Improvements in Keys or Fastenings for Securing Rails for Railways in their Chairs.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 6th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 11th Oct., 1890 ·
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Keys or Fastenings for Securing Rails for
Railways in their Chairs.
I, JOHN IRELAND, of 11 Ireland's Lane, Dundee, in the County of Forfar, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to bo as follows:-
The object of my invention is to improve the construction of keys or fastenings
for securing rails for railways in their chairs, by making them simple, durable and
not liable to work loose.
In carrying out my invention, I make the key of steel or other suitable material,
and of a shape which may permit of its being substituted for the ordinary wooden
key; that is to say the exterior surface of the koy is preferably formed to suit the
ordinary rail and chair. The key is made out of a long flat piece of steel, bent
suitably and preferably of a rectangular section, the breadth being considerable in
comparison with the thickness. The portion of the key which bears against the chair
jaw is fashioned to suit the shape of same, and has upon it two projecting parts,
which are intended to keep the key from working loose. The extremities of the flat
piece of steel beyond the projections are bent until they are nearly parallel to the
portion which bears against the chair jaw, and the extremity which forms the rear
portion of the key, is again bent until it is nearly at right angles; the end almost
touching the interior and central portion of the key between the two projections,
when the said key is in position. The portions which are nearly parallel to the part
which is provided with the projections, bear against the rail, and the end which is
bent nearly at right angles is intended to keep the sides of the key from collapsing,
should the rail be subjected to a more than ordinary pressure. The projecting part
situated near the point or thinner portion of the key is composed of two incline
planes, which gradually merge into the surrounding surface; the ridge formed by the
intersection of these planes, lying across the key. The other projecting part at the
rear or thicker portion of the key, is for the purpose of keeping it from being driven
too far, the projection coming against the chair jaw and shaped to suit same.
Dated this 14th day of December 1889.
GEO. C. DOUGLAS & Co.,
Applicant's Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Keys or Fastenings for Securing Rails for
Railways in their Chairs.
I, JOHN IRELAND, of 11 Ireland's Lane, Dundee, in the County of Forfar,
Manufacturer, 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 my invention is to improve the construction of keys or fastenings for
securing rails for railways in their chairs, by making them simple, durable and not
liable to work loose.
The accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings illustrate the method of carrying
out my invention.
Figure 1. (Sheet No. 1.) represents a plan of one modification of my improved
key, and Figures 2. and 3. plans of other two modifications of the same, while
Figure 4. represents a side view of the key looking on A. A. the central portion being
shown broken off to permit of the section at B. B. Figure 5. being shown.
Figures 6. and 7. (Sheet No. 2.) represent an end view and a plan of the key and

page_text: chair respectively, and illustrate how the said key may be employed to secure the rail
in its chair.
In these drawings the same reference letters and numerals are used to mark the
same or like parts, wherever they are repented.
In carrying out my invention, I make the key 8. of steel or other suitable
material, and of a shape which may permit of its being substituted for the ordinary
wooden key; that is to say the exterior surface of the key is preferably formed
to suit the ordinary rail 9. and chair 10. The key 8. is made out of a long flat
piece of steel, bent suitably; and preferably of a rectangular section, as shewn at
Figure 5. The portion of the key which boars against the chair jaw, as shewn
at 11., Figures 6. and 7., is fashioned to suit the shape of same, and has upon it
two projecting parts 12. and 13., which are intended to keep the key from working
loose. In the modification illustrated by Figure 1. the extremities of the flat piece
of steel beyond the projections 12. and 13. are bent until they are nearly parallel
to the portion 11. which boars against the chair jaw, and the extremity 14. which
forms the rear portion of the key is again bent until it is nearly at right angles;
the end 15. almost touching the interior and central portion of the key between the
two projections 12. and 13. when the said key is in position. The portions 16. which
are nearly parallel to the part which is provided with the projections, bear against the
rail, and the end 15. which is bent nearly at right angles is intended to keep the sides
of the key from collapsing, should the rail be subjected to a more than ordinary
pressure. The projecting part 12. situated near the point 17. or thinner portion of
the key is composed of two incline planes, which gradually merge into the surrounding
surface; the ridge 18. formed by the intersection of these planes, lying across the
key. The other projecting part 13. at the rear or thicker portion of the key, is for
the purpose of keeping it from being driven too far, the projection coming against
the chair jaw, and shaped to suit same, as shown in Figure 7.
The modification which I have described and illustrated with special reference to
Figure 1., is shown in Figures 6. and 7. in the position it should occupy when
securing a rail in an ordinary chair. It is driven therein by means of a hammer, the
point 17. being first introduced between the chair jaw and the rail.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
(1) In a key or fastening for securing rails for railways in their chairs, the general
construction of the same, substantially as described with reference to Figures 1. 4. 5. 6.
and 7.
(2) In a key or fastening for securing rails for railways in their chairs, the general
construction of the same, substantially as described with reference to Figures 2. 4.
and 5.
(3) In a key or fastening for securing rails for railways in their chairs the general
GEO. C. DOUGLAS & Co.,
Applicant's Agents.