AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY CROSSINGS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stanhope Perkins, of Fairfield, Lancashire, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY
CROSSINGS."
Scaled the 23rd July 1867, and dated the 4th April 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stanhope Perkins at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th April 1867.
I, STANHOPE PERKINS, of Fairfield, Lancashire, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY
CROSSINGS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel mode of manufacturing the point or V
rail of railway crossings, the object being to increase their structural strength;
to this end I take a rolled double headed steel rail, and having planed off a
certain portion of the flanges on one side thereof I double back the rail upon
itself to bring the planed surfaces into contact, and I thus form the nose of
the point rail out of a double thickness of the web of the rail. The side of
the rail at the part where it is to be creased or doubled back I first indent by
a smart blow, and I then set the rail so that the portion of the flanges required

page_text: to be removed may be cut away by a planing tool; I next heat the rail in
the centre and bend it back and close the parts on an anvil until the planed
surfaces meet with each other; I thus leave the nose of the point or V rail
solid, which is very important as the blow of the wheel is most felt at that
part; I then drill through both of the webs or parts in contact, and rivet or
bolt them together as the case may be. The outer flanges are cut away at
the nose, and tapered off for a short distance in the usual way to give the
proper shape to the point rail.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Stanhope Perkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, STANHOPE
PERKINS, of Fairfield, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Stanhope Perkins, Her special licence that I, the said Stanhope Perkins, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Stanhope
Perkins, 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 Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF RAILWAY CROSSINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Stanhope Perkins, my executors or administrators, 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 Stanhope Perkins; 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
reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say):-

page_text: This Invention relates to a novel mode of manufacturing the point or V
rail of railway crossings, the object being to increase their structural
strength; to this end I take a rolled double headed steel rail or other
section of steel rail, and having planed off a certain portion of the flanges
on one side thereof I double back the rail upon itself to bring the planed
surfaces into contact, and I thus form the nose of the point rail out of a
double thickness of the web of the rail. The side of the rail at the part
where it is to be creased or doubled back I first indent by a smart blow,
and I then set the rail so that the portion of the flanges required to be
removed may be cut away by a planing tool; I next heat the rail in the centre
and bend it back, and close the parts on an anvil until the planed surfaces
meet with each other; I thus leave the nose of the point or V rail solid, which
is very important as the blow of the wheel is most felt at that part; I then drill
through both of the webs or parts in contact, and rivet or bolt them together
as the case may be. The outer flanges are cut away at the nose and tapered off
for a short distance in the usual way to give the proper shape to the point rail.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan of the improved crossing
complete. W, W, are the wing rails, and V is the rail forming the crossing
or V point; A, B, C, and D are the chairs for sustaining the several parts of the
crossing. Fig. II. is a side view of the crossing complete. Fig. III. is a
longitudinal section of the crossing complete, shewing the end of the V piece
in section. Fig. IV. is a transverse section of the crossing immediately in front
of the nose of the V piece shewing in elevation the chair C and the V piece and
the wing rails in section. Figures V. and VI. are plans of the double headed rail
set and the inside edge planed preliminary to bending. The amount of metal
planed off is indicated in both these Figures by the red lines. Fig. VII. shews
the V rail bent to a right angle when the points marked G, G, (which indicate
the limits of the planed surface) are brought together, the rail forms the
required angle or V part of the crossing. The length of the planed surface
from G, G, to nose will vary according to the size of angle or V point
required. The chairs marked B and C are shewn on the Drawing as bolted,
but they may be secured with wood keys if preferred.
I would here remark that some of the advantages of crossings made on
this plan are that they can be readily and economically made by planing or
shaping machines. If made of rolled steel rails they are as durable as cast-
steel crossings and can be supplied at much less cost than any of the patented
cast-steel or iron crossings, and they are safer and make a better and more
uniform road, and the crossing or V point can be made to fit the C chair
perfectly, and is also reversible.

page_text: Having now explained the nature of my Invention of "An Improvement
in the Manufacture of Railway Crossings," and explained the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the
above in part recited Letters Patent I claim forming the points or V parts
of crossings without a splice by bending the rail prepared as above described
back upon itself and securing the abutting parts in the manner and for the
purpose above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stanhope Perkins, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Second day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
STANHOPE PERKINS. (L.S.)
Witness,
WILLIAM RADCLIFFE.