IMPROVEMENTS IN PERMANENT WAY AND POINT CONNECTIONS OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis William Webb, of Crewe, in the County of
Chester, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PERMANENT WAY AND POINT CONNECTIONS OF RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis William Webb at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th September 1879.
FRANCIS WILLIAM WEBB, of Crewe, in the County of Chester, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PERMANENT WAY AND POINT CONNECTIONS OF
RAILWAYS."
. Firstly. My Invention consists of improved forms of steel or iron chairs for use
on either wood or metallic sleepers, and consists in making the chairs of one or
more pieces of plate stamped or shaped in such a manner as to give the necessary
strength where required, and also bent and shaped to suit the rail. The chairs are
either rivetted or bolted to the sleepers as desired.
When the chairs are made of more than one piece I prefer to place a piece of
plate between the underside of the rail and the sleeper of the same length as the
chairs, so that any wear of the rail in the chair will not injure the sleeper; also
between the chair and sleeper, before fixing, I prefer to place a layer of paper or
canvas or other similar substance dipped by preference in tar or asphalte so as to
prevent sliding or working between the chair and packing, and between the packing
and sleeper.
Secondly. My improvements relate to points, and consist in fitting junction points
with a "controlling bar" in such a manner that the trailing points of a junction
shall control the facing points, and vice versa, so that in case of breakage of the rod
working the facing points the trailing points when pulled over to allow a down
train to come off the branch line shall cause the facing points also to be set for the
branch line, thus causing any train on the up main line to be turned on the branch
line, instead of allowing it to cross the path of the down branch train, as may now
be done by the signalman bolting the points for the main up line in consequence of
such breakage of the rod.
This controlling bar is fitted with a slotted joint or other equivalent which
enables the signalman to set the facing points either for the main up line or the

page_text: branch up line and the trailing points for the main down line at the same time, but
prevents him from setting the points for the main up line and the down branch line
at the same time.
The above explanation is correct, and has reference to a junction where the
branch lines turn to the left of the main up line, but when the branch lines turn to
the right of the main up line the conditions are altered, as in the former case
collisions are prevented between trains on the main up.and branch down lines, but
in the latter case collisions are prevented between trains on the main down and
branch up lines.
The controlling bar when the branches turn to the right of the main up line will
enable the signalman to set the points either for the main down or branch down
line and main up line at the same time, but will prevent him from setting the
points for the main down and branch up lines at the same time.
In cases where there are no trailing points adjoining the facing points, as in the
case of the facing points of a single line, or in the case of facing points leading into
a bay, a steel spring or elastic cushion is inserted between the rail and switch, or a
weighted lever may be arranged so that should the point rod be fractured this
spring cushion or weight will move the points slightly away from the rail and will
thus prevent the points from being bolted.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Francis William Webb in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th
February 1880.
FRANCIS, WILLIAM WEBB, of Crewe, in the County of Chester, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PERMANENT WAY AND POINT CONNECTIONS OF
RAILWAYS."
Firstly. My Invention consists of improved forms of steel or iron chairs for use
on either wood or metallic sleepers, and consists in making the chairs of one or
more pieces of plate, stamped or shaped in such a manner as to give the necessary
strength where required, and also bent and shaped to suit the rail.
The chairs are either rivetted or bolted to the sleepers as desired.
When the chairs are made of more than one piece I prefer to place a piece of
plate between the underside of the rail and the sleeper of the same length as the
chair, so that any wear of the rail in the chair will not injure the sleeper; this
piece of metal is or may be turned up at the ends to hold the jaw parts of the chair
more securely in position if desired.
Also between the chair and the sleeper, before fixing, I prefer to place a layer of
paper, pasteboard, or canvas, or other similar substance, dipped by preference in tar
or asphalte so as to prevent sliding or working between the chair and packing and
between the packing and sleeper. The keys for securing the rails to the sleepers
are those formed of wood in ordinary use, but in some cases I use elastic, steel, or
metal keys.
Secondly. My improvements relate to points, and consist in fitting junction
points with a controlling bar or its equivalent in such a manner that the trailing
points of a junction shall control the facing points,, and vice versa, so that in case of
breakage of the rod working the facing points the trailing points when pulled over
to allow a down train to come off the branch line shall cause the facing points also
to be set for the branch line, thus causing any train on the up main line to be
turned on the branch line, instead of allowing it to cross the path of the down
branch train, as may now be done by the signalınan bolting the points for the main
up line in consequence of such breakage of the rod.
This controlling bar is fitted with a slotted joint or other equivalent which
enables the signal man to set the facing points either for the main up line or the
branch up line, and the trailing points for the main down at the same time, but
prevents him from setting the points for the main up line and the down branch line
at the same time.
The above explanation is correct, and has reference to a junction where the branch
lines turn to the left of the main up line, but when the branch lines turn to the
right of the main up line the conditions are altered, as in the former case collisions
are prevented between trains on the main up and branch down lines, but in the
latter case collisions are prevented between trains on the main down and branch
up lines.
The controlling bar when the branches turn to the right of the main up line will
enable the signalman to set the points either for the main down or branch down
line and main up line at the saine time, but will prevent him from setting the points
for the main down and branch up line at the same time.
In cases where there are no trailing points adjoining the facing points, as in the
case of the facing points of a single line, or in the case of facing points leading into
a bay, a steel spring or elastic cushion is inserted between the rail and switch, or a.
weighted lever may be arranged so that should the point rod be fractured this
spring cushion or weight will move the points slightly away from the rail, and will
thus prevent the points from being bolted.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one modification of a steel or iron chair according to
the first part of my Invention, also showing a cross section of the rail and a longi-
tudinal section of part of a iron or steel sleeper of the trough form in cross section.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the chair with the double headed rail in it.

page_text: Figs. 3 and 4 are views corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2 of another modification of
chair adapted for the Vignoles section of rail.
Figs. 6 and 7 are views corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2 of another modification.
Figs. 8 and 9 are views corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2 of another modification.
Fig. 5 is an elevation of part of a chair similar to that shown by Fig. 1, illustra-
ting the application of a steel key in place of a wood one.
The chairs are formed out of strips of metal which are stamped or blocked with
a bulge to strengthen the parts forming the jaws of each chair, and are then bent
or locked to the form desired, and punched or drilled, and then attached or
bolted to the sleeper. In the modifications shown by Figs. 1 and 2. and Figs. 3 and
4 the chair is forined out of three separate pieces (as shown), but in those illustrated
by Figs. 6 and 7 and 8 and 9 the chair in each case is formed entirely out of the
same piece of metal blocked and bent to the form represented.
In each modification it will be seen that a piece of metal forming a part of the
chair comes between the rail and the sleeper (a), and there is in each case a strip of
paper, pasteboard, canvas, or other similar substance, dipped by preference in tar or
asphalte placed between the chair and the sleeper (a), and represented by the letter
b in each modification.
When the chairs are made in three pieces the ends of the piece under the rail is
or may be turned up, as shown in dotted line Fig. 1, to assist in holding the jaws of
the chair in position. The ordinary wood key c is or may be used to secure the
rail in the chair, or an elastic steel key d is or may be substituted, as illustrated in
Fig. 5.
The key is formed of steel or other material blocked with a bulge in that side
which will come opposite when in its place the cavity of the bulge in the jaw of
the chair, and the key is bent or blocked to a section that will fill up the space
between the jaw of the chair and the rail, as shown, and is tempered so as to bend
and give way when driven in, while the bulge in its side passes the outer part of
the jaw, but will spring back again when the bulge in the key comes opposite the
bulge in the jaw of the chair. so that the key, even if it should get slack, cannot get
out of its place in the chair.
The interior surface of the jaw of the chairs against which the key comes is or
may be roughened or serrated to prevent the key from backing or working loose
when driven in, and when metallic keys are used serrations are or roughness, is or
may be formed upon that side of the key which comes against the roughness or
serrations formed upon the interior of the jaw.
In some cases, if desired, that part of the metal or plate immediately under the
rail is or may be bent to stand above or just clear of the sleeper, especially in that
modification shown by Figs. 8 and 9, to give a certain amount of elasticity between
the chair or rail and sleeper if desired.
Fig. 10 is a longitudinal elevation and Fig. 11 a partial plan view illustrating the
mode of carrying out the second part of my Invention. The rails are shown in-
cross section.
On the left of Fig. 10 the rails are supposed to be those for the up line, and on
the right those for the down line. The facing points for the up branch are connected
by a bar a having holes in it for the bolt which secures the points in each position,
as is well understood.
The trailing points for the down branch are connected by a bar b, as is well
understood. The controlling arrangement forming the subject of the second part of
my Invention consists of two bars, one (c) attached to the facing points, the other
c to the trailing points and sliding through guides in a bracket d carried by a.
sleeper d, the two ends of the bars c and c being connected by a link c³ that can
slide to and fro on the guide bracked d. This link or connection c² is attached by
nuts to the bar c, but the other bar c¹ can slide through the hole in the link c² in
one direction and back in the other direction until the screw nut upon its end comes.
against the link; thus arranged it will be seen that the points can only be separated
apart one from the other to a given extent, but they can be brought nearer together;

page_text: but if one set of points is moved to the extreme right or left the other must move
in the same direction and to the right or left, as the case may be; but if the facing
points are to the extreme right, as in Fig. 10, and are bolted in that position the
trailing points can be moved to the left, as the controlling bar c' will slide through
the connecting link c², or if both sets of points are moved to the extreme left the
trailing points may be left in that position and the facing points may be moved to
the right, as the link c* will then be slided on the bar c¹. Fig. 12 is a plan showing
the application of the controlling bar or bars to the facing and trailing points of a
junction, and the position of the controlling bar or bars when both sets of points
are set for both the up and down branch lines, the facing points being bolted in
that position by the well known arrangement. Fig. 13 shows the junction with
the facing points set for the up branch line and the trailing points set for the main
down line.
Fig. 14 shows the junction with the points set for both up and down main lines,
and while the facing points are set for the main up line it will be impossible to set
the trailing points for a train to come off the down branch line, as, until this is done,
the usual interlocking of the point and signal levers will prevent the signal being
lowered for a train to come off the down branch line.
Fig. 15 shows the application of springs in the case of points for a single line,
though weighted levers may be used instead. These springs e are secured to the
fixed rails one on each rail (but may be attached to the point rails), and one of
these springs will come against the point rails when the points are pulled and the
spring (e) against which the point rail comes has to be compressed before the points
can be bolted; but if the rod moving the points breaks or becomes disconnected, or
if the rod does not hold the points over when the lever has been pulled over and
latched the spring has force enough to push the points back from the intended
position, and consequently the signalman cannot bolt them and will know there
is something wrong and will not be able to give the all right signal.
I have now particularly described the nature of my Invention and the mode of
carrying it into effect, and claim as my Invention,-
Firstly. The construction of railway chairs by blocking and bending steel or iron
into the forms substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 1, 2,
3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the Drawings.
Secondly. The combination of the iron or steel chairs above described with
wrought iron or steel sleepers with a layer of packing (b) between the chair and
sleeper, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Thirdly. The use of elastic steel keys with a bulge for retaining them in position,
substantially as herein before described and illustrated by Fig. 5 of the Drawings,
and the roughening or serrating of the jaws of the chairs, constructed as hereinbefore
described, and of the keys for the same when formed of metal to prevent them from
working back, as hereinbefore described.
Fourthly. The connection of facing and trailing points by a controlling bar (c, c',
and c²), chain, or its equivalent, substantially as herein before described and illustrated
by Figs. 10 to 14 inclusive of the Drawings.
Fifthly. The combination of springs (e), weights, or weight levers with points,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Fig. 15 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis William Webb, have hereunto set my..
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Th 117 WEDD
F. W. WEBB. (L.S.)