IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CHAIRS, AND IN THE METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SECURING THE RAILS WITHIN SUCH CHAIRS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Chatterton, of Glossop, in the County of
Derby, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY
CHAIRS, AND IN THE METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SECURING THE RAILS WITHIN
SUCH CHAIRS."
Sealed the 31st August 1875, and dated the 1st March 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Chatterton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st March 1875.
"
I, JOHN CHATTERTON, of Glossop, in the County of Derby, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN RAILWAY CHAIRS, AND IN THE METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SECURING THE RAILS
WITHIN SUCH CHAIRS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the chairs which are employed to sustain and
to maintain in position the rails of railways, and has for its object more
particularly to furnish means whereby the wedges employed to secure the
rails within the jaws of the chairs may be prevented from becoming

page_text: loosened and leaving their places. To this end I form each wedge of iron,
or principally of iron, and I form grooves in one side of the wedge in order
that a spiko when driven for a portion of its length into the sleeper may
enter one of the said grooves, whereby the said wedgo is retained in
position. A projection is cast upon the chair in such a position as that
the said spike when driven into the sleeper as aforesaid may bear against
such projection, whereby the said spike is sustained against any tendency
to force it out of the said groove. I prefer to form a recess in the inner
side of the wedge and to introduce a packing of wood or other material
possessing a suitable amount of elasticity into such recess.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CHATTERTON, of Glossop, in the County of Derby, 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 seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Chatterton, Her
special license that I, the said John Chatterton, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Chatterton, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CHAIRS, AND IN THE METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR
SECURING THE RAILS IN SUCH CHAIRS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Chatterton, 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

page_text: 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 John Chatterton, 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 and accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to the chairs which are employed to sustain and
to maintain in position the rails of railways, and has for its object more
particularly to furnish means whereby the wedges employed to secure
the rails within the jaws of the chairs may be prevented from becoming
loosened and leaving their places. To this end I form each wedge of
iron, or principally of iron, and I form grooves in one side of the wedge
in order that a spike when driven for a portion of its length into the sleeper
may enter one of the said grooves, whereby the said wedge is retained
in position. A projection is cast upon the chair in such a position as
that the said spike when driven into the sleeper as aforesaid may bear
against such projection, whereby the said spike is sustained against any
tendency to force it out of the said groove. I prefer to form a recess in
the inner side of the wedge and to introduce a packing of wood or other
material possessing a suitable amount of elasticity into such recess.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I have
supplied a Sheet of Drawings, made about half the full size and marked
with letters of reference, to which I will now refer.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation, Fig. 2 a plan, and Fig. 3 an end
view of the said chair.
In the said Figs. a is the chair; b is a portion of a sleeper; and c is
the wedge. The said wedge, represented detached by Fig. 4, is formed
with a recess to hold a packing of wood d. Near one end of the wedge
three grooves are formed, as seen at e in Figs. 2 and 3. The jaw or
opening in the chair is made of form suitable to fit the rail f on one
side and to furnish a bearing surface for the wedge on the other side, the
said surface being preferably inclined from the upper edge outwards
from the rail, as seen in Fig. 1, in order that the wedge may be the
better retained in position. A projection g is cast upon one side of the

page_text: chair. When the rail has been placed in position and the wedge driven
up tight a spike h is passed into the space between one of the grooves.
in the wedge and the face of the projection g, and is driven into the
sleeper. The wedge will now be effectually retained in position within
the jaw of the chair and cannot be removed therefrom without first with-
th
chair. When the rail has been placed in position and the wedge driven
up tight a spike h is passed into the space between one of the grooves
in the wedge and the face of the projection g, and is driven into the
sleeper. The wedge will now be effectually retained in position within
the jaw of the chair and cannot be removed therefrom without first with-
drawing the spike .
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and means whereby the same may be carried into effect, I would
have it to be understood that I claim,-
First. The said wedge formed substantially as and for the purpose
herein-before set forth and indicated.
Secondly. The said wedge in combination with the chair, formed
substantially as and for the purpose herein-before set forth and
indicated.
And, lastly. The method of retaining the said wedge in position by
means of a spike.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Chatterton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Signed and sealed by the said
John Chatterton in the
presence of
HUGH GRANT,
JOHN CHATTERTON. (L.s.)
Clerk to Edward K. Dutton,
Agent to the Patentee,
3, Princess Street,
Manchester.