CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEPERS AND OTHER PARTS OF THE PERMANENT WAYS OF RAILROADS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Frederick Day, of Ashford, Kent,
and John Laylee, of Rye, Sussex, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEPERS AND OTHER PARTS OF THE PERMANENT
WAYS OF RAILROADS."
Sealed the 6th May 1853, and dated the 6th November 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Frederick
Day and John Laylee at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 6th November 1852.
We, CHARLES FREDERICK DAY, of Ashford, Kent, and JOHN LAYLEE,
of Rye, Sussex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEPERS AND OTHER PARTS OF THE PERMANENT
WAYS OF RAILROADS " to be as follows, that is to say:
Our improvements, which consist in a method of forming and con-
structing transverse metallic sleepers, and also other parts of the
permanent ways of railroads, by which parts the rails are attached to
the said sleepers, have for their objects,-firstly, to render the construc-
tion of the said permanent ways more simple, secure, and economical,
by dispensing with the chairs, nuts, bolts, spikes, and similar contri-

page_text: vances hitherto employed in attaching the rails to the sleepers, and the
nice processes of adjusting required for the same purpose; secondly,
to render the aid permanent ways more durable, by dispensing in the
sleepers with the employment of the wooden parts, and therewith of
all the parts liable to decay or disarrangement, and by supporting the
sleeper with a greater quantity of ballast or concrete; and, thirdly,
by giving to that part of the ballast which is under the sleeper a
thorough drainage, which it must always want under the present
system.
The accompanying Drawings, which illustrate the mode by which
we would effect these objects, represent at Fig. 1, a longitudinal side
elevation of a portion of the permanent way; at Fig. 2, a top or plan
view, and at Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section thereof, taken through
the dotted lines in each Figure. The same letters of reference denote
similar corresponding parts, namely, a, a, the rail; b, b, semi-tubular
metallic sleepers, formed of plate or cast iron, hollowed out in the centre
to make them lighter, and for the purpose of drainage, as above set
forth; c, c, projecting lips or studs for securing and holding the same;
d, d, a wooden fixing wedge or key; c, e, key bed or seat.
That which we claim as new in the above apparatus is, the employ-
ment and construction of the semi-tubular transverse sleepers of
wrought or cast iron, as set forth and described; also the mode of
attaching or securing the rail to the said sleepers by the novel form
of the key or wedge.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Frederick Day and John Laylee in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th May 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
CHARLES FREDERICK DAY, of Ashford, Kent, and JOHN LAYLEE, of Rye,
Sussex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of November, A.D. Eighteen

page_text: hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for,
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Charles Frederick Day and John Laylee, Her especial licence that
we, the said Charles Frederick Day and John Laylee, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Charles
Frederick Day, and John Laylee, our 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 night make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SLEEPERS
AND OTHER PARTS OF THE PERMANENT WAYS OF RAILROADS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that we, the said Charles Frederick Day and
John Laylee, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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 calen-
dar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
t
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Charles Frederick Day and John
Laylee, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described...
and ascertained in and by the following statement (that is to say):
:
Our improvements, which consist in a method of formning and con--
structing transverse metallic sleepers, and other parts of the permanent:
ways of railroads, by which parts the rails are attached to the said
sleepers, have for their object, firstly, to give greater simplicity and
security to the said permanent ways, by dispensing with the employ-
ment of chairs, nuts, bolts, spikes, and similar expensive contrivances.
hitherto employed in attaching the rails to the sleepers, and the nice pro-
cesses of adjusting required for the same purpose; secondly, to render
the said permanent ways more durable, by dispensing in the sleepers
with the employment of the wooden parts, and therewith of all the
parts liable to decay or disarrangement, and by supporting the sleeper
with a greater quantity of ballast or concrete; and, thirdly, to give to

page_text: that part of the ballast which is under the sleeper a thorough drainage,
which it must always want under the present system.
But in order that these our said improvements may be more fully
understood and readily carried into effect, we will now proceed to
describe the Drawings hereunto annexed, reference. being had to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say --Fig. 1, represents
a top or plan view of a portion of the permanent way of a railroad,
showing transverse metallic sleeper of our improved construction;
Fig. 2, a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 a vertical end view, showing
the method of securing the rail by means of the keys, chair, or seat;
Fig. 4, a transverse section of one sleeper only; and Fig. 5, detached
portion of the cast iron seating upon which the rail is fixed. In each
Figure the same letters of reference denote similar corresponding
parts.
- A, A, the rail; B, B, semi-tubular metallic sleeper, cast or wrought
with an opening C, C, in the centre, for the purpose of economising
the metal, and affording effectual drainage to to the ballast or con-
crete which composes the permanent way; D, D, projecting lips or
rail seats, cast or fitted to the semi-tubular metallic sleeper, for the
purpose of holding or securing the rail, as shown; E, E, wooden
wedge or key for tightening and fixing the rail; F, F, ballast or
concrete. Figs. 6, 7, 8, & 9, represent different views of metallic
sleepers, in which the chair or seating D, is cast in one piece with
the sleeper or end bearers, the dotted lines showing an arrange-
ment in which the cast iron transverse sleeper, as described, is
replaced by a pair of cast iron end bearers connected by stay bars or
tie rods G, of wrought iron, which are secured to them by bolts H.
Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14, show other modifications of railway chairs
or seatings for securing the rail to our improved semi-tubular sleepers;
A, A, the rail; B, B, semi-tubular cast iron sleepers; B', B', cast
iron end bearers; C, C, opening for drainage; D, D, seat or chair,
cast in one piece, or fitted with the sleeper B, B, or with the end
bearers B E, E, wooden wedge or key for securing or tightening the
rail in the chair; F, F, concrete or ballast.
Having now fully described the nature of these our said improve-

page_text: ments, and the manner in which the same are to be carried into effect,
we would have it clearly understood that we do not by any means
limit ourselves to the precise details herein-before described, as the same
may be varied without departing from the general principle of our
improvements; but that which we do claim as new, and of our said
Invention, is,
Firstly, the employment and construction of semi-tubular metallic
transverse sleepers.
Secondly, the employment and construction of transverse metallic
sleepers, formed of semi-tubular end bearers of cast iron, connected by
stay bars or tie rods of wrought iron, in the manner set forth and
described.
Thirdly and lastly, the construction and employment of the moveable
lips or rail seating, made in two parts, in the manner set forth and
described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles Frederick Day and John
Laylee, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixth day
of May, A.D. One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
CHARLES FREDERICK DAY. (L.S.)
JOHN LAYLEE.
(L.S.)