Improvements in or Applicable to Railway Chairs and their Mode of Attachment to Metallic Sleepers.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 5th June, 1890-Accepted, 5th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Applicable to Railway Chairs and their Mode
of Attachment to Metallic Sleepers.
I, JOSEPH WALWYN WHITE of Hale Bank near Widnes in the County of
Lancaster, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
This invention has for its object chairs and methods of fastening the same which
will have one or more of the following advantages according as all my improvements
are used or not.
1. The steel or wrought iron sleeper will actually be strengthened instead of
weakened by the mode of attachment of the chair thereto.
2. No bolts need be used but the chair is grasped by the actual material of the
sleeper consequently there is less liability of the chair getting loose or of it becoming
practically inoperative through a broken bolt or fastening.
3. The chair itself grasps the rail and the fastening of the chair performs the
double object of holding the parts of the chair together and of tightening up the
chair on the rail. By this means I can dispense with the wooden key now usually
used.
4. The invention can be used for almost any kind of sleeper and is especially
applicable for the triangular trough sleepers which are so difficult to apply ordinary
chairs to.
thereof.
I form my chair with a bottom contour to suit the shape of the sleeper and in two
parts preferably sliding on each other, one part abuts against one side of the rail, the
other against the other side and by wedging cottering or bolting the two parts
together the rail is held fast between the jaws and is supported on the lower part of
one or both jaws. In the case of wrought iron or steel trough sleepers the chair can
be arranged to be grasped by the trough and can be inserted in the sleeper in the
manufacture of the latter in the following manner.-One of the two principal parts of
the chair is placed in the male die of the stamping press and practically forms a part
It is caused to project a trifle beyond the die so that when the chair is forced
down into the hot metal of the sleeper it forces the latter out somewhat. Side dies
then force the metal of the sleeper into hollows formed in the sides of the chair thus
producing bulbs fitting into these hollows. As the sleeper cools the chair is very
tightly grasped through the shrinkage. In such a case as this, only one part of the
chair is grasped by the sleeper, the other part slides in a dovetailed or other groove or
hed on the first part or on the sleeper and is cottered or bolted to the fixed part so as
to be able to tighten it up tight against the rail. I prefer, however, to place a piece
of felt or other yielding material or wooden or other elastic key between one or both
jaws of the chair and the rail and by varying the thickness of this material and its
position a little latitude can be given to the gauge of the rails.
In placing the chair in the sleeper in the manner above described the required cant
of rail can be obtained.
It will be obvious that in carrying out my invention very varying shapes of chairs
can be used to suit the various forms of rail such as the bridge rail, the Bullhead, the
Thead etcetera, the shape of the jaws being formed to suit also. One or both parts
of the chair can be fitted with projecting bosses or studs fitting into the fish holes of
the rail. By this means the chair can be use to perform the double purpose of chair
and fishplate, the rail being jointed on the chair. In the case of the triangular trough
and some other forms of sleeper a split cotter with one leg rather longer than the
other and turned up at the end can be used. This cotter is driven till one of the ends
previously compressed together having passed through the material of the sleeper

page_text: springs out and catches on the sleeper. The projecting head prevents the cotter being
driven too far while the end that has been driven through the material of the sleeper
catching against it prevents the cotter from being withdrawn a hole or slot can be
formed in the chair and a special tool or tongs used to withdraw the cotter when
necessary. This cotter not merely tightens up the two sides together but also forms
an additional security holding the chair firm on to the sleeper or it can be the only
attachment of the chair to the sleeper if desirable. The cotters can, however, be
passed through the parts of the chair in a vertical, horizontal or an oblique direction
and bolts can be used instead of or in addition to the cotters, and also can be used for
attachment to the sleeper if desired.
Dated this 4th day of September 1889.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Applicable to Railway Chairs and their Mode
of Attachment to Metallic Sleepers.
I, JOSEPH WALWYN WHITE of Hale Bank near Widnes in the County of
Lancaster, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to railway chairs, and to a method for attaching the same to
metallic sleepers, and it has for its object certain improvements in such appliances
whereby one or more of the following advantages may be obtained, according as a
part or the whole of the improvements is adopted.
1. The steel or wrought iron sleeper will actually be strengthened instead of
weakened by the mode of attachment of the chair thereto.
2. No bolts need be used, but the chair is grasped by the sleeper itself, and con-
sequently there is less liability of the chair getting loose or of it becoming practically
inoperative through a broken bolt or fastening.
3. The chair itself grasps the rail, and the fastening of the chair performs the
double object of holding the parts of the chair together and of tightening up the
chair against the rail. By this means, 1 can dispense with the wooden key now
usually employed.
4. The invention can be used for almost any kind of sleeper, and is especially
applicable for the triangular trough sleepers to which it is so difficult to apply ordinary
chairs.
Figures 1, 2 and 3 show the invention as applied to a double headed rail,
Figure 1 being an end elevation showing the rail in section,
Figure 2 an inner side elevation, showing the sleeper in section, and
Figure 3 a view similar to Figure 1 (but with parts in section) showing the position
of the parts before tightening up.
Figure 4 is a traverse section of the sleeper and chair, showing a device for securing
the two together.
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a slight modification.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section showing another modification.
() is the sleeper of any ordinary construction, the V-shaped trough form shown being
the kind I prefer employ.
The chair is constructed in two pieces A' B', the piece A¹-called hereinafter the
"fixed jaw"-being stationary and rigidly attached to the sleeper (or some part firmly
secured thereto), and the piece B-called hereinafter the movable jaw"-being
capable of sliding upon the jaw A¹ (or on some part rigidly connected therewith). The
jaw A¹ abuts against one side of the rail E, preferably the outer side, and the jaw B¹
abuts against the opposite side of the rail. The two jaws are drawn together as
hereinafter described by wedging, cottering or bolting, in such a manner that the

page_text: rail E is held fast between them, being supported upon one or both jaws, or partly
upon the sleeper itself as in Figures 1 and 3.
The fixed jaw A' is formed on its underside of a contour adapted to suit the shape
of the sleeper. In the case of wrought iron or steel trough sleepers, such as shown on
the drawings, the jaw A¹ may be firmly secured to the sleeper by being grasped by
the metal of the latter during the manufacture of the sleeper, as shown in Figure 4.
To this end, hollows a are formed on the underside of the jaw, and the latter is placed
in the male die of the press, forming practically a part thereof. The underside of the
jaw projects, by preference, a trifle beyond the rest of the die, so that, when the jaw
is forced down into the hot metal, it forces the latter outwards to a slight extent, the
adjacent portion of the female die being recessed to permit of this. Side dies then
force the metal of the sleeper into the hollows a formed in the under sides of the jaw,
thus producing bulbs a fitting into these hollows. As the sleeper cools, the jaw A¹ is
very tightly grasped by it owing to the shrinkage of the metal.
Or the part A', instead of being attached to the sleeper during the manufacture
thereof, may be secured thereto by means of one or more bolts c¹, each of which is
preferably provided with a self-locking nut c²; or the jaw can be held in the sleeper
by a suitably shaped wedge, instead of a bolt. care bevelled washers or blocks
through which the bolt c¹ passes on the outside of the sleeper.
The movable jaw B is capable of sliding to and from the rail E in a path approxi-
mately at right angles thereto and preferably within a dovetail groove or bed 1³
formed in the sole of the jaw A¹. This will be readily understood by reference to
Figures 2 and 4.
The jaw B is drawn up tight against the rail by a wedge or cotter of any suitable
description. I prefer however to use a vertical two legged spring cotter D, which
rests in a recess d¹ in the movable jaw B and has its lower end projecting into a
recess in the fixed jaw A'. The cotter is tapered at its outer edges as at d,
Figure 3, from which Figure its action will be clearly understood.
In the case of the triangular trough and some other forms of sleeper, one leg of the
spring cotter D may be made longer than the other and turned up at the end on its
outer face. The recess a² is extended down to the sleeper and a corresponding hole
is made in the sleeper. As the cotter is driven in, the long leg thereof is pressed
towards the shorter one by reason of the turned up end of the former bearing against
the adjacent side of the recess a². As soon as the said end has passed through the
sleeper, the lengthened leg of the cotter springs outwards and the turned up end
catches on the under side of the sleeper, thus preventing the cotter from working
upwards. A vertical slot may be made in the jaw B' behind the cotter and a tool or
tongs of suitable form employed to withdraw the cotter when necessary. This
modified form of cotter serves not only to tighten the jaw B₁, but it also forms an
additional means for holding the chair securely on the sleeper.
Although the cotter D has been described as being placed in a vertical position, it
is obvious that it could also be placed obliquely or even horizontally, and also that a
bolt or bolts could be used instead of or in addition to the cotter. I prefer, however,
the arrangement shown.
One or both jaws A' B' may be provided with projecting bosses or studs adapted
to fit into the fish plate bolt holes in the rail, the jaw (or jaws) being widened out
where it grips the rail forming a kind of fish plate. By this means the chair serves
the double purpose of chair and fish plate, the rail being jointed on the chair.
I prefer to place a piece of felt or other yielding material, or a wooden or other
elastic key between one or both jaws of the chair and the rail. By varying the
thickness of this material and its position, a little latitude can be given to the gauge
of the rails. The required cant of rail can also be obtained in a similar manner by
placing packing of suitable thickness at the proper point or points. A piece of wood
or similar packing may also be placed below the rail, and also between the chair and
the sleeper, to reduce the vibration, as clearly shown at e and e¹, Figures 5 and 4
respectively.
The jaws A¹ and B³ may bear upon the rail in a variety of ways. In Figures 1, 2

page_text: and 3, the weight of the rail is borne by the sleeper and the sole of the jaw A', the
jaws serving merely to hold the rail in position. In Figure 5, the rail is shown
suspended upon the tips of the jaws so that the greater part of its weight borne by
the latter. In the arrangement shown in Figure 6, the weight of the rail is borne by
the soles of the jaws A' and B' conjointly.
In the modified arrangement shown in this latter Figure, the dovetail bed ³ is
extended right through the sole of the jaw A' and is inclined from the horizontal, as
shown, say at an angle of to 10 degrees, the lower end being below the jaw A¹.
The dovetail sole of the jaw B' is also extended as shown and projects through
beyond the jaw A¹ as at 6 being securely held in place by a cotter or pin, D or
its equivalent. Or if the sole of the jaw B' be made of wrought iron or steel,
the jaw may be secured by simply hammering or bending down the end of the
sole. The rail being in part supported by the sole of the jaw B¹, the repeated
impacts of the rolling stock upon the rail tend to tighten up the said jaw against
the rail by driving it down its inclined bed.
When the chair has to be applied to wooden sleepers, the jaw A' has attached
to it, or formed in one with it, a rigid sole plate of sufficient size, which is
secured to the sleeper in any well known manner.
The sleepers may be laid with the rails attached or the latter can be applied after-
wards without any other instrument than a hammer.
It will be obvious that the invention may be applied to various forms of rails
other than the double headed type shown, the shape of the jaws A' B' being
adapted to the shape of the rails they are to hold.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A railway chair consisting of a fixed jaw abutting against one side of the rail,
a movable jaw abutting against the opposite side of the rail and capable of sliding
to and from the rail in a path approximately perpendicular thereto upon guideways
formed in the sole plate of the said fixed jaw, and a fastening device D adapted to
force the movable jaw against the rail and hold it tightly in position, substantially
as described.
2. A railway chair having one or both of its jaws provided with projections or
studs adapted to fit into the fish-plate bolt holes in the rails on each side of the
junction thereof, whereby the use of fish-plates and bolts is obviated, substantially as
described.
3. The method of attaching railway chairs to metallic sleepers which consists in
forcing a portion of the hot metal, during the manufacture of the sleeper, into hollows
formed in the bottom or sides of the chair, substantially as described.
4. The improved adjustable railway chair, constructed as a whole substantially as
described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
D
1000
5333 U
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, and London, Patent Agents.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, and London, Patent Agents.