IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph John William Watson, of Paris, in the
Republic of France, Civil Engincer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
"
Sealed the 7th November 1873, and dated the 14th May 1873.

page_text: or flange foot kind. The form I prefer for the direct bearing surface is
that of an inverted hemi-cylinder or arch open at the ends, and strength
used by interior as well as exterior ribs.
Secondly. In securing a state of equilibrium for the whole system of
support by connecting the incompressible cast iron direct bearing
surfaces with intermediate bearing surfaces of wrought angle or T iron
which shall perform the part of girders possessing a limited amount of
elasticity, yet sufficiently strong to maintain the direct bearing surfaces
stable always in one plane, while at the same time these girders
constitute transverse ties preserving invariable the guage of the line.
Thirdly. In so combining the longitudinal bearers in cast iron with
the transverse ones in wrought iron that the strains arising from traffic,
whether they be of a character tending to displace the track laterally as
in curves, or in the direction of its axis as on steep gradients, where the
breaks are much applied, shall be resisted by large areas of side surface
opposed to the ballast.
Fourthly. In crossing the girder ties diagonally so that portions of
the ballast may be enclosed or boxed in to form wedges of resistance to
displacement in side relation to the contiguous ballast.
Fifthly. In superseding the use of fish plates for the joints of flange.
rails by securing their abutting flanges in a groove formed by a fillet
covering the flange at its junction with the plane on which the foot of
the rail rests and into which groove the rail is wedged by a conical nut
working on a screwed bolt, the strain caused by the end of the rail
seeking to rise and fall before and during the passage of the wheels
being reserved principally for the bolt, and acting solely in the direction.
of the latter's length.
Sixthly. In suspending the rail when of the double head description
free of all contact as regards the tables (and therefore permitting the
latter to be turned when one is worn) by a pair of clips, each having the
section of an arc of a circle, and which gripe the shoulders of the upper
and lower tables on either side of the rail through the wedging action of
a cone operating against a pressure block insistent upon the sleeper and
held in the jaws of a chair cast on the latter and of which it forms an
integral part. The wedging action of the cone is obtained by the use of
a single screw bolt, the strain on which is solely in the direction of its
length.

page_text: Seventhly. In the extension of the system of fastening last described
for double head rails, to the splicing of the joints of such rails and the
consequent replacing of four bolts for each fish joint, as at present
required by a single bolt only.
In order to deaden the ring or resonance created by the vibration of
two plane metallic surfaces in contact when exposed to impart as by the
rapid passage of the wheels over the rails, I interpose between the foot
of a flange rail and the bearing surface of the saddle a washer composed.
of a piece of coarse wire guaze, the meshes of which are filled in by a
layer of fine sand and coal tar or asphaltum, but I do not bind myself to
always use this arrangement.
The above being my Invention in connection with a wholly metallic
permanent way, I furthermore declare that I consider the modes of
fastening as above described, whether for single or double head rails, as.
applicable to other descriptions of permanent way, whether of timber, or
metal, or other substances, and in which cases joint chairs might be
made on the system proposed in clause 6 to replace the ordinary fish
joint for flange rails, and chairs also cast for suspending the rails by the
use of my cone tightened pressure blocks instead of fastening the rails in
the chairs by wooden or metallic keys where double head rails are
employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Joseph John William Watson in the Great Seal.
Patent Office on the 14th November 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
JOHN WILLIAM WATSON, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of May, in the
year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph John William Watson,
Her special license that I, the said Joseph John William Watson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the

page_text: whether they be of a character tending to displace the track laterally as
in curves, or in the direction of its axis as on steep gradients, whero tho
breaks are much applied shall be resisted by large areas of sido surface
opposed to the ballast.
Fourthly. In crossing the girder ties diagonally so that portions of
the ballast may be enclosed or boxed in to form wedges of resistance to
displacement in side relation to the contiguous ballast.
Fifthly. In superseding the use of fish plates for the joints of flange
rails by securing their abutting flanges in a groove formed by a fillet
covering the flange at its junction with the plane on which the foot of
the rail rests, and into which groove the rail is wedged by a conical nut
working on a screwed bolt, the strain caused by the end of the rail
seeking to rise and fall before and during the passage of the wheels,
being reserved principally for the bolts and acting solely in the direction
of the latter's length.
Sixthly. In suspending the rail when of the double head description
free of all contract as regards the tables (and therefore permitting the
rails to be turned, when one is worn) by a pair of clips, cach having the
section of an arc of a circle, and which gripe the shoulders of the upper
and lower tables on either side of the rail through the wedging action of
a cone operating against a pressure block insistent upon the sleeper, and
held in the jaws of a chair cast on the latter, and of which it forms an
integral part. The wedging action of the cone is obtained by the use of
a single screw bolt, the strain on which is solely in the direction of its
length.
Seventhly. In the extension of the system of fastening last described
for double head rails to the splicing of the joints of such rails, and the
consequent replacing of four bolts for cach fish joint as at present
required by a single bolt only.
The above being my Invention in connexion with a wholly metallic
permanent way, I furthermore declare that I consider tho modes of
fastening as above described, whether for single or double head rails, as
applicable to other descriptions of permanent way whether of timber, or
metal, or other substances, and in which cases joint chairs might be
made on the system proposed in clause 6 to replace the ordinary fish
joint for flange rails and chairs also cast for suspending the rails by the

page_text: use of my cone tightened pressure blocks instead of fastening the rails
on the chairs by wooden or metallic keys where double head rails aro
employed.
In order to deaden the ring or resonance created by the vibration of
two plane metallic surfaces in contact when exposed to impact as by the
rapid passage of the wheels over the rails, I interpose between the foot
of a flange rail and the bearing surface of the saddle a washer composed
of a piece of coarse wire gauze, the meshes of which are filled in by a
layer of fine sand and coal tar or asphaltum, but I do not bind myself to
always use this arrangement.
My system is applicable in fact to all the descriptions of rails in use,
whether they consist of the flange (or so called vignole), the double
head or the bridge (known as Brunel) type. The flange foot rails and
the bridge rails will require one set of fastenings, but scarcely any modi-
fication in the form of the saddle; the double head rail may be secured
either by the intervention of an ordinary chair, or by the system I
more particularly describe in this my complete Specification.
The bearing surface it will thus be seen is in all cases a cast iron arch
cast of a suitable thickness of metal and further strengthened by internal
ribs intersecting each other longitudinally and transversely. These
arches form hemi-cylinders open at the ends, and their upper side forms
either a plane surface on which the rail directly reposes or takes the form
of jaws in which the rail is suspended by the arrangement herein
described. In either case I call these hemi-cylinders of cast iron,
"saddles." The saddles have lateral openings to admit of their being
more easily "packed," and also in the case where they are used with
rails of the flange foot or bridge type for giving facility in adjusting
the fastenings. The saddles are connected together by "girder ties"
which may be either of angle iron, T iron, or channel iron (), and such
tics are invariably crossed in the form of the cross known as St. Andrew's,
or are, in other words, placed diagonally as in trelliswork. The tics
preserve accurately the guage of the line, but contrary to the action of
ties used hitherto for connecting the bearing surfaces whether in the
form of plates, blocks, hemispheres, pots, or discs, they imitate the
part of the ordinary timber sleeper, and take their share in resisting the a
downward pressure; they are in fact as I have named them "girder
ties," and their office is in this respect to prevent the unequal sinking of

page_text: the saddles, which as is known is a most serious defect in the systems of
metallic permanent way hitherto otherwise somewhat favorably
regarded. They have moreover the great advantage of giving a limited
amount of elasticity to the road, so that any packing, however close, and
the form of open hemi-cylinder admits of the closest, will nevertheless
not confer rigidity.
Lastly. From being disposed in a diagonal manner, portions of the
ballast are imprisoned or boxed in to form wedges of resistance relatively
to the contiguous or outlying ballast, so that taken in connexion with
the resistance offered by the sides of the saddles themselves and the
sides of the ties, the "sleeper" (by which I mean a pair of saddles
united by two diagonal ties) has the least possible tendency to change
its place in any direction, being in fact much more firmly implanted in
the ballast than the thickest timber sleeper. These various considerations
of the action of the girder has directly and indirectly claim for the
system the merit of procuring a state of equilibrium, and will essentially
distinguish it from all others.
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
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheets of Drawings,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 (Sheet 1) is an end elevation of my sleeper for flange foot
(vignole) or bridge (Brunel) rails; Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of
the same; Figure 3 is a transverse section taken along the line 1, 2, in
Figure 2; Figure 4 is a similar section taken along the line 3, 43B
Figures 5 and 6 represent elevations of the two opposite sides of the
hemi-cylinder or cast iron saddle.
A is the flange foot rail. This rail is shown inclined towards the axis
of the track with the usual inclination of 32° from the vertical, giving one
in twenty for the bearing surface, which is cast with this slope, and which
therefore must always remain invariable. B, B¹, B", B", indicate the
cast-iron saddle. o, o, openings left in the sides of the saddle to aid in
the packing and the adjusting of the fastening bolt. They also serve to
diminish the weight of the casting without weakening it. The open
ends of the saddles enable the packing tool to completely ram the ballast
home to the sides of the ties, and the opening at the side enables the

page_text: space within the saddle between the ties to be also closely packed. The
perfect bedding of the saddle is therefore certain and easy to accomplish.
b, b, are end transversal ribs for strengthening; longitudinal ribs not
shown are also combined with these. O is a fillet cast on the saddle to
form a groove into which the flange of the vignole or bridge rail is
wedged. When the nut d (Figure I.) is brought down upon the other
flange the rail is firmly held in its place, and can neither be shifted
sideways nor overturned, the fillet overlapping the flange acting to
prevent the latter accident, whether inwards or outwards, as regards the
axis of the track. d is a screwed bolt with snap head. This bolt traverses
a hole prepared for it in the plane surface (e) of the saddle. d, the
hexagonal nut referred to above, screwing on to the bolt d. This nut
may be either an ordinary one or it may be with a conical base. If
the nut be an ordinary one I interpose between it and the surface
of resistance a conical thimble (see Figure 7), which I prefer to be
made of steel. This thimble is split in the direction of its length,
and therefore is capable of having its inner surface brought into the
closest contact with the bolt when pressure is applied upon its outer
face. The cone, whether forming a separate thimble or part of the nut,
itself, as in Figure 3, at d", acts when the nut is screwed down as a
wedge, the resisting surfaces being a half circumference of the hole mado
to receive the bolt, and the flange of the rail, which is notched, to
receive the cone; consequently the further it penetrates the hole the
more tightly is the flange of the rail (whether of the vignole or bridge
type) opposite to that against which the cone presses, driven into the
groove formed by the fillet C, and made to receive it. Although for
light systems of permanent way a single bolt a sufficient for each
sleeper I prefer using two, and double notching the rail, the bolts being
distributed towards the ends of the sleeper. An exterior rib f¹ is cast
on the sleeper opposite to the bolt hole or holes, and serves to prevent a
fracture when the thrust made by screwing the nut d¹ very tightly
home, or a blow from the flange of the wheel against the face of the rail
rises to a maximum. The Drawing shews the fillet on the outside, and
the bolt on the inside of the rail, but this arrangement may be reversed
if preferred. To prevent the nut unscrewing, I use any of the devices a
hitherto invented for this purpose, but I prefer to drill the bolt with a
small hole in the line of its axis, and then when the nut is screwed
tightly home to slightly split the bolt by inserting a conical punch into
the bole, and giving it a smart blow. On unscrewing the nut with a

page_text: spanner the thread which has been interrupted in the bolt by splitting it
is recut by the nut so that the bolt can serve again.
It will be evident from the foregoing description of the method of
fastening that for flange, foot, and bridge rails my system dispenses
entirely with the use of fish plates, for by using two bolts and making
the joint of the rail fall in the centre of the sleeper the fillet prevents
all lateral and vertical play of the ends of the rails, but which are,
nevertheless, free to move in the direction of the length of the rail when
they approach or recede from each other under the enormous force
of expansion and contraction created by fluctuations of temperature.
The sises of the notches made in the rails admit also of the elongation
and shortening of the rails from weather without hindrance. At the same
time the rail is so tightly held in its bed that neither the brake action of
the heaviest train, nor the effect of gradients, can cause it to slide on the
sleeper.
Figure 8 represents in detail another arrangement for holding either
flange, foot, or bridge rails in their place in connexon with the fillet
cast on the chair. The cramp iron (m) is passed from below into the
position shewn in Figure 8 through the hole corresponding to the bolt.
hole already described. A key (n) is then driven down by the side of
the cramp iron and holds it tightly down on the rail, or in place of the
key a rectangular shaped thimble with inclined sides may be used with
a bolt and nut in the manner described for the bolt nut and conical
thimble. If either of the last named modifications be used instead of
the nut and cone for fastening, the flange of the rails will not require
the notches to be more than shallow indents formed to receive the ends
of the cramp irons. The cramp irons may be placed (fastened either
with a bolt or a key on the inside or on the outside of the rail, as found
most convenient. F, F, are the angle iron tie bars (partly broken
away in my Drawings) crossed in the form of a St. Andrew's cross,
and passing at their ends through vertical holes or slots left in the
castings at 9, 9, to receive them. In order to benefit by the full
strength one angle iron is turned so that it may lie flange on flange
on the angle iron beneath it, and which consequently passes through
the saddle at a lower level than the one overlying it. From the ends
of the bars thus disposed so much of the horizontal flange of the lower
bar is removed that its vertical flange forms the web of a girder, and
passes through the slot hole at g in the saddle, which rests or rides

page_text: upon it. The same arrangement is made for the upper bar, and a
rectangular piece is further notched out from each web on its lower
side, which permits the bar to exactly fit down on to cleats at g,
expressly cast on the outside of the saddle to receive it. These notches
in the bars retain the saddles mathematically in guage, and consequently
also the rails. The webs rest on the cleats by their edges, and the
keys h, h, (shewn in detail at Figure 9) driven in above them prevent
their rising off the cleats and serve to steady them perfectly laterally in
the alot holes.

page_text: The bars at the point of crossing each other, which will coincide with
their centres, may be fastened or left free and unattached. If they bo
fastened, this may either be done whilst laying the road, using a bolt
and nut, or the bars may be rivetted before being brought on to the
ground, in which case they would form lattice frames. The bars are
shewn without any fastening at their centres in the Drawing, Figure 2.
My system applics equally well to special sleepers for use with
crossings, points, and guard rails, which may be of any of the descrip-
tions used with timber sleepers. Figure 10 (Sheet 2) shows the
application to a crossing seen in plan, and Figures 11 and 12 show
respectively sections on the lines 1-2, and 3-4, or 5-6. The sections
are those of a double arch or of twin saddles 8, cast in one.
are the tie girders, shown by single red lines,) which for
that carry the crossing G, and numbered 2, 3, and 4; in consequence of
the weight of the latter, I prefer to be of channel iron.
"
a, a¹, all, a¹ll,
those saddles
It will be noticed that the bars will be continuous through the
sleepers Numbers 1 to 5, and their ends pass to saddles placed in proper
positions to receive them, but it is not necessary to show these outlying
saddles in the Drawing, as they will be single arch saddles, such as have
already been described, the arrangement of the slot holes being alone
slightly modified in order to obtain the necessary parallelism of the
rails lying on either side of the crossing, as well as to receive the channel
instead of angle irons. The crossing G, with its tongue T, requires no.
description. It may be of steel or of iron, reversible or non-reversible.
Nos. 2, 3, and 4 show that the mode of attachment is by side
lugs "b, b, cast with the crossing, and receiving bolts, which pass also
through the bolt holes b', 6', of the saddles 8 (see Figure 11), and arc
held by a nut in the ordinary manner. Side openings in the saddles
enable these bolts to be introduced with the head below, as previously
described. No. 2 shows in addition to this mode of attachment of the
crossing to the saddle how the ends of the free rails R³, R³, are jointed
with the rails R³, R¹, cast on the crossing. The section (Figure 12)
on 3-4, represents also the T shaped fillet J in No. 2, which holds
down, as hercin-before described, the rails with the aid of the different
kinds of fastenings f,f, already described. The fillett on No. 2 is confined
to the part J, and in No. 5 it is confined to the part J. In No. 1 the
T shaped fillet J extends the full length of the saddle, its sides being
inflected to the required direction for the rails.

page_text: It will be observed that no fish plates are employed in making the
joints, the T shaped fillet, and the modes of fastening which I have
herein-before described making a perfectly solid splice without their use.
It is unnecessary, after the above description, to give any illustration
of the saddles required for points or for guard rails, inasmuch as they
will only differ from the generality on my system in being double arched
to carry a double rail, the other arrangements, such as the motion of the
points, being the same as those employed in connexion with timber
sleepers.
In order to deaden the vibration and consequent ring or noise created
by the rapid passage of the wheels over the rails, when reposing directly
on the saddles, I interpose between the foot of a flange foot or bridge
rail and the bearing surface of the saddle, a washer composed of a piece
of coarse wire guaze, the meshes of which are filled in by a layer of fine
sand and coal tar, or bitumen, or asphaltum. The bearing surface of the
saddle may also, for the same object, be slightly countersunk, and the
hollow or dish thus produced be filled with the sand and coal tar,
bitumen, or asphaltum, the foot of the rail resting upon the bed thus
formed of the said materials.
Figure 13 (Sheet 3) is an end view of the saddle adapted for double-
headed rails; Figure 14 is a plan of same; Figure 15 is a section at 1-2
(Figure 14); Figures 16 and 17 are opposite side views of the saddle.
The rest of the Figures are details hercin-after referred to.
A, A, the double-head rail. The rail inclines inwards towards the
axis of the track at an angle of 3° from the vertical. B, B, B, B, the ?
saddle in cast iron; o, o, o, o, openings left in the sides of the saddle,
and intended to contribute to the ease of packing as well as to diminish
weight; b, b, ribs cast on the inside and on the outside of the saddles to
add strength. These transverse and vertical ribs b arc intersected on the
interior by longitudinal ribs, not shown in the Drawing. F, F, are the 3
girder tics, which require no further description, having been fully
explained in connection with the saddles intended for flange foot and
bridge rails.
The rail, as shown clearly in Figure 13, is contrary to general
practice suspended so that the lower head is not in contact with the 3
saddle except to slightly touch on one face, and thus it receives no

page_text: injury preventing its being subsequently used, as is the case when
it is fastened in the ordinary chair. The rails then used in their saddles
can be always turned when worn on one face. The rail is held by
being clipped at four points, i.e., at two points on each side of the web
immediately below the upper and above the lower table (see Figure 13.)
These clips e, e', are segments of a cylinder, and made of rolled steel
or Bessemer metal; Figures 13 and 20 show them in section, and
Figures 18 and 19 shew them in plan. One clip is longer than the
other, the shorter one e¹ being placed by preference on the outside
of the rail; these clips possess a certain elasticity which they com-
municate to the road. The clips in their turn are suspended by means
of a fillet which is continuous in the direction of their length on
their convex side, and is produced in the rolls. This fillet in one
clip e fits into a groove made in one of the jaws of the chair, and
which is cast on the saddle; the fillet on the other clip e' fills a
similar groove ¹ which is formed on the moveable piece C, which
consists of a small block of cast iron which adjusts itself to the other
jaw of the chair, and which equally forms a part of the saddle.
A hemi-cylindrical or conical groove g is formed on the opposite
side of the pressure block C to that which is in contact with the
clip, and exactly opposite to it is a similar groove g¹ in the jaw of
the chair, so that when the two grooves are in close opposition they
form a cylindrical or conical hole traversing the chair longitudinally.
If therefore a wedge in the form of a cone be introduced at both ends
of this hole, the halves of the cylinder being forced apart, the pressure
block C will immediately transmit the thrust to the clip e¹, which
reacting through the rail against the opposite clip.e will seize tightly
and hold firmly the rail suspended. The wedges are supplied by the
conical thimbles made of steel y', y¹¹, (Figures 16 and 21) which are
made to approach each other by means of the bolt y and nut z.
Any of the known methods as well as that which I have herein-
before described may be adopted for preventing the nut from working
loose.
It is evident that fish plates are not required with this system, any
more than they are required with my other system of fastening described
for flange, foot, and bridge rails.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
soid Invention and the manner in which the same is or
may be used

page_text: 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 use of bars of any convenient section of wrought iron
to form tic girders, in connection with cast iron rail supports or
saddles, the said bars to be crossed in lattice fashion, and attached
to the saddles, substantially in the manner or by the methods herein-
before described.
Second. The peculiar modes of fastening the rails to the saddles,
whether such rails be of the flange, foot, bridge, or double-head type, 1
and the application of such system's of fastenings to all other kinds
of sleepers, whether of timber or metal, substantially as herein-before
described.
Third. The application of my peculiar saddles and crossed tie girders
to the usual arrangements for crossings, points, and guard rails, sub- 1
stantially as herein-before described.
Fourth. The construction and use of the particular forms of saddles,
herein-before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
Fifth. The deadening of resonance or vibration in the rail and saddle
by the use of a washer of wire gauze, with or without a layer of sand, 2
pitch, tar, or asphaltum, as also these substances used alone in the
manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph John William Watson, have
to this my Specification set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day
of November, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
2
JOSEPH JOHN WILLIAM WATSON. (L.S.)