IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILS FOR RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS, AND IN THE MODE AND MEANS OF FITTING AND SECURING THE SAME
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Andrew Barclay at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 13th August 1879.
ANDREW BARCLAY, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North Britain,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILS FOR RAILWAYS AND
TRAMWAYS, AND IN THE MODE AND MEANS OF FITTING AND SECURING THE SAME."
This said Invention has reference to a new or improved mode of constructing
that class of rails which have a single bearing head (none reversable) with a central
vertical web and a broad flanged base for securing the rails direct (without chairs)
to their sleepers or other foundation, and also in the modes and means of fitting
and securing the parts of the said rails; which improved rails will be more suitable
for the permanent way of ordinary railroads, or of tramways, making them more
secure and durable than heretofore.
And the Invention or improvements consist in rolling or forming the head or
bearing surface (on which the wheels run) with a plain vertical web or feather (of
a T section) separate from the lower part, which is rolled with a vertical feather
also (of a T form) but inverted, with its broad double flange turned down to form
a securing base thus 1. These upper and lower parts are secured together by
their central vertical webs to form the complete rail, preferably by screw or cotter
bolts, the upper parts or lengths thus " "fishing" the other or lower parts, by
making the end joints of the former in the middle, or other intermediate part,
between the end joints of latter or lower sectional length of the rail; thus making
a continuous line of rail without requiring fishing plates or chairs, all ready for
being secured by the lower broad flange to the under sleepers or other foundation
in the same manner, by spikes or bolts, as other such flange rails are.
In this new
or improved construction of duplex sectional rail, whether applied and constructed
with ordinary headed rails, as for railways, or with flat heads with groves, as
frequently used for tramways, the joint between the vertical feathers, forming the
vertical web would be placed as near the centre of pressure and bearing of the head
and sole or lower flange as possible for giving the greatest possible stability. And,
further, as for low rails, both the upper and lower edges of these vertical
feathers (forming the central joint) might be rounded or bevelled with the sharp
angle next the joint, and made to fit into corresponding hollow curves or angles in
the under side of the head and the upper corner of the lower flange, so that when
the two central feathers or webs are screwed togetherthese edge joints would form

page_text: dove-tail bearings and holding grooves, thus besides giving a soled bearing along
the two parts of the rail would also hold them firmly together and prevent lateral
motion with fewer bolts. Or otherwise, when very deep rails are required, the
upper edge only of the deep flange need be so dove tailed with a curved or angled
bearing and gripping joint..
In making the upper sectional lengths (of these improved rails made in two
parts) for ordinary smooth headed rails they could be rolled on their sides out of
iron or steel bars as double headed rails are at present; but when desired to be
made with a groove in the upper bearing head or surface for the flanges of the
wheels to run in, these upper section would require to be rolled vertically and
not on their side, or at least be passed through a finishing set of rollers in this way
to roll the groove on the top surface; and that on the under surface for forming
the rounded or dove-tail angled holding joint of the edge central feathers or webs
of either the rails with plain bearing heads, or those with grooves on top surface
for tramway rails. In some cases a deep central feather might be formed on the
upper head or sectional part, and have the lower double flanged basement part
'formed with two angle irons, bolted or otherwise secured, one on each side of the
lower part of this central feather. The under flange of each angle iron would
form the sole for securing this combined rail to its sleepers or other foundation,
and which in this case is formed in three sectional parts, all the end joints of
which would be made to brake bond, as it were, and so "fish"the whole without
fishing plates as is usual at the end joints of ordinary rails.
These new or improved rails are susceptible of several modifications to suit
different sizes and heights, and other circumstances, and may be secured to cross
sleepers or to longitudinal beams in the same manner as ordinary rails with lower
longitudinal flanges without chairs, and they may be kept to " gauge" or at the
proper distance or width apart to suit the flanges of the carriage or car wheels by
the usual screw or cotter tie bars between them, and which might be passed
through holes in both the vertical feathers of the upper and lower sections or parts
of the rail, or the longitudinal beans, when these are used as a foundation way,
may be secured at a regular width or distance apart by transverse beams or bars
between them, so that when the rails are secured to the proper width apart on such
longitudinal beams they cannot get out of line or gauge.
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