MENTS IN RAILWAY CHAIRS." IMPROVE
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hopkinson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st June 1883.
JAMES HOPKINSON of Rowsley in the County of Derby, Farmer
MENTS IN RAILWAY CHAIRS."
IMPROVE-
The object of my said invention is to effect improvements in Railway chairs by
rendering unnecessary the use of wood keys or wedges; lessening the cost of
construction and maintenance of the permanent way; rendering the connection of
the rails and chairs more secure than at present; providing for equal expansion
and contraction, and otherwise as herein after mentioned.
In the construction of ordinary chairs the two jaws are cast in one with the
chair, the rail is dropped into its position and pressed tightly against one jaw by a
wooden wedge or key, which requires frequent attention on account of changes of
weather and swelling and shrinking of the key
In the construction of my improved chair I cast ono jaw (usually the inner one)
in one with the chair itself, the other jaw is made separately and is herein after
referred to as the "loose" jaw
The loose jaw is cast with its upper part to fit the rail without any wood key,
but it may have a small piece of yielding material, if found necessary.
The foot of the loose jaw is formed as a compound wedge (that is to say) a
longitudinal and transverse wedge in one piece) which fits into a corresponding
recess formed in the chair.
When the loose jaw is driven "home," the longitudinal wedge presses the loose
jaw against the rail, and the transverse wedge holds the loose jaw down.
The inner side of the loose wedge has a projecting tongue which projects under
the rail and acts as a fulcrum to resist any outward tendency to recede from
the rail
The chair is attached to the sleeper in the usual manner with pegs and spikes;
but the loose jaw has a vertical hole through its foot, and a corresponding hole is

page_text: formed in the chair, the latter however, being elongated to allow of adjustment.
Through these holes a spike is driven which keeps the loose jaw in its place―The
duty of this spike is merely to prevent longitudinal movement of the loose jaw-
This spike passes through the hole in the foot of the loose jaw; then through the
slot in the chair, & next into the sleeper, which fixes the position of the compound
wedge foot,
When it is necessary to remove a rail the last named spike is withdrawn ;—the
loose jaw is then driven out of the wedge bed or provision in the Chair, and the
rail is free for removal
Projections are cast upon the loose jaw for the hammers to strike against, in
order to drive the loose jaw in either direction.
My said Invention is applicable, not only to the ordinary chairs but to all
intermediate, crossing, point and check rail chairs.
My improved chairs are of about the same weight as ordinary chairs, but the
rail is held thereby in a much firmer manner than the ordinary-chair-with-wood
keys, and the rail does not work loose through changes of weather, as the whole
being formed of metal the expansion and contraction from changes of temparature
are equalized and breakages from cold weather will not occur.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Hopkinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st December 1883.
JAMES HOPKINSON of Rowsley in the County of Derby Farmer. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN RAILWAY CHAIRS"
The object of my said invention is to effect improvements in Railway chairs by
rendering unnecessary the use of wood keys or wedges; lessening the cost of
construction and maintenance of the permanent way; rendoring the connection
of the rails and chairs more secure than at present; providing for equal expansion
and contraction, and otherwise as hereinafter mentioned.
In the construction of ordinary chairs the two jaws are cast in one, with the
chair, the rail is dropped into it's position and pressed tightly against one jaw by a
wooden wedge or key, which requires frequent attention on account of changes of
weather and swelling and shrinking of the key.
In the construction of my improved chair I cast one jaw (usually the outer one)
in one with the chair itself; the other jaw is made separately and is heroinafter
referred to as the "loose" jaw
'
The loose jaw is cast with its upper part to fit the rail without any wood key
but it may have a small piece of yielding material if found necessary. The foot
of tho loose jaw is formed as a compound wedge (that is to say a longitudinal
and transverse wedge in ono piece) which fits into a corresponding recess formed
in the chair
When the loose jaw is driven "home" the longitudinal wedge prosses the loose
jaw against the rail and the transverse wedge holds the loose jaw down.
The inner side of the loose wedge has a projecting tongue which projects
under the rail and acts as a fulcrum to resist any inner tendency to recede from
the rail
The chair is attached to the sleeper in the usual manner with pegs and spikes;
but the loose jaw has a vertical hole through its foot and a corresponding hole is
formed in the chair the latter however being elongated to allow of adjustment
Through these holes a spike is driven which keeps the loose jaw in its place. The
duty of this spike is merely to prevent longitudinal movement of the loose jaw.
This spiko passes through the whole in the foot of the loose jaw; then through tho
slot in the chair, and next into the sleeper which fixes the position of the compound
wedge foot.
When it is necessary to remove a rail the last named spike is withdrawn; the
loose jaw is then driven out of the wedge bed or provision in the chair; and the
rail is free for removal.
Projections are cast upon the loose jaw for the hammers to strike against, in
order to drive the loose jaw in either direction.
My said invention is applicable not only to the ordinary chairs but to all
intermediate crossing point and check rail chairs.
My improved chairs are of about the same weight as ordinary chairs but the rail
is held thereby in a much firmer manner than the ordinary chair with wood keys
and the rail does not work loose through changes of weather as the whole being
formed of metal the expansion and contraction from changes of temperature are
equalised and breakages from cold weather will not occur.
My said invention enables the plate-layers to remove and replace any single
chair without removing the rail or the ballast an operation which cannot be

page_text: effected with ordinary chairs-It also affords great facility for laying rails in a
curve.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood reference is
hereby made to the accompanying drawings in which similar letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved chair, complete, with a portion of the rail
in position. a is the rail, b is the chair, c is the fixed jaw, d the loose jaw, e é are
the striking pieces, ff are the wooden pegs and g g are the spikes for holding the
chair in position.
Fig. 2. is an elevation of the chair, complete, transversely to the rail.
On reference to Figs 1 and 2 the compound wedge will be seen whereby the loose
jaw d is pressed against the rail a which it holds firmly without the intervention
of the usual wooden key or wedge. I do not, however, exclude the use of a small
piece of yielding material if deemed necessary, between the loose jaw and the rail,
but I do not anticipate that it will be found necessary in practice. The foot h
shewn in Fig. 2 projects under the rail, which foot acts as a fulcrum to resist the
strain at the upper end of the loose jaw.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the improved chair with the fixed jaw but with the
spikes, pegs, loose jaw, and rail removed.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line 1. 2, of Fig. 3-Fig 5 is a plan view
of the loose jaw and Fig. 6 is a side view of the same.
The hole in the loose jaw is provided for the insertion of the spike k (Fig 1)
An elongated hole, or slot, m (Figs 3 and 4) is provided for the spike k to pass
through into the sleeper below. When the loose jaw has been inserted the com-
pound wedge n enters the corresponding recess o and is driven tightly therein; the
foot passes under the rail; and when the loose jaw has thereby become fixed
and the rail firmly held the spike k is driven through the loose jaw and chair into
the sleeper to prevent the loose jaw from receding by vibration or otherwise.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my suid
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I claim :-
1 The use and manufacture of railway chairs with fixed and loose jaws c and d
and provision or means for inserting and fixing the loose jaws for the purpose and
in manner substantially as herein before described and shewn on the drawings.
2 The method of laying down fixing removing renewing and repairing the
permanent way of railways by means of my improved chairs in manner
substantantially as hereinbefore described and shewn on the drawings
3 The combination and arrangement of the several parts together forming my
improvements in railway chairs as hereinbefore described and shewn on the
drawings or any mere modification thereof
In witness whereof I the said James Hopkinson have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twentieth day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
TAMES HADKINSON