An Improved Method of Securing the Ends Forming the Joints of Rails used on Railways.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Dec., 1891
·Cɔmplete Specification Left, 28th July, 1892-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Securing the Ends Forming the Joints of
Rails used on Railways.
GEORGE FREDERICK LEE MEAKIN of Gloucester House Kingston-on-
Thames in the County of Surrey do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
It has for its object the peculiar method of securing the ends or joints of
railway rails either when in suspension or when resting on the sleepers and consists.
of special angle irons fitted to the contour of the rails and screw bolted riveted
or otherwise fixed to the rails. When the joints are in suspension between the
sleepers (which is the most common method now in use) the angle irons are intended
to be of sufficient length to span the distance between and also to rest well on to
each sleeper and the flanges of the angle irons are to be secured to the sleepers
by screw bolts or any other convenient manner-the great advantages obtained
being that the ends of the two rails forming the joint are firmly clamped by the
angle irons and each end of them being well supported on and securely bolted
or otherwise fixed to the sleepers they cannot work loose thereby forming a
perfect mechanical joint and making it equal in strength to the solid rail and
hence would greatly increase the safety of the travelling public. This is not the
case with the present "fish plates as they have no other support than the screw
bolts, which hold them to the rails and in consequence are constantly working
loose and hence their efficacy is almost lost.
Dated this 20th
N
1001
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Securing the Ends Forming the Joints of
Rails used on Railways.
1 GEORGE FREDERICK LEE MEAKIN of Gloucester House Kingston-on-
Thames in the County of Surrey 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:-
It has for its object the peculiar method of securing the ends or joints of railway
rails either when in suspension or when resting on the sleepers and consists of
special angle irons fitted to the contour of the rails and screw bolted riveted or
otherwise fixed to the rails. When the joints are in suspension between the
sleepers (which is the most common method now in use) the angle irons are intended
to be of sufficient length to span the distance between the sleepers and also to rest
well on to each sleeper and the flanges of the angle irons are to be secured to the
sleepers by screw bolts or any other convenient manner-the great advantages
obtained being that the ends of the two rails forming the joint are firmly clamped
by the angle irons and each end of the angle irons being well supported on and
securely bolted or otherwise fixed to the sleepers they cannot work loose thereby
forming a perfect mechanical joint and making it equal in strength to the solid rail
and hence would greatly increase the safety of the travelling public. This is not
the case with the present "fish-plates" as they have no other support than the
screw bolts which hold them to the rails and in consequence are constantly working
loose and hence their efficacy is almost lost.
In order that this invention may be well understood and carried into practice I

page_text: will now describe it with the aid of the accompanying sheet of drawings in which
the same letters of reference indicate the same or similar parts. A representing
the rails (ordinary double headed that being, the, form now in general use) B the
special angle irons and the sleepers.
Fig. 1 shews an elevation or side view of the ends of the rails A with the angle
irons B also in elevation fixed to them and a cross section of the sleepers C to
which they are secured when the joints are in suspension.
Fig. 2 shows an elevation or side view of the ends of the rails A with the angle
irons B also in clevation fixed to them and a cross section of the sleeper C to which
they are secured when the joints rest on the sleepers.
Fig. 3 shews the end view of the same rail A and a cross section of the angle
irons B through the vertical line D. E on both elevations and part side view of the
sleepers to which they are secured.
ו'
.
The angle irons may be rolled in convenient long lengths fitted to the contour of
the rails and cut or sawn off to the required lengths either to span the distance
between and also to rest well on to each sleeper thereby forming a bridge for the
joints to rest on when they are in suspension or when the joints rest on the sleepers.
The lower parts of the angle irons nearly meeting under the rails would afford great
support and strength to the ends of the rails forming the joint and the weight of a
passing or resting train on such parts would add to the stability. of the angle irons
and in addition the flanges of the angle irons being firmly fixed to the sleepers
they cannot work loose hence a perfect and even joint would be obtained. Con-
sequently the constant hammering of the ends of the rails by the passing wheels
(so frequent now; would be avoided and the endurance of both rails and wheels be
greatly prolonged. The cost of "maintenance, of way" would of course be
correspondingly reduced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
claim is
Firstly. The special angle irons fitted to the contour of and nearly meeting
under the rails with which they are used.
Secondly. Constructing a bridge from sleeper to sleeper with such angle irons
(by preference) or other angle irons so that they form a bridge from sleeper to
sleeper for the joints to rest on when they are in suspension.
Thirdly. Adapting such angle irons to the joints when they rest on the sleepers
the angle irons being screw bolted or otherwise fixed to the rails and sleepers all
as substantially described and illustrated...
Dated this 28th day of July 1892.