IMPROVEMENTS IN LAYING RAILS, CHAIRS, AND SLEEPERS FOR THE PERMANENT
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Charles Brant, Manufacturer, of 8, Surrey
Square, Old Kent Road, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LAYING RAILS, CHAIRS, AND SLEEPERS FOR THE PERMANENT
Sealed the 16th November 1855, and dated the 12th June 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Charles Brant at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th June 1855.
I, JOHN CHARLES BRANT, Manufacturer, of No. 8, Surrey Square, Old Kent
Road, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAYING RAILS, CHAIRS, & SLEEPERS FOR THE
PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
The-chair-for-fixing-the-rails-is-sunk-into-the-sleeper,-so.as_to_allow__the_
under portion of the rail to obtain a safe and permanent bearing on the
sleeper; I also insert a flat piece of cork between the rail and chair, thus
preventing noise and the biting of the rail into the chair. I also claim a
new method of fixing the chairs to the sleepers, viz., by screw bolts and nuts,
in lieu of the old method of driving bolt nails, by which is prevented the

page_text: splitting of the sleeper, injury to the chair, or displacement of the sleeper; also
method of removing the chairs when required.
the easy
The above principles will entail considerably less wear & tear to both
carriages and rails.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Charles Brant in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th December 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CHARLES BRANT, Manufacturer, of 8, Surrey Square, Old Kent Road, in the
County of Surrey, send greeting."
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Charles Brant, Her special licence that I, the said John Charles Brant,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Charles Brant, 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 LAYING RAILS,
CHAIRS, AND SLEEPERS FOR THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Charles Brant, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same 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 John Charles Brant, 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:-
$
My Invention consists in the application of cork of any necessary substance
in various ways to the permanent way of railways; also of using longitudinal
and transverse sleepers tied together, so as to form a continuous line of way on

page_text: a solid and equal bearing. By this method of connecting the longitudinal with
the transverse sleepers a great saving is effected in labour, chairs, and sleepers;
the longitudinal sleepers taking the place of four transverse ones, and the
upper part of the longitudinal sleeper being covered with cork, attached by
means of marine glue or otherwise; also the introduction of cork between the
rails and the chairs, which prevents noise, and the unpleasant jolt at present
experienced in passing over the chairs, causing an easy transit, preventing the
rail biting in the chair, and saving great expence to the permanent way, and.
which must necessarily lessen the wear and tear of the rolling stock, and give.
a greater amount of comfort and security to passengers.
My Invention includes a new.description of chairs, as shewn in the accom-
panying Drawings.
Fig. 1 is an improved chair fastened to the sleeper. No. 1 is the chair;
No. 2, the sleeper. Fig. 2 is the line of rail; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, are the cross,
sleepers as usually employed, but laid much farther apart; a, b, c, d, e, and
a, b, c, d, e, are the longitudinal, which are let into the cross sleepers at
each end, having the upper side faced with cork, on which the rails rest.
This chair is less liable to sink in the sleeper, it being dovetailed into the
sleeper, and having two ears, through which are the bolt holes, each having
a solid bearing on the top of the sleeper, and the base of the chair being
firmly embeded in the sleeper itself, and easy of removal, as it will slide in
or out of the sleeper on either side. Where this chair is used, it is next
to impossible for the sleeper to cant over or the chair sink into the sleeper.
This chair would be particularly adapted for curves, as the pressure in
those cases becomes one-sided, frequently causing the holding down bolts
to spring or fly out; but with this chair well fitted in the sleeper it is
believed the loss of a bolt would not affect the safety of the line, as the
chair has an additional hold in the sleeper independent of the bolts. Fig. 3
is a cleft chair for the longitudinal sleepers, and is fastened by two bolts pass-
ing through the sleeper. Fig. 4 is also an improved chair, which can be applied
to either wood or stone sleepers by having a nut inserted in a stone sleeper,
and cork applied on the base three-fourths of an inch in thickness, and the
-chair-then-screwed down;-it-will-be-the-most-safe-and-permanent-fastening-for-
the rail now in use. This would be a most safe and durable mode in using it
alternately with transverse sleepers, and applied were the fish joints are used.
Figs. 5 and 6 are the sleepers, transverse and longitudinal, showing sectional
plan and way of connecting them.
I do not confine myself to use these improvements altogether at one and

page_text: the same time, nor any particular one separately, but shall be guided by the
various surrounding circumstances necessary upon the laying. or relaying of the
permanent way. One important improvement in the use of the cork between
the rail and chair is to prevent the biting. of the rail and chair, and also con-
sequent wear of both, which becomes of serious consequence, by the gravel or
ballast getting between the chair and rail, and damaging the rail to that
extent that in some cases prevents the rail being turned over in order to use
the under side. The cork is also applicable to bridge rails, as well as the
various other forms of rails.
And having now described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, the improvements which I claim as improvements
in laying rails, chairs, and sleepers for the permanent way of railways are as
follows:-
First, the application of cork in whatever manner employed in the laying
or relaying the permanent way.
Second, the longitudinal and cross sleepers combined, making a solid and
continuous line for the traversing of the rolling 'stock.
And, third, the make or forni of the new chairs; as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I have set my hand and seal, this Third day of
December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-five.
JOHN CHARLES BRANT. (L.S.)