IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CROSSINGS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT. to Henry Columbus Hurry, Civil Engineer, of Wolver-
hampton, in the County of Stafford, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN RAILWAY CROSSINGS."
Sealed the 18th February 1857, and dated the 15th August 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Columbus Hurry
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th August 1856.
I, HENRY COLUMBUS HURRY, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CROSSINGS," to be as follows,
namely:-
The substitution of the continuation of the main line rail, unbroken through
the crossing, for the present point and wing rails, and passing the wheels of
carriages, &c. when traversing a crossing over the main line rail, by which
is removed the present gap or break in the main line, and the consequent
danger and wear and tear; also the means or apparatus by which this
is accomplished.
For the purpose of shewing more clearly the nature of my proposed improve-
ments, I have hereto appended a Drawing delineating one mode of carrying
out my Invention.
In the Drawing, a, a, &c., are three of the rails of a double main line; b, b,

page_text: &c., are the rails of a cross-over road; c, c, &c., are check rails, as in the
ordinary crossing; f, f, are plates or flat rails, laid from the rails of the cross-
over road b, b, to the outer sides of the rails a, a, of the main line, on a level
with the upper surface of such main rail, and in the direction that the flange
of a wheel passing along the rails b, b, will traverse; the end of this plate by the
side of the rail 6 is gradually declined, so that the wheels may pass easily
from the flange to to the ordinary bearing of the surface of the tire upon the
rail 6, and vice versa. 9, 9, are similar plates, inclined in the same way for
receiving the flanges of wheels, when the wheels cease to bear upon the rails
b, b; d, d, are wedges or plates with inclined under surfaces resting upon fixed
inclines e, e, for the purpose of filling up the space between the plates g, g, and
the main line rails a, a, so that when the wedge d is up there is a continuous
surface for the flanges of the wheels to travel upon from the one portion of the
rail b, (where it ends, to allow the passing of wheels upon the main line rail,)
to the other portion of the rail b on the other side of the main line rail, as
shewn in section B, B. The wedges d, d, are put up by means of the lever
and -k; k; the rods k; k, passing to the levers and
gearing of the points at each end of the cross-over road.
i; i, and the rods h, h;
It will be seen that the crossing can be worked by these rods k, k, from
either end of the cross-over road. m is a weight, for the purpose of causing
the wedges to fall back when the point lever is released. In the sections at
A, A, and B, B, the wedge d is shewn in line as up, for passing through,
crossing by the rails b, b, and in dotted lines (thus
) as down
when the crossing is right for the main line. There are other ways in which
my Invention may be carried out, which shall be more particularly described
in my Complete Specification; for instance, in lieu of the wedge d and rail f,
there may be a switch rail thrown over the main line rail; or, in some instances,
the wedge d may be dispensed with, the rails b, b, being raised in such a way
that it will deliver the wheels over the space left for the flanges of wheels
passing along the main line rail. There are too, ways of making the crossing
self-acting, by-making the check rails or other bars to act as levers, and so
causing the wheels in passing to put up the wedges-d; which arrangement is
suited for many 'situations. The wedge d-need not be raised by inclines, nor
need it work in the direction shewn; it may be worked up by eccentrics, cams;
levers, &c., and in any direction, as may be most convenient for each particular
case.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Columbus Hurry in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th February 1857.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
COLUMBUS HURRY, Civil Engineer, of Wolverhampton, in the County of
Stafford, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Henry Columbus Hurry, her special licence that I, the said Henry Columbus
Hurry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such .others as I, the
said Henry Columbus Hurry, 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 terin 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CROSSINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Henry Columbus Hurry, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the 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 Henry Columbus Hurry, 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
following statement, that is to say:-
The substitution of the continuation of the main or other line rail, unbroken
through the crossing, for the present "point and wing rails," or "point and
elbow rails," and passing the wheels of carriages, &c. (when going across a
main or other line) over the main or other line rail without the use of such
point and wing or elbow rails, by which is prevented the present gap or
break in the main or other line rail, and its continuity and safety are secured.
Also (in cases where it is not necessary to preserve the continuity of either of
the rails), the construction of a safe and efficient crossing without the point and
wing or elbow rails. Also, the particular means and apparatus by which the
abovo is accomplished.

page_text: And in order that my Invention may be clearly understood, I have appended
to this my Specification certain illustrative Drawings, which I will now proceed
to describe.
Fig. 1 represents (in plan) an "elbow crossing;" and Figs. 3 and 4 the
two single crossings necessitated by the passing of one pair of rails through a
main or other line; Figs. 3 and 4, for the sake of illustration, shew two
modes of carrying out my Invention, as shall be more particularly described;
Fig. 2 represents (in plan) the crossings of a "through crossing," or "cross-
over road;" Fig. 5 represents (in plan) the crossing of two rails, where it is
not required to preserve the continuity of either rail; Fig. 6 is a section in
the line A, A, Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a section in the line B, B, Fig. 3. These
two Figures 6 and 7 are (with the exception of the difference in length, &c.,
caused by variation of the angle of the crossings) equally true sections in the
lines A, A, and B, B, in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 13 is a section in the line B', B',
Fig. 4. The other Figures shew matters of detail, which will be duly described.
In all the Figures the same letters refer to the same parts.
a, a, &c., are the rails of the main line; b, 61, &c., are the rails of the
line crossing the main line, or of the cross-over road, or of a sideing; c, c, &c.,
are check rails. The rails b, b, &c., are raised as they approach the main
line rail, so that at about one foot from where they terminate, as shewn in
the Drawings, their top surface shall be sufficiently above that of the main
line rail to allow of the ordinary flanges of wheels passing over such main
line rail on the level (say about 11 inches); the last lengths of about a foot
of these rails b, 61, &c., are bent down, so that the top surface at their extreme
point shall be on the same level as the main line. For this bend I prefer
an S curve, as shewn. These rails 6, 6, &c., terminate as close to the main
line as practicable on the outside, leaving sufficient space for the passing of
the widest tyres in use, and inside the main line leaving sufficient space for
the flanges of wheels on the main line rail to pass freely. From the ends of
the rails b, b, &c., to the outside of the main line rail, in the lines or directions
that the flanges of wheels traversing the rails 6, 6', &c., would pass, are laid
packings or plates f. f, &c., on the same level as the upper surface of the
main line rails. One end of this packing lays along the inside of the rail b
for some length, and is depressed or bent down a little, by which means,
combined with the depression of the end of the rail b, before described, it will
at once be seen (by the section in line A, A, at Fig. 6) that wheels will change
from bearing on the ordinary bearing surface of the tyre to bearing upon the
flange, and vice versa, smoothly, however the depths of the flanges may vary;
and wheels without flanges will also pass down and up without jump or blow.

page_text: inches, to make
For the double
the manner of
For the bridge rail, the
The edge of the packing f, f, &c., which lays against the outside of the main
line rail, should be planed to fit the rail, and should lap the upper edge about
half an inch. The packing f may be made of any section of iron, according
to the judgment of the engineer, but it should not be less than four inches
wide on the upper surface. I prefer that it should be six
plenty of allowance for wheels and line being out of gauge.
flanged rail, the section shewn at Fig. 17 may be used, and
connecting it with the rail is shewn at Fig. 16.
packing may be made of sheet iron, from one and a half to two inches in
thickness, laid upon hard wood packing to raise it to the proper level.
Similar packings g, g, &c., are placed in the same way at the sides and ends
of the rails b, b, &c., inside the main line rail, but terminating sufficiently far
from it to allow the flanges of wheels traversing the main line to pass freely.
In the space so formed, between the end of the rail b, the packing g, and
the main line rail, is placed the wedge d, which is a plate or bar having
inclined under surfaces, resting upon fixed inclines e, e, (Figs. 6, 7, 14, & 15)
for the purpose of filling up the space between the packing g and the main
line rail a, so that when the wedge or packing d is up there is a continuous
surface for the flanges of the wheels to travel upon for the distance between
the one portion of the rail 6 (where it ends, to allow of the passage of the
wheels upon the main line), to the other portion of the rail b on the other
side of the main line rail, as shewn, Fig. 7, in the section in line B, B. The
wedge d is made a foot or two longer at each end than is required for the
passage of the wheels upon it, and these extro lengths are depressed or bent
down, as shewn in Fig. 14, in such a way that if, by accident, the wedge d
be left up the flanges of wheels traversing the main line will pass over the
wedge d without danger, being kept in gauge by a check rail placed on the
main line to meet such a contingency. The wedge box or frame 1, 1, &c.,
may be constructed of two pieces of "angle iron," rivetted or bolted to cast or
wrought-iron blocks e, e, the upper surfaces of which blocks, as well as the
under sides of the resting parts of the wedge d, should be planed to a proper
and like incline, sufficient to give the required lift to the wedge d. In the
sides of the frame 1, formed by the angle iron, are slots corresponding in
direction with the incline of the blocks e, e, the purpose of which is to receive
the ends of the studs n, n, which are screwed or otherwise firmly attached to
the wedge d, and so it is prevented from jumping or being too easily removed
from the bearing surfaces of e, e. The end of one of these studs may be
formed into an eye (or pin), as shewn at o, o, to which can be attached the
apparatus by which the wedge d is to be raised and lowered. The wedge d

page_text: should be made of "charcoal iron," steel, or other hard material, as it is
desirable that it should keep its form well; its section is not of consequence;
but I prefer that shewn at Fig. 18, with pieces welded to the under surface
to form the inclines, and occasional ribs up the sides to bear against the sides
of the frame, and so form steadying guides (as shewn in Figs. 14 and 15).
Another mode of carrying out my Invention is shewn in Fig. 4, by which
those parts used inside the main line rail, before described, are omitted, and
in lieu of them, the rail 6' terminates at p, (the same height above the main
line as before described,) and is there firmly fixed in a chair, as shewn. The
space from p to the main line rail is filled up by means of a switch », the
surface of which when in place corresponds with the surface produced by
the-mode before described (as shewn by the section in the line B', B', Fig. 13).
The switch r may be formed of a plates, to which a bridge rail bu, a packing
g', and a bar u are firmly attached by rivetting or otherwise; this construction
is shewn by Figs. 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, & 12. The rail bu forms the continuation
and depressed termination of the rail 6, similar to that before described, and
the packing g¹ forms the surface for the flanges to travel upon, corresponding
to that formed by g and d, before described. This switch works upon the
centret, and rests upon the beds or chairs v, v, in a similar manner to that
in which points ordinarily bear. When the switch r is drawn back from
the main line, a passage is left for the flanges of wheels traversing the main line.
In all the Drawings the parts are shewn as required for passing over the
crossing, but the dotted lines thus (...) show the position of the parts
as right for the main line. The wedges d, d, (or the switches r,) are worked
by the levers i, i, and the rods h, h, and k, k; the rods k, k, passing to the
levers and gearing, by which the points are worked in the ordinary way.
m, m, are ordinary weights, so placed as to cause the wedges (or switches)
to fall back when the point lever is released; in cases of self-acting points,
where the points are not self-acting, these weights are not required, the
wedges (or switches) being worked both ways with the points. Where
desirable, the wedge (or switche) may be connected to the check rail c², or a
tread lever, the check rail c¹ or the tread lever being arranged so that the
wheel passing on that rail may be made to put the wedge or switch in place
for its fellow wheel. When used, this arrangement should be in addition to
the apparatus for working the wedge (or switch) with the points.
Another mode of carrying out my Invention, where it is not necessary or
desirable to maintain the continuity of either rail is shewn in Fig. 5; 6¹, b¹,
are the rails crossing each other. These rails are laid on the same lever,
and all terminate at such distances from each other as to allow wheels to

page_text: traverse either. About a foot of the ends of all these rails are depressed or
bent down, in the same manner as described respecting the rails b, b, so that
the upper surfaces of the extreme points are about 1 inches lower than the
general level of the line. Between the ends of the rails is laid the packing f",
in a similar manner to that described respecting f, and so that wheels
traversing either line will pass upon it, the distance between the one portion
of the rail and the other being kept in guage by check rails.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I would remark, that
I have not thought it necessary to point out all the applications or modes of
application of my Invention, as such matters will be readily understood by all
competent persons, and I do not confine myself to the precise form and
construction of parts described, and shewn in the Drawings, nor to the
particular modes of working such parts; but that which I claim as secured
to me under the above in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the construction of a crossing for the rails of railways, in such a
manner that the continuity of one of the lines of rails of which such crossing
is constructed is maintained under any circumstance.
Second, the use of a moveable packing to fill the space necessary for the
flanges of wheels traversing the continuous rail upon which the wheels can
travel (on their flanges, or otherwise) across such space.
Third, the construction of such packing in such a way that, if left wrong,
wheels traversing the continuous rail will pass over such packing without danger.
Fourth, the depression or bending down of the ends of the rails in such a
way as to allow wheels which have not got flanges to pass along without a
sudden drop or blow.
Fifth, the construction of an efficient and simple crossing by the use of
a fixed packing, and the depressed or bent down ends of the rails, as
described.
Sixth, the construction of all crossings without wing or elbow rails.
And, seventh, the general arrangement and way of carrying the same out.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Columbus Hurry, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
H. C. HURRY. (L.S.)