IMPROVEMENTS IN WEDGES, KEYS, OR QUOINS FOR SECURING THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS IN THEIR CHAIRS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Clutton, of Serjeant's Inn, Fleet Street, in
the City of London, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WEDGES, KEYS, OR QUOINS FOR SECURING THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS IN THEIR
CHAIRS." A communication from abroad by Theodore Despian, of
Toulouse, in the Empire of France.
Sealed the 9th July 1866, and dated the 10th January 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Clutton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th January 1866.
I, JOHN CLUTTON, of Serjeants' Inn, Fleet Street, in the City of Lon-
don, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WEDGES, KEYS, OR QUOINS FOR SECURING THE RAILS OF RAIL-
WAYS IN THEIR CHAIRS," to be as follows:-
The rails of railways are usually secured in their chairs by means of
compressed wooden wedges or quoins, which are driven in by the blows of
a hammer between the side of the rail and the chair. In driving in these
wedges the heads when struck by the hammer are liable to be damaged to
such an extent that they will not serve a second time.
The object of the present Invention is to preserve the wedges from
being destroyed or damaged by the blows of the hammer to which they are
subjected. This object is effected by securing the compressed wooden
wedges in iron frames provided with a head which is intended to receive
the blows of the hammer. The mode of combining the two substances

page_text: together for the purpose of the Invention admits of considerable variation.
For instance, the piece of wood may be enclosed between two iron horns,
leaving sufficient of the wood projecting to form the elastic wedge for
securing the rail in its chair; or the wooden wedge may be divided
longitudinally into two parts, each of which is to be forced into a recess or
against or underneath projecting pieces on the sides or ends of a central
projecting tang or an iron block provided with a head which will receive
the blows of the hammer. The wedge or quoin will thus be formed with
wooden sides and a central iron core and head. Other ways of combining
or securing the wood and iron together may be devised, but in all cases
the wood will be supported by the iron, and the wedge will have an iron
head to receive the blows whereby the wedge is to be driven into its
place, and the wood will thus be protected from undue wear and tear.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Clutton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th July 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CLUTTON, of Serjeants Inn, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Gentle-
man, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Clutton, Her special licence that
I, the said John Clutton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Clutton, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEDGES,
KEYS, OR QUOINS FOR SECURING THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS IN THEIR CHAIRS,"
being a communication to me from abroad by Theodore Despian, of
Toulouse, in the Empire of France, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Clutton, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should

page_text: particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Clutton, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The rails of railways are usually secured in their chairs by means of
compressed wooden wedges or quoins, which are driven in by the blows of
a hammer between the side of the rail and the chair. In driving in these
wedges the heads when struck by the hammer are liable to be damaged to
such an extent that they will not serve a second time.
The object of the present Invention is to preserve the wedges from
being destroyed or damaged by the blows of the hammer to which they are
subjected. This object is effected by securing the compressed wooden
wedges in iron frames provided with a head which is intended to receive
the blows of the hammer. The mode of combining the two substances
together for the purpose of the Invention admits of considerable variation,
but the methods which I prefer are shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
Fig. 1 is a side view, and Fig. 2 a cross section of one method of carry-
ing out the Invention. In this instance the piece of wood a is enclosed
between two iron horns b, b, leaving sufficient of the wood projecting to
form the elastic wedge for securing the rail in its chair. Fig. 3 is a side
view, and Fig. 4 a cross section of another form of key or quoin, in which
the wooden wedge is divided longitudinally into two parts a, a, each of
which is to be forced into a recess or against or underneath projecting
pieces c, c¹, on the sides or ends of a central tang 6 provided with a head
which will receive the blows of the hammer. Fig. 5 is a side view, and
Fig. 6 a cross section of a modification of the above, the end piece c¹ of the
iron block being dispensed with. The wedge or quoin will thus be formed
with wooden sides and a central iron core and head. Other ways of com-
bining or securing the wood and iron together may be devised, but in all
cases the wood will be supported by the iron, and the wedge will have an
iron head to receive the blows of the hammer whereby the wedge is to
be driven into its place. The wood will thus be protected from undue
wear and tear, and may be removed and replaced several times without
being rendered useless or nearly so, as is now the case.

page_text: Having now described the Invention of "Improvements in Wedges,
Keys, or Quoins for Securing the Rails of Railways in their Chairs," and
having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect as communi-
cated to me by my foreign correspondent, I claim as the Invention secured
to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, combining wood and iron for forming
wedges, keys, or quoins as and for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Clutton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
FRED. WALKDEN,
66, Chancery Lane.
JOHN CLUTTON. (L.S.)