IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR RAILS AND RAIL JOINTS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, EDWARD HALL, of 1, Finkin Street, Grantham, in the County of Lincoln,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
FASTENINGS FOR RAILS AND RAIL JOINTS, to be as follows:―
The object of my improvements is to provide a Railway Chair, and apparatus in
connection therewith, whereby the rails are held firmly in position, so as not to be
loosened by the passing of trains or other rolling bodies over their surfaces.
The rail may be of ordinary construction. The chair has one jaw made to fit the
rail, the face of the opposite jaw is parallel with the rail, and is perpendicular to the
base for half way up the jaw, then runs at right angle for about three eights of
an inch, forming a hollow or groove, then again runs perpendicular to the base to
the top of the jaw, forming a projection. In the centre of the jaw is a groove or
hollow of semicircular form running from the top to the bottom of the jaw, at the
bottom of this groove is a hole through the jaw in which can be placed the point of
a lever to force up the plug or spike which has been forced into the groove. The
key, which may be made of metal or wood, has one side of it formed to fit the face
of the jaw just described, and the other side to fit the rail, the said key has a semi-
circular groove corresponding with the semicircular groove in the last mentioned
jaw, so that when the key is forced horizontally between the rail and the jaw
forms a circular hole, in this hole is driven a plug or spike (which may be made
of wood or metal) forcing the key against the rail retaining it tightly in position.
Near the bottom of the semicircular groove in the key is a small projection or
barb so that when the said plug or spike is driven down between the jaw of the
chair and the key, the said projection or barb prevents the plug or spike coming
out except by the force of the lever. If required the plug or spike may be passed
through the chair into the sleeper to assist in keeping the chair firmly in its place.
When used as a joint chair it will require to be made wider, and the key longer,
with more than one groove or hole, and more than one plug or spike, with a corre-
sponding number of holes in the jaw to receive the lever to force up the plugs or
spikes. Immediately under the joint of the rails is a hollow an eighth of an inch
deep, three inches long by two inches and a half wide formed in the joint chair to
prevent the jar on the ends of the rails.

page_text: Improvements in Fastenings for Rails and Rail Joints.
I, EDWARD HALL, of 1, Finkin Street, Grantham, in the County of Lincoln,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FASTENINGS FOR RAILS AND RAIL JOINTS," and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of my improvements is to provide a Railway Chair and apparatus in
connection therewith, whereby the rails are held firmly in position so as not to be
loosened by the passing of trains or other rolling bodies over their surfaces.
The rail may be of ordinary construction. The chair has one jaw made to fit the
rail, the face of the opposite jaw is parallel with the rail and is perpendicular to the
base for half way up the jaw, then runs at right angles for about three eighths of
an inch forming a hollow or groove, then again runs perpendicular to the base to
the top of the jaw forming a projection. In the centre of the jaw is a groove or
hollow of semicircular form running from the top to the bottom of the jaw. At
the bottom of this groove is a hole through the jaw in which can be placed the
point of a lever to force up the plug or spike which has been forced into the groove.
The key (which may be made of metal or wood) has one side of it formed to fit the
face of the jaw just described, and the other side to fit the rail, the said key has a
semicircular groove corresponding with the semicircular groove in the last mentioned
jaw, so that when the key is forced horizontally between the rail and the jaw,
forms a circular hole, in this hole is driven a plug or spike, (which may be made of
wood or metal) forcing the key against the rail retaining it tightly in position.
Near the bottom of the semicircular groove in the key is a small projection or barb
so that when the said plug or spike is driven down between the jaw of the chair
and the key, the said projection or barb prevents the plug or spike coming out
except by the force of the lever. If required the plug or spike may be passed
through the chair into the sleeper to assist in keeping the chair firmly in its place.
When used as a joint chair it will require to be made wider, and the key longer,
with more than one groove or hole, and more than one plug or spike, with a corre-
sponding number of holes in the jaw to receive the point of the lever to force up
the plugs or spikes. The face of the jaw of this chair may run slightly taper with
the rail, the key also running taper to suit the face of the jaw, the key being made
longer than the face of the jaw, and having an extra semicircular groove so that at
any time should the key become loose it can be forced to the next semicircular
groove and made again firm and secure. Immediately under the joint of the rails
is a hollow an eighth of an inch deep, three inches long, by two inches and a balf
wide, formed in the joint chair to prevent the jar on the ends of the rails.
This invention will be clearly understood by referring to the figures and letters
in the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Like letters refer to corresponding parts in all the figures.

page_text: DISCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one of my improved railway chairs for fastening
rails. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation and Fig. 4 is a plan
of my improved railway chairs as used for fastening rail joints.
to
The rail A may be of ordinary construction. The chair B has one jaw made to
fit the side of the rail A, the face of the opposite jaw C is parallel with the rail A,
and is perpendicular to the base of the chair B for half way up the jaw, then runs
at right angles for about three eighths of an inch, then again runs perpendicular
the base, to the top of the jaw, in the centre of the face of the jaw C is a semi-
circular groove running from the top to the bottom of the jaw, at the bottom of
this groove is a hole G through the jaw C in which can be placed the point of a
lever to force up the plug or spike E. The key D which has one side formed to fit
the rail A, the other side to fit the face of the jaw C, has a semicircular groove
corresponding with the semicircular groove in the last mentioned jaw which when
forced horizontally between the rail A and the jaw C forms a circular hole to
receive the plug or spike E. Near the bottom of the semicircular groove in the
key D is a small projection or barb F so that when the plug or spike E is driven
down between the jaw C and the key D prevents it from coming out except by the
force of the lever.
When the rail A is properly placed in the chair B, the key D is forced horizontally
between the rail A and the jaw C until the semicircular groove in the key D is level
with the semicircular groove in the jaw C which then forms a circular hole, in which
is driven the plug or spike E, forcing the key D tight against the rail A holding it
firmly in position. The projection or barb F prevents the plug or spike E coming
out except by the force of the lever, when it is necessary to take out the plug or
spike E, the point of the lever can be placed in the hole G and under the bottom of
the plug or spike and forced up past the projection or barb F and easily drawn out.
Immediately under the joint of the rails is a hollow H an eighth of an inch deep
three inches long by two inches and a half wide formed in the joint chair to
prevent the jar on the ends of the rails.
I should like it to be understood what I mean. 1
n.by the jaws of the chair, as they
are sometimes called lips also horns, they are the most elevated parts of the chair,
the rail and key is placed between them.
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
First, the general arrangement construction and application of the Chair B.
Second, the key D.
Third, the plug or spike E which is driven into the circular hole formed by the
jaw C and the key D.