Improvements in Spike Extractors.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Spike Extractors.
I, FRANK NEWNHAM, a Citizen of Great Britain, formerly residing in Birming-
ham, England, now residing at Los Angeles, in the City, Country and State of
California, United States of America, Machinist, 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:-
The object of my invention is to provide a spike-pulling clutch which will
grip the head or body of the spike with such power as to prevent any slipping
in withdrawing the spike from railroad-ties or other bodies in which the spike is
set.
My invention is applicable to other uses, such for instance as a gripper for
raising weights.
The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my newly invented spike-pulling clutch.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is a detail front elevation of the clutch.
A indicates a bar. B B' indicate two jaw-levers pivoted to the bar by pivots b b¹
at a distance apart and converging toward the jaws 1, 2. C indicates a toggle-
block located between the converging levers. D D D D indicates toggle-arma
pivotally connecting the block C with the levers respectively at a point near the
jaws. à dɩ du indicate the toggle-pivots. I provide suitable means for
operating the toggle-block. This is preferably a flexible connection as at E
which indicates a chain connected with the toggle-block. F. indicates a lever to
which the chain is attached. Said lever being provided with a fulcrum f and
also with a curved face f¹ over which the said chain is led. The chain is con-
nected with the toggle-block by means of a swivel connection indicated in a
general way by the character G. indicates a swivel-yoke pivoted to the block.
by a pivot gl.gl indicates a swivel-bolt which is pivoted to the voke at right
angles to the pivot g by which the yoke is pivoted to the block. The chain is
pivoted to the bolt by a pivot_gl
H indicates a handle fastened to the clutch-bar A and by means of which the
jaws of the clutch can be quickly and easily set to catch the spike to be drawn.
I indicates a handle for handling the fulcrum f of the lever. J indicates a loop
fastened to the handle I to retain the handle H.
In practical operation_the_workman handles the appliance by means of the
handles H, I, and lever F. The clutch is placed with its jaws 1, 2. on opposite
sides of the spike or other object to be gripped and the lever is then operated
over its fulcrum to draw up on the toggle-block C. This draws up on the toggle-
arms D D D D thus forcing the jaws together. The force applied to pull
up thus operates with great power to cause the jaws to grip the spike, or other
object between the jaws, and the result is that the greater the force applied to
draw the jaws upward, the greater is the force applied to cause the jaws to grip
the object. Thereby slipping is absolutely prevented.
Preferably the bar A is set in slots 11 in the ends of the jaw-levers B B¹ and
said bar is bent at the middle as at a to escape the chain.

page_text: The purpose of the swivel connection is to adjust the jaws to any position of
the spike.
It is important for the best results that the jaws be thick and strong below
the toggle-pivots and that their edges project toward each other in a horizontal
manner as indicated in Figure 3. The edges are designed to cut into the sides of
the spike-head so that it is not necessary to get under the head.
It is also important that the pivots 6 b¹ be set at a considerable distance apart
in the bar A. The gripping power of the jaws is rapidly multiplied as the
distance between said pivots increases; the length of the jaws remaining the
same and said jaws practically forming a triangular figure with the bar.
The jaw levers and the members D, D₁, D", D, and C form a toggle joint
the power of which will increase in a high ratio as the pivots 6 b₁ are thrown
outward from verticals drawn from the pivots, d, d. By means of the bar A, the
pivotal points b, can be brought to any desired position relative to the other
pivotal points of the toggle and the gripping power can be made as great as may
be required.
By reason of the bar with pivots b and b and the toggle-block C to which the
toggle-arms are pivoted, the operative parts are connected by these pivotal points
and a great flexibility of adjustment of the clutch is provided for; and the
readiness with which the clutch adapts itself to grip or release the spike or other
object is perfected and all unequal strain and consequent breakage is avoided.
For use on railways, the fulcrum f is provided with supporting-legs 4, to
straddle the railway rail, so that in practical operation the fulcrum can be placed
immediately over the rail, with the legs astraddle of the rail, or the fulcrum can
be placed at one side of the rail if desired; the bottoms of the legs being arranged
to stand firmly upon the tie or other support upon which they may be placed,
whether astride the rail or not.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is—
1. The combination of a bar; two jaw-levers pivoted to the bar at a distance
apart and converging toward the jaws; a toggle-block located between the con-
verging levers; toggle-arms pivotally connecting the block with the levers
respectively below the bar; and means for operating the toggle-block.
2. The combination of a bar; two jaw-levers pivoted to the bar at a distance
apart and converging toward the jaws; said jaws being provided with edges
projecting toward each other; a toggle-block located between the converging
lever; toggle arms pivotally connecting the block with the levers respectively
below the bar; and means for operating the toggle-block.
3. The combination of a bar; two jaw-levers pivoted to the bar at a distance
apart and converging toward the jaws; said jaws being provided with edges
projecting toward each other; a toggle-block located between the
converging levers; toggle - arms pivotally connecting the block with
the levers respectively; a flexible connection connected with the toggle-block;
and a lever to which the flexible connection is attached said lever being provided
with a fulcrum and also with a curved face over which the flexible connection
is led.
4. The combination of a bar; two jaw-levers pivoted to the bar at a distance
apart and converging toward the jaws; said jaws being provided with edges
projecting toward each other; a toggle-block located between the converging
levers; toggle-arms pivotally connecting the block with the levers respectively;
a lever with flexible connection for operating the block; and a swivel connection
connecting the flexible connection with said block.
5. A clutch comprising a bar; two jaw-levers pivoted to the bar at a distance
apart and converging toward the jaws; said jaws being provided with edges pro-
jecting toward each other; a toggle-block located between the converging levers;

page_text: toggle-arms pivotally connecting the block with the levers respectively; means
for operating the toggle-block; and a handle attached to the bar for handling the
clutch.
Dated this 5th day of August 1899
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.