IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF TRAMWAYS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in
the county of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF
TRAMWAYS" to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved construction of the permanent way of
tramways having grooved rails; it consists in one part in the employment of rails
having a broad head with comparatively narrow groove for the wheel flanges and a
vertical web or flange having at its lower edge a lateral rib or fillet. This rail is
carried in cast metal chairs having a jaw with a lateral groove at bottom into
which fits the rib of the rail, while the upper ends of the jaw are so formed that
the underside of the rail head rests upon them, the rail being fixed in the jaw by
means of a wedge or key driven in between one side of the jaw and the web. The
part of the chair below the jaw is of pedestal form, that is to say, it is narrower
than the jaw in the direction of its length, and is widened out at the foot so as to
be bolted to a wood or metal cross sleeper.
By the above construction of the rail and chair, the pavement can be readily
brought close up against the rail. The lengths of rail are joined together by a
single fish plate of L-shape, the upper end of which is formed to fit against the
undersurface of the rail head, which rests with the bottom of its web upon the
lower limb of the fish plate and also fits with its rib in a corresponding groove in
the latter. The lower limb of the fish plate projects beyond the web of the rail
and fits into a groove in a specially formed chair, having a jaw with only a single
cheek, which chair is situated in the middle of the length of the fish plate, the rail
and fish plate being secured to the jaw by a screw bolt passing through all three
parts. Thus the rails are securely held in the fish plate and the latter is securely
held in the chair. Where two rails approach each other near the points and
crossings, they are secured to opposite faces of one and the same chair by means of
a screw bolt passing through all three parts, a layer of tarred felt being by pre-
ference interposed between the rails and the chair, which does not extend beyond
Price Rd1

page_text: the webs of the two rails except at the foot, and which is made of H-section for
strength combined with lightness.
At the points and crossings, the rails are carried on tapering longitudinal castings
or chairs, having shoulders with recesses on each side on which the rails rest, these
being secured to each side by means of bolts passing right through where the
approach near to each other, while at the point where they are some distance
apart, each rail is formed of two separate parts bolted to each side of a flange or
raised portion on the longitudinal casting.
Where the rails intersect each other, the middle part is secured to the casting by
a screw with contersunk head screwed in from the top. The switches may either
be fixed so as to lie against the one rail and to be sprung away by the flange of
the passing wheel; or one switch only may be so arranged and the other one be
fixed in a central position, as the point of a crossing, or the switches may have an
articulated joint at their junction with the rails, as ordinary switches.
At the part of a crossing between the points where the flanges of the wheels
run on the longitudinal casting or chair, the latter is formed of case hardened
metal.

page_text: Improvements in the Permanent Way of Tramways,
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane
in the county of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, 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 an improved construction of the permanent way of
tramways having grooved rails; it consists in one part in the employment of rails
having a broad head with comparatively narrow groove for the wheel flanges and
a vertical web or flange having at its lower edge a lateral rib or fillet. This
rail is carried in cast metal chairs having a jaw with a lateral groove at bottom
into which fits the rib of the rail, while the upper ends of the jaw are so formed
that the underside of the rail head rests upon them, the rail being fixed in the jaw
by means of a wedge or key driven in between one side of the jaw and the web.
The part of the chair below the jaw is of pedestal form, that is to say, it is
narrower than the jaw in the direction of its length, and is widened out at the foot
so as to be bolted to a wood or metal cross sleeper.
By the above construction of the rail and chair, the pavement can be readily
brought close up against the. rail. The lengths of rail are joined together by a
single fish plate of L shape, the upper end of which is formed to fit against the
undersurface of the rail head, which rests with the bottom of its web upon the
lower limb of the fish plate and also fits with its rib in a corresponding groove in
the latter. The lower limb of the fish plate projects beyond the web of the rail
and fits into a groove in a specially formed chair, having a jaw with only a single
cheek, which chair is situated in the middle of the length of the fish plate, the rail
and fish plate being secured to the jaw by a screw bolt passing through all three
parts. Thus the rails are securely held in the fish plate and the latter is securely
held in the chair. Where two rails approach each other near the points and
crossings, they are secured to opposite faces of one and the same chair by means of
a screw bolt passing through all three parts, a layer of tarred felt being by
preference interposed between the rails and the chair, which does not extend
beyond the webs of the two rails except at the foot, and which is made of H section
for strength combined with lightness.
At the points and crossings, the rails are carried on tapering longitudinal castings
or chairs, having shoulders with recesses on each side on which the rails rest,
these being secured to each side by means of bolts passing right through where
they approach near to each other, while at the point where they are some distance
apart, each rail is formed of two separate parts bolted to each side of a flange or
raised portion on the longitudinal casting.
Where the rails intersect each other, the middle part is secured to the casting by
a screw with countersunk head screwed in from the top. The switches may either
be fixed so as to lie against the one rail and to be sprung away by the flange of
the passing wheel; or one switch. only may be so arranged and the other one.be

page_text: At the part of a crossing between the points where the flanges of the wheels
run on the longitudinal casting or chair, the latter is formed of case hardened
metal.
. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shews part plan of a line of rails constructed according to the above
described invention. Upon the sleepers A A are bolted the chairs B B with the
interposition of tarred felt. The construction of the chairs is shewn at Figs. 2, 3,
4 and 5 shewing respectively a side view, a cross section and two horizontal
sections of the chair with its rail C fixed to the sleeper A. The profile of the
rail C is that shewn in the cross section of Fig. 3. a is the counter rail made
about 1 in. wide so as to withstand wear. The groove b is made about 1 in. in
depth and about 1 in. in width. c is the tread of the rail. The small width of
the groove prevents the rail from being an obstruction to vehicles with narrow
wheels. It may, however, be made of greater width if desired, in particular in
curves of small radius. The web e of the rail has at its lower end a longitudinal
rib f which, when placed in position, fits into the grooves g of the chairs B. The
chairs being fixed beforehand on the sleepers A by means of screw bolts D, the
permanent way is easily laid down. The sleepers with their chairs being bedded
in the road, the rails are adjusted and fixed in position therein by means of hard
wood wedges E driven in between the web e and the jaw % of the chair.
As will be seen from the drawings, the rails rest upon the chair firstly by nieans
of the flange f in the groove g and secondly by means of the under faces hi
resting on the upper ends of the jaws k¹. The horizontal section on line a B,
Fig. 4, shews the rib e of the rails C the wedge E and the jaws kk while the
section on line y 6 at Fig. 5 shews the section of the chair just above the lugs 11
by which it is fixed to the sleeper.
By the employment of wood wedges for fixing the rails it is rendered possible
to alter the position of the transverse sleepers and chairs as circumstances may
require after the construction of the permanent way. The joints of the rails are
effected on chairs B' B¹ over sleepers A¹, Fig. 1, these chairs having a single jaw k.
Figs. 6 and 7 shew a front and side view of one of these chairs. B¹. The fish plate F
has a flange m that fits into a groove g¹ in the chair and it is bolted to the two
ends c¹¹ of the rails by means of bolts H as shewn in the section on line u v at
Fig. 8. The fish plate is also bolted to the chair B¹ by means of a bolt G passing
through notches formed in the meeting ends of the two rails. The fish plate has a
groove g into which fit the flanges f of the rails the lower surfaces of which rest
upon the flange m while the end surfaces h h of the top of the rail rest upon the
upper surface m¹ of the fish plate. This upper surface m! of the fish plate being
of increased sectional area, it affords the plate sufficient strength to withstand the
transverse blows to which the rails may be subjected by heavy vehicles. The same
form of chair may also be used for curves, it being sufficient to cut the jaw slightly
to suit the configuration of the counter rail,
The Figs. 9 and 10 shew an arrangement of the points for this construction of
permanent way. In front of the point where the rails C¹ C₁ of the branch line
join the rails Cof-the main line, are arranged chairs B² to the sides of which are
bolted the rails C C¹ as shewn at the cross section at Fig. 11, tarred felt N being
interposed between the rails and the chair.
Fig. 12 shews a section of the chair on line vz and Fig. 13 a section on line ut,
Fig. 11 being a cross section on line x y of Fig. 9. M is the hole formed through
the chair through which passes the bolt o that fixes the rails.
The switches of the
rails rest upon longitudinal plates. The switch Q Fig. 10 is made with spring
action, being pushed over to the left by the wheels of a vehicle passing along the
branch rail C¹.. It is bolted to the upper face of the plate S. It might, however,

page_text: also be arranged to turn on a joint. In this case the switch could be cut at a² so
as to reduce its length to a² 6 as shewn at Fig. 10, being pivotted to S at the
point a³. Fig. 9 shews the corresponding switch Q¹ of the other rail. This switch
may be advantageously fixed and have its point extended to c, being slightly
inclined to the side opposite that on which the vehicle passes as shewn in dotted
lines, as by this arrangement the extent of hardened metal of the longitudinal
plate S¹, indicated by hatching, and upon which the flanges of the wheels have to
run will be reduced. This switch might also be cast in one with the longitudinal
plate, being hardened on the surface.
Fig. 14 shews a section on line e λ of Figs. 9 and 10 the rail C₁ having its tread
partly cut off as shewn. The rails C C are in this case both bolted to the sides of
the longitudinal bearing plate S or S¹ which is bolted to the transverse sleepers A*
Figs. 9 and 10 by means of lugs p as shewn at Figs. 14 and 16.
Fig. 15 shews a section on the line σ shewing the rail C having its counter rail
and groove cut off, a counter rail C² being provided forming a continuation of the
rail C both being bolted to the sides of the plate S or S¹ on the middle of which
is fixed the rail T forming the switch.
Fig. 16 is a section on line in front of the point of the switch Qor Q.
Fig. 17 shews a crossing, the longitudinal plate U having fixed or formed thereon
both the points V and the counter rails ✗. The hatched part t of the plate
indicates a hardened metal surface.
Fig. 18 shews a cross section of the crossing on line, xx shewing the counter
rails X X, the rail C and a half section of the point V fixed by means of bolts with
countersunk heads to the raised part Y of the plate U.
Fig. 19 shews a cross section on line
rails X X.
of Fig. 17 shewing the counter
It will be evident that the longitudinal plates S S₁ and U may be constructed in
as many separate pieces as may be desired. The above described improved con-
struction of permanent way is considerably cheaper than other systems of
construction, while at the same time repairs can be more readily executed without
breaking up the entire permanent way or roadway. The only parts that are
subject to wear are the rails which may be readily removed and replaced by taking
out a paving stone at each chair without in any way interfering with the traffic.
Thus the advantages of this system are: firstly, greater simplicity of construction;
secondly, decrease of first cost; thirdly, greater facility of laying down and
removal; and fourthly, increased durability.
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. The arrangement of a tramway rail with central groove and web, having a
longitudinal lateral filet or flange at bottom for fitting into a groove of the outer
jaw of the chair to which the rail is fixed, whereby the rail is held securely in
position by driving a wooden key between the web of the rail, substantially as
herein described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings.
2. The herein described construction of chairs for tramway rails, so formed that
the rail rests with the undersurfaces of the head upon the upper surfaces of the
chair jaw, while the lower end of the rail fits with a rib in a groove of the chair.
3. Securing the rail joints by means of a single fish plate having a bottom flange
that supports the bottom of the rails that fit with a flange or filet in a groove
therein, while at top it has a head of increased sectional area forming a support for
the head of the rail and affording strength against. lateral blows substantially as
herein described with reference to Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings.
4. The use in combination with the construction of permanent way referred to
in the preceding claims, of an arrangement of points or switches secured to longi-
tudinal plates, substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 9, 10, 14,
15 and 16 of the drawings.

page_text: 5. The arrangement of switches cast in one with the longitudinal switch plates,
as herein described.
6. The construction of chairs or bearing plates for the switches and rails as
herein described with reference to Figs. 11, 12 and 13 of the drawings.
7. The use in combination with the construction of permanent way referred to
in the proceeding claims, of crossings constructed as herein described with reference
to Figs. 17, 18 and 19 of the drawings.