IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING THE PATENT RAILWAY KEY FOR SECURING RAILWAY RAILS TO THE CHAIRS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Sample, William Maddison Ward, and Henry
Debord Ward, Doctor of Medicine, all of Blyth, in the County of Northum-
berland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING THE
PATENT RAILWAY KEY FOR SECURING RAILWAY RAILS TO THE CHAIRS,"
Sealed the 16th November 1877, and dated the 17th May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Sample, William
Maddison Ward, and Henry Debord Ward at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents on the 17th May 1877.
JAMES SAMPLE, WILLIAM MADDISON WARD, and HENRY DEBORD WARD, Doctor
of Medicine, all of Blyth, in the County of Northumberland. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR MAKING THE PATENT RAILWAY KEY FOR SECURING RAILWAY
RAILS TO THE CHAIRS."
The block of wood from which the intended key or wedge is to be manufactured
being of a dimension suitable for one key is immoveably fixed, by any approved
means, between two guides, or shapers, each of which has a shaping slot, along
which travels the axle of a revolving cutting tool. The cutting tool may be of any
ordinary kind, and the knives arranged in the holder in such a manner as to give
the proper transverse shape to the upper surface of the block, the longitudinal form
of the same being acquired by the axle of the cutting tool following the course of
the shaping slot, thus accomplishing in one process what requires by the present
method of shaping or making these keys two operations to effect.
The axle on which the cutting tool revolves is horizontal, and provided at its
extremities with handles for the operative to grasp. Revolution of the cutting tool
is effected by a belt or rope from a prime mover, and so arranged as to permit the
operative, on grasping the said handles, to draw the revolving cutting tool towards
him. It is evident that in doing so the cutters must in passing over and cutting
into the block beneath give it a longitudinal shape, corresponding to the shape of
the slot, which may in this instance be considered as a template.
The mode of action would be as follows:-A block of wood of suitable dimensions
is placed in the machine, with the fibres running from front to rear, and secured by

page_text: the operative acting upon a treadle. The operative then grasping the horizontal
handles projecting from the axle of the cutting tool (which latter are in rapid rovo-
lution) draws it over the block towards him. The arrival of the tool at the fore
part of the machine releases a spring, which disengages and removes the newly
shaped block. To perfect the key it is taken to a saw, and a wedge-shaped piece
cut from out the tail end thereof.
By altering the shape of the slots and the position of the knives our machine
may be made suitable for shaping or making other objects, for instance, the ordinary
railway key or wedge now in general use for securing rails to railway chairs.
In lieu of the axle of the revolving cutters being drawn along a shaping slot
similar results would follow if the same be made to revolve in fixed bearings, and
the block passed in a carrier under the revolving tool. The carrier would be provided
with wheels, and the track taken by them would be undulatory, thus producing the
required form, longitudinally, to the upper surface of the block.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Sample, William Maddison Ward, and Henry Debord Ward in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th November 1877.
"
JAMES SAMPLE, WILLIAM MADDISON WARD, and HENRY DEBORD WARD, Doctor
of Medicine, all of Blyth, in the County of Northumberland. IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR MAKING THE PATENT RAILWAY KEY FOR SECURING RAILWAY
RAILS TO THE CHAIRS."
The means hitherto adopted for making and forming keys or wedges of the kind
known as the Patent "Safety Railway Key" for securing double headed railway
rails in their chairs (for which Her Majesty's Letters Patent, dated Fourth day of
March, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven, and numbered 936, was
granted to James Sample, John Grantham, both of Blyth, and Matthew Waddle, of
Newsham, near Blyth, in the County of Northumberland), have been found ineffi-
cient or costly, or both costly and inefficient.
To remove these defects and to produce a simple and inexpensive machine capable
of performing expeditiously and efficiently the duties required is the object of our
Invention, and which may be thus generally described.
Upon a bed plate supported in a rigid framework, which framework also forms
the means of support and attachment for other portions of the machine, as is usually
the case in all mechanical tools, we clamp or immovably fix by any approved means
the block or blocks of wood, from which the intended key or wedge is to be manu-
factured. On each side of and parallel to the block or blocks, fixed as above
described, rises vertically from the bed plate a guide or shaper having a shaping slot,
along which travels the axle of a revolving cutting tool. The cutting tool may be
of any ordinary kind, and the knives arranged in the holder in such a manner as to
give the proper transverse shape to the upper surface of the wooden block, the
longitudinal form of the same being acquired by the axle of the said cutting tool,
when revolving, following the course of the shaping slot, thus accomplishing in one
process what requires by the present method of shaping or making these keys two
or three operations to effect.
The axle of the cutting tool is horizontal, and the extremities, passing through the
shaping slots, are provided with sheaves or pulleys actuated from any prime mover

page_text: by means of bands or belts. These sheaves or pulleys are keyed on the said axle,
and occasions when in motion the revolution of the cutting tool. The block of
wood from which the key is to be formed being thus immoveably fixed in the
machine it is necessary that the cutting tool should travel over it in a longitudinal
direction; to this end we adapt a suitable friction arm projecting from the frame-
work of the cutting tool, and operated upon by a friction whoel, which is made to.
grip the said arm when desirable, and thrust or drive the cutting tool forward and
over the upper surface of the block. During this operation the cutting tool is in.
rapid revolution, and the form of the shaping slots which guide in a vertical
direction the axle of the cutting tool causes the latter to skim over or cut deeply
into the surface of the block, thus producing the required longitudinal shape cor-
responding to the shape of the slots, which may in this instance be considered as
templates. The return of the tool is effected by means of a balance weight..
The blocks being now of the required form or shape are removed and taken to a
saw bench suitably fitted for cutting out a wedge-shaped piece at the tail end of
the key. There being nothing new or original in this part of the operation of.
forming the Patent safety railway key it is not particularly described.
In the accompanying Drawing we have shown in Figure 1 a front view, and in
Figure 2 a side view of a machine adapted to form or shape two blocks at one
operation, Figure 3 being a plan of the same.
In all these Figures A, A, are the two blocks to be shaped; they are immoveably
fixed in the machine by means of the screw clamps b, b, actuated by the right and
left handed screwed shaft c, c, operated by the hand lever d; E, E, are the cutting
tools suitably fixed in the holder e', which is carried by and revolves in suitable
bearing or carriers ff, prolonged to pass through and be supported by the shaping
slot (Figure 2), of which there is one on each side of the machine. The number
of cutting tools or sets of cutting tools correspond to the number of blocks to bo
shapod at one operation, and although two blocks only are shown in the Drawing
it is evident that any number of blocks may be substituted, as convenience may
dictate, a partition piece h (Figures 1 and 3) being placed between each to keep
them slightly apart. H, II, are sheaves or pulleys keyed on each extremity of the
axle e of the tool holder e; they are driven from the prime mover by means of
bands or belts, Figure 2 [in Figures 1 and 3 all the driving bands or belts are
removed to render the Drawing more distinct], and are so placed in relation to the
driving pulley as to offer no resistance to the longitudinal motion of the said axle.
This longitudinal motion of the axle, in which also the cutting tools participate,
may be thus effected:-The bearers f, f, form part of a travelling frame I, to the
rearmost end of which is jointed a friction arm i¹ (Figures 2 and 3). Above and
below this friction arm are friction wheels k and (the latter being hidden by the
framework of the machine). The first of these wheels is driven by a spur wheel
and pinion, but it does not operate upon the said friction arm until the operative in
charge of the machine presses with his foot the treadle lever L; this act transmits
motion through a proper system of rods and levers to the lower wheel ¹, which,
rising upwards, causes the friction arm to be acted upon by the revolving friction
wheel, which latter revolving in the direction shewn by the arrow in Figure 2
pushes or drives forward the travelling frame I with the shaft e¹¹ and its appur-
tenances. By releasing the treadle lever these parts are returned to their former
position, which allows the wheel to fall and free the friction arm from the operation
of the upper friction wheel. The gravitating weight Wattached to a chain passing
over a pulley, and secured to the friction arm, now begins to act and carries back-
ward the cutting tool for the next operation.
Figure 4 shows a side and end view of one of the wooden blocks A after having
been operated upon by our improved machine, the transverse curve j being formed
by the shape of the knives, and the longitudinal curve or curves by the axle of
the cutting tool travelling along the slot g (see Figure 2).
Figure 5 (a diagram) is a modification of the above-described machine, the
difference in this instance being that the cutting tool E revolves in fixed bearings,

page_text: while the block A, to be shaped, is attached firmly to the carrier B, and made to
travel under the cutting tool, the carriage way being undulatory to produce upon
the upper surface of the said block the required longitudinal curves.
1
It will now be clearly understood that although the above methods are designed
specially for manufacturing the "Patent Railway Safety Key," yet it is also intended
for shaping other railway keys, fancy mouldings, and all such like irregular surfaces,
the templates g, g¹. (Figure 2 and 5) being so constructed that it can be taken out
and replaced by others of any required profile.
1
The other parts of the machine being so self-evident they are not described.
Having now particularly ascertained and described the nature and object of our
said Invention, together with the mode of carrying the same into effect, we wish it'
to be clearly understood that we claim as our Invention, secured to us by the above
in part recited Letters Patent, the method and means herein described and illus-
trated on the accompanying. Drawing, of employing revolving cutters travelling in
guides or shapers of any required form, or any mere modification thereof, such as
shown in Figure 5 of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Maddison Ward, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Sixteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.¯