Improvements in and relating to Railway Tracks.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 4th Jan., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Railway Tracks.
I, JOHN HENRY CLARKE, residing at Glenmary, in the County of Scott and State
of Tennessee, one of the United States of America, Mining Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention relates to Railway Tracks, and aims to provide a track constructed
wholly of iron, and which will be self-supporting, and dispense with the usual cross-
ties and small fastenings, such as bolts, nuts, keys, spikes, &c., and which will not be
spread and loosened by pressure from above.
The improvement consists of the novel features which will be hereinafter more
fully described and claimed and which are shown in the annexed drawing, in which-
Figuro 1, is a top plan view of a section of track embodying my invention ;
Figure 2, is a cross-section on the line, x-x, of Figure 1;
Figure 3, is a perspective view of a modified form of rail chair;
Figure 4, is an end view of a further modified form of rail chair.
The rails, A, A, are of ordinary construction and are supported on the chairs, B,
which have the lips, b, to extend over the foot of the rail. These lips are arranged to
come on the inner sides of the rails.
The cross-bars, C, extend from the rail chair on one side of the track to the rail
chair directly opposite, and have arms, D, D, at each end which separate and extend
along each end of the chair and beneath the rail and terminate in hooks, d, d, which
embrace the foot of the rail on the side opposite the lips of the chair. The ends of the
cross-bar abut against the inner ends or edges of the rail chairs and prevent the rails
from coming closer together and the hooks on the arms embracing the foot of the
rails prevent the said rails from spreading. The outer edges of the chairs curve
downwardly and that the ends of the cross-bars may fit against the curved edges and
overlap the same sufficiently to prevent the inner edges of the chairs rising vertically
the ends of the said bars are inclined.
Ordinarily the chairs will be plain opposite the lip, b, but if preferred they may
have a vertical shoulder, 6, opposite the said lip, as shown in Figure 4. The chair
may be circular which is preferably concaved on its underside, as shown in Figure 3 ;
or it may be straight on its underside and have an oblique anchoring lug, b², pro-
jecting therefrom, said lug being located preferably at the outer edge of the chair.
In constructing the track the cross-bars are placed in position with the rails_on
each end thereof, the hooks, d, of the arms fitting over the foot of the rails. The
chairs are adjusted to the rail by slipping their lips over the foot of the rail, having
first been inclined to the horizontal and bringing them to the horizontal when their
inner ends will bear against the inclined ends of the cross-arms. When the cross-
arms and chairs are adjusted on the rails the latter are lowered until they rest on the
bed prepared for them. The deflected ends of the chairs imbed themselves in the
road bed and steady the rails. If chairs shown in Figure 4, are used excavations
are made in the road bed to receive the anchoring lugs as will be readily understood.
It will be observed that the inner deflected edges of the chairs are longer than the
outer deflected edges and that they come in contact with the ground first, and when
pressure is brought to bear on the rail from above these edges are forced up tight
against the ends of the cross-bar. The greater the pressure from above the tighter
will be the grip of the fastening devices. This latter feature is the vital point of the
invention.
The chair shown in Figure 4, is intended for use when the cross-bars are
dispensed with, being set with the anchoring lugs outward to prevent spreading of

page_text: the rails. In some instances the ends of the cross-bars will be inclined on a curved
line instead of a straight line as shown. Within the spirit of my invention it is
sufficient if the cross-bar be engaged with some part of the rail and have a portion
which will act on the chair to force the lips thereon in engagement with or over the
foot of the rail:
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what 1
claim is-
First: The combination with the track rails and the chairs having portions to
engage with the foot of the track rails, of the cross-bar engaged with the rails of
the chairs and having a portion adapted to bear against chairs and force the ongaging
portions thereof tighter on the rails, substantially as described.
Second The combination with the track rails and the chairs having the inner
deflected edges or lugs longer than the outer deflected edges or lugs, and having
retaining lips, of the cross-burs for preventing spreading of the rails and adapted to
press against the said chairs whereby pressure from above causes the tighter gripping
of the rails, substantially as described.
Third: The combination with the track rails and the rail chairs having lips to
embrace the foot of the rails of the cross-bar having its ends engaging with the rail
chairs and having arms which embrace the ends of the said rail chairs and engage
with the rails, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Fourth The combination with the rails and the rail chairs having lips to engage
the foot of the rails on their inner sides, of the cross-bars having their ends
abutting against the inner edges of the rail chairs, and having arms which embrace
the ends of the rail chairs and extend beneath the rails and have hooks to embrace
the foot of the ruils on the side opposite the said lips substantially as described.
:
Fifth The combination with the rails and the rail chairs, having lips to embrace
the foot of the rails, of the cross-bars, having oblique ends which abut against the
inner ends of the rail chairs, and having lateral arms which branch from each side of
the cross-bars at some distance from their ends and extend beneath the rails and
engage therewith on the side opposite the ends of the cross-bar and said lips,
substantially as described.
Sixth The combination with the rails and the rail chairs having their ends
curved or deflected down, and having lips to embrace the foot of the rails on their
inner side, of the cross-bars having oblique ends, which ends abut against the inner
ends of the rail chairs, and having lateral arms which embrace the ends of the said
chairs and extend beneath the rails and terminate in hooks which engage with the foot
of the rails on the side opposite the lips on the ruil chairs, substantially as set forth.
Seventh The herein described rail clutir, having an oblique anchoring lug
projecting from its underside, substantially as described.
Dated this 12th day of Newamba- 1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.