An Improved Key for Securing Rails in Chairs.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Mar., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 27th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 29:h Jan., 1889
An Improved Key for Securing Rails in Chairs.
I, JAMES RANDELL of 29, Lower North Street, Exeter in the County of Devon,
Inspector of Permanent way, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to he as
follows:-
According to this invention the improved key which is designed to be inserted
hetween the rail and the jaw of the chair, comprises two parts or folding wedges
which are adapted to slide longitudinally over each other, that is to say in a direction
approximately parallel to the length of the rail.
**
The part of the key which comes next the jaw of the chair and which I shall call
the outer part" is shaped to fit more or less accurately the jaw of the chair and is
provided at or near its ends with projections or shouldors which bear against the sides
or ends of the jaw of the chair and serve to prevent the said outer part from moving
longitudinally when placed in position in the chair.
The other part of the key or that part which comes next the rail and which I shall
call the "inner part," is shaped to fit more or less accurately the adjacent surface
of the rail and is provided on its opposite or inclined surface with a longitudinal
rib or tongue fitting in a corresponding recess formed in the inclined surface of
the outer part.
A screw bolt passes longitudinally through the parts of the key and is provided with
a head bearing against one end of one of the parts of the key and with a nut bearing
against the opposite end of the other part.
By screwing up the nut on the bolt, the inner part of the key is caused, by reason
of the action of the inclined contact surfaces of the parts, to move longitudinally and
outwardly, so as to press the rail firmly against the adjacent jaw of the chair, thereby
securing the rail in its place in the chair.
The screw bolt is prevented from turning whilst the nut is being screwed on the
same, by a square portion engaging in a corresponding recess formed in one of the
parts of the Fox

page_text: The rotary movement of the bolt may also be arrested by providing the end
of one of the parts with a projection against which the head of the bolt may bear.
It is evident that the details of this invention may be varied without departing from
the essential nature thereof; for instance, the bearing surfaces of the parts may be
suitably recessed, with the object of lessening weight and reducing cost of manufacture.
Also the screw bolt hereinabove mentioned may be replaced in some instances by a
cotter or similar arrangement.

page_text: I, JAMES RANDELL, of 29 Lower North Street, Exctor, in the County of Devon,
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:-
According to this invention the improved key which is designed to be inserted
hetween the rail and the jaw of the chair, comprises two parts or folding wedges which
are adapted to slide longitudinally over each other, that is to say in a direction
approximately parallel to the length of the rail.
The part of the key which comes next the jaw of the chair and which I shall call
the "outer part" is shaped to fit more or less accurately the jaw of the chair and is
provided at or near its ends with projections or shoulders which bear against the sides
or ends of the jaw of the chair and serve to prevent the said outer part from moving
ongitudinally when placed in position in the chair.
The other part of the key or that part which comes next the rail and which I shall
call the "inner part," is shaped to fit more or less accurately the adjacent surface of the
rail and is provided on its opposite or inclined surface with a longitudinal rib or
tongue fitting in a corresponding recess formed in the inclined surface of the
outer part.
A screw bolt passes longitudinally through the parts of the key and is provided with
a head bearing against one end of one of the parts of the key and with a nut bearing
against the opposite end of the other part.
By screwing up the nut on the bolt, the inner part of the key is caused by reason
of the action of the inclined contact surfaces of the parts to move longitudinally and
outwardly so as to press the rail firmly against the adjacent jaw of the chair thereby
securing the rail in its place in the chair.
The screw bolt is prevented from turning whilst the nut is being screwed on the
same by a square portion engaging in a corresponding recess formed in one of the
parts of the key.
The rotary movement of the bolt may also be arrested by providing the end of one
of the parts with a projection against which the head of the bolt may bear.
It is evident that the details of this invention may be varied without departing
from the essential nature thereof for instance the bearing surfaces of the parts
may be suitably recessed with the object of lessening weight and reducing cost of
manufacture.
Also the screw bolt hereinabove mentioned may be replaced in some instances by a
cotter or similar arrangement.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a rail fixed in a chair by a key according to this
invention.

page_text: Fig. 3 an end elevation.
Fig. 4 a similar view of the other end.
Fig. 5 is a section in line a-b fig. 4.
A is the rail; B the outer jaw of the chair; C the sleeper; D is the key; it is
formed in two parts or folding wedges E and F, whereof E is recessed to embrace
the jaw of the chair, while F rests against the rail. On the part F there is a rib G
which slides in a groove G¹ in the adjacent surface of the part E, and guides the
two parts on one another. H is a bolt with a rounded head and a square under the
head. It lies in an oval hole passing lengthwise through the two parts E and F,
and is furnished with a nut and washer.
In applying the key the nut on the bolt H is unscrewed and the part F drawn back
until the key can be inserted between the rail and the chair. The part E is then fitted
into its place and the nut screwed up, drawing the part F over the part E, until the
rail is forced tightly against the opposite jaw of the chair. The parts are then perfectly
tight and secure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what is claimed
in a key for securing rails in chairs is
1. The combination of two folding wedges with means for making them move
longitudinally the one over the other until they are tightened between the rail and the
chair, and for securing them in that position substantially as described.
2. The folding wedges E and F guided by the rib or projection G and groove G¹
in combination with the bolt H substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
Dated this 24th day of December 1888