IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS." -A
communication from abroad by Jean Pierre Besseling, of Neuf-
chateau, Belgium.
Scaled the 15th June 1875, and dated the 23rd December 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 23rd December 1874.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF
RAILWAYS," a communication to me from abroad by Jean Pierre Besseling,
of Neufchateau, Belgium, to be as follows:-
The improvements the subject of this Invention are illustrated on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawing, and consist,-
1°. In the use of larger blocks or sleepers than those in ordinary use,
using but two for cach length of rail, placed so that the upper part

page_text: comes level with the ground, and replacing the others by iron base plates
or chairs intended to receive the rail.
2°. In fixing the ends of these base plates or chairs upon the blocks or
sleepers by means of wood screws or by square nails similar to tho
cramps now used.
3°. In placing lead between the base plates and the rails to keep them
from actual contact during the passage of the trains and to deaden the
shock, which might result in fractures.
6
4°. In forming the base of the rails so that when scated on the baso
plate or chair they are fished in their entire length, bolting them to the 1
sole plates by the middle and fixing them to these latter at their ends by
means of a strong American fish.
5. In employing three iron tic pieces or guago bars for each length of
rail to preserve the guage.
Amongst the advantages of this arrangement are dispensing with the 1
use of ballast and leaving the rails visible in all their surfaces so that
any defects will be immediately apparent; a strength of permanent way
which will permit trucks to be more heavily laden than at present
without injury to the way; that the wheels may have a deeper flange,
and therefore will be less liable to leave the rail, and that there will be 20
very little lateral motion or swaying of the carriages.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 22nd June 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM 2
EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the 3
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Gedge, Her

page_text: special licence that I, the said William Edward Gedge, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Gedge, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS," a communication
to me from abroad by Jean Pierre Besseling, of Neufchateau, Belgium,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward
Gedge, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 William Edward Gedge, 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 :-
The improvements the subject of this Invention consists,―
1°. In the use of larger blocks or sleepers than those in ordinary use,
using but two for each length of rail placed so that the upper part comes
level with the ground, and replacing the others by iron base plates or
chairs intended to receive the rail.
2º. In fixing the ends of these base plates or chairs upon the blocks or
sleepers by means of wood screw or by square nails similar to the cramps
now used.
3. In placing lead between the base plate and the rails to keep them
from actual contact during the passage of the trains and to deaden the
shock, which might result in fractures.
4°. In forming the base of the rails so that when seated on the base
plate or chair they are fished in their entire length, bolting them to tho
sole plates by the middle and fixing them to these latter at their ends by
means of a strong American fish.
5°. In employing three iron.tic picces or guage bars for each length of
rail to preserve the guage.

page_text: On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of
part of a permanent way embodying the improvements the subject of
this Invention; Figure 2 is a longitudinal elevation of same; Figure 3
is an elevation taken at A, B, Figure 1; Figure 4 is a vertical section
at A, B, Figure 1; Figure 5 is a vertical section at C, D, Figuro 1.
Figuro 6 shows in red line extra depth given to flange of carriage
wheel, Figure 7 end view, and Figure 8 section of rail detached.
a, blocks or sleepers; b, iron base plate or chairs; c, rails; d, fish
plates; c, tic pieces or guage bars; f, lead between rail and baso plato;
9, fastenings; h, tire of carriage wheel.
Amongst the advantages of this arrangement are dispensing with the
use of ballast and leaving the rails visible in all their surfaces so that
any defects will be immediately apparent; a strength of permanent way,
which will permit trucks to be more heavily laden than at present
without injury to the way; that the wheels may have a deeper flange,
and therefore will be less liable to leave the rail, and that there will be
very little lateral motion or swaying of the carriages.
The laying down of this improved permanent way will be more
expensive than ordinary permanent ways, but on the other hand the
anuual saving in repairs will more than compensate for this difference of
first cost, and after a certain lapso of time, say about fifteen years, the
whole extra first cost will havo beon regained with interest, and a great
annual saving of about £280 a mile of single line be secured.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of Juno,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-