IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC CROSS SLEEPERS FOR RAILWAYS
Year: 1885

page_text: I AUGUSTE FRANCOIS LOLTARE BERNARD of Namur in the Kingdom of Belgium
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
METALLIC CROSS SLEEPERS FOR RAILWAYS" to be as follows:-
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:
The improved sleeper consists of two transverse rail supports of double T iron
secured on a bed plate so that the latter will project on both sides of the supports
in order to counteract the pressure exerted by the ballasting on that portion
situate between the two rail supports. Taken separately each rail support may
be considered as forming a perfectly equilibrated sleeper. In the middle where
the sleepers need not be packed the bed plate is entirely interrupted and therefore
consists of two separate plates one at or near each end of the parallel supports.
The rails of any desired type are secured to the improved sleeper by means of
two chairs (one for each, rail) and screwbolts passing at the same time through:
flanges of the rail supports the chairs, and the rails.
These bolts may also be passed through the lower flanges and the bed plate
instead of rivetting the latter together. The flanges or feet of the double T rail
supports are intended to distribute the heavy pressure on a larger surface of the:
bed plate in order to avoid the bending or rupture of the plate and this result will
be obtained even after suppressing the inner or outer flanges whereas the sleepers
actually in use and consisting only of a single plate bent up or downwards so as to
obtain the necessary height generally break or bend at their angles and require
great care in packing and ballasting.
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The ends of the sleepers are closed by means of head plates and the sleepers are
charged with ballast in order to increase their weight.
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page_text: Improvements in Metallic Cross Sleepers for Railways.
I AUGUSTE FRANÇOIS LOETARE BERNARD of Namur in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
The improved metallic sleeper as represented on the accompanying sheet of
drawings consists of two transverse rail supports A. A figs. 1, 2 and 3 provided
with flanges and secured with their ends on two bed plates B B¹ the ends of which
are bent up vertically against the ends of the transverse rail supports A. A¹ or
closed by special head plates.
At their upper part the flanged rail supports are connected by means of two 1
chairs or saddle plates C C and screw bolts D D¹ which latter pass also through
the feet or flanges of the rails E E (which may be of any desired type) and
through the necessary clips in order to secure them at the same time on the upper
flanges of each rail support.
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.
The lower flanges of said rail supports A A¹ are intended for the purpose of 1
giving additional strength to the bed plates B B¹ which latter moreover have their
sides bb projecting from the rail supports for the purpose of counterbalancing the
pressure exerted by the ballast on that portion of the bed plate which is situate
and firmly locked in between the two rail supports A A¹ in the best condition.of
solidity and economy. The breadth or the distance which the bed plate would
have to project outwards must be such that the strain on the metal to which it is
subjected shall be the same on the middle portion B fig. 1 as at the sides b b¹ of
the plates.
This sleeper may be virtually considered as a compound sleeper for by supposing
the cross section (shown on a larger scale) at fig. 4, to be cut in halves vertically
and longitudinally to the sleeper two distinct sleepers will be obtained which by
their connection afford the advantage of greater solidity and permit a larger base
to be given to the bed plates B B whereby the stability of the permanent way is
increased in the same proportion.
Moreover the number of the present sleepers now required for supporting the
rails may be reduced, as a well balanced bearing and attaching surface is afforded
by each of the two rail supports constituting the sleeper consequently for every
length of rail a space equal to that existing between the two rail supports of each
sleeper multiplied by the number of these sleepers is gained for regulating the
spacing of the same.
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Instead of securing the rail supports A A¹ on their bed plates with the flanges
turned outwards as shewn in sectional view fig. 4 they may be fixed with their
flanges turned inwards as shewn at fig. 5 or the rail supports may be provided
with flanges on both sides as in fig. 6. They may also be constructed with three
flanges by dispensing with one of the four flanges in fig. 6 or with two flanges by
dispensing with one outer upper flange and one inner lower flange or vice versa
as will be easily understood.

page_text: Also the screw bolts D D¹ or some of them may be prolonged and passed
through the lower flanges of the rail supports and the bed plates B B¹ in order
to secure them at the same time to the rail supports instead of being rivetted
thereon.
.
The sleeper as described is also applicable for double headed rails it being simply
necessary to replace the saddle plates C C¹ by suitable chairs,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
A metallic sleeper composed of two or more flanged rail supports resting with
their ends on two bed plates the sides of which project outwards from said rail
supports for the purpose of counteracting the pressure exerted by the ballast, the
lower flanges of the rail supports being secured to the bed plates in order to give
them additional strength whilst the upper flanges form two bearing and fixing
points for each rail substantially as specified.