IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Melville Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th May 1878. A com-
munication from abroad by Percy Wells, of Adelaide, in the Colony of South
Australia.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
AND TRAMWAYS." [A communication from abroad by Percy Wells, of Adelaide, in
the Colony of South Australia.]
This Invention relates to improvements in the permanent way of railways and
tramways, which improvements have for their object to reduce the cost of con-
struction, ensure uniformity of gauge, and provide a permanent way capable of
resisting vertical and lateral pressure.
According to this Invention the rails, whether tram rails or edge rails, have
flanges or webs at right angles to one another adapted to fit on longitudinal
timbers of various forms for the purpose of securing the rails thereto, as hereafter
described.
The form of the head or table of the rail is immaterial, and would depend on
the nature of the traffic and other contingencies. The rails have holes bored in the
flanges at certain distances, as required, to enable them to be spiked to the longi-
tudinal timbers or sleepers, as hereafter described.
If necessary countersunk holes may be made in the bottom of the groove of each
tram rail near the ends, so that they may be screwed or spiked to the longitudinal
timbers, but this is not absolutely necessary to ensure rigidity. The longitudinal
timbers on which these rails are fixed are cut diagonally or arriswise from a piece
of timber in square form in cross section, having one, two, or three arrises taken
off, simply cut arriswise, as the case may be, Istly, to enable the rail to fit
accurately; and 2ndly, that the longitudinal timbers may fit in grooves cut in the
cross sleepers for their reception.
The rails fit on the apex of the longitudinal timbers, the angle between the rail
flanges corresponding to the angle of the sides of the longitudinal timbers.
The apex of the latter may be flattened by the removal of the arris or not,
according to the form of the under side of the rail between the flanges, with which

page_text: the form of the timbers must correspond. For example, for tramway rails the
apex of the timbers may be removed, but for edge rails it may or may not be
retained.
The longitudinal timbers are laid on transverse sleepers having cross grooves or
notches cut in them at the proper distance apart to receive the longitudinal timbers,
these grooves or notches corresponding in width to the breadth of the base of the
longitudinal timbers which fit therein, whereby perfect uniformity of gauge is
ensured.
The cross sleepers are of triangular form in cross section, being cut arriswise from
square timber; or they may be of the ordinary rectangular section.
Along cither side of the rails, especially in the case of tram rails, are laid guard
timbers, also primarily cut arriswise from timbers of rectangular form, and then
shaped to adapt them to the form of rail used, and also to the longitudinal timbers
on which the rails are placed, and they may either rest on the top of the cross
sleepers, or their lower arris may form a wedge, and fit in between the side of the
notch in the cross sleeper and the side of the longitudinal timbers, but if the line
can be kept free from heavy vehicle traffic the use of guards can be dispensed with,
except at crossing places, whether the edge rail or train rail be used.
The rails, longitudinal and cross sleepers, and guards are spiked together to form
one rigid whole in the following manner:-The longitudinal timbers being placed
on the cross sleepers, the rails on the longitudinal timbers, and the guard timbers
on either side of the rails, spikes are first driven through holes in the guards and
flanges of the rails, the spikes being driven from opposite sides alternately obliquely
towards the centre of the longitudinal timbers, thus securely fastening both rails
and guards to the longitudinal timbers, and rendering it practically impossible for
any lateral or vertical pressure liable to come upon them to disunite them. Other
longer spikes are now driven in at the side of the guard timbers, these spikes
passing through the guard timbers and the longitudinal timbers into the cross
sleepers.