IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILS FOR RAILWAYS, AND IN THE MODE OF PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jonathan Law Booth, of Rochester, in the County of
Monroc. and State of New York, United States of America, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILS FOR RAILWAYS, AND IN THE MODE OF
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jonathan Law Booth
at the Oflice of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th May 1866.
I, JONATHAN LAW BOOTH, of Rochester, in the County of Monroe, and State
of New York, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILS FOR RAILWAYS, AND IN THE MODE
OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
The object of the improvements is to combine a steel cap or tread piece
with an iron body in such a manner as to secure the advantages of both a
steel and iron rail. To this end the Invention consists, first, in the combina-
tion of a steel cap with an iron body when the same is shrunk on; second,
in the combination of rollers in a suitable machine for rolling the cap on the
body; third, in the employment of a short section or sections at the end of
the iron body, in 'shrinking the cap on to compensate for the contraction of
said cap in shrinkage. The iron body which forms the main portion of the
Frail is rolled of the ordinary form lacking the cap or tread piece. I prefer to
[Price 8d.]

page_text: make its top convex or rounding transversely to receive the steel cap, though
if desired it may be plane or of other form. The steel cap when applied to
the body of the rail is shaped to conform to the usual tread. To this end
it is passed between rollers of such shape as to roll it out flat of suitable
thickness and width to receive the tread, and turn over the top of the body,
and with its edges rounded; it is then passed once or more through another
set of rollers provided with grooves and dies or rims, which turn up the edge
lips at right angles, and form the concave that fits over the convex top of the
iron body; the steel cap in a heated state is now applied on top of the iron
body which is cold, and since when cold it contracts to a considerable degree
I apply at one or both ends of said body a section or sections a few inches
in length of a similar form, over which the steel cap rests; the combined
rail is now passed through a machine for rolling the cap on the body, con-
structed substantially as follows: A suitable frame is provided in which
is situated a horizontal supporting roller, having two flanges or rims at
suitable distance apart for the base of the rail to rest easily between them,
and which thus serve as guides to hold the rail in place as it passes through
the machine. These flanges may be movable, if desired, to adapt them
to rails of different widths. Over this roller is situated another formed
either solid, and resting on top of the steel cap as it passes through, or as a
removable rim which slides on a suitable shaft. I prefer the latter arrange-
ment. as it allows me to substitute rollers or revolving dies of varying sizes
or forms at pleasure. This roller presses the cap down firmly on the body as
the rail passes through. These two rollers are geared by two cog wheels on
their shafts at one end. and are driven by a band wheel or suitable gearing at
the other. The boxes or bearings in which the ends of the shaft of the upper
roller rest are made to adjust down to produce greater pressure by means
of pressure screws passing through the frame above and resting on them.
Between the upper and lower rollers rest horizontal rollers bearing against the
edges of the steel cap, and bending them in firmly against the inclined sides of
the iron body. These rollers preferably have no positive motion of their
own, but revolve simply from the contact of the rail as it passes through the
machine. They rest in bearings consisting preferably of two parts bolted
to the frame, and bolted together so as to be easily separated to insert or
remove the rollers at pleasure. Thus arranged as the rail is run through the
machine the heated steel cap is pressed firmly to the iron body on all sides,
and the edges of the same holding under the "ned sides of the top of said
body prevent removal: then as the cap cools it shrirks on the iron, and the
two form as it were one body. As the cap shrinks it contracts from off the

page_text: short section or sections placed at the ends of the rail and covers simply the
rail itself. Were the cap to be applied hot simply but the length of the
rail the contraction would shorten it, so that the rail would have to be cut
when cool. and on the other hand were the cap made to overlap without the
use of the section or sections it would shrink or be rolled out of form and pro-
duce a bad contact joint. The employment of the section or sections retains
the form of the extension of the cap and still allows it to contact in the proper
manner, and if then a little too long it can be cut off even with the iron body.
By this method of construction I combine the advantages of both steel and
iron rails. and avoid in a great degree the defects of both: I avoid the
brittleness of solid steel, and the great wear of iron: I also avoid in a great
degree the defects that have attended the combination of superior and inferior
material in rails heretofore. Instead of welding a steel face upon an iron body
I simply shrink it on. Where it is welded when the face becomes worn the
whole rail must be thrown away as useless. Where it is shrunk on it. can be
removed when worn and replaced by another. It also secures great advantages
over those devices where two parts are loosely connected by one simply slipping
over the other. or by bolting, or by some equivalent means. In such case the
parts are rattling and irregular in their action. producing great wear and
frequent breakage. When the cap is shrunk on it holds closely to the iron.
and the parts form as it were one body. I thus produce a wearing surface
of great resistance and toughness. and of such a character that when it
becomes useless it can be replaced in part by cutting off the defective portion
or the whole top at little difficulty and cost. The tread of the wheels upon
the steel cap will have the tendency to tighten rather than loosen the same
upon the body by causing any lateral expansion they may occur to pass over
to the lips that clasp the side which thus hold still closer. The same pressure
will also have a tendency to expand the iron within the cap by reason of its
greater malleability. Such expansion will fill the cap and thus keep the parts
tight
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jonathan Law Booth in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JONATHAN
5 LAW BOOTH, of Rochester in the County of Monroe, and State of New York,
United States of America, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six. in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors. give and grant unto me,
the said Jonathan Law Booth, Her special licence that I. the said Jonathan
Law Booth, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I. the said Jonathan Law Booth, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILS FOR RAILWAYS, AND IN THE MODE OF
AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Jonathan Law Booth, 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 canse the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent. Office within six calendar months next and
iminediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I. the said Jonathan Law Booth, 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 accompanying Sheet of
Drawings:-
The object of the improvements is to combine a steel cap or tread piece
with an iron body in such a manner to secure the advantages of both a stcel
and iron rail. To this end the Invention consists, 1st, in the combination
of a steel cap with an iron body when the same is shrunk on 2nd, in the
combination of rollers in a suitable machine for rolling the cap on the body;
3rd. in the employment of a short section or sections at the end of the iron
body in shrinking the cap on to compensate for the contraction of said cap in
shrinking and to preserve its form.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the rollers for the preliminary rolling of the flat
steel cap or tread piece: Fig. 2, a similar view of the roller for rolling and
turning up the edges of the cap; Fig. 3, front elevation of the machine for
rolling the steel cap upon the iron body: Fig. 4, a vertical cross section of
the same in the plane of line x, x, Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a plan of one of the bearings
sustaining the horizontal rollers that bend the edges of the cap in against the
iron body: Fig. 6, perspective view of a portion of the iron body of the rail

page_text: with one of the end sections used in connection therewith for compensating
for the shrinkage of the cap and with a portion of the cap resting above;
Fig. 7, an end elevation of the complete rail. Like letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts in all the Figures.
The iron body A, which forms the main portion of the rail. is rolled of the
ordinary form lacking the cap or tread piece. I prefer making its top
convex or rounding transversely to receive the steel cap. though if desired it
may be plain or other form; the steel cap B when applied to the body of
the rail is shaped to conform to the usual tread: to this end it is passed
between rollers C. C. of such shape as to roll it out flat of suitable thickness
and width to receive the tread and turn over the top of the body and with
its edges rounded: it is then passed once or more through another set of
rollers D. D. provided with grooves and dies or rins which turn up the edge
lips at right angles, and form the concave that fits over the convex top of the
iron body: the steel cap in a heated state is now applied on top of the iron
body which is cold, and since when said cap cools it contracts to a considerable
degree I apply at one or both ends of said body a section or sections E a few
inches in length of a similar form over which the steel cap rests; the com-
bined rail is now passed through a machine for rolling the cap on the body
constructed substantially as follows: A suitable frame G is provided in
which is situated a horizontal supporting roller II having two flanges or rims
a, a, at suitable distance apart for the base of the rail to rest casily between
them, and which thus serve as guides to hold the rail in place as it is passed
through the machine. These flanges may be movable if desired to adapt
them to rails of different widths. Over this roller is situated another I formed
either solid and resting on top of the steel cap as it passes through. or as a
removable rim which slides on a suitable shaft. I prefer the latter arrange-
ment as it allows me to substitute rollers or revolving dies of varying sizes
or forms at pleasure. This roller presses the cap down firmly on the body as
the rail passes through. These two rollers are geared by two cog wheels
1, 2. on their shafts at one end. and are driven by a band wheel K or suitable
gearing at the other. The boxes or bearings in which the ends of the shaft.
of the upper roller rest are made to adjust down to produce greater pressure
by means of pressure screws L, L. passing through the frame above and resting
on them. Between the upper and lower rollers rest horizontal rollers M, M,
bearing against the edges of the steel cap and bending them in firmly against
the inclined sides of the iron body. These rollers preferably have no positive
motion of their own, but revolve simply from the contact of the rail as it
passes through the machine. They rest in bearings N consisting preferably

page_text: of two parts b, b, bolted to the frame, and bolted together so as to be easily
separated to insert or remove the rollers at pleasure. Thus arranged as the
rail is run through the machine the heated steel cap is pressed firmly to the
iron body on all sides, and the edges of the same holding under the inclined
sides of the top of said body prevent removal; then as the cap cools it
shrinks on the iron and the two form as it were one body. As the cap shrinks
it contracts from off the short section or sections E placed at the ends of the
rail, and covers simply the rail itself. Were the cap to be applied hot simply
but the length of the rail the contraction would shorten it, so that the rail
would have to be cut when cool, and on the other hand were the cap made
to overlap without the use of the section or sections it would shrink or he
rolled out of form and produce a bad contact joint. The employment of the
section or sections retains the form of the extension of the cap, and still allows
it to contract in the proper manner, and if then a little too long it can be cut
off even with the iron body.
By this method of construction I combine the advantages of both steel
and iron rails, and avoid in a great degree the defects of each; I avoid the
brittleness of solid, steel and the great wear of iron: I also avoid in a
great degree the defects that have attended the combination of superior
and inferior materials in rails heretofore. Instead of welding a steel
face upon an iron body I simply shrink it on. Where it is welded, when
the face becomes worn the whole rail must be thrown away as useless.
Where it is shrunk on it can be removed when worn and replaced by
another. It also secures great advantages over those devices where two parts
are loosely connected by one simply slipping over the other, or by bolting, or
by some equivalent means. In such case the parts are rattling and irregular
in their action producing great wear and frequent breakage.
When the cap
is shrunk on it holds closely to the iron, and the parts form as it were one
body. I thus produce a wearing surface of great resistance and toughness
and of such a character that when it becomes useless it can be replaced in part
by cutting off the defective portion or the whole top at little difficulty and cost.
By thus shrinking the cap on the iron instead of welding it, I also obviate the
difficulties of the unequal expansion and contraction of the steel and iron.
When shrunk on each part can expand or contract independently of the other.
If welded the two must expand and contract together and the inequality in
this respect will tear or separate the welding. The tread of the wheels upon
the steel cap will have the tendency to tighten rather than loosen the same
upon the body, by causing any lateral expansion that may occur to pass over
to the lips that clasp the sides which thus hold still closer. The same pressure

page_text: will also have a tendency to expand the iron within the cap by reason of its
greater malleability, such expansion will fill the cap and thus keep the parts
tight.
What I claim as my Invention is,-
1st, forming a rail for railroads by the combination of a steel cap shrunk
on an iron body, substantially as specified.
2nd, rolling the cap on the body by means of rollers I, M, M. acting upon
the top and edges of said cap, substantially as specified.
3rd, the employment of the short section or sections E at the ends of the rail
to receive the shrinkage and compensate for the contraction, substantially as
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jonathan Law Booth, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
JONATILAN LAW BOOTH. (L.S.)