CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1853

page_text: Sealed the 14th June 1853, and dated the 21st April 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Carr at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st April 1853.
1. HENRY CARR, of East Retford, in the County of Nottingham,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS" to be as
follows:-
For an additional plate of iron let into the side of the I shaped rails
forming the "points," point rails, and wing rails, so as to make the
side flush with the top and bottom flanges of the rail, and for strength-
ening the same, thereby preventing the splitting of that part of the
rails used for crossings, upon which the edge of the wheels run, and
take a bearing, and likewise for the construction of an ordinary switch
or stock rail of the I form, made with an additional plate for support-
ing the upper flange, when the wheels bear partially upon the rails
[Price Sd.]

page_text: (instead of an additional plate of iron, the rail may be rolled with the
extra thickness of iron on one side), and also for the construction of
the B, and C, chairs with a fixed block and a moveable block, in such
manner that, by driving in two keys or wedges, the whole of the rails
seated in each chair may be firmly wedged up, and thereby motion in
the point prevented.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Carr, in the Great Seal Patent Oflice, on
the 19th October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
HENRY CARR, late of East Retford, but now of Peterborough, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Carr, Her special licence
that I, the said Henry Carr, my
my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Carr, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Henry Carr, 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 per-
formed, 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 Henry Carr, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say):
My improvements in the construction of railways consist in, firstly,
forming the inner part of the wing rails of railway crossings solid,
instead of with an overhanging flange, as in the ordinary crossing of
1 formed rails. Figure 1, of the accompanying drawings represents
a general plan of an acute crossing; Figure 2, is a section on the
line a, b, of Figure 1, shewing two wing rails formed in this manner.
a, is the common I rail; and b, a filling piece between the upper and
lower inner flanges. This filling piece prevents the splitting or shear-
ing of the upper flange of the rail, where the edge of the wheel bears
upon the overhanging part; it may be welded to the rail, or the rail
may be rolled, or otherwise constructed of the sectional form of the
ordinary rail and filling piece combined. The filling piece is .con-
tinued to the part of the rail where the wheel first takes its bearing, or
as far as is found to be necessary.
Secondly, in strengthening the middle and overhanging flanges of
the point or point rails, by the introduction of the filling piece above
described.
Thirdly, in constructing the two middle chairs of a railway crossing
(commonly called the B and C chairs) in such manner that the
whole of the rails, when placed in each chair, shall be wedged up by
driving in two wooden keys, for the purpose of giving solidity to the
point or rails in the chair, and avoiding that motion which causes them
to work loose, and for preventing the rails rising from the chairs, there
is a fillet cast on the distance piece, and also a fillet formed on the loose
block, which fit into grooves or mortices made in the wing and point
rails. Figure 3, is an elevation of a B chair, with the point rails,
wing rails, and keys, in section. a, represents the chair; b, b, the wing
rails; c, c, the point rails, strengthened with the filling pieces d, d; e, is
a loose block or distance piece, in place of the usual block cast on the
chair; f, is a wooden key or wedge, for tightening the wing rail b;
and f, the key for securing the wing rail b, loose block e, and point
rails c, c, firmly against the fixed block g. Figure 4, is a plan of a B
chair, with the rails and wedges removed. Figure 5, is a view of a

page_text: are
C, chair with the wing rails, point and wedges, in section.
a, a¹,
'the wing rails, with the filling pieces b, b'; c, the point; d, the loose
block or distance piece; and e, e¹, the tightening keys or wedges..
Fourthly, in supporting in a similar manner, with filling pieces, the
upper flanges of switches and stock rails of the ordinary form, where
the wheels bear partially upon the rails.
Claims. Firstly, the construction of the wing rails of railway cross-
ings, with filling in pieces.
Secondly, the construction of the point of the point rails of railway
crossings, with filling in pieces.
Thirdly, the construction of point rails with filling pieces.
Fourthly, the formation of wing rails, points, and point rails, of
railway crossings, by rolling them in one entire piece of the sectional
form of the ordinary I rail and filling piece combined.
Fifthly, the formation of wing rails, points, and point rails of railway
crossings, by forging them in an entire piece, of the sectional form of
the ordinary I rail and filling piece combined..
Sixthly, the formation of wing rails, points, and point. rails of railway
crossings, by casting them of malleable iron, of the form of the ordinary
I rail and filling piece combined.
Seventhly, the construction and arrangement of railway Schairs
with loose blocks and wedges, in the manner above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Carr, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness, R. N. MANTELL,
Civil Engineer, Peterborough.
HENRY CARK. (L.S.)