IMPROVEMENTS IN JOINTS FOB RAIL- ROAD RAILS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN JOINTS FOB RAIL-
ROAD RAILS." -A communication from abroad by Joseph Adams,
of Fair Haven, in the State of Vermont, United States of America.
Sealed the 31st August 1869, and dated the 13th April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 13th April 1869.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN JOINTS FOR BAIL-
ROAD RAILS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a new and improved method of forming the
joints of railroad rails, and consists in connecting the ends of the rails
by tongue and groove, and by a stay and side rail for breaking the joint
and to assist in resisting the tread of the wheels.

page_text: In the neck of the ordinary T rail a tongue and groove joint is formed,
and this joint extends entirely through the neck. A stay of any desired
length is made to fit into the neck of the rail, and a supplementary rail
is added on the other side, the lower portion of which fits into the neck
of the rail like the former, but its upper portion extends up and around
the outside of the rail, and its upper edge is sufficiently elevated to
take the tread of the wheels of the locomotive and cars or trucks so that
the ends of the rails will be in a measure relieved from pressure, and the
wear and disagreeable jolt occasioned by the striking of the wheels
against the ends of the rails will be avoided. The stay and the short rail
are firmly bolted to the rail by bolts which pass through slots so as to
allow for the expansion and contraction of the rail.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 13th October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence, that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, 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 "IMPROVEMENT IN JOINTS FOR RAILROAD RAILS," being a communi-
cation to me from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the

page_text: 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):
-
This Invention relates to a new and improved method of forming
the joints of railroad rails, and consists in connecting the ends of the
rails by tongue and groove, and by a stay and side rail for breaking the
joint and to assist in resisting the tread of the wheels.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents a vertical cross
section through the joint showing the method of staying it and the
arrangement of the stays; Fig. 2 is a side view of the rail showing the
tongue and groove joint.
A is the ordinary Trail, in the neck of which the tongue and groove
joint is formed, as seen in Fig. 2 at B, and this joint extends entirely
through the neck; C is a stay of any desired length, which is made to
fit into the neck of the rail, and D is a supplementary rail the lower
portion of which fits into the neck of the rail like the former one C, but
its upper portion extends up and around the outside of the rail, and
its upper edge is sufficiently elevated to take the tread of the wheels of
the locomotive and cars or trucks so that the ends of the rails will be
in a measure relieved from pressure, and the wear and disagreeable jolt
occasioned by the striking of the wheels against the ends of the rails
will be avoided. The stay C and the short rail D are firmly bolted to
the rail by bolts E which pass through slots so as to allow for the
expansion and contraction of the rail.
It will be seen that one of the principal objects of the Invention is to
prevent the ends of the rails from rising so as to form an uneven surface,
which would cause the wheels to jump or jolt. This may also be done
by making the rail in two parts longitudinally, and forming a feather or
projecting piece on one part and a corresponding groove to receive it on
the other part, and then bolting the two parts together by bolts. By

page_text: arranging these parts to break joint a continuous rail may be produced.
The top of each part or half of the rail is rounded so as to form on
each rail a central longitudinal crease or groove in order to bring the
pressure of the car wheels directly over the centre of the neck of each
part of the rail and prevent the car wheels from breaking off the
contiguous edges.
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, and having explained the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to
me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, constructing railroad rails with
tongue and groove joints, as and for the purpose herein set forth.
I claim also the use of stay bar C and the supplementary rail D
supported by the bolts E, as herein shewn and described and for the
purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.