IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS FOR SECURING AND SUPPORTING THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Markham, of Staveley, near Chesterfield, in the
County of Derby, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS FOR
SECURING AND SUPPORTING THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Markham at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th July 1879..
CHARLES MARKHAM, of Staveley, near Chesterfield, in the County of Derby.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS FOR SECURING AND SUPPORTING THE RAILS OF
RAILWAYS."
According to my present Invention I effect the jointing together of the rails of
railways by means of fish plates at the same point where they are supported by
causing the two middle bolts of the fish joint to pass through a lug or jaw projecting
up from and forming part of a metal chair or sleeper, against which jaw the one fish
plate of the joint is consequently brought to bear firmly by the tightening up of
the said bolts, while the rail rests with its lower head upon the base of the chair
or sleeper. By this arrangement each end of the rail is fastened and fixed in a
definite position, and cannot shift longitudinally beyond the limit of its expansion
without moving the sleeper, thus insuring that the movement due to its expan-
sion shall be confined to individual length of rail, and not be accumulated at
intervals by the shifting of the rails, as is frequently the case with the ordinary
construction of supports. The chair or support may be variously constructed for
the purposes of my Invention; thus when the above arrangement is applied to a
separate chair secured to a sleeper I construct the same as follows:-The chair bas
a broad base resting on the sleeper, and secured thereto by bolts, screws, or spikes
in any known manner. From the base projects upwards two longitudinal ribs,
affording room between them to receive the under face of the rail. The one rib
which serves to stiffen the base is low, not extending upwards from the base so far
as to interfere with the heads or nuts of the fishing bolts. The other rib extends
vertically higher than these bolts, and it has holes through which they can be
passed. The ends of two lengths of rails are joined in the usual way by fish plates

page_text: secured to the rails by four bolts, two in each of the rails. The chair is made
sufficiently wide to take the two middle bolts, which are made long enough to pass
through the vertical rib of the chair, as well as through the rail-and-fish-plates
When the fished rails are in their place they. rest by their lower faces on the base
of the chair, and are also secured sideways by the two bolts above mentioned to the
upright rib of the chair, these bolts clamping firmly together the fish plates, the
rails, and the chair. In applying the Invention to cast iron sleepers the above
..described.chair_or. support_is_cast_in_one_with the sleeper, and in case of sleepers
having three supports the joint, chair, or support would be cast in the centre
thereof.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Markham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th.
December 1879.
CHARLES MARKHAM, of Staveley, near Chesterfield, in the County of Derby.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS FOR SECURING AND SUPPORTING THE RAILS OF
RAILWAYS."
According to my present Invention I effect the jointing together of the rails of
railways by means of fish plates at the same point where they are supported by
causing the two middle bolts of the fish joint to pass through a lug or jaw projecting
up from and forming part of a metal chair or sleeper, against which jaw the one
fish plate of the joint is consequently brought to bear firmly by the tightening up
of the said bolts, while the rail rests with its lower head upon the base of the chair
or sleeper. By this arrangement each end of the rail is fastened and fixed in a
definite position, and cannot shift longitudinally beyond the limit of its expansion
without moving the sleeper, thus insuring that the movement due to its expansion
shall be confined to each individual length of rail, and not be accumulated at
intervals by the shifting of the rails, as is frequently the case with the ordinary
construction of supports. The chair or support may be variously constructed for
the purposes of my Invention; thus when the above arrangement is applied to a
separate chair secured to a sleeper I construct the same as follows:-The chair has
a broad base resting on a sleeper, and secured thereto by bolts, screws, or spikes in
any known manner. From the base project upwards two longitudinal ribs, affording
room between them to receive the under face of the rail. The one rib, which serves
to stiffen the base, is low, not extending upwards from the base so far as to interfere
with the heads or nuts of the fishing bolts. The other rib extends vertically higher
than these bolts, and it has holes through which they can be passed. The ends of
two lengths of rails are joined in the usual way by fish plates secured to the rails by
four bolts, two in each of the rails. The chair is made sufficiently wide to take the
two middle bolts, which are made long enough to pass through the vertical rib of
the chair, as well as through the rail and fish-plates. When the fished rails are in
their place they rest by their lower faces on the base of the chair, and are also
secured sideways by the two bolts above mentioned to the upright rib of the chair,
these bolts clamping firmly together the fish plates, the rails, and the chair.
applying the Invention to cast iron sleepers, the above described chair or support
is cast in one with the sleeper, and in the case of sleepers having three supports the
joint chair or support would be cast in the centre thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
In
Fig. 1 is a transverse section of a joint-chair according to my Invention; Fig. 2
is a plan; Fig. 3, an elevation of one side, and Fig. 4 an elevation of the other
side. From the base A of the chair project upwards two longitudinal ribs B, on
the one side extending above the bolts D of the fish plates, and C on the other side
terminating under these bolts. The ribs B and C are supported by lateral bracket
ribs b and c respectively. The higher rib B is of such width as to extend beyond
the two middle fish bolts D, D, but not so far as the outer bolts D¹, D'. The rails
E, E, rest on the base of the chair A, their fish plates F, F, having free room between
the ribs B and C. The middle fish-bolts D, D, are made sufficiently long to pass
through both fish-plates, and also through the higher rib B. On tightening up
these two bolts the rails and their fish plates are bound firmly against this rib.
Although I have shewn in the Drawings a chair such as can be bolted, spiked,
or otherwise fastened on a separate sleeper, it is to be understood that it might

page_text: form part of a cast sleeper, the ribs B and C being cast in one piece therewith; or
these ribs might be separate pieces bolted or rivetted on an iron or steel sleeper.
-Having-thus-described-the-nature-of-my_Invention, and_in_what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim,
First. Securing rails-at-their-fished-junction by fastening them and their fish-
plates to a rib projecting-upwards-from-a-sleeper by the two middle fish bolts
lengthened so as to include the said-rib, substantially as and for the purposes herein
set forth.
Second. The construction of joint-chair for rails herein described-with reference-
to the accompanying Drawings.
-In-witness whereof; -I,-the-said-Charles-Markham, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
CHARLES MARKHAM. (L.S.)