IMPROVEMENTS IN STREET TRAMWAYS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Augustus Oswald Schenk, of 1, St. Nicholas Buildings,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STREET TRAMWAYS.”
Scaled the 18th May 1877, and dated the 6th December 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Augustus Oswald Schenk at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th December 1876.
AUGUSTUS OSWALD SCHENK, of 1, St. Nicholas Buildings, Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
Civil Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STREET TRAMWAYS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in street tramways. I employ a
rail or combination of rails in which the vertical dimension is greatest; they are
erected in chairs or supports and firmly secured to the chairs or supports with keys
or fastenings. The said keys or fastenings are driven between the rails and the
jaws of the chairs or supports, and are prevented from working loose and shaking
out by small barbs with projecting points on the jaws of the chairs or supports;
these barbs face the same direction as that in which the keys or fastenings are
driven in. The chairs or supports are prevented from working or moving laterally
in a direction at right angles to that of the rails by means of a rib, or the base of
the chairs or supports fitting into a corresponding recess on the upper surface of the
sleepers. The chairs or supports are spaced at intervals of three feet or there-
abouts, and are securely fixed by means of fastenings driven into transverse or
pot" sleepers.
10
To prevent the accumulation of water about the track a drain is provided on each
side of each single line of way on the track. The said drain or drains is continuous
through the chairs or supports, to effect which the chairs or supports are cast with
their centre portions cored out or hollow to allow of the passage of water through
them. The drain or drains are connected with suitable traps and connections
to the ordinary main drains of the streets or roads over and along which the
tramway is laid.
To prevent the subsidence of the paving stones immediately adjoining the rails on
each side of each line of way of the track a bearer is secured to and made continuous
over the surfaces of the transverse or " pot" sleepers running parallel with and
adjacent to the rails.

page_text: The ends of the rails at their junction where they butt are secured to double or
joint chairs, or are attached by means of suitable fish plates.
On the annexed Sheet of Drawings sections are shown of a tramway constructed
according to my Invention
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Augustus Oswald Schenk in the Great Seal Patent Oflice on the
6th June 1877.
AUGUSTUS OSWALD SCHENK, of 1, St. Nicholas Buildings, Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STREET TRAMWAYS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in street tramways. I employ a
rail or combination of rails in which the vertical dimension is greatest; they are
erected in chairs or supports, and firmly secured to the chairs or supports with keys
or fastenings. The said keys or fastenings are driven between the rails and the
jaws of the chairs or supports, and are prevented from working loose and shaking
out by small barbs with the projecting points on the jaws of the chairs or supports;
these barbs face the same direction as that in which the keys or fastenings are
driven in. The chairs or supports are spaced at intervals of three feet, or there-
abouts, and are securely fixed by means of fastenings driven into transverse or
"pot" sleepers.
To prevent the accumulation of water about the track a drain is provided on each
side of each single line of way on the track. The said drain or drains is continuous
through the chairs or supports, to effect which the chairs or supports are cast with
their centre portions cored out or hollow to allow of the passage of water through
them. The drain or drains are connected with suitable traps and connections to the
ordinary main drains of the streets or roads over and along which the tramway is
laid.
The ends of the rails at their junction where they butt are secured to double or
joint chairs, or are attached by means of suitable fish plates.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure is a plan of a portion of a street tramway constructed according to my
Invention. In a part of this Figure the paving is shown complete, whilst in
another part the sleepers are exposed; Figure 2 is a section taken on the line «, «,
in Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sections taken respectively on the
lines b, b, and c, c, in Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a transverse section of the rails and
chair full size.
The sleepers a shown in the Drawings are of timber, but in some cases pot
sleepers may be employed; the chairs are secured to them by trenails. The
chairs are formed with cheeks b, b, and between the checks there is the central
abutment b². is the main rail on which the wheels of the tram cars run it has a
deep vertical web, which strengthens it and offers a fair face, against which tho
pavement is laid; d is an auxiliary rail, it serves as a guide for the flanges of the
wheels, and also offers a fair face against which the pavement is laid. The chairs
which receive the ends of the rails are of double width. e, e, are the wooden keys
by which the rails are held in their chairs. The keys are driven vertically, and
small barbs are formed on the jaws of the chairs to prevent the keys rising, or the
keys may be driven in a horizontal direction. Also to prevent the rails from rising
the abutment 62 on the chair is slightly tapered and the vertical webs of the rails c
and d are thickened towards their lower ends. The sleepers are embedded in a

page_text: suitable ballast or concrete and upon this the pavement is laid. Before laying the
pavement however, and bafore the rails are placed in the chairs, a gutter of
asphalt is formed at extending from sleeper to sleeper, and the hollows in
the abutments 62 of the chairs render the waterway continuous along the line. At
suitable distances connections are made between these drains and the street sewer.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim as my improvements
in street tramways,—
First. The use in combination of the two rails c and d enclosing the tyre groove
between them and offering fair faces against which the pavement may be laid,
substantially as described.
Second. The chairs with their side cheeks and central abutments supporting
the rails on their tops and sides, substantially as described.
Third. The longitudinal gutters funderneath the rails and continued through the
chairs, substantially as described.
Fourth. The construction of street tramways, substantially as described and
represented in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Augustus Oswald Schenk, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
A. O. SCHENK. (L.S.)