AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF FISH FOR RAILWAYS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Augustus Huddart, of Brynkir, in the
County of Carnarvon, Gentleman, for the Invention of “AN IMPROVED
CONSTRUCTION OF FISH FOR RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 20th October 1873, and dated the 23rd April 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Augustus
Huddart at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 23rd April 1873.
I, GEORGE AUGUSTUS HUDDART, of Brynkir, in the County of Car-
narvon, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF FISH FOR RAILWAYS," to be as
follows:
This Invention relates to a novel construction of fish for connecting
together the abutting ends of the rails of railways, the object being to
ensure such a connection between adjoining double headed or broad
based rails (without cutting away their base at the junction of the rails)
that one cannot be depressed without the other; and also to provide for

page_text: the facile attachment and detachment of the rails. To this end I form
what may be termed a double fish consisting of a trough-like plate so
shaped as to embrace the foot, and also both sides of the web of the rail.
This fish I rivet to one rail in such a way that about one-half of its
length will project beyond the end thereof to form the attachment with
the abutting rail. In order to facilitate the insertion of the abutting
rail into this trough-like fish plate I cut away a portion of one side of
the projecting piece down to about the level of the foot of the rail, and
I thus obtain a kind of shoe for the rail to rest in. The fish plate I
connect to the abutting rail by means of bolts and nuts, which will
allow of the detachment of the rails when required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Augustus Huddart in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 23rd October 1873.
ず
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE 1
AUGUSTUS HUDDART, of Brynkir, in the County of Carnarvon, Gentle-
man, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty- 2
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant, unto me, the said George Augustus Huddart, Her special
licence that I, the said George Augustus Huddart, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Augustus Huddart, my 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, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, - and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF FISH FOR
RAILWAYS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Augustus Huddart, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
-particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
.

page_text: '
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 date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Augustus Huddart, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say) :—
This Invention relates to a novel construction of fish for connecting
together the abutting ends of the rails of railways, the object being to
ensure such a connection between adjoining double headed or broad
base rails (without cutting away their base at the junction of the rails)
that one cannot be depressed without the other; and also to provide for
the facile attachment and detachment of the rails. To this end I form
.what may be termed a double or hollow fish consisting of a trough-like
plate so shaped as to embrace the foot, and also both sides of the web
of the rail. This fish I rivet to one rail in such a way that about one-
half of its length will project beyond the end thereof to form the
attachment with the abutting rail. In order to facilitate the insertion
of the abutting rail into this trough-like fish plate I cut away a portion
of one side of the projecting piece down to about the level of the foot
of the rail, and I thus obtain a kind of shoe for the rail to rest in. The
fish plate I connect to the abutting rail by means of bolts and nuts,
which will allow of the detachment of the rails when required.
In the accompanying. Drawing Fig. 1 shews in side elevation the
abutting ends of two double headed rails coupled together by my
improved construction of double or hollow fish; Fig. 2 is a cross section
taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a similar view taken in the
line 3, 4, of Fig. 1. .
A and B are the rail ends to be coupled up, and C is the fish trough,
which may be brought to shape by rolling. This fish envelopes the
base and the web of the rail to which it is rivetted, and it fits snugly
5 under the head of the rail as shewn at Fig. 2.
In general my improved fish will be about eighteen inches in length,
and it will thus afford a good support for the rail B.

page_text: In attaching the fish C to the rail A I shrink it on and then apply
rivets, as ät D, D, to secure its permanent attachment, and to convert it
practically into an extension of the rail A.
One side of the hollow fish I cut away, commencing at about the
middle of its length and continuing to one extremity of the plate, as
shewn best at Fig. 1. This provides for the facile insertion of the end
of the rail B into its supporting shoe, and of its easy removal therefrom
when required: The connecting of the parts B and C together I effect
by the ordinary screw bolts and nuts E:
From the above description it will be understood that as a rolling load 1
passes over the rails in the direction of the arrow the tendency of the
rail B to deflect will not only be counteracted by the support afforded by
the bolts E but also by the direct bearing of the rail upon the shoe or
projecting extension of the rail A.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "An Improved 1
Construction of Fish for Railways," and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
claim the connecting of the abutting ends of rails together by means of
a clip or trough however constructed for embracing the foot and web
of the rails, but what I claim under the above in part recited Letters 2
Patent is, the use of a permanently attached fish constructed as above
described in connection with double headed or footed rails, which fish
admits of the whole strength of the rails being retained (as with
ordinary fishes) while a shoe, which is practically an extension of the
meeting rail, is provided to receive and support the parting rail.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Augustus Huddart, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-threc.
2