IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR WORKS WHERE WEDGES ARE USED
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Vavasseur, of Sumner Street, Southwark,
in the County of Surroy, and Charles Martin Wade, of Furnival's
Inn, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
ALSO APPLICABLE FOR WORKS WHERE WEDGES ARE USED."-A communication
from abroad by William Judson Addis and James Walker Robertson,
both of Tanna, in the Presidency of Bombay.
Sealed the 13th July 1860, and dated the 14th January 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Vavassour and
Charles Martin Wade at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 14th January 1869.
WO, ILENRY VAVASSEUR, of Sumner Street, Southwark, in the County
of Surroy, and OHARLES MARTIN WADE, of Furnival's Inn, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR WORKS WHERE WEDGES ARE USED," a communication
from abroad by William Judson Addis and James Walker Robertson,
both of Tanna, in the Presidency of Bombay, to be as follows:-

page_text: The Invention relates to improvements in that part of the permanent
way of railways known as the key or wedge for securing the rail in the
chair, and to means for fastening such keys or wedges in position. For
this purpose according to one arrangement the key or wedge is formed
of sheet metal coiled or bent up into a suitable form to enter the space
between the chair and the rail, and when driven up as an ordinary key or
wedge to hold the rail firmly in position. This description of key or
wedge may be formed of metal of a width corresponding to the length of
the desired key or wedge, or a narrow strip of metal may be employed
forming coils side by side until the desired length is obtained; by these
means an elastic wedgo or key is formed which is not injuriously
affected by climate or insects. Instead however of forming the keys or
wedges as above described wooden wedges may be used having shcet
metal springs fixed thereto so as to form an elastic wedge or key which
shall hold the rail firmly in position; this may be effected by dividing
the wedge or key longitudinally and employing a spring between such
parts to force them outwards at their rear end, such springs being fixed
or not to the wedges or keys and received by preference into suitable
recesses formed for them to assist in retaining them in position. These
springs are also bent at their rear ends so as to hold on, to the
rear ends of the two parts of the keys or wedges; or if desired a solid
wood key or wedge may be employed having a sheet metal spring fixed
on either or it may be both sides thereof, so as to bear against the
chair or web of the rail, or both, and if desired the outer sides of such
springs may be toothed or roughened so as to prevent the loosening of
the keys or wedges in the. recesses formed in the chairs. Such springs
may also be formed with lugs or projections to clip the jaw of the chair
so as to prevent the springs moving endwise when in the chairs. For
the purpose
of securely holding keys or wedges in position a hole or
rocess is formed in the key or wedge to receive a bolt, the head of which
abuts against one end of the key or wedge whilst the nut is caused to
abut against one side of the jaw of the chair, a suitable washer or disc
being employed between the chair and the nut. If desired, the head of
the bolt may be caused to bear against the web of the rail so as to prevent
its revolving when it is being screwed up, and the bolt head:
may be
prolonged so as to clip the jaw of the chair, or if desired separate clips
may be employed through one of which a square or other hole is formed
to receive a correspondingly formed part of the shank of the bolt, such
clips being also formed to abut against the web of the rail to prevent their

page_text: revolving when being screwed up. It will be readily understood that
these improvements are also applicable for other works where wedges
are used.
i
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Henry Vavasseur and Charles Martin Wadė in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th July 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wo, IIENRY
VAVASSEUR, of Sumner Street, Southwark, in the County of Surrey,
and CHARLES MARTIN WADE, of Furnival's Inn, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Henry Vavasseur and Oharles Martin
Wado, Her special licence that wo, the said Henry Vavasseur and
Charles Martin Wade, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Henry Vavasseur and Oharles Martin Wado,
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, excrciso, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR WORKS WHERE WEDGES ARE USED," communicated to
us from abroad by William Judson Addis and James Walker Robertson,
both of Tanna, in the Presidency of Bombay, upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Henry Vavasseur and Charles Martin
Wado, our executors or administrators, by an 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 dato of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Martin Wade, on behalf
of myself and the said Henry Vavassour, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say :-
The Invention relates to improvements in that part of the permanent
way of railways, known as the key or wedge, for securing the rail in tho
chair, and to means for fastening such keys or wedges in position. For
this purpose according to one arrangement the key or wedge is formed
of sheet metal coiled or bent up into a suitable form to enter the space
between the chair and the rails, and when driven up as an ordinary key
or wedge to hold the rail firmly in position. This description of key or
wedge is formed of metal of a width corresponding to the length or
width of the desired key or wedge; by these means an elastic wedge
or key is formed, which is not injuriously affected by climate or insects.
Instead however of forming the koys or wedges as above described,
wooden wedges may be used having sheet metal springs fixed thereto,
so as to form an elastic wedge or key which shall hold the rail firmly in
position. This may be effected by dividing the wedge or key longi-
tudinally, and employing a spring between such parts to force them
outwards at their rear end, such springs being fixed or not to the wedges
or keys, and and received by preference into suitable recesses formed for
them to assist in retaining them in position. These springs are also bent
at their rear ends so as to hold on to the rear ends of the two parts of
the keys or wedges; or if desired a solid wood key or wedge may be
employed having a sheet metal spring fixed on either or it may be both
sides thereof so as to bear against the chair or web of the rail or both,
and if desired the outer sides of such springs may be toothed or
roughened so as to prevent the loosening of the keys or wedges in the
recesses formed in the chairs; such springs may also be formed with
lugs or projections to clip the jaw of the chair so as to prevent the
springs moving endwise when in the chairs. For the purpose of securely
holding keys or wedges in position a hole or recess is formed in the key
or wedge to receive a bolt, the head of which abuts against one end of
the key or wedge, whilst the nut is caused to abut against one side of
the jaw of the chair, a suitable washer or disc being employed between
the chair and the nut. If desired the head of the bolt may be caused
to bear against the web of the rail so as to prevent its revolving when

page_text: it is being screwed up, and the bolt head may be prolonged so as to clip
the jaw of the chair; or if desired separato clips may be employed,
through one of which a squaro or other hole is formed to receive a
correspondingly formed part of the shank of the bolt, such clips being
also formed to abut against the web of the rail to provent their revolving
when being screwed up. It will be readily understood that theso
improvements are also applicable for other works whero wedges are
used..
And in order that our Invention may be more fully understood and
readily carried into effect wo will proceed, aided by the accompanying
Drawings, moro fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an end view, and Figure 2 is a side view of a key or wedge
formed of sheet metal, coiled or bent up into a suitable form to enter
the space between the chair and the rails, and when driven up as an
ordinary key or wedgo to hold the rail firmly in position; Figures 3, 4,
and 5 are end views of keys or wedges formed of sheet metal coiled or
bent up into forms somewhat different from that shown at Figures 1
and 2. In all tho Figures before referred to the sheet metal is cut to a
width corresponding to the length of the key or wedge.
Figuro 6 is a plan view of another key or wedge formed of sheet metal
cut to a width corresponding with the sides of the wedge, and bent into
a suitablo form to fit the space between the rail and the chair, but
instead of the sheet metal of which it is formed being bent or coiled up
around its longitudinal axis, as in the previous Figures, in this case the
metal is bent into form in the contrary direction, as shown.
Figures 7 and 8 aro and views, Figure 9 is a side view, and Figuro 10
is a plan of a wooden key or wedge which is divided longitudinally into
two parts a, a, and has a sheet metal spring 6 between the parts a, a,
to force them outwards at their rear ends. Such spring 6 is bent to fit
along the inner sides of the parts a, a, and is then turned back to fit
the ends thereof, and by preferenco a recess is formed in the two parts
of the key or wedge, and the spring is screwed to the back of the
parts a, a, as shown.
Figures 11, 12, 13, and 14 are views of a solid wood key or wedge
having a sheet metal spring 6 fixed to the back thereof.

page_text: Figures 15, 10, 17, and 18 are views of a key or wedge having applied
thereto a sheet metal spring b, the outer surface of which is toothed or
roughened so as to prevent the loosening of the key or wedge when in
position.
."
Figures 19, 20, 21, and 22 are views of a solid wood koy or wedge
having applied thereto a slicet metal spring b, which is fixed at its centre
to the key or wedge, and is bent outwards at both ends, as shewn.
Figure 23 is a plan of a solid wood key or wedge and sheet metal
spring 6 having lugs or projections 6', which when in position and the
wedge is driven home in its place clip the jaw of the chair so as to
prevent the spring 6 moving endwise therein.
Figures 24, 25, 26, and 27 are views of a solid wood key or wedgo
with a double sheet metal spring 6 of the form shewn, and having
lugs or projections 6' formed thereon to clip the jaw of the chair, as
before described with respect to Figure 23. The keys or wedges above 1
described may be formed of a length corresponding with that of the keys
or wedges heretofore in use, or of any suitable length to permit of
their being driven up from time to time, or they may be made shorter,
as shown in the Drawings. For the purpose of securely holding
keys or wedges in position, and preventing the possibility of their
accidentally falling out of the spaces between the chairs and the rails, wo
form a hole or recess a through the centre or on or near the side of the
key or wedge, as shewn in various Figures of the Drawings, and when
the key or wedge is driven up we pass a bolt c through such hole or
recess a³, so that the head c³ may bear against the back of the wedge,
whilst a disc or washer of at the other end of the bolt c is held against
the jaw of the chair by means of the nut c³. This arrangement is shown
at Figures 28, 29, and 30; at Figuros 31 and 32 the bolts c are shewn with
two different forms of head c¹ to bear against the rear end of the wedges
or keys; and at Figures 33 another form of head c' is shewn, which in
addition to bearing against the key or wedge is formed so as to clip the
jaw of the chair.
'
At Figure 34 is shewn a key or wedge with a bolt c and separate
clips c, the outer ends of which clip the jaw of the chair on each side
thereof, whilst their inner ends bear against the web of the rail, and so
prevent their turning round whilst being screwed up.
TOF of hom town mioms of Law on Waden having a halt

page_text: and clips o similar to those shewn at Figure 34, but having the bolt o
passed though a holo in the centre of the key or wedge.
Figures 37 and 38 show two views of a coil key having holes a³ formed
therein so as to facilitate the use of the fastener. If desired, the head of
the bolt c, shown at Figure 83, may be prolonged so as to bear against the
web of the rail. Where separate clips are employed one of such clips
is formed with a square or other suitably shaped hole to receivo a
correspondingly shaped part of the shank of the bolt, in order to
prevent the bolt turning therein. It will be readily understood that
these improvements are also applicable for other works whero wedges
aro used.
Since filing our Provisional Specification we have found that keys or
wedges formed, as theroin described, by coiling a narrow strip of metal
with the coils arranged sido by side until the desired length is obtained
wero previously in use, we therefore desire to disclaim, and we do hereby
disclaim any right to such form of key or wedge.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the mode
in which the same is carried into effect, we would have it understood
that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details herein shewn and
described; but what we do claim is,―
First. The various improvements in keys or wedges for the permanent
way of railways (excepting that shown at Figures 37 and 88), substantially
as herein shown and described.
Secondly. We claim the modes, substantially as herein shewn shown
and described, of securing the keys or wedges in the chairs, and thereby
preventing the possibility of their leaving their position in the chairs,
cvon should they from any cause become loose therein, and by which
means no alteration is required in the construction of the chairs.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Martin Wade, have here.
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine
.