Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov.,
1007
Complete Specification Left. 18th Aug.. 1898-Accepted, 24th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left. 18th Aug.. 1898-Accepted, 24th Sept., 1898
I, BENJAMIN FRANKLYN SPARR, of 19, Brixton Road, Brixton, in the County
of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an improved method of locking spikes adapted to be
driven in wood or the like such for instance as the spikes used for fixing rails or
chairs to sleepers of railroads.
According to this invention the spike for a portion of its length is provided
on each side with a groove or recess or its equivalent adapted to receive an arch-
shaped staple.
After the spike has been driven home the arch-shaped staple is placed over
the top of the spike and driven home when its suitably shaped ends coming into
contact with the bottoms of the recesses, grooves or the like in the spike are caused
to turn outwards and engage with the wood thereby forming an effectual lock
against the removal or working loose of the spike.
To enable the staple to be withdrawn when it is desired to withdraw the spike,
either the staple is not driven down close on to the head of the spike so as to
allow room for the insertion of a tool to prize the staple out, or transverse recesses
are formed in the sides of the spike near its head for the same purpose.
Instead of using a staple for locking the spike as hereinbefore described two
separate metallic strips or nails may be used, preferably provided with a convenient
form of head to allow of their ready removal.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the use of two grooves,
recesses or the like in the spike, as in some cases it may be advisable to provide
more than two grooves or even only one groove.
.
T
1037
I, BENJAMIN FRANKLYN SPARR, of 19, Brixton Road, Brixton, in the County
of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
[Price 8d.]

page_text: manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement: —
This invention relates to an improved method of locking spikes adapted to be
driven in wood or the like such for instance as the spikes used for fixing rails or
chairs to sleepers of railroads.
According to this invention the spike for a portion of its length is provided
on one or more of its faces or sides with a groove or recess or its equivalent adapted
to receive a locking key or an arch-shaped staple.
After the spike has been driven home the locking key or arch-shaped staple is
driven home when its suitably shaped end or ends coming into contact with the
bottom or bottoms of the groove or grooves or the like in the spike is or are
caused to turn outwards and engages or engage with the wood, thereby forming
an effectual lock against the removal or working loose of the spike.
In the accompanying drawing which illustrates some methods of carrying this
invention into practical effect:-
Figure 1 is a view partly in section of a spike showing the position of the
locking key or arch shaped staple after it has been driven home.
Figure 2 is a view in plan of the spike.
Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved spike with only one groove
or recess on one of its faces or sides.
Figure 2 is a view in front elevation thereof.
Figure 3 is a view in plan thereof.
Figures 4 and 5-are views in side and front elevation respectively of a locking
key..
Figure 6 is a view in side elevation of a modified form of locking key, and
Figure 7 is a view partly in section showing the position of a locking key after
it has been driven home.
Figures 8 and 9 are views in broken side elevation and plan respectively showing
a modification of the improved spike, and
Figures 10, 11 and 12 are views showing other forms this invention may assume.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
The spike A which may be of any suitable shape length and size has formed
in or on one or more of its sides and face a groove or recess a which is adapted
to receive, the locking key. B which consists of an arch-shaped staple as shown by
Figure 1 or of an ordinary tapered spike or nail either of the form as shown by
Figures 4 and 5 or of a modified form as shown by Figure 6. After the spike A
has been driven home the locking key B is placed in the groove or grooves a and
is driven home. When the pointed or entrant end or ends of the locking key
meets or meet the end or ends a¹ of the groove or grooves a which is or are rounded
or inclined as shown it alters its course and enters the wood or other material into
which the spike has been driven at an angle or curve therewith as shown by
Figures 1 and 7.
To prevent the locking key B being driven beyond a certain depth a shoulder b
may be formed thereon as shown by Figure 6 to engage the end a¹ of the grooves a
in the spike A.
As a modification the groove or channel a may take the form of a recess cut
across the entire width of one of the faces of the spike as shown by Figures 8
and 9.
As an alternative construction the groove or channel a may be cut in the face
of the spike as shown by Figure 10.
When the size of the spike is such that the groove a or its equivalent can be
cut at such an angle that the locking key will enter the wood or other material
at an angle that will make an effective lock as shown by Figures 11 and 12, the
end a¹ of the groove a need not be rounded or inclined.
It will be understood that any one of the faces or sides of the spike may be
provided with two or more grooves or recesses with a like number of additional
locking keys.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
(1) A spike provided for a portion of its length on two opposite sides or faces
with a groove or recess adapted to receive an arch-shaped staple or locking key,
the grooves being so shaped as to cause the pointed or entrant ends of the arch
shaped staple to enter the wood at a curve or angle with the faces of the spike,
as set forth.
(2) A spike having on one of its faces or sides a groove or recess adapted to
receive a locking key, the groove or recess being so shaped as to cause the pointed
or entrant end of the locking key to enter the wood at a curve or angle with the
face of the spike, as set forth.
(3) A spike provided for a portion of its length on one of its faces or sides with
an inclined or wedge-shaped groove or recess tapering towards its lower end and
terminating in a shoulder so as to cause the point of a similarly tapered or wedge-
shaped locking key engaging said groove or recess to enter the wood at a curve or
angle with the face of the spike, as set forth.
(4) A spike having one of its faces or sides cut away for a portion of its length
the shoulder formed by the termination of the cut away portion causing the point
or entrant end of a locking key engaging said cut away portion to enter the wood
at a curve or angle with the face of the spike, as set forth.
(5) A spike provided for a portion of its length on one of its faces with a groove
or recess, the lower end of which is so curved as to cause a locking key, engaging
said groove or recess, to enter the wood at a curve or angle with the face of the
spike, as set forth.
(6) A spike having a groove or recess formed on the upper part of one of its
faces or sides at such an angle therewith as will cause a locking key engaging
said groove to enter the wood at an angle with the face or side of the spike, as
set forth.
(7) A spike having an inclined or wedge shaped groove or recess so formed on
one of its faces or sides as to cause a locking key, engaging said groove or recess,
to enter the wood at an angle with the face or side of the spike, as set forth.
(8) A spike having a groove or recess formed on one of its faces or sides and
so shaped as to form a guide for a locking key or nail and cause it to enter the
wood at such an angle or curve with respect to the face or side of the spike as to
prevent or render difficult the withdrawal of the spike without first withdrawing
the locking spike or nail.
(9) A spike having grooves or recesses formed on one or more of its faces or
sides adapted to receive locking keys, the grooves or recesses being so shaped or
formed as to cause the pointed or entrant ends of the keys to enter the wood at
curves or angles with the face or faces of the spikes.
(10) A spike having on one or more of its faces or sides a groove or grooves
of any suitable shape and cross section in combination with a locking key or keys
adapted to engage both with said groove or grooves and with the wood or other
material into which the spike is driven.
(11) A spike such as A having on one of its faces or sides a groove such as a
terminating in a shoulder such as a¹ in combination with a locking key such as B
having a shoulder such as b adapted to engage with the shoulder a¹ of the groove a,
as and for the purpose set forth.
.
on tray of August lov0.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.1. Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.