Improvements in Metal Railway Sleepers and Ties.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metal Railway Sleepers and Ties.
I, JAMES RICHARDSON, of South Tarrytown, County of Westchester, State of New
York, United States of America, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the saine is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide an improved railway; and the invention
consists of metal sleepers of novel design and construction secured to and supporting
the rails throughout their entire length, and held parallel to each other by adjustable
cross-ties and bars.
Reference is to be bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of the specifi-
cations, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the
figures.
Figure 1, is a plan of my improved railway, with parts broken away to exhibit
other parts.
Figure 2, represents a side elevation of portions of the railway showing the manner
in which the sleepers may be held by the cross-ties.
Figures 3, 4 and 5, represent several forms of cross-ties and keys or wedges used
with sleepers shown in figure 5.
Figures 6 and 8, show an edge and front elevations of diaphragms adapted for use
in a sleeper.
Figure 7, is a sectional end elevation of the railway.
Figures 9, 10 and 11, represent cross sections of various forms of my improved
sleeper and fastening device.
In the drawings A represents my improved metal sleeper, which is preferably made
of two plates of iron or steel flanged and set together so as to form a tube of elliptical
cross section with flanges at top and bottom, as shown in Figures 1 and 7.
In the construction of the sleeper the lower or anchoring flanges of the plates a a,
are closely brought together and held by tie-rods, (or by bolts or rivets not shown);
while the upper or rail-gripping flanges are kept apart, forming in the superior
face of the sleeper a continuous slot of a width sufficient to receive the web of the
rail B, designed for use with a sleeper of this form. This footless rail is secured
in position between the upper or rail gripping flanges of the sleeper plates parily
by the form of the under part of the rail head, as shown in Figures 7 and 9, and
partly by bolts (with nuts) passed through the Hanges and the rail web, as indicated
in Figure 2; and for more firmly securing the rails B in place, and at the same time
to hold sleepers and rails adjustably parallel, I employ cross-ties C and D of suitable
form as indicated in the drawings.
The tie bars C shown in figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7, have their ends inserted through
suitable openings made in the sleepers under the rails, or through the sleeper
flanges and the web of the rails; and then the said bars are secured in place by
keys or wedges d or other suitable devices which serve also to increase the grip of
the rail web by the engaging flanges of the sleepers.
The loops, hooks or mortices f, with which the ends of the bars Care provided for
the engagement of the locking keys or wedges, are designed to be of such capacity
that ties of standard length may be suitable for use in all parts of the road, whether
straight or curved.
To further secure the sleepers and rails in position, to stiffen the track, and to
enable the sleepers to be canted so as to adjust the position of the sleepers and
rails to oppose most advantageously the lateral thrust of trains on curves, the tie
rods D have their ends passed through the lower or anchoring flanges of the parallel
sleepers and locked thereto, or the angle of the tie-jaws may be varied. These rods

page_text: may be similar in form to the upper tie-bars and similarly fastened to the sleepers;
or they may have nuts on both sides of the flanges, as shown in Figures 2, 7
and 11. In either case the lengths of the tie rods or bars between the parallel
sleepers may be varied by shifting the nuts or wedges, to vary the width of the track,
to cant the sleepers, and to bring the head of the rail parallel to the coned tread of
the wheel, so that the wear of both rail and wheel shall be reduced to a minimum.
The sleeper A may be hollow throughout, adequate strength for the service required
being secured by the form of the plates and the thickness of the metal, or sleepers of
thinner metal may be strengthened by the insertion of diaphragms E of suitable
material, as shown in Figure 1, and 6. Or the sleeper may be filled with sand,
concrete or other material, as shown at E Figure 7, to increase its weight and
stability, and to enable it to better withstand the crushing force of heavy trains.
The diaphragms may be adapted in material and by suitable perforations, as shown
in Figure 8, for supporting telegraph wires or other electric conductors, for which
the sleeper may serve as a conduit; or such electric conductors may be supported
and insulated by the material with which the sleeper is filled and strengthened.
In Figure 9, curved keys G, with a tie bar of the kind shown in Figure 5, aro
applied to a sleeper, the outer key being locked in place by a wedge d driven between
the key and the sleeper.
In Figure 10 is indicated a sleeper with a rail of the usual form held in place
between its flanges by tie rods passing through the flanges and the rail web, and
locked by nuts. In this case the rail-foot may rest on diaphragms or on the material
with which the sleeper is filled.
Another mode of adjusting my sleeper to the use of rails of the usual form is shown
in Figure 11, the rail foot being gripped between the lips h of the two members of the
sleeper. In this case also the rail may be partly supported by diaphragms, or by the
concrete or other filling of the sleeper.
Other forms of sleepers and ties may be devised without departing from my
invention, but in all cases the sleeper must be of metal, tubular, with top and bottom
flanges and held adjustably parallel by upper and lower ties.
In constructing a railway with the sleepers and ties here described, the sleepers are
sunk in the roadbed to the level of the upper ties, so that any lateral shifting of the
track on curves is made impossible without a movement of the entire roadway. Any
turning or tipping of the track under the radial thrust of trains on curves is equally
prevented by the form of the sleeper, by the hold which the anchoring flanges have
on the roadbed. Tipping or spreading of the rails is made impossible by the manner.
in which the rails are continuously gripped and supported by the upper flanges of the
sleepers and held by the upper ties. The risk of broken rails is greatly diminished by
the same continuous support of the rails and by the rigidity of the rail joints, con-
structive features which materially favor the durability of rails and rolling stock, the
smoothness of transit and the comfort of travellers.
This form of track, being made of easily rolled plates and bars easily put together,.
is comparatively cheap, is durable, is readily adjusted to varying conditions of use,
and is economical with respect to maintenance and repair. It is particularly well
suited for use on bridges, since the sleepers, made cellular by diaphragms, are in
effect strong metal beams, which joined top and bottom by the ties into one rigid
system reinforced by the rails, may become an integral part of long bridges or the
whole of culvert bridges, instead of being, as is the case with tracks supported by
cross ties, a dead load upon the bridge structure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what "1
claim is =
1. A tubular metal railway sleeper adapted to engage and support rails lengthwise,
provided with interior diaphragms, substantially as herein shown and described,
whereby the sleeper is made cellular, as-set forth.

page_text: 2: The combination with railroad rails of tubular metal sleepers engaging and
supporting the rails lengthwise, and adjustably held in their proper relative position
by inetal cross ties and rods, substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 17th day of June 1890.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.