Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 12th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 23rd Aug., 1887.
We LOUIS PHILIBERT GOFFIN and EVARISTE VANRIET both of Brussels in the
Kingdom of Belgium Engineers do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar system or mode of and means for fixing or
securing the rails of the permanent way of Railways or Tramways to metallic
longitudinal or cross sleepers and consists of the use in combination for that purpose
of an angularly moveable resting or bearing plate, two lock pieces and a wedge
or key.
These different parts are arranged and combined in such a manner that when the
resting or bearing plate is placed under the rail foot in a position parallel thereto one
of the holes of oblong form for the lock pieces shall coincide with a similar opening in
the surface of the sleeper and permit of the introduction of the outer lock piece which
is then displaced up to the end of the lockhole. By then turning the resting or
bearing plate by striking it with a hammer until it is in its normal position or at right
angles to the rail its angular motion is at the same time imparted to the outer lock
which by turning on its vertical axis gradually and tightly pinches the rail foot and
can no longer be removed.
In the normal position of the resting or bearing plate another hole in the same
coincides with a corresponding hole in the sleeper situate on the inner side of the rails
and now permits of the forced introduction of the inner locking piece whereby an
energetic strain is exerted by the resting plate on the external lockpiece and the pinching
action is increased..
Finally the inner lock piece is secured in its position by driving a'suitably shaped key
between the free part of its head and the surface of the resting or bearing plate until
a perfect securing of the rails is effected.
The resting or bearing plate may be of uniform thickness or its thickness may
gradually diminish towards one edge so as to present an inclined surface corresponding
with the inclination to be given to the rails.

page_text: The outer lock piece resembles a double T headed bolt suitably shaped for adapting
itself to the shape of the rail foot. One portion of its shank is rounded so as to
permit of free motion in the hole in the sleeper and the other portion is square half-
round or of any other suitable flat sided section capable of compelling the lock piece
to follow the angular motion of the resting or bearing plate.
The inner lock piece which may if desired be replaced by any other suitable
contrivance or lock possesses a single head specially shaped so as to bear on one side
against the rail foot whilst on the other side it leaves an opening between it and the
surface of the resting or bearing plate for the reception of the key. The shank of this
inner lock piece is bent or turned up at its lower end and bears against the under
surface of the sleeper.
The key is straight or slightly inclined and is wedge shaped at the end. It is
moreover provided with one or more ribs which engage in corresponding slots in the
head of the inner lockpiece.
When applied to the rail ends or joints lock pieces of larger dimensions may be
employed so as to secure the two adjoining rail ends at the same time. Or a lock piece
of larger dimensions may be used outside the rails and two lock pieces on the inner
side one for each rail driven into holes conveniently spaced apart.
Dated this 21st day of October 1886.

page_text: Improvements in Securing Railway or Tramway Rails to their
Sleepers.
We LOUIS PHILIBERT GOFFIN and EVARISTE VANRIET both of Brussels in the
Kingdom of Belgium Engineers do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a peculiar system of rail attachment for fixing the rails of
the permanent way of railways or tramways to either metallic longitudinal or to cross
sleepers and consists of the use in combination for that purpose of an angularly
moveable resting or hearing plate P two lock pieces C and C and a wedge or
key L see figs. 1 and 3 of the annexed drawings which are respectively a
sectional view on the line 1-2 of fig. 2 and a sectional view on the line 1234 of
fig. 4.
These different parts are arranged and combined in such a manner that when the
resting or bearing plate P is placed under the rail foot in a position parallel thereto see
figs. 1 and 2, one of its lock holes of oblong form shall coincide with a similar opening
in the sleeper and permit of the introduction of the outer lock piece C which is then
displaced until it is almost in contact with the end of the lock hole. Then by means
of a lever the sleeper and the resting plate are applied against the lower surface of
the rail.
By then turning the resting plate by striking it with a hammer until it is in its
normal position perpendicular to the rail its angular motion is also imparted to the
outer lock C which by turning on its vertical axis gradually and very tightly pinches
the rail foot and can no longer be removed.
In the normal position of the resting plate P indicated in figs. 3 and 4 another hole
in the same plate coincides with a corresponding hole in the sleeper situate on the inner
side of the rails and now permits of the forced introduction of the inner locking piece C¹
whereby an energetic traction is exerted by means of the resting plate P on the external
lock piece and the pinching action is increased.
Finally the inner lock piece is secured in its position by driving a suitably shaped
key L between the free part of its head and the resting plate until perfect fixing of the
rails is effected.
The resting plate P, fig. 3, may have a uniform thickness or a decreasing one as
shewn so as to preserve an inclined surface corresponding to the inclination to be given
to the rails.
The outer lock piece C, figs. 3 and 5, resembles in its section a double headed bolt
suitably shaped for adapting itself to the shape of the rail foot. Its upper head is
enlarged so as to offer a sufficient surface of contact. Its shank is at St, fig. 5, of a

page_text: section shown fig. 7 so as to permit of free motion in the hole in the sleeper and at S,
fig. 5, of a section shown fig. 6 such as will compel the lock piece to follow the angular
motion of the resting plate.
The inner lock piece C figs. 3 and 8 which may be replaced by any other contrivance
or lock if desired possesses a single head of special shape so as to bear on one side
against the rail foot whereas on the other side it leaves between it and the resting plate
a certain opening for the reception of the key L. The shank of this inner lockpiece is
bent at its lower end so as to bear against the under surface of the sleeper as shown
clearly in fig. 3. The upper heads of the lockpieces are made hollow or grooved out
so as to resemble in their section a T whereby their weight is diminished without
diminishing their resistance.
The key L fig. 9 is straight or slightly inclined and is wedge shaped at one end and
reinforced at the other. It is moreover provided with one or more ribs which are
engaged in corresponding slots in the lockpiece.
The arrangement described above permits of the rails being secured on the external
side without displacing the same and on the inner side by the simple effect of
the key.
When the rail ends are supported lock pieces of larger dimensions may be employed
at the joints so as to secure two abutting rail ends at the same time. Or a lockpiece of
greater dimensions may be used outside the rails and two lock pieces on the inner side
one for each rail driven into holes conveniently spaced apart.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
1. The mode of securing rails without displacing the same on either cross or longi-
tudinal metal sleepers by means of an angularly moveable resting plate P provided
with two lock holes in conjunction with two lock pieces C and C¹ and a wedge or
key L the arrangement being such that in the first position of the resting plate
parallel to the rail one of its lock holes corresponds with a similar opening in the
sleeper so as to permit of the introduction of the external lock piece C whereas in
its second position perpendicular to the rail the other lock hole coincides with a
second opening in the sleeper thus permitting the introduction of the inner lock piece C¹
as specified.
2. The combination of the resting plate P with an external lock piece C of such a
section at S¹ as will permit of its free motion in the opening of the sleeper, and of such
a section at S as will compel it to partake of the angular motion of the resting plate P
as specified.
3. The combination of the resting plate P and the external lock piece C with one
or more lock pieces and more especially with one or more internal lock pieces C
secured by means of a ribbed key L and situate between the said key and the rail as
specified.
1111
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