CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAIRS AND CROSSINGS FOR THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Armstrong, of the Normanton Station,
Wakefield, in the County of York, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAIRS AND CROSSINGS FOR THE PERMANENT WAY OF
RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 8th May 1855, and dated the 18th November 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Armstrong at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th November 1854.
. I, JOSEPH ARMSTRONG, of the Normanton Station, Wakefield, in the County.
of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAIRS AND CROSSINGS FOR THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS"
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object a more efficient mode than heretofore
practised of securing the crossing rails employed for directing and guiding a
train of railway carriages from one line of rails to another. The mode here-
tofore adopted of securing such said crossing rails has been to employ as many
distinct and separate chairs as have been deemed sufficient to hold the crossing
rails in proper position; and the features of novelty of this Invention consist,
firstly, in forming such said-several.chairs in one piece of metal, constituting a
compound chair, instead of-employing separate chairs, as above stated; and-in-

page_text: arranging the bearing parts thereof. (in and upon which the crossing rails rest)
at suitable distances asunder, and connecting such parts all together by casting
them with the said base plate, thereby forming one entire casting, by the use
and employment of which a considerably larger amount of bearing surface is
obtained, and consequently more solidity and durability of the crossing rails
than if single chairs were employed, as commonly practised; and, secondly,
in forming the middle portion of the said compound chair in such manner and
of such shape as that the flanges of the wheels of the carriages bear
slightly thereon, for the purpose of preventing the point of the crossing from
becoming worn, as is now the case, and by which the even surface of such
said part becomes soon destroyed, and the point thereby rendered useless.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Armstrong in the Great Seal Patent, Office on the
12th May 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
ARMSTRONG, of the Normanton Station, Wakefield, in the County of York,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Joseph Armstrong, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph Arm-
strong, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Joseph Armstrong, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CHAIRS AND CROSSINGS FOR THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Armstrong, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Armstrong, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):-
My Invention has for its object a more efficient mode than heretofore
practised of securing the crossing rails employed for directing and guiding a
train of railway carriages from one line of rails to another. The mode here-
tofore adopted of securing such said crossing rails has been to employ as many
distinct and separate chairs as have been deemed sufficient to hold the crossing
rails in proper position. Now, the features of novelty of my said Invention
consists, firstly, in forming such said several chairs in one piece of metal, con-
stituting a compound chair, instead of employing separate chairs, as above
stated;
and in arranging the bearing parts thereof (in and upon which the
bearing, rails rest) at suitable distances asunder, and connecting such parts all
together by casting them with the base plate, thereby forming one entire cast-
ing, by the use and employment of which a considerably larger amount of
bearing surface for the rails is obtained, and consequently more solidity and
durability of the crossing rails than if single or separate chairs were employed,
as commonly practised; and, secondly, in forming the middle portion of the
said compound chair in such manner and of such shape as that the flanches of
the wheels of the carriages bear slightly thereon, for the purpose of preventing
the point of the crossing from becoming worn, as is now the case, and by
which the even surface of such said part becomes soon destroyed, and the point
thereby rendered useless.
7
And I would here remark that I am aware of an arrangement having here-
tofore been employed for effecting the above object, by taking the pressure of
the tyres of the wheels off the rails (at those parts of a line of railway where
a. crossing occurs), and transferring the pressure to or supporting the weight
upon pieces of metal (steel by preference), on which the flanches of said wheels
bear, but said pieces of metal have been formed distinct, and separate from the
casting to which they are affixed; I do not, therefore, lay any claim to the use
of such said pieces for the purpose set forth, except when the same are com-
bined with the chairs and base plate, as herein-after particularly described, set
forth, and represented.
But in order to explain my said improvements as completely as possible, I
now proceed, to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying
the same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet
of Drawings hereunto annexed, and-to the numeral figures and letters of
reference marked thereon respectively, as follows:

page_text: "
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of my improved forms of crossings;
Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof; Figure 3 is a transverse and vertical
section, through the line A, B, at Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a transverse
and vertical section through the line C, D, at Figures 1 and 2; Figure 5 is a
side elevation of another mode of constructing and arranging crossing rails
according to my said Invention; Figure 6 is a top plan view thereof; Figure 7
is a transverse and vertical section, through the line E, F, at Figures 5 and 6 ;'
Figure 8 is a transverse and vertical section, through the line G, H, at Figures
5 and 6. At each of the foregoing Figures I employ similar letters of reference
to denote corresponding parts, in so far as such parts appear or can be seen at
each of the said Figures respectively. At Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, A, A, represents
à cast-iron base plate, upon which are cast the chairs B, B, and bearing
piece C, for the tyres of the running wheels of the carriages to bear and run
upon; D and E are the crossing rails. The rails D, D, are keyed or wedged
in the chairs B, B, in the manner usually practised, and I form the end of the
point rail E with a shoulder, as at e, and plane or cast the rail F so that the
end thereof abuts against such said shoulder, and comes flush with the top and
side of the rail E, said rails being securely held in this position by forming the
casting with a recess, into which these rails fit when pushed therein. Another
mode of forming and attaching the point rail to the main rails (and which I
prefer, as being more simple in its construction, and easily repaired or replaced
by a new point,) is exhibited at Figure 6, where G marks the point formed of
malleable cast iron, and held in position by placing it in a recess formed in the
base plate A, as before mentioned, with reference to Figure 2; or I cast the
piece G, in combination with the base plate A, chairs B, B, and bearing piece C,
of one C of one entire piece of metal, and I form the rails E and F with butt
ends, and bevil the end of the point G, to suit the diversion of the rails E and
F, as exhibited, and I-connect these said rails with the point G by "fishing
pieces 9, g, of any suitable form. By this mode of connecting the point with
the crossing rails I am enabled to turn the point G over when the upper
surface becomes worn, so as to present a new surface for the wheels to run
upon, making allowance for the worn surface, so as to keep it in the bed plate,
by placing a packing piece in the recess of the bed plate in which the point
rests; and when both surfaces of the point piece G are worn, I remove the
same, and substitute in place thereof a new point piece, which it will appear
évident can be readily done, and the crossing rails E and F connected thereto
by the "fishing" pieces 9, 9.
"°'

page_text: Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention of
Certain Improvements in Chairs and Crossings for the Permanent Way of
Railways, and in what manner the same is to be and may be performed, I
would remark, in conclusion, that I claim as my Invention, the improved modes
above particularly described, set forth, and represented, of constructing such
said chairs and crossings, by combining them together in the manner above
stated; and more particularly the casting of the chairs B, the bed plate A, and
the bearing pieces C, (upon which, the flanges of the wheels run,) (either with
or without the piece G,) in one entire piece of metal, as exhibited at Figures
1, 2, 3, 4, of the Drawings hereunto annexed, and above particularly
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Armstrong, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
5
Witness,
GEORGE PAYTON,
No. 8, Queen Street, Leeds.
JOSEPH ARMSTRONG. (L.s.)