IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hugh Greaves, of Abingdon Street, in the City of
Westminster, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS."
Sealed the 29th December 1863, and dated the 11th July 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hugh Greaves at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th July 1863.
I, HUGH GREAVES, of Abingdon Street, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS: AND TRAMWAYS," to be as follows :—
The first part of this Invention has reference to an improvement upon part
of my Patent, dated the Fifteenth day of May One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-six, and Numbered 1152, tor "Improvements in the Permanent Way
of Railways," and consists in the employment of a metallic bush, in conjunction
with the wooden bush there described, for the purpose of giving increased
surface, and thus affording greater security of attachment between the chair
and the sleeper. In some cases I dispense entirely with the wooden bush
and use a metal bush only, such bush being split up or formed in more
than one part, so as to be capable of expanding or being expanded so as
to tighten in and fill the hole in the chair or sleeper.
The second part of my Invention consists of animprovement upon that part
of the Patent granted to me, and bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of
October One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, which has reference to
an improved method of forming, moulding, and casting railway chairs and
sleepers. The present improvement consists in so forming the pattern of
the chair, as that by a division thereof it shall leave its own cores for the
formation of the trenail holes, and that instead. of being cast as hitherto
with the bottom side of the chair uppermost, (whereby the casting is very
Price 8d1

page_text: liable to be rendered unsound in the part where strength is most required,)
it is cast with the jaws uppermost, and the bottom is thereby rendered more
likely to be solid and free from sponginess or other unsoundness in the
metal. Likewise in an improved mode of moulding railway sleepers, which
consists in withdrawing from the sand by an arrangement of levers that
part of the pattern called the tie-bar boss, and in an arrangement for
removing from the moulding table the flask containing the mould;
The third part of my Invention has reference to an improvement upon
the form of tramway pipe, described in my Patent dated the Fifth day of
March One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, and consists in forming-
the groove or recess for the flange of the guiding wheel or wheels of the
carriages travelling thereon at or near the edge of the upper surface of the
pipe, instead of at or near the centre thereof, as described in the Patent
referred to, by which means I am enabled to leave a comparatively wide
surface for the tread of the travelling wheels supporting the vehicle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Hugh Greaves in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th January 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HUGH
GREAVES, of Abington Street, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Hugh Greaves, Her special licence that I, the said Hugh Greaves, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Hugh
Greaves, my executors, administrators, and 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
CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Hugh Greaves, any executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same

page_text: 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 Hugh Greaves, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The first part of this Invention has reference to an improvement upon
part of my Patent, dated the Fifteenth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six, for "Improvements in the Permanent Way of Rail-
ways," and consists in the employment of a metallic bush in conjunction
with the wooden bush there described for the purpose of giving increased
surface, and thus affording greater security of attachment between the chair
and the sleeper. In some cases I dispense entirely with the wooden bush,
and use a metal bush only, such bush being split up or formed in more than
one part, so as to be capable of expanding or being expanded so as to
tighten in and fill the hole in the chair or sleeper.
The second part of my Invention consists of an improvement upon that
part of the Patent granted to me, and bearing date the Twenty-eighth day
of October, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, which has reference
to an improved method of forming, moulding, and casting railway chairs
and sleepers. The present improvement consists in so forming the pattern
of the chair, as that by a division thereof it shall leave its own cores for the
formation of the trenail holes, and that instead of being cast, as hitherto,
with the bottom side of the chair uppermost (whereby the casting is very
liable to be rendered unsound in the part where strength is most
required), it is cast with the jaws uppermost, and the bottom is thereby
rendered more likely to be solid and free from sponginess or other unsound-
ness in the metal Likewise in an improved mode of moulding railway
sleepers, which consists in withdrawing from the sand by an arrangement
of levers, that part of the pattern called the tie-bar boss, and in an arrange-.
ment for removing from the moulding table the flask containing the mould.
The third part of my Invention bas reference to an improvement upon
the form of tramway pipe described in my Patent dated the Fifth day of
March, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, and consists in forming
the groove or recess for the flange of the guiding wheel or wheels of the
carriages travelling thereon at or near the edge of the upper surface of the
pipe instead of at or near the centre thereof, as described in the Patent
referred to, by which means I am enabled to leave a comparatively wide
surface for the tread of the travelling wheels supporting the vehicle.

page_text: BOCATION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, Sheet 1, represents a vertical section of so much of a railway
chair and sleeper as necessary to explain one of the arrangements I make
use of for carrying into effect the first part of my Invention; and Fig. 2, a
'horizontal section of the spike and bush taken through the line A, B, of the
preceding Figure.
.
a represents part of a chair formed with taper trenail holes in the usual
manner, and b, part of the sleeper to which the chair is secured. In this
case the sleeper is first bored to receive the spike c and part of the cast-
iron bush d. The wooden bush e is then placed upon the spike and the
cast-iron bush d, which is formed in two parts, divided vertically as shewn,
is placed upon the spike beneath the wooden bush, and the spike passed
through the chair and driven home, a portion of the length of the bush d
being driven into the sleeper, and the remainder projecting upward from
the sleeper into the chair, as represented. By this arrangement any side
or endwise pressure of the chair is imparted to the sleeper by the bush d,
which being of larger diameter than the spike is less liable to bruise up the
fibres of the wooden sleeper than the bare and unprotected spike would
be, while at the same time the length of the spike completely steadies and
secures both the bushes and the chair to the sleeper.
Figs. 3 and 4 represent another arrangement in which the cast-iron
bush d (which may either be formed in two parts or merely split up on one
side, as shown) is continued downward almost to the bottom of the spike.
In this case the cast-iron bush is intended to be driven first, and the spike
having the wood bush at its upper end to be afterwards driven home into
the position represented.
Figs. 5 and 6 represent a modification, in which a screwed bolt c¹ is used
instead of a spike, and is formed with its lower end (c2) slightly conical. The
cast-iron bush d is formed in two parts, and in using this arrangement (the
nut having first been slackened, so that the conical part c³ of the bolt does
not bind upon the bush), the bolt with its bushes is driven into its place, and
the bolt c¹ is tightened up by means of its nut so as to expand the bush d and
give it additional holding power. Figs. 7 and 8 represent an arrangement in
which the cast-iron bush & formed in two parts, or otherwise merely slit down
one side, is continued upward through the foot of the chair, and is formed
with serrations for entering and giving increased attachment to the sleeper.
In using this bush it is first driven into its place, and is afterwards expanded
by driving in a filling of hard wood g in one or more pieces, as shewn.

page_text: Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively an elevation and a plan of the form of
chair I prefer to employ in carrying out the second part of my Invention.
In this chair the jaws are hollow or box-formed, and only so much of the
base of the chair is taken away as necessary for enabling the corrs made
use of to be supported, and the sand subsequently removed. .
In order to form the mould for casting this chair, I make use of the
arrangements shewn in Figs. 11, 12, 13, and 14, Fig. 11 being a.-sectional
elevation of part of the apparatus employed for moulding the outer part
of the chair, and leaving the cores for the trenail holes. The pattern of
the chair is formed in two principal parts h and h³, dividing at the line h³.
These parts are attached to and carried by levers i and ¹, having their
fulcra respectively at j and j¹, and connected by rods and ¹ to a lever
having its fulcrum at., and connected or attached to the lever m. The
parts of the pattern n and n¹ representing the ears of the chair and which
contain the trenail holes are separate from the parts h, h¹, (being divided
therefrom at the lines o, o¹,) and are attached to the upper plate p of the
moulding table. In proceeding to form the mould a flask g guided by pins
or other suitable contrivance in the usual manner is placed over the pattern
as shewn, and the pins 7 being placed in position for forming the necessary
gits and vent holes, the sand is rammed into the flask. When the ramming
is completed the lever m is pushed back into the position shewn at Fig. 12,
thereby causing the parts h and h¹ of the pattern to be withdrawn from the
sand, but leaving the parts n and n¹ still in it. The flask is then to be
steadily lifted vertically from the moulding board, taking with it the im-
press of the ears of the chair and portions of sand necessary to form the
trenail holes. The pius may then be withdrawn, and the flask turned over
for the examination of the mould and making good of any defective places.
In order to form the cores necessary for producing the hollows or cavities
in the jaws of the chairs, I make use of a plate s, Fig. 13, Sheet 2, having
pockets t, which are internally of the same shape as the cores required.
The upper parts u of these pockets are removeable so as to enable the sand
to be withdrawn from the pockets as afterwards explained. To form the
cores I firstly remove the pieces u from the plate, and fill the pockets with
sand up to about the dotted line C, D; 1 then insert the pieces u, and place
over the plate s another plate v having conical holes v' and o², situated so as
to come opposite to the intended cores, and ram up with sand to the level
of the upper plate as shewn; and having wired the cores as represented, I
lift the plate v, and with it the sand and pieces u steadily from the plate s
and invert it. The pieces u having been withdrawn, it is now only necessary

page_text: to place the mould previously formed in its proper position on the plate v
above the cores, as shewn at Fig. 14, and the entire mould is complete.
Moulds may be formed as described in series of four or any other convenient
number, and the pieces u and the pins for forming the gits and vents may
be suitably connected and withdrawn in corresponding series. It will be
observed that in casting the plate constitutes a part of the mould, and
forms a chill plate on which the base of the chair is run.
My improved method of moulding railway sleepers has reference principally
to the form of sleeper originally introduced by myself. The pattern I employ
is represented in vertical section at Fig. 15 and in plan at Fig. 16. The
parts v and v¹ intended to form the jaws of the sleeper are separate from
the body of the pattern, and are carried by levers w and w¹, working on
fulcra anda, aud connected by rods y and y', with a lever z having its
fulcrum at ', and actuated as required by the hand lever z².
The action of this arrangement is precisely similar to that represented
in Figs. 11 and 12, aud described with reference to the chair, the sand
being rammed into the moulding box (A) in the same manner, and the
parts and v¹ (representing the outer forms of the jaws) parting at the
lines v³ from the body of the sleeper, and leaving it in the sand as described
with reference to the parts n and n³ of the chair. Upon the fulcra or pins a
and (which are attached to and partly revolve with the levers wand w')
are fixed short levers B and B', which come into contact with levers C and C¹
attached to the pieces D and D' forming the parts of the pattern constituting
the tie bar bosses, and which are hinged or jointed to the body of the sleeper
at E and E. The movement imparted by the levers B and B' to the
levers C and C, causes the parts D and D' to move upon their hinges, and
thus to be sufficiently withdrawn from the sand to allow the mould to be
lifted off. Upon the return of the parts and v¹ to their original positions,
for the purpose of forming another mould, the levers C and C¹ being left
at liberty are forced back, and held in their original positions during the
process of ramming by springs F and F, which are of sufficient strength
to hold them securely until the moulding box or flask is filled. The flask
or moulding box containing the mould of the upper surface of the sleeper
is then to be removed from the moulding table, and after having been
inverted and its defects remedied is to be placed in its proper position over
a mould formed to produce the under side of the sleeper.
For removing the flask or box containing the mould from the moulding
table, I make use of a lever having its fulcrum supported either by a suitable
frame or standard carried up from the ground or otherwise if more convenient

page_text: by a bracket pendant from the roof of the moulding room, and placed at a
height sufficient to allow of workmen passing beneath. The fulcrum of the
lever is carried by a pin or fork capable of circular movement in a horizontal
direction, so that the lever may be used, firstly, for the purpose of raising the
moulding box or flask from the moulding table, and afterwards, by being
moved in a circular horizontal direction, may serve the purpose of convey-
ing it to another table or position.
My improvement in the form of tramway pipe consists in forming the
groove or recess for the flange of the guiding wheel or wheels of the carriages
travelling thereon at or near the edge of the upper surface of the pipe as
represented at G, Fig. 17, and I form the opposite pipe constituting the
other rail G of the tramway with a plain flat top, or otherwise. I con-
struct the guiding tram pipe with a flange at each side, as represented at
H, Fig. 18, and form the corresponding pipe with a plain flat top, as
previously described. These tram pipes may either be constructed with
removeable tops, or may be formed with solid tops as shewn.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same may be performed, I would
have it understood that I do not confine or limit myself to the precise forms
or details represented, but that I claim,-
Firstly, the use or employment of cast-iron bushes formed in one or
more parts, for the purpose of securing railway chairs to their sleepers,
substantially as described.
Secondly, the method of moulding railway chairs and sleepers, and
casting them with their bases downward, substantially as described.
Thirdly, the forms and combinations of tramway pipes substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hugh Greaves, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
W. LLOYD WISE,
Chandos Chambers,
Adelphi. W.C.