IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Malcolm Mac Lennan, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Railway Contractor, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS."
Scaled the 13th August 1869, and dated the 19th February 1869..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Malcolm Mac Lennan
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th February 1869.
I, MALCOLM MAC LENNAN, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Railway Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," to be as
follows:
The object of my Invention is to ensure greater safety to railway
trains, and economy in maintaining the permanent way and rolling stock.
1st. I make the joint sleepers on which the rails are fixed of iron
secured at the joints by "monkey plates," and fastened by bolts and
nuts in a similar manner to the fish plates now in general use. The rails

page_text: and sleepers thus become united as one piece throughout, the sleepers
being so formed as to keep the line in guage.
2nd. The intermediate sleeper is also made of iron, on which the rail
is fixed by means of bolts, washers, and nuts, sufficient provision being
made for expansion and contraction of the rail, and like the joint sleepers
is also so formed as to keep the rail in guage.
3rd. By the use of the "monkey plates" with "monkey chairs" this
system of joint fastenings can be adapted to every form of rail and
sleeper and all the permanent way now in use.
The plate called by me the "monkey plate" has horisontal wings and
a vertical OG form, with a right angle at its extremity.
The chair called by me the "monkey chair" is formed with an
aperture to receive the OC curve of the "monkey plate," which when
fastened as described in 1st heading together become united as one piece.
When the "monkey chair" with monkey plate are used on timber
sleepers the chair is fastened in the ordinary way with wooden trec nails
or spikes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Malcolm Mac Lennan in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 19th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MALCOLM
MAC LENNAN, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Railway
Contractor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto the said Malcolm Mac Lennan, Her special
licence that I, the said Malcolm Mac Lennan, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Malcolm Mac Lennan,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the

page_text: Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAY," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Malcolm Mac Lennan, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Malcolm Mac Lennan, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of improvements in the means for ensuring
greater safety to railway trains, durability and economy in maintaining
the permanent way and rolling stock for this purpose.
1st. I make the joint sleepers on which the rails are fixed of iron
secured at the joints by "monkey plates," and fastened by bolts and
nuts in a similar manner to the fish plates now in general usc. The rails
and sleepers thus become united as one piece throughout, the sleepers
being so formed as to keep the rails in guage.
2nd. The intermediate sleepers are also made of iron, on which the
rails are fixed by means of bolts, washers, and nuts, sufficient provision
being made for expansion and contraction of the rail, and like the joint.
sleepers are also so formed as to keep the rails in guage.
3rd. By the use of the "monkey plate" with "monkey chairs" this
system of joint fastening can be adapted to every form of rails and
sleepers and all the permanent ways now in use.
The plate called by me the "monkey plate" has horizontal wings and
a vertical OG or somewhat varied cyma reversa form, with a right angle
at its extremity.
The chair called by me the "monkey chair" is formed with apertures
to receive the "monkey plates," which when fastened as described in
irst heading together become united as one piece. When the "monkey"
chair" with monkey plates are used on timber sleepers the chair is
fastened in the ordinary way with wooden tree nails or spikes.
:

page_text: On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, Figures 1 to 6 inclusive
represent my Invention where an iron road is used. Figure 1 is a plan
of the railway, drawn for convenience to a smaller scale than the other
Figures; Figure 2 is an elevation of flat-bottomed rails, joint, and inter-
mediate sleepers and 'monkey plate;" Figure 3 is a plan, and
Figure 4 a section through A, A, of Figure 3, shewing joint rail
sleeper and " monkey plates," and the method of fastening the same;
Figure 5 is a plan of rail and intermediate sleeper; and Figure 6, a
section through B, B, of Figure 5. In all these Figures like letters
denote the same parts. a is the joint sleeper; b, the intermediate sleeper;
c, the rail; d, the "monkey plates" securing the rails and fastened
with bolts e and nuts e¹, as shewn by Figures 2 and 4; f are the bolts;
f, the nuts and f, the washers for securing the rail and intermediate
sleeper rigidly together in the manner shewn in Figures 2, 5, and 6.
In rrying out my Invention in this manner the right angle d' of
the monkey plates is inserted in apertures formed in the sleeper a, as
shown by Figures 2 and 4.
Figures 7 to 10 inclusive shew my Invention applied with a wooden
sleeper and flat-bottomed rail, and also shew that portion of my Inven-
tion called the "monkey chair." In this modification of my Invention
Figure 7 is a side elevation of joint rails and "monkey plate" and end
elevation of "monkey chair" and joint sleeper; Figure 8 is a plan
of monkey chair; Figure 9, a section through A, A, and Figure 10, a
section through B, B, of Figure 8. In all these Figures like letters
denote the same parts. 9 is the joint sleeper; h, the rail; i, the
"monkey plates" fastened together through the rails by bolts j and
nuts j; k, the "monkey chair" with apparatus k¹ and k². formed in
the manner shewn by Figures 8 and 9, to receive the OG cr somewhat
varied cyma reversa and right angle of the "monkey plates;" the chairs
are fastened to the sleepers in the ordinary manner.
1
Figures 11 to 18 inclusive shew the method of carrying out my
Invention where a wooden sleeper and double-headed rail is used. In
this modification of my Invention Figure 11 is a plan of railway;
Figure 12 is a side elevation of joint rails and "monkey plate," and end
elevation of "monkey chair" joint and intermediate sleepers and chair

page_text: and method of fastening the same on the intermediate sleeper; Figure 13,
a plan of monkey chair; Figure 14, a section through A, A, and
Figure 15, a section through B, B, of Figure 13. In all these Figures
like letters denote the same parts. is the joint sleeper; m is the
intermediate sleeper; n are the rails; o, the "monkey plates" fastened
together through the rails by bolts o¹ and nuts o²; p,. the "monkey.
chair," with aperture p', p², to receive the right angle of the "monkey
plate" in the same manner as in the previous modification. The
monkey chairs and monkey plates can also be used for intermediate
fastenings with one or more bolts, and fastened as before described.
Figure 16 is a plan of intermediate chair and fastening as shewn on
intermediate sleeper in Figure 12; and Figure 17 is a section through
C, C, of Figure 16. q is the chair or intermediate sleeper; is a wedge
or key formed of iron, wood, or other suitable material; s is a bolt with
nut and washer inserted in apertures left in corresponding portions of the
chair and wedge or key, as best shewn in Figure 17, and which when
placed prevent the wedge or key getting loose and hold the rail fast.
The chairs are fastened to the sleepers in-the ordinary manner by wooden
tree nails and spikes. Figure 18 shewing cant in chair instead of
sleeper, and. is similar in all its parts to Figure 14.
The manner of keeping the rails in guage and my method for effecting
the same under the first head of my Invention, where iron sleepers are
used, is shown on the Drawing in Figures 2, 4, and 6, and is lettered-t.
The sleepers, monkey plates, monkey chairs, and fastenings com-
bined, or any one of them, may be made of malleable iron, cast iron,
steel, or any other metal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed
or carried into effect, I would have it understood that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details as shewn in the several modifications on
the accompanying Sheet of Drawings and herein described, nor do I
claim such details except when adopted and used as herein stated, what
I claim being,
1st. The plate called by me the monkey plate, made in the manner
shewn and described and as used, as set forth.
2nd. The chair called by me the monkey chair, made in the manner
shewn and described and as used, as set forth.

page_text: 3rd. The iron sleepers, as herein mentioned under the first head
of my Invention, with their fastenings, made in the manner shewn and
described and as used, as set forth.
4th. The intermediate ohair with wedge or key and fastenings com-
bined, as herein described and shewn on the Drawings in Figures 16,
17, and part of Figure 12.
5th. The combination of the whole or any of the above.
In witness whereof, I, the said Malcolm Mac Lennan, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Fifteenth day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
Witness,
GEORGE JOHN STEAD,
Beaumont Street,
Liverpool.
MALCOLM MAC LENNAN. (L.S.)