IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CHAIRS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Edwards, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
RAILWAY CHAIRS."
Sealed the 28th November 1854, and dated the 30th June 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Edwards at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
June 1854.
I, JOHN EDWARDS, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN RAILWAY CHAIRS" to be as follows:-
Instead of the present form of chair on which the rail rests, and is wedged
tightly to prevent it slipping out of its seat, I propose to cast or make the
chair in two parts; the inner chap to be loose, with an arm extending a part
of the length of the chair, and dovetailed in the form of a wedge, with a slot
to allow it to move or slide, so that when a chair has to be replaced, the new
one can be put or slid under the rail without disturbing it and the other
chairs, and then the inner or separate chap put into its place, and by means of
the dovetailed wedge presses tightly against the rail, preventing the necessity
of loose wedges; and as an additional security the loose chap is held secure
by a screw bolt or similar contrivance, screwing both parts firmly together;
and by the wedge-like form of the extreme end, where the one part fits into
the other the more securely and tightly, the two parts are screwed together
the more firmly; the rail will be wedged without using separate wedges.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Edwards in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th December 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
EDWARDS, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Edwards, Her special licence that I, the said John
Edwards, my executors, administrators, and assigns. or such others as I,
the said John Edwards, 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," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Edwards, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
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 Royal
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Edwards, 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 (that is to say)
My J Invention consists of an improved construction of the railway chair,
or that part on which the rail rests, and which will be clearly understood by
reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which the same letters
of reference are used to represent the same parts in all the Figures. Figs. 1
and 2 are elevations, and Fig. 3 is a plan, of my improved chair, shewing a
wedge acting downwards. Fig. 4 is an elevation, and Fig. 5 a plan, of
another improved chair, in which one of the siles has a part inclined down-
wards, so as to act as a wedge. Fig. 6 shews the form of the end when the
wedge is made to act horizontally. Fig. 7 is an elevation, and Fig. 8 a plan,
of another improved chair, having the sides lengthened to be adapted for

page_text: joints, and also shewing one of the sides inclined horizontally so as to act as a
wedge. Fig. 9 is an elevation of a chair, having its sides so arranged as to press
together when weight passes over them. Fig. 10 is a section of a nut, closed
at the bottom, to prevent the access of air and moisture, and also made deep
to accommodate variations of thickness of the sleepers. In Figs. 1, 2, and 3,
the loose side a is inclined as at b, between which and the end c the wedge d
is placed, and having a bolt e passing through it and the sole of the chair f,
as well as the sleeper g. The bolt e is furnished with a nut h, having pointed
projections i, which are indented into the sleeper to prevent the turning of
the nut when the parts are being made fast. The loose side a is dovetailed
into its opposite side at k, and is also furnished with a projection I, let into the
sole of the chair, in order to keep both parallel to each other. It is evident
that when pressure is put upon the screw, the parts through which it passes
are not only fast, but the wedge d will press the loose side a with great force
against the side of the rail m, and hold it fast. In Figs. 4 and 5 the same
object is obtained by making the loose side n act as a wedge, which is easily
effected by having the end o inclined, and pressing against a projection pon
the sole of the chair. The bolt and nut are similar to those last described,
and when power is applied to them the loose side n is forced against the rail,
thus effectually holding it fast. In Fig. 6 I shew the form of the ends of the
sole of the chair and loese side, when I make the latter inclined horizontally
instead of vertically. In Figs. 7 and 8 I shew the sides of the chair
lengthened, to be used when two rails are jointed together. I also shew the
loose side q, inclined horizontally, which is first driven up by a hammer or
mallet, and afterwards bolted to the sole of the chair and sleeper, when the
rails are to be held fast. This chair dispenses with the fish joints, and is quite
as firm. The chair shewn in Fig. 9 consists of two sides and s, dovetailed
together at t, and fastened to the sleeper by any convenient method. Under
the inner part of u, of the rail, the dovetail t is placed, so that as weight
passes along it has a tendency to be pressed downwards, and consequently to
press inwards the upper parts of the sides r and 8, and keep the rail fast. It
is obvious that all of these modifications can be used either for single rails or
joints. In order to prevent the screw of the bolt from being injured by the
action of moisture or other prejudicial cause, I employ, when necessary, a nut,
closed at the bottom, and made deep to suit various thicknesses of sleepers, as
shewn in section at Fig. 10. When the projections ware entirely indented
into the sleepers, the screw is closed at all parts, thus obtaining the object
desired.

page_text: Having thus described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, I
desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the exact
details herein set forth, as such may be varied or modified without departing
from the principle thereof (the rail can be taken out without removing the
chair, and no keys whatever are required); but I claim as my Invention, and
which to the best of my knowledge and belief has not been hitherto used
within this realm, the improved construction of railway chairs (or any modi-
fication thereof), as herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Edwards, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-four.
Signed, sealed, & delivered, by the within-
named John Edwards, in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JOHN EDWARDS. (L.S.)