IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND T
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Affleck, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND
T
Sealed the 19th March 1880, and dated the 23rd September 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Affleck at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd September 1879.
JAMES AFFLECK, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey:
PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
The improvements relate more particularly to light railways and. tramways, but
are applicable to permanent way generally. They consist in the construction of a
metal sleeper divided longitudinally in two, and made of desired lengths combined
with a metal rail of any convenient section, but furnished with a web or flange
projecting from the under side or table of the rail, said web being embraced and
held in position between the halves of the said sleeper made to butt against it, and
through which sleepers and web convenient fasteners are passed to secure the
whole in position; I prefer to make the sleeper to break joint.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Affleck in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th March
1880.
JAMES, AFFLECK, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey.
THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
The improvements relate more particularly to light railways and tramways, but
are applicable to permanent way generally. They consist in the construction of a
metal sleeper divided longitudinally in two, and made of desired lengths combined
with a metal rail of any convenient section, but furnished with a web or flange
projecting from the under side or table of the rail, said web being embraced and
held in position between the halves of the said sleeper made to butt against it, and
through which sleepers and web convenient fasteners are passed to secure the whole
in position; I prefer to make the sleeper to break joint. In the accompanying
Drawings which serve to illustrate the Invention Figure 1 represents a plan of
tramway rail and sleeper, a, a, being roadway sets, and b, b, b, distance or tie bars;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of rail and sleeper shewing arrangement of bolts and
fastenings for same; c, c, are fish plates under joints of sleeper, and d, d, d, straps
keeping the halves of sleeper together at such intermediate points that may be
considered desirable; e, e, are bolts passing through sleeper and rail keeping the
whole together. Rails and sleepers are preferably rolled of equal lengths; Fig. 3 is
a cross section of tramway; Fig. 4, section of rail and sleeper at joint of sleeper;
ff, are halves of sleeper rolled in iron or steel, the upper flange being bevelled to
fit the under side of the rail g; h is a dog headed square bolt passing through
vertical web of sleeper and tongue of rail; the under side of the rail being bevelled
in a contrary direction to the upper flange of the sleeper by tightening the bolt h,
the parts are brought firmly together and insure a good bearing for the rail; i, i, are
bolts and cotters securing the fish plates and straps to the under side of the bottom
flange of sleeper, keeping the halves in position; Fig. 5, side elevation of sleeper
and rail at joint of sleeper; Fig. 6, side elevation of rail and sleeper at joint of rail,
sleepers and rails being of equal lengths, and so arranged as to break joint in the
middle of their lengths; each half of the sleeper being exactly alike they can be
used on either side; Fig. 7 is another form of section of sleeper where the vertical
web is increased in thickness at the front, where the bolt fixing sleeper and rail
together passes through, giving a better bearing to the same; k are bolts which
may be substituted for the intermediate straps underneath the bottom flanges, as
before described; Fig. 8, enlarged plan of fish plate c, c; Fig. 9, enlarged plan of
intermediate straps d, d, d. The bottom flange, vertical web, and top Hange of
sleeper are all rolled in one. The holes in the rail through which the bolts h pass
are made a little larger than the bolts longitudinally, to allow expansion, and
vertically, so that the jaws of the sleeper when brought together by the screws may
bring the upper surface of the sleeper flange and the underside of the rail firmly in
contact. The bolts may be either square or round.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Affleck, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Nineteenth day of March, A.D. 1880.