IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY CROSSINGS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Georges Masure, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Banker's Clerk, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY CROSSINGS."
Sealed the 23rd October 1860, and dated the 30th April 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Georges Masure at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
April 1860.
I, GEORGES MASURE, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Banker's
Clerk, do declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY CROSSINGS," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in the construction of railway crossings,
relates to a means of constructing and arranging this part of the permanent
way so that there may be no danger of a through train being thrown off
or improperly diverted from the line at points where such improved crossings.
are placed. With my improved crossing the through line is not in any way
interfered with or divided as is now the case, in order to enable the flanges.
of the wheels of the carriages to pass across the main line, to do which.
according to the present system the rails of the line must be divided at different,
places and thereby weakened, and the continuity of the line destroyed.
Instead of this I make the rails of the crossing higher than the main rails

page_text: at all points where they cross the main line, so that a flanged wheel in
passing over the crossing will be raised up above the main line and the flange
will be allowed to pass over the same. This is effected by making the rails
of the crossing on an incline up to the main line, then giving them an
inclination in the opposite direction after passing over the main line until they
arrive at a proper level.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Georges Masure in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
October 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGES
MASURE, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Banker's Clerk, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Georges Masure, Her special license, that I, the said Georges Masure,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Georges Masure, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY CROSSINGS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Georges Masure, by an instrument in writing under
niy hand and scal; should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and causo
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 Georges Masure, 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 follow-
ing statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :—.
My Invention of "Improvements in the Construction of Railway Crossings"

page_text: rolates to a means of constructing and arranging this part of the permanent
way so that there may be no danger of a through train being thrown off
or improperly diverted from the line at points where such improved crossings
are placed. With my improved crossing the through line is not in.any way.
interfered with or divided as is now the case in order to enable the flanges
of 'the wheels of the carriages to pass across the main line, to do which
according to the present system the rails of the line, must be divided at
different places and thereby weakened, and 'the continuity of the line destroyed:
Instead of this I make the rails of the crossing higher than the main rails
at all points where they cross the main line, so that a flanged wheel in
passing over the crossing will be raised up above the main line and the
flange, will be allowed to pass over the same. This is effected by making
the rails of the crossing on an incline up to the main line, then giving them
an inclination in the opposite direction after passing over the main line until
they arrive at a proper level.
are cross-sections,
P represents what
will be seen is con-
flange of the wheel
The Figures in the accompanying Drawing represent various views of the
crossing part of a permanent way constructed according to my improvements;
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the crossing; Figures 2 and 3
taken respectively in the lines A, B, and C, D, of Fig. 1.
may be properly designated the through rail, which it
tinuous, and is not divided, as is the case, to allow the
to pass through when it is desired to leave the through line. G, G, are
parts of the crossing rail leading to the siding, or otherwise, the line of motion
of the flange of the wheel being indicated by the dotted line H, I, in Fig. 1.
Upon referring to the sectional view, Fig. 2, it will be seen that the crossing
rail G is higher at this point than the through rail P, and consequently the
wheel R will be gradually lifted up above the level of this rail, so as to enable
the flange of the wheel to pass over it without touching, or at any rate, with-
out injuring the rail by subjecting it to rude shocks. The flange of the
wheel R after passing over the rail P will run upon and be supported by the
elevated shoulder-piece O, the upper surface of which is defended by a flat
piece of iron or steel t, Fig. 8. The surface of this shoulder piece is inclined
so as to allow the wheel R to descend gradually on to the part G* of the
crossing rail on the other side of the through rail. While the wheels Rare
one by one passing over the through rail P, and the inclined shoulder-piece O,
they are kept in their place by the counter rail G, on the other side of the
way.
The through rail P, and the crossing rails G and G*, are separated by
the blocks Z, but they are secured in their places by screw bolts T, as shown

page_text: in the Drawing, or in any other convenient manner. All the several parts of
the cross, together with that part of the through rail which is adjacent thereto,
are secured to one piece of timber V, thereby giving great solidity and firm-
ness to the structure, so as to prevent the liability of accidents arising from
oscillation or defective gauge.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in the Construction
of Railway Crossings," and having explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent, the
mode herein set forth of constructing crossings on the permanent way of
railways.
In witness whereof, I, the said Georges Masure, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, the Twenty-fourth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.