Metal Railway Sleeper and Nut Lock.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1894-Accepted, 8th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Combined Metal Railway Sleeper and Nut Lock.
I, JASPER PEMBERTON WARNER of Decatur, Van Buren County, Michigan,
United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
According to this invention the sleeper or tie is made with one or more channels
open at top the rails being laid on a plate interposed between them and the upper
channel edges. Holes are made in one of the vertical walls of each sleeper or tie
into which screw bolts are passed and held therein by their heads. The other, or
screw nut end, is passed through a curved spring plate notched at one edge to take
on to the upper edges of the channelled sleeper and taking by its other opposite
edge on to the base of the rail so as to clamp the same when the screw nut is
tightened upon the spring plate. The springing or tendency to spring of this latter
locks the nut.
Dated this 3rd day of January 1894.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
I, JASPER PEMBERTON WARNER of Decatur, Van Buren County, Michigan,
United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The main object of this invention is to provide a metal railway sleeper in
combination with fastening plates for securing the rails to the sleepers the plates
serving as nut locks by reason of their tendency to spring back to their normal shape
after being screwed down.
In the drawing
Fig. 1 is a top view of a portion of a metal sleeper with a rail fastened thereto.
Fig. 2 a longitudinal section.
Fig. 3 a side view of a rail and fastening plate with the sleeper shewn in
section.
Fig. 4 is a view like that shewn in Fig. 2 but illustrating the operation of fixing
the fastening plates.
A is a sleeper of single or multiple channelled metal open at top on the free
edges of which is laid a plate p and upon this the rail is laid across the sleeper.
Care the fastening plates made of spring metal of curved form in end view prior to
being screwed down by bolts D and nuts v. The plates are placed in pairs one
plate on each side of the rail B. The plates are provided with notches e at their
outer edges to fit loosely over the upper free edges of the channelled sleeper A.
The bolts D are passed through holes in one of the walls or ribs of the sleeper,
preferably in opposite directions to each other, two bolts being employed for each
pair of plates their lower ends being right angled through the holes and headed so
as not to draw out. Thence the bolts extend obliquely upward and pass through
holes in the fastening plates.

page_text: Referring to the operation of fastening the rails to the sleepers, the appearance of
the fastening plates previous to the nuts v being screwed down is shewn in Fig. 2
and after being screwed down in Fig. 4, the fastening plates being enabled to
assume the latter form by slipping laterally on the top edges of the sleeper and
on the flange of the rail, the notches e preventing transverse displacement.
It will be seen that the tendency of the spring fastening plates to assume their
normal shape as shewn in Fig. 2, owing to their elasticity, will prevent the nuts
from being turned by shocks or jars, and will thus form a secure nut lock.
More than two bolts D may, if deemed necessary, be employed for each pair of
fastening plates and the sleepers may be formed with any convenient number of
channels, it being understood that with an additional set of bolts these would be
passed through another rib or wall of the sleeper.
The provision of the plate p between the sleeper and the rail allows of the
application of wedges between the two parts in the case of any sinking of the rail.
Further it is desirable to form the sleepers with closed ends as at w so that they
may if desirable be filled up with earth or ballast or other convenient material.
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 1
claim is :-
1. In combination, a railway sleeper, rails mounted thereon, spring metal fastening
plates and fastening bolts, for the purpose specified substantially as described and
shewn.
2. In combination, a channelled metal sleeper, rails mounted thereon, elastic
metal fastening plates provided with notches in their outer edges fitting over the
upper free edges of the sleepers and fastening bolts, for the purpose specified,
substantially as described and shewn.
3. In combination, channelled metal sleepers rails mounted thereon with a
bearing plate p between the rail and sleeper, spring fastening plates and angular
fastening bolts passing through one or more of the ribs or walls of the sleeper,
substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1894.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.