IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SLEEPERS FOR THE RAILS OF TRAMWAYS AND LIGHT RAILWAYS, AND IN THE RAILS AND FASTENINGS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edwin Muir at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 18th December 1879.
EDWIN MUIR, Civil Engineer, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SLEEPERS FOR THE RAILS
OF TRAMWAYS AND LIGHT RAILWAYS, AND IN THE RAILS AND FASTENINGS FOR THE
SAME."
I construct a cast iron sleeper having a base plate extended on each side of a
sufficient width to take in at least one of the ordinary sets or paving stones, the
outer edges of this base being slightly turned up so as to form a shallow channel
on the upper side of the base plate, which in the case of sets being employed may
be filled in with cement, concrete, or other suitable material, and so constitute a
more effectual foundation for such sets I thus obtain great stability in my
sleeper and facility for securing the same in position on the road. Rising from
and running along the whole length of this base plate in the centre is a hollow
web, at the top of which I form a groove of angular cross section, thus _, and of
sufficient width and depth to receive the rail. This rail is formed by preference of
rolled iron or steel, one edge being of a corresponding angle to the side of the
groove so as to be secured in position, in such groove and at suitable distances apart
by means of a tapered wedge or key (suitably bevilled or grooved on the edge to
prevent its rising out of place. This wedge or key is only about half the thickness
of the rail, and when driven in between such rail and a corresponding tapered
projection on the other edge of the groove, so without causing any obstruction
affords an effectual means of securing the rail in position, and also facility for
removing such rail at any time without disturbing the sleeper or roadway on
either side of the sleeper, a comnion objection in most other systems of tramways.
In some cases the outer edge of the groove may itself form the guard rail, or an
additional rail of suitable cross section and thickness may be applied and secured
in position by tapered wedges being driven in between it and the first mentioned
rail. It will thus be apparent that these sleepers are arranged to be laid together
in continuous lengths, and that the system of securing the rail in position, such
rail running across several of the sleepers, so keys the same together and serves to
prevent deflection in either the sleeper or rail. Another modification of my
Invention consiste in forming the sleeper with a narrow groove running along its
upper surface to receive a continuous web formed on the under side of the tram

page_text: rail, which in this case is made with the usual groove to receive the flange of the
wheel, such web being capable of being bolted (by means of open ended slots
arranged at suitable distancos apart) to one of the edges of the groove, access being
obtained to such bolts through slots formed through the rail at the bottom of the
groove, or slots may be formed through the rail at suitable distances apart to allow a 5
wedge shaped projection formed on the top of the sleeper to pass through, in which
case the rail is secured in position by means of a bevilled or grooved wedge applied
between such projection, and the side of the groove in the rail. It will be obvious
that this system of tapered and bevilled grooves and wedges is applicable also to
the purpose of securing rails in concrete, granite, or other blocks used for tramways. 1