AN IMPROVED FISH JOINT, OR METHOD OF CONNECTING RAILS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gregory, of Nelson Square, in the County of
Surry, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED FISH JOINT, OR METHOD OF
CONNECTING RAILS."
Sealed the 27th February 1857, and dated the 30th August 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gregory at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th August 1856.
I, JOHN GREGORY, of Nelson Square, in the County of Surry, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED FISH JOINT, OR
METHOD OF CONNECTING RAILS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the substitution for the ordinary fish plates or
flitches of a new and peculiar form of fishing or jointing piece, for connecting
more firmly and securely the ends of railway bars when they are laid down
and in use, and whereby the rails will be enabled more uniformly to support the
weight and irregular strains arising from the traffic passing over them.
The improvement consists in making the fish in one piece of a clamp-like
form, and sufficiently deep to allow of a wedge or bearing piece to be inserted
between the under side of the rail and the bottom of the fishing piece, this
wedge piece increases the bearing surface and fouling of the joints.
The fish piece may be made of cast or of malleable iron. Cotter pins or bolts
and nuts may be used for fastening the fishing piece and the rail ends. The
keys or wedges may be of wood, iron, or any other suitable material.

page_text: On reference to the accompanying Drawing, it will be seen that in Fig. 1,
A, A, are the rails; B, the improved fish; C, the wedge piece.
Fig. 2 is a cross section, shewing the fish and wedge piece in section. The
same letters refer to like parts in each diagram.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Gregory in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th February 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GREGORY, of 54, Nelson Square, in the County of Surry, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
Gregory, Her special licence that I, the said John Gregory, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Gregory, 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 "AN IMPROVED FISH JOINT, OR METHOD OF
CONNECTING RAILS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Gregory, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly 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 John Gregory, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
and accompanying Drawing:-
This Invention relates to the substitution for the ordinary fish plates or
flitches of a new and peculiar form of fishing or joining piece, for connecting
more firmly and securely the ends of railway bars when they are laid down
and in use, and whereby the rails will be enabled more uniformly to support
the weight and irregular strains arising from the traffic passing over them.
The improvement consists in making the fish in one piece of a clamp-like

page_text: form, and sufficiently deep to allow of a wedge or bearing piece to be inserted
between the under side of the rail and the bottom of the fishing piece; this
wedge piece increases the bearing surface, and prevents fouling of the joints.
The fish piece may be made of cast or malleable iron. Cotter pins and
bolts, or bolts and nuts, may be used for fastening together the fishing piece
and the rail ends. The keys or wedges may be of wood, iron, or any other
suitable material.
On reference to the accompanying Drawing, it will be seen that Fig. 1 is a
side elevation; A, A, being the rails; B, improved fish piece; and C, the
wedge piece, which is inserted between the under side of the rail and the
bottom of the fishing piece.
Fig. 2 is a cross section, taken on the line A, B, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is also a
cross section, shewing cotter pins instead of bolts and nuts for securing the
fishing piece.
Although a double-headed rail is shewn in the accompanying Drawing, the
fish piece can equally well be made suitable for other forms of rails, and
whether single or double headed.
Having described my Invention, and illustrated the same as applied to a
double-headed rail, I claim the making of a fish or fishing piece of a clam or
clamp-like form, as described, by which the joint ends of railway bars are more
firmly and securely held together, when such fishes or fishing pieces have
combined therewith a bearing key or wedge.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gregory, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of December, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-six.
Witness,
WILLIAM SMITH, C. E.
JOHN GREGORY. (L.S.)