IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to The Righ: Honorable James Earl of Caithness, of
Hill Street, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said The Right Honorable
James Earl of Caithness at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with bis Petition, on the 20th July 1859.
I, The Right Honorable JAMES Earl of CAITHNESS, of Hill Street, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved construction and arrangement of the
switches or points of the permanent ways of railways, also to certain improved
methods of constructing the rails of railways, and to a mode of chemically
hardening the same during the process of rolling.
In carrying out the first part of this Invention it is proposed to make a
portion of one or of both the rails at the "points," or change of line, slide
along horizontal parallel slots made at an angle to the rails, the two ends of
such sliding rails, and the ends of the stationary abutting rails, being inclined or
bevilled to correspond to the angle of the slots with the rails, whereby an
overlap bevil joint is obtained. When one of these sliding rails are used, the
pointed swivel switch rail remains unaltered in shape, and is coupled with the
opposite switch rail in the ordinary manner, but the latter rail end is bevilled

page_text: in place of being cut square off. To this latter rail is fitted a slide, which is
connected with that portion of the rail which works in the parallel slots, so
that on the slide being moved by the lever which opens or closes the switch,
it carries with it the loose rail, and causes it to travel in its parallel slots, and
change the points accordingly. When two sliding rails are employed, one for
each side of the way, they are coupled together, and move in their slots
simultaneously, the ordinary swivel switch rails being in this case dispensed
with. On the first bevil end meeting the train (the switch being right for the
main line) there is a rigid stop for the purpose of maintaining the rail firmly
in a permanent line.
It is proposed, according to another part of this Invention, to combine, by
means of rolls, a T-shaped steel bar, with two wrought iron L-shaped or
angled bars, in such manner as to produce an I-shaped rail with the steel
rail in the centre, and forming the wheel-bearing surface.
security, the parts may be held together by bolts or rivets.
For further
According to another method, the T-shaped steel rail may be rolled with
obtuse-angled rails of wrought iron, one on each side, so as to form a rail
suited to the saddle-backed sleeper, and having a steel wheel-bearing
surface.
It is also proposed to cover the wheel-bearing surface of the ordinary
double-headed rail with a layer of steel, by rolling the rail, in combination
with a steel plate, the steel being either made simply to grip or fold over the
hend of the rail, or let into the same by means of a longitudinal dovetailed
or other groove or channel formed in the rail head. Old or worn rails may
also be treated in the manner above described, thereby rendering them as
good as new again.
For the purpose of chemically hardening the rails during the process of
their manufacture, it is further proposed to employ prussiate of potass or other
chemical having similar properties, whilst the metal is being passed through
the rolls.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said The Right Honorable James Earl of Caithness in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th January 1800.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty, Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Right Honorable James Earl of Caithness, Her special license that
I, the said Right Honorable James Earl of Caithness, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Right Honorable James
Earl of Caithness, my executors, administrators, or 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 Right Honorable James Earl of Caithness, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the samo was to be
performed, 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 Right Honorable James Earl of
Caithness, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say
My said Invention relates to an improved construction and arrangement of
the switches or points of the permanent ways of railways, also to certain
improved methods of constructing the rails of railways, and to a mode of
chemically hardening the same during the process of rolling.
In carrying out the first part of this Invention, it is proposed to make a
portion of one or of both the rails at the "points," or change of line, slide
along horizontal parallel slots made at an angle to the rails, the two ends of
such sliding rails, and the ends of the stationary abutting rails, being inclined
or bevilled to correspond to the angle of the slots, whereby an overlap bevil
joint is obtained. When one of these sliding rails are used, the pointed
swivel switch rail remains unaltered in shape, and is coupled with the opposite
switch rail in the ordinary manner, but the latter rail end is bevilled in place
of being cut square off. To this latter rail is fitted a slide, which is connected
with that portion of the rail which works in the parallel slots, so that on tho

page_text: slide being moved by the lever which opens or closes the switch, it carries with
it the loose rail, and causes it to travel in its parallel slots, and change the
points accordingly. When two sliding rails are employed, one for each side
of the way, they are coupled together, and move in their slots simultaneously,
the ordinary swivel switch rails being in this case dispensed with. On the
first bevil end meeting the train (the switch being right for the main line)
there is a rigid stop for the purpose of maintaining the rail firmly in a
permanent line.
It is proposed, according to another part of this Invention, to combine, by
means of rolls, a T-shaped steel bar with two wrought-iron L-shaped or angled
bars, in such a manner as to produce an I-shaped rail with the steel rail in
the centre, and forming the wheel-bearing surface. For further security the
parts may be held together by bolts or rivets...
According to another method, the T-shaped steel rail may be rolled with
obtuse-angled rails of wrought iron, one on each side, so as to form a rail
suited to the saddle-backed sleeper, and having a steel wheel-bearing
surface.
It is also proposed to cover the wheel-bearing surface of the ordinary
double-headed rail with a layer of steel, by rolling the rail in combination with
a steel plate, the steel being either made simply to grip or fold over the head
of the rail, or let into the same by means of a longitudinal dovetailed or other
groove or channel formed in the rail head. Old or worn rails may also be
treated in the manner above described, thereby rendering them as good as
new again.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I
shall refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a plan of a portion of the permanent
way of a railway constructed with my improved point or switch, which in this
view is shewn open, or in the position for shunting a train from the main line
on to a siding, and Figure 2 is a similar view, showing the point or switch
closed, so as to leave the main line closed for through traffic.
A. A. are the rails of the main line, and B, B, the rails of a siding or branch
line; C is a loose length or section of rail, forming a portion of the main line,
and this length of rail C is provided with projections c, c, on its under side,
which projections enter into and slide freely within the parallel slots d, d,
formed in a metal plate or hollow box D, laid in the ballast beneath tho

page_text: rails, and retained in position by suitable stays or supports not shewn in my
Drawings. These slots may be either at right angles to the main line, or they
may be at an acute angle thereto, as shewn in the Drawings, this latter
mode of arranging them enabling the abutting ends of the moveable rail C
to be bevilled, thereby forming a better junction with the ends of the main
fixed rails, as will be clearly seen on referring to the Drawings. E is the
ordinary pointed switch rail, working on a centre at F, and actuated by the
lever G, to which it is connected by the transverse connecting rod H. This
rod works freely through a longitudinal slot in the moveable rail C, and is
secured to the second switch rail I (working on a centre at J), so that the
two switch rails E and I will always move simultaneously. The end of the
switch rail I is bevilled to correspond to the bevil on the abutting end of
the fixed rail A of the main line. A slide K is fitted to the under side of
the switch rail I, and a channel or groove is formed in the top of the slide K,
within which the base of the moveable rail C rests. On actuating the point
lever G, the switch rails E and I will be moved laterally, so as to open or
close the main line, and with these switch rails will be carried simultaneously
the moveable rail C in its parallel slots, such rail deriving its motion from the
grooved slide K, on which it rests. In Figure 1 the moveable rail C is slid
along its slots out of the main line, and the switch rails E and I are closed,
but in Figure 2 the reverse is the case, the main line being intact, as it should
be for through traffic. In my Drawings I have shewn only one moveable or
sliding rail, but in some cases two of such rails may be used, videlicet, one for
each side of the way. They would then be coupled together, so as to move
simultaneously, and the two swivel switch rails would be dispensed with. The
main advantage derivable from the peculiar form of points or switches above
described is, that the way is always intact in whatever position the points may
be, that is to say, whether the points are open or shut there will be no open
spaces or breaks in the rails at the crossings, the ends of the rails abutting
close to each other, thereby dispensing with guide or check rails, and pre-
venting the unpleasant and dangerous shocks which usually occur in passing
over points or projections.
I shall now proceed to describe my herein before-mentioned improvements
in the construction of the rails of railways.
Figure 3 represents a compound rail, composed of a T-shaped steel bar a,
with two wrought-iron L-shaped or angled bars b, b, rivetted or bolted thereto,
as to form an I-shaped rail with a steel wheel-bearing surface; Figure 4 is
a similar construction of rail to that shewn at Figure 3, but in place of
having L-shaped bars combined with the T-shaped steel rail, it is here pro-

page_text: posed to combine therewith obtuse-angled bars b, b, so as to form a rail
adapted to a triangular or ridge sleeper; Figure 5 is a transverse section of
an ordinary double-headed rail, having a steel plate a rolled on its wheel-
bearing surface during the process of its manufacture, for the purpose of
rendering such rail more durable. Old and worn rails may also be thus
treated, by heating them, and passing them through rolls with a steel plate
on one or both of these surfaces. Figure 6 shows the steel-bearing surface a,
rolled into a longitudinal groove or channel b, formed in the head of the
rail.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the peculiar construction of switches or points in the permanent way
of railways, wherein a portion of one or both of the rails of the line are made
to slide in parallel grooves or slots, as herein-before described.
Second, the combination of a parallel sliding rail with the ordinary swivel
switch rail, as herein-before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
Third, the peculiar constructions of rails illustrated by Figures 3, 4, 5,
and 6 of my Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Right Honorable James Earl of
Caithness, have to this Specification set my hand and seal, this
18th day of January, One thousand eight hundred and sixty.