AN IMPROVED SPIKE
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International Patent
Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED SPIKE."-A communication from abroad by Lewis
Alexander Osborn, of the City, County, and State of New York,
United States of America, Merchant.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st March 1866.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED SPIKE," a communication, to be as follows:-
The said Invention consists chiefly in constructing split spikes for rail-
way purposes in such a manner that each half or prong thereof on being
driven into wood will diverge or turn outward in a plane parallel with the
split in the spike. The said spike is thereby rendered very strong in every.
respect, and takes a firm hold in the wood. The spikes, which may be

page_text: square, round, or of any other desired sectional shape, and of any suitable
metal, are by preference forged solid, the split in the shank being formed
by a series of circular saws, but they may also be forged in two halves
welded together near the head at the point where the slit terminates, the
head being formed in the usual manner. The ends of the two halves or
prongs of the spike are pointed like a wedge or chisel, the edges being
bevilled or chamferred in opposite directions. Each prong therefore cuts
its own way as the spike is driven into the wood, and from the direction in
which the points of the said prongs are chamferred they will diverge from
each other, thereby obtaining a firm hold upon the wood and insuring the
rail and sleeper being securely and closely united. The spike heads may
be formed one-sided to allow the spike to be driven into the sleeper out-
side of the rail, the latter being secured to the sleeper by the spike head
resting upon the rail flange in the usual manner. But the compression of
the spikes upon the rail is far greater when their heads are central with
the prongs and are tapered off towards the points of the said prongs, the
spike being in this case driven through a hole in the rail flange. Spikes
formed in this manner can be driven into any portion of the sleeper irre-
spective of the direction of the grain of the wood and as quickly as solid
spikes, without previously boring a hole in the wood, as is necessary when
using split spikes constructed in the usual manner. My improved spikes
can also be drawn out of the wood and used over again, which is not the
case with ordinary split spikes, as the prongs of the latter require to be
diverted to a much greater extent to enable them to hold with the required
degree of tenacity.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 31st August 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year

page_text: of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence that I,
the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors,
administrators, 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 "AN IMPROVED SPIKE," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should 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 William Robert Lake, 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 accompanying Sheet of
Drawings forming a part of this Specification.
The said Invention consists chiefly in constructing split spikes for rail-
way purposes in such a manner that each half or prong thereof on being
driven into wood will diverge or turn outward in a plane parallel with the
split in the spike. The said spike is thereby rendered very strong in every
respect, and takes a firm hold in the wood.
Figure 1 is a side view of one of my improved spikes; Figure 2 is a
front view of the same; Figure 3 is a front view of a similar spike having
a different form of head; Figure 4 shews the position of the ends of the
spike when the same is driven into a sleeper or other piece of wood. Like
letters refer to corresponding parts in each of the Figures.
The spike, whose shank or body A may be square, round, or of any
other desired sectional shape, is formed of wrought iron, steel, or other
suitable metal, and is by preference forged solid, the split or division in
the shank being produced by a series of circular saws. The said split may

page_text: be made in the spike when the metal thereof is either hot or cold, as
desired. The spikes may also be forged in two halves or prongs, the said
balves being afterwards welded together at the pointa, where the slit or
division between the prongs B terminates. The ends 6 of these halves or
prongs are pointed like a wedge or chisel, the edges thereof being beveled
or chamfered in opposite directions. Each of the prongs B, therefore, cuts
its own way as the spike is driven into the wood, and by the direction in
which the points b are chamfered they will be caused to diverge or separate
from each other, and will thereby obtain a firm hold upon the wood, and
ensure the rails C and sleeper D being securely and closely united. The
spike heads A¹ may be formed one-sided, as represented in Figure 3, to
allow the spike to be driven into the sleeper D outside of the rail C, the
latter being secured to the said sleeper by the spike head resting upon the
flange c of the rail C in the usual manner. But the compression of the rails
by the spikes is much greater when the head A¹ is formed central with the
shank A and prongs B, and is tapered or beveled off towards the points of
the said prongs, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the spike being in this
case driven through a hole in the rail flange. Spikes formed in this manner
may be driven into any portion of the sleeper irrespective of the direction
of the grain of the wood as quickly as solid spikes without previously
boring holes in the wood, as is necessary when using split spikes con-
'structed in the usual manner. By this method of forming the spikes greater
strength also is obtained than is possible by other methods of construction.
In using ordinary split spikes, unless holes are bored for their insertion a
certain distance into the wood, the prongs will turn up as they enter
therein before obtaining a proper hold, the said prongs not having sufficient
strength to force their own way. Another advantage obtained by the use
of my improved spikes is that they can be drawn out of the wood and used
over again many times, the slight divergence of the prongs B allowing
them to be easily closed as the spike emerges from its hole, and also
allowing the said spike to be frequently bent and straightened without
injury. The spike comes out of the wood each time perfect in shape and
ready for immediate reinsertion. This is not the case with ordinary split
spikes, whose prongs when driven into the wood are diverted or separated
to a much greater extent to enable them to hold with the required degree
of tenacity. The said prongs being greatly distorted can only be with-
drawn with great difficulty, and the spikes generally require to be reham-
mered before they are again fit for use.

page_text: Having thus described the said Invention as communicated to me from
my foreign correspondent, and shewn how the same may be conveniently
and advantageously carried into practice, I claim a split spike so con-
structed that its two halves or prongs when driven into wood will diverge
or turn outward in planes parallel with the split or division in the spike,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight.hundred and sixty-six.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
GEORGE HASELTINE,
8, Southampton Buildings,
W.C.