IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOCKING NUTS ON SCREW BOLTS, APPLICABLE TO THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Corbett, of the City of Manchester, Architect,
and Edward Corbett, Jnr., of the City of Manchester, Consulting Chemist,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOCKING NUTS ON
SCREW BOLTS, APPLICABLE TO THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND OTHER
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 16th September 1876, and dated the 18th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Corbett and Edward
Corbett, Jn., at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th March
1876.
EDWARD CORBETT, of the City of Manchester, Architect, and EDWARD CORBETT,
Jn., of the City of Manchester, Consulting Chemist. " IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS FOR LOCKING NUTS ON SCREW BOLTS, APPLICABLE TO THE PERMANENT WAY
OF RAILWAYS AND OTHER PURPOSES."
The object of our improvements is to prevent the nuts on the screw bolts
which are used for bolting the fish plates to the rails of the permanent way of rail-
ways from shaking loose by the action of the rolling stock, or from becoming
unfastened by any cause except that of design; the improvements being ap-
plicable to any other mechanisın or mechanical arrangement where it is desired to
prevent the turning of nuts on screw spindles or screw bolts, whether such turning.
would fasten such mechanism or nut, or whether it would prevent the same from
becoming fastened.
Fish plates as ordinarily applied to the rails of a permanent way are usually
constructed with four holes, two of which correspond with two holes in the
one rail, and two with two holes in the other rail. A bolt is passed through each
of these holes and a nut is screwed on to each of these bolts, which, upon being
screwed up tightly completes the fish joint. The evil attending this method is well
known to be the tendency of these screw nuts to work loose from the action of the
rolling stock passing over the rails. To remedy this evil and to effect our improve-
ments we construct a second plate (being an additional plate to the fish plate) of steel
or other suitable metal, but which plate may be of very little thickness or weight,
and of any suitable shape (by preference somewhat of the dumb-bell shape for con-
venience and further lightness). This plate we provide with holes, the centres of

page_text: which will correspond with the centres of the holes in the rails and fish plates,
such holes being formed large enough to admit the nuts on the bolt, and shaped
with four or any other number of sides which shall be found most convenient.
It will readily be seen that if a plate containing two or more holes which in
shape correspond to two bolt nuts (and if such plate be fitted on to such nuts after
such nuts have been screwed into position), the said nuts will not be capable of
being turned upon the bolt or spindle while such a plate remains fixed upon them,
as in consequence of the one plate grasping or spanning both nuts, the one nut
forms a resistance to the other; but as in practice it would be difficult to make the
sides of the holes to correspond to the sides of the nuts in all positions, we prefer
to form the holes in the locking plate with a larger number of sides than those of
the nuts. From this division of the holes into a larger number of smaller or
shorter sides, a resisting surface is almost certain to be obtained for presentment
to the sides of the nuts in whatever position or angle they may be found; or if
perchance this is not so, the slightest movement of one or more of the nuts will cause
it so to do. This locking plate may be kept in position in various ways, either by
driving the same tightly on to the nuts or by constructing the fish plate with a stud
or extra bolt, in which, after having been passed through an extra hole in the
locking plate, may be inserted a cotter, or any other suitable mechanical means
may be employed to keep the locking plate in position; but by preference we uso
a swing catch, or one-winged nut, or some similar mechanical contrivance, whose
pivot or fulcrum is rivetted firmly to the fish plate above the locking plate, in such
a position that the force of gravity shall tend to keep it in the required position for
holding the locking plate in its place upon the bolt nuts for the purpose of pre-
venting the turning thereof, whether such nuts be used for the fish jointing or
plating rails, or for any other purpose whatsoever.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Edward Corbett and Edward Corbett, Jn., in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th September 1876.
EDWARD CORBETT, of the City of Manchester, Architect, and EDWARD CORBETT,
Jnr., of the City of Manchester, Consulting Chemist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS FOR LOCKING NUTS ON SCREW BOLTS, APPLICABLE TO THE PERMANENT WAY
OF RAILWAYS AND OTHER PURPOSES,"
The object of our improvements is to prevent the nuts on the screw bolts
which are used for bolting the fish plates to the rails of the permanent way of rail-
ways from shaking loose by the action of the rolling stock or from becoming
unfastened by any cause except that of design; the improvements boing ap-
plicable to any other mechanism or mechanical arrangements where it is desired
to prevent the turning of nuts on screw spindles or scrow bolts, whether such
turning would fasten such mechanism or nut, or whether it would prevent the same
from becoming fastened.
Fish plates as ordinarily applied to the rails of a permanent way are usually
constructed with four holes, two of which correspond with two holes in the one
rail, and two with two holes in the other rail. A bolt is passed through each of
these holes, and a nut is screwed on to each of these bolts, which upon being
screwed up tightly completes the fish joint. The evil attending this method is well
known to be the tendency of these screw nuts to work loose from the action of the
rolling stock passing over the rails. To remedy this ovil and to effect our improve-
ments we construct a second plate (being an additional plate to the fish plate) of
steel or other suitable metal, but which plate may be of very little thickness or
weight, and of any suitable shape (by preference somewhat of the dumb-bell shape
for convenience and further lightness). This plate we provide with holes the centres

page_text: Figure 1 shews an elevation, and Figure 2, a transverse section of the rail and
an end view of the apparatus arranged according to our Invention.
In each of these Figures the same letters indicate corresponding parts wherever
they occur.
a, a, are portions of ordinary metal rails; b, b, is the back plate of a fish joint;
and c, c, the front plate of the same; d, d, are the bolts, which with the nuts d¹, d¹,
complete the ordinary fish joint; e, e, are the locking plates which are fitted on to
the nut d', d, for the purpose of preventing such nuts from turning or coming
loose; ff, is one arrangement for keeping the plates e, e, in position, and consists
of a small bent rod or catch which is passed through a slot in the plate c, c; it is
formed with a head at the back which prevents its getting away when once the
plate is screwed into position. The mere turning of this catch will hold or liberate
the locking plate; but any suitable arrangement for this purpose may be used, or
it may be that the locking plate will be sufficiently held in its position by being
driven tightly on to the nuts d', d¹.
The form of the locking plate c, c, may be varied indefinitely, as for instance,
one plate may be made to fit on to more than two nuts, and again it is not necessary
that the plates shall extend all round the nuts, but may be cut away at the dotted
line g, Figure 1, or in any other convenient manner.
Having thus described our improvements and means we adopt in carrying the
same into effect, we would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to
the precise details shewn and described, as these may be varied without departing
from the peculiar character of our Invention, but what we do claim is the use of
a locking plate of any suitable form or substance affixed to the nuts on screw bolts

page_text: used for fish-jointing rails, or other purposes, in such a manner that they are
thereby prevented from turning or working loose, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Edward Corbett and Edward Corbett, Jnr.,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourteenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
תבו בדם
Witness,
WILLIAM GADD,
Consulting Engineer,
64, Barton Arcade,
Manchester.
EUWARD
L.B.)
EDWARD CORBETT, JN³. (L.S.)