A NEW OR IMPROVED KEY FOR RAILWAY CHAIRS AND RAILS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Gillings, of Columbia Cottage, Great Yarmouth,
in the County of Norfolk, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED KEY
FOR RAILWAY CHAIRS AND RAILS."
Sealed the 12th December 1876, and dated the 15th June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Gillings at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th June 1876.
JAMES GILLINGS, of Columbia Cottage, Great Yarmouth, in the County of
Norfolk. "A NEW OR IMPROVED KEY FOR RAILWAY CHAIRS AND RAILS."
This Invention relates to the construction of a new or improved key for securing
railway rails to their chairs, the object of the Invention being to enable the key
to be applied or removed without the usual difficulty and risk of fracture, and
especially to provide a key which shall maintain its tightness during changes of
weather and temperature to a far greater extent than can be attained by the
ordinary keys, which constantly require to be tightened up in consequence of
shrinkage.
In order to shew the form of my new key I annex the accompanying Drawing,
which is a plan view; its dimensions may of course be varied to suit various
descriptions of rails and chairs. It consists of a block of suitable wood which is cut,
stamped, or shaved downwards by any ordinary machine for cutting special shapes
or forms of timber. It will be observed that a notch or recess is made at the part a
of the key, terminating in a circular bore b; the object of this open space is to
permit the narrow end c to assume a less degree of curvature in regard to the other
part while the key is being driven in between the chair and the rail. The method
of application is as follows:-The part c is inserted within the chair in such position
that the convex curve of the key interrupted by the notch or space shall bear
against the rib or girder of the rail while it is being hammered in, the opposite
concave edge or surface d bearing against the chair; force being further applied the
key travels through the space between the rail and chair, so that ultimately its
bearing is completed by the surfaces a, and any point e of the concave surface of
the key against the rib of the rail, and by the surface d and any point f along the
plain edge of the thicker end g of the key. Now it is perfectly obvious that when-
ever it may be necessary to drive this key further home, the surface bearing a will
Price fid1

page_text: be maintained by reason of the plain edge f, but it will be still further maintained
by the travel of the concave edge e, which would necessarily tend to tilt or jamb the
surface a against the rail, but we have this great advantage from the curve a, e,
viz., that in wet weather there is room for expansion of the key between the
points a and e, and inversely for its contraction in dry weather, without materially
affecting the tightness and jamb of the key against its respective surfaces of the
chair and rail. And finally in regard to the withdrawal of the key it will be
observed that at the narrow end c the key terminates with a surface cut at an
angle to the central line of the key, thus forming an obtuse angle with the rail;
the object of this is to enable the blows of the hammer to exert a force at right
angles to this end of the key, and so facilitate the loosening and removal of the
key, the notch or space a being capable of contraction. By these arrangements
the key is not split or destroyed by the hammer as is at present the case.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Gillings in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th December
1876.
JAMES GILLINGS, of Columbia Cottage, Great Yarmouth, in the County of
Norfolk. "A NEW OR IMPROVED KEY FOR RAILWAY CHAIRS AND RAILS."
This Invention relates to the construction of a new or improved key for securing.
railway rails to their chairs, the object of the Invention being to enable the key to
be applied or removed without the usual difficulty and risk of fracture, and
especially to provide a key which shall maintain its tightness during changes
weather and temperature to a far greater extent than can be attained by the
ordinary keys, which constantly require to be tightened up in consequence of
shrinking.
In order to shew the form of my new key I annex the accompanying Drawing,
which is a plan view; its dimensions may of course be varied to suit various
descriptions of rails and chairs. It consists of a block of suitable wood which is
cut, stamped, or shaved downwards by any ordinary machine for cutting special
shapes or forms of timber. It will be observed that a notch or recess is made at
the part a of the key, terminating in a circular bore b; the object of this open space
is to permit the narrow end c to assume a less degree of curvature in regard to the
other part while the key is being driven in between the chair and rail. The
method of application is as follows:-The part c is inserted within the chair in such
position that the convex curve of the key interrupted by the notch or space shall
bear against the rib or girder of the rail while it is being hammered in, the opposite
concave edge or surface d bearing against the chair; force being further applied, the
key travels through the space between the rail and chair; so that ultimately its
bearing is completed by the surfaces a, and any point e of the concave surface of
the key against the rib of the rail, and by the surface d and any point of along the
plane edge of the thicker end g of the key. Now it is perfectly obvious that when-
ever it may be necessary to drive this key further home the surface bearing a will
be maintained by reason of the plane edge f, but it will be still further maintained
by the travel of the concave edge e, which would necessarily tend to tilt or jamb
the surface a against the rail, but we have this great advantage from the curve a, e,
viz., that in wet weather there is room for expansion of the key between the
points a and e, and inversely for its contraction in dry weather, without materially
affecting the tightness and jamb of the key against its respective surfaces of the
chair and rail. And finally in regard to the withdrawal of the key it will be
observed that at the narrow end c the key terminates with a surface cut at an
angle to the central line of the key, thus forming an obtuse angle with the rail; the
object of this is to enable the blows of the hammer to exert a force at right angles
to this end of the key, and so facilitate the loosening and removal of the key, the

page_text: notch or space a being capable of contraction. By these arrangements the key is
not split or destroyed by the hammer as is at present the case.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the means of carrying the same into practical effect, I remark in conclusion that I
claim as my Invention, and desire to be secured to me by the herein in part recited
Letters Patent, the new or improved key for railway chairs and rails, substantially
as herein described and shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Gillings, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
A. C. M. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
9, Adam Street,
Adelphi,
London, W.C.
JAMES GILLINGS. (LS.)