IMPROVEMENTS IN BOLTS OR FASTENINGS FOR THE FISH PLATES OF THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS, AND IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SAID BOLTS OR FASTENINGS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Edward Rogers, of Smethwick, in the County of
Salford, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOLTS OR
FASTENINGS FOR THE FISH PLATES OF THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS, AND IN
MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SAID BOLTS OR
FASTENINGS."
Sealed the 28th February 1878, and dated the 20th September 1877.
.
..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Edward Rogers at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th September 1877.
JOHN EDWARD ROGERS, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Machinist.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BOLTS OR FASTENINGS FOR THE FISH PLATES OF THE RAILS
OF RAILWAYS, AND IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SAID
BOLTS OR FASTENINGS."
My Invention consists, first, of the improvements herein-after described in bolts
or fastenings to be used for securing the fish plates of the rails of railways, whereby
the said bolts or fastenings are more efficient than ordinary screw bolts, and are
more easily applied.
In making the said bolts or fastenings according to my Invention, I construct
them of a forked form, or of the general figure of the letter U, that is, each bolt
consists of two parallel parts or branches connected together by a cross piece, the
said parallel parts, or branches and cross-connecting piece being made from one
length of metal. The distance between the two parallel parts or branches of the
double bolt or fastening is equal to the distance between two adjacent holes in the
fish plates to be fastened to the rails.
The free ends of the parallel branches or parts of the double bolt or fastening are
screwed for receiving the screw nuts by which the fish plates are fastened to the
rails. In using this double bolt or fastening its two branches are passed through
two adjacent holes in the fish plates and rail, the connecting cross piece of the two
[Price &dı

page_text: branches or bolts being situated at and lying against the fish plate at one side of
the rails, and the screwed ends of the two branches or bolts passing through and
protruding from the fish plate at the other side of the rails.
By applying screw nuts to the protruding screwed ends of the double bolts or
fastenings, the fish plates and rails are secured together, the connecting cross piece
of the double bolt taking a bearing against that part of the fish plate at one side
of the rails, situated between the two adjacent holes in the said fish plate through
which the bolts proper are passed.
In order to ensure a more perfect bearing of the connecting cross piece of the
double bolt against the fish plate at one side of the rails, the outer face of the said
fish plate may be recessed to receive the cross connecting piece, the inner face of
the said connecting piece lying in the recess when the double bolt is fastened in its
place.
I prefer to make the whole of the double bolt of iron of a circular figure in cross
section, but I do not limit myself thereto.
My Invention consists, secondly, of the improvements herein-after described
in machinery for manufacturing the said forked or U shaped bolts or fastenings.
One part of the said machinery consists of appliances for bending lengths or
rods of iron into the said forked or U shaped bolts; and another part consists
of appliances for simultaneously screwing the ends of both branches, or parts of
the said bolts.
The bending machine consists essentially of the following parts:-A recipro-
cating slide working on the bed of the machine carries at its front end a bending
die around or in a groove in which the rod or length of iron to be made into a bolt
or fastening is bent by the action of two rollers between which the rod or length of
iron is carried by the action of the slide, the said rod or length of iron being placed
in front of and made to cross the bending die. The rod or length of iron having
been fed to its place in the machine, is held firmly in or against the bending die by
means of a gripping lever carried by the slide. By the advance of the slide the
rod or length of iron in front of it is carried between the two bending rollers, and
the said rod or length is thereby bent around the die in the slide. After the com-
plete bending of the length or rod has been effected, the return or back motion of
the slide takes place, when the gripping die rises and releases the double bolt, and
the said bolt is removed from the bending die by a pair of strippers, beyond which
the bolt had been carried by the advance motion of the slide.
These strippers may consist of weighted levers which are pushed back on the
advance motion of the slide, and which clip the die, and strip the double bolt from
it on the back motion of the slide. I do not however limit myself to this con-
struction of strippers.
The reciprocating motion of the slide is effected by a connecting or crank rod
jointed to a crank plate on the driving shaft, the front end of the said connecting
rod being connected to the slide by a cross pin working in a slot in the slide. To
this pin of the connecting or crank rod an arm is jointed, which arm works the
gripping lever. By the position of the said pin in the slot in the side the
gripping lever is put into and taken out of action at the proper times.
The screwing machine for simultaneously screwing or worming the two branches
of the double bolts consists of two parallel spindles geared together by spur wheels,
and driven from a shaft situated between, but above them, the said shaft being
furnished with reversing gearing. Each of the said spindles carries a set of ordinary
screwing dies contained in a box or holder.
In front of the screwing dies is a sliding saddle working on the frame of the
machine, the said saddle carrying at its front a clamp or holder in which the double
bolt to be screwed or wormed is fixed, with its two branches coincident with the
axes of the two sets of screwing dies. The sliding saddle supporting the double
bolt is advanced towards the two sets of screwing dies by a pair of levers turning
on a fixed frame at the rear of the said saddle. When the sliding saddle has been

page_text: sufficiently advanced to effect the screwing of the ends of the double bolt by the
two sets of screwing dies, the advancing levers are released, when the sliding saddle
makes its back or return motion, the said back or return motion of the saddle being
effected by the reverse motion of the screwing dies, by which unscrewing motion
the screwed ends of the bolts are propelled from the said screwing dies.
"
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Edward Rogers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
March 1878.
JOHN EDWARD ROGERS, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Machinist.
IMPROVEMENTS IN BOLTS OR FASTENINGS FOR THE FISH PLATES OF THE RAILS
OF RAILWAYS, AND IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SAID
BOLTS OR FASTENINGS."
My Invention consists first of the improvements herein-after described in bolts or.
fastenings to be used for securing the fish plates of the rails of railways whereby
the said bolts or fastenings are more efficient than ordinary screw bolts and are
more easily applied.
In making the said bolts or fastenings according to my Invention I construct
them of a forked form or of the general figure of the letter U, that is, each bolt
consists of two parallel parts or branches connected together by a cross piece, the
said parallel parts or branches and cross connecting piece being made from one
length of metal. The distance between the two parallel parts or branches of the
double bolt or fastening is equal to the distance between two adjacent holes in the
fish plates to be fastened to the rails.
The ends of the parallel branches or parts of the double bolt or fastening are
screwed for receiving the screw nuts by which the fish plates are fastened to the
rails. In using this double bolt or fastening its two branches are passed through
two adjacent holes in the fish plates and rails, the connecting cross piece of the two
branches or bolts being situated at and lying against the fish plate at one side of
the rails, and the screwed ends of the two branches or bolts passing through and
protruding from the fish plate at the other side of the rails.
By applying screw nuts to the protruding screwed ends of the double bolts or
fastenings the fish plates and rails are secured together, the connecting cross piece
of the double bolt taking a bearing against that part of the fish plate at one side of.
the rails situated between the two adjacent holes in the said fish plate through
which the bolts proper are passed.
In order to ensure a more perfect bearing of the connecting cross piece of the
double bolt against the fish plate at one side of the rails the outer face of the said
fish plate may be recessed to receive the cross connecting piece, the inner face of
the said connecting piece lying in the recess when the double bolt is fastened in its
place.

page_text: I prefer to make the whole of the double bolt of iron of a circular figure in cross
section, but I do not limit myself thereto.
My Invention consists secondly of the improvements, herein-after described, in
machinery for manufacturing the said forked or U shaped bolts or fastenings.
One part of the said machinery consists of appliances for bending lengths or rods
of iron into the said forked or U shaped bolts, and another part consists of
appliances for simultaneously screwing the ends of both branches or parts of the
said bolts.
The bending machine consists essentially of the following parts :-A reciprocating
slide working on the bed of the machine carries at its front end a bending die,
around or in a groove in which the rod or length of iron to be made into a bolt or
fastening is bent by the action of two rollers between which the rod or length of
iron is carried by the action of the slide, the said rod or length of iron being placed
in front of and made to cross the bending die. The rod or length of iron having
been fed to its place in the machine is held firmly in or against the bending die by
means of a gripping lever carried by the slide. By the advance of the slide the rod
or length of iron in front of it is carried between the two bending rollers, and the
said rod or length is thereby bent around the die in the slide. After the complete
bending of the length or rod has been effected the return or back motion of the slide
takes place, when the gripping lever rises and releases the double bolt, and the said
bolt is removed from the bending die by a pair of strippers beyond which the bolt
had been carried by the advance motion of the slide.
These strippers may consist of weighted levers which are pushed back on the
advance motion of the slide, and which clip the die and strip the double bolt
from it on the back motion of the slide. I do not however limit myself to this
construction of strippers.
The reciprocating motion of the slide is effected by a connecting or crank rod
jointed to a crank plate on the driving shaft, the front end of the said connecting
rod being connected to the slide by a cross pin working in a slot in the slide. To
this pin of the connecting or crank rod an arm is jointed, which arm works the
gripping lever.
By the position of the said pin in the slot in the slide the
gripping lever is put into and taken out of action at the proper times.
The screwing machine for simultaneously screwing or worming the two branches
of the double bolts consists of two parallel spindles geared together by spur wheels
and driven from a shaft situated between but above them, the said shaft being
furnished with reversing gearing. Each of the said spindles carries a set of ordinary
screwing dies contained in a box or holder.
In front of the screwing dies is a sliding saddle working on the frame of the
machine, the said saddle carrying at its front a clamp or holder in which the double
bolt to be screwed or wormed is fixed, with its two branches coincident with the
axes of the two sets of screwing dies. The sliding saddle supporting the double bolt
is advanced towards the two sets of screwing dies by a pair of levers turning
on a fixed frame at the rear of the said saddle. When the sliding saddle has
been sufficiently advanced to effect the screwing of the ends of the double bolt
by the two sets of screwing dies, the sliding saddle makes its back or return
motion, the said back or return motion of the saddle being effected by the
reverse motion of the screwing dies, by which unscrewing motion the screwed
ends of the bolts are propelled from the said screwing dies.
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe with
reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in which the same is to be
performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation the joined ends of two railway rails, the fish
plates of which are fastened to the said rails by means of bolts or fastenings con-
structed according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a horizontal section of a portion

page_text: of the same; Figure 3 is a vertical cross section of the same, and Figure 4 is a vertical
cross section of a modification of the same.
The same letters indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
a, a, are the two rails to be joined together, and b, c, are the fish plates situated on
opposite sides thereof. The bolts or fastenings constructed according to my Invention
for fastening the fish plates b, c, to the rails a, a, are marked d, d, d², d², e. Each
bolt consists of two parallel parts or branches d, d, connected together by the cross
connecting piece e, situated at right angles to the said parts d, d, the parts d, d, and
e being made from one length or piece of wrought iron. The bolt or fastening is
double, or has the general figure of the letter U, as represented in the Drawing. It
is made by preference of wrought iron, of a circular figure in cross section, but it
may be made from iron of other figures. The ends of the parallel branches d, d, of
the double bolt are screwed at d², d³, for receiving the screw nuts f, f, by which the
fish plates b, c, are fastened to the rails a, a. The fish plate b at one side of the
rails is made in the ordinary way, but the fish plate c at the other side of the rail
is modified to fit it, to be used with my improved double bolt or fastening. That
is to say, the holes in the fish plate c through which the branches d, d, of the bolt
pass, are expanded outwards, or have a bell mouth figure, as represented at g,
Figures 2 and 3, for the purpose of providing for the seating of the curved inner
parts at d³, d, of the double bolt against the fish plate c. I do not, however, limit
myself to any particular sectional figure of the holes in the fish plate c for receiving
the curved parts of the double bolt, as the said holes may be made elliptical instead
of circular, the longer direction of the ellipse being situated in a line with the cross
piece e, when the latter is fixed in its place; or the expanded part of the holes may
be confined to that side at which the curved parts of the branches seat themselves.
Neither do I limit myself to the particular section of fish plates represented, as my
improved bolts may be applied to fish plates of other sectional figures.
In fixing the fish plates by the use of my improved double bolts or fastenings the
two branches d, d, of the bolt are passed through two adjacent holes in the fish
plate c, and through the holes in the rail a and the opposite fish plate b, the
connecting cross piece e being made to bear against the outer face of the fish plate c.
By screwing home the screw nuts f, f, on the screwed ends d², d³, protruding from
the fish plate b, the two fish plates b, c, and the rails a, a, are joined together.
By an examination of the Drawing it will be seen that the cross connecting piece e
of the double bolt has a bearing between two adjacent holes in the fish plate c, by
means of which long bearing additional firmness in the fastening of the fish plate is
obtained. For the purpose of ensuring a more perfect bearing of the connecting cross
piece e of the double bolt against the fish plate c, the outer face of the said fish plate
may be recessed to receive the inner side of the said cross piece e. This modification of
my Invention is represented in Figure 4, where the recess made in the outer face
of the fish plate is marked h in the separate view A of the said fish plate, and the
manner in which the inner side of the cross piece e of the double bolt seats itself
in the said recess h when fastened in its place is represented in the section of the rail
fish plates and bolt, Figure 4.
Figure 5 represents in side elevation partly in longitudinal section, and Figure
6 in plan, the machine which I prefer to use for bending the lengths or rods of iron
into the forked or U shaped bolts or fastenings.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 5 and 6.
a, a, is the frame of the machine, and b is the reciprocating dovetail slide
working in the dovetails 62, 62, on the bed of the machine. The said slide 6 carries
at its front end a bending die c, around which the rod or length of iron marked e
to be made into a bolt or fastening is bent in the manner herein-after described; f
is the gripping lever by which the rod or length of iron e is held in the groove in
the die c during the bending operation. The said gripping lever f turns on the
centre f³, carried by the reciprocating slide 6 of the bending die c, and the nose or

page_text: acting end of the said gripping leverf has the form best seen in Figure 5. The
said lever fis capable of a limited sliding motion on the rod g, and is held between
the abutment g on the base of the said rod and the india-rubber buffer h, the said
buffer h permitting the said lever f to yield by moving upwards upon the rod g,
when undue strain is put upon the gripping end of the said lever. Injury to the
machine is thereby prevented. The reciprocating slide 6 carrying the bending die
c and gripping lever fis worked by the connecting or crank rod i, one end of which
is jointed to the said slide b, and the other end to the crank pin on the crank
plate j, the said crank platej being fixed on the shaft 7, which is driven in any
convenient way. The connecting rod i is jointed to the slide b by the cross pin m 1
which cross pin works in a slot b³ in the rear end of the slide b, as seen in
Figure 5.
To the cross pin m of the connecting or crank rod i an arm p is jointed,
which arm works the gripping lever f. By the position of the pin m in the
slot 68 of the slide 6 the gripping lever is either made to grip the rod or
length of iron e or release the bent or partly made bolt. The die end of the
reciprocating slide b works between two bending rollers q, q, situated on oppo-
site sides of the slot or opening in the machine. The bending rollers q, q, are
carried hy the blocks 8, 8, which are made capable of adjustment in the framing
of the machine; t, t, are the strippers for removing the bent bolt or fastening
from the bending die c; these strippers consist of weighted levers, the weights
on the lower ends of the said levers preserving them in their normal vertical
position. The position of the acting upper ends of the stripping levers t, t, in
front of the opening in the machine is best seen in Figure 6.
2°
The action of the machine is as follows: -The rolled rod of iron from which the
bolts are to be made is cut up into lengths while still hot, and the heated lengths
are fed one at a time to the adjustable stop u, and made to cross the bending die c;
a heated length, marked e, is represented fed to the stop u in position for bending.
After the rod e has been fed to the stop u, the gripping lever f comes into action by
the motion of the crank rod i. When the crank rod i has reached the position
represented in the Drawing, the cross pin m has reached the end of the slot b in one
direction, and the arm p of the gripping lever is made to take the position repre-
sented in Figure 5; the gripping end of the lever is thereby made to descend upon
and grip the rod e, and hold it firmly in or against the bending die c. The further
motion of the crank plate j now causes the crank rod i to advance the slide b, which
slide carries the rod or length e in front of it between the two bending rollers q, q,
by which the said rod is bent around or upon the die c in the slide, as indicated in
dotted lines in Figure 6. The bent or partly made double bolt is carried by the
slide through the slot or opening r, pushing aside in its advance the stripping
levers t, t. As soon as the partly made bolt around the die c has reached the
position indicated in dotted lines at the return or back stroke of the slide b takes
place, when the gripping lever frises by the change of position of the arm p and
releases the double bolt, and the said bolt is removed from the bending die c by
coming against the pair of stripping levers t, t. The slide 6 having come to the end
of its back stroke another heated rod or length is placed in front of the bending
die c, and passed to the stop u, when the operations described are repeated. The
machine may be made double acting, that is, the shaping mechanism and parts
connected therewith may be duplicated at opposite sides of the shaft l, the con-
necting and driving parts being so arranged that while a double bolt is being made
by the advance of the slide at one end of the machine, the slide at the opposite end
of the machine is making its back stroke and taking its position preparatory to the
making of another double bolt.
Figure 7 represents in plan, Figure 8 in end elevation, and Figure 9 a part of the
same in side elevation, a machine for simultaneously screwing or worming the two
branches of the double bolt.

page_text: The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 7, 8, and 9.
a, a, are the parallel spindles of the machine, each spindle carrying a set of
ordinary screwing dies contained in the box or holder a². The said spindles a, a,
are driven from the shaft b, which has upon it a pinion c, the said pinion gearing
with the toothed wheels d, e, on the said spindles a, a. The shaft b has on its end
a large bevil wheel f, which is driven from the driving pulleys g, h, through the
reversing bevil gear i, k. In front of the screwing dies a², a³, is a sliding saddle
working on the guides m, m. The saddle carries at its front a clamp or holder n,
in which the double bolt or fastening p to be screwed or wormed is fixed, its two
branches coincident with the axes of the two sets of worming dies. The sliding
saddle 1, supporting the clamp n and double bolt p, is advanced towards the
screwing dies a², a², by the pair of levers q, q, carried by the fixed frame r acting
against the said sliding saddle. The double bolt. having been fixed in the clamp or
holder n the sliding saddle is acted upon by the levers q, q, and the branches p, p,
of the double bolt are advanced into the screwing dies a², a², and the said branches
of the bolt simultaneously screwed or wormed. When the screwing of the branches
of the bolt or fastening p, p, has been effected the sliding saddle makes its back or
return motion, the said back or return motion of the saddle being effected by the
reverse motion of the screwing dies, by which unscrewing motion the screwed ends
of the bolts are propelled from the said screwing dies. The reversing gear by
which the reversing of the motion of the spindles a, a, is effected is represented in
connection with the shaft b in Figure 7. As the said reversing gear is of the
ordinary kind used in screwing and other machinery, I do not think it necessary
to describe the same.
Although I have only described my Invention as carried into effect with respect
to double bolts made of iron, yet my Invention is also applicable to double bolts
made of steel or of such other metal or alloy, as is or may be employed for screw
bolts for fastening the fish plates of the rails of railways.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Inven-
tion,―
First. The improvements in bolts or fastenings for the fish plates of the rails of
railways, herein-before described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings,
that is to say, making each of the said bolts or fastenings of two parallel parts or
branches connected together by a cross piece, the bolt or fastening having the
general figure of the letter U, the connecting cross piece of the bolt or fastening
when in use taking a bearing against that part of the fish plate at one side of the
rails situate between the two adjacent holes in the said fish plate, through which
the parallel branches or bolts proper of the fastening are passed, the double bolts or
fastenings being used by preference with fish plates having expanded holes for the
cross connecting pieces to bear against and lie in, substantially as described and
illustrated.
Secondly. The improvements in machinery for bending lengths or rods of iron or
other metal into the said double or U shaped bolts or fastenings, herein-before
described, and illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying Drawings, that
is to say, the combination of the reciprocating slide carrying the bending die, upon
which the rod or length of iron is bent with the gripping lever, bending rollers and
strippers, the said slide and gripping lever being worked and operating substantially
as described and illustrated.
Thirdly. The improvements in machinery for simultaneously screwing the ends
of both branches or parts of the double or U shaped bolts or fastenings, herein-
before described, and illustrated in Figures 7, 8, and 9 of the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say, the combination of two parallel spindles, each spindle
carrying a set of screwing dies, the bolt or fastening being clamped to or fixed upon

page_text: a sliding saddle with its two branches coincident with the axes of the two sets of
screwing dies, as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Edward Rogers, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JOHN EDWARD ROGERS. (L.S.)