rail, and placing wood in recesses in the jaws or chair arms
of the sleeper described in the Specification of my Patent No. 1843, A.D. 1861,
but more especially recessing wood in' the lateral arch above mentioned, and
in the keys in such manner that the wood assists in supporting the rail under
its head. (The key is itself supported on a shoulder cast on the inside of the
jaw, and therefore cannot be displaced downwards.) Where wood is not used
the rail is supported by the lateral arch itself. Instead of placing the spring
which secures the rail key vertically in the jaws or chair arms as described in
the Specification of my former Patent (No. 1843, A.D. 1861,) I prefer to
rivet it horizontally in' a recess in the rail key, so that when the key is intro-

page_text: a
duced by a small hole between the inner face of the jaw and the outer face
of the rail key, the spring is forced back from the ratchet in the jaw into the
recess, and the rail key may be driven out in the usual manner. To avoid
cutting too deeply into the sleeper I sometimes, instead of making my tie bar
with a full T-head, prefer making the head of only portion of its depth as
shewn in the Drawing. I also in conjunction with my improved sleepers use
a saddle rail having a convex curve on the under side, thus obtaining a larger
wearing surface with lighter flanges. Further, the convex portion of the rail
fitting into a concave bed prevents any tendency of the rail to roll or turn,
and, together with my system of wedging, does away with the necessity of using
bolts or screws.
It will be understood that the saddle rail above described is
only sometimes used in lieu of the ordinary rail. I also sometimes use a
common double-headed rail rolled with acute angles in the web, corresponding
angles being made in the jaws, or in the lateral arch of the sleepers, and.in
the keys.
Another of my improvements in the permanent way of railways consists in
a safety rail formed. by bending it at a right or other sharp angle, and so
forming it with two running surfaces on one side. When this rail is laid
either on my improved sleeper, and secured by wedging as shewn in the
Drawing hereunto annexed, or on any other sleeper, and bolted or otherwise
secured, while one of the angles forms the running surface, the other serves
as an edging or flange, and prevents the rolling stock or train from leaving
the rail. When one running surface is worn the rail is turned, and it in its
turn becomes the safety flange.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, shew rail lowered into the body of the sleeper,
Figure 1 being plan view of a joint sleeper; a, rail; b, jaw or chair arm;
6', lateral curve or arch of the sleeper; c, rail key; d, d, tie bars; f', opening
for introduction of key or instrument for forcing back spring; Figure 2, sec-
tion taken at A, B, Figure 1; Figure 3, plan view of an intermediate sleeper;
Figure 4, section at C, D, Figure 3; e, wood recessed beneath the rail;
e, wood recessed in key; e", wood recessed in lateral arch of sleeper.
(It will here be seen that the rail is supported under its head by the wood
recessed in the lateral arch and in the key. Figure 5, section shewing
suspended rail, no wood being used. (As a plan if drawn, would not shew
the absence of the wood, this section may be presumed to be taken through
that part of a sleeper indicated by the line E, F, Figure 4); Figure 6 shews
a single-headed rail, with wood recessed beneath, but in this case it will be

page_text: observed that I wedge on both sides; Figure 7, section of rail key detached,
shewing the horizontal arrangement of the spring in the key; f, spring;
g, rack in jaw; e, wood recessed in the key; f¹, opening by which is intro-
duced the instrument which forces back the spring; Figure 8, plan and side
view of tie bar with T-head, formed of only a portion of its depth; Figure 9,
section of double-headed rail with acute angles h in the web; Figure 10, sec-
tion of rail with convex curve on the under side; and Figure 11, section of
safety rail and sleeper; i, rail; j, chair arm; 7, projection on chair arm,.
passing through the upright angle of safety rail; ", projection on arch of
sleeper, passing through the other angle of rail; k, angular wedge key for
tightening rail on sleeper; l, wheel.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the means by
which I carry it into practical effect, I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise details herein set forth, but that what I
declare to be of my Invention, and of which I claim the exclusive use is,―
Firstly, lowering the rail into the body of the sleeper, using the curve or
lateral arch of the sleeper to support it on one side, and jaw or chair arms to
support it on the other.
Secondly, recessing wood in the lateral arch of the sleeper, and in the iron
keys for wedging up (or in one or other of them) in such wise that the wood
assists in supporting the rail under its head.
Thirdly, the horizontal arrangement of spring catch in the iron key.
Fourthly, the rail with convex curve on the under side in combination with
my improved sleepers and system of wedging.
Fifthly, the double-headed rail formed with acute angles in its web.
Lastly, the safety rail with two running surfaces formed by bending the
web at sharp angle; the whole substantially as herein-before described and
shewn in the accompanying Sheet of Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Featherstone Griffin, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this First day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
G. F. GRIFFIN. (L.B.)