Improvements in Railway Ties or Sleepers.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Railway Ties or Sleepers.
I, FRANCIS AUGUSTUS CLARKSON, of 4842, London Road, Duluth, County of
St. Louis, State of Minnesota, United States of America, Gentleman, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in metallic ties for railroads; and it
consists of certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts,
as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents a top plan view of my improved tie, showing the means
of attaching to the rails.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 represents a cross-section through the track, one of the ties being
shown in side elevation.
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Figure 4 represents a detail perspective view of one end of a tie, showing
the lugs for engaging the flanges of the rail.
Figure 5 represents a perspective view of the chair or fastening for holding
the rail-joint.
Figure 6 represents a detail view of one end of a tie, showing the binding
bolt elevated.
Figure 7 represents a modified form of the end of a tie as adapted for bridges,
and
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Figure 8 represents another modified view of the same.
Figure 9 is a side elevation of a modified construction for preventing the
rails from creeping, the tie being shown in section, and
Figure 10 is a top plan view of the same.
1 in the drawings represents my improved tie, which is formed of two
longitudinal beams 2 and 3, preferably angle-bars made of suitable metal, said
angle-bars being formed with horizontal flanges at top to form a broad bearing-
surface for the rails, and vertical body portions 4,4. The horizontal flanges of
the angle-bars are provided with lugs 5, 6, which are struck up from the
flanges of the said bars, as shown in Fig. 4, or may be formed in any other suitable
The
manner, said lugs being adapted to engage the flanges of the rails.
vertical body portions 4 hear against each other and are secured together at their

page_text: ends by means of bolts or rivets, as 7, each body portion being provided in the
center with an aperture 8, as shown in Fig. 3, which grips the earth placed
above the tie to firmly hold the same in position. As seen in Fig. 6, the
binding-bolt 10 may be elevated so that the same can be more readily reached
than if placed near the ground to permit an attendant to easily tighten or
loosen the bolt in case of wreck or as may be desired. For this purpose I form
a lug or projection, as 9, on the ends of the body portions 4, which projection
extends above the plane of the tie and is formed with an aperture through
which bolts 10 may be passed. The angle-bars preferably taper from end to
center for a purpose as will be hereinafter described.
Where rail-joints occur, it is desirable to separate the vertical body portions
of the angle-bars, as seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and in order to accom-
plish this I interpose a spacing-washer, as 11, between the ends of the angle-
bars and pack earth solidly around the members of the tie to hold the same
rigidly in place. I also employ at these points a chair or fastening, as 12, to
further brace the ends of the angle-bars and form a connecting means for the
rails. This chair or fastening consists of a horizontal portion 13, which is
preferably notched, as at 14, to accommodate the lugs 5,6 on the angle-bars
and formed with downwardly and inwardly extending ends, as 15, adapted to
engage the flanges of the ties, and also with a side projection, as 16, embracing
the base-flange of the rail. This projection 16 is provided with a fish-plate 17,
having holes through which bolts are adapted to be passed in the usual
imanner. When it is desired to remove the chair on the inside of the rail, it
is simply necessary to loosen the bolts in the fish-plate and slip the chair
down the tapering angle-bar until it can be lifted off. If it is desired to
remove the chair on the outside of the rail, it can be easily done by loosening
the bolts in the fish-plate and taking the chair off and a new one inserted or
the old one repaired and replaced. This chair also prevents "creeping" of
track over ties. While I prefer to use the wider ties at the joints, it will be
apparent that the narrow ones could be used at these points. So, also, while
the narrower ones may be used at the joints, as just stated, yet I prefer to
employ them on the intermediate portions of the track.
In order to secure the ties to bridges. I preferably construct the same as
shown in Figs. 7 and 8. where the ends of the angle-bars are formed with
Jugs 18, which may be notched and holted to the bridge structure, or may he
apertured or formed integral with the angle-bars in any suitable manner. Any
number of these lugs may be used at points along the length of the tie.
In Figs. 9 and 10 another means for preventing the creeping of the track
is shown. As illustrated in these figures. this means is shown as applied to
rail-joints. In this construction I employ a plate, as 19. which is placed
directly beneath the rails and has its ends turned downwardly and inwardly
to grip the angle-iron bars of the tie. This underlving plate is formed at or
near its center with a notch or notches as seen at 191. The end of each rail is
provided with a downwardly-turned lug 20. which is adapted to enter the notch
in the plate 19. While I have shown and described this construction as being
used at rail-joints, vet it will be apparent that I may use a similar construction
at intermediate points along the rails. At these points instead of forming a
lug at the end of each rail I stamp the lug from the flange of the rail, said lug
entering the notch in the underlying plate in the same manner as above
described.
It will be seen from the aforegoing description that my tie is of simple, yet
strong and durable, construction and is inexpensive. It will also be noticed
that the chair or fastening may be easily removed for repair and replaced
again without difficulty or a new chair secured in place, and also that the
binding-bolts are sufficiently high to render them easily accessible for tightening
or loosening the same in case of wreck or otherwise. My construction also
provides an adequate dirt-gripping device, and in case of necessity the ties can

page_text: be much more readily removed from the ground than other ties employing
lugs for gripping the flanges of the rails. It will also be observed that the
rails can be easily taken out of engagement with the ties and replaced or a
new rail inserted. This is accomplished by simply unloosening the nuts on
the ends of the angle-bars and on the fish-plate and sliding the said bars so that
the lugs on the same do not engage the flanges of the rails, and the rails may
be taken out. When it is desired to insert the rail again, the angle-bars are
forced back into position, with the lugs on their horizontal flanges engaging
the flanges of the rails and locked in position by tightening the nuts on the
angle-bars and the fish-plate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A railway-tie consisting of angle-iron bars placed side by side having
their horizontal flanges uppermost and their vertical flanges adapted to engage
the ground, lugs provided on said horizontal flanges for engaging the flanges
of the rails, and a chair for securing the rails to the said tie, substantially as
described.
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2. A railway-tie consisting of angle-bars having horizontal flanges and
vertical body portions, the horizontal flanges being uppermost and the vertical
body portions being spaced apart and secured at their ends, a washer inter-
posed between the ends of the angle-bars, lugs stamped out of the material
constituting the horizontal flanges, for engaging the flanges of the rails, and
a chair or fastening formed with a horizontal portion and a fish-plate, the
construction being such that the chair or fastening will engage the ends of
the angle-bars and the rails, substantially as described.
3. A railway-tie consisting of angle-bars having horizontal flanges and
vertical body portions, the horizontal flanges being uppermost and their vertical
body portions adapted to engage the ground, lugs or projections formed on the
ends of the angle-bars and provided with apertures, said lugs being elevated
above the plane of the tie, means on the said horizontal flanges for engaging
the flanges of the rails, and a chair or fastening comprising a horizontal
portion formed with downwardly and inwardly turned ends and with a fish-
plate provided with apertures, the construction being such that the chair or
fastening can be readily removed for repair. substantially as described.
4. In combination with an angle-iron tie, of means for preventing the
creeping of the rails thereon, comprising a plate placed beneath the rails at
their joints and adapted to engage the angle-iron bars of the tie, said plate
being provided with notches, and projections cut from and integral with the
Hanges of the rails, said projections being adapted to enter the notches on the
said plate, substantially as described.
5. In combination with an angle-iron tie, of means for preventing the
creeping of the rails thereon. comprising a plate placed beneath the rails and
having its ends turned downwardly and inwardly to engage the edges of the
ingle-iron bars of the tie, said plate being provided with notches on opposite
ides thereof, and lugs or projections stamped from the flanges or rails, which
ugs are adapted to enter the notches of the said underlying plate. the con-
truction being such that the rails cannot be moved longitudinally, substantially
s described.
Dated this 20th daw en
1000