IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY RAILS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN RAILWAY RAILS." A communication from abroad by Aaron Clarenco
Vaughan, Doctor of Medicine, of Shane's Crossing, in the County of Mercer,
and State of Ohio, and Francis Jordan, General Agent, of Harrisburgh, in
the County of Dauphin, and State of Pennsylvania, both in the United States
of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st April 1880.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY RAILS." [A communication from
abroad by Aaron Clarence Vaughan, Doctor of Medicine, of Shane's Crossing, in
the County of Mercer and State of Ohio, and Francis Jordan, General Agent, of
Harrisburgh, in the County of Dauphin, and State of Pennsylvania, both in the
United States of America.]
This Invention relates to a continuous rail of the T shapo class designed to
render the track smoother and safer and to dispense with fish plates. It consists
in dividing the rail longitudinally into two sections, which when put together
complete the T shaped form with the line of division running preferably through
the web, a portion of the base, and a portion of the tread, and then laying theso
sections alternately with the joints of the other set, so that all the joints are lap
joints, and the rail is a continuous one of an equal T shape cross section throughout
its entire length.
One section of the rail, which I will call No. 1, includes the larger portion of the
base and the larger portion of the tread, but the lesser half of the web, while the
other section, which I will call No. 2, comprehends the larger half of the web and
a small portion of the base and a small portion of the tread. In locating the line
of division of the rail the cut which bisects the tread, and that which cuts through
the upper portion of the base, converge toward each other as they approach the
web portion of No. 1 section, so that No. 2 section fits in with a wedging action,
so as to take up any worn slack and avoid any jingling of the rails. Just at the
point where the web portion of No. 1 section joins the base I form a groove, the

page_text: object of which is to avoid a sharp angle at this point which is required to prevent
steel from suddenly snapping or breaking, and which also serves to secure a solid
support for the edge of No. 2 section, which is made with a square corner.
In fitting the two sections of the rails together, said sections, which are made of
equal length, and preferably about 30 feet long, are placed together with the ends
of one set of sections meeting about midway the length of the other set of sections,
so as to form a continuous rail of uniform transverse size connected by lap joints.
These sections I bolt together with the same number of bolts that are ordinarily
used for fastening fish plates, but arranged differently, i.c., instead of having two
bolts at each end of each rail, making four in all, I arrange one "bolt at the end of
cach section and two bolts in the middle for connecting the abutting ends of tho
rail sections on the other side. For permitting a slight endwise movement in
adapting the rail sections to expansion and contraction without bending I form as
usual the bolt holes in one or both of the rail sections in the nature of horizontal
slots to compensate for this. The location of the abutting joints of one set of rail
sections midway the rails of the other section is not necessary, and can be departed
from so long as the sections on one side break the joints of the sections on the
other. When the two sections of the rails are thus bolted together the weight of
the trains on the tread of the rail is sustained partly by the portion of the web,
which is connected to the base and tread, and partly by the other section, which
rests under the overhanging edge of the tread, and forms a stronger support than
if the rails were made solid.
In constructing the sections of the rail their uniform transverse character
permits them to be rolled like ordinary rails, and afterwards laid to form a track
without special appliances or any further expense than that attendant upon the
laying of the old form, saving in fact the additional bulk of irou contained in the
fish plates.
Among other advantages of the Invention I may mention that the extension of
the base portion of section No. 2 to nearly the edge of the base of section No. 1
causes the heads of the spikes to rest against the said base portion of No. 2, 50
that if the bolts which hold the two sections together should break or the nuts
come off section No. 2 will still be held in place, and will afford a support to the
tread for the reason that the spiko heads prevent it from moving laterally out of
place. The basic support which the flange of No. 2 section affords also prevents
the tilting of these sections in sidewise direction.
Another advantage is as follows:-In all kinds of rails, whether of steel or iron,
it sometimes happens from inherent flaws or the extreme influence of the weather,
or both combined, that the ordinary solid T shaped rails break and involve
accidents of a serious character. Now when the rails are made continuously of
two sections, as in this Invention, there is but a small chance for flaws to exist in
both sections at the same point, and hence if either section should break the
continuity of the track is not necessarily destroyed, but the other unbroken section
will still afford sufficient support to the train to prevent it from leaving its
position on the track, thus reducing to a minimum the accidents from this
cause.
In defining further the scope of this Invention I would state that I do not
confine myself to the precise line of division and juncture of tho two rail sections,
as they may be varied from without departing from the Invention.
A still further advantage of the Invention is as follows:-In putting down the
track of railroads it has been impossible to do it so that the ends of the rails would
not soon become depressed, and that unevenly. This Invention effectually prevents
all this, and thus by making and preserving a uniform tread prevents the noise,
jarring, and friction heretofore inevitable, and thus conduces to the comfort, speed,
and safety of travel, and the durability of the track, and of the machinery which
runs upon it.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
October 1880.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY RAILS." A communication from
abroad by Aaron Clarence Vaughan, Doctor of Medicine, of Shane's Crossing, in
the County of Mercer and State of Ohio, and Francis Jordan, General Agent, of
Harrisburgh, in the County of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, both in the
United States of America.
This Invention relates to a continuous rail of the T shape class designed to
render the track smoother and safer and to dispense with fish plates. It consists
in dividing the rail longitudinally into two sections, which when put together
complete the T shaped form with the line of division running preferably through
the web, a portion of the base, and a portion of the tread, and then laying these
sections alternately with the joints of the other set, so that all the joints are lap
joints, and the rail is a continuous one of an equal T shape cross section throughout
its entire length, as hereinafter fully described.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of three of the rail
sections showing the mode of laying them, the sections however being shorter in
proportion than they would be in practice for want of space; Figure 2 is an
enlarged cross section of the rail taken through one of the connecting bolts.
A represents one longitudinal section of the rail, and A' the other. The section A
of the rail includes the larger portion of the base a and the larger portion of the
tread b, but the lesser half of the web c, as shown in Figure 2, while the section A'
comprehends the larger half of the web c', a sinall portion a of the base, and a
small portion b' of the tread. In locating the line of division of the rail the cut
which bisects the tread, and that which cuts through the upper portion of the
base, converge toward each other as they approach the web portion of A, so that
the section A¹ fits in with a wedging action, so as to take up any worn slack and
avoid any rattling of the rails. Just at the point where the web portion of A joins
the base I forn a groove d, the object of which is to avoid a sharp angle at this
point to prevent steel from suddenly snapping or breaking; it also serves to secure
a solid support for the edge of the section A', which it will be seen is made with a
square corner e.
In fitting the two sections of the rails together said sections, which are made of
equal length and preferably about 30 feet long, are placed together with the ends
of one set of sections A meeting about midway the length of the other set of
sections so as to form a continuous rail of uniform transverse size connected by lap
joints. These sections I bolt together with the same number of bolts ff, that
are ordinarily used for fastening fish plates, but arranged differently, i.c., instead of
having two bolts at each end of each rail, making four in all, I arrange one bolt f
at the end of each section, and two bolts f¹, f', in the middle for connecting the
abutting ends of the rail sections on the other side. For permitting a slight end-
wise movement in adapting the rail sections to expansion and contraction without
bending I form as usual the bolt holes in one or both of the rail sections in the
nature of horizontal slots to compensate for this. The location of the abutting
joints of one set of rail sections midway of the length of the rails of the other
section is not necessary, and can be departed from so long as the sections on one
side break the joints of the sections on the other. When the two sections of the
rails are thus bolted together the weight of the trains on the tread of the rail is
sustained partly by the portion of the web, which is connected to the base and
tread, and partly by the other section A¹, which rests under the overhanging edge
of the tread, and forms a stronger support than if the rails were made solid.
In constructing the sections of the rail it will be seen that their uniform
transverse character permits them to be rolled like ordinary rails, and afterwards

page_text: laid to form a track without special appliances or any further expense than that
attendant upon the laying of the old form, saving in fact the additional bulk of
iron contained in the fish plates.
Among other advantages of the Invention I may mention that the extension of
the portion a¹ of the section A' to nearly the edge of the base a causes the heads
of the spikes to rest against the said portion a¹, so that if the bolts which hold the
two sections together should break or the nuts come off the section A¹ will still be
held in place, and will afford a support to the tread for the reason that the spike
hoads prevent it from moving laterally out of place. The basic support which the
flange a affords also prevents the tilting of the sections A¹ in sidewise direction.
Another advantage is as follows:-In all kinds of rails, whether of steel or iron, it
sometimes happens from inherent flaws or the extreme influence of the weather, or
both combined, that the ordinary solid T shaped rails break and involve accidents
of a serious character. Now when the rails are made continuously of two sections
A, A', as in this Invention, there is but a small chance for flaws to exist in both
sections at the same point, and hence if either section should break the continuity
of tho track is not necessarily destroyed, but the other unbroken section will still
afford sufficient support to the train to prevent it from leaving its position on the
track, thus reducing to a minimum the accidents froin this cause.
In dofining further the scope of this Invention I would state that the precise
line of division and juncture of the two rail sections may be varied without
departing from the Invention.
A still further advantage of the Invention is as follows:-In putting down the
track of railroads it has been impossible to do it so that the ends of the rails
would not soon become depressed, and that unevenly. This Invention effectually
prevents all this, and thus by making and preserving a uniformn tread prevents tho
noise, jarring, and friction heretoforo inevitable, and thus conduces to the comfort,
speed, and safety of travel, and the durability of the track and of the machinery
which runs upon it.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. A continuous railroad rail forined of two longitudinal sections of uniform
transverse cross section, and which when bolted together conform in cross section
to the T shape pattern with the joints of one section alternating with the joints
of the other section, as set forth.
2nd. A railroad rail divided longitudinally through the web, base, and tread
with one section having the larger base and tread portion and the smaller web
portion, and the other section with the larger web portion and the smaller tread
and base, as described.
3rd. The section A having the groove & in combination with the section A¹ and
the cross bolts, as and for the purpose described.
4th. A railroad rail formed of two longitudinal sections of uniform size arranged
with lap joints, the said sections being adapted when the track is laid to reinforce
or supplement each other, as described.
5th. A rail road rail reinforced or supplemented uniformly along its length, as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Twenty first day of October, in the year of our
Land One thousand sight hondoad and sighty