IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILS FOR RAILWAYS
Year: 1851

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HUGHI
BOWLSBY WILLSON, late of the York Hotel, Blackfriars, in the City of London,
but now of Bloomsbury Square, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by
Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Thirteenth day of November, in the fifteenth,
year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Hugh Bowlsby Willson, Her especial license, full power, sole privi-
lege and authority, that I, the said Hugh Bowlsby Willson, my exors, adñiors,
and assigns, and such others as I, the said Hugh Bowlsby Willson, my exors,
adiiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILS FOR RAILWAYS," being a communication
from a Foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso obliging me, the said Hugh Bowlsby Willson, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being hereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Hugh Bowlsby Willson, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say:-
The object of the present Invention is to produce a compound rail to be
employed in the construction of the permanent way of railroads, whereby the
advantages of stability and durability, which would result from the use of a
continuous bar, will be more nearly approached (and that at little or no increase
of expense) than by the plan hitherto adopted upon railways. In order to effect
this improvement the rails are formed in two parts, which interlock into each
other, or are prevented from shifting from their relative position by means super-
added to those of tightening screws, or other analogous contrivances for effecting
the union of the two parts composing the rail. These bars are provided with
rebates, or otherwise furnished with incans to prevent them from moving inde-
pendently of each other, are put together in such a manner as to break joint
(that is), the abutting ends of the bars forming one side of the rail will never
be in a line with the abutting ends of the bars forming the other side of the
rail. These bars are constructed of rolled iron, and their upper edges, when
the bars are connected together as above indicated, form the bearing surface of
the rail.
In the accompanying Drawing, forming part of this my Specification, I have
shewn under several forms three modes of carrying out the Invention.
Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, represent several modifications of the compound
rail, constructed so as to render chairs unnecessary for its support. This
advantage is effected by extending the base of the rail on both sides, whereby a
large bearing surface is obtained, and by means of hook-headed spikes, driven
into cross wooden sleepers, this construction of rail may be held firmly in its
place.
Figures 1, 2, and 3, shew three different forms of solid rebated rails, with an
extended base (that is, solid in contradistinction to the hollow rail to be
presently noticed). These rails are composed of two bars of rolled iron A, D,
and they are firmly, connected together by screw bolts or rivets C. By
means of the rebates it will be readily understood that even should the
bolts C work loose by reason of the vibratory action to which the permanent
way is continually subjected, one side or bar will not be able to sink so long as
the other maintains its proper position.
Figures 4, 5, and 6, shew three forms of hollow rebated rails, which offer

page_text: this advantage over the solid rails (viz), that a broader base, and consequently
greater steadiness, may be obtained, with a saving in weight of metal. These
rails may be rolled to any required weight per yard according to the amount of
wear and tear they are intended to resist.
Fig. 7 shews a mode of obtaining the benefit derivable from the rebate,
without employing that mode of obtaining structural consistency in the rail.
This is effected by rolling the bars A, B, with a recess on their inner face, and
inserting at the parts where the screw bolts or rivets C connect the bars
together, or metal filling piece D, of such form that it will bear against the
upper and lower lips of the recesses in the bars A, B, and form a sort of key,
which will effectually prevent the bars from moving vertically independently
of each other. In order to retain these metal filling pieces in their places it
will be desirable to pass the screw bolts C through them, as shewn in the
Drawing.
The manner which I prefer to employ for fixing these rails is represented in
the perspective view Fig. 8, wherein it will be seen that cross ties or sleepers
are employed, which, by giving some appreciable amount of elasticity to the
structure, will prevent much wear and tear in the running stock. a, a, are
the fastenings for keeping the rails in their place; they are simply hook-
headed spikes driven into the cross ties on each side of the base of the rails,
and at the points near where the ends of the bars abut, or where the break
joint junctions are made, it may be found desirable to make indents in the
edge of the bars to receive these spikes, as the rails will thereby be prevented
from working endwise.
Figures 9 to 13, inclusive, shew the mode of constructing both solid and
hollow rebated rails with double heads. In using this modified con-
struction of break joint, rail chairs will be required for sustaining the
rails in their place. They may therefore be readily substituted for those at
present in use, and in this respect will have the advantage over those con-
structed with an extended base. In common with the ordinary construction
of rails they will admit of being turned over to present a second bearing
surface to the action of the rolling stock, when the efficiency of one surface
has been destroyed by such action.
Having now described the Invention for which I have obtained Letters
Patent, I wish it to be understood that I claim the construction of compound
break joint rails for railways, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hugh Bowlsby Willson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.
HUGH (L.s.) B. WILLSON.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirteenth day of May, in the
year of our Lord 1852, the aforesaid Hugh Bowlsby Willson came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and, acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statute made for that
purpose.
Enrolled the Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.