IMPROVE METALS' GENERALLY USED ON MENTS IN THE CONNECTING OF THE RAILS OR RAILWAYS
Year: 1856

page_text: omas
County of Essex, Railway Contractor, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
METALS' GENERALLY USED ON
MENTS IN THE CONNECTING OF THE RAILS OR
RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 6th June 1856, and dated the 31st January 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Hurst at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st January 1856.
1, THOMAS HURST, of Tanner Street, Barking, in the County of Essex,
Railway Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONNECTING OF THE RAILS OR 'METALS' GENERALLY USED
ON RAILWAYS" to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to connecting and securing together at the
ends the lengths of rails forming any-line of rail, or any line of temporary
rail, sometimes termed "metals," which I purpose to effect substantially as
follows, viz.
First, my improvements consist in forming the ends of each length of rail
in a form similar to what is known amongst many mechanics as a splice or
scarf-joint, at the part where the rails are connected together, that is to say,
one rail or metal spliced to the other, the ends of the rails taking a vertical
bearing on the flange of the rails; and in the centre of this splice is fixed a
chair and key, but in addition to the key I can have two square or other suit-
able rivets to pass through the splice of the rails or metals, as combined with
the above. This not only prevents the vertical working now found to exist at
the joints of the rails, but entirely precludes the possibility of an accident
occurring from the joints getting foul; and, in fact, my arrangement produces
[Prime 8d.3

page_text: a complete and continuous rail, and allows of the sleepers of the kinds now in
use being placed at an uniform distance apart.
This joint can be applied to double and single face rails, and all other rails
that are capable of being treated as abov
In pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Hurst in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th July 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
HURST, of Tanner Street, Barking, in the County of Essex, Railway Con-
tractor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Hurst, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Hurst,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Hurst, my executors, administrators, 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 CONNECTING OF THE RAILS OR "METALS" GENERALLY USED ON RAILWAYS,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Hurst, my
executors and 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 Thomas Hurst, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, viz. :-
(I.) The nature of the said Invention consists in connecting and securing
together at the ends the lengths of rails or "metals" (as they are sometimes
termed) forming any line of rails or "metals," by a peculiar mode of "scarfing"
or scarf-jointing, as hereafter described, the said lengths, or rails, or metals;

page_text: and so that the rails or metals shall have bearings against each other, and
upon or against the flange or flanges thereof, and may or may not be further
connected together by two square or other suitably formed rivets or bolts, to
pass through the said scarf-jointing of the same. This not only prevents the
vertical working now found to occur at the joints of the rails, but will tend to
preclude accidents occurring from the joints getting foul; as, in point of fact,
my Invention renders the line of rail, though composed of many lengths. as
usual, one continuous and complete rail as it were, and allows the sleepers of
the kind now in use being placed at an uniform distance apart. And I can
apply this mode of joining to double and single faced rails. And the practical
man will understand that this joint may be made by cutting away the flanges
to the extent required by circular saw, and re-heating the end of the rail and
placing it in a die to press it into form; or the steam hammer or rolls may be
adopted for this purpose. All which will be better understood from the
following description, and by referring to the accompanying Drawing.
(II.) Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, I now proceed to particularly describe and ascertain in what
manner the same is to be performed or put in practice, which I shall do by
referring to the accompanying Drawing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1, side view of a length of rail secured to chairs and sleepers; Fig. 2,
plan view of such a length of rail secured to chairs and sleepers; Fig. 3, side
view, on an enlarged scale of parts of two lengths of rail joined together,
shewing the square or rectangular rivets in the square or rectangular orifices,
provided in the rail, the orifice for such a rivet being larger longitudinally in one
direction than the rivet. to allow for the expansion and contraction of the rail;
Fig. 4, plan view of Fig. 3. In these two Figures (3 and 4), each member of
cach scarf joint on each length of rail has a tongue, which rests only upon the
lower flange of each length of the rail, as shewn distinctly in Fig. 7; Fig. 5,
vertical section taken at A, A, in Fig. 4; Fig. 6, vertical section taken at B, B,
Fig. 4; Fig. 7, vertical section taken at C, C, Fig. 4; Fig. 8, side view of
two lengths of rails joined together. In this case each member of the scarf-
joint on each length of rail has a tongue, which passes and locks between both
flanges of the rail. (Fig. 9, a transverse vertical section.). Figs. 10 and 11
(side view), the two lengths being shown detached; Fig. 12, horizontal section
of Fig. 8, taken through the centre, and shewing more clearly how the rails
overlap each other at the sides; Figs. 13 and 14, plan views of Fig. 8, shewing
two lengths detached; Fig. 15, elevation, or side view of two lengths of rail

page_text: joined together. In this case each member of the scarf-joint on each length
of rail has a short tongue, which passes and locks between both flanges of the
rail; Fig. 16, plan or horizontal section of Fig. 15, shewing how the joints
overlap each other at the sides of the rail; Figs. 17 and 18, side views of the
same detached Figs. 19 and 20, plan views of the same, detached or sepa-
rated; Figs. 21 and 23, vertical sections, taken at the respective points in
Fig. 16, stated at the foot of each figure respectively (Fig. 22 being an end
view of the same); Fig. 24, two lengths of flat-bottomed rail joined together,
with long tongue, &c.; Figs. 25 and 26, the same lengths detached; Figs. 27
and 28 sections, taken at the points (in Fig. 29) noted at the foot of each of
these Figures respectively; Fig. 29 plan view of same flat-bottomed rail.
In all these Figures the letter a denotes a length of rail with this Invention
adapted thereto, and b' or be the scarfing piece and scarf tongue, which is to
be placed against another such scarfing piece and scarf tongue on another
length of rail; the said tongues either to rest upon the bottom flange, as in
Figs. 1 & 3, or to fit in between the upper and lower flanges C¹ and C² of the
. rail, and thus securely lock the whole together. The sleepers and chairs are
not marked; d, the rivets in the orifices for same.
(III.) Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
the said Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby
declare that I claim the use of the joint, or method of connecting by means
scarfing" lengths of rails together, when the scarf-joint is provided with what
I have termed a tongue or tongue piece, either taking its bearing against one
flange or fitting, and locking between both flanges of the rail or " metal."
But I wish it to be understood that I do not restrict myself to any particular
mode of laying down the rails or metals" to which my Invention may be
applied, as regards the placing of sleepers, chairs, &c., or dispensing with the
use of them.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hurst, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
771 HUDG
my presences
T. HURST. (...)
Signed and seated, in
.
F. W. CAMPIN
1.
Patent Office,
.156, Strand.