IMPROVEMENTS FOR SECURING RAILS IN CHAIRS.”
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Matthews, of 10, Caistor Villas, Manor Road,
Stoke Newington, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS FOR SECURING RAILS IN CHAIRS.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Matthews at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th August 1881.
THOMAS MATTHEWS, of No. 10, Caistor Villas, Manor Road, Stoke Newington,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS FOR SECURING
RAILS IN CHAIRS."
In order that railway rails may be securely held in their chairs I form the inner
face of one jaw of the chair to fit against the side of the rail in the usual way.
Between the other jaw and the opposite side of the rail a space is left for the
insertion of an eccentric block which is jointed into the upper part of this said
jaw by a horizontal joint. Preferably the end of the block is made semi-circular
to enter a correspondingly curved groove in the face of the jaw.
The opposite end of the block is also curved, and rests against the side of the
vertical web of the rail, so as to hold it firmly up to and against the jaw on the
opposite side of the chair, the upper part of the block being somewhat longer than
the lower part, so that it may act as an eccentric key, and also allow for any
variation or wear between the chair and rail. The weight of the block causes it
to drop against the side of the rail.
The upper part of this eccentric block can also be formed to fit just under the
head of the rail, so that the block cannot be turned upwards to release its hold
upon the rail unless the rail is previously tilted in the chair. Thus the eccentric
blocks cannot possibly get out of place.
The end of the eccentric block, which is jointed to the jaw of the chair, I
provide with side flanges to come against the sides of the jaw, one on either
side, so that the said block cannot move endwise. Or the flanges might be on the
jaw of the chair and come on either side of the eccentric block.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent_filed by
the said Thomas Matthews in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th February
1882..
THOMAS MATTHEWS, of No. 10, Caistor Villas, Manor Road, Stoke Newington,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS FOR SECURING
RAILS IN CHAIRS."
In order that railway rails may be securely held in their chairs, I form the inner
face of one jaw of the chair to fit against the side of the rail in the usual way.
Between the other jaw and the opposite side of the rail a space is left for the
insertion of an eccentric block or key which is jointed to the upper part of this
said jaw by a horizontal joint.
The opposite end of the block or key is curved, and rests against the side of the
vertical web of the rail, so as to hold it firmly up to and against the jaw on the
opposite side of the chair, the upper part of the block or key being somewhat
longer than the lower part, so that it may act as an eccentric block or key and
allow for any variation or wear between the chair and rail. The weight of the
block or key causes it to drop against the side of the rail.
The upper part of this eccentric block or key can also be formed to fit just
under the head of the rail, so that the block or key cannot be turned upwards to
release its hold upon the rail unless the rail is previously tilted in the chair. Thus
the eccentric blocks or keys cannot possibly get out of place.
The end of the eccentric block or key, which is jointed to the jaw of the chair, I
provide with side flanges to come against the sides of the jaw, one on either side, so
that the said block or key cannot move end wise. Or the flanges might be on the
jaw of the chair and come on either side of the eccentric block or key.
In the Drawings hereunto annexed I have shewn two arrangements of chairs
and eccentric blocks or keys for holding rails in the manner above described;
Figure 1 is a side elevation; and Figure 2, a plan of one form of construction;
and Figure 3, a side elevation; and Figure 4, a plan of the other form of con-
.struction.
In these Figures, A is the chair; B is a rail; C, the eccentric block or key
jointed by a horizontal joint to the upper part of one of the jaws of the chair.
In Figures 1 and 2 this joint is shewn to be formed by making the end of the
block or key semi-circular to enter a correspondingly formed recess in the face of
the jaw, and the block or key is kept from moving endwise by flanges C' at its
ends abutting against the sides of the jaw.
In Figures 3 and 4 a circular recess is formed in the end of the block or key,
and a correspondingly formed projection on the face of the jaw enters this recess.
The block also is prevented from moving end wise by the lower part of it near the
joint entering between flanges A' on the two opposite sides of the jaw. In both
Figures 1 and 3 I have shewn the upper part of the eccentric block or key formed to
fit just under the head of the rail, so that the blocks cannot be turned upwards
unless the rail is previously tilted. With the upper part of the block or key
formed in this manner it would be impossible for any one without assistance to
turn the eccentric blocks or keys back to release the rail from its fastenings. In
most cases however it would be sufficient to shape the eccentric end of the wedging
blocks in the manner shewn by the dotted line. Each block or key could then be
put in place or turned back without tilting the rail, and quite independently of the
wedging blocks or keys of all the other chairs in which the rail is held.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I claim the construction of chairs for

page_text: holding rails in such a manner that the rail is held against one jaw of the chair by
means of an eccentric block or key jointed by a horizontal joint to the face of the
other jaw, substantially as herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Matthews, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
THUS. MATTHEWS. (L.S.)