IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS OR TRAMWAYS
Year: 1880

page_text: This Specification was, upon the 15th day of November 1886, amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883.
EETTERS PATENT to John Holden, of Nelson, pear Burnley, in the County of
Lancaster, Builder, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT
WAY OF RAILWAYS OR TRAMWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Holden at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th September 1880.
JOHN HOLDEN of Nelson near Burnley in the County of Lancaster, Builder.
“IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS OR TRAMWAYS."
My Invention is designed to remedy the defects that now exist in the wooden
wedges or keys used in retaining the rail in its position in the chair of the
permanent way. The said wedge or key when driven home in the chair swells
or expands in damp weather and shrinks or is reduced in bulk in dry weather
when the latter occurs the rail is no longer securely held in its place, as the
wedge or key becomes loose and liable to drop from the chair. To remedy these
defects I form a recess or groove in the wooden wedge or key to admit of a
spring which will accommodate itself to the varying expansion or contraction.
A screw or bolt may be used so as to secure the aforesaid wedge or key in
position. I form a recess or cavity in the chair into which the wooden wedge
or key will swell when driven home whereby the wedge or key is retained in
position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Holden in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th March
1881.
JOHN HOLDEN of Nelson near Burnley in the County of Lancaster Builder.
……“.IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS OR TRAMWAYS."
My Invention is designed to remedy the defects that now-exist in the wooden
-key-or-wedge_used in retaining the rail in position in the chair of the permanent
way. The said key or wedge, when-driven-home between the jaw of the chair and
side of the rail, for-the-purpose_of_securing the same swells or expands-in-damp-
weather and shrinks or is reduced in bulk in dry weather;-in-the event of the
latter the aforesaid key or wedge becomes, loose and liable to fall from its position
in the chair, to the great danger of the rails shifting.
The first part of my Invention consists in placing on one or both jaws of the
chair, a bent, curved, or other suitably formed spring, the ends of which may be
bent so no to clasp and be held in position on the jaw of the chair, the key-or
wedge-is-grooved-or recessed in the direction of its length-to-correspond-in-shape
with-the-pressing surface-of-the-spring on which it is driven; the latter forms an
elastic-medium-whereby the key or wedge will become firmly pressed against the
side of the rail the said spring accomodating itself to the varying expansion or
contraction-of-the-key-or-wedge.
The second part of my Invention consists of a recess or cavity so formed on the
inner face of one or both of the jaws of the chair that the ends or entrance to the
chair for the key or wedge will be of a less gauge or width than at the centre of
the jaw in such a manner that as the key or wedge is driven between the jaw
of the chair and side of the rail will swell or expand itself within the said recess
or cavity.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood, and readily carried
into operation. I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
reference being had to the Figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is an elovation, Figure 2 a plan, and Figure 3 an end elevation of a
railway chair and rail to which my improvements are applied, and figures-4,5,-6
and-7-are-detached views of a spring and railway key hereinafter described.
The first part of my Invention is represented in Figures 1, 2 and 3. A and A¹
are the jaws of a chair to which I apply a bent or curved spring B which clasps
the ends of the jaws at F by its bent ends B'. The wooden-wedge-or-key C is by
preference of a straight or parallel form, which is grooved or recessed in the
direction of its length to correspond in shape with the pressing surface of the
spring-B-on-which it is driven, whereby the key or wedge is firmly pressed against
the-side-of-the-rail D, the spring B-accomodating itself to the varying-expansion
or-contraction of the wooden key or wedge.
The second part of my Invention consists of a recess or cavity E formed on
the inner face of one or both of the jaws of the chair as seen in dotted lines in

page_text: Figures 2 and 3 so that the ends or entrance to the chair for the key or wedge C
will be of a less gauge or width than at the centre of the jaw so that when the
key or wedge is driven into the said recess or cavity it will swell and lock itself
theroin,
"
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that
I claim
Firstly, The application of a spring for the purpose of retaining the wooden
key or wedge in its position in the chair as shewn and described.
Secondly, The recess or cavity in one or both jaws of the chair for the purpose
set forth.
In witness whereof the said John Holden hath hereunto set his hand and
seal this Sixteenth day of March in the year of our Lord 1881.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Holden, of Nelson, near Burnley, in the County of
Lancaster, Builder, for on Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT
WAY OF RAILWAYS OR TRAMWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Holden at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th September 1880.
JOHN HOLDEN, of Nelson, near Burnley, in the County of Lancaster, Builder..
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS OR TRAMWAYS."
My Invention is designed to remedy the defects that now exist in the wooden
wedges or keys used in retaining the rail in its position in the chair of the
permanent way. The said wedge or key when driven home in the chair swells
or expands in damp weather, and shrinks or is reduced in bulk in dry weather;
when the latter occurs the rail is no longer securely held in its place, as the
wedge or key becomes loose and liable to drop from the chair. To remedy these
defects I form a recess or groove in the wooden wedge or key to admit of a
spring, which will accommodate itself to the varying expansion or contraction.
A screw or bolt may be used so as to secure the aforesaid wedge or key in
position. I form a recess or cavity in the chair into which the wooden wedge or
key will swell when driven home, whereby the wedge or key is retained in
position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Holden in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th. March
1881.
JOHN HOLDEN, of Nelson, near Burnley, in the County of Lancaster, Builder.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS OR TRAMWAYS."
My Invention is designed to remedy the defects that now exist in the wooden
key or wedge used in retaining the rail in position in the chair of the permanent
way. The said key or wedge when driven home between the jaw of tho chair and
side of the rail for the purpose of securing the same swells or expands in damp
weather, and shrinks or is reduced in bulk in dry weather; in the event of the
latter the aforesaid key or wedge becomes loose, and liable to fall from its position
in the chair to the great danger of the rails shifting.
The first part of my Invention consists in placing on one or both jaws of the
chair a bent, curved, or other suitably formed spring, the ends of which may be
-bent so-as-to-clasp and be held in position on the jaw of the chair; the key or
wedge is grooved or recessed in the direction of its length to correspond in shape
with the pressing surface of the spring on which it is driven; the latter forms an
elastic medium whereby the key or wedge will-become-firmly-pressed-against_the_
-side-of-the-rail-the-said-spring-accomodating_itself_to_the varying expansion or
contraction of the key or wedge.
The second part of my Invention consists of a recess or cavity so formed on the
inner face of one or both of the jaws of the chair, that the ends or entrance to the
chair for the key or wedge will be of a less gauge or width than at the centre of
the jaw, in such a manner that as the key or wedge is driven between the jaw of
the chair and side of the rail will swell or expand itself within the said recess or
cavity.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
reference being had to the Figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is an elevation; Figure 2, a plan, and Figure 3, an end elevation of a
railway chair and rail to which my improvements are applied, and Figures 4, 5, 6,
and 7 are detached views of a spring and railway key hereinafter described.
The first part of my Invention is represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3. A and A¹
are the jaws of a chair to which I apply a bent or curved spring B, which clasps
the ends of the jaws at F by its bent ends B'. The wooden wedge or key C is by
preference of a straight or parallel form, which is grooved or recessed in the
direction of its length to correspond in shape with the pressing surface of the
spring B on which it is driven, whereby the key or wedge is firmly pressed against
the side of the rail D, the spring B accomodating itself to the varying expansion
or contraction of the wooden key or wedge.
The second part of my Invention consists of a recess or cavity E formed on the
inner face of one or both of the jaws of the chair, as seen in dotted lines in
Figures 2 and 3, so that the ends or entrance to the chair for the key or wedge C
will be of a less gauge or width than at the centre of the jaw, so that when the key
or wedge is driven into the said recess or cavity, it will swell and lock itself
therein.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that
1 claim,―
Firstly. The application of a spring for the purpose of retaining the wooden key
or wedge in its position in the chair, as shewn and described.

page_text: Secondly. The recess or cavity in one or both jaws of the chair, for the purpose
Bet forth.
In witness whereof, the said John Holden, hath hereunto set his hand and
seal, this Sixteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord 1881.
JOHN HOLDEN. (L.s.)