IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF TRAMWAYS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Hugo de Witt Gray, of Camberwell, in the County
of Surrey, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PERMANENT WAY OF TRAMWAYS."
Sealed the 4th November 1879, and dated the 23rd July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Hugo de Witt Gray
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd July 1879.
HENRY HUGO DE WITT GRAY, of Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, Civil
Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF TRAMWAYS."
"
The object of my Invention is to obviate the inconveniences and danger to the
ordinary traffic occasioned by sinking of the roadway from and the formation of
ruts by the sides of the rails of tramways, and also to improve the permanent way
by providing a firmer and more solid base upon which to rest the rails.
To this end I employ a metal longitudinal sleeper, which may be described as
consisting of an open frame of any suitable width and length provided with a
central bar which carries a continuous chair to receive the rail. This chair is
further supported laterally by transverse ribs or plates placed at short distances
apart, and which extend to and are secured to the outer bars of the framework.
The tops of these transverse ribs or plates, at the point where they join the chair,
should be in a line with the tops of the rails, and between the ribs or plates the
roadway, (which may consist of macadam or concrete,) may be filled in. A firm and
solid permanent way for tramways will be thus provided while the transverse ribs
or, plates will form the bearing surface for the ordinary traffic, and the formation of
ruts or the sinking of the roadways by the side of the rails will be prevented.
The transverse ribs or plates may be made straight, curved, or angled, as may be
thought most suitable.
r
The rails which I prefer to employ are single T rails, and a recess or groove is
made in the chair to receive the web of the rail, which may be secured therein by
bolts passing through the web of the rail and the chair, or in any other convenient
manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Hugo de Witt Gray in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd January 1880.
HENRY HUGO DE WITT GRAY, of Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF TRAMWAYS."
The object.of-my-Invention is to obviate the inconveniences and danger to the
ordinary traffic occasioned by the sinking of the roadway from and the consequent
formation-of-ruts by the sides of the rails of tramways, and also to improve the
_ permanent way by providing a firmer and more solid base upon which to rest
the-rails than is at present secured.
To this end I employ a metal-longitudinal sleeper, which may be described as
consisting of an open frame of any suitable width and length provided at its middlo
with a continuous chair to receive the rail.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is an elevation of the outer side of a
longitudinal sleeper constructed according to my Invention, with a portion of an
abutting sleeper applied thereto, and with a T-rail fitted to such sleepers; Fig. 2
is a cross section, and Fig. 3 a plan view of the same.
The sleeper which is of iron, cast preferably in one piece, is composed of three
base pieces a, a¹, a³, which are connected together at their ends and at their middle
by horizontal cross pieces and also by arched ribs b, b, which rise from the side
plates a¹, a², and join the chair c which is supported by a web d, d, extending from
end to end of the base piece a.
e is the rail, the web of which is sunk into a groove formed for it throughout
the length of the chair. The face of the chair is also rebated to allow of the head
of the rail bedding therein and standing at a level with the raised lip c* on the
inner side of the chair sleeper, while a space is left between the head of. the rail
and the lip c✶ to receive the flanges of the carriage wheels.
The rail e may be held in place by transverse bolts passed through the sleeper
and through the web of the rail. The arched ribs b will rise to the highest level of
the chair and serve as a gauge for the filling in of the road metal or other material
of which the thoroughfare is to be, composed and in which the sleeper is buried.
This material, by having the side pieces a¹, a², for its support, will have no tendency
to sink and form ruts at the sides of the tramway. The gauge of the tramway
may be ensured in any approved manner by the use of cross ties of metal or
wood.
As a modification of the arrangement shewn at Figures 1, 2, and 3, I propose in
some cases to adapt my longitudinal chair sleepers for the reception of an L-shaped
rail. This arrangement is shewn in side elevation at Fig. 4 and in cross section at
Fig. 5. In place of using bolts and nuts for securing the rail in place I have found
it convenient to use wedges of iron, wood, or other suitable material, as shewn
at f, f.
To receive these wedges and to secure them and also the rail firmly in place, the
longitudinal groove in the chair is proportionately widened, and the sides of the
groove are so shaped as to incline inwards and form a dovetail. To permit of the
entrance-of-the-wedges into the groove, the inner cheek of the chair is rebated in
plan view by forming inclines on the inner side thereof. This will leave spaces for
the dropping in of the wedges, which can then be driven home and caused to bear
tightly against the inclined web of the rail. In other respects the sleeper will be
like that described with reference to Fig. 1 and will therefore need no further
explanation. The same letters denote similar parts in all the Figures.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the

page_text: Permanent Way of Tramways," and explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent I claim the use in the construction of tramways of the continuous chair
sleeper shewn in the Drawing, whereby the rails will be securely held in place and
the parts of the roadway adjacent to the rails will be prevented from sinking and
wearing into ruts.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Hugo De Witt Gray, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty first day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
HENRY HUGO DE WITT GRAY. (L.S.)
HENRY HUGO DE WITT GRAY. (L.S.)