IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND BOLTS FOR SECURING RAILS TO SLEEPERS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO SECURING OTHER OBJECTS TOGETHER, AND IN GAUGES FOR USE IN BORING HOLES TO RECEIVE SUCH BOLTS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the.
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE METHOD OF AND BOLTS FOR SECURING RAILS TO SLEEPERS, APPLICABLE
ALSO TO SECURING OTHER OBJECTS TOGETHER, AND IN GAUGES FOR USE IN
BORING HOLES TO RECEIVE SUCH BOLTS." A communication from abroad
by Thomas James Bush, of Lexington, in the County of Fayette, State of
Kentucky, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th January 1882.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of 53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND BOLTS FOR SECURING
RAILS TO SLEEPERS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO SECURING OTHER OBJECTS TOGETHER,
AND IN GAUGES FOR USE IN BORING HOLES TO RECEIVE SUCH BOLTS." [A com-
munication from abroad by Thomas James Bush, of Lexington, in the County of
Fayette, State of Kentucky, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to improvements in bolts for, and in the method of,
securing rails to sleepers or securing two or more blocks, planks or pieces of wood
stone or metal together or one object to another in bridge and ship building and
other work without the bolt holes passing entirely through the sleeper or other
object to which the rail or other object is to be secured. The Invention also
relates to a gauge for use in boring the diagonal holes to receive the interlocking
bolts of this Invention.
I will describe the Invention as applied to securing rails to sleepers.
The first part of the Invention consists in the construction, combination and
arrangement of bolts adapted to interlock with one another and in the method of
securing them by intersecting or crossing one another and causing the bolts to
interlock within the sleeper and mutually retain one another. The bolts which
may be of square, round or polygonal form in cross section are formed with notches

page_text: or recesses at the point where they are to cross, the said notches being so arranged
with regard to one another and of such length and depth as to enable them to pass
one another and be interlocked, and the bolts are bent near the upper ends so that
these ends shall project perpendicularly to the face of the sleeper or to the surface
against which the pressure of the nut or other fastening is to be applied, and these
outer ends are screw threaded to receive the nuts or are formed with plain heads
for use with forked wedges driven in beneath the leads, or they may be forined
with overhanging arms or lugs for use with plain wedges.
In securing a rail or other object the sleeper or other object is first bored
diagonally from opposite sides of the rail so that the two holes are not quite in the
same plane but intersect at the proper depth centrally beneath the rail. The bolts
are then inserted in the holes and made to interlock at the point of intersection
within the sleeper and the nuts or wedges are then applied for tightening the bolts
or fastenings upon the flanges of the rail. Great firmness is thus ensured as the
bolts have a bearing in the sleeper both above and beneath the point where
the bolts interlock and loosening or canting of the rails is rendered almost
impossible.
If nuts are used, clips adapted to bear on the foot of the rail and clamp it down
are inserted beneath the nuts, but if wedges are used bearing on the foot of the
rail these clips may be dispensed with.
When wedges are used, the underside of the bolt head is made oblique to fit
squarely upon the wedges which after being driven in may be turned up at the
points to prevent them working loose.
In fastening the ends of tramway rails, the bolts are inserted at both sides of
the rail tread and the bolts in the one rail end interlock with those in the other
rail end at the same side of the rail. The bolts may be inserted in this manner
between the ends of the rails if desired, the holes for their passago through being
made close enough together for the size of bolts to be used.
The Invention further consists in forming round bolts with flat surfaces for the
shoulders of the notches to bear against to ensure a firm lock and prevent the bolts
turning; in forming one of the bolts with a stop to prevent the bolt being inserted
beyond the proper distance in the hole to form the lock; in means for bringing the
bolts into locking position; in the employment of the bolts in combination with
suitably formed plates for securing rails at the joints whereby they are held
adjustably and the holes in the sleepers are covered by the plutes.
In the case of round bolts, a plain square notch may be formed on the one bolt
and a semicircular recess or notch on the other bolt in such a position as to receive
the shoulder at the lower end of the notch on the first bolt, the second bolt being
also faced off at right angles to its notch, that is to say on the side which lies
against the first bolt with a slight taper from the point of intersection to the point
of the bolt to permit of the insertion of the bolt through the notch of the first bolt
which is inserted first and drawn up first (after the second bolt has been inserted)
so as to engage in the notch or recess of the second bolt, the shoulder which
terminates this faced off portion of the second bolt forming a stop that comes
against the first bolt and prevents the second bolt being inserted too far.
Or the first bolt may have a plain square notch as before and the second bolt
may have a corresponding notch and be faced off at right angles to its notch from
the upper shoulder of the notch to the point of the bolt to permit of the second
.bolt passing through the notch of the first, the relative arrangement of the notches
being in this case such that the second bolt is to be turned a quarter round after
being inserted so as to bring notch opposite to that of the first bolt and cause it
to interlock therewith.
Or the two bolts may be alike and each have only a plain square notch formed
by cutting away a narrow portion of the metal at the point where they cross one
another so as to be halved together or interlocked the one in the other. In this
case the hole for one of the bolts must be made sufliciently large to permit of the
one bolt passing the other and a semi-cylindrical wedge is driven into that hole by

page_text: the side of the bolt to force over towards the other bolt to lock them together and
retain them in that position.
In any case the bolts may cross at right angles or at any other angle, the notches
being made straight across the bolts or obliquely as the case may be to conform to
such angles.
The invention also includes securing a straight bolt in a hole perpendicular to
the surface from which the bolt is inserted by means of a spike or koy inserted in
a diagonal hole intersecting the bolt hole and engaging with an oblique notch in
the side of the bolt.
In securing railway rails to the sleepers at the joints by means of the inter-
locking bolts above described, fish plates are placed upon the foot of the rail across
the joint and the bolts inserted through holes in the plates into the diagonal holes
properly bored in the sleeper at opposite sides of the rail and intersecting one
another as above described. In securing rails at intermediate points, clips will be
used as before mentioned instead of the fish plates. These clips may have a hole
for the bolt to pass through and extensions bearing the one on the foot of the rail
and the other on the sleeper the latter also covering the bolt hole.
The second part of this Invention consists in a gauge whereby the diagonal holes
may be accurately drilled or bored and made to intersect one another at any
desired depth. The gauge consists principally of a suitable frame adapted to be
secured to the rail in position for boring or to the sleeper or other object to be bored
or drilled and provided with oppositely inclined rests for guiding the boring tool
capable of adjustment for varying the direction of the tool. The frame is of
bridge form to straddle the rail and has feet or base plates which rest on the sleeper
at either side. Levers or jaws are pivoted in the sides of the frame and project
inwards through slots therein and are caused to take under the head of the rail
and secure the gauge firmly thereto by the pressure of levers, cams or set scrows
upon the outer ends of the jaws.
If the rail be not in position the gauge is secured to the sleeper by vertical
screws working through corresponding ears on the frame. Holes are made through
the base plates or feet of the frame through which the boring tool passes and rests,
or plates are secured adjustably upon inclined supports upon the feet. These
plates have notches or rests in them for guiding the tool and the plates are
adjustable in all directions and when properly adjusted to register with the holes
in the feet of the frame and at the proper angle for the boring tool according to the
desired direction of the holes, and the gauge, secured as above described, the holes
may be bored so that both will have exactly the same degree of slant and will
properly intersect one another at the desired depth.
In boring holes in other objects, other means of securing the gauge may be used
according to the requirements of the case.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd July 1882.
ALEXANDER MELlville Clark of 53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND BOLTS FOR SECURING !
RAILS TO SLEEPERS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO SECURING OTHER OBJECTS TOGETHER,
AND IN GAUGES FOR USE IN BORING HOLES TO RECEIVE SUCH BOLTS." A com-
munication from abroad by Thomas James Bush of Lexington in the County of
Fayette, State of Kentucky, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in bolts for, and in the method of, 1
securing rails to sleepers, or securing two or more blocks, planks, or pieces of wood,
stone, or metal together, or one object to another in bridge and ship building and
other work without the bolt holes passing entirely through the sleeper or other
object to which the rail or other object is to be secured. The Invention also relates
to a guage for use in boring the diagonal holes to receive the interlocking bolts of
this Invention. I will describe the Invention as applied to securing rails to sleepers,
and in order that it may be more readily understood, I have illustrated it in the
accompanying drawings wherein :-
Figure 1 illustrates the improvel bolts as they appear when locked in the sleeper
or cross tie for holding an ordinary railway rail. Figure 2 is an underside view of
the same. Figures-3-and 5-show modifications of the head of the bolts. Figures
4 and 6 are perspective views of wedges used for tightening the bolts, and-Figure 7
shows the method of bolting tramway rails. Figures 8 to 14 show modifications
hereafter referred to.
The first part of the Invention consists in the construction, combination and
arrangement of bolts adapted to interlock with one another, and in the method of
securing them by intersecting or crossing one another and causing the bolts to
interlock within the sleeper and mutually retain one another. The bolts A A¹
which may be of square, round, or polygonal form in cross section (but are here
represented as of square section) are formed with notches or recesses a a¹ at the
point where they are to cross, the said notches being so arranged with regard to
one another, and of such length and depth as to enable the bolts to pass one another
in their holes and be interlocked, and the bolts are bent near the upper ends so
that their shanks are oblique or diagonal whilst their upper ends project perpen-
dicularly to the face of the sleeper (or to the surface against which the pressure of
the uut or other fastening is to be applied) and are screwthreaded to receive the
nuts E E as in Figure 1, or are formed with plain heads as at 1) Figure 3 for use
with the forked wedges shown in Figure 4 which are driven in beneath the heads
or formed with overhanging arms or lugs A2 Figure 5 for use with the plain
wedges Figure 6. In securing a rail, the sleeper is bored diagonally from opposite
sides of the rail, the two holes being not quite in the same plane but intersecting
at the proper depth centrally beneath the rail. It will be observed that the notch a¹
is in the side of the bolt A whilst the notch a is in the back or underside of the
bolt A, but both notches might be made upon the sides. If the notches are situated
as shown in Figure 1, the bolt A' is inserted first, its notch being made to coincide
with the hole which is to receive the bolt A, which is then inserted until the
shoulder at the lower end of its notch a has passed the bolt A', after which the
bolts are drawn up the bolt A¹ being drawn up first until they interlock, as shown in
Figure 1, at the point of intersection within the sleeper and the nuts or wedges
are then applied for tightening the bolts or fastenings upon the flanges of the rail.

page_text: Great firmness is thus ensured as the bolts have a bearing in the sleeper both above
and beneath the point where the bolts interlock, and loosening or canting of the
rails is rendered almost impossible. If the nuts E E' are used, clips F adapted to
bear on the foot of the rail and clamp it down are inserted beneath the
outs as in Figure 1, but if wedges are used bearing on the foot of the rail these
clips may be dispensed with. When wedges are used the underside of the bolt
head is bevelled as at d' Figure 3, to fit squarely upon the wedges which
after being driven in may be turned up at the points to prevent them working
loose, as shown in dotted lines.
In fastening the ends of tramway rails, the bolts are inserted at both sides of the
rail tread and the bolts are parallel to the rail, and those in the one rail end
interlock with those in the other rail end at the same side of the rail, as seen in
Figure 7. The bolts may be inserted in this manner between the ends of the rails
if desired, the holes for their passage through being made close enough together for
the size of bolts to be used. Constructed and inserted in this manner the bolts
and rails may be easily tightened by simply driving the wedges or turning the
nuts, and the rails may thus be kept always firm and secure. and this without
withdrawing the bolts and displacing the rails.
The Invention further consists in forming round bolts with flat surfaces for the
shoulders of the notches to bear against to ensure a firm lock and prevent the bolts
turning; in forming one of the bolts with a stop to prevent the bolt being inserted
beyond the proper distance in the hole to form the lock; in means for bringing the
bolts into locking position; in the employment of the bolts in combination with
suitably formed plates for securing rails at the joints whereby they are held
adjustably and the holes in the sleepers are covered by the plates. This part of the
Invention is illustrated in Figures 8 to 15 of the drawings wherein Figures 8 and 9
are a side elevation and cross section of a railway rail joint formed with the plates
and bolts of this Invention. The other Figures represent different views and
modifications of the bolts and the wedges used in connection with one form of bolt.
A A¹ are the bolts as before, but in this case they are of round section and are beat
as before, and the bolt A has a plain square notch a, and the bolt A¹ a semicircular
recess 6 as in Figure 10, or a plain notch b as in Figure 11, in such position as
to receive the shoulder at the lower end of the notch a on the bolt A when the
said bolt is drawn up as hereafter described, the bolt A' being also faced off at cat
right angles to its notch b (that is to say, on the side which lies against the bolt A)
the faced off portion extending from notch b to the point of the bolt, and the face c
being slightly tapered to permit of the insertion of the bolt A' through the notch a
of the bolt A which is inserted first, the bolt A' being then inserted and the bolt A
being then drawn up so that the lower shoulder of its notch a engages in the notch
or recess b of the bolt A' as shown in Figure 10. By the lower shoulders of notch a
being received in the recess or notch bin the way described, any tendency of the
bolts to turn in their holes and become unlocked is prevented. To still further
ensure the secure locking of the bults, the bolt A may have a notch e at back just
below notch a as shown in Figure 10, or it may be faced off as shown at e' in
Figure 11 below the notch a. The shoulder c' at the upper end of this faced off
portion c of the bolt A¹ forms a stop that comes against the bolt A and prevents
the bolt A' being inserted too far. Or the bolt A may have a plain square notch a
on its side as before but rather deeper, and the bolt A may have a corresponding
square notch a' on its side as shown in Figure 12 and be faced off at d at right
angles to its notch a', said faced off portion extending from the upper shoulder of
the said notch to the point of the bolt to permit of the bolt A' passing through
the notch a of the bult A, the relative arrangement of the notches being in this case
such that the bolt A' is to be inserted with its faced off part d towards the bolt A
as shown in the upper view of Figure 12, and when the notch a' comes opposite
notch a the bolt A is to be turned a quarter round so as to make the notch a' of
bolt A engage with notch a of bolt A and cause the two bolts to interlock as
shown in Figure 12. Or the two bolts may be identically alike and each have

page_text: only a plain square notch a, like that shown at the left hand of Figure 12, said notch
being formed by cutting away a narrow portion of the metal at the point where
they cross one another so that the bolts will be halved together or interlocked the
one in the other. In this case the hole for one of 'the bolts A' must be made
sufficiently large to permit of the one bolt passing the other and to receive a semi-
cylindrical wedge B which is driven into the hole by the side of the bolt A' after
both bolts are inserted to force said bolt over A¹ towards the bolt A in order to
lock the two bolts together and retain them in that position. For unlocking the
bolts the wedge B will be removed and if necessary driven in at the other side of the
bolt A¹ in order to force it apart from the bolt A and permit the bolts to be with-
drawn. In any case the bolts may cross at right angles or at any other angle, the
notches being made straight across the bolts or obliquely, as the case may be, to
conform to such angles.
The Invention also includes securing a straight bolt D figure 14 in a hole
perpendicular to the surface of the sleeper or other object in which the bolt is
inserted, by means of a spike or key D' inserted in a diagonal hole in the sleeper
or other object intersecting the bolt hole, said key D¹ engaging with an oblique
notch in the side of the bolt D as shown.
In securing railway rails to the sleepers at the joints by means of the inter-
locking bolts above described fish plates F figures 8 and 9 are placed upon the
foot of the rail across the joint as shown and the bolts inserted through holes in
the plates into the diagonal holes properly bored in the sleeper at opposite sides of
the rail and intersecting one another as above described. The plates F are of such
width as to cover the holt holes and prevent the entrance of water, and when
such plates are not used the holes may be filled with coal tar or other similar
substance. In securing rails at intermediate points, clips G figure 15 will be used
as before mentioned instead of the fish plates F. These clips may have a hole for
the bolt to pass through and extensions h which bear the one on the foot of the
rail and the other on the sleeper, the extension h¹ also serving to cover the bolt
hole in the sleeper and prevent the entrance of water.
The second part of this Invention consists in a gauge whereby the diagonal
holes for the bolts above described may be accurately drilled or bored and made to
intersect one another at any desired depth. The gauge consists principally of a
suitable frame adapted to be secured to the rail in position for boring or to the
sleeper or other object to be bored or drilled and provided with oppositely inclined
rests for guiding the boring tool capable of adjustinent for varying the direction of
the tool. I have shown the gauge in Figures 16 and 17 as applied for boring the
holes in railway sleepers, but I do not confine myself to such application of the
gauge, but the means employed for securing the gauge to the rail, (such means
consisting in the jaws arranged and operated as hereafter described) constitute, as
well as the means of securing the gauge to the sleeper itself or other object to be
drilled, essential parts of the Invention. Another essential feature of the Invention
is the universally movable guides or rests whereby the direction of the boring tool
may be changed. Figure 16 is a perspective view of the boring gange attached to
a railroad rail in position for boring the holes in the sleeper, and Figure 17 is a
detail view showing the universally movable guide plate for the tool. The main
frame A is a casting of bridge form to straddle the rail and has feet or base plates B
which rest on the sleeper at either side. E are levers or jaws which are pivoted
ate between pairs of lugs f formed on the upright sides 6 of the frame and
project inwards through slots c therein, and the inner ends of said jaws are caused
to tako under the head of the rail and secure the gauge firmly thereto by the
pressure of levers, cams, wedges or set screws C bearing upon the outer ends of
the jaws. I prefer set screws C as shown screwing through screwthreaded ears g
formed on extensions h of the upper part of frame A immediately over the jaws E.
These jaws E are so pivoted that their inner ends are heavier than their outer
ends, so that when screws C are unscrewed, the jaws will disengage by their own
weight and permit of the gauge being detached from the rail. If the rail be not

page_text: already in position when the gauge is to be used, the gauge is secured to the
sleeper itself by four vertical screws F passing freely through plain guide holes i
in lateral extensions of the upper part of frame A and screwing through screw-
threaded holes in ears & projecting from .the sides of the feet B.
Holes Gare
made through the base plates or feet B of the frame through which the augur bit
or other boring tool passes, and H represents rests or plates which aro secured
adjustably upon inclined supports a rising from the feet B. These plates H
have notches I or rests in them to receive and guide the tool and the plates H aro
adjustable in all directions upon their supports a by means of the screw bolts J
and enlarged holes n shown in dotted lines in Figure 17 through which said
bolts J pass. In use the plates H are first properly adjusted to register with the
holes G so as to hold the tool when placed in the holes G and notches I at the
proper angle according to the desired direction of the holes and the gauge is then
to be secured to the ruil by the jaws E or to the sleeper by the screws Fas above
described. The gauge will thus be firmly held while the holes are being bored
and the tool will be so guided by the notches I and holes G that the holes
may be truly bored so that both will have exactly the same degree of slant and
will properly intersect one another at the desired depth.
It will be understood that for boring holes in other objects, other means of
securing the gauge may be used according to the requirements of the case.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is.
1st. A locking bolt bent near the upper end so as to have a diagonal shank
and formed with a notch near its lower end, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
2nd. The combination of two bent bolts respectively notched as described and
interlocking with one another within the body of the sleeper or other object,
substantially as shown and described.
3rd. The combination with the bolts bent and notched and interlocking as
described; of wedges or nuts for tightening the bolts, substantially as shown and
described.
4th. The combination of two bent bolts of round or polygonal cross section, the
two bolts being respectively notched and faced off and adapted to be interlocked
with one another within the body of the sleeper, substantially as described and
shown in Figures 9. 10. and 11 of the drawings.
5th. The combination of two bent bolts, the one notched and the other notched
and faced off as described and shown in Figure 12, the said bolts being inter-
locked by turning round the faced off bolt in its hole, substantially as shown and
described.
6th. The method of securing rail road rails to the sleepers consisting in first
boring diagonal holes in the timbers not quite in the same plane, but in such
manner that they will intersect each other, then inserting bolts bent and notched
as herein shown and described and causing them to interlock with one another in
the manner described and subsequently tightening the bolts upon the rails by
means of wedges or nuts, substantially as described.
7th. The combination of two bent bolts similarly notched and interlocking as
described and shown in Figure 13, and of a half round wedge applied substantially
in the manner and for the purpose specified.
8th. The combination with the bent and notched bolts A A³ of the plates F F
substantially as shown and described.
9th. In combination with the bent notched bolts A A', the plates G formed with
the extensions h h' as and for the purposes set forth.
10. The combination with a straight bolt having a lateral notch or passage at n
suitable distance from its lower end, of a spike or key crossing the bolt diagonally
and engaging with the notch or passage, substantially as and for the purpose
described and shown in Figure 14.

page_text: 11th. A gauge for boring intersecting diagonal holes consisting of a suitable
frame adapted to be secured upon the object to be bored and formed with inclined
passages, rests, or supports for the tool substantially as described.
12th. The frame A of the gauge provided with the hinged jaws E E substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
13th. The frame A of the gauge formed with the passages G G in combination
with the adjustable plates H formed with the rests I, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
14th. The combination with the frame A of the gauge, of the screws F,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
15th. The gauge for boring diagonal intersecting holes made substantially as
herein shown and described consisting of the bridge shaped frame A provided with
the passages G, in combination with rests or plates H, jawa E, and the screws C C,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Alexander Melville Clark have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Fifteenth day of March, A.D. 1882.