IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Livesey, of No. 9, Victoria Chambers, Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Livesey at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th May 1881.
JAMES LIVESEY, of No. 9, Victoria Chambers, Westminster, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND
TRAMWAYS."
My Invention relates to the permanent way of railways and tramways, and is
directed principally to the construction of sleepers, chairs, or supports for the rails,
and means of securing the rails thereto. For flanged rails I construct a cast sleeper
in the following manner-I cast on the face of the sleeper on one side of its centre
a rib projecting upwards to form an abutment of considerable length for one edge
of the rail flange. This rib or parts of it may be made to project a little over the
flange as a clip or clips. On the other side of the rail flange I cast into the sleeper
an iron or steel jaw projecting up from the face of the sleeper, preferably at an
inclination inwards towards the rail. The inner face of this jaw is serrated or
corrugated, and a correspondingly serrated or corrugated metal key is driven
between it and the side of the rail.
The jaw springs sufficiently to permit of the
key being driven, and the serrations or corrugations prevent the key from after-
wards being loosened out by vibration. According to another construction I cast
the sleeper with a curved hole passing through the body of the metal from side to
side under the bearing of the rail, and into and through this hole I drive a clip
headed bolt or bar, so that the cliphead takes onto and secures one edge of the rail
flange, the other edge of the rail flange being butted against or clipped over by a
rib projecting from the sleeper. The bolt or bar being driven through the curved
hole is bent in its passage, so that its elasticity causes it to hold tightly, but for
better security its point projecting through the hole may be bent over, or it may
have corrugations or serrations on its upper or lower side engaging with corre-
sponding serrations or corrugations in the curved hole. Corrugated or serrated

page_text: metal keys may be employed for securing bridge rails by driving them between the
rail and a rigid jaw, the side of the rail itself having sufficient spring to permit of
the driving of the key, the serrations or corrugations preventing it from being
loosened out afterwards by vibration. Or I employ a key of iron or other metal
which is serrated or corrugated on the face fitting against the serrated jaw of the
chair, while the face bearing against the rail, whether of the bridge, doubleheaded,
or vignoles description is hollowed out so that only the ends of the key take a
bearing. By this means the middle part of the key has sufficient elasticity to
spring into the serrations of the jaw when driven between this and the rail.
When flanged rails are placed on wooden sleepers I interpose between the rail
flange and the sleeper a wrought iron or steel plate, so as to give additional bearing
surface for the rail and also to give the rail the required tilt without having to
cut the face of the sleeper as is usually done for that purpose. I make this plate
by pressing or rolling, so as to present on its upper face an incline which may be
formed by pressing up the metal at one or more parts of its length, so that the
rail finds inclined parts to rest on, while the plate also presents on its lower surface
level portions to bear on the sleeper. The plate may be made with a projecting
rib to form an abutment for either edge of the rail flange, or with two such ribs as
abutments for both edges. Otherwise a portion of the metal of the plate may be
cut and bent up and over so as to form a clip as well as an abutment for the rail
flange. Either or both ends of the plate or their angles are with advantage bent
down, so that when the plate or rail is fixed down these bent down parts penetrate
the wood of the sleeper and so prevent the plate from shifting.
For securing flanged rails to plate sleepers I employ clip pieces of iron or steel
which can be withdrawn sufficiently to admit of the placing of the rail, and can
then be advanced to clip over the edge of its flange. Each of those clip pieces has
a recess in its upper face to receive the square head of the bolt or rivet which
secures it to the plate. This bolt or rivet passes through a round hole in the
sleeper plate and forms a pivot which can be turned along with the clip piece.
For placing the rail the clip pieces are turned sideways towards the rail flange,
and when the rail is placed they are turned one quarter round, so that they extend
over the edge of the rail flange. Instead of making the clip piece to turn it may be
made to slide, for which purpose its bolt or rivet passes through a slotted hole in
the clip or sleeper plate. For placing the rail the clips are drawn back, and when
it is placed they are advanced so as to engage the edge of the rail flange.
prevent the clips from being slacked back by vibration the clip may have a rib or
edge on its under surface to take into a slight indentation of the sleeper plate.
To
For rolling wrought iron or steel chairs I roll a bar sufficiently wide to form the
base of the chair, and having two vertical ribs to form its jaws. I afterwards by
passing the bar between suitable rollers bend inwards one of those jaws to such
form as will clip over the rail base on one side, and the other also slightly inwards
to form the key jaw. I cut the bar so prepared into suitable lengths, each
constituting a chair.
For securing tram rails to their supports or standards I make the rail with a
flange projecting downwards at each side somewhat dovetailed internally to embrace
the head of the standard, between which and the rail flange on one side I drive a
serrated or corrugated key, the flange springing to admit of its being driven over
corresponding serrations or corrugations on the side of the support or standard.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Livesey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
November 1881.
JAMES LIVESEY, of No. 9, Victoria Chambers, Westminster, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND
TRAMWAYS."
My Invention relates to the permanent way of railways and tramways, and is
directed principally to the construction of sleepers, chairs, or supports for the rails,
and means of securing the rails thereto.
For flanged rails I construct a cast sleeper and fix the rail thereto, as shewn in
section at Fig. 1, and in plan at Fig. 2. I cast on the face of the sleeper on one
side of its centre a rib A projecting upwards to form an abutment of considerable
length for one edge of the rail flange. This rib or parts of it may be made, as
shewn at a, to project a little over the flange as a clip or clips. On the other side
of the rail flange I cast into the sleeper an iron or steel jaw B projecting up from
the face of the sleeper, preferably inclined, as shewn, inwards towards the rail.
The inner face of the jaw B is serrated or corrugated, and a correspondingly
serrated or corrugated metal key C is driven between it and the side of the rail.
The jaw B springs sufficiently to permit of the key C being driven, and the
serrations or corrugations prevent the key from afterwards being loosened out by
vibration.
According to another construction, shewn in section at Fig. 3, and in plan at
Fig. 4, I cast the sleeper with a curved hole D passing through the body of the
metal from side to side under the bearing of the rail, and into and through this
bole I drive a clip headed bolt or bar E, so that the cliphead takes on to and
secures one edge of the rail flange, the other edge of the flange being butted
against or clipped over by a rib A projecting from the sleeper. The bolt or bar E
being driven through the curved hole is bent in its passage, so that its elasticity
causes it to hold tightly, but for better security its point projecting through the
hole may be bent over, as shewn at e, or it may have transverse corrugations or
serrations on its upper or lower side engaging with corresponding corrugations or
serrations in the curved hole D.
Corrugated or serrated metal keys may be employed, as shewn in section at
Fig. 5, and in plan at Fig. 6, for securing bridge rails by driving them between
the rail and a rigid jaw B, the side of the rail itself having sufficient spring to
permit of the driving of the key C, the serrations or corrugations of which prevent
it from being loosened out afterwards by vibration. As shown in the plan, Fig. 7,
a metal key C serrated or corrugated on the face fitting against the serrated or
corrugated jaw B may be used for fastening rails generally, whether of the bridge,
double headed, or flanged kind, the key being hollowed out so that only parts c, c,
at its ends take a bearing against the rail. The middle part of the key has
sufficient elasticity to spring into the serrations of the jaw B when driven between
it and the rail.
When flanged rails are placed on wooden sleepers I interpose between the rail
flange and the sleeper a wrought iron or steel plate F, as shewn in section at Fig. 8,
and in plan at Fig. 9, so as to give additional bearing surface, and also to give the
rail the required tilt or inclination without having to cut the face of the sleeper.
In order to obtain lightness of material I make the plate F' by pressing or rolling,
so as to present on its upper face an incline which may be formed by pressing up
the metal at one or more parts of its length, so that the rail finds inclined parts to

page_text: rest on, while the plate also presents on its lower surface level portions to bear on
the sleeper. The plate may be made with projecting ribs or may have portions of
its metal cut and bent up to form abutments and clips for one edge of the rail
flange. Either or both ends of the plate or their angles f, f, are with advantage
bent down, so that when the plate or rail is fixed down these bent down parts
penetrate the wood of the sleeper and prevent the plate from shifting.
For securing flanged rails to plate sleepers, I adopt the arrangement shewn in
section at Fig. 10, and in plan at Fig. 11. I employ clip pieces G of iron or steel
which can be withdrawn sufficiently to admit of placing the rail, and can then be
advanced to clip over the edge of its flange. Each clip piece has a recess in its
upper face to receive the square head H of the bolt or rivet which secures it to the
plate of the sleeper. This bolt or rivet passes through a round hole in the sleeper
plate, and forms a pivot which can be turned along with the clip piece G. For
placing the rail the clip pieces are turned sideways towards the rail, and when the
rail is placed they are turned one quarter round, so that they extend over the edge
of the rail flange. Instead of making the clip piece to turn it may be arranged to
slide to and from the rail, its bolt or rivet passing through a slotted hole in the
sleeper plate. To prevent the clip from being slacked back by vibration, it may
have on its under surface a rib or edge to take into a slight indentation of tho
sleeper plate.
For rolling wrought iron or steel chairs I roll a bar sufficiently wide to form the
base of the chair and having two vertical ribs to form its jaws, as shewn in the
section, Fig. 12. I afterwards by passing the bar through suitable rollers, as
shewn in Fig. 13, bend inwards one of these jaws to such form as will clip over
the rail base on one side, and the other also slightly inwards to form the key jaw.
I cut the bar so prepared into suitable lengths, each constituting a chair, as shewn
in Fig. 14.
For securing tram rails to their supports or standards I make the rail, as shewn
in section at Fig. 15, with a flange projecting down at each side somewhat dove-
tailed internally to embrace the head of the standard J, a side view of which is
shewn at Fig. 16. Between the rail flange at one side and the side of the standard
I drive a key K, shewn in side view at Fig. 17, this key being serrated or
corrugated to correspond with serrations or corrugations on the face of the
standard. The flange of the rail springs sufficiently to allow the key to be driven
and to engage the serrations, which prevent it from being afterwards slacked out
by vibration.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim,--
First. For supporting and fixing a flanged rail the use of the cast sleeper having
a butting and clipping rib A and a serrated spring jaw B in combination with a
serrated key C, as herein described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
Second. For supporting and fixing a flanged rail the use of the cast sleeper
having a rib A and curved hole D in combination with a clip headed bolt or bar E,
as herein described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4.
Third. For supporting and fixing a bridge rail the combination of a chair or
sleeper having a rib A and serrated jaw B with a serrated key C, as herein
described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6.
Fourth. The use for fixing rails of a serrated key Chollowed along its middle to
allow of spring, as herein described with reference to Fig. 7.
Fiftb. For bedding flanged rails on wooden sleepers the use of plates F pressed or
rolled to shape, as herein described with reference to Figs. 8 and 9.
Sixth. For fixing a flanged rail to a plate sleeper the use of a turning clip
piece G with its bolt or rivet H operating as a pivot, as herein described with
reference to Figs. 10 and 11.
Seventh. The construction of rolled metal chairs, herein described with reference
to Figs. 12, 13. and 14.

page_text: Eighth. For supporting and fixing tram rails the use of a standard J with
serrated face in combination with a serrated key K, as herein described with
reference to Figs. 15, 16, and 17.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Livesey, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty first day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
JAMES LIVESEY. (L.S.)