Improvements upon the Method of Securing the Joints of Railway and Tramway Rails, and in the Construction of Chairs to be employed therefor.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 8th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 29th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 7th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements upon the Method of Securing the Joints of Railway
and Tramway Rails, and in the Construction of Chairs to be
employed therefor.
I, CHARLES AUSTIN of 53 Nursery Road, Brixton, London, S.E., Butcher, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to improvements upon the method of securing the joints of
railway and tramway rails and in the construction of chairs to be employed
therefor.
Its object is to provide a firm and effective joint and at the same time to dispense
with fish plates and bolts.
According to my invention the abutting ends of the rails, or rail joints, are
situated between the jaws of chairs of somewhat modified construction as hereinafter
described and secured by means of a locking wedge or key.
In order to ensure the firmness of the joint and prevent all risk of its shifting
from the chair, I increase the bearing surface of the chair upon the rail by providing
one or both of its jaws with lateral extensions or projections and also provide one of
the jaws with projecting studs or pins which when the locking wedge is tightened
up will engage with holes or depressions in the rails.
I find the above to be an effective arrangement in practice and its economy as
regards saving of material and labour is obvious.
Dated this 8th day of July 1891.
E. P. ALEXANDER & SON,
19, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements upon the Method of Securing the Joints of Railway
and Tramway Rails, and in the Construction of Chairs to be
employed therefor.
I CHARLES AUSTIN, of 53 Nursery Road, Brixton, London, S.E. Butcher, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements upon the method of securing railway and
tramway rails at their junction with one another, and to improvements in the con-
struction of chairs to be employed therefor.
According to my invention the abutting ends of the rails to be connected are
supported at their point of junction by chairs of the peculiar construction herein
after described, and are firmly secured in position in such chairs by a locking key or
wedge.
In the construction of chair I employ, the inner face of one of the jaws thereof is
provided with studs or projections, which engage with corresponding holes or
depressions formed in the rail ends, the other jaw is preferably widened or provided
with lateral extensions or projections in order to increase the amount of contact
surface between the same and the key employed, and to thereby lessen the risk of
the key working loose. The key should be longer than those ordinarily employed,
and when driven home prevents the disengagement of the rails from the before
mentioned studs, and secures them firmly in the chair.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters refer to similar parts in
all the figures
-
:~
Fig. 1 is a plan of a chair constructed according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a rail joint constructed according to my invention.
Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 2, the rail and key being shown in section.
a is the chair, bb the usual holes for the bolts which secure it to the sleeper.
cc are studs formed upon the inner jaw which engage with corresponding holes
in the rail ends d. The contact surface between the outer jaw of the chair and the
keye is increased by providing such outer jaw with the lateral extensions or
projections. 9, is a supplementary key, which may sometimes be employed as an
additional security.
To make the joint, the ends of the rails to be connected are inserted in the chair
so that their holes or depressions d' correspond with the studs c, and the key e is
then inserted and driven home.
If desired, in lien of providing the outer jaw of the chair with the lateral
extensions or projections e, the whole jaw may be made wider, but this would add
to weight and cost.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The herein described method of securing the joints of railway and tramway
rails, consisting in supporting the abutting ends of the rails within a chair, provided
with studs or projections, adapted to engage with holes or depressions in the rails,
and held in engagement with such holes or depressions by a locking key or wedge,
substantially as specified.
2. The combination with a chair and abutting rail ends supported thereby, of
studs or projections upon the inner face of one jaw of the chair, and a locking key
or wedge, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination with a chair and abutting rail ends supported thereby, of
projections or stude upon the inner face of one jaw of the chair, lateral extensions
or projections upon the other jaw, and a locking key or wedge, substantially as and
for the purpose specified and illustrated.
4. A chair for securing rails at their junction with one another provided with
projections or studs upon the inner face of one jaw, and having the other jaw of
greater width, so as to increase the bearing surface between the same and the key
or wedge, substantially as specified and illustrated.
5. The general construction and arrangement of rail joint, substantially as
herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 29th day of March 1809
E. P. ALEXANDER & SON, Fels. Chartd. Inst. P.A.,
19, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.