Improvements in the Means and Process for Securing and Fastening Wooden Railway Keys in the Iron Chairs.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 16th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Means and Process for Securing and Fastening
Wooden Railway Keys in the Iron Chairs.
1 ROBERT YOUNG ARDAGH, of The Worcester City Saw Mills, Shrub Hill,
Worcester Timber Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention consists in an improved means of fastening and making secure
wooden railway keys, used to tighten and fasten rails in the iron chairs attached to
the sleepers on railways, whereby the wooden key is prevented from coming out,
and so leaving the rail loose in the chair.
In the cast iron railway chairs according to my invention I cause to be made in
the casting of same a vertical keyway or slot, in the centre of the outside wing of
the chair, but on the inside of same, next the wooden key, where rails are keyed
on the outside; otherwise where rails are keyed on the inside it would be the
reverse.
I make an iron or steel key or spike of triangular shape to fit this keyway
or slot, formed with a cutting edge and point, which projects to cut into the wooden
key.
When the wooden key is in position in the chair this spike or key is driven down
to fit into the slot or keyway, the two sides being held in position, the point and
cutting edge enters the wooden key, and so prevents it working either way.
This iron or steel key or spike is made with a head, for the purpose of with-
drawing, and re-driving the wooden key at any time, and one side of the head also
projects over the key, and has a hole in it for a nail to be used, to prevent the key
rising.
Dated this 12th day of November 1891.
ROBERT YOUNG ARDAGH.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Means and Process for Securing and Fastening
Wooden Railway Keys in the Iron Chairs.
I, ROBERT YOUNG ARDAGH, of The Worcester City Saw Mills, Shrub Hill,
Worcester, Timber Merchant, 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:-
My invention consists in an improved means of fastening and making secure
wooden railway keys used to tighten and fasten rails in the iron chairs attached to
the sleepers on railways, whereby the wooden key is prevented from coming out,
and so leaving the rail loose in the chair.
When constructing cast iron railway chairs according to my present invention, I
cause to be made in the casting a vertical or other keyway or slot preferably in the
outside wing of the chair, but on the inside of the same next the wooden key in
chairs where rails are keyed on the outside, and where rails are keyed on the inside,
the position of the slot in relation to the chair will be reversed.
I make a metal key or spike preferably of iron or steel suitably shaped to fit the
keyway or slot formed in the chair. I adopt with advantage a spike or key of
triangular section, the flat edge being driven against the bottom of the slot and the
cutting edge or projecting point engages or cuts into the wooden key. When the
wooden key is in position in the chair the spike or metal key is driven down to fit
Paid]

page_text: into the slot or keyway-two sides being held in position within the slot while the
point or cutting edge projects beyond the outside of the slot so as to enter
the wooden key and thus to prevent it working loose in either direction. This
metal key or spike I make with a head for the purpose of readily withdrawing for
enabling the wooden key to be driven or adjusted at any time.
I prefer to form
the head of the metal key in such a manner that one portion of it projects over the
wooden key through which I make a hole for receiving a nail or screw to prevent
the key rising.
In the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings
Figure 1 is a sectional end elevation of an ordinary rail chair A provided with
my improved means of the key C.
The rail B is held in position by the wooden key C, the metal key or spike D
being driven down in the slot G in such a manner that the front edge of the spike
projects beyond the slot of the chair so that it may enter by cutting into the
wooden key C. The head of the spike I cause to project over both sides of the key,
so that in the outer edge a bar may be pressed for removing the spike when it is
desired to drive into a tighter position the wooden key C. Sometimes I pass a
nail or screw F through the head E to secure the same to the key C as shown at
Figure 1.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan showing the spike in position.
Figure 3 is a sectional plan showing another form of the spike D in position
which I sometimes adopt.
I make the iron or steel key preferably as shown in elevation at Figure 4 and in
plan at Figure 5. I modify the form of spike by the back of semicircular form as
shown in Figure 6 and Figure 7.
I do not limit the application of my invention to any particular shape of spike or
any peculiar position of the slot or keyway G. 1 arrange the position of the spike
together with the sectional shape to suit any particular requirement.
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) The construction of railway chairs in which a slot or keyway is formed for
the purpose of receiving a metal spike or key for securely holding the wooden key
in position against the rail, substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
(2) The construction of a spike, rail or key of metal for entering a slot cut or
formed in a railway chair substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
(3) The combination and arrangement of a railway chair wooden key and
retaining metal spike substantially as and for the purposes herein before described,
and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 10th day of March 1892.
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.