An Improved Key for Tightening Rails in Railway and Tramway Chairs.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 26th Apr., 1887.
An Improved Key for Tightening Rails in Railway and Tramway
Chairs.
I, ALPHONSE DENUIT care of Messrs. E. Bede & Cie. of 29 Rue Philippe-le-Bon,
Bruxelles, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained, in and by the following statement:-
This invention consists in an improved and economical key for tightening rails in
railway chairs. The key is formed out of sheet metal and in such a manner that it is
shaped to the rail on the one side and to the inner surface of the chair on the other,
thus affording sufficient support to the rail while at the same time it is sufficiently
elastic to prevent damage resulting to the rail or to the chair from any shock. Its
further advantages consist in the fact that, when driven home between the chair and
the rail, it cannot be displaced by vibration but only by a powerful blow; and that its
exterior shape is similar or equivalent to that of the wooden keys usually employed so
that it can replace the latter without modification in the rail or chair.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 illustrates on a small scale the stages in the process of converting a metal
plate into the improved key.
Fig. 2 is an outer side view of the key.
Fig. 3 an upper end view thereof.
Fig. 4 a lower end view showing also the key driven home between the chair and
the rail.
Fig. 5 is a cross section across the centre part of the key showing also a modification
hereinafter described.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the key in its position between the rail and chair.
Fig. 7 a plan view of the key before introduction between rail and chair.
Fig. 8 shows also a modified form of key.
A piece of sheet metal ABCD Fig. 1 of convenient size and thickness is taken
and slits made at a o, bi, cj, dq, and similarly at ep, fk, gl and h¹ the corner
portions A moa, Bdgr, Dhst and Cape are now bent over towards the centre line
of the plate, so that the corresponding edges A a Ge; Bd Dh touch each other, the
under parts m npo, qrts being slightly bent upward towards the edges mn, rt; the
said bent over portions enclose a substantially oval space as illustrated in the cross
FD 627

page_text: section PP to the right of Fig. 1. These curved over ends formed by the parts of
the metal plate Aue C, dB Dh, I designate for further reference as the parts E and F
respectively; the centre portions bij c; fklg are bent over in a similar manner, but
so that they lie flat on the plate as shown in the cross section 00 to the left of Fig. 1.
This portion I designate G. The paris abio, epfk, cjqd, glsh are curved upward
so as to project in a direction vertical to the main portion of the plate, as shown
at a¹ b', e¹ f', c'd', g¹h', the distance however between the outer faces of e' d¹ and y¹¹
is equal to the distance between the inner faces of the a'' and ef. These portions
I designate by letters H J K L. A projection S (Figs. 4, 6, 7, 8) is formed on one
of the parts E F.
The part G is now curved round so that the faces HJ overlap the faces J L as
shown in Fig. 7 and the key is completed.
When the key is in its position between the rail and chair it is elastic at three points
namely at the annular head G, at the body of the key by the penetration of the
wings K and I between the wings H and J Figs. 3, 6 and 7, and at the top or point.
by the parts F and E resting upon each other Figs. 1 and 1, this pressure tending to
hold the wings KL, HJ outward from each other.
It is understood the parts HJ are so curved as to exactly fit to the rail and the
parts K L so as to fit to the corresponding surface of the chair.
When the wings K and L are introduced between the wings H J the latter expand
so as to press firmly against the head and foot of the rail.
The said key may be cut out of existing sheet metal or may be formed of metal
rolled to size and subsequently curved by rolling or otherwise as indicated, or they
may be forged in which case the part G may he solid and of the required thickness
and the ends E F may have any convenient shape such as shown in Fig. 8.
The introduction of the key between the chair and the rail is effected by driving it
with a hammer or a lever operating on the exterior of the head. The removal of the
key is also effected either by striking on the point with a haminer or by means of a
lever catching into tho ring shaped head.
It is to be noted that the length and curvature of the wings HJ, K L is such that
only sufficient play is allowed for allowing of the introduction of the key between the
rail and the chair.
If more play were allowed the two branches of the key would be enabled to approach
each other too far and the key would be too narrow for the space it should occupy.
The requisite distance may be ensured by stops y as shown in Fig. 5-but in most
cases the said stops will be unnecessary.
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 I claim is :-
For the tightening of rails in railway chairs:
1. A key having wings HJ, KL connected by curved portion G substantially as
set forth.
2. A key having wings HJ, KL connected by curved portion G, and stops y
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. A key having overlapping wings HJ, KL connected by curved portion G, and
having end cushions E F with nose S, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 25th day of March 1887
A. DENUIT.
Pp. Herbert & Co.,
67, Strand, W.C.,
Agents to Applicant.