AN IMPROVED MODE OF SPLICING AND FASTENING THE ADJACENT ENDS OF THE RAILS OF A RAILWAY TRACK
Year: 1856

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Frederick Stansbury at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th
April 1856. A communication.
I, CHARLES FREDERICK STANSBURY, of the American & European Patent
Offices, 67, Gracechurch Street, London, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF SPLICING AND FASTENING THE ADJACENT
ENDS OF THE RAILS OF A RAILWAY TRACK," a communication from a foreigner
resident abroad, to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in securing the joints of the rails of the permanent
way by the employment of splice pieces or beams of wood securely attached
on one or both sides of the rails, such wooden splice pieces being long enough
to extend lengthwise along the rail so as to cover three or more sills, and
wide enough to have a firm bearing upon them and to be securely fastened
thereto, the height of the outer splice piece being limited only by the height
of the rail, it being only necessary that the tread of passing wheels shall not
come in contact with its upper surface, and the height of the inside piece being
determined by the height of the rail and the size of the flanges of the wheels,
both said splice pieces being of sufficient strength to bear the heaviest loads
without sensible vertical or lateral deflection.
I take a piece of strong, hard, well-seasoned wood, of six to eight inches in
width, and of the same height as the rail, less one-eighth of an inch, to avoid
contact with the tread of passing wheels, and dress this on the side which is to

page_text: lay next to the rails, so that the section of the wood will nearly correspond
with a section of the rail, leaving the wooden section scant in the middle, so a
not to touch the middle of the waist of the rail, in order that the wood at the
top and bottom curves of the rail may be brought into firm contact therewith
when the bolts are screwed up. The length of this piece is such as to extend
over three or more of the sills
which the ends of the rails rest.
The rails having been punched or drilled with two or three holes at each
end, I make corresponding holes in the splice pieces, through which I pass
bolts with washers under their heads on the inside of the rail, the under
surface of the washers corresponding with the curve of the rail, & the washer
at the joint being of a length to serve the two end bolts and help. tie the ends
or supports, the centre sill being that upon
of the rails.
The washers under the nuts on the outside of the wooden splice piece I
make of cast iron, & about one inch thick in the middle, tapering to the
circumference, and at least four inches in diameter. The bolts I make three-
fourths to one inch diameter; strong spikes are driven through holes bored
in the splice pieces into the sills or supports, and complete the construction.
To the inside of the rails I fit in like manner, as above described, another
splice timber of corresponding size, which is also secured to the cross ties. The
bolts in that case I prefer to make in the form of a double staple, with the
staple part on the inside, and the bolts passing entirely through, with large
washers under the nuts on the outside of the outer splice piece. The upper
surface of this inner splice is cut down obliquely to permit the wheel flanges
to pass freely. By these means the rails will be embraced between the two
wooden splice pieces, which are in turn fastened to three or more cross ties.