IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO PORTABLE DATE "
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Riche Engineer of Jeumont departement du Nord
France temporarily of Offra Road, Brixton, in the County of Surrey, for an
invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND
TRAMWAYS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO PORTABLE
DATE
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Riche at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st March 1882.
ALBERT RICHE Engineer of Jeumont Departement du Nord France temporarily
of Offra Road Brixton, in the County of Surrey IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE
TO PORTABLE RAILWAYS
Metallic sleepers for permanent way as generally made are open to two grave
objections. Firstly, the bolt holes weaken the sleepers at the very point where it
should be the most rigid and secondly, when the ballast has become settled and
hardened it no longer allows of the easy removal of the bolt or trenail from its
hole. Indeed it is no unusual occurrence for the sleepers along with a given length
of permanent way to have to be taken up. Moreover the systems in vogue are
generally speaking too complicated their manufacture is attended with numerous
difficulties and their laying down involves an unreasonable expenditure of
time.
.
I make our improved sleeper of any suitable variety of iron or steel. Along the
top of it I form a groove which runs the whole length. This groove is of a
trapezoidal section and receives the heads of the bolts which according to my
invention hold down my substitute for the well-known chair. These bolts are
introduced into the groove at either end or at enlargements formed therein for that
purpose. Sometimes I use plates of suitable shapes placed between the sides of
the groove and the heads of the bolts. When these plates are used, the heads of
the bolts are made smaller accordingly. By means of these bolts I secure to the

page_text: sleepers the cramps-one on each side of the rail which hold it securely in
its place by either gripping its foot or flange or by bearing against the sides of
the rail.
To prevent longitudinal movement of the rails either of the following methods
are used.
The cramp above mentioned may be furnished with snugs or claws enabling
them to grip the rail at notches made in the foot of the latter or the cramp is of
such a size and shape that its nose bears against the fish plate. The sleepers
are then placed at a suitable distance from the ends of the rails and the joint
overhangs or by the use of keys or wedges of wood or metal or other suitable
material.
To prevent lateral movement of the rail I use if necessary cramps with
holding-studs on their under side fitting into the top of the sleeper.
The use of edge-rails necessitates a special method of securing them to the
sleepers. The one which according to my invention I make use of is as follows I
use on each side of the rail a chair with a snug and a holding-stud. On one
side of the rail I drive a metal or wooden key between it and the chair.
The use of a screwed bolt as before described is not always practicable. Under
such circumstances I adopt either of the following methods.
The cramp is made with a snug which fits into the groove in the sleeper. This
snug prevents lateral motion. The screwed bolt is replaced by a pin with a head
of a pyrimidal or other suitable shape its other end being pierced to receive a
metal key of suitable shape and strength and fanged so as to prevent its shaking
loose.
According to the second method I make the cramp with a holding-stud as well
as a snug. The grip or fore-part of the cramp instead of touching the foot of the
rail is arched upwards so as to receive between it and the foot of the rail, a wooden
or metal key.
Instead of finishing the groove in the sleeper of a trapezoidal section I sometimes
take the sleeper from the rolls while the groove is still rectangular and insert the
bolts or their equivalent. The sides of the groove are then compressed upon the
bolt heads and consequently hold them tight.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Albert Riche in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st September
1882.
ALBERT RICHE Engineer of Jeumont Departement du Nord France temporarily
of Offra Road Brixton in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ARE APPLICABLE TO PORTABLE RAILWAYS.
Metallic sleepers as generally manufactured at the present day are open to
several grave objections.
One of the principal objections that can be urged against them is the necessity
for boring holes through them through which to pass the holding-down bolts or
trenails which are used to fasten the chairs down upon the tops of the sleepers.
The presence of these bolt holes diminishes the rigidity of the sleeper precisely at
those points where the sleeper should be least liable to flexure. Another objection
is that as metallic and other sleepers are commonly used it is impossible to replace
a trenail or a chair without disturbing a considerable length of way. The ballast
after it has been down for some time and has had time to settle hardens around and
over the sleepers, and so prevents easy access to a damaged trenail. So frequently
is this the case, that it is no unusual thing for a long length of way much in excess
of that portion only thereof which is immediately affected by the defective part, to
have to be taken up, before the, comparatively speaking small repair can be effected.
This involves a burdensome outlay of manual labour, and on lines where the traffic
is considerable and regular may cause serious interruption thereto. Moreover the
systems in vogue are too complicated. Their manufacture is attended with
numerous difficulties and their laying down involves an unusual expenditure of
time.
For the better understanding of my invention I add 2 sheets of drawings with
reference numbers and letters which are to be taken in conjunction with this
specification.
My improved sleeper is represented by A. in end section in fig. 1 and in plan
fig. 2 of the annexed drawings. It is rolled in either iron or steel but I prefer to
make it of cast steel or iron or of malleable iron. I make it of any section suitable
for my purpose, but principally according to the section illustrated in fig. 1. It
can be made of any size.
Along its upper face and extending its full length is a groove B. of trapezoidal
or other suitable section. This groove receives the head of my improved trenail G
shaped to correspond with the section of the groove. Two trenails are of course
used at each junction of a rail and sleeper. The trenail outside the rail is introduced
into the groove at its outer extremity or at an enlargement similar to that which
permits of the introduction of the inside trenail and which is illustrated by C fig. 2.
This enlargement may be of any convenient outline, rectangular or square, and can
be made by filing drilling or any other convenient method.
The trenail G passes through a plate E made of iron steel or any other suitable
material. Its exact outline will vary with the section of rail to be laid, whether
the latter be single or double headed.
This plate called a grip-plate has one of its faces upon the sleeper and the
other against the rail bearing against the latter directly as illustrated in fig. 3
or with a key or wedge of wood or metal as illustrated in figs. 4 and 5.
These grip plates are made of iron or steel in any way suitable to their rapid
production. The head of each trenail is made. rather shorter than the depth of
the groove see fig. 1. Thus facilitating the act of sliding it into its place. Any

page_text: convenient method of preventing the nut slipping may be used.
In many
industries what are called Edge-rails are used similar to the one illustrated in fig. 5.
In such a case I employ a special system of steel or iron chair shewn at fig. 5.
A wooden key or wedge M holds the rail in the chair. This latter is held in
position on the sleeper by means of two trenails G. G.
The use of a screwed trenail is not always practicable Whenever this is the case
I use the system of grip plate and metal key as illustrated in fig. 6 The grip
plate E is shewn with a snug T The trenail H is made with an eye through which
the key J suitably shaped is driven.
To prevent longitudinal movement of the rails I use any of the following
expedients.
1 The use of grip plates with snugs engaging in notches made in the foot of the
rail. These notches inay be at some distance from the end of the rail I prefer to
have them close to the end.
'
2 The use of grip plates made so that the part which is made to bear against the
rail is made large enough to a good bearing on the fish plate.
.
3 The use of keys in wood or iron or other suitable material.
To prevent any displacement of the way my grip plates are made with a snug
as T fig 6 at that part of them the furthest from the rail This snug bears tightly
against the faces of the enlargements See fig. 2 D. C. I may also use a rail
pierced through its face and use grip plates with springing pieces to enter these
'
1
Sleeper A.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the sleeper A B is the longitudinal groove to receive the
heads of the trenails EE are the grip plates and R the rails. C D are the
enlargements in the groove to admit the heads of the trenails.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation corresponding with Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation shewing another shape of grip. plate E' as well as a
grip plate to the same as illustrated in figs. 1. 2 & 3 but made with a strengthening
web E. The rail R is hield in its place by a wedge Q of woed or iron or other
suitable material.
"
"
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of my system of laying edge rails R is the rail
Qa chair of iron or steel held to the sleeper H by trenails screwed or keyed and
Ma wedge of wood or other suitable material.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of my system of laying my improved permanent way
where screwed trenails are not admissible A is the sleeper made as previously.
described. R is the rail E is the grip plate (one on each side of the rail) T its
snug as explained above H is the trenail made with an eye in its shank. Through
this eye a key J is driven this key may be fanged to keep it tight.
Fig. 7 is a plan shewing how my improved system of laying permanent way is
put into practice. The outer grip plates E. E. &c. are fixed in position as drawn.
Next the inside grip plate F F. &c. are fixed loosely in position as indicated by
the dotted lines. The rails are then laid the inner grip plates turned into their
permanent positions as indicated by the full lines and screwed or wedged up. To
take up a length of way the above process is reversed.
And now having fully and particularly described my invention and how the
same is to be carried into effect I wish it to be distinctly understood that what I
consider new and therefore secured to me by the herein before in part recited
Letters Patent is as follows.
1. A metallic sleeper substantially as and for the purposes described and
illustrated in the foregoing figures.
-
2. The grip plates for use with the above as and for the purpose'described and
illustrated in the foregoing figures.
3. The chair as and for the purpose described and illustrated in fig 5.

page_text: 4. The grip plate and trenail as and for the purpose described and illustrated in
fig. 6.
5. The method of laying down aud taking up the permanent or portable way as
above described and illustrated.
In witness whereof I the said Albert Riche have hereunto set my hand
and seal this 14th day of September in the year of Our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
A. RICHE (L.S.)