IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CHAIRS
Year: 1885

page_text: We MICHAEL MURRAY 118 Sheffield Road Rotherham in the County of York,
Metal Broker and ANDREW MACREDIE, George Street Sheffield, in the County
of York, Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CHAIRS to be as follows:-
This invention of improvements in the construction of chairs for holding and
securing Railway Rails, has for its object to secure the rails in a simple, rapid, and
effective manner.
It consists in making the chair with two fixed jaws, one jaw being made to fit
the desired section of rail, as is usual, and the other or inside jaw rising from the
base plate about three inches or so from the web of the rail when in position.
The face of this inner jaw has a short central piu or stud, round which is formed
a spiral inclined plane advancing towards the opposite jaw.
A short cylindrical block of cast iron or other suitable material, is formed at one
end to fit against the web of the rail, the other end having a side opening to admit
the stud before mentioned, and an inclined face to correspond with that upon the
face of the inner jaw.
The end of the block which is to abut against the web of the rail, may be
recessed to receive a block of wood or other slightly elastic substance if found
desirable.
When the rail is placed in position the block is inserted between the rail and the
face of the inner jaw, the stud upon the latter entering the side opening before
mentioned, and the inclined faces coming together; the block being now turned by
ineans of a lever or spanner for which suitable provision is made, is forced (by the
screwlike action of the inclined faces) tightly and powerfully against the rail,
which is thus held securely against the opposite jaw.
To prevent the possibility of the block becoming loose, a wedge, key, or pin is
inserted in a suitable opening between the jaw and the block, the face of the jaw
is also made to extend under the bottom of the block.

page_text: Tig, he wenging K
In carrying out our invention we make the Chair with two fixed jaws A and B,
the jaw A being made to correspond with and fit against the side of the rail as is
usual, and the jaw B is set back about three inches or so from the web of the rail
when in position.
The face of the jaw B has a hole through its centre to receive a moveable pin C,
or a projecting stud may be cast upon it as shown in Fig. 5, and. round this hole or
stud as the case may be, we form a spiral inclined plane advancing towards the
opposite jaw A.
A short cylindrical or hexagonal block D, of cast iron or other suitable material
is shaped at one end to correspond with and fit against the before mentioned
inclined plane on the jaw B; it is provided with a centrehole to receive the pin C,
but when a solid stud is used, a side opening E, shown in Fig. 6 is required to allow
the block to be passed to its central position.
If desirable the opposite end of the block which is to abut against the web of
the rail may be recessed to receive a block of wood F or other slightly elastic
substance which is made to project slightly from the metal.
On the outside of the jaw, B, two lugs G, G, are cast, the space between them
forming an entrance for the pin to be passed into the hole and forward into the
block, and also a recess into which the short bent end of the said pin C can be
turned, when the block D, is screwed up against the rail, thus forming a lock to
retain the block in position.
When the rail is in its place the block D, is inserted between the web of the rail
and the face of the jaw B, the pin C is passed through the jaw into the hole in the
block, and the various parts being thus in position the block is turned by means
of a lever placed in the hole H, or if preferred by a spanner or key fitting upon the

page_text: flat sides of the block; the action of the inclined faces acting like a screw, forces
the block powerfully against the rail, which is thus held securely against the
opposite jaw.
To prevent the possibility of the block becoming loose from any cause, the centre-
hole beforementioned is made of such a depth that when screwed tight up, and the
pin is forced up to the end of the said hole, the short bent end of the pin can then
be turned into the recess as shown in Figs 1. 2. 3, thereby preventing the block
leaving the face of the rail or becoming unscrewed.
If a solid stud or pin is used as in Fig. 5, the block is provided with a side
opening as before described, which allows it to be passed to its proper position in
which it is supported by an extension of the jaw underneath.
In order that the movement of passing trains may tend to tighten the block, the
inclination of the spiral incline is arranged to be in the same direction as that of
the passing train; thus in a double line of rails the chairs on the outside of each
line will have a left-hand screw or incline, and the chairs on the inside will have a
right hand screw or incline.
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. The manufacture of railway Chairs constructed in the manner substantially
as herein before described and illustrated.
2. In railway Chairs, the inclined spiral face upon the jaw B, the block D,
having a correspondingly inclined spiral face, and a centre pin C, either fixed or
removable for the purpose specified and substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated the 21st day of Auril 1886.
ROBT F. DRURY,
Agent for the Applicants.