Improvements in Chairs and Joints for Railway and Tramway Rails.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 12th Mar., 1896-Accepted 18th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chairs and Joints for Railway and Tramway
Rails.
I, GEORGE ASHFORD of "Montefiore," Caerleon Road, Newport in the County
of Monmouth Engineers Representative do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object, to lessen the initial cost and maintenance of the
permanent ways of rail and tramway lines, by dispensing with the need of fish-
plates and the consequent number of bolts used for fixing the same in position, as
hitherto employed, as a means for securing together the junction of the ends of the
rails, which I attain by constructing a shoe in such a manner, that the same may
be quickly and easily placed and fixed in position, and removed therefrom, and
serve the double purpose of maintaining the lateral rigidity of the rails after the
manner of railway shoes as at present made and used, and at the same time to
hold and retain together the ends of the rails to prevent them from displacement
longitudinally.
For the purposes of my invention I cast, stamp, forge, or otherwise produce of
iron or steel or any desired combination of both, in one or more parts, as may be
found most convenient, a shoe or jointer of any suitable formation externally,
capable of permitting its attachment to sleepers or other foundation, by bolts pins
or the like and so constructed interually as to constitute or form two jaws, the
space between which is of such formation as to exactly correspond with that of the
cross sectional formation of the way rail, it is intended to receive, the said space
being of such dimensions as to permit the end of the rail to be easily forced between
the said jaws, or the jaws to be easily pushed on to the end of the rail, according
to which may be in a fixed position at the time of such junction.
The length of the said jaws (or otherwise expressed, the width of said shoe)
would be such as to embrace a sufficient portion of the ends of the two rails (whose
junction, occurs about midway therein) to permit a pin, bolt or its equivalent to
pass through a suitably shaped hole or slot in either or both ends of the said jaws,
and a similar or other shaped hole or slot in the end of either or both of the said
rails to prevent their displacement longitudinally.
As before stated it is my intention that the internal formation of the said jaws
shall be such as to exactly fit the external formation of the rail in cross section, but
any slight difference that may exist in the fit of these arising from errors in casting
or other causes, or if found necessary to accomodate expansion and contraction by
change of temperature, suitable wood or other wedges or thin plates may be driven
in or otherwise interposed between the said rails and jaws.
Dated this 12th day of June 1895.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMI LEIE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chairs and Joints for Railway and Tramway
Rails.
I, GEORGE ASHFORD of Montefiore, Caerleon Road, Newport in the County
of Monmouth, Engineers Representative, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved method of and means for fixing and holding
railway and tramway rails, and consists of a shoe, chair or coupling, in one or more
parts, and so formed in cross section, as to correspond internally with the external
formation of the way rails, the ends of which it is intended the said shoe, chair or
coupling shall receive and hold, the outer formation of the said shoes, chairs or
couplings being such as to provide sufficient strength for holding the said rails, and
to permit the said chairs or couplings, to be fixed upon the usual sleepers in the
ordinary way, the object of my said invention being to provide a means whereby
such rails may be quickly and easily placed in position and there retained without
the need of fish plates, thereby effecting a saving in the number of bolts employed,
and the consequent time and labour in fixing, and unfixing the same, while still
serving to fully maintain the lateral rigidity of the rails, and prevent them from
longitudinal displacement.
In order that my said invention and the manner in which I prefer to carry the
same into effect may be fully understood, I have hereunto appended a sheet of
drawings of which:-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved chair or coupling as I prefer to
construct them when used for holding reversible way rails, for railway traffic.
Fig. 2 is a similar view of a chair or coupling as used for non-reversible railway
rails or such as have only one wearing or active surface.
Fig. 3 is a like view of a chair or coupling as I prefer to construct them for
carrying tramway rails.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are cross sections of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 respectively with their rails
in position therein.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a portion of a railway rail showing the manner in
which my improved chair or coupling receives and holds the ends of two way
rails, which will also serve to illustrate the manner of fixing tramway rails as
hereinafter explained.
In so far as relates to the fixation of reversible railway rails, or such as have
two interchangeable wearing surfaces, I cast or otherwise produce of suitably
tempered iron or steel a chair or coupling A Fig. 1, of any desired dimensions, and
so constructed as to provide a pair of jaws a b, the depth, shape and size of the
space between these being such as to correspond with, and conveniently and easily
receive the web c, and idle wearing surface d of such a rail B, suitable holes e
(Fig. 1) being provided in the base of A for the reception of spikes or nails by
which this may be fixed upon the sleeper C in the usual way as at Fig. 4.
Two or more circular, rectangular, or elliptical holes or slots f, would be provided
in the jaw a, and immediately opposite this a like number of similar holes or slots
in the jaw b, and corresponding with these similar holes or slots would be formed in
both ends of the webs c of the way rails B so that when the opposing ends of
two such rails were placed between the jaws a b with their junctions about midway
of the length of the chair or coupling as shewn in Fig. 7, the holes or slots in a b
and those in the ends of the webs c would coincide with each other, so that screw
bolts g circular, elliptical or rectangular in cross section, may be passed there-
through, one or both ends of which may receive suitable nuts, the tightening of

page_text: which would hold the chair or coupling and both rails firmly together, the chair
or coupling A being fastened to the sleeper C by spikes in the usual way.
In like manner the opposite ends of both the said rails would be connected to
their neighbours by a chair or coupling, prior to the fixation of which any desired
number of intermediate chairs may be slipped upon the rails B, which may or may
not be fixed thereto by through bolts g, but each fixed upon its respective sleeper C,
and where such bolts are not employed, wooden or other wedges may be driven
between the webs c and the jaws a and b for the reception of which I provide
upon the inner surfaces of a and b longitudinal, rectangular or other shaped
grooves (Fig. 1).
I may find it convenient to form the chair A in two parts, as suggested by the
dotted line in Fig. 1 in order that the said chair may accomodate rails whose
wearing surfaces d and web e may vary in width.
In Fig. 2 I illustrate the formation of my improved chair or coupling as I prefer
to construct it for use in connection with way rails B having only one active or
wearing surface d, and a broad base d, the jaws a b being formed in any desired
manner suitable for the reception of such rails, and provided with similar holes f
for the reception of bolts g and recesses or grooves for the reception of wedges,
the manner of receiving and fixing the rails being substantially the same as in the
previous method as illustrated by Figs. 4 and 7. In like manner the chair or
coupling A may be in two parts if desired as suggested by the dotted line k in
Fig. 2.
In Fig. 3 I illustrate the manner in which I prefer to construct the chair or
coupling A when employed for carrying tramway and similar rails having a broad
base d', web c, and wearing surface d, the latter having a groove m. In chairs or
couplings for such rails devoted to light traffic I may find it unnecessary or
undesirable to employ through bolts g, and the holes fin a b and the webs c for
the reception of same, as the usual manner of embedding such rails upon a concrete
foundation and between granite blocks as shewn by Fig. 5 rendering these in most
cases unnecessary in which case the general construction of the chair or coupling
would be substantially as at Fig. 3, but I reserve to myself the right to use such
holes and through bolts g if necessary.
In all other respects the manner of placing the opposing ends of two such rails
within the chair A would be substantially the same as in the previous methods and
as shewn by Figs. 5 and 7.
From the foregoing it will be understood that according to my invention I am
enabled to effect the fixation of any kind of way rail of any size, shape, or
configuration without the use of fish plates, and in most cases the internal formation
of the jaws a b will alone be sufficient to maintain the lateral rigidity of the rails,
but any slight difference that may exist in the fit of these arising from errors in
casting or other causes, or to accomodate expansion and contraction by change of
temperature may be easily compensated by the insertion of wooden or other wedges
in the grooves h h¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1st. In the fixation of railway and tramway rails, the employment of metallic
chairs or couplings, cast or otherwise in one or more pieces, and so formed that one
of the said chairs or couplings may receive and hold the opposing or abutting ends
of two way rails, of any size shape or configuration in cross section, with or without
the use of suitable bolts, screws or pins passing through the said jaws or couplings
and the webs of the said rails, substantially as and for the purposes herein described
and shewn.
2nd. In an improved method of and means for fixing the rails of railway and tram-
way lines the construction and use of metallic chairs or couplings such as A in one or
more parts having jaws such as a b formed in any desired manner capable of receiving

page_text: and holding the opposing or abutting ends of two rails such as B, of any size, shape
or configuration in cross section, with or without the use of bolts such as g of
circular, rectangular or elliptical shape in cross section with like shaped holes or
slots, such as, in the jaws a band the web c, for the reception of such bolts,
substantially as herein described and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In combination with the improved chair or coupling as set forth in the
preceding claim, the employment of through bolts of circular, rectangular or
elliptical shape in cross section, engaging with like shaped holes or slots
jaws a b, and the webs c of the rail B, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 12th day of March 1896.
in the
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.