IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY FASTENINGS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to the Honorable William Erskine Cochrane, of
Osnaburgh Terrace, Regent's Park, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of 11 TurnnARD
DA...
Scaled the 6th January 1863, and dated the 12th July. 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Honorable William
Erskine Cochrane at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 12th July 1862.
I, the Honorable WILLIAM ERSKINE COCHRANE, of Osnaburgh Terrace,
Regent's Park, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY FASTENINGS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention bas for its object improvements in railway fastenings. For
these purposes when using plates with studs or projections thereon corresponding
with the holes made in the ends of rails such as are usually formed for receiving
screw bolts of fish plates, the plates are each made in such manner that they
have as many studs or projections as there are holes made in the ends of two
rails, which is not new, but in place of making the outer surface of such n
plate as heretofore it is formed with a projecting incline on that part which

page_text: comes within and below the top of the outer jaw of a joint chair, in which the
ends of the two rails are to be fixed and retained by the plate. In addition to
such incline there are two other projections formed near the upper part of the
plate, so as to come (when the plate is in its place in the chair) on either
side of the outer jaw of the chair and near its top. These projections form
stops which prevent the plate, and also the rails sliding longitudinally within
the chair. Between these two projections or stops there are formed projecting
ribs which do not extend so far out from the outer surface of the plate as the
stops, and it is between these ribs that the wedge is driven. The plate
when it has been introduced between the ends of the two rails and the jaw of
the joint chair is fixed therein by means of an iron wedge which is driven
between the jaw of the chair and the projecting incline on the outer surface of
the plate. The inner surface of the wedge is formed with grooves or notches,
and such is the case in respect to the projecting ribs, so that when the wedge
is driven tightly in its place it may be prevented becoming loose by driving a
nail down through one of the notches or grooves in the projecting rib of the
plate and in the inner surface of the wedge. It is preferred that the outer
and inner surfaces of the wedge should bo reeded or grooved longitudinally.
In making fastenings for intermediate chairs there are no pins or projections
formed on the inner surfaces of the plates, and such plates are shorter, but
like those used in a joint chair they have the raised inclines to receive the
wedges, also the projecting stops to come on either side of the jaws of the
chairs, and also the ribs and means of retaining the wedges secure. When
the wedges and plates are made of cast iron, which is preferred to be the case,
they may be strengthened by pieces of wrought-iron wire or portions of small
rods being introduced into the moulds in such manner as to be enclosed in the
castings. In order to retain the square heads of screw bolts, and the square
scrow nuts used in fixing fish plates, joining the ends of railway bars, plates are
used with holes through them, having around each of such holes eight or a
greater number of angular notches corresponding in size with the angles of
the square heads of the screw bolts or the square nuts so employed: In
making a plate for retaining the four square heads of the screw bolts or the
four square screw nuts used to fasten a fish plate, it is not necessary that
there should be four holes, as each of the two ends of the holding plate will
only require to have a single angular notch formed therein and such eud will
then have the same power to hold the square heads of the two outer bolts or
square screw nuts from turning as the holes possess which have eight angular
notches formed around thein and through which each of the square heads of

page_text: the other two bolts or square screw nuts pass. In order to retain the holding
plates from being shaken off, strips of tin or other metal are fastened by the
screw bolts or nuts, and the outer ends of such strips are turned or bent over
the edges of the fixing plates.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said the Honorable William Erskine Cochrane, in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 12th January 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, the
Honorable WILLIAM ERSKINE COCHRANE, of Osnaburgh Terrace, Regent's
Park, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign;
did, for Herself, Her beirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Erskine Cochrane, Her special licence that I, the said William
Erskine Cochrane, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Erskine Coclirane, my exécutors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
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 RAILWAY FASTENINGS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Erskine Cochrane, my exccutors 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 iimme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Erskine Cochrane, 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 thereof, that is to say :—
This Invention has for its object improvements in railway fastenings. For
these purposes, when using plates with studs or projections thereon corre-
sponding with the holes midde in tlic ends of rails such as are usually formed

page_text: for receiving screw bolts of fish plates, the plates are each made in such manner
that they have as many studs or projections as there are holes made in the
ends of two rails, which is not new, but in place of making the outer surface of
such a plate as heretofore it is formed with a projecting incline on that part
which comes within and below the top of the outer jaw of a joint chair in
which the ends of the two rails are to be fixed and retained by the plate. In
addition to such incline there are two other projectious formed near the upper
part of the plate so as to come (when the plate is in its place in the chair)
on either side of the outer jaw of the chair and near its top. These projections
form stops which prevent the plate and also the rails sliding longitudinally
within the chair. Between these two projections or stops there aro formed
projecting ribs which do not extend so far out from the outer surface of the
plate as the stops, and it is between these ribs that the wedge is driven. The
plate, when it has been introduced between the ends of the two rails and the
jaw of the joint chair is fixod therein by means of an iron wedge which is
driven between the jaw of the chair and the projecting incline on the outer
surface of the plate. The inner surface of the wedge is formed with grooves
or notches, and such is the case in respect to the projecting ribs, so that when
the wedge is driven tightly in its place it may be prevented becoming loose
by driving a nail down through one of the notches or grooves in the projecting
rib of the plate and in the inner surface of the wedge. It is preferred that
the outer and inner surfaces of the wedge should be reeded or grooved
longitudinally.
In making fastenings for intermediate chairs there are no pins or projections
formed on the inner surfaces of the plates, and such plates are shorter,
but like those used in a joint chair they have the raised inclines to receive
the wedges, also the projecting stops to come on either side of the jaws of the
chairs, and also the ribs and means of retaining the wedges secure.
When the wedges and plates are made of cast iron, which is preferred to
be the case, they may be strengthened by pieces of wrought-iron wire or
portions of small rods being introduced into the moulds in such manner as to
be enclosed in the castings. In order to retain the square heads of screw
bolts and the square screw nuts used in fixing fish plates joining the ends of
railway bars, plates are used with holes through them, having around each of
such holes eight or a greater number of angular notches corresponding in
size with the angles of the square heads of the screw bolts or the square nuts
so employed. In making a plate for retaining the four square heads of the
screw bolts or the four square screw nuts used to fasten a fish plate, it is not

page_text: necessary that there should be four holes, as each of the two ends of the
holding plate will only require to have a single angular notch formed. therein,
and such ends will then have the same power to hold the square heads
of the two outer bolts or square screw nuts from turning as the holes
possess, which have eight angular notches formed around them, and through
which each of the square heads of the other two bolts or square screw
nuts pass. In order to retain the holding plates from being shaken off, strips
of tin or other metal are fastened by the screw bolts or nuts, and the outer
ends of such strips are turned or bent over the edges of the fixing plates.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more fully
to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a transverse section of a joint chair with a railway bar
fixed therein according to my. Invention ;. Figure 2 shews a horizontal longi-
tudinal section of the ends of two rails fixed in a joint chair according. to.my
Invention; the nail, however, which is to be driven in vertically to retain the
wedge in its place, is not shewn; Figure 3 shews a plan of the wedge, and
also a view of the inner surface of the wedge; Figure 4 shews a' longi-
tudinal borizontal section of the plate used to connect the ends of two rails.
together in a joint chair and to retain them therein when secured by the
wedge as hereafter explained; Figure 5 shews an outside view of the plate ;.
and Figure 6 a plan thereof. In cach of these Figures the same letters
indicate the same parts.
A, A, are the ends of two railway bars which are placed in a joint chair B,
and they are retained therein securely by the plate C and wedge D. On the
plate C are formed projections c, c, which enter the holes a, a, made in the
ends of the railway bars. It is not however new to use plates with projections.
such as are shewn in the Drawings, but in place of the outer surface of the
plate C being made as heretofore, it is formed with an incline E longitudinally
in which incline are formed transverse grooves F, so as to admit of a nail
being driven vertically downwards between the plate C and the wedge D,
which has also similar grooves F¹ formed on its inner surface to those in the
outer surface of the plate C. The plate C has also formed thereon two pro-
jections G, G, which come on either side of the jaw of the chair and prevent
the plate C moving longitudinally therein. I prefer to make the plates C and
also the wedges D. of tough cast iron, but other suitable material may be used..
When using cast iron, pieces of wrought-iron wire, or rods, may be introduced.
=

page_text: with advantage into the moulds in such manner as to be included within the
castings. I have not thought it necessary to shew fastening apparatus con-
structed in a suitable manner for fastening railway bars in intermediate chairs
as tho only difference consists in dispensing with the projections c, c, and
making the plates shorter..
I will now proceed to describe the second part of my Invention, which is
applicable when ordinary fish plates are used to fasten the ends of railway bars
together. His an ordinary fish plato which is fixed to the ends of two railway
bars by means of four square-headed screw bolts I, I, and four square nuts J,J.
In order to retain either the beads or the nuts or both from turning one or
two plates Ķ are used. One plate K being applied when the heads or the
nuts are to be prevented turning, and two plates K are used when it is
desired to prevent both the heads of the screw bolts and the nuts from
turning. The plate K, which is shewn in the Drawings, is indicated as applied
to retain the four nuts from turning, but when used to retain the screw
bolts from turning, the plate K is applied to the square heads of the screw
bolts in the same manner as that shewn in the Drawing for retaining the
four screw nuts from turning. In the plate K there are two holes formed
through it, around each of which there are formed eight angular notches, four
of which are constantly engaged with or occupied by the four angles of a
square screw nut or the square head of a screw bolt, and in the event of the
nut or the screw bolt requiring to be tightened up on the plate K being
removed, the nut or the bolt may be turned one or more eighths of a revo-
lution and again be in a position to receive the plate K. In each end of the
plate K there is only one angular notch formed. I would state that I am
aware that it has before been proposed to use plates with holes through them
corresponding in shape with the heads of the screw bolts and with the screw
nuts employed. The peculiarity of this part of my Invention consists in
forming the holes through the plates with more angular notches than the heads
of the bolts or the screw nuts used therewith bave angles, and I would
state, that although I prefer eight angular notches and a single angular
notch at each end, I do not confine myself thereto, so long as there are
more angular notches formed around each of the holes in a plate K. than
the nuts or heads of the bolts have angles. In order to retain the plate K
in position one or more pieces of sheet metal L is or are used, which
are so formed as to be held between the nuts or the heads of the bolts
and the plate, or projecting part L' coming in front of the plato K as is
shown..

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is,-
First, the combined arrangement of apparatus herein described for fastening
the ends of railway bars in joint chairs of railways.
And, secondly, I claim the mode of retaining the screw bolts and nuts of
railway fish plates from turning as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Erskine Cochrane, have here--
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
F