IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Cadlick Pain and James Cleminson, both of
Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineers, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS."
Sealed the 28th October 1879, and dated the 14th May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Cadlick Pain and
James Cleminson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th
May 1879.
ARTHUR CADLICK PAIN and JAMES CLEMINSON, both of Victoria Street, in the
City of Westminster, Civil Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS AND TRAM-
WAYS.
This Invention has reference to an improved method of fastening those railway
or tramway rails known as flange or Vignole rails to their wooden sleepers, and is
designed to more firmly secure such rails to the sleepers to prevent the rails shifting
or moving laterally upon the sleepers by the side pressure or straining of rolling
stock passing over them (especially on curved portions of line); and also to prevent
creeping of the rails on the sleepers (especially on inclines) without the use of
notches in the flanges of the rails.
We employ a base or sole plate made of wrought iron, cast iron, or steel, and
having one of its ends turned over in such manner that it shall grip the flange of
the rail on one side, when a suitable fang bolt, or spike is passed through the said
sole plate and tightened up. The opposite end of the sole plate is cut or sheared
off, and is not turned over. This description of sole plate we call for distinction a
single sole plate, and is intended for use at intermediate places under the rail, but
it may be used at any part of the rail. Holes are punched or otherwise made
These
through the turned over part as well as through the part not turned over.
holes may with advantage be of a square form as hereinafter explained. The said
holes may however be punched or drilled, or otherwise pierced of any form other
than square, as circumstances may require. The said holes are for the reception of
fang bolts, spikes, or other fastenings, such as ordinarily used for securing rails to
sleepers.
We cause the spikes, fang bolts, or other fastenings when in place to serve also
as abutments whereby lateral movement of the rail is prevented, for which purpose
!

page_text: we space the holes in the sole plate a distance apart corresponding exactly to the
width of the flange or foot of the rail.
A modification of the above-described sole plate designed for use at the joints of
rails, and which for distinction we call a double sole plate, has both its ends turned
and formed to grip the flange or foot of the rail on either side thereof. With
these double sole plates we use fang bolts, spikes, or other fastenings as already
described.
over,
It is advantageous to make the holes in the sole plates for the fang bolts, spikes,
or other fastenings accurately as regards size, so that the bolts or spikes aforesaid
when driven or forced in shall be a tight fit in the said sole plates. By making the
holes in the sole plates square as already described, there is less resistance to a
round bolt or other like fastening when being turned or screwed up, and spikes
which are ordinarily formed of square iron may be driven therein, which could not
be done were the hole circular.
One of our methods of preventing the rails creeping is to shear or otherwise take
off a small portion of the corner of the flange or foot of the rail, in order to provide
for the bolts a recess or space between the ends of the rail flanges. We adopt this
plan when placing a sleeper and sole plate under the joint of the rail. Another
method is making the turned over ends of the sole plates of such length as that
they shall project beyond the ends of the fish plates, against each of the ends of
which fish plates the sole plate ends so formed are firmly placed, so as to prevent
the rails moving longitudinally.
Another plan is designed to afford greater lateral hold than that given by the
bolts and spikes, and consists in turning down the whole or a part or parts of that
end of the sole plate opposite to its upwardly turned over end, and bedding the
said turned down part or parts in a suitable recess or recesses in the wooden
sleeper.
Another method is by the use of an angular clip, serving for fastening the rail
base, and extending down into a suitable recess in the sleeper.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Arthur Cadlick Pain and James Cleminson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 14th November 1879.
ARTHUR CADLICK PAIN and JAMES CLEMINSON, both of Victoria Street, in the
City of Westminster, Civil Engineers. " IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAYS AND TRAM-
WAYS."
This Invention has reference to an improved method of fastening those railway
or tramway rails known as flange or Vignole rails to their wooden sleepers, and is
designed to more firmly secure such rails to the sleepers, to prevent the rails
shifting or moving laterally upon the sleepers by the side pressure or straining of
rolling stock passing over them (especially on curved portions of line); and also to
prevent creeping of the rails on the sleepers (especially on inclines) without the use
of notches in the flanges of the rails.
We employ a base or sole plate made (as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2) of wrought
iron, cast iron, or steel, and having one of its ends (1) turned over in such manner
that it shall grip the flange of the rail (2) on one side, when a suitable fang bolt
(3) or spike is passed through the said sole plate and tightened up. The opposite
This
end (4) of the sole plate is cut or sheared off, and is not turned over.
description of sole plate we call for distinction a single sole plate, and is intended
for use at intermediate places under the rail, but it may be used at any part of the
rail. Holes are punched or otherwise made through the turned over part as well
as through the part not turned over. These holes may with advantage be of a
square form as hereinafter explained. The said holes may however be punched or
drilled, or otherwise pierced, of any form other than square as circumstances may
require. The said holes are for the reception of the fang bolts, spikes, or other
fastenings, which may be such as ordinarily used for securing rails to sleepers as
shewn.
We cause the spikes, fang bolts, or other fastenings when in place to serve also
as abutments, whereby lateral movement of the rail is prevented, for which purpose
we space the holes in the sole plate a distance apart corresponding exactly to the
width of the flange or foot, of the rail.
A modification of the above described sole plate designed for use at the joints of
rails, and which for distinction we call a double sole plate, is illustrated in Figs. 3
and 4. It has both its ends (1, 1*,) turned over and formed to grip the flange or
foot of the rail (2) on either side thereof. With these double sole plates we use
fang bolts (3), spikes, or other fastenings as already described.
It is advantageous to make the holes in the sole plates for the fang bolts, spikes,
or other fastenings accurate as regards size, so that the bolts or spikes aforesaid
when driven or forced in shall be a tight fit in the said sole plates. By making
the holes in the sole plates square as already described there is less resistance to a
round bolt or other like fastening when being turned or screwed up, and spikes
which are ordinarily formed of square iron may be driven therein, which could not
be done were the holes circular.
One of our methods of preventing the rails creeping is to shear or otherwise take
off a small portion of the corner of the flange or foot of the rail, as illustrated in
Fig. 5, in order to provide for the bolts (3) a recess or space between the ends of
the rail flanges. We adopt this plan when placing a sleeper and sole plate under
the joint of the rail. Another method (illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7) is making the
turned over ends (1, 1*,) of the sole plates of such length, as that they shall project
beyond the ends of the fish plate (6), against each of the ends of which fish plates
the sole plate ends so formed are firmly placed, so as to prevent the rails moving
longitudinally.
Another plan (illustrated in Figs. and 9) is designed to afford greater lateral
hold than that given by the bolts (3) and spikes (3*), and consists in turning down

page_text: the whole or a part (7) or parts of that end of the sole plate opposite to its
upwardly turned over end (1) and bedding, the said turned down part or parts in a
suitable recess or recesses in the wooden sleeper (8).
Another method (illustrated in Fig. 10) is by the use of an angular clip (9)
serving for fastening the rail base, and extending down into a suitable recess in the
sleeper (8).
Fig. 11 shews a modification in which our improved sole plate is provided with
a clipping piece (10) for the purpose of giving lateral support to the rail.
Having described the nature of our said Invention, and explained in what
manner the same is to be performed, we hereby declare that what we consider to
be novel and original and therefore claim as secured to us under the Letters Patent
hereinbefore in part recited is,-
The securing flange or Vignole rails to their sleepers and preventing lateral
shifting and longitudinal creeping, substantially as and by the means herein before
severally described with reference respectively to Figs 1 and 2, to Figs. 3 and 4,
to Fig. 5, to Figs. 6 and 7, to Figs. 8 and 9, to Fig. 10, and to Fig. 11 of the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Cleminson, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, this Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
JAS. CLEMINSON. (L.S.)