IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAYS OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Edward Dering, of Lockleys, near Welwyn,
Herts, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAYS OF
RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 14th May 1861, and dated the 23rd November 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Edward Dering at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd November 1860.
I, GEORGE EDWARD DERING, of Lockleys, near Welwyn, Herts, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT
WAYS OF RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the permanent ways of
railways. For these purposes in constructing the joints and various con-
nections of parts of the permanent ways of railways, fastenings are made of
steel, which are tempered, or of wrought iron, which are case or surface
hardened, and they are applied to make and keep tight by virtue of their
elasticity the various connections of the permanent way of a railway in place
of or in addition to other fastenings now employed.
One method of making a suitable fastening for the connecting and holding
together of two consecutive rails consists of a clip which partly embraces the
ends of the two rails passing underneath them, and the upper parts of such
clip press upon the sides or upon the extended base of the two rails. These
clips, if made of steel, are tempered, or if of wrought iron they are case
or surface hardened, and by their elasticity the ends of the two rails are held

page_text: securely in juxtaposition, an interval being allowed for the expansion of the
rails if desirable.
In making keys, wedges, trenails, or spikes, they are constructed hollow or
slotted, or split in any of the forms in which such hollow or slotted or split
fastenings have been heretofore made, or of any other suitable forms, and they
are tempered if made of steel, or if of wrought iron they are case or surface
hardened for the purpose of rendering them elastic, in order that they may
possess permanently a sufficient tendency to return to their original form after
they have been bent or compressed out of such original form.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Edward Dering in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd May 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
EDWARD DERING, of Lockleys, near Welwyn, Herts, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Edward Dering, Her special licence that I, the said George
Edward Dering, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others.
as I, the said George Edward Dering, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAYS OF RAILWAYS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Edward Dering, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Edward Dering, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the permanent ways of
railways. To this end, in constructing the joints and various connections of
parts of the permanent ways of railways, fastenings are used made of steel,
which are tempered, or of wrought iron, which are case or surface hardened,
and they are applied so as to make and keep tight by virtue of their elasticity
the various connections of the permanent way of a railway, in place of or in
addition to other fastenings now employed.
One method of making a suitable fastening for connecting together con-
secutive rails consists of a clip, which partly embraces the abutting ends of the
rails passing underneath them, and the upper parts of such clip press upon the
sides of the two rails, and upon their extended base in the case of bridge rails.
These clips if made of steel are tempered, or if of wrought iron they are
case or surface hardened, and by their elasticity the ends of the two rails are
held forcibly and securely in juxtaposition, an interval being allowed for the
expansion of the rails if desirable. It is advantageous to form both ends of
the clips with the edge slightly bevilled on the inside, or bent outwards, so as
to afford the ends of the rails a more easy entrance; and in laying down the
line of rails the clips are forced into their position over the intended joint by
blows or pressure in an horizontal direction. Any single rail can at any time
be easily and quickly removed from a line jointed by means of these clips, by
driving those at its two extremitics from off the joints wholly on to one or
other of the two contiguous rails, and when the rail is replaced the joints are
made secure again by a converse operation. Bolts and nuts, screws, rivets, or
other fastenings may be employed in combination with the elastic clip, with a
view to rendering the joint more secure, although I do not consider such to be
generally necessary or advantageous. In some cases, as a safeguard against
fracture I construct the clips after the fashion of double or compound springs,
instead of their consisting of a single thickness of metal; but I prefer to
employ single springs, and as a precaution I test each one before being sent
out from the manufactory, which testing is performed at a rapid rate by means
of a simple piece of mechanism actuated by hand or steam power, by the
action of which the clip is forced open to a definite extent, more than it ever
can be under any circumstances when in actual use..
Another mode of applying the principles of this Invention consists in the
use of springs of steel, or case or surface hardened iron, for keeping tight fish
plates of the ordinary description, which springs are placed with greatest
advantage between the nut or bolt heads and the fish plate, on one or both.

page_text: sides. Or the bolt by which the fish plates are held in position may be a
spring, slotted, and having a tendency to open outwards, thus preventing by
friction the slacking of the nut; or conversely, a slotted spring nut may be
employed. Or the fish plates may be made of elastic metal, and compressed
somewhat out of their normal shape by the bolts and nuts or other fastening,
thus keeping the joint tight and rigid.
Although I consider the several kinds of rail joints last described to possess
important advantages over the different systems at present in use, I much
prefer to any of them the simple clastic clip joint herein-before fully described,
since perfect joints are thus obtained by the application of a single piece of
metal in place of using ten or more separate parts. And owing to the
simplicity of the arrangement no attention or labour is required to maintain
the joints perfect, there being no parts that can possibly become loosened by
wear and tear of the traffic, or other causes.
In making keys, wedges, treenails, or spikes, according to this Invention,
they are formed hollow or slotted or split, in any of the forms in which such
hollow or slotted or split iron fastenings have been heretofore made, or of
any other suitable forms; and they are tempered if made of steel, or if of
wrought iron they are case or surface hardened for the purpose of rendering
them elastic, in order that they may possess a sufficient tendency to return to
their original form after they have been bent or compressed out of such
original form.
I wish to state distinctly that although I in general prefer to employ the
kind known in the market as spring steel, this Invention is by no means
limited to the use of steel of any particular description, quality, or temper;
provided only that it possess a suitable degree of elasticity for the office it is
intended to fulfil, and I sometimes temper differently different parts of the
same clip or fastening. By the term "wrought iron" throughout the descrip-
tion of this Invention I intend to signify iron converted by any treatment
whatsoever from the condition of crude cast iron, not less than sufficiently to
admit of being fitted for the purposes in view by a case or surface hardening
process. And with regard to the case or surface hardening various means are
efficient for this object, as is well understood; and I do not confine myself to
any in particular. In some cases it is advisable that a portion only of the clip
or fastening be so treated. And to the case or surface hardening I sometimes
superadd a tempering process.
Nor do I restrict myself to any specific shapes or dimensions, as such are
best determined according to circumstances by the engineer of the particular
line of railway in question. I may mention, however, that the clips for uniting

page_text: the rail ends may vary from about one-eighth of an inch to half-an-inch in
thickness, and from about six inches to twenty-four inches in length; and the
hollow keys and treenails, which need not differ materially in external figure
from the wooden ones now in common use, may be made of sheet metal vary-
ing from about one-sixteenth to one-fourth of an inch in thickness.
I have not thought it requisite to describe the process of manufacturing the
clips, keys, treenails, and other fastenings, since various methods of doing so
will suggest themselves to any person moderately, conversant with the opera-
tion of metal shaping machinery; and it will be obvious that they can be
formed at a rapid and cheap rate by the aid of such means worked by steam
power. It is hardly necessary to observe that the tempering and case or
surface hardening are the final operations performed in the course of manu-
facture.
As a preventive against rust I recommend that the clips and other fasten-
ings, more particularly the hollow keys and treenails, be immersed in heated
gas tar, or other suitable matter, which is best done before they cool, after the
tempering or case or surface hardening has been effected.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, of the Drawings show the elastic clip as applied
for connecting rails of the double-headed form; Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10,
shew the same as applied to the description known as bridge rails.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and what I believe
to be the best manner of carrying out the same, I would have it understood
that I do not in any respect confine myself to the details herein contained, as
the mode of putting the Invention into practice may be greatly varied, but
what I claim is,―
Firstly. The use of steel of a suitable temper, in whatever manner applied,
to make and keep tight, by virtue of its elasticity, the joints, fastenings, and
connections of parts generally of the permanent ways of railways.
Secondly. The like use of wrought iron, fitted for the purposes in view
by case or surface hardening, or other suitable process or treatment.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Edward Dering, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
GEORGE E. DERING. (L.S.)