Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 19th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 1st Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
I, STEWART JACKSON MORSE, of Saint James, in the Parish of Saint James and
State of Louisiana, United States of America, Carpenter, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to the permanent way of railways, the object being to enable
the rails to be easily laid and repaired and prevent them spreading.
The line is constructed wholly of metal, and is constructed with two longitudinal
sleepers supporting the rails, only the heads of which project above the said sleepers.
Each of the sleepers is composed of two upright plates slightly inclined towards each
other so as to form a narrow slot at the top to engage the under side of the head of
the rail. The lower ends of the plates are formed with outwardly-bent flanges resting
on the ground on which the line is to be laid. At suitable distances apart on cach
sleeper are formed transverse openings, for the admission of a key-plate provided on
its outer ends with downwardly-extending bosses abutting against the outsides of the
sleeper plates. On top of this key-plate rests a transversely extending tie projecting
beyond the two sleepers and on the top of which rest lugs formed on each of the
sleeper plates directly above the lugs or bosses of the key plate. Bolts pass through
the lugs and the ties to fasten the several parts together. The tie extends at right
angles to the two sleepers, the openings being made oppositely in the plates of the
sleepers. In order to further fasten the tie to the key plate a bolt is employed
between the sleeper plates. On the top of the tie also rests a lug projecting inward
from each sleeper plate, the said lugs forming a resting place for the base of the
rail.
In order to fasten the sectional sleepers together, plates are used fitted over the
joint directly above the flanges and bolts are used to bolt the said plates to the
sleepers. At the joint of the two sleeper sections a tie is necessary, preferably made
of double the width of the others and fitting into slots formed in the adjacent ends of
the sleeper plates. A correspondingly wider key plate is also used so as to bolt the
lugs at the ends of the sleeper plates to the wide tie and the wide key plate.
In order to further hold the sleeper plates in proper position, short plates and key
plates are employed, which pass through openings formed in the sleeper plates opposite
each other and between the two sets of openings. Lugs are formed at these openings
which rest on top of the short plate which latter again rests on top of the key-plate.
Bolts are employed to fasten the short plate to the key plate and the lug. By using
the short plates and key plates, the ties can be placed further apart, thus saving con-
siderable expense in the construction of the line.
When the sleepers are set up to form the track and the rails are in place and the
ties are bolted to the sleepers and the short plates and the key plates are in place,
then the sleepers and the ties are covered up with earth so that only the heads of the
rails project. This forms an even track with no parts, except the rail-head, projecting
so as to prevent the easy tearing-up or misplacing of the rail by any malicious person
as the latter would be compelled to remove all the earth before the several parts of
the track could be removed or disarranged.
Dated this 5th day of August 1890.

page_text: .
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
I, STEWART JACKSON MORSE, of Saint James, in the Parish of Saint James, and
State of Louisiana, United States of America, Carpenter, 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:-
This invention relates to railway permanent way, and has for its object to facilitate
laying and repairs and prevent the spreading of the rails.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this Speci-
fication, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement; Figure 2 is a
transverse section of the same, on line ar Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged plan
view of the joint of the longitudinal sleepers, the rail being removed; Figure 4 is a
side elevation of the same; and Figure 5 is a side elevation of parts of a sleeper and
tie. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
The improved railway A is constructed wholly of metal, and comprises longitudinal
sleepers B and B supporting the rails and only the heads of which project above
the said sleepers. Each of the sleepers B and B is made of two upright plates D
and E slightly inclined toward each other so as to take under the shoulders beneath
the head of the rail, as shown in Figure 2. The lower edges of the plates D and E
have outwardly-bent flanges F resting on the ground. At suitable distances apart,
slots D and E are formed in the sleeper plates D and E for the admission of a key-
plate G provided on its underside with lugs G and G abutting against the outsides
of the sleeper plates D and E. On top of this key-plate G rests the cross-tie H,
which passes through the same slots D', E', and projects beyond the two, sleepers.
Lugs I and I are formed on each of the sleeper plates D and E directly above the
lugs G and G of the key-plate G through which, and through the cross-tie H
bolts J and J pass, so as to fasten the several parts together, as shewn.
The tie H is, of course, at right angles to the sleepers B and B the slots in which
are opposite each other. In order to further fasten the tie H to the key-plate G, a
bolt L is employed between the plates D and E. On the top of the tie H also rests a
lug N projecting inward from each plate D or E, the said lugs forming a seat for the
Toot of the rail, see Figure 2. The ends of the longitudinal sleepers are connected by
joint plates O crossing the joint directly above the base flanges F and secured by
bolts 0. At each joint a cross-tic H is necessary, preferably made of double the
.width of the others and fitting into slots D and E forined in the abutting ends of the
sleeper plates, a correspondingly-wide key-plate G being used so that the lugs I and I'
on the two abutting ends of the sleeper plates will be bolted to the same tie H and
key-plate G.
In order to further hold the plates D and E in proper position, short plates P and
key-plates R, similar to plates G, are passed through openings E3 and D³ formed in the
plates D and E between the two sets of openings D and E. Lugs Q' are formed
above these openings D³ and E3 to which the short plate P and the key-plate R are
bolted by bolts S. By using these short plates P and key-plates R, the cross-ties H
can be placed further apart, thus reducing the cost of laying.
When the sleepers are laid and connected by the ties and the rails C and Care in
place the whole is covered with the ballast so that only the heads of the rails project,
as shown in Figure 2; so as to prevent easy tearing up or misplacing of the rails by
any mischievous persons who would be compelled to remove the ballast in order to
tamper with the track.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that. what I
claim is ;
1. In a railroad, the combination, with longitudinal sleepers, each made of two
upright plates fastened together, of cross-ties bolted to the upright plates of each of the

page_text: sleepers and key-plates under the said ties and provided with lugs fitting against the
outsides of the said sleeper plates, substantially as shewn and described.
2. In a railroad, the combination, with two sleepers each made of two upright
plates fastened together, of cross-ties bolted to the upright plates of each of the
sleepers, key-plates under the said ties and provided with lugs fitting against the out-
sides of the said sleeper plates and bolts passing through lugs on the said sleeper
plates through the said ties and the said key-plates, substantially as shewn and
described.
3. In a railroad, the combination, with a sleeper formed of two upright plates
supporting the rail, of a key-plate extending transversely through apertures in the
said plates a short plate on top of the said key plate, lugs projecting from the said
plates over the said short plate and bolts passing through the said lugs, the short plate,
and key-plate, to fasten the several parts together, as described.
4. In a railroad, the combination, with two sleepers each made of two upright
flanged plates having transverse openings and inwardly-bent lugs to support the base
of the rail, of key-plates passing transversely through the openings of the sleeper
plates, ties passing over the said key-plates and through the two sleepers lugs pro-
jecting from the sleeper plates over the said ties and bolts passing through the said lugs,
the ties, and the key-plates, to fasten the several parts in place, substantially as shewn
and described.
5. In a railroad, the combination, with two sleepers each made of two upright
flanged plates having transverse openings and inwardly-bent lugs to support the base
of the rail, of key-plates passing transversely through the openings of the sleeper
plates, ties passing over the said key plates and through the two sleepers, lugs pro-
jecting from the sleeper plates into the said ties, bolts passing through the said lugs,
the ties, and the key-plates to fasten the several parts in place, and an additional
bolt passing through each key-plate and the ties between the plates of each sleeper,
substantially as shewn and described.
Dated unis Loth day of September 1930.
S. J. MORSE.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.