Year: 1897

page_text: We, WILLIAM SHOOSMITH, Inventor, and ALFRED JOHN SHOOSMITH, Sanitary
Engineer, both of 42, Chester Terrace, Preston Park, Brighton, in the County of
Sussex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to keys for railway chairs, that is to say, to the keys or
wedge-pieces by means of which the rails are secured in the sail chairs, and our
said invention comprises the improvements hereinafter set forth.
It has been found in practice that from vibration, creep of the hails, shrinkage
of the wood in dry weather, and other causes, railway keys, as usually made are
liable to become loose, thereby entailing considerable labour in making constant
inspections, and in driving home such loose or slack keys, and, moreover, being a
constant source of danger to passing trains. The object of our invention is to
provide an improved form of key or wedge-piece which when once placel in
position will not be liable to work loose, or to be affected by shrinkage of the
wood caused by dry weather.
According to our said invention we provide a key or wedge-piece of the ordinary
form, and made of oak, or other suitable wood or material. In one side of this key
or wedge-piece, preferably that adapted to come next the web of the rail when the
said key or wedge-piece is in position in the chair, we provide a suitable recess in
which we arrange, with or without a suitable metal box or casing, a powerful flat
spring, the free end of which spring normally extends beyond the side of the key
or wedge-piece but which will, when the key or wedge-piece is driven home, be
compressed into the said recess and will press forcibly against the web of the rail
so as to hold the said key or wedge-piece firmly in position. In order to admit
of the above mentioned spring locking or holding the key or wedge-piece more
firmly in position, we preferably form serrations or teeth or otherwise roughen that
portion of the free end thereof which comes in contact with the web of the rail.
It will be seen that our improved key or wedge-piece cannot work loose from
vibration, and that should shrinkage of the wood take place during dry weather
the sail key or wedge-piece will not become slack and fall out, as is the case with
the ordinary keys; inasmuch as in such case it will be still held firmly in position
by the above described spring.
1
SN 1907

page_text: l'ark), Brighton, in the County of Sussex, 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:-
Our invention relates to keys for railway chairs, that is to say to the keys or
wedge-pieces by means of which the rails are secured in the said chairs, and our said
invention comprises the improvements hereinafter set forth.
It has been found in practice that from vibration, creep of the rails, shrinkage
of the wood in dry weather, and other causes, railway keys, as usually made, are
liable to become loose, thereby entailing considerable labour in making constant
inspection and in driving home such loose or slack keys, and, moreover, being a
constant source of danger to passing trains. The object of our invention is to
provide an improved form of key or wedge-piece which when once placed in
position will not be liable to work loose or to be affected by shrinkage of the
wood caused by dry weather.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a side view and
Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line, Figure 1 showing our improved
key or wedge-piece.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
is a key or wedge-piece of the ordinary form, and made of oak or other suitable
wood or material. In one side of the key or wedge-piece, preferably that adapted
to come next the web of the rail when the said key or wedge-piece is in position
in the chair, we provide a suitable recess in which we arrange a powerful flat
or other suitable spring the one end of which spring is firmly secured in place by
screws or otherwise and the free end of which spring normally extends beyond
the side of the key or wedge-piece a, as clearly shown in Figure 2, but which
will, when the said key or weilge-piece a is driven home be compressed into the
said recess a¹, and will by its reaction press forcibly against the web of the rail
so as to hold the said key or wedge-piece firmly in position.
14.
In order to admit of the above mentioned spring locking or holding the key
or wedge-piece a more firmly in position, we may form serrations or teeth, or
otherwise roughen that portion of the free end thereof which comes in contact
with the web of the rail.
a a metal box or
We may, moreover, fit the recess al in the key or wedge-piece
casing, in which case we place the flat spring b inside the said box or casing.
It will be seen that our improved key or wedge-piece a cannot work loose from
vibration, and that, should shrinkage of the wood take place during dry weather,
the said key or wedge-piece will not become slack and fall out, as is the case with
the ordinary keys; should shrinkage occur, the key will be still held firmly in
position by the above described spring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. An improved key or wedge-piece for railway chairs and the like, having a
suitable recess wherein is arranged a strong flat or other suitable spring the pro-
jecting end of which spring becomes compressed when the said key is in position,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The improved key or wedge-piece for railway chairs and the like constructed
substantially as set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 24th day of August 1898.
A. F. SPOONER,
323, High Holborn, London, Agent for the Applicants.