IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAIL- WAYS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Howard Collins, of Kensington Gardens,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAIL-
WAYS." A communication from abroad by Charles Howard Collins,
of the City and State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 30th April 1869, and dated the 17th February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Howard Collins
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 17th February 1869.
I, FRANK HOWARD COLLINS, of Kensington Gardens, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said:
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERMANENT WAY
OF RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object to provide a reversible rail which
shall not only require less stock than the reversible rails heretofore
made but also be less costly than two separate rails, and shall
present a resting surface or base which will be even more efficient and
desirable than the base of the ordinary Trail. The improved reversible

page_text: rail in either of the positions in which it is designed to be used will
present a better shape to resist the strain to which it may be subjected
than rails now in use.
The Invention consists in making a compound reversible rail so that
there shall be a portion of the stock common to two T-shaped rails.
The compound reversible rail has a flange portion presented to facilitate
the fastening down of the rail to the ties. The compound rail is made
with the top surfaces of the two heads and the under surfaces of the
two bases at acute angles to each other, so that the under surface of
the base of each shall form one side of the stern of the other. This
compound reversible rail, shaped as described, presents the flanged (or
foot-like) base in either position in which it is intended to be used,
and the "fish-plate" bolt holes of that portion which happens to
be downward may be utilized for spiking down the rail on to the
sleeper.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frank Howard Collins in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANK
HOWARD COLLINS, of Kensington Gardens, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Frank Howard Collins, Her special
licence that I, the said Frank Howard Collins, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frank Howard
Collins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERMANENT WAY OF
RAILWAYS," being a communication to me from abroad, upon the con-

page_text: dition (amongst others) that I, the said Frank Howard Collins, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe aud
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, 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 calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frank Howard Collins, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):
--
It is well known that railroad rails have heretofore been sometimes
made double or reversible, so that in the event of the upper or bearing
surfaces of the rail becoming worn and unsafe the rail could be turned
over and a new bearing surface brought into use. But such reversible
rails have been usually made in the shape of a double T, that is, like
two ordinary Trails, having their bases joined togther. This double T
form not only necessitated the consumption of double the quantity
of metal of an ordinary rail, but presented the T or bearing surface
only at the base to rest on the ties, and of course required heavy and
peculiarly formed chairs at close intervals to hold them securely in
position. Such rails on account of their great cost and the exponse
of properly laying them have not come into general use.
The present Invention has for its object to provide a reversible rail
which shall not only require less metal than the reversible rails hereto-
fore made but also be less costly than two separate rails, and shall
present a resting surface or base which will be even more efficient and
desirable than the base of the ordinary Trail. The improved reversible
rail in either of the positions in which it is designed to be used will
present a better shape to resist the strain to which it may be subjected
than the rails now in use.
The Invention consists in so forming a compound reversible rail
that thom shall be a portion of the stock common to two "T" aligned

page_text: The Invention further consists in so making the compound reversible
- rail that in either position in which it is designed to be used there will
be a flanch portion presented to facilitate the fastening down of the rail
to the ties.
The Invention further consists in making such compound reversible
rail of such a shape that the base portion of each part shall constitute a
vertical brace or strengthener of the other part.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a side view or elevation of a
piece of one of the improved rails, and Fig. 2 is a cross section of the
same; Fig. 3 is a similar section showing the holes for the fish-
plate bolts.
The line C, C, indicates the surface of the ties or sleepers on which
the rail is laid, and the dotted lines illustrate the outline of the rails
where they are compounded together, that is, where the stock is
common to both. The cross section at Fig. 3 is taken through the
holes which are made for the bolts of the ordinary "fish-joint" plates.
A and A' are the heads or wheel surfaces of the two rails; B and B¹
are their bases or sleeper surfaces; and c and c. their shanks or stems.
The shape of the rails or compound rail is clearly illustrated by the
Drawings.
It will be seen on reference to Fig. 2 that the dotted lines indicate
that within the whole mass are included the outlines or contours of two
ordinarily shaped "T" rails (such as now in common use), and it will
be observed that as a large portion of the whole Figure is common to
both "T" shapes, the rail as an entirety embodies much less metal or
stock than two separate "T" rails of the same cross sectional area.
d, d, Fig. 3, are the holes for bolting on the fish plates. When the rail
is placed with the base B on the sleepers, so as to present for use the
surface A, the base B' forms part of the stem of the rail A, B, c, and con-
stitutes a brace or strengthening enlargement of the latter, and the same
peculiarity will be observed when the rail is reversed, the base B then
forming a brace to the stem of rail A', B', c'. In cach position in
which the rail may be used a portion of one of the heads extends down-
ward into the sleepers (which are notched out to receive it). By this
means the rail is interlocked with the ties, so that it is less liable to slide
or move sidewise, and requires fewer chairs to insure its retention in the
proper place. In cither position in which the rail is to be used it presents on

page_text: one side a flanch or foot-like portion at 8 (very similar to the flanch of a
common "T" rail), which affords great convenience in securing the
rail to the sleepers by spikes. It will also be seen that the holes d, d,
for the fish-plate bolts afford accommodation for spikes in that part of
the rail which happens to be lowermost, and by means of which the rail
is held firmly on the sleepers.
Instead of having the rail shaped as seen at Figures 1 and 2, it may
be hellowed out all along (or have depressions at intervals punched out),
as seen at Fig. 3, to more effectually accommodate the spikes and to
facilitate the spiking down of the rail.
By reason of the peculiar shape (or manner of compounding the two
"T" shapes) the holes through which the bolts of the fish plates pass
in that part of the rail which is uppermost become suitable for the
insertion of the spikes (for spiking down the rail) when such part of
the rail is turned downward. Of course the chairs which are employed
should be made to suit the shape of the rail, and so as to embrace in
one side the angular portion at 2, and on the other the projecting
portion 8 of the rail head (which is not in use); and such spikes may
be used for spiking the rails to the sleepers as will head over these
points 2 and 3 and securely hold the rail down. The shape of the rail
may be somewhat varied so as to change the relative outlines of the
two "T"" in the cross sectional contour; but I have shewn about the
shape which it is proposed to employ. It will be seen that the com-
pound reversible rail possesses in each of its parts greater strength than
either the. single or double "T" rail heretofore used, while at the same
time it is comparatively economic of manufacture, and can be readily
fastened down firmly on the sleepers.
Having now described the Invention of "Improvements in the Con-
struction of the Permanent Way of Railways," and having explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, what I claim as new and desire
to secure by Letters Patent is, forming the compound rails with the top
surfaces of the two heads and the under surfaces of the two bases at
acute angles to each other, as above shewn and described, so that the
under surface of the base of each shall form one side of the stem of the
other.
I also claim the use of the compound reversible rail herein set forth
so formed as to present the flanched (or foot-like) base in either position

page_text: I also claim a compound reversible rail so shaped that the "fish-
plate" bolt holes of that portion which happens to be downward may
be utilized for spiking down the rail on to the sleeper, as hercin
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Howard Collins, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, the Seventeenth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
FRANK HOWARD COLLINS (L.S.)