IMPROVEMENTS IN SECURING OR FASTENING NUTS FOR RAILWAY FISH PLATES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Johnson and Bartholomew Hockin, of
North Street, Smith's Square, Westminster, for the Invention of "IM-
Damna ANT
Sealed the 31st December 1861, and dated the 26th July 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Johnson and
Bartholomew Hockin, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,.
with their Petition, on the 26th July 1861.
We, FREDERICK JOHNSON and BARTHOLOMEW HOCKIN,, of North Street,
Smith's Square, Westminster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SECURING OR FASTENING NUTS FOR RAILWAY FISH
PLATES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
Instead of depending upon check nuts or nuts and washers, and as a
substitute for nuts having a set screw or pinching screw inserted therein, and
instead of any of the ordinary means in use for preventing the accidental
moving, shifting, or loosening of a nut or nuts upon a screwed bolt, whether
such bolts and nuts be employed for secured rails or railway bars, by fishing
or otherwise, or as holding down bolts, or under any other condition, or as
forming parts of a structure subject to vibration, we by our present Invention
prevent the accidental loosening of the nut or nuts of a screwed bolt or a pin
in the following manner, that is to say :-It consists in dividing the point of a
screwed bolt or pin longitudinally to an extent sufficient to enable a thin metal
wedge to be inserted therein for the purpose of expanding the point of the

page_text: bolt after it is in position, and the nut has been screwed on.
The wedge
piece should be of a width not exceeding the diameter of the bolt at the bottom
of the threads at the part where the slot is formed; and we prefer to form a
slot or long hole in the upper part or portion of it to admit of a split pin being
passed through it. We also either drill a hole through the point of the screw
across its diameter for the purpose of receiving a split pin or cotter to hold the
wedge in its proper position. When the nut has been screwed on into the
required position, the wedge is inserted into the point of the bolt, and the cross
split pin is then inserted into the hole and through the wedge, which is thereby
secured. Instead of drilling a cross hole through the point of the bolt, the
wedge may be secured by a clip, strap, or staple-formed piece made to slide
into the thread and over the edge of the wedge; or, having a single point at
one end, and the other_being_double_or_forked, the forked end is passed or
sprung over the screwed point of the bolt, and the single point is made to
enter the slot hole in the wedge.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Johnson and Bartholomew Hockin in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 16th January 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FREDERICK
JOHNSON and BARTHOLOMEW HOCKIN, of North Street, Smith's Square, West-
minster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Frederick Johnson and Bartholomew Hockin, Her special licence that we,
the said Frederick Johnson and Bartholomew Hockin,
executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Frederick Johnson and
Bartholomew Hockin, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SECURING OR FASTENING NUTS FOR RAILWAY FISH PLATES, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Frederick
Johnson and Bartholomew Hockin, our executors or administrators, by an

page_text: instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause. the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Frederick Johnson and Bartholomew
Hockin, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
bolt at the
Instead of depending upon check nuts or nuts and washers, and as a
substitute for nuts having a set screw or pinching screw inserted therein, and
instead of any of the ordinary means in use for preventing the accidental
moving, shifting, or loosening of a nut or nuts upon a screwed bolt, whether
such bolts and nuts be employed for securing rails or railway bars by fishing.
or otherwise, or as holding down bolts, or under any other condition, or as
forming parts of a structure subject to vibration, we by our present Inven-
tion prevent the accidental loosening of the nut or nuts of a screwed bolt or a
pin in the following manner, that is to say, it consists in dividing the point
of a screwed bolt or pin longitudinally to an extent sufficient to enable a thin
metal wedge to be inserted therein, for the purpose of expanding the point of
the bolt after it is in position and the nut has been screwed on. The wedge
piece should be of a width not exceeding the diameter of the
bottom of the, threads at the part where the slot is formed, and we prefer to
form a slot or long hole in the upper part or portion of it to admit of a split
pin being passed through it. We also either drill a hole through the point of
the screw across its diameter for the purpose of receiving a split pin or cotter
to hold the wedge in its proper position. When the nut has been screwed on
into the required position, the wedge is inserted into the point of the bolt, and
the cross split pin is then inserted into the hole, and through the wedge, which
is thereby secured. Instead of drilling a cross hole through the point of the
bolt, the wedge may be secured by a clip, strap, or staple-formed piece made
to slide into the thread and over the edge of the wedge, or having a single
point at one end, and the other being double or forked; the forked end is
passed or sprung over the screwed point of the bolt, and the single point is
made to enter the slot hole in the wedge.
The accompanying Drawing will fully illustrate our Invention, in which
Figs. 1, 2, & 3 represent side and end elevations and plan of a bolt and nut,
shewing a method of securing the nut on the bolt by means of the wedge,
which is slotted to receive the split cotter, as shewn.

page_text: Figs. 4, 5, & 6 are also side and end elevations and plan of a bolt and nut,
shewing another method of securing the nut, more particularly adapted for
marine purposes.
Figs. 7 and 8 are elevation and plan of a bolt and nut, representing the nut
secured by the wedge only, and applicable to railway fish plates.
Figs. 9 & 10 are elevation and plan of a bolt and nut with the nut secured
in a similar manner to that shewn in Figs. 1, 2, & 3, more particularly
applicable to securing iron plates for war vessels, and for such like purposes;
and Figs. 11 and 12 are also an elevation and plan of a bolt and nut applicable
for stuffing boxes, steam cylinders, steam and other hammers, and such like-
purposes; this nut is secured by means of a wedge only, but the bolt itself
has a saw cut or split extending to the collar on the bolt, as shewn.
Having thus fully described the particulars and nature of our Invention, we
wish it to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to any particular
form of bolt, nut, wedge, or split cotter, or to the exact method of securing
the wedge as shewn in Figs. 4, 5, and 6; but what we claim is the securing
or fastening nuts for railway fish plates, and for other purposes, according to
the principle herein described, and shewn on the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, we, the said Frederick Johnson and Bartholomew
Hockin, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixteenth day of
January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-two.
FREDERICK JOHNSON.
(L.B.)
BARTHOLOMEW HOCKIN. (L.S.)