IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CHAIRS, WEDGES, FASTENINGS, AND SLEEPERS FOR RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Tooth, of 5, Aldersgate Buildings, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF CHAIRS, WEDGES, FASTENINGS, AND SLEEPERS FOR RAILWAYS AND
TRAMWAYS."
Sealed the 7th November 1879, and dated the 8th May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Tooth at the.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th May.1879.
WILLIAM HENRY TOOTH, of 5, Aldersgate Buildings, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CHAIRS, WEDGES, FASTENINGS, AND
SLEEPERS FOR RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS."
The object of this Invention is to give better security in the fastening of railway
and tramway bars, and so securing them that they cannot get loose, thereby give
safety and comfort to passengers riding in railway or tramway carriages.
For this purpose I make my railway chairs either in wrought or cast iron, of
this or other suitable shape, and instead of having one wooden wedge or
key drove in on the one side, which requires constant attention to be drove
up with the hammer to keep them tight, I make two keys or wedges (of
wrought or cast iron, or wood, or any other material) to fit the sides of the railway
bars and the angular sides of the chairs, so that when the pressure or weight of
the carriage wheels passing along the bars over the chairs they will force the
wedges and rails tighter and more firmly into the chairs and prevent them from
ever getting loose; but for the purpose of fixing the ends of the railway bars, and
allow for expansion and contraction, I make the chairs long enough to admit of a
bolt being passed through the chair wedges and the ends of each bar; in addition
to a nut I make a slot hole in the end of the bolt outside the nut, and drive in a
cotter key so as to prevent the nut getting loose after it is securely tightened; or
I use a cotter bolt with a washer up, and these bolts, nuts, and cotters being new
fastenings, I also apply to tighten up the ordinary fish plates, and for fixing the
tramway rails I cut grooves or channels in longitudinal block of granite or other
stone, such as are laid down on London Bridge and the Commercial Road. I then
drop the rail bars into the channels and fasten them in either with wood keys,
cement, or concrete; the same object can also be accomplished by making cast or
wrought iron sleepers with suitable grooves for the tram wheels to run in.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Henry Tooth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
November 1879.
WILLIAM HENRY TOOTH, late of 5, Aldersgate Buildings, in the City of London,
but now of 73, Penton Place, Newington Butts, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CHAIRS, WEDGES, FASTENINGS,
AND SLEEPERS FOR RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS."
The object of this Invention is to give better security in the fastening of railway
and tramway bars, and so securing them that they cannot get loose, thereby giving
safety and comfort to passengers in railway or tramway carriages. For this
purpose I make my railway chairs either in wrought or cast iron, of suitable shape,
and instead of having one wooden wedge or key drove in on one side as is at
present in use, and which requires constant attention and to be repeatedly driven
up with a hammer, to keep them tight I make and use two keys or wedges of cast
iron, or wood, or any other material to fit the sides of the railway bars and the
angular sides of the chairs, so that the pressure or weight of the carriage wheels
passing along the bars over the chairs will force the wedges and rails tighter and
more firmly into the chairs, and prevent them from ever getting loose as the shape
of the wedges and the manner of their application effectually prevents the possi-
bility of any vertical spring or disarrangement; but for the purpose of fixing the
ends of the railway bars and allow for expansion and contraction I make the
chairs long enough to admit of a bolt being passed through the chair wedges and
bars near the end; in addition to a nut, as a fastening to the bolt, I make a slot
hole in the end of the bolt outside the nut and drive in a cotter key, so as to
prevent the nut getting loose after being tightened up; or I use a cotter bolt with
a washer, these bolts and cotters being a new application as fastenings for securing
the stability of nuts. I also apply them to tighten up the ordinary fish plates.
For fixing tramway rail bars I cut grooves or channels in longitudinal blocks of
granite or other stone, such as are laid down on London Bridge and the Commercial
Road. I then drop the rail bars into the channels and fasten them in with wood
or iron keys, cement, or concrete, or other suitable material; the same object can
also be accomplished by making cast or wrought iron sleepers with suitable grooves
for the tramwheels to run in; but this latter method might perhaps be considered
objectionable on account of the expence.
I am well aware that wedges have been previously used for the fastening of
railway bars both in cast iron sleepers, chairs, and other fastenings, but there is a
great difference in the fastenings invented by me and in those previously used.
My wedges, fastenings, and keys, both for railway and tramway bars, are so made
that they will not spring out vertically; for instance, in the railway fastenings, if
the ballast, sand or gravel, should be washed from underneath the sleeper my
wedges will not become loose by the spring of the railway bar after deflection.
With respect to tramway bars I place them in longitudinal blocks of granite,
with channels cut in the centre either on one or both sides of the blocks, by which
latter means they can be turned over when one side is worn down and utilised
without any material additional expence, and even when worn out for the purpose
of tramlines they can be used for ordinary kerbstones; and in addition to making
a good road for tramway cars they will also make a good and permanent road for
every other description of vehicle from the heaviest waggon to the lightest chaise.;
these granite blocks should always extend at least six inches from the centre of
the tramway bar on either side, thus giving a good permanent road for all manner
of vehicles as well as the tramway.
The following is the description of the Drawings for carrying the Invention into
effect:-
Figure 1 is a modification of a railway bar with fishplates as already in use, but
which i
and the falınlata fuam

page_text: springing out, but if used upon the angle I shew in the accompanying Drawing
they will not spring out after having been once tightened up, even if the nuts and
bolts be temporarily displaced, and therefore the rail cannot be bent unless the
fishplates become themselves bent, and this effects the object of my Invention
which is to always keep the surface of the rails level at the joints, thus preventing
concussion and consequently increasing the comfort of travellers, and at the same
time preventing the present deterioration of the rolling stock.
Figure 2 is a section shewing the chair with wedges and keys upon my principle,
C being the chair, R, the railway bar, W, W, the wedges, and K, R, the keys, to
secure the wedges and rail to the chair.
Figure 3 shews an end view of Figure 2.
Figure 4 shews a 'section with the rail and chair, with compressed wood wedges
driven into teeth to prevent the wedges springing out vertically, C being the chair,
R, the rail, and W, W, the wedges.
Figure 5 is a vertical view of Figure 4, shewing rail and chair.
Figure 6 shews my method of fixing rail to chair by means of a double V wedge,
being the means of preventing the rail starting in the event of the sleepers going
down in consequence of settlement of ballast, C, being the chair, R, the rail, and
W, W, the wedges.
Figures 7 and 8 shews a bird's eye view and plan of another application of my
method of fixing the rail in the chair by means of wedges and keys, C being
the chair, R, the rail, W, W, the wedges, and K, K, the keys.
Figure 9 shews one of my methods of suspending the rail one side of the chair,
being cast solid to fit the section of the railway bar, and the other side being cast
sufficiently wide to admit of a wedge of iron or other hard metal, being placed
therein to fit that side of the rail and to admit of a key being driven in, as shewn
in plan Figure 7; such key can be made of any desired width, but I recommend
a key of about 2" to 2" wide by about half an inch thick as sufficient to make
a good and permanent joint; this method will keep the rail perfectly tight to a
chair without any fear or possibility of displacement or need of attention from the
time it is once fixed until the chair wedge and keys decay in the ordinary course
of time, therefore I claim this arrangement as being new; C, shews the chair; R,
the rail; W, the wedge; and K, the key. The same method may also be used by
allowing the rail to rest on the bottom of the chair.
Figure 10 shews the construction of a double chair, being cast in one piece, so
as to allow the railway joint to be screwed up tight against the cast iron surface
by the bolts passing through the fishplate on the opposite side, the same object
being kept in view to prevent one railway bar deflecting before the passing weight
affects the succeeding bar.
Figure 11 shews a plan or bird's eye view of the chair and rails, shewing the way
in which the two belts or keys are passed through the chair, wedges, and rails,
and also shewing the cotter keys outside the nuts.
Figures 12 and 13 shew a die and punch to be used in an ordinary press to
punch cotter holes in the bolts.
Figure 14 is a section of a new wedge for railway bars, shewing the chair, rail,
and key, to keep them in their place. I conceive this to be so plain as not to
require any further explanation beyond the fact that I would make the head of
the rail half an inch thicker than the heads of ordinary railway bars, and this when
used with my Patent mitre butt joint, No. 1559, dated 17th April 1878, will make
the most permanent way ever produced, and this I call my wedge railway bar."
C is the chair; R, the rail; and K, the key that passes through the chair aud
rail.
Figure 15 is an end view of Figure 14.
Figure 16 shews part section and part plan of the longitudinal blocks of granite
which I intend to use for fixing the tramway lines, and such or similar blocks can
also be used for fixing the railway bars, as shewn in Figure 14.
Figure 17 shews a chair when two folding wedges are to be used.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried
out in practice, I hereby declare the said Invention of "Improvements in the
Construction of Chairs, Wedges, Fastenings, and Sleepers for Railways and Tram-
ways," substantially as hereinbefore set forth and described, in which Invention
are the important points or features,-
First. The improved stability of the fastenings, thereby making a fixed per-
manent way.
Second. The reduction of concussion.
Thirdly. The suspension of the railway bars, whereby great saving will be
effected in the working of the rolling stock.
Fourthly. The adoption of the longitudinal granite blocks grooved for the bars
to drop in for the structure of tramway lines, whereby a solid permanent way can
be made for all descriptions of vehicular traffic.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Tooth, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
Witness,
JOHN ED. DOUGLAS,
46, Devonshire Chambers,
Bishopsgate Street Without, E.C.,
Engineer's Clerk.
WILLIAM H. TOOTH. (L.S.)