Improved Means for Securing Flanged Rails, such as Bridge Rails, to Sleepers or Timbers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 27th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 1st Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Securing Flanged Rails, such as Bridge Rails,
to Sleepers or Timbers.
We EDWARD WALL Engineer and GEORGE HENRY FRECKNALL Leather
Merchant both of Guildhall Road Northampton in the County of Northampton
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
:-
In the permanent way of railways where so called bridge rails are used or under
like circumstances where it is necessary to secure a flange or foot to timber the
securing devices are apt to work loose and the rail or other object become
insecure.
Now the object of our invention is to provide a means of fastening bridge rails
or the like to sleepers or timbers so that it shall be impossible or nearly so for
them to work loose and for this purpose we form a metal clamp or chair having a
long and a short arm the shorter arm being elevated above the longer or bent one
so that it will pass over or on to the flange of the rail whilst the longer and lower
arm remains bolted closely down to the sleeper or timber. In the long arm we
form a hole for the spike or bolt which is of peculiar construction and so formed
as to be incapable of withdrawal and for this purpose we form our bolt or spike
as follows: We force or jump up the lower part of the bolt when heated and by
means of a suitable tool form in the thickened portion a small flat projection or
flange on either side of the shank and sharpen these on their edges so as to
obtain a cutting face. The bolt when driven home through the hole in the clamp
or chair is given a half or partial turn by means of a wrench or like tool applied
to the head when the projections become embedded in the timber and it is impossible
to withdraw the spike or bolt in the usual manner.
Dated this 26th day of May 1892.
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Securing Flanged Rails, such as Bridge Rails,
to Sleepers or Timbers.
We EDWARD WALL Engineer and GEORGE HENRY FRECKNALL Leather
Merchant both of Guildhall Road Northampton in the County of Northampton
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:-
In the permanent way of railways and the like where flat bottomed or so called
"bridge rails" are used or under circumstances where it is necessary to secure a
metal foot or flange to timber the securing devices are apt to work loose and the
rail or other object become insecure and the object of our invention is to provide
means for fastening down such rails or flanged metals or feet to timbers in such a
manner that it shall be almost impossible for the spikes or similar devices to work
loose and for this purpose we employ a metal clamp or chair having one arm longer
than the other, the shorter arm being elevated above the longer or bent so that it
will pass over or on to the flange of the rail whilst the longer and lower arm is
bolted closely down to the timber.
In the long arm we form a hole for the admission of our specially formed spike
or holding down device which is of peculiar construction, or we may dispense with

page_text: the clamp or chair and use the spiking device alone in which case the head is
formed with a projecting arm which after the spike has been driven home, or nearly
so, is turned by a wrench or suitable tool over the flange.
In order to more clearly explain the nature of our securing device we have
attached hereto a sheet of drawings shewing in
Figure 1. The clamp or chair, in
Figure 2. The spike or securing device-and in
Figure 3. A portion of the spike or securing device with special head for use
without the clamp or chair.
The spike is formed as follows:-
We force or jump up the lower portion when heated so as to cause it to be
thickened out at say A and in this thickened portion we form a small flat pro-
jection or flange B on either side of the shank and sharpen these on their edges
so as to obtain a cutting face. The spike when driven home through the hole C
in the clamp or chair and the auger hole in the timber (which is of less diameter)
is given a half or partial turn by means of a wrench or tool applied to the head
when the sharpened projections cut into and become embedded in the timber and
it is practically impossible to withdraw the spike without previously turning it
backwardly.
When the spike is used without the clamp-it is driven home with the projecting
arm extending over the flange at an angle preferably less than a right angle or
nearly parallel with the rail or face of the flange when the turn is given to the
spike the projecting arm will be at right angles with the rail and thus act as a
clamp securing it to the timber or the spike may be driven direct through holes in
the flanges themselves the half turn being given in all cases.
The projections on the spike and the thickened out portion may be formed
by turning down or by any well known means in place of the method before
described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. In spikes or like devices for securing chairs flanges or the like to timbers
thickening out a portion of such spikes and forming on such thickened out portion
cutting surfaces or faces for the purpose of entering the timber, when the spike is
given a half or partial turn, in a direction at right angles to the direction of the
spike substantially as hereinbefore described.
2: The spiking device for securing metal feet or flanges to timber substantially
as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. The means for securing bridge rails and the like to timbers or sleepers
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated on accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 27th day of February 1893.
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.