IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY CHAIRS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Cowans Wood, of Barnard Castle, in the County
of Durham, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF RAILWAY CHAIRS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Cowans Wood at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th September 1880.
WILLIAM COWANS WOOD, of Barnard Castle, in the County of Durham.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY CHAIRS."
This Invention consists in improvements in the construction of railway chairs,
whereby the danger of the rail becoming loose, as is the case with chairs as ordinarily
constructed, owing to the key working or falling out of its place, with the
additional risk of the wheel of the engine being caused to leave the rail by the
flange thereof coming into contact with the loose key, is entirely avoided, whilst at
the same time the necessity which at present exists for limiting the depth of the
flange of the engine wheel according to the position or size of the key, so that the
said wheel is frequently prevented from having a sufficient hold of the rail, is
obviated.
The improved chair forming the subject of this Invention is constructed in two
parts; the first part consists of the base, which has one of the jaws formed on or
attached thereto, and the second portion is composed of the other jaw, which is
separate or loose. On the lower part of the loose jaw is a projection or fange
which fits into a recess formed for its reception in the base of the chair, and when
in that position it rests transversely beneath the rail, a small portion also extending
beyond the outer side of the loose jaw, flush with the upper surface of the base.
On the upper side of that end of the latter which is next to the loose jaw is formed
a projection so arranged as to leave a wedge shaped space between the same and
the side of the loose jaw when the latter is in position. When it is desired to
secure the rail, the same is placed on the base of the chair with the web bearing
against the fixed jaw; the flange of the loose jaw is then inserted into the before
mentioned recess, so that the upper part of the said jaw is brought to bear against
D 671

page_text: the opposite side of the web of the rail, and the loose jaw is then firmly secured in
the desired position by driving a wedge or key formed of metal or other suitable
material laterally into the said wedge shaped space between the same and the
projection on the base of the chair; the parts of the chair when in position have
however so little play, that even if the key were to come out the rail would still
be firmly held by the two jaws of the chair. The inner edge of the projection on
the base, and when desired also the opposite portion of the loose jaw, is bevilled
inwards or otherwise suitably formed, as will be well understood, and the sides of
the wedge or key are so shaped as to fit the same, thereby preventing any tendency
of the said wedge or key to move upwards from its position. It will be
readily seen from the above description that the employment of this improved
chair will admit of a much deeper flange being used, thereby giving the wheel a
better hold on the rails, and thus diminishing the risk of the engine leaving the
metals.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Cowans Wood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
March 1881.
WILLIAM COWANS WOOD, of Barnard Castle, in the County of Durham.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY CHAIRS."
My said Invention consists in improvements in the construction of railway chairs
whereby the danger of the rail becoming loose, as is the case with chairs as
ordinarily constructed, owing to the key working or falling out of its place, and
also the risk of the wheel of the engine being caused to leave the rail by the flange
thereof coming into contact with the loose key, are entirely avoided, whilst at the
same time the necessity which at present exists for limiting the depth of the
flange of the engine wheel according to the position or size of the key, so that
the said wheel is frequently prevented from having a sufficient hold of the rail, is
obviated.
The improved chair forming the subject of my said Invention is constructed in
two parts; the first part consists of the base, which has one of the jaws formed on
or attached thereto, and the second portion is composed of the other jaw, which is
separate or loose. On the lower part of the loose jaw is a projection or flange which
fits into a recess or slot formed for its reception in the base of the chair, and when
in that position it rests transversely beneath the rail, a small portion or shoulder
also extending beyond the outer side of the loose jaw flush with the upper surface
of the base. On the upper side of that end of the latter which is next to the loose
jaw is a projection so arranged or formed as to leave a wedge-shaped or tapered
recess between the same and the side of the jaw when the latter is in position.
I will now proceed to refer to the accompanying Drawings, in which the said
improved chair is shown arranged in connection with a double headed rail. The
same letters of reference indicate like parts in all the Figures. Figure 1 is a top
view of the chair and section of the rail through E, F, in Figure 2; Figure 2 is a
vertical section through the line A, B, in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a longitudinal
section through the line C, D, in Figure 2; and Figures 4 and 5 are detached
views of the loose jaw; A is the base of the chair having the jaw a formed on or
attached thereto; a¹ is the wedge-shaped or tapered projection, which is also formed
on or attached to the base; a² is the recess or slot formed in the latter. The base A,
jaw a, and projection a' are by preference cast in one piece; B is the loose jaw,
and b the projection or flange thereon; C is a key for securing a loose jaw in
position, as hereinafter described; and D is the web of the rail.
The chair may
be, when desired, provided with a raised piece E formed to fit the lower head
of the rail; a portion of this raised piece shown in the Drawings as being
formed in one piece with the base of the chair, and the remaining portion in
one piece with the loose jaw; fare bolts for securing the chair to the sleeper.
When it is desired to secure the rail in the said chair the rail is placed on
the base of the latter with one side of the web bearing against the fixed jaw a,
the flange b of the loose jaw B is then inserted into the slot a, and the upper
part of the loose jaw is brought to bear against the web of the rail; the key C
is then driven into the tapered recess between the outer side of the jaw B and
the inner edge of the projection a The parts of the chair when in position
have so little play that even if the key were to come out the rail would still be
firmly held by the two jaws of the chair. The lower portion of the outside of the
jaw B can be, when desired, bevilled in a manner similar to the inner edge of the
projection a', or they are both formed in such a way, as will be well understood, as
to prevent the key, the sides of which are made to correspond therewith, from
having any tendency to move upwards from its position.

page_text: It will be readily seen from the above description that the employment of the
improved chair will admit of a much deeper flange being used, thereby giving the
wheels a better hold on the rails, and thus diminishing the risk of the engine
leaving the metals. The chair should be so arranged that the loose jaw is on the
outside thereof, and the various parts of the chair should be so formed that when
the rail is fixed it may have a slight inward inclination.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting the Invention
secured to me by the said herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
The construction and arrangement of railway chairs consisting of the base A,
fixed jaw a, and projection a' in combination with a loose jaw B, having a flange b
capable of being secured in position by means of a key, substantially as and for the
purposes herein before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I the. said William Cowans Wood, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty fifth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.