Improvements in Railway Cross Ties or Sleepers.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1888
Specification Accepted, 17th Aug., 1888
Improvements in Railway Cross Ties or Sleepers.
1, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, which has
been communicated to me from abroad by Isaac Seaman McGichan, of Bayonne City,
New Jersey, United States of America, Engineer, and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention relates to Railway Metal Cross Ties or sleepers. And has for
its object to provide a metal tie that will become anchored to the road bed and have no
lateral movement as will be hereinafter explained-It also has for its object to
construct the clips which hold the rail in place, so that the rail will be drawn down
upon a packing interposed between the rail and tie, all as will be hereinafter explained.
In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, my invention
is fully illustrated in various figures with similar letters of reference to indicate corres-
ponding parts throughout the same as follows.
Figure 1. represents a side elevation of my improved tie with the rails a, a, in
position, a part of the tie side being broken away to show the manner in which the tie
engages with the ballast of the road bed, and more particularly the manner of
preventing the lateral movement of the tie by means of the resisting plates c, c, which
are bent at right angles to the lateral disturbing force of the train, as hereinafter
explained.
Figure 2. represents a top view of my improved tie with the rails a, a, in place and
firmly secured by the clips e, e.
Figure 3. represents an end view of my improved tie showing a face view of one of
the clips e, and side elevation of a part of the rail a.
Figure 4. represents a transverse vertical section through one of the rails A, clips m,
and packing block E, illustrating a portion of a tie as D, in longitudinal vertical
section-showing the rail A, as held in position by a form of clip which I sometimes
adopt when the packing block E, is made of wood or other substance that is liable to
spread under the pressure brought to bear upon the rails. It will be readily seen that
with this form of clip the packing block E, is completely boxed in and could not
compress or spread unless it broke out the sides of the tie or clips.

page_text: Figr. 5. represents a bottom view of a portion of the tie D, arranged to be used in
combination with the form of clips above described.
Figure 6. represents a transverse vertical section through one of the rails A, clips e,
and packing block E, showing a portion of the tie D illustrated in Fig. 1. in
longitudinal vertical section, illustrating the manner in which the hooks f,, of the
clips e, pass through the bottom of the tie and engage therewith-also the manner in
which the bolt u, passes through the packing block E, and clips e, e, by means
of which the said clips are drawn towards each other, thereby forcing the rail down
upon the packing block E.
Figr. 7. represents a bottom view of a portion of the tie D, arranged to be used
with the hooked clip e, last above described.
Figure 8. represents a perspective view of one of the clips m, showing the formation
of the tenons o, o, which pass through the slots o¹ o' provided in the bottom of
the tie D. for that purpose as shown in Figure 5.
When 1 employ the clips m. m. the bottom of the tie is cut in two places as shown
at n. n. Figrs. 4. and 5. and bent up so as to form lugs or flat surfaces for the heads
of the bolts w. w. to rest against the block E. is cut to conform to the lugs n. n. and
makes a backing for the same.
The clips m. are provided with shoulders as shown at g. the upper surface of which
stand parallel to the lugs n. n. and both stand at an angle of about 45 degrees to the
bottom of the tie and clip m. when the same are in position.
The lugs n. n. block E. and clips m. are provided with suitable corresponding holes
and the bolts w. w. are inserted from the bottom, and pass upwards through the block
and clips as illustrated, the nuts are then screwed down on the shoulders
9. 9. until
the rail, clips, block and tie, become practically one solid structure. The side of the
tie being cut away as shown at p. Figr. 1. so that the rail a. will rest upon the
cushion or block E. and not upon the sides of the tie-When there is danger of great
lateral strain on the rail I sometimes cut the slot p. (see figr. 1.) the thickness of the
clips m. wider than the rail base and extend the head of the clips over so that they
will rest within the same slot, thus giving greater security against the rail moving
sideways.
The form of clip which I prefer to use however in the majority of cases is illustrated
in Fig. 6. This clip is constructed with foot pieces or hooks as shown.at f. f. which
pass through slots s. provided in the bottom of the tie for that purpose as will
be seen in figrs. 6. and 7. These slots are made longer than the clip is thick.—so that
the hooks can be easily inserted, and in order that the shank of the hooks f. may
may have a bearing only on the outside edge of the slot s. as shown at f. Figr. 6.
Its inside rests against the packing block E. which is sufficiently broad to cover a part
of the slots as is also shown in Figr. 6., so that when the clips e. e. have their hooks
inserted in the slots s. and are raised in position their fulcrum bearing points will be
as shown at s¹ s² figr. 6., and they will exert a compressing force against the block E.
before their jaws close down upon the rail base the spring body portion will permit
the jaws to be drawn forward by the bolt u. to increase the pressure on the rail.
The construction of the clips e. are similar to that shown in Figr. 6. the lower.
portions which passes through the slots s. in the bottom of the tie are made somewhat.
thicker than the body portion, as is also the top portion through which the bolt u.
passes and which forms the jaws-the body portion is made.quite thin to form a spring
and is curved outward.
It will be understood from the above description that the heads of the .clips,e..are
exerting an outward pressure against the inside of the bolt head and nut, thus if the
packing should become worn or compressed and the rail sink below the jaws of the
clips it would in no wise interfere with the rigidity of the clips and block E. and
they would remain firmly in position and solid to the tie as the clips exert an inde-
pendent compressing or holding force to the block E. from that which its jaws.exert
upon the rail base.
It must be understood that with the use of this clip, as with the.
one before described, the sides of the tie are cut away to form depressions which fall
below the packing block E. as shown at p. Figr. 1. the length of the depressions when

page_text: the last above described clip is used are exactly the same as the width of the rail
base and the rail base fits therein, which regulates and maintains the guage of the
rails and prevents them from spreading.
The tie D. is made in the form of a channel beam as shown in cross sections in
Figure 3. and when used in combination with a road bed provided with stone ballast
I usually cut its bottom cross-wise and partly along each side so that the plates c. c.
can be bent up to form resisting plates to prevent the sliding of the tie-the number
of the plates c. to be bent up depends upon the radius of the curves and the tendency
of the ties to slide.
Taking into consideration the speed and weight of the train, its lateral disturbing
force is about in, the direction of the arrows s. s. and the resisting power necessary
to overcome the sliding must be in a reverse direction, i.e., in the direction of the
arrows t. t.
The plates c. are therefore bent upwards at an angle of about 45 degrees which it
is thought will be at right angles to the lateral disturbing train force the road bed
ballast fills in between the plates c. as shown in Figr. 1. and any tendency on the part
of the tie to move laterally to the line of the rail is obviated by the plates c. which,
standing at an angle to the rod bed as they do, would necessitate the raising of the
tie before it could slide, and as the weight of the train is opposed to the raising of
the tie, it is quite impossible for the tie to move, the angle and action of the plates
against the ballast have a tendency to solidify the road bed and make it more firm
and durable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
Claim 1-The combination of a metal tie and the clips e. constructed with hooks asf.f.
standing in a reverse direction to the jaws, packing block E. and bolt . as described
and specified.
Claim 2: A packing block as E. constructed of wood with its grain running in a
vertical direction in combination with a metal tie and adjustable spring clips provided
with the hooks f. f. standing in a reverse direction to the jaws for holding the rail in
position on the said block against its end grain-the said clips so constructed as to
exert a force against the side of the block independent of the force applied to the
rail base substantially as described.
Claim 3-In combination with a metal railway tie the clip e. constructed with a
jaw on the upper side adapted to engage with the rail base, its body portion made
thin and curved so as to throw its upper portion outward, its lower portion being
suitably engaged with the bottom of the tie so that the clip will have a fulcrum
foundation as shown at s¹ and s² figure 6.
Claim 4-A railway metal tie constructed in the form of a channel beam having
resisting or anchor plates c. c. bent up from the tie bottom at angles opposed to the
direction of the disturbing lateral force of a train to form within the tie, sloping ends
of an open pocket or pockets of which the sides of the tie are the vertical sides,
substantially as berein shown and described.
Claim 5A railway metal tie constructed as herein shown and described with an
open pocket, or pockets, diminishing in area from the bottom upwards and having two
sides vertical and two sides sloping inward towards each other from the bottom, as
and for the purpose described.
Claim 6 A railway metal tie constructed from a flat form of plate the sides and
the resisting or anchor plates c. c. are bent upwards as described whereby when the
tie is laid in position said resisting plates will, when backed by the road ballast, offer
resistance to the lateral disturbing force of the moving train as set forth.
Claim 7-In a railway metal tie, the combination with holding bolts passed diagonally
through the clips, of burrs or washers struck from the tie bottom and forming an
integral part thereof and bent upwards at right angles to the direction of said bolts,
substantially as shown and described.

page_text: Claim 8 In a railway metal tie constructed of channel beam iron or steel, as a
means for holding a rail to the tie, a clip with a jaw formed nearly at a right angle to
its body with boss or shoulder formed on its back at an angle to its vertical portion,
and with straight tenons prolonged from its lower edge substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Claim 9 The combination with a railway metal tie constructed substantially as
herein shown and described of blocks E. set in the channel of the tie clips m. arranged
on opposite sides of said blocks and bolts w. provided with nuts, passed diagonally
from opposite directions through the tie bottom, the blocks and the clips, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
Claim 10 The combination of a railway metal tie provided with the resisting or
anchor plates c. c. and depressions p. in combination with suitable clips as c. adapted
to engage with the bottom of the tie, packing block E. and bolt u. all as and for the
purpose specified.