Improvements in and connected with Rail Chairs.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Rail Chairs.
I, GEORGE BICKING FISHER, Mechanic, of the corner of Fulton Street and
Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, County of Cook, Illinois, United States of America,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:―
This invention relates to improvements in chairs for railway-rails, and has for
its prime object, to have the holding jaws adjustable in such manner that the chairs
are applicable to railways of different gauges, and at the same time may be utilized
to spread the rails or draw them closer together, at any point along the line, and
hold them in their adjusted positions.
Another object, is to have a bridge extending between a pair of chairs and
underlying the joints between the rail ends, so as to render said joint more rigid
and relieve the joint bolts of a material portion of the strain thereon.
These objects are attained by the devices illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, in which-
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a portion of a pair of adjoining rails, showing chairs
and a bridge applied thereto, embodying my invention.
Fig. 2, a horizontal section thereof, on the line 2, 2, of Figure 1.
Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section, on the line 3, 3, of Figure 2.
Fig. 4, a detail view similar to Figure 2, but showing the clamping and sustaining
jaws so adjusted as to spread the rails.
Fig. 5. a transverse vertical section thereof, on the line 5, 5, of Figure 4.
Fig. 6, a detail perspective view of the clamping jaw.
Fig. 7, a similar view of the sustaining jaw.
Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the
drawings.
Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A., indicates the base plate of
the chair of slightly greater width than the flange 13, of the rail, and designed to
be secured directly to the cross-ties, whether of wood or metal, in the latter case,
being provided with depending, perforated flanges C, of suitable shape to encompass
and be bolted to the ties.
This bed plate, at one side, is provided with an oblique, longitudinal, dovetail
groove D, into which fits the correspondingly oblique, dovetailed tongue E, of a
Sustaining jaw F, which latter extends parallel with the rail, as more clearly
llustrated in Figures 2, and 4.
It will thus be seen, that when the sustaining jaw is moved longitudinally on the
ed plate, it will approach or recede from the centre of said plate, according to the
irection in which it is moved, by reason of the oblique, longitudinal dovetail
onnection between the sustaining jaw and the bed plate.
At the opposite side of the bed plate, is provided a short, transverse, dovetail
roove G, at right angles to the rail, in which works the correspondingly dovetailed
ongue H, of the clamping jaw I, between which and the sustaining jaw F, the
anges of the rail are held resting upon the top of the bed plate, it being understood
at the sustaining jaw is movable only longitudinally, and merely serves to
ppose the gripping force or pressure of the clamping jaw, which is movable only
terally.
The clamping jaw is operated by means of a transverse bolt .J, passing through the
e K, in the bed plate, transverse, semi-circular grooves L, in the bottom of
e tongue of the sustaining jaw beneath the rail, and longitudinally through the
amping jaw, beyond which its threaded end projects to receive an end M, which

page_text: .
is prevented from turning in its seat by a depending, shouldered lug N, upon the
end of the tongue of the clamping jaw, as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, so
that by turning the bolt instead of the nut, the clamping jaw may be caused to
force the flange of the rail tightly against the sustaining jaw, and thus firmly hold
the rail on the chair, the shouldered lug N, acting as a lock to prevent the nut
turning upon the bolt, under the jarring of passing trains, so as to loosen up the
parts.
It will be observed that several transverse grooves L, are formed in the bottom
of the tongue of the sustaining jaw, and in practice, any desired number of grooves
may be provided, as they serve to lock the sustaining jaw in its adjustment, by
engaging the tightening bolt J, in an obvious manner.
Any other form of tongue and groove or slot connection between the sustaining
and clamping jaws and the bed plate, may be employed, without departing from
the spirit of my invention, so long as it subserves the intended purpose.
These chairs may be located at any suitable distance apart along the rail, those
on one rail, that is, along one side of the track, being reversed as to those along the
other rail, or the opposite side of the track, so that by adjusting the longitudinal
positions of the sustaining jaws upon the bed plates, the rails may be set and firmly
held further apart or closer together, according to the exigencies of the case, it
being desirable in practice to spread the rails slightly at some points along the line
and to bring them closer together at other points in the line, such as where curves
occur.
I also design to employ in connection with these chairs, at points along the line
where joints in the rails occur, a bridge O, underlying the joint, and slightly curved,
for the double purpose, of imparting to the bridge greater strength and rigidity,
and of furnishing a support for the rails immediately at the joint, the ends of
the bridge being downturned, or hook-shaped, as shown at P, in Figure 1, so
as to seat in corresponding sockets Q, formed in the ends of the bed plates,
such a bridge in connection with the chairs at each side of the joint, serving
to render the rails practically as rigid at the joint as at any point between the
joints, it being only necessary to employ any ordinary form of fish plate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a rail chair, the combination with the bed plate, of a laterally adjustable
sustaining jaw, means for locking the same in any adjusted position, and a laterally
movable clamping jaw opposing said sustaining jaw, and means for actuating the
same, substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. In a rail chair, the combination with the bed plate and sustaining jaw, and
an oblique, longitudinal sliding connection between said jaw and plate, of a clamping
jaw opposing said sustaining jaw, and a lateral sliding connection between said jaw
and the bed plate, and means for actuating said clamping jaw, substantially as
described.
3. In a rail chair, the combination with the bed plate, the sustaining jaw, and an
oblique longitudinal tongue and groove connection between said jaw and plate, of
the clamping jaw opposing the sustaining, a lateral tongue and groove connection
between said jaw and the bed plate, and a tightening bolt for operating said
clamping jaw, substantially as described.
4. In a rail chair, the combination with a bed plate provided with an oblique,
longitudinal groove at one side, and a transverse lateral groove at the other side,
and a sustaining jaw provided with an oblique longitudinal tongue working in said
longitudinal groove, of a clamping jaw provided with a tongue working in said
lateral groove in the bed plate, and a tightening bolt for operating said clamping
jaw, substantially as described.
5. In a rail chair, the combination with the bed plate, provided at one side with
an oblique longitudinal groove, and at the opposite side with a transverse or

page_text: lateral groove, and a sustaining jaw, provided with an oblique longitudinal tongue
working in said longitudinal groove, of a clamping jaw, provided with a tongue
working in said lateral groove in the bed plate, a tightening bolt working through
the bed plate and clamping jaw and provided with a shouldered lug thereon for
preventing the rotation of the nut on said bolt, substantially as described.
6. In a rail chair, the combination with the bed plate provided with an oblique
longitudinal groove at one side, and a transverse or lateral groove at the opposite
side thereof, a sustaining jaw, and an oblique longitudinal tongue on said jaw,
working in said longitudinal groove in the base plate, and provided with lateral
grooves, of a clamping jaw opposing the sustaining jaw, a tightening bolt for said
clamping jaw working through the bed plate, a transverse groove in the tongue of
the sustaining jaw, and longitudinal through the tongue of the clamping jaw, a
shouldered lug on the tongue of the clamping jaw for preventing the turning of
the nut of the tightening boit, substantially as described.
7. In a rail chair, the combination with a pair of adjacent chairs, each provided
with a laterally adjustable sustaining jaw and a clamping jaw, and sockets in the
ends of the base plates, of a bridge underlying the joint between adjacent rails,
the ends of which seat in said sockets, substantially as described.
Dated this 26th May 1901
GEORGE BICKING FISHER,
Witnesses:
R. C. ONISHUNDRA.
JAMES R. SCOTT.
GEORGE BICKING FISHER,
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.