IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M. and Wm Clark of
53 Chancery Lane,.in. the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS "to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in a metallic cross tie or sleeper for railroads constructed
with a base plate having parallel flanges and blocks placed between the flanges to
support the rails, and kept in place by U shaped bars secured to the said, flanges.
The base of the sleeper or cross tie is made wide to prevent it from, being
pressed into the road bed, and upon the opposite sides of and equally distant from
the central line of the base plate are formed or to it are attached two parallel
flanges between which are placed blocks of paper or other suitable material of
such thickness as to rise a little above the upper edges of the flanges and serve
as cushions to the rails, and prevent the same from resting upon the said flanges.
These blocks are held from moving, outward by U shaped bars placed between the
flanges with their bends resting against the outer ends of the blocks and their arms
secured detachably to the flanges by bolts or, keys. The blocks are kept from
moving inward by similar U shaped bars placed between the flanges with their bends
resting against the inner ends of the blocks and secured in place by bolts or rivets
passing through them, and through the said flanges.
The bases of, the rails rest upon wear plates set upon the blocks and are kept in
place by chairs which can be made in two pieces or in any other suitable manner.
The chairs are secured in place by bolts, the bolts of, the outer chairs, passing up
vertically through the base plate, and the outer parts of the chairs and the-bolts of
the inner chairs passing up in inwardly inclined directions through the base plate
and through the chairs. The outer chairs rest against shoulders formed upon the
outer parts of the flanges to hold the rails from spreading, the, wear plates being
kept from moving upon the blocks by the shoulders and the bolts.
With this construction by loosening the nuts of the bolts, and, removing, the
outer Ushaped bars the cushions can be removed through the outer ends, of, the
ties without disturbing the said ties.

page_text: *I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PERMANENT-WAY OF RAILWAYS 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 metallic sleepers for railroads, constructed in such
manner as to allow the rails to be taken up and replaced without disturbing the
sleepers, and the blocks or cushions to be taken out and renewed without
disturbing the sleepers or rails.
The Invention consists in a metallic railroad sleeper constructed with a base plate
having parallel flanges, and blocks placed between the flanges to support the rails,
and kept in place by U shaped bars secured to the said flanges.
Upon the tops of the rail supporting blocks, are placed plates to prevent the rails
from wearing the said blocks.
Upon the end parts of the flanges of the base plate are formed shoulders for the
outer edges of the outer rail clips to rest against, to prevent the rails from
spreading, as will be hereinafter fully described.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying Drawings forming part of this
Specification in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all
the Figures.
"
Figure 1 is a plan view of one of the improved sleepers, and showing a rail and
rail chair applied to one end. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly in
Bection. Figure 3 is a plan view of one end of the same, and showing the wear
plate. Figure 4 is an end elevation of the same, and showing a rail and rail chair
in side view.
A is the base of the sleeper which is made wide to prevent it from being pressed
into the road bed. Upon the opposite sides of and equally distant from the central
line of the base plate A are formed, or to it are attached two parallel flanges B
between which are placed blocks C of paper or other suitable material, and which
are made of such a thickness as to rise a little above the upper edges of the
flanges B to serve as cushions for the rails D, and prevent them from resting upon
the said flanges.
The blocks Care kept from moving outward by U shaped bars E, placed between
the flanges B with their bends against the outer ends of the said blocks C, and
their arms secured detachably to the flanges B by bolts or keys F. The blocks C
are kept from moving inward by similar U shaped bars G placed between the
flanges B with their bends against the inner ends of the blocks C, and are secured
in place by bolts or rivets H passing through them, and through, the flanges B.
The bases of the rails D rest upon the wear plates I placed upon the blocks C, and
are kept in place by pairs of clips J, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or in any other
suitable manner.
The clips J are secured in place by bolts K, L, those K-passing up vertically
through the base plate A and the outer clip J and those L passing up in an
inwardly inclined direction through the base plate A, and through the clip, J.
The outer clips J rest against shoulders M. formed near the ends of the flanges B
to hold the rails D from spreading. The wear plates I are kept from moving upon
the blocks C, by the shoulders M, and the bolts K, L, as indicated in Figure 3, and
in dotted lines in Figure 1.

page_text: With this construction, by loosening the nuts of the bolts K, L, and removing
the outer Ushaped stops E, the cushions C, can be removed at the ends of the
sleeper without disturbing the latter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1st The combination of the metallic sleeper A, provided with the flanges B, with
the blocks C, held in place by the U shaped bars E, G, placed upon either side of
said blocks, the arms of said U shaped bars being attached to the flanges B by
bolts, keys, or other suitable means passing through said arms and flanges,
substantially as set forth.
2nd The combination of the sleeper A, B, having the rail supporting block C,
provided with the wear plate I resting against the shoulder M of bolts for securing
said wear plate and the rail in place on the sleeper, substantially as set forth.
3rd The combination of the flanged and shouldered sleeper A, B, M, with the rail
clips J, J, the outer ones of which are secured by bolts passing vertically through
them and the sleeper, and the inner ones of which are secured by bolts passing
through them and the sleeper in an inwardly inclined direction, whereby a firm
support against lateral strain is afforded the rails, substantially as described.
Dated this 23rd day of July AD. 1884.