IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1871

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LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the
Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS.”
A communication from abroad by Magloire Veauvy, of Viviez
(Aveyron), France, Contractor.
Sealed the 7th November 1871, and dated the 21st June 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st June 1871.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF
RAILWAYS," a communication to me from abroad by Magloire Veauvy, of
Viviez (Aveyron), France, Contractor, to be as follows:―→
. The improved permanent way the subject of this Invention is based
upon the use of a jointed or composite rail composed of a longitudinal
iron sleeper or rail body, to which the part subject to wear or rail head
is. bolted.

page_text: .
I will now proceed to describe all the parts composing this improved
permanent way, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawing, and to the figures and letters of reference placed thereon,
Figure 1 being a plan of this improved permanent way; Figure 2, a
sectional elevation at A, B, Fig. 1; Figure 3, a longitudinal section at
E, F, Fig. 1; and Figure 4, a section at C, D, Fig. 1. Figures 1, 2,
and 3 are to a scale of th and Figure 4 to a scale of th.
All the parts will be of iron with the exception of the rail head which
may be of steel.
The transverse sleepers c will be of T iron; they will all be of the
same strength, and be set, say, four feet (one meter 20 centimeters)
apart from axis to axis. They should be of sufficient strength to keep the
longitudinal sleepers a carrying the rail head 6 from tilting and prevent
any disarrangement of the way; each end of these transverse sleepers
will be bent or carry pieces of angle iron d, the length of which will
be proportionate to the average thickness of ordinary wooden transverse
sleepers. Each of these transverse sleepers will be pierced with 8 holes,
4 at each of the parts which is to receive the longitudinal sleeper, see
plan Fig. 1 and section Fig. 2. The joint plates e will be about twenty
inches (fifty centimeters) in length, by a breadth equal to that of the
longitudinal sleepers, and will be pierced with 8 holes, the four in the
middle corresponding to those of the joint transverse sleeper, and to
the two pierced in each end of the two longitudinal sleepers, the other'
holes corresponding to those pierced at the ends of the longitudinal
sleepers at about four inches (ten centimeters) behind the holes at the
extremities. These plates will be placed at each joint between the top
of the transverse and the bottom of the longitudinal sleepers. The
longitudinal sleepers receiving the rail head will be about twenty feet
(six meters) in length, and should be approximatively of the shape shown
in section, Figs. 2 and 4 of the Drawings. They will be pierced with 4
oblong holes at each extremity, and with four holes corresponding to
those of each of the intermediate transverse sleepers. The joints should
liave sufficient play to prevent the expansion bringing the ends together.
In order to. permit this expansion the longitudinal sleepers, the joint
plates, and the transverse sleepers will be united by double nutted bolts.
Rivets would not bring about this result, and might, on the contrary, be
broken by this movement. The longitudinal sleepers might be fastened
to the intermediate transverse sleepers by rivets, but the use of. bolts

page_text: will probably be found preferable for facility of repair in case of accident.
The longitudinal sleeper should not be higher than requisite for placing
the head of a bolt of, say, rather less than an inch (22 millimeters) in-
diameter. This face of the longitudinal sleeper will be pierced with.
elongated holes for fixing the rail head by bolts. These holes will be
about twenty-four inches (sixty centimeters) apart from axis to axis,
starting at about twelve inches (thirty centimeters) from each extremity.
For curves the longitudinal sleepers will be shaped at the forge according
to the radius of the curve on which they are to be employed. The rail
head should be applied on the longitudinal sleeper as shown Fig. 4 of
the Drawings. The flat part or web will be pierced with holes corre-
sponding with those of the vertical piece of the longitudinal sleepers.
As in the case of these latter sufficient play will be left at each joint to
permit of expansion. These joints should always break joint with the
longitudinal sleepers. The bolts fastening the rail head to the longitudinal
sleeper will be double nutted.
Their
The dimensions of the parts are not positively determined.
proportions may be reduced or increased, but I would here observe that
the transverse and longitudinal sleepers should be as broad as possible in
order to properly seat the way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 9th December 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Gedge, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Gedge, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward Gedge,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during

page_text: 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 “Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," a communication to me
from abroad by Magloire Veauvy, of Viviez (Aveyron), France, Contractor, t
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward
Gedge, 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 William Edward Gedge, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
-
The first part of this Invention relates to the combination of a jointed
or composite rail, the object of this part of my Invention being to
facilitate the removal of the worn rail head and the substitution of a
fresh one.
The second part of this Invention relates to the combination of this
rail with joint plates and transverse sleepers to give it a firm seat.
And the third part of this Invention relates to the combination of
angle pieces with T iron transverse sleepers, or the bending down of
their ends, the object being to give them a better hold in the ballast.
I will now proceed to describe all the parts composing this improved
permanent way, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawing and to the Figures and letters of reference placed thereon;
Figure 1 being a plan of this improved permanent way; Figure 2 a
sectional elevation at A, B, Figure 1; Figure 3 a longitudinal section at
E, F, Figure 1; and Figure 4 a section at C, D, Figure 1, enlarged to
half-size.
All the parts will be of iron with the exception of the rail head which
may be of steel.
The transverse sleepers c will be of T iron, they will all be of the same
strength and be set, say four feet (one meter twenty centimeters) apart
from axis to axis. They should be of sufficient strength to keep the

page_text: longitudinal sleepers a carrying the rail head 6 from tilting and prevent
any disarrangement of the way, each end of these transverse sleepers
will be bent or carry pieces of angle iron d, the length of which will
be proportionate to the average thickness of ordinary wooden transverse
sleepers. Each of these transverse sleepers will be pierced with eight
holes, four at each of the parts which is to receive the longitudinal
sleeper, see plan Fig. 1 and section Fig. 2. The joint plates e will be
about twenty inches (fifty centimeters) in.length, by a breadth equal to
that of the longitudinal sleepers, and will be pierced with eight holes, the
four in the middle corresponding to those of the joint transverse sleeper,
and to the two pierced in each end of the two longitudinal sleepers,
the other holes corresponding to those pierced at the ends of the longi-
tudinal sleepers at about four inches (ten centimeters) behind the holes
at the extremities. These plates will be placed at each joint between
the top of the transverse and the bottom of the longitudinal sleepers.
The longitudinal sleepers receiving the rail head will be about twenty
feet (six meters) in length, and should be approximatively of the shape
shown in section, Figs. 2 and 4 of the Drawings. They will be pierced
with four oblong holes at each extremity, and with four holes corre-
sponding to those of each of the intermediate transverse sleepers. The
joints should have sufficient play to prevent the expansion bringing the
ends together. In order to permit this expansion the longitudinal
sleepers, the joint plates, and the transverse sleepers will be united by
double nutted bolts. Rivets would not bring about this result and
might on the contrary be broken by this movement. The longitudinal
sleepers might be fastened to the intermediate transverse sleepers by
rivets, but the use of bolts will probably be found preferable for facility
of repair in case of accident. The longitudinal sleeper should not be
higher than requisite for placing the head of a bolt, of say rather less
than an inch (twenty-two millimeters) in diameter. This face of the
longitudinal sleeper will be pierced with elongated holes for fixing the
rail head by bolts. These holes will be about twenty-four inches (sixty
centimeters) apart from axis to axis, starting at about twelve inches
(thirty centimeters) from each extremity. For curves the longitudinal
sleepers will be shaped at the forge according to the radius of the curve
on which they are to be employed. The rail head should be applied
on the longitudinal sleeper as shown in enlarged view (half size), Fig. 4
of the Drawings. The flat part or web will be pierced with holes corre-
sponding with those of the vertical piece of the longitudinal sleepers.

page_text: As in the case of these latter sufficient play will be left at each joint
to permit of expansion. These joints should always break joint with the
longitudinal sleepers. The bolts fastening the rail head to the longitu-
dinal sleeper will be double nutted.
•
The dimensions of the parts are not positively determined, their pro-
portions may be reduced or increased, but I would here observe that the
transverse and longitudinal sleepers should be as. broad as possible in
order to properly seat the way.
b
This new system of metal permanent way with jointed or composite
rail permits the construction of railways of perfect solidity, and easy and 1
économical maintenance, and above all it has the advantage of costing
no more to lay down in the first instance than permanent ways with
wooden transverse sleepers, chairs, and double headed rails.
Over the entirely metal ways hitherto constructed it has the following
advantages:-The bulky rails of one piece are disadvantageously shaped 1
for wedging and therefore do not afford sufficient security, further, the
rail head is of the same strength as that which I apply and wears as
quickly, so that the rail to be replaced is of much greater weight and
the loss in the substitution is in proportion to the weight of the piece
replaced. Another very considerable loss is that of the labour expended 2
in replacing a rail, the surrounding ballast must be removed, the rivets
which fix it at the ends and to the sleepers must be cut with a cold
chisel, and become valueless, and a forge must be at hand to hot rivet
the rail which is just laid down. All this work is very long and very
costly, whereas by laying the rail in two parts according to this Inven- 2
tion, once the frame of the way is firmly laid and well keyed with the
ballast there is no more shifting of ballast when changing rail, and if
no greater length be given to the rail than will keep its weight within
the strength of a man, any workman will be able to replace a rail in
ten minutes at most, and a signalman might perfectly well execute this 3
work without a set of plate layers, which would greatly diminish the
staff required for maintenance of way and permit railway companies
to realise considerable savings. This system has the advantage of
permitting the suppression of wooden sleepers, and of rendering the
maintenance easier and less costly as above stated, once the framework 3
firmly laid down there is no shifting of the ballast, no, decayed, broken,
or split sleepers to be replaced, and consequently a great saving of wood
and labour. Wooden sleepers do not last more than nine or ten years

page_text: on ways with chairs, and where " Vignolles " rails are used their
duration is still less, inasmuch as the cramps play in the sleepers and
consequently the way spreads and it becomes necessary to take out the
cramp,
fill up
its hole, and make another by the side of it. When a
sleeper has undergone this operation two or three times it is broken or
split and becomes waste. As the sleepers do not last on an average more
than seven years, and that it takes thirty-five to forty years for a tree
to attain the requisite size for making a sleeper, further that wood is
becoming scarce and that its use would always go on increasing if the
employment of wooden sleepers continued, there is I think incontestable
and important advantage in the use of a rail in two pieces, which has
the advantage of uniting economy on all sides and of giving employ-
ment to iron works.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim as secured
to me by the herein-before in recited Letters Patent,—
Firstly. The combination of the rail head 6 with the longitu-
dinal sleeper a, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before set
forth.
Secondly. The combination of the rail a, b, with the joint plates e
and transverse sleepers c, substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before set forth.
Thirdly. The combination of the pieces d with the Tiron sleepers c
or their equivalent obtained by bending down the ends of the T iron,
substantially as and for the purpose herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Ninth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.