IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH THE PERMANENT WAY OF TRAMWAYS AND OTHER RAILWAYS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Kerr, of Leadenhall Street, in the City of London,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH THE
PERMANENT WAY OF TRAMWAYS AND OTHER RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Kerr at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th October 1879.
"IMPROVE-
JOHN KERR, of Leadenhall Street, in the City of London, Engineer.
MENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH THE PERMANENT WAY OF TRAMWAYS AND OTHER
RAILWAYS."
The objects of this Invention, which relates to certain improvements in or con-
nected with the permanent way of tramways and other railways, are to facilitate
the laying and removal of the rails thereof by dispensing with the usual wooden or
other keys by which they have hitherto been fastened, and which are so very liable
to shake or become loose, to secure the rails in position by means which shall ensure
the gauge being kept, to form a perfect bed for the rails, and a good bearing to the
stone sets abutting thereagainst, and in such a way as to prevent any tendency of
the rails (and the sleepers by which they are supported) and the stone sets adjacent
thereto springing away from their beds on the passage thereover of rolling stock or
vehicles.
To attain these and other advantages consequent on the adoption of my improve-
ments, I make use of wrought-iron trough-shaped sleepers (which may be laid
either longitudinally or transversely of the rails), and which I punch at suitable
distances apart when used longitudinally, or exactly to the gauge required when
used transversely, and fit with forged clips, which I rivet at the punched parts in
such a way as to come alternately on opposite sides of each rail when the latter is
placed in position. These clips are made with a wide holding face formed corre-
spondingly to the section of rail which it is intended to hold by fitting against and
embracing one side of the lower flange thereof, and the sleepers are supplied,
wherever required for laying, with all the clip rail fastenings rivetted in position
accurately to gauge. This is of very great advantage as regards economy in cost,
[Price 6d:1

page_text: labor, and time in laying the rails. The laying of the rails is effected by simply
bending them, and lacing them under the clips of the sleepers so that the clips will
come alternately on opposite sides of the rail, the rail ends being united by fish-
plates, bolts, and nuts as usually done. The rail is thus firmly gripped and held by
the clips, and will need no other fastening. Should such, however, be required, it
will suffice to simply insert a spike through the sleeper in a hole punched opposite
each clip at the other side of the rail.
And in order that there should be a good bearing and a freedom from the usual
tendency, especially in tramway and other light railway tracks, of the rails and
adjoining stone sets to spring and become loose, owing to the jarring occasioned by
the passage of vehicles thereon, I also charge or fill the hollow of the sleeper with
concrete before it is laid, so that it has a perfect bed; and when laid I pack its
inclined sides to a level with its top also with concrete, so that it is rendered quite
free from any tendency to spring. The bearing for the stone sets adjoining the
rails is thus rendered perfect, and they can be placed close to the rails, the unavoid-
able intervening space being filled in with bitumen or fine concrete.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Kerr in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th April
1880.
JOHN KERR, of. Leadenhall Street, in the City of London, Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH THE PERMANENT WAY OF TRAMWAYS AND OTHER
RAIL-WAYS."
The objects of this Invention, which relates to certain improvements in or con-
nected with the permanent way of tramways and other rail-ways, are to facilitate
the laying and the removal of the rails thereof by dispensing with the usual wooden
or other keys by which they have hitherto been fastened, and which are so very
liable to shake or otherwise become loose, to secure the rails in position by means
which will ensure the gauge being kept, to form a perfect bed for the rails, and
a good bearing for the stone-sets of the roadway abutting thereagainst, and in such
a way as to prevent any tendency of the rails (and the sleepers by which they are
supported) and the stone-sets adjacent thereto springing away from their beds on
the passage thereover of rolling stock or vehicles.
The Invention is illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of explanatory Drawings
in Figures 1 to 8, which are drawn to the scales indicated thereon, and of which
Figure 1 represents a transverse section; Figure 2, a side elevation partly in section;
Figure 3, a plan view; and Figure 4, a perspective view, these Figures being
illustrative of one modification of my Invention, and of which Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8
illustrate similar views respectively of another modification of my Invention.
To obtain the above mentioned and other advantages consequent on the adoption
of my improvements, I use wrought iron or steel trough-shaped sleepers 1, which
may be laid either longitudinally with or transversely of the rails 2, as illustrated
respectively in Figures 1 to 4, and 5 to 8, the sleepers being punched at suitable
distances apart when used longitudinally, or exactly to the gauge required when
used transversely, and fitted with forged clips 3, which I rivet at the punched parts
4 in such a way as to come alternately on opposite sides of each rail, as shown
most clearly in Figures 3 and 7, when the latter is placed in position.
The clips 3 are each made with a broad holding part 5 formed correspondingly to
the section of the lower flange of the rail which it is intended to hold by fitting
against and embracing one side thereof, as shown most clearly in Figures 1, 5, and 8;
and the sleepers are supplied, wherever required for laying, with all the clip-rail-
fastenings 3 already rivetted in position accurately to gauge. This is a novel
feature, and of very great advantage as regards economy in cost, labor, and time
in laying the rails, as this is effected by simply bending the latter, and lacing them
under the clips 3 of the sleepers so that the said holding parts 5 will alternately
embrace the opposite sides of the lower flange of the rail, the rail ends being
united by fish plates 6, bolts 7, and nuts 8, as usually done. The rail is thus firmly
gripped and held by the clips, and will need no other fastening. Should such
however, be required, it will suffice to simply insert a spike through the sleeper in
a hole 9 which may be punched opposite each clip at the other side of the rail.
And in order that there shall be a good bearing and a freedom from the usual
tendency, especially in tramway and other light rail-way tracks, of the rails and
adjoining stone-sets 10 springing and becoming loose, owing to the concussive
effects occasioned by the passage of vehicles thereover, I also charge or fill the
hollow of each sleeper with concrete 11 before it is laid, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2,
5, and 6, so that it has a perfect bed; and when laid I embed it in and pack its
inclined sides to a level with its top with concrete 12, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 8,
so that it is rendered quite free from any tendency to spring. The bearing for the
stone sets 10 adjoining the rails is thus rendered perfect, and they can be placed

page_text: close to the rails, the unavoidable intervening space 13 being filled in with bitumen
or fine concrete.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
.practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that what I claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
The application and use in the permanent way of tramways and other rail-ways
of wrought iron trough-shaped sleepers charged or filled with concrete, and
punched at suitable distances apart when intended to be used longitudinally with
the rails, or exactly to the gauge required when intended to be used transversely
thereof, and fitted with forged clips rivetted at the punched parts in such a way as
to come alternately on the opposite sides of the rails, all such being effected
previously to the sleepers being laid, so that the rails can be placed and secured in
position by simply being passed between the side clips, or by bending and lacing
them thereunder, and further secured, where required, by spikes inserted in holes
punched in the sleepers opposite each clip at the other side of the rail, the sleepers
when laid being embedded in and packed to a level with the top with concrete, all
for the respective purposes set forth and in order to obtain the advantages herein-
before mentioned, substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Kerr, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
JOHN KERR. (L.S.)