IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF FIXING THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS AND IN THE KEYS USED THEREFOR.
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Burstow, of Horsham, in the County of Sussex,
and 91, Queen Street, Cheapside, in the City of London, Architect, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF FIXING THE RAILS OF
RAILWAYS AND IN THE KEYS USED THEREFOR.'
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Sealed the 28th August 1877, and dated the 3rd March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Burstow at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd March 1877.
EDWARD BARSTOW, of Horsham, in the County of Sussex, and 91, Queen Street,
Cheapside, in the City of London, Architect. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF
"
FIXING THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS AND IN THE KEYS USED THEREFOR."
Whereas the keys now generally used on railways to fix the rails to the chairs
are, by reason of their tendency to expand and contract alternately with the
variations of the weather, liable to become loose, so as to require attention from
time to time. Now this Invention provides for an improved arrangement, which
is less liable to be injuriously affected by atmospheric influences and less liable to
become loose.
In place of the keys with which the rails are usually fixed to the chairs, and
which have hitherto been made with the grain of the wood in the direction of their
length, I use blocks of wood cut crosswise of the grain, so that when fixed the
direction of the grain may be at right angles to the rail; each block strengthened
by an iron band round it, and tightened finally into its place by two iron wedges
driven one from each end between the chair and inclines cut in the block in opposite
directions.
When new chairs are to be used, I propose to cast them with part of the surface
which is to face the block inclined as if one of the iron wedges before mentioned
had been incorporated with it, and so as to correspond with one of the inclined sur-
faces of the block, in which case only one iron wedge will be required.
I further propose that in some cases the rails-should be indented or ribbed
transversely, either throughout their entire length or at the places where they are

page_text: to be fixed in the chairs; and the blocks or keys may be similarly ribbed to corrе-
spond, or if not, they will be pressed into the indentations in the rail so as to
check at each chair the disposition of the rails to "creep" or move lengthwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Barstow in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 31st August
1877.
EDWARD BURSTOw, of Horsham, in the County of Sussex, and 91, Queen
Street, Cheapside, in the City of London, Architect. " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
METHOD OF FIXING THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS AND IN THE KEYS USED THEREFOR."
Whereas the keys now generally used on railways to fix the rails in the chairs
are made of blocks of wood with the grain in the direction of their length, and are
by reason of their tendency to expand and contract with the variations of the
weather, liable to become loose, so as to require attention from time to time. Now
my Invention consists in the construction of an improved key which is less liable
to become loose, such key being formed, as herein-after described, of a combination
of a metal wedge or wedges with a wooden block cut crosswise of the grain, that
is to say, so that when fixed as in use, the direction of the grain is at right angles
to the length of the rail; the block and wedge or wedges together constituting my
improved key, and being applied between the rail and the chair, as herein-after
set forth.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Sheets of Drawings
represent my improved key as constructed with two wedges, and more especially
intended for use where trains running in opposite directions pass over the same
pair of rails.
Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 on Sheet 2 represent my improved key as constructed
with only one wedge, more especially intended for use where the trains pass
principally in one direction.
In order to prevent the blocks splitting near the edges under the great pressure
and strain to which they are subject, more especially when the wedge is being
driven, I either encircle each of them with an iron band, which I prefer to drive on
while hot, so that it may become tight in cooling, or I chamfer the edges of the
block, so as to prevent the wedge touching it close to the edges.
The former modification I have shown in the Drawings on Sheet 1, and the latter
on Sheet 2; but either modification may be used with either single or double
wedges.
The same letters are used throughout each Sheet of Drawings respectively to
indicate the same parts.
On Sheet 1 Figure 1 is a transverse section of a chair and rail of the ordinary
kind, keyed together with one of my improved keys with two wedges; Figure 2 is
a plan of the same; Figure 3 is a side view of the same; Figure 4 represents the
block adapted for two wedges, and with an iron band round it, seen on its principal
surface; Figure 4a is an end view of the same; Figure 4b is a side view of the
same; and Figure 5 represents face and side views of the iron wedges.
A is an ordinary chair; B an ordinary rail; C is the wooden block, with the
grain endwise to the rail, that is, running in the direction a to b; c, c, are the
inclines in opposite directions, between which and the chair the wedges are driven
from right and left respectively; d is an iron band used to support the edges of the
block if they are not chamfered, as shown on Sheet 2; D, D, are the iron wedges.
On Sheet 2, Figure 6, is a transverse section of a chair and rail of the ordinary
kind, keyed together with one of my improved keys with one wedge; Figure 7 is
a plan of the same; Figure 8 is a side view of the same; Figure 9 represents a

page_text: block adapted for one wedge, and with its ends chamfered; Figure 9* is an end
view of the same; Figure 95, a side view of the same.
Figure 10 represents a face and a side view of the iron wedge.
A is an ordinary chair; B, an ordinary rail; C is the wooden block, with the
grain endwise to the rail, that is, running in the direction a to b; c is the inclined
surface, between which and the chair the wedge is driven; D is the iron wedge.
In using keys with only one wedge, they should be so placed that the wedge may
be driven in from the end of the block opposite to that on which the trains most
frequently approach, so that the slight creeping (if any) of the rail may, by its
tendency to carry the wooden block with it towards the thicker end of the wedge,
rather tighten it than otherwise.
Signed & sealed by the above-named
Edward Burstow, in the presence of
FLINT BROWNE,
Clerk to Newnham Browne,
Patent Agent,
91, Queen Street,
Cheapside.
EDWARD BURSTOW. (L.S.)
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