Improvements in Rail Spikes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1894-Accepted, 10th Mar., 1894
Improvements in Rail Spikes.
I, CARL DEILMANN, of 28 Markische Strasse, Dortmund, in the Kingdom of
Prussia German Empire, Inventor, 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 :-
The spikes hitherto employed for attaching rails to the sleepers consist of hooks
or other nails which are simply driven into the sleeper and having their heads over-
lapping the foot of the rail. These spikes have the disadvantage that they do not
retain their position in the rails for any length of time, being liable to get loose
owing to the vibration of the rails, such loosening often causing serious disturbances
in traffic and sometimes even accidents.
The spike forming the object of the present invention has its shank formed in
such manner that the disadvantage above referred to is entirely avoided, the said
shank being of triangular or other section and running out at the lower end to a
wedge shaped point, whilst the loosening and rising of the said spike in the
sleepers is effectually avoided by a depression or depressions formed on the inner
side and extending a certain distance along the shank. Thus when the spike is
driven into the sleeper, the fibres of the wood swell into the recess of the said
spike and prevent the same from rising in the sleeper. The recess or recesses may
also be provided with upwardly projecting points or hooks which will assist in
preventing a loosening of the spike by catching in the material surrounding the
same, on an upward movement taking place.
And in order to make the present Specification more easily intelligible reference
is had to the accompanying drawing, in which similar letters denote similar parts
throughout the several views.
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show three different elevations of a spike constructed on my
principle,
Fig. 4 is a section on line ax in Fig. 2,
Fig. 5 a longitudinal section of a sleeper, with a spike in position in the same.
Figs. 6 to 6 show various views of a spike with semicircular section,
Figs. 7 to 7B show similar views of a spike with rectangular section and
Figs. 8 and 8 show a spike having quadrilateral section.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5, the spike A has a shank of triangular section, which
runs out to a wedge shaped point, whilst in that side of the shank facing the rail
foot, a depression a is formed, corresponding in section to the triangular shape of
the shank and extending longitudinally along the same. After the spike has been
driven into the sleeper the wood of the latter expands into the depression or recess <<
of the shank preventing the same from rising in the sleeper owing to the vibration
of the latter, since the wood fibres in expanding into the recess a press against the
lower end b of the same and hold the spike down.
Such spikes may be of wrought or malleable cast iron. The spike shown in
Figs. 6 to 6 has a semicircular section and is provided with several depressions
instead of one only, as may be clearly seen from Figs. 6 and 6B these depressions a'
may be of triangular section as shown at Fig. 6. "The spike shown in Figs. 7 to 7B
lias a rectangular section and depressions arranged as described with reference to
Figs. 6 to 6. Figs. 8 and 8 represent a spike having quadrilateral section with
slanting sides.
Instead of depressions I can also employ one or more perforations extending
right through the shank, as shown at a² in Figs. 9 and 9^. I do not confine myself

page_text: to forming the depressions at one side only of the spike as the same may also be
formed at two or more of the sides, Fig. 10 shows a depression a³ arranged at each
side of a spike having quadrilateral section.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what mauner the same is performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A rail spike having one or more depressions or recesses arranged in its shank
in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.
2. A rail spike having a triangular section provided with a groove of similar
section running longitudinally along said shank on that side of the same facing the
rail foot substantially as described.
3. Rail spikes of any section having one or more recesses arranged in the shank
at that side of the same facing the rail foot.
4. A. modification consisting in providing the rail spike with perforations in the
shank instead of recesses in the manner and for the purpose substantially as
described and shown.
Dated this 30th day of December 1803
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.