Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 4th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
We, ELLISON SAUNDERS, of Austin, Texas, United States of America,
Merchant, and FRED. STERZING, also of Austin, Texas, United States of America,
Collector, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
Our invention is an improvement in that class of metallic railroad ties or sleepers
which have longitudinal tension rods. Heretofore such rods have been employed
to secure detachable clamp plates against the outer sides of the rails, in order to
hold the latter from lateral movement. In our invention no clamp plates are
employed for this purpose, but the heads of the rods bear against the solid outer
ends of the rail seats which are integral with the body of the tie. Another feature
of our invention is the construction and arrangement of parts for holding the rails
on their seats.
The improved tie or sleeper consists of a base plate having enlarged ends which
project above the level of the plate and are connected by one or more brace rods
which pass through apertures in the ends, and have a head at one end and at the
other end a nut which rests on the outside of the enlarged ends. The base plate
has on its upper surface, near the ends, blocks which are flat on the top and form
a seat for the rails. Each block is formed with a longitudinal recess or recesses for
the passage of the brace rods, and is provided with inclined apertures, preferably
square, for the passage of spikes whose heads engage the base of the rails and are
clinched on the outside of the blocks, thus preventing loosening of the spikes and
consequent loosening of the rails. Two spikes are used on each block for a single
rail, but when the ends of two rails meet together over the block, four spikes are
driven through the corresponding apertures to hold the ends of the rails securely in
place. There are transverse lugs on the under side of the base plate, preferably
located in line with the rails and serving to prevent lateral movement of the base
plate when the latter rests on top of the bed, said lugs projecting into the bed. A
single brace rod, extending over the middle of the base plate. may be employed, or
two brace rods, extending over the base plate at the sides, may be used, in the
latter case the inclined apertures for the spikes passing under the recesses.
Dated this 24th day of April 1891.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Permanent Way of Railways.
We, ELLISON SAUNDERS, of Austin, Texas, United States of America,
Merchant, and FRED. STERZING, also of Austin, Texas, United States of America,
Collector, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved metallic railroad
sleeper which is simple and durable in construction and prevents spreading of the
rails or bending of the tie rod and base plate of the sleeper.
The invention is an improvement in that class of metallic railroad sleepers which
have longitudinal tie rods. Heretofore such rods have been employed to secure

page_text: detachable clamp plates against the outer sides of the rails in order to prevent
lateral movement of the latter. In the present invention no clamp plates are
employed for this purpose but the heads of the rod or rods abut against the outer
ends of the rail seats which are practically integral with the body of the sleeper.
Another feature of the invention is the construction and arrangement of the parts
for holding the rails on their seats.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, in which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of the improved construction of sleeper.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.
Figure 3 is a cross-section of the sleeper on line 3-3 Figure 1, drawn to a
larger scale.
Figure 4 is a like view on line 4-4 Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form of the improvement.
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of the same on line 6-6 Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a similar section of a different mode of fastening.
These
Each of the
Figure 8 is a sectional plan view of the same on line 8-8 Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a plan view of a modified form of the improvement; and
Figure 10 is a transverse section of the same, on line 10-10 Figure 9.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
The improved metallic railroad sleeper is formed of a base plate A having
downwardly-bent end flanges B and preferably made of wrought iron or steel of
suitable width. On the plate A are fixed or formed the blocks C and C¹ secured
by rivets or bolts D or other means to plate A, as shewn in Figure 4.
blocks C and C are preferably of cast or malleable iron of a suitable height and
length and they are connected with each other by a tie rod E, the head E and a
nut E2 of which abut against the outer ends of the blocks C and C¹.
blocks or C'has a recess C2 extending from the inside to within a suitable
distance of the outer end of the block and through which the tie rod E passes. On
the top of each block may also be formed a recess C³ forming a seat for the base of
the rail so that sidewise movement of the rail on the blocks is prevented, the
recesses C³ being of a depth corresponding to the thickness of the base of the rail.
In Figures 9 and 10 however, the blocks C and C' have no recess (³. In
Figures 1 and 2 the tie rod E passes through a block G fixed by a ring or bolt on
the base plate A at or near the middle thereof. The rails F and F are secured in
their seats in the blocks and (1 by spikes H preferably four in number driven
through apertures formed in the blocks C or C₁ the said apertures being inclined
so as to open out at the sides of the blocks and preferably made square so that
when the spikes are driven in they cannot turn in their apertures and their heads
will engage the bases of the rails and when in that position the projecting points of
the spikes may be clinched at the sides of the blocks, thus preventing loosening of
the spikes and the consequent loosening of the rails. Only two spikes are usually
used on each block for a single rail, but when the ends of two rails make a joint
over the block, as is illustrated to the right in Figure 9, then four spikes are driven
through the corresponding apertures to hold the cuds of the rail securely in
place.
Instead of clinching the points of the spikes, the apertures J for the spikes H
nay be formed with a bend and twist J' at about half way down the block C or C₁₂
as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, so that the lower half of the aperture is out of
alignment with the upper half, as is plainly seen in Figure 8. The ordinary spike
when driven in this aperture follows its shape and is consequently bent at the
middle and twisted in at its lower half so that the spike is not liable to get loose.
By tightening up the nut E2 on the tie rod E any necessary initial tension may be
applied to prevent spreading of the rails. In order to prevent separation of the
rod E and the plate A near the middle, they are connected by the block G
above described. On curves or switches the guard or switching rail 1 is fastened
on an extension C4 of the block Cor (", as shown in Figures and 6, this

page_text: extension C being formed under the rail I with a recess C³ to lighten it and afford
room for the nut or head of the tie rod E. On this extension C is also secured by
spikes, or formed integral with the extension, a block or jaw N bearing against the
outer side of the rail I at the head and web, as shewn.
It will be seen that this metallic railroad sleeper is very simple and durable
in construction and permits of using ordinary spikes for securely fastening the
rails.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is―-
1. In a metallic railroad sleeper, the combination, with the base plate, of the
blocks resting on the base plate and bolted or rivetted thereto, the blocks being
formed with rail receiving recesses and spike apertures at opposite sides of the
recesses, substantially as shewn and described.
2. In a metallic railroad sleeper, the combination, with the base plate, the blocks
rivetted or bolted thereon, rail seats in the blocks, and spike receiving apertures at
opposite sides of the seats, of the headed tie rod extending through the said blocks
above the base plate and provided with a nut, substantially as shewn and
described.
3. In a metallic railroad sleeper, the combination, with the base plate, of sets of
blocks secured or formed thereon each provided with inclined apertures and of spikes
driven through the said apertures and bearing by their heads on the bases of the
rails and having their points clinched at the sides of the blocks, substantially as
shewn and described.
4. In a metallic railroad sleeper, the combination, with a base plate, of blocks
secured thereon by rivets or bolts, a tie rod extending through the said blocks and
bearing against the solid outer ends of the same, and a block interposed between
the said base plate and rod midway between the other two blocks, substantially as
shewn and described.
5. In a metallic railroad sleeper, the combination, with a base plate, of blocks
secured thereon by rivets or bolts and each having on its top a recess forming a
seat for the base of the rail, a tie rod extending through the said blocks and
bearing against the solid outer ends of the same and a second block held between
the said base plate and rod inidway between the other blocks, substantially as
shewn and described.
6. A metallic railroad sleeper provided with a block having a spike aperture
formed with a bend and a twist in its lower half, substantially as shewn and
described.
7. In a metallic railroad sleeper, the combination, with a spike, of a block having
an aperture adapted to receive the said spike and formed at or near its middle with
a bend and a twist in its lower half, substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 4th day of November 1901
353 IC
E. SAUNDERS.
F. STERZING.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.