IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OR RATE WANG
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to The Honorable William Erskine Cochrane, of No. 5,
Osnaburgh Terrace, Regent's Park, in the County of Middlesex, for tho
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OR RATE WANG"
Sealed the 28th April 1857, and dated the 14th November 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Erskine Cochrane
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th November 1856.
I, The Ilone WILLIAM ERSKINE COCHRANE, of No. 5, Osnaburgh Terrace,
Regent's Park, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
My improvements consist in more effectually and economically securing the
ends of the rails, at their junction with each other, by the introduction of
a douel key or tongue into the narrow part of the rail, extending partly into
the end of one and partly into the other, and secured in its place by the
common wooden wedge, which presses against it. And my improvement on a
cast-iron railway sleeper, for which a Patent was granted to myself and Henry
Francis (but now my sole property), enrolled the 5th day of March 1851.
consists in discontinuing the vertical ribs or wooden sleeper holders a', a', cast
on the upper surface of the plate a, a, and placing them below the surface of
the said plate. I also lower the heel or foot of the moveable jaws or rail-

page_text: holders d, d, to the under part of the plate, and in some instances I substitute
cocoa-nut fibre or other suitable substance to take off the concussion in
lieu of the wooden sleeper or cushion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Erskine Cochrane in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th May 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, The
Honorable WILLIAM ERSKINE COCHRANE, of No. 5, Osnaburgh Terrace,
Regent's Park, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Der Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, givo and grant unto me, tho
said William Erskine Cochrane, Her special licence that I, the said William
Erskine Cochrane, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Erskine Cochrane, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter 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 Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Erskine Cochrane, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 William Erskine Cochrane, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
My improvements consist in more effectually and economically securing the
ends of the rails at their junction with each other by the introduction of
a dowel-key or tongue into the narrow part of the rail, extending partly into
the end of one and partly into the other, and secured in its place by the

page_text: common wood wedge, which presses against it. And my improvement on a cast-
iron railway sleeper, for which a Patent was granted to myself and Henry
Francis (but now my sole property), enrolled the Fifth day of March 1851,
consists in discontinuing the vertical ribs or wooden sleeper holders cast on the
upper surface of the plate, and placing them below the surface of the said
plate. I also lower the heel or foot of the jaws or moveable rail holders to the
under part of the plate, and in some instances I substitute cocoa-nut fibre or
other suitable substance to take off the concussion, in lieu of the wooden
sleeper or cushion.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the ends of two rails in a chair; Figure 2
shows a transverse section thereof; and Figure 3 shows the dowel key or
tongue piece which connects the two ends together. In this arrangement the
dowel key or tongue for the end of each of the rails is fixed at the ends of a
plate of metal; and by reason of the plate of metal being bent up, as shown,
it forms an elastic shelf for the wood key to rest on, and between which and the
under surface of the jaw of the chair the wedge or key of wood is driven, by
which means the two ends of the rails will not only be held together, but the two
ends of the rails will be securely held in the chair. The form of the chairs and
the mode of fixing them may be varied, and the form of the plate or means of
connecting the two dowels, keys, or tongues which connect the two ends
of two rails together may be varied, as is shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6, and
also in Figures 7 and 8; the peculiarity being that the fastening of the rails
in the chairs by the wood wedge or key, the two dowels or keys or tongues
are retained in the holes formed in the ends of the rails. It may be stated
that the wood wedge or key may be fixed in the jaw of the chair by a set screw
passed through the jaw into the wedge or key after it has been driven.
I will now describe the second part of the Invention:- Figure 9 shows
a side elevation, and Figuro 10 a transverse section of a longitudinal
cast-iron trough, sleeper, or bearer, having means of fixing a rail therein,
according to the second part of the Invention. At intervals are formed
openings a, a, through the sides of the trough for the insertion of the bent
cranked lower ends of the separate jaws b, which I prefer to be of wrought
iron. c is a longitudinal bearing of wood, or other suitable soft and flexible
matter, within the trough, on which the under surface of the rail is supported
longitudinally. d is a key, of wood or other suitable material, for fixing or

page_text: holding the rail between the jaws b, b. By this combination of parts a very
cheap and durable permanent way for railways is obtained.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Erskine Cochrane, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
JNO. ALCOCK.
W. E. COCHRANE. (L.S.)