IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of N° 11 Wellington Street Strand, London, in
the County of Middlesex Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS" and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in rails and longitudinal sleepers for
permanent ways.
In contradistinction to the permanent way hitherto in use and consisting of rails
and longitudinal sleepers horizontally separated from each other, my new rails and
longitudinal sleepers are separated in the vertical direction, that is to say, the half
of the rail and the half of the longitudinal sleeper are made in one piece and
the two halves connected intimately together by means of rivets or screws, thus
forming rail and sleeper at once.
The construction of this combined rail, which I name sleeper-rail, is shown in
the accompanying Drawing, in which the
Figures 1 and 2 show cross sections of the sleeper-rail.
Figure 3 shows a cross section of a joint of the sleeper-rail.
Figure 4 a cross section of the railway line.
Figure 4 a side view and section of the plates of inclination.
Figure 4b a cross section of the draining pipe R.
Figure 5 a longitudinal section of the railway line.
Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed drawing show the two angular halves A. A¹
carefully riveted or screwed together so that no hollow space may exist between
them.
In about half the height of the stem of the one part of the rail is a groove e and
a corresponding tongue f on the other part of the rail; above and below this
jointing are the rivets or screws g.
In order to avoid shocks the joints of the two parts of the rails are displaced one
toward another; each of these joints is fished (fig 3) The tie-rods a (fig 4) for
preserving the gauge are of iron and of any lateral section, on the extremities
thereof vertical brackets are welded.

page_text: The inclination of the rails is obtained by suitably shaped plates N (fig 4º)
The thickness of these vertically standing inclination plates is in accordance with
the required gauge of the rail-way so that the tie-rods of the same line are all of
equal length.
Draining pipes R (figure 4b) are connected by means of rivets or screws with
the rails for the purpose of leading away the water accumulated between the rails
as well as of preventing the slipping of the rails.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
-
1. Rails for permanent ways consisting of two symmetrical or nearly symmetrical
vertically divided parts connected together without any hollow space between them
by means of toothing or otherwise, the upper part of this composed piece forming
the head of the rail and the lower part the longitudinal sleeper.
2. The above described tie-rods in combination with suitably shaped plates for
the purpose of giving the rails the necessary inclination and the rail-way the
required gauge.
3. The use of draining pipes firmly screwed or secured to the permanent way
for the purpose of leading away the water accumulated between the rails and of
preventing the slipping of the rails.
Dated this Twenty first day of November 1884.