IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAYS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Telford Gunson, Civil Engineer, of the City of
Manchester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAYS."
11880 and labad the 16th October 1879
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Telford Gunson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th October 1879.
WILLIAM TELFORD GUNSON, Civil Engineer, of the City of Manchester.
IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAYS.'
"
My Invention relates to the construction of tramways, and is carried into effect
in the following manner :-
I use sleepers composed of stone, cast slag, or concrete, by preference about three
feet long, by nine or ten inches wide, and six inches thick.
These sleepers are placed longitudinally on a suitable foundation, and have a
groove corresponding in section to the rail desired, cut along the entire length of
their upper surface, in which groove the rails are laid; on the top of the groove
aforesaid, and underneath the rail, is placed a layer of lead, felt, wood, india rubber,
asphalt, or other suitable substance, to form a bedding or cushion between the rail
and the sleeper. The sleepers may be jointed together if desired by means of what
is known as a "joggle" joint cut vertically or horizontally by the use of dowels, by
halving one stone upon another by dovetailed joints or otherwise. The sleepers
have perforations extending from the underside into the groove, and at such
distances as are found necessary, which perforations may be taper or conical in
shape. The cavity thus formed is filled with a wooden or other plug; strong
screws are then passed through countersunk holes in the rails, at places corre-
sponding with the plugs, and firmly screwed therein; or the rails may be secured
to the sleepers by means of wedges, bolts, cotter bolts, spikes, or other suitable
appliances, either in connection with or without the plug aforesaid. At the joints
of the rails I prefer to cut the perforations in the sleepers sufficiently long to enable
both rail ends to be secured to the same plug. By which combination of means a
durable and simple tramway is formed, possessing many advantages. I would
point out that various modifications in detal may be made without departing from
the peculiar character of my Invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Telford Gunson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th April 1880.
WILLIAM TELFORD GUNSON, Civil Engineer, of the City of Manchester.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAYS."
My Invention relates to the construction of tramways, and is carried into effect
in the following manner:-I use sleepers composed of stone, cast slag, or concrete,
by preference of granite, and about three feet long by nine or ten inches wide, and
six inches thick. These sleepers are placed longitudinally on a suitable foundation,
and have a groove corresponding partially in section to the rail desired cut along
the entire length of their upper surface, in which groove the rails are laid; on the
bottom of the groove aforesaid, and underneath the rail, is placed a layer of lead,
gutta-percha, india-rubber, asphalte, or other suitable substance, by preference of
asphalte, to form a bedding or cushion between the rail and the sleeper. The
sleepers may be jointed together if desired by means of what is known as a "joggle"
joint, cut vertically or horizontally by the use of dowels, by halving one stone
upon another by dovetailed joints or otherwise. The sleepers have perforations
extending from the underside into the groove, and at such distances as are found
necessary, which perforations may be taper or conical in shape. The cavity thus
formed is filled with a wooden or other plug; strong screws are then passed
through countersunk holes in the rails, at places corresponding with the plugs, and
firmly screwed therein; or the rails may be secured to the sleepers by means of
wedges, bolts, cotter bolts, spikes, or other suitable appliances, either in connection
with or without the plug aforesaid; or in the case of a rail and corresponding
groove in the sleeper being wider at the bottom than at the top, I prefer to fasten
the rail by filling in the spaces on either side of the rail with natural rock or other
asphalte, or it may be with fusible or other cement, thus forming a longitudinal
dovetailing of the rail into the sleeper. At the joints of the rails I prefer to cut
the perforations in the. sleeper sufficiently long to enable both rail ends to be
secured to the same plug; or I let into a suitable cavity in the sleeper an iron
chair, in which the joint can be made by means of wedges in the usual or other
suitable manner.
Although any section of rail desired may be used I prefer one having longi-
tudinal corrugations or other uneven surface on its lower face, so that when it is
embedded on the semi-elastic bed of asphalte or similar substance, any lateral
movement is effectually prevented. By which combination of means a durable and
simple tramway is formed, possessing many advantages. But that the improvements
may be better understood, I will by the aid of the accompanying Drawings, proceed
more fully to describe means employed by me.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figs. 2, 3, and 4, show plans of the road having sleepers of regular width, broken
width, and with serrations or cross grooves for giving foothold to horses where
needed; and Fig. 6 shows cross section of the road laid with preferential method of
fastening the rail with asphalte or kindred substances.
Fig. 1 shows a plan view of the supplementary chair fitted into a cavity in the

page_text: In each of these Figs. the same letters indicate corresponding parts wherever
they occur.
a, a, is the sleeper; b, b, the rail; and c, c, is the asphalte or other bedding for
the same; d, d, is the supplementary chair let into a recess or cavity in the sleeper;
and d', di, are wedges fastening the rail therein; e, e, are cross grooves or serrations
in case the surface of the sleeper is too smooth, which grooves may be cut in any
direction; f, f, is the gib and cotter; and g, g, the bolt and nut; h is the screw
taking into the wooden plug h¹.
Having now described my Invention, and means I adopt in carrying the same
into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the exact
details shown and described, as variations may be made without departing from
the peculiar character of my Invention, but what I do claim is,―
(1st.) The use of granite or other stone or cast slag sleepers cut with longitudinal
grooves, whether with dovetail or parallel sides, in combination with a bedding for
the rail of natural rock or other asphalte, lead, gutta percha, india-rubber, or other
such like elastic or semi elastic substances, and whether such bedding be extended
to the sides of the rail or not, such combination being for tramway purposes,
substantially as shown and described.
(2nd.) The use of mechanical fastenings for rails in a grooved stone or cast slag
sleeper, in combination with the elastic or semi elastic bed, such combination being
for tramway purposes, substantially as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Telford Gunson, have hereunto set
iny hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
WILLIAM GADD,
Consulting Engineer,
64, Barton Arcade,
WILLIAM TELFORD GUNSON. (L.S.)
Manchester.