IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John William Hartley, Engineer, and Colin Minton
Campbell, Manufacturer, both of Stoke-upon-Trent in the County of Stafford,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John William Hartley and
Colin Minton Campbell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
3rd May 1880.
JOHN WILLIAM HARTLEY, Engineer, and COLIN MINTON CAMPBELL, Manufacturer,
both of Stoke-upon-Trent, in the County of Stafford. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS."
Our Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of railways.
We construct transverse sleepers of wrought iron or steel rolled or otherwise worked
into the section and form hereafter described. The upper surface of the sleeper is
flat for about one third of its entire width, the sides thence tapering inwards from
the top, thus forming a dovetail. Along the bottom of the sides are flanges; these
spread outwards, it may be horizontally, and form the necessary bearing on the
ballast. These sleepers may be either made from a flat plate and bent to the
described section, or rolled solid, somewhat similar in section to a flat bottom or
flange rail.
Upon these sleepers we place cast iron chairs; on the under side of each chair we
have two projecting claws at the opposite corners of its base; these claws are made
to fit the dovetail sides of the sleeper, and when the chair is forcibly twisted
sideway the claws respectively grip the sides and the chair is securely held to the
sleeper. In order to obtain this side gripping 'motion we fix the jaw which usually
holds the wooden key over one of the before mentioned claws, and the jaw usually
in contact with the rail over the other; by this means we. obtain a compound
wedging action, and on driving in the wooden key the rail is secured to the chair
and the chair to the sleeper. The chair is prevented from moving endwise along
the sleeper by a nib projecting from the chair into a hole in the sleeper; this keeps
the road accurately to gauge.
For portable railways we make transverse sleepers from parallel flat bars of iron
or steel. In the portion between the rails we dish or buckle upwards a groove in
the centre of the sleeper; this groove commences from the rail and rises gradually
Din C671

page_text: being highest in the centre of the road. The sleeper remains flat under the rail.
In securing flange or flat bottomed rails to this sleeper we turn over the outer ends
of the sleeper (by preference) and we secure the inner flange of the rail by a catch
plate. This plate swivels on a bolt or rivet which secures it to the sleeper, and
when turned at right angles to the sleeper, the rail can be laid down against the
outer stop the catch plate is then forced at right angles with its former position,
and one end of the plate presses on the rail flange, and the other upon the sleeper.
The spring of the catch plate bearing on the sleeper prevents the catch plate from
slipping away from its work, but if desired corrugations in the catch plate will
effectually secure it. We also use the catch plate for joining the rails, in which
case the plate and sleeper are both made wider, and the catch plate rests half upon
each rail. In another method of forming a rail joint for portable railways, we rivet
upon each of the abutting rail ends two fish plates, having one edge straight, and
the other edge tapered towards the outer end; one fish plate is secured to the rail
with the straight edge upwards, and the opposite one with the straight edge down-
wards; all the tapered ends project somewhat beyond the ends of the rails, and when
the ends of the rails are brought together, the tapered edges of the fish plates
respectively come together and wedge themselves between the corresponding fish
plate and the head or lower flange of the rail, as the case may be. The rail ends
are firmly locked together, and the slightest withdrawal of one rail from the other
'immediately loosens the fastening, and the rails leave each other with the slightest
exertion.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John William Hartley and Colin Minton Campbell in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 3rd November 1880.
JOHN WILLIAM HARTLEY, Engineer, and COLIN MINTON CAMPBELL, Manufacturer,
both of Stoke-upon-Trent, in the County of Stafford.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS."
Our Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of railways.
We construct transverse sleepers of wrought iron or steel rolled or otherwise worked
into the section and form hereafter described. The upper surface of the sleeper is
flat for about one third of its entire width, the sides thence tapering inwards from
the top, thus forming a dovetail. Along the bottom of the sides are flanges; these
spread outwards, it may be horizontally, and form the necessary bearing on the ballast.
These sleepers may be either made from a flat plate and bent to the described section,
or rolled solid, somewhat similar in section to a flat bottom or flange rail.
Upon these sleepers we place cast iron chairs; on the under side of each chair we
have two projecting claws at the opposite corners of its base; these claws are made
to fit the dovetail sides of the sleeper, and when the chair is forcibly twisted sideway
the claws respectively grip the sides, and the chair is securely held to the sleeper.
In order to obtain this side gripping motion, we fix the jaw which usually holds the
wooden key over one of the before mentioned claws, and the jaw, usually in contact
with the rail over the other; by this means we obtain a compound wedging action, and
no driving in the wooden key the rail is secured to the chair and the chair to the
sleeper. The chair is prevented from moving endwise along the sleeper by a nib
projecting from the chair into a hole in the sleeper; this keeps the road accurately
to gauge.
Figures 1, 2 and 3, represent a chair and sleeper constructed and arranged in
accordance with this part of our Invention.
Figure 1 is an end elevation; Figure 2 is a side elevation, and Figure 3 is a plan.
a is the sleeper as here shown; it is bent from a plate of iron or steel, and in
Figure 1 corrugations are represented in the edge of the sleeper, which aid in
preventing lateral movement of the line; b and b¹ are the two claws on the underside
of the chair which lay hold of the sleeper, and grip it when the key c is driven in;
d and dare two jaws of the chair; they are placed at opposite corners, so that the
insertion of the key tends to twist the chair round upon the sleeper, and a
compound gripping action results; the claws b and b' are made to grip the sleeper,
and at the same time the rail is gripped between the key and the opposite jaw of
the chair; e is a nib or lump on the underside of the chair entering a hole or recess
in the sleeper, and serving to prevent the chair shifting along the sleeper.
Figure 4 is a section of a solid rolled sleeper, suitable to receive the chair
represented in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Or sleepers may be formed out of sheet metal in the manner represented in
section at Figure 5, and in plan at Figure 6, the head of the sleeper being
dovetailed only at the parts where the claws are received. Or as is represented in
section at Figure 6a, projections may be thrown up from the head of the sleeper to
receive the claws of the chair. These may also be arranged as represented in plan
at Figure 6³.
Figures 7, 8, and 9 shew a modification where the same mechanical compound
grip is obtained, but instead of the claws being under the jaws of the chair, as in
Figures 1, 2 and 3, the dovetail is reversed, and the base of the chair is chamferred,
and it is forced under the raised and undercut portions of the sleeper. These raised
portions may either be limited to the length required, or they may extend the full
length of the sleeper.
-

page_text: In all the foregoing, the jaws of the chairs can be placed in close contact with the
rail; in that case the key or wedge will be driven between the sleeper and one of
the claws or chamferred faces, the chairs in this case being either threaded on the
rail or the jaws fixed laterally apart, admitting when twisted the vertical
introduction of the rail..
It may be noted that where a wood key is used in the chair, if one of the keys
should slip out, that the rail holds the chair in its position, and that until the rail
is removed, the chair is fixed in its position but not wedged up tightly:
These chairs may, to prevent possibility of a sleeper moving, be placed alternately
right and left; they may be of any suitable material or form, and either wood or
iron wedges may be used or other suitable mechanical equivalents may be resorted
to. The sleepers may be of any suitable form or material.
.
For portable railways we make transverse sleepers from parallel flat bars of iron
or steel. In the portion between the rails we dish or buckle upwards a groove in
the centre of the sleeper; this groove commences from the rail and rises gradually,
being highest in the centre of the road. The sleeper remains flat under the rail.
In securing flanged or flat bottomed rails to this sleeper we turn over the outer
ends of the sleeper (by preference), and we secure the inner flange of the rail by a
catch plate. This plate swivels on a bolt or rivet which secures it to the sleeper,
and when turned at right angles to the sleeper the rail can be laid down against
the outer stop; the catch plate is then forced at right angles with its former
position, and one end of the plate presses on the rail flange and the other upon the
sleeper. The spring of the catch plate bearing on the sleeper prevents the catch
plate from slipping away from its work, but if desired corrugations in the catch
plate will effectually secure it. We also use the catch plate for joining the rails, in
which case the plate and sleeper are both made wider, and the catch plate rests
half upon each rail.
This part of our Invention is illustrated by the Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14.
We make transverse sleepers for portable or other railways from parallel flat bars of
iron or steel. Figure 10 is an elevation; Figure 11, a plan; and Figure 12, a
section. The portion of the sleeper between the rails is grooved on the underside
forming a corresponding ridge on the top side. This ridge dies gradually away
towards each rail. The sleeper either remains flat under the rail, or we turn down
the edges to maintain the stiffness as at B, B, in the sectional view, Figure 13. In
securing flange or flat bottomed rails to this sleeper we turn over the outer ends of
the sleeper on to the flange of the rail, and we secure the inner flange of the rail
by a clamp or catch plate D. This plate swivels on a bolt or rivet E, which
secures it to the sleeper, and when turned at right angles to the sleeper as shown
on the right of Figure 11 the rail can be introduced against the outer stop. The
clamp plate is then forced into the position shown on the left of Figure 11, and one
end of the plate bears on the rail and the other on the sleeper.
The latter end of the clamp may be corrugated, see Figure 13, and being inclined,
as shown, when forced in the direction of the arrow, it presses down the rail against
the sleeper. The corrugations effectually secure the clamp plate from slipping, and
in case of wear or looseness a light blow on the end of the clamp plate effectually
tightens up and secures the rail; Figure 14 shows the application of the clamp
plate for fixing the ends of two rails together on one sleeper. In this case the
sleepers and plates are made wider.
In another method of forming a rail joint for portable railways we rivet upon
each of the abutting rail ends two fish plates having one edge straight and the
other edge tapered towards the outer end. One fish plate is secured to the rail
with the straight edge.upwards and the opposite one with the straight edge down-
wards. All the tapered ends project somewhat beyond the ends of the rails, and
when the ends of the rails are brought together the tapered edges of the fish plates
respectively come together and wedge themselves between the corresponding fish
plate and the head or lower flange of the rail, as the case may be. The rail ends
are firmly locked together, and the slightest withdrawal of one rail from the other

page_text: immediately loosens the fastening, and the rails leave each other with the slightest
exertion.
Figures 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 show this rail joint for portable railways, such as
are laid down in sections; Figure 15 is an elevation; Figures 16 and 17 are
transverse sections; Figure 18 is an elevation; and Figure 19 is a horizontal
section. We rivet upon the abutting rail ends two fish plates a and b, in Figure 15,
each plate having one edge straight and the other tapering towards the outer end.
One fish plate b is placed with the straight edge upwards, and the one on opposite
side of rail, viz., a, with the straight edge downwards. The tapered fish plates
project sufficiently beyond the ends of the rails to which they are rivetted, and
when the ends of the rails are brought together as in Figure 17 the fish plates
respectively fit together, and are wedged between the corresponding fish plate and
the top or base of the abutting rail, as the case may be. The rail ends are thus
firmly locked, and it will be seen that the fish plates bear mutually upon each
other, and being widened in the centre, see Figure 16, an ample and strong bearing
is gained with great facilities for releasing, as it will be seen that immediately one
rail is slightly withdrawn from the other the section can be raised, thus
making it very easy to take out a section at any part after the road is laid
down.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we claim,―
First. The construction and arrangement of chairs and sleepers in such manner
that by forcibly twisting the chair upon the sleeper (by the insertion of a wedge
between it and the rail, or by other equivalent means) a compound gripping action
is obtained, the rail being gripped in the chair, and the chair by means of claws
or equivalent parts gripping or engaging with the sleeper.
Second. The construction of a railway, substantially as described and illustrated
by the Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6A, 6B, 7, 8, and 9 of the annexed Drawings.
Third. The use of railway sleepers consisting of flat bars of iron or steel stiffened
by a groove dished or buckled upwards in the centre, such groove extending along
the portion of the sleeper between the rails, and gradually decreasing in height and
terminating as it approaches the rail seats, substantially as described and illustrated
by the Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the annexed Drawings.
Fourth. The use of a turn plate securing the rails of a portable railway to the
sleepers, together with the means for locking such turn plate in position,
substantially as described and illustrated by Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 of
the annexed Drawings.
Fifth. The construction of portable railways, substantially as described and
illustrated by the Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the annexed Drawings.
Sixth. The construction of portable railways with taper ended fish plates
intertocking and connecting the ends of the rails, substantially as described and
illustrated by the Figures 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 of the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John William Hartley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
J. W. HARTLEY. (L.S.)