An Improved Railroad Spike.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Railroad Spike.
We, WALTER JOHN HAMMOND General Manager Rio Claro Railway Company
Limited, Rio Claro São Paulo, Brazil, and JOHN GORDON, Merchant, of 62, Rua
São Pedro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 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 this invention is to provide a new and improved railroad spike
which is simple in construction securely holds the rails in place on the sleeper
and permits of a progressive driving in case it becomes loose in the sleeper.
The invention consists of a spike bevelled at one side of the head and provided
at the opposite side with a series of steps adapted to successively engage the
edge of the base of the rail when the spike driven further in after having
become loose.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement;
Figure 2 is an edge view of the same;
Figure 3 is a side elevation of a pair of spikes as applied, the rail and sleeper
being in section; and
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are perspective views of modified forms of the improvement.
The hold of a spike in the sleeper is due to the elasticity of the fibres of the
wood immediately adjoining it. After a certain length of time these fibres lose
their elasticity, and the hole made by the spike is enlarged permanently, so that
the spike becomes loose and will finally work out. In order that the spike may
obtain a new hold in the sleeper it becomes necessary to force it against a new
set of elastic fibres, and if this can not be done the spike becomes useless and
must be withdrawn and discarded. In order to avoid this, and to permit of a
progressive tightening of the spike, in case it becomes loose, is the object of the
invention to be presently described.
The spike A, is provided with a shank B, pointed at its lower end and having a
head C, one side D, of which is beveled and has a step-like series of shoulders E,
E', E', E, E, etc., as many as desired. The side F, opposite the side D, is formed
with a plain bevel, as is shown in the drawings, the bevel preferably commencing
somewhat below that of the side D, as indicated in Figure 1. The shank B of the
spike may be plain, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, or it may be provided with
steps, as shown in Figure 5, or with ridges or flanges, as illustrated in Figure 4, or
provided with grooves, as shown in Figure 6.
In order to fix the rail G on the wooden sleeper H, the spike B is driven into the
sleeper in the usual manner, but so that the first step or notch E engages the edge
of the base of the rail G, as shown in Figure 3. Now, when the spike becomes
loose in the course of time, the spike B is driven again, so that the shank is caused
to come in contact with new fibres in the wooden sleeper H, and at the same time
the next following step E' engages the edge of the base of the rail. By this means
the spike B is again securely held in place, as its shank is in contact with new
fibres of the sleeper, and at the same time the beveled outer side F of the head of
the spike securely presses the new step E' in contact with the edge of the base of
the rail.
This operation of progressively driving the spike can be repeated as often as the
spike becomes loose, so that the rail can always be held securely in place on the
sleener H

page_text: It is understood that when spikes such as shown in Figures 4,
and 6 are
driven, the fibres, by their elasticity, always surround the steps or offsets, or pass
into the grooves, so as to securely hold the shank B in place in the sleeper.
We are aware that spikes with single steps have been employed, but we do not
broadly claim such spikes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is,―
1. A railroad spike, provided with a head having a beveled side, and provided
with a series of steps adapted to successively engage the edge of the base of
the rail when the spike is further driven after having become loose, substantially
as shown and described.
2. A railroad spike, comprising a shank, and a head formed on the said shank
and having two oppositely-arranged, beveled sides, one of the said sides being
provided with a series of steps or notches, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 5th day of May 1891.
W. J. HAMMOND.
J. GORDON.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents