IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO RAILS FOR RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS, AND IN METHODS OF SECURING THEM
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Wheeler at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 1st September 1879.
CHARLES WHEELER, of Newbury, in the County of Berks, and 323, High
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO
RAILS FOR RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS, AND IN METHODS OF SECURING THEM."
For convenience in describing my Invention I will first explain the application
thereof to train ways, taking the railways afterwards.
one
One feature in my Invention is that I make the rail in two parts, so that the
upper portion or "head" can be removed when worn out, and reversed, or a new o
substituted according to circumstances.
1. To accomplish this I generally form the bottom portion of a flat plate having
a raised central piece or rib running the whole length along it on its upper side;
this fits into a groove in the rail proper or head. The shape of this "head" may
be varied, but the one I shall first describe is nearly or quite square in section,
having one groove top and bottom (the corners preferably rounded) to receive the
flange of the tram wheel (which flange I prefer to place in the centre of the tread
of the tyre, but running clear of the bottom of the groove), and one small groove
on each side, the corners of which may be square. This head is of course reversible,
and may be held in position by suitable clamps on each side at intervals, secured to
sleepers by bolts or other convenient appliances. If bolts are used I sometimes
find it well to put a plate with proper holes over the heads to keep them from
turning and getting loose..
2. In the next form I use the bottom portion, as already described, having
however the central rib rather deeper than before; the head for this is grooved on
top for the flange of the wheel as before, but the underside of it is deeply grooved
or recessed to receive the projecting rib of the lower portion, and holes being
provided, wedges, bolts, pins, or the like, of iron, wood, or other suitable material
may be driven or inserted through both flanges and rib, thus securely clamping
them together. If simple pins be used they may be left long enough to touch, or
nearly so, the adjacent "sets or other paving so that they cannot slip out. In this
head I prefer to cut away part of the sides to lighten it:
"
3. Another method is to have a sort of box girder of cast or rolled iron or steel,
forming a longitudinal sleeper, the upper surface carrying the rib as before, to which

page_text: the "head" may be secured in either of the methods already described. If these
longitudinal sleepers be used I prefer to have rods placed across at intervals to
maintain the correct " gauge;" these may be provided with nuts, cotters, or any
convenient means of preserving the correct distance. It will be seen that in each
of the three methods above described the " " head or rail proper can be readily
removed without disturbing the fixed portion at all, and the paving only very
slightly, and at intervals where the fastenings occur.
"
4. As a broad surface is sometimes desirable, I obtain this by forming the rail
with a broad bottom flange provided with holes for screwing, or otherwise securing
it to the ordinary sleepers; the top part is grooved as usual for the flange of the
wheel. Parallel and coextensive with the rail and on each side of it I fix angle
bars, so that one surface lies flat and level with the rail, the two angle plates and
the rail forming a broad surface of perhaps six inches broad, level or nearly so with
the surface of the road. The face of the angle plates may be rolled rough and they
may have a rib on their inside part to fit against the flange of the rail; the rail also.
should be provided with a small rib on each side to support the angle plate.
Suitable bolts, screws, etcetera, fasten the angle plates to the rail.
In the case of crossings, sidings, etcetera, I employ a piece of the grooved head
preferably flat on its under side and of convenient length; this may be pivotted at
one end and free to move horizontally at the other so as to meet whichever of the
lines of rails it is desired to use. There are of course two of these pieces forming a
pair for each line of rails, that is one rail to meet each rail of the track.
These are
connected together by suitable mechanism, as will be easily understood, so that they
may be both moved together and the proper gauge maintained; the movement may
be effected by a switch as in railways or by merely pushing the rails over with the hand
or foot, etcetera. A suitable framework is provided for these to work in, and as a
space is left by each rail in the part it does not occupy, I prefer to attach to each side
of each moveable piece of rail or "point," a piece of sheet or rolled or malleable
cast iron or the like extending to a sufficient distance on each side to effectually
cover up the space and keep out dirt, etcetera. The exposed surfaces of these may
be roughened to prevent horses slipping, and if the surfaces of the framing (which
may be of cast iron, etcetera) be kept a little below the top of the rails, these side
pieces may be just level with the top of the rails.
"
'
Coming now to the application of my Invention to railways, I may apply the
second of the above methods by omitting the groove in the top, and forming the
head" like that of an ordinary rail for this purpose, the whole rail would also be
somewhat stronger and heavier. It would be secured to longitudinal or cross
sleepers (longitudinal would perhaps be most suitable), in the former case by simply
screwing down, in the latter by suitable clamps somewhat after the manner of No. 1
trám rail. For use at stations and places where the brakes are likely to be much
used, I may employ a narrow groove, wider at the bottom than the top, in the face
of the rail, and place a strip of india rubber in this to increase the grip of the wheels:
Another way of attaining the same end is to provide an angle plate so as to form
à recessed channel beside the rail which may contain a substantial bar or strip of
indiarubber to bear on the tyre of the wheel as it passes over it and so help to
retard it. No. 3 tram rail may also be used for railways, suitably modified to bear
the extra weights.