An Improved Spike and Holdfast for Securing Rails, Decking, Platforms, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 18th Nov., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Spike and Holdfast for Securing Rails, Decking,
Platforms, and the like.
I, JOHN IMRAY, of Birkbeck Bank Chambers, Southampton Buildings, in the
County of London, Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby¨
declare the nature of this invention (as communicated to me from abroad by
Frederick Baker, of "Maylands," Kambrook Road, Caulfield, near Melbourne,
in the Colony of Victoria, Builder,) and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
-
This invention relates mainly to the spikes used on railways for securing the
flanges of the rails to the sleepers, but it is also applicable for numerous other
purposes where spikes or studs are employed, as for instance in securing decking
and platforms to joists.
The main object of the invention is to provide a spike or stud which will
securely hold rails, planking and the like without working loose but which can
be removed and replaced at will.
In order that this invention may be easily understood it will be described
with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a vertical
central section of one form of the improved spike shewing the locking piece
or key before it has been driven home."
Fig. 2 is a similar view shewing this locking piece or key after it has been
driven home, Fig 2ª its transverse section.
Fig. 1 is a transverse section of the spike when round and Fig. 1b is its
section when square.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation illustrating another slight
modification of the spike, Fig. 3 its transverse section. Figs. 4 and 5 are
similar views illustrating a spike in which the upper end is expanded instead
of the lower end, Figs. 4ª and 5" being sections.
Fig. 6 is a similar view to Fig. 5 shewing a spike with a different form of
head such as would be used on spikes for securing railway chairs to the sleepers,
Fig. 6 its transverse section.
Fig. 7 is a vertical central section of a spike illustrating another modification
of this invention.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents a spike such, for instance, as would
be used for securing rails to the sleepers on railways, the head B being con-
structed to project on one side in the ordinary manner so that when the spike
is driven into the sleeper it will engage with and hold the flanges of the rails.
A hole C is formed down the centre of the spike and the lower end of this
hole is made tapering as indicated at C. Into this hole is fitted a locking piece
or key D the lower end of which is preferably made tapering to correspond
with the tapering part C¹ of the hole C, although if preferred it might be made
parallel throughout or only slightly rounded at its lower end. The lower end
of the spike A is split or divided longitudinally so that after it has been driven
into the sleeper the locking piece or key D can be driven down the centre of
the spike as indicated in Fig. 2 the effect being to expand the lower end of the
spike in the sleeper and thereby considerably increase its holding power.
A recess E is formed in the head of the spike around the upper end of the
hole C in order to prevent this latter from being burred up when the spike is
heing driven.

page_text: The body of the spike can be either circular as in Fig. 1, or square as in
Fig. 1 or any other preferred shape in cross section, and it can be divided or
split from one end to the other, or if preferred only its lower end might be split
as illustrated at Fin Fig. 3. The locking piece or key D might also be square,
round or any other preferred section. The lower end of the spike can be
pointed or otherwise shaped, for instance it might be cut away as indicated by
the dotted lines at G in Figs. 1 and 2 and if preferred it can be constructed
with projecting teeth as at H in Fig. 3 and these teeth or projections might
take the form of tapering screw-threads upon the tapering or pointed end of
the spike. The modification of the invention shewn in Figs. 4 and 5 indicates
that the upper end of the spike might be expanded by means of a key or lock-
ing piece Dinstead of the lower end and in this case also the spike might be
split from end to end as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 that is it might be made
in two parts or it might be constructed in one piece as illustrated in Fig. 6 and
be divided from its upper down to near its lower end. As a matter of convenience
in the manufacture of the spike it might be found better to form a parallel
hole from end to end as illustrated in Fig. 7 in which case after the spike is in
position a filling piece I having an enlarged lower end I might be placed
within the hole C so as to co-act with the locking piece or key D when the
latter is driven home.
It will be readily understood that with the arrangement of spikes above
described they can readily be tightened at any time by driving down the lock-
ing piece or key and owing to the expansion of the spike laterally they will be
effectually prevented from turning round in the sleeper.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
1 claim is:-
tion ana
1. A holding down spike split longitudinally and formed with a central longi-
tudinal hole tapering at its lower end in combination with a locking piece .or
key adapted to be driven into said hole after the spike is in position so as to
expand its lower end substantially as herein described and explained, and as
illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
2. A holding down spike split longitudinally and having a central hole for
the reception or a locking piece or key the upper end of said hole being recessed
(as at ) substantially as herein described and explained, and as illustrated in
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
3. A holding down spike split longitudinally at its lower end and having an
axial hole made tapering at its lower end said spike being formed with pro-
jecting teeth in combination with a key or locking piece substantially as
herein described and explained and as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the
accompanying drawings.
4. A holding down spike split longitudinally at its upper end to receive a
tapering key or locking piece for expanding said upper end substantially as
herein described and explained, and as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the accompany-
ing drawings.
•
5. A holding down spike and locking piece or key in combination with a
filling piece (as 1) having a tapering or inclined surface (as I¹) substantially
as herein described and explained and as illustrated in Fig. 7 of the accom-
panying drawings."
Dated this 12th day of June 1899
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant."