IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1876

page_text: 21
LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS." A communication from abroad by
Jules Antoine Joseph Vautherin, of Besançon, in the Republic of France.
Sealed the 18th July 1876, and dated the 18th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th May 1870.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS." A com-
munication from abroad by Jules Antoine Joseph Vautherin, of Besançon, in the
Republic of France.
This Invention relates to various improvements applicable to permanent way,
constructed entirely of metal, which improvements have reference both to the mode
of connecting the metal sleepers and to the means of fixing the rails thereon, the
object of the Invention being to enable the rails to be laid with great rapidity and
permanently fixed to the supports or sloepers in such a manner as to admit of their
being removed or taken up with facility when required.
In carrying out this Invention as applied to railways on which there is a small
amount of traffic it is preferred to employ transverse sleepers of trapezoidal form in
section, and curved or concave in the direction of their length, which sleepers aro
provided with a flange on each side, resting on the ballast, and support the rails in a
similar manner to the wooden sleepers ordinarily employed, the transverse curvature
of the sleepers determining the inclination of the rail and facilitating the ramming
or packing of the ballust.
The rail is secured by means of a clamp and a key, arranged in such a manner as
to prevent them from becoming loosened from any cause except by the hand of the
workman.
The back of the clamp is formed by preference of a curvilinear shape, which
enables a half round or segmental key to be used, which key, after being placed in
position, is turned one quarter round, at the same time preserving a sufficient sur-
face of contact between the parts.
The clamp is provided with notches in its side, destined to receive the sides of a

page_text: hole in the sleeper, into which the clamp is inserted sideways, such clamp being
then turned half round and slid into its place so as to bring the notches over the
sides of the hole.
This clamp is also provided with a head, sloped at ono part in such a manner as
by bearing against the foot of the rail to ensure its being fixed firmly when secured
by the action of the key. The key is composed of iron of a half-round or crescent
section doubled or bent inwards so as to form a fork, the prongs or branches of
which are slightly inclined towards one another, one of such prongs or branches
being fitted with a small pin or projection for a purpose herein-after explained.
The space provided between the prongs or branches of the fork allows them to
approach one another, and thus imparts to the key an elasticity, by reason of which
it is sufficient, after inserting it into the hole in the sleeper, to press or strike upon
its head until the pin or projection reaches the under side of the holo, passing
through a small notch provided for the purpose.
When it has been ascertained that the projection is below the notch the key is
turned one quarter round, whereby its branches are bent inwards to a greater degreo
by reason of the hole being made somewhat elliptic in shape, the axis parallel to
the rail being longer than the axis at right angles to it. The projection before men-
tioned, after the displacement of the koy, bears against the under side of the sleeper
and retains the key, which is unable to come out until the said projection is brought
round opposite the notch by which it entered by turning it back one quarter
turn. The natural clasticity of the forked key may be increased by placing a small
steel spring between the legs or branches.
In one modification of the key its semicircular branches are dovetailed and fitted
at the forge into a metal plate of an octagonal or other suitable shape.
According to another modification the key is made solid and provided with
a projection, so that it is incapable of coming out except when withdrawn by the
workman.
According to another modification the key is of more simple construction, and
formed of a flat iron bent round to a fork and bearing against the flat back of n
clamp. In order to increase the surfaces in contact a notched filling-in piece is placed
behind the key, and the elasticity of the prongs or branches may be increased by
making them of a curved shape, and bending them inwards at the extremities, and
at a point near the top, the extremities being, moreover, slightly bevelled.
In the case of lines on which the traffic is considerable, and where a substantial
construction is therefore required, it is proposed to employ transverse sleepers or
supports, with longitudinal connections or transverse and longitudinal supports con-
nected together. In the latter case it is proposed to employ steel rails, which are
Inid upon the transverse supports, and also rest upon longitudinal supports of similar
section. The ends of the longitudinal supports rest upon the transverse sleepers
(the foot or flange of the one bearing upon the foot or flange of the other), and may
be firmly connected thereto by means of bolts provided with projections, which are
passed through holes in the tranverse sleepers and turned half round, so that the
projection on the bolt bears against the under side of the transverso sleeper, whilst
the head bears against the edge of the longitudinal sleeper and maintains it in posi-
tion. When a space is left between the transverse support and the bottom of the
rail such space is utilized by employing pieces of iron of the same height, which
act as a fish plate.
Iron of the same form may be employed both for the transverse and the longitu-
tudinal supports, the latter being rolled thinner. In this case, the difference in the
height may be compensated for by a plate of iron placed between.
In order to fix the rail upon the longitudinal supports the system herein-before
described of clamps with clastic rotating keys having projections is employed, the
same being arranged alternately on each side of the rail for tho intermodiate trans-
verse supports; (where the junction of two contiguous lengths of rail takes place it
is preferable to give a greater degree of rigidity and firmness to the parts which
tighten the rail by employing a dog perforated with a hole to admit of the insertion

page_text: of a bolt, and provided at the anterior and posterior part with two projections, one
of which is intended to enter the foot or flange of the end of the mail notched for
its reception and the hole in the support or sleeper, the other projection entering
the posterior part of the hole only. This dog is therefore intended to bear against the
foot of the rail by taking its point of support against the side of the hole. The dog
is tightened up by means of a spiral bolt, arranged in the manner herein-before
directed, which admits of it being always easily loosened.
The head of the bolt consists of two projections in one direction, only above the
projections the body of the bolt first assumes a cylindrical shape intended to fit
and turn in the sides of the hole formed in the support; this cylindrical port is
folled by a square port, which is situated outside the hole; the bolt reassumes its
cylindrical form in the port destined to receive the nut-
When it is desired to tighten the rail the bolt is let down into the hole until the
projections on the bolt come below the hole, when the bolt is to be turned one
quarter round, whereby the projections are brought into a position to bear against
the inner side of the sleeper, so that the bolt is prevented from rising, the dog and
the nut are then placed over it, and when it is desired to scrow up the nut a small
fork is to be inserted in the spaces, and its two legs being held between the projec-
tions on the dog and the square port of the bolt prevent any rotation of the lattor.
By means of this arrangenient the rails may be withdrawn without necessarily un-
screwing the nut. The object of the projection on the dog is to prevent the rail
from moving longitudinally in the direction of the line of rails, this arrangement
being only applicable to the supports of the joints. In order to fix the rail upon the
intermediate supports a dog having one projection only employed. The ends of
the longitudinal supports may be cut diagonally, so as to render their union with
the transverse sloepers still more complete.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
November 1876.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS."
A com-
munication from abroad by Jules Antoine Joseph Vautherin, of Besançon, in the
Republic of France.
The said Invention relates to various improvements applicable to permanent way
constructed entirely of metal, which improvements have reference both to the mode
of connecting the metal sleepers and to the means of fixing the rails thereon, the
object of the Invention being to enable the rails to be laid with great rapidity, and
permanently fixed to the supports or sleepers in such a manner as to admit of their
being removed or taken up with facility when required.
And in order that the 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 two Sheets of Drawings, the same letters of
reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
In applying the said Invention to railways on which there is a small amount of
traffic it is preferred to employ transverse sleepers of trapezoidal form in section,
and provided with a flange on each side resting on the ballast.
This arrangement is shewn in Figures 1, 2, 4, 13, and 14, Sheet 1 of the accom-
panying Drawings; Figures 1, 2, and 4, being full sized views of a portion of a rail
secured to its sleeper, and Figures 13 and 14 views (drawn to a reduced scale)
respectively illustrating the general arrangement of a portion of a line fitted with
the said sleepers and the transverse curvature of such sleepers, which determine the
inclination of the rail and facilitates the ramming or packing of the ballast. Tho

page_text: remaining Figures on Sheet 1 are details and modifications which will be herein-
after referred to.
A, A, are the rails, which are secured to the sleepers B by means of clamps C and
keys D, arranged in such a manner as to prevent them from becoming loosened from
any cause except by the hand of the workman.
The back of the clamp C is formed of a curvilinear shape, as shewn at c, f, g,
Figure 1, which enables a half round or segmental key to be used, (such key, after
having been placed in position, being turned one quarter round) whilst at the same
time a sufficient surface of contact is maintained between the parts. This part e,f,g,
may however, for the sake of greater simplicity, be made of a flat shape, but the
surface of contact is then diminished.
The clamp is provided with notches in its side, as shewn at 8, t, u, v, Figures 5
and 6, for the reception of the sides of a hole 1 made in the sleeper, into which tho
clamp is inserted sidewise, such clamp being then turned a quarter round and slid
into its place, so as to bring it into the position shewn in Figure 4.
The clamp is also furnished with a head sloped at one part m, n, 0, 1, I, r,
(Figure 5) the sloping part o, p, q, r, of which is intended to bear against the foot
of the rail so as to insure the latter being firmly screwed when the clamp is
tightened by the action of the key. The key D, which is shown in Figures 1 and 2,
is composed of iron of a half round or crescent section doubled or bent inwards so
as to form a fork the prongs or branches 2, 3, of which are slightly inclined towards
one another, one of such prongs or branches, viz, that three, being fitted with a
small pin or projection a, b, Figures 1 and 2, for a purpose herein-after explained.
The space provided between the prongs or branches 2, 3, of the fork admits of
their approaching one another, whereby a certain amount of clasticity is imparted to
the key, so that it is simply necessary, after inserting the key into the hole 4 in the
sleeper, to press or strike upon the head 5 until the pin or projection a, b, reaches
the under side of the hole, the said pin or projection during the descent of the key
passing through a small notch c, d, provided for the purpose.
When the key is in the act of being inserted in the hole it is in the position
shewn in Figure 3; as soon, however, as it is ascertained that the projection a, b, is
below the under surface of the sleeper at the bottom of the notch c, d, the key is
turned one quarter round, into the position shewn in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1,
whereby its prongs or branches 2, 3, are bent inwards to a greater degece, by reason
of the hole being made somewhat clliptic in shape, the axis x, y, (Figure 3),
parallel to the rail being longer than the axis x, y, at right angles to it.
It will be observed that the projection a, b, when the key is in the position
shewn in Figures 1 and 2, bears against the under side of the sleeper and retains
the key, which is unable to come out until the said projection is brought round
opposite the notch by which it entered by turning it back one quarter turn.
A further amount of elasticity beyond the natural elasticity of the forked key
may be obtained by placing a small steel spring i, i, between the forks or
branches 2, 3, as shewn clearly in Figure 2. As however the key is not placed in
position until after the clamp has been tightened by means of a conical tool, the
whole of its force is reserved to counteract any tendency to its displacement.
In the modification of the key shewn in Figures 7, 8, and 9, its semicircular
prongs or branches 2, 3, are dovetailed at their upper extremities and rivetted into
a metal plate of an octagonal shape.
Figures 15 and 16 represent a solid key provided with a projection a¹, b¹, which
prevents it from leaving its place, except when withdrawn by the workman.
Figures 10, 11, and 12 illustrate a key of more simple construction than that
shewn in Figures 1 and 2. According to this modification the key D is formed of
a piece of flat iron bent round to a bifurcated shape, and bearing against the flat
back of a clamp C.
In order to increase the surfaces in contact a notched filling-in piece 6, Figure 12,
is placed behind the key; the elasticity of the prongs or branches 2, 3, may, inore-
over be increased by making them of a curved shape and bending them inwards at

page_text: their extremities and at a point near the top, the extremities being also slightly
bevelled. On the opposite side of the rail the pressure which is naturally produced
upon the inclined bevel of the clamp suffices to maintain it secure in its place.
In the case of lines on which the traffic is considorable, and where a substantial
construction is therefore required transverse supports with longitudinal connections
are employed. These transverse supports are of a form analogous to that herein-
before described for the transverse sleepers, the dimensions only being increased, and
they are sectionally strengthened in such a manner as to impart to these supports
sufficient rigidity to prevent them from becoming distorted. Where still greater
strength is required transverse and longitudinal supports connected together are
employed. In this case the rails, which are by preference constructed of steel, are
laid upon the transverse supports, and also rest upon longitudinal supports of similar
section.
The several Figures on Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings illustrate this
modification, Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 being views of a portion of a rail secured to its
sleepers; Figures 10 and 11, views drawn to a reduced scale showing the general
arrangement of the way; and the remaining Figures details to be herein-after
referred to.
E are the longitudinal supports, the ends of which rest upon the transverse
sleepers B (the foot or flange of the one bearing upon the foot or flange of the
other, as shewn), and are firmly connected thereto by means of bolts L, each pro-
vided with a projection 7, Figures 3, 4, and 9, which projections are passed through
holes in the transverse sleepers and then turned half round, so that the projection
on the bolt bears against the under side of the transverse sleeper, whilst the head 8
bears against the edge of the longitudinal sleeper and maintains it in position. A
space may be left between the transverse support B and the bottom of the rail to
be filled by pieces of iron of the same height which act as fish plates.
Figures 10 and 11, Sheet 2, illustrate the general arrangement of the permanent
way constructed in accordance with this modification. Iron of the same form niny
be employed both for the transverse and the longitudinal supports, the latter being
rolled thinner. In this case the difference in the height may be compensated for
by a plate of iron placed between.
In order to fix the rail upon the longitudinal supports the system herein-before
described of clamps with clastic rotating keys having projections is employed, the
same being arranged alternately on opposite sides of the rail for the intermediate
transverse supports, as shewn clearly in Figures 10 and 11. Where the junction of
two contiguous lengths of rail takes place it is preferable to give a greater degree of
rigidity and firmness to the parts which tighten the rail by employing a dog per-
forated with a hole to admit of the insertion of a bolt, and provided at the anterior
and posterior parts with two projections, one of which is intended to enter the foot
or flange of the end of the rail notched for its reception and the hole in the support
or sleeper, whilst the other projection enters the posterior part of the hole, only tho
dog then bearing against the foot of the rail by taking its point of support against
the side of the hole. Figure 3, Sheet 2, shews the dog in plan; Figure 4, in eleva-
tion, and Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8 in section, the section being taken along the lines
indicated. is the dog, which is tightened up by means of a bolt T in the manner
herein-after described so as to admit of its being readily loosened when required.
The head 9 of the bolt consists of two projections in one direction only; above
these projections the body of the bolt first assumes a cylindrical shape G, Figure 5,
intended to fit and turn in the sides of the hole 10 formed in the support; this
cylindrical part is followed by a square part H which is situate outside or above
the hole, the bolt reassuming its cylindrical form in the part from J to J' intended
to receive the nut 11.
When it is desired to tighten the rail the bolt T is let down into the hole until
the projections 9 on the bolt come below the hole when the bolt is turned one
quarter round, whereby the projections are brought into a position to bear against

page_text: the under side of the sleeper so that the bolt is prevented from rising; the dog C¹
and the nut 11 are then placed over it, and when it is desired to screw up the nut
a fork of suitable shape and dimensions is inserted in the spaces K, K, and its
two prongs or branches being held between the projections q, q', on the dog C¹ and
the square part H of the bolt the rotation of the latter is prevented.
When it is desired to take up the rail the fork is replaced if it has been removed
and the nut unscrewed. If the latter offers too great a resistance the fork should
be withdrawn, and by applying a key to the nut the bolt itself may be caused to
turn until the projections of its head assumos the same position as when it was
inserted, and it may then be withdrawn, carrying the dog with it.
It should be observed that the object of tho two projections q, q', with which the
dog is provided, and one of which, viz., that ', enters the notched end of the rail,
is to prevent the rail from moving longitudinally in the direction of the line. This
arrangement is only applicable to the supports for the joints. In order to fix the
rail upon the intermediate supports a dog having one projection 9 only is employed,
as shewn in section in Figure 8, Sheet 2. It is obvious that this mode of tightening
the rail is equally applicable to the arrangement of transverse sleepers herein-before
described with reference to Sheet 1 of the Drawings.
The longitudinal supports may be cut diagonally so as to render their union with
the transverse sleepers still more complete. The inclination of the rail towards the
centre of the track is obtained as usual by the curvature of the transverse supports.
By means of this Invention the following advantages are obtained with regard to
the supports or sleepers themselves :-
1st. Easy running, powerful compression of the ballast, which is moulded and
hardened in consequence of the conical shape of the sides of the trapezoidal iron
sleeper.
2nd. Maximum effect obtained in proportion to the weight of iron employed in
consequence of the shape of the support or sleeper and particularly by reason of the
flanges which terminate the sides.
With regard to the mode of binding the track together, absolute security
against any displacement of the rail in the direction of its length or laterally by
reason of the mode of uniting and framing together the supports or sleepers at the
same level and on the same horizontal layer of ballast.
In respect to the means of tightening the rail,-
1st. The uso upon isolated transverse sleepers, or upon the longitudinal supports,
of fastenings which are simple, light, and inexpensive, and not liable to become
loose, and increased facility for placing and securing the rail in position.
2nd. Upon the transverse sleepers a rigid union is obtained by means of a bolt,
but with the facility in case of any obstacle to the loosening of the screw for
taking out the whole fastening and replacing it instantaneously by another.
In respect to the whole of the metal track, maximum of resistance and of
stability with the minimum of iron employed, and consequently with a minimum
expence.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the 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 herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,-
First. In respect of the mode of fixing the rails upon the sleepers, -a, the arrange-
ment herein-before described of keys which are characterized by being at the same
time elastic, capable of rotation, and provided with a projection at the lower part,
or capable of rotating and provided with a projection without being elastic, or
elastic without being capable of rotation, or without the employment of a projection;
b, the clamp herein-before described, arranged in such a manner as to slide and to
turn in a hole or motice in the sleeper; c, the peculiar construction and arrange-
ment of bolt and of key or dog constituting a fastening for securing the extremeties

page_text: of two successive lengths of rail upon their transverse sleepers, and capable of
being readily withdrawn without necessarily unscrewing the nut, substantially
as herein-before described.
•
Second. In respect of the means of binding or connecting the metal sleepers,-
d, the construction of metal sleeper with horizontal fect or flanges employed
as longitudinal and transverso supports for the rails; c, the superposition
of the feet or flanges of the longitudinal sleepers upon the feet or flanges of the
transverse sleepers; f, the system or mode of securing the extremities of the longi-
tudinal sleepers upon the transverse sleepers by means of the peculiar construction
of bolt, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, havo to this my Speci-
fication set my hand and seal, the Sixteenth day of November One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)