IMPROVED METHODS OF PREVENTING THE DISPLACEMENT OF KEYS OR WEDGES USED IN SECURING RAILWAY RAILS IN THEIR CHAIRS AND OF IMPROVED STEEL OR WROUGHT IRON KEYS OR WEDGES & MEANS OF FITTING THEM TO CHAIRS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lewis Williams Iron Merchant and David Edwards
Mechanic both of Cardiff in the County of Glamorgan for an Invention of
IMPROVED METHODS OF PREVENTING THE DISPLACEMENT OF KEYS OR
WEDGES USED IN SECURING RAILWAY RAILS IN THEIR CHAIRS AND OF
IMPROVED STEEL OR WROUGHT IRON KEYS OR WEDGES & MEANS OF
FITTING THEM TO CHAIRS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lewis Williams and David
Edwards at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th
November 1882.
LEWIS WILLIAMS, Iron Merchant and DAVID EDWARDS Mechanic both of Cardiff
in the County of Glamorgan.
IMPROVED METHODS OF PREVENTING THE
DISPLACEMENT OF KEYS OR WEDGES USED IN SECURING RAILWAY RAILS IN THEIR
CHAIRS AND OF IMPROVED STEEL.OR WROUGHT IRON KEYS OR WEDGES AND MEANS
OF FITTING THEM TO CHAIRS,
The object of our invention is to prevent the keys, or wedges, by which railway
rails are secured in their chairs from slackening or displacement either through
the effect of weather or from vibration caused by traffic on the rails thus
obviating a source of great annoyance, anxiety and expense on railways. We
provide a safeguard, it is this:-On the inner side of the jaw on the wedge side
of the chair we form a "V" shaped ridge or raised part of a suitable angle, and at
a right or other angle with the bottom or seat of the chair and in one with it, or
any other suitable raised projection or projections. The use of the said projection
or projections is this:-When a parallel or taper wooden wedge or key is driven in
between the jaw of the chair and the rail, it passes across the ridge, projection or
projections, thereby a half or part being considerably compressed, but when the
half or part of the wooden key has passed the said ridge or raised part, projection
or projections formed as may be desired on the wedge side jaw of the chair, the
portion of the key which has been so compressed nearly regains its former size,
[Price I

page_text: thus the key remains larger at both ends than opposite the raised part, projection
or projections, on the wedge side of the chair thereby firmly securing the rail to
the chair and preventing the wooden key from becoming loose or falling out.
The key or wedge may be also of steel or wrought iron then it is made of sheet
of suitable thickness is hollow and similar in section to the letter C. having the
rail side edges turned or scrolled inwardly or otherwise.
On the outer or chair side of the key, a hollow, hemispheric, oblong angular or
other indentation or impression is produced. On the inner side. of the jaw, on
the wedge side of the chair & in one with it, is formed a raised or hollow
part hemispheric, oblong angular or otherwise, suitable to receive the before
mentioned key.
When this key is driven in between the jaw of the chair and the rail it will
allow of compression sufficient for its passage untill the concave or convex or
other raised or hollow part comes opposite the convex or concave or other hollow
or raised part in the wedge side jaw of the chair, when the key will at once
expand regaining its former size and firmly secure itself between the rail and
'the chair.
.
Again the steel or wrought iron key may be made for chairs as at present in
use. This we make with one or more raised part, or suitable projection or
projections, formed or projecting out of, or in the chair side of the wedge or key
& at a distance between each other, to suit the width of the jaw of the chair.
The wedge side jaw of the chair may be plain as at present, or made in such a
manner as to receive the above mentioned key.
The key may be made with parallel or chamfered ends, if chamfered ends it
may be the more readily introduced between the rail and the chair when being
driven into possition.
Having described the nature and purpose of our invention and its mode we
wish to be understood that we claim as our invention of improvements in methods
of securing railway keys or wedges in their chairs consequently adding greater
security to the railway rails: as follows-
First, making the chair in such a manner that it will not allow the wooden
wedge to Blacken or drop out as herein before described.
Secondly making a steel or wrought iron key to suit a special chair by means
of concave or convex, or other projection or projections, impression or impressions
as herein before described.
Thirdly of making a steel or wrought iron key or wedge that will not fall out
by vibration, that may be adapted to the present patterns of chairs as herein
before described.
Lastly of making a chair and steel or wrought iron wedge or key suited to each
other that secures the latter firmly between the rail and the chair and free from
the effect of vibration, as herein before described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Lewis Williams and David Edwards in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 15th May 1883.
LEWIS WILLIAMS, Iron Merchant and DAVID EDWARDS, Mechanic, both of
Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan. IMPROVED METHODS OF PREVENTING THE
DISPLACEMENT OF KEYS OR WEDGES USED IN SECURING RAILWAY RAILS IN THEIR
CHAIRS AND OF IMPROVED STEEL OR WROUGHT IRON KEYS OR WEDGES AND MEANS
OF FITTING THEM IN CHAIRS."
The object of our invention is to prevent the keys or wedges by which railway
rails are secured in their chairs from slackening or displacement either through the
effect of weather or from vibration caused by traffic on the rails thus obviating
a source of great annoyance, anxiety and expense on railroads. Our invention is
designed to provide a safeguard as follows:-
On the inner side of the chair, we forin a V shaped ridge or raised part of a
suitable angle and at a right or other angle with the bottom or seat of the chair
and in one with it or any other suitable raised projection or projections. The use
of the said projection or projections is this:--when a parallel or taper wooden
wedge or key is driven in between the jaw of the chair and the rail, it passes
across the ridge, projection or projections thereby a half or part being considerably
compressed, but when the half or part of the wooden key has passed the said
ridge or raised part, projection, or projections, formed as may be desired on the
wedge side jaw of the chair, the portion of the key which has been so compressed
nearly regains its former size, thus the key remains larger at both ends than
opposite the raised part, projection or projections on the wedge side of the chair
thereby firmly securing the rail to the chair and preventing the wooden key from
becoming loose or falling out.
The key or wedge may be also of steel or wrought iron, then it is made of
sheet of suitable thickness, is hollow and similar in section to the letter C having
the rail side edges turned or scrolled inwardly or otherwise. On the outer or chair
side of the key a hollow, hemispheric, oblong, angular or other indentation or
impression is produced. On the inner side of the jaw on the wedge side of the
chair and in one with it, is formed a raised or hollow part hemispheric, oblong,
angular or otherwise suitable to receive the before-mentioned key. When this key
is driven in between the jaw of the chair and the rail it will allow of compression
sufficient for its passage until the concave or convex or other raised or hollow
part comes opposite the convex or concave or other hollow or raised part in the
wedge side jaw of the chair when the key will at once expand, regaining its
former size and firmly secure itself between the rail and the chair.
Again, the steel or wrought iron key may be made for chairs as at present in use.
This we make with one or more raised part or suitable projection or projections
formed or projecting out of or in, the chair side of the wedge or key, and at a
distance between each other to suit the width of the jaw of the chair. The wedge
side jaw of the chair may be plain as at present or inade in such a manner as to
receive the above-mentioned key. The key may be made with parallel or
chamfered ends if chamfered ends it may be the more readily introduced between
the rail and the chair when being driven into position.
And in order to more thoroughly elucidate the nature of our said invention and
the manner of performing the same we will now refer to the accompanying sheet
of drawings and to the figures and letters of reference thereon indicated.
Fig 1. is and end elevation of a rail secured in its chair by a wooden key.
Fig 2. a plan.

page_text: Fig 9 vertical section of same.
In the figures 1 to 5, A represents the rail seated in the chair B and C the wedge
driven in. D is the projection on the jaw side of the chair it may be of short
form as in Fig 4 (this is more suitable for the metallic key) or it may be tapered
as in Fig 5.
.
In figures 6 to 9 D represents the key and E and E¹ E¹ the respective sunk or
raised parts. These keys may be formed by stamping out sheet metal and after-
wards bending to shape, The raised parts of E¹ E when driven home respectively
form abutments on each side of the inner part of the ordinary chair and prevent
the key slipping end wise through vibration, It will be seen with reference to
Figs 6 and 7 that the raised part might be formed on the key and the indentations
on the chair without departing from the principle of our invention as before
described.
Having now described the nature and purpose of our invention and its mode of
performance we wish it to be understood that we claim as our invention :-
Firstly. The method of preventing the displacement of the keys of railway
chairs by forming a projection or projections on the chair over which the key.can
be driven as hereinbefore described, or the alternative method of indentations in
the chair and projections on the key.
Secondly The steel or wrought iron key formed with indentations or projections
to fit corresponding parts on the chair when driven in as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described.
Thirdly. The steel or wrought iron key formed with projections to fit the
ordinary railway chair as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof I the said David Edwards on behalf of myself and the
said Lewis Williams have hereunto set my hand and seal this 14th day
of May in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty
three.
DAVID EDWARDS (L.S.)