Improvements in Rail Chairs and Sleepers.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rail Chairs and Sleepers.
I, WILLIAM CAMPBELL, of Houtzdale, in the County of Clearfield, and State
of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 :-
The invention relates to improvements in rail chairs. The object of the present
invention is to improve the construction of rail chairs, and to provide a simple,
inexpensive and efficient one, which may be employed in connection with metallic
cross ties or wooden ones, and which will be adapted to securely clamp a rail and
be capable of adjustment to accommodate itself to the sides of a rail.
The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrange-
ment of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.
In the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cross tie provided with a chair constructed in
accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the
same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the adjustable clamp.
Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of
the drawings.
1 designates a cross tie, constructed of suitable metal and provided adjacent to
its ends with integral chairs, comprising parallel bottom portions 2 disposed
longitudinally of the tie, and a transverse jaw 3 beveled at its engaging edge 4 and
adapted to engage one edge of the bottom flange of a rail. The parallel bottom
portion may be formed integral with the cross tic, or be integral with a base plate
adapted to be secured to a wooden or other cross tie by spikes, or other suitable
fastening devices.
The other edge of the bottom flange of the rail 5 is engaged by an adjustable
clamp 6, having a jaw 7 at one end provided with a shank 8 arranged in the
space between the bottom portions of the chair and extending longitudinally
of the cross tie beyond the chair. The jaw 7 is beveled to conform to the
configuration of the adjacent edge of the bottom flange of the rail and securely
engages the same, the rail being interposed between the jaws 3 and 7.
The clamp is provided at one end of the shank with a transverse slot or
opening 8, in which is arranged a wedge-shaped key 9, having a straight edge
to bear against the chair at the adjacent edge thereof, and having its opposite
edge tapering and adapted when the key is driven into position to draw the
adjustable clamp longitudinally of the cross tie to securely clamp the rail and to
adjust itself to the size of the same. The smaller end 10 of the wedge-shaped key
is preferably split as shown, and is adapted to be spread to prevent it from
leaving the slot or opening of the shank of the adjustable clamp, but any other
means may be employed for retaining it in operative position.
The bottom portions of the chair are provided at their inner longitudinal edges
with grooves or recesses which receive laterally disposed flanges, located at
opposite sides of the shank of the adjustable clamp, whereby the latter is inter-locked
with the chair to prevent any accidental upward movement at its engaging end.
It will be seen that the chair is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in
construction, that it possesses strength and durability, and that it is capable of
securely confining a rail and of conforming to the size of the same.

page_text: Changes in the form, proportions and minor details of construction may be
resorted to without departing from the principle, or sacrificing any of the
advantages of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
The combination of a metal cross-tie having a flat upper face, chairs formed
integral with the cross-tie and comprising parallel bottom sections 2 located on the
upper face of the tie at opposite sides thereof, and provided at their inner
longitudinal edges with grooves, and a transverse jaw 3 formed integral with the
parallel bottom portions 2, located at one end of the chair and having its
engaging face beveled to conform to the configuration of the bottom flange of a
rail, the adjustable clamps composed of a flat shank arranged on the upper face of
the cross-tie between the bottom portions 2 of the chair, extending the entire
length of the same and provided with longitudinal flanges interlocked with the
grooves of the said bottom portions, said shank being extended beyond the chair
at the transverse jaw 3 and provided with a horizontal opening, and the jaw 7
located at the other end of the shank and formed integral with the same, and the
horizontally disposed wedge-shaped keys arranged in the openings of the shanks,
located beyond the chairs and abutting against the adjacent ends thereof,
substantially as described.
Dated this 27th day of November 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.