IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Hawks and Alexander Bridges, both of Leith, in
the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS."
led the 13th November 1877, and dated the 19th May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Hawks and Alexander
Bridges at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th May 1877.
EDWARD HAWKS and ALEXANDER BRIDGES, both of Leith, in the County of Mid
Lothian, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERMA-
NENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS."
The first part of this Invention, which relates to forming or constructing the
ends of rails and to the laying of the same, is applicable to rails of all sections, and
it has for its object to increase the safety, sinoothness, and general economy of:
railway transit. This part of the improvement consists in forming or constructing
the ends of the rails with an acute angle, so that the joint formed by contiguous
ends, of two adjoining rails lies diagonally or obliquely across the rail, that is to say,
at an angle relatively with the length of the rail. In place of forming the rail ends
of an acute angle or an equivalent combination of angles and surfaces, they may be
formed of two angles after the manner of a V, the V end of one rail entering the
V shaped recess of the next rail, or the ends may be formed with more than one V,
and the surfaces of the first-described ends (or those of the Ve) may be either
straight or curved, being used preferably with the herein-after described improved
fish plates, or with fish plates of other sections or their equivalents.
The object of so forming the rail ends is to ensure a gradual and smooth passage
of the wheels from one rail on to the adjoining rail by the conjoint lateral and
vertical support of the wheels, which the square-ended rail hitherto used made
impossible, as there is, with square joints, a sudden transition of the wheel from
one rail to the other.
For supporting rails of the double-headed or bull-headed type not having broad
and flat bases in ordinary chairs or in the improved chairs of this Invention, fish
plates of any required lengths and forms are provided. If supported in ordinary

page_text: chairs one such fish plate, with or without a wooden or other key, or an assisting
piece on the opposite side of the rail, may be inserted so as to support the rail by
the upper head only, by preference, or conjointly with the ordinary support of the
under head on the chair, it being the object in this Invention, so far as affects the
support of the rail, to have it resting or supported, preferably by the head, on
surfaces not harder but by preference softer than itself, so that it be cut into as
little as possible, particularly at its undermost surface.
With the new chairs of this Invention two such improved fish plates (or their
equivalents), say, from six to eight inches long or upwards for intermediate chairs,
and, say, from six to eight or up to twenty-four inches long for chairs (if any) at
the joints, may be used. These fish plates are cach so made as to add other bearing
surfaces to the rail-bearing and other surfaces usual in fish plates by the addition of
one or more continuations, wings, or projections, so that each such fish plate in
taking the weight of the rail at its upper head or at both heads conjunctly bears
down on the chair at one or more points or surfaces (which may be horizontal or at
any angles) either directly or through other substances as, say, the key or otherwise.
Such bearing surfaces preferably slope inwards at, say, an angle of forty-five degrees
or thereabouts, so as to firmly grip the rail at the bottom and the head or the heads.
The aforesaid projections may be at any height and in any number, and meet at or
continue to any point below the rail or up its sides, and may bear upwards,
sideways, and downwards on the rail and chair directly or indirectly. The fish
plates on opposite sides of the rail or in different chairs may vary or be similar as
well those intermediate as those that may be at the joints.
The new chair may contain no keys in one or more of its varieties; in others
keys may be in the outer or inner side or in both sides. On one side the new chair
may contain a fish plate (or its equivalent) cast in it or afterwards fixed in it, or its
own facings towards the rail may be and do duty similar to one for supporting the
rail head above and gripping below. The other or moveable fish plate in such cases
gives the inward pressure or grip to the arrangement. A small piece or pieces so
cast in the chair or fixed therein or thereto may similarly act as part of or an aid
to a fish plate for the purposes of this Invention.
Fish plates for rail joints may be supported by one chair in the middle or prefer-
ably by a chair at each end, and they may be used with or without bolts. The
projections may bear on the chairs only or on the keys only (if any), or partly on
the chairs and partly on the keys (or their coverings).
"
In general the chairs are cast to suit any given forins or sections of fish plate, but
in some cases the chairs may have one or more pieces of iron (or an equivalent)
"cast in or afterwards secured into it in such manner that it may project over and
re-act upon or against any key or fish plate or rail head or side. This piece may
have any suitable breadth and thickness, and may substitute one or both the fish
plates in the arrangement for bearing the lateral and downward action of the rail.
It may also form the side or top of the chair on one or both sides of the rail, or it
may line them only. This piece or pieces may spring from the chair or pass up
through it, and the key or keys (if any) may be on the side next the rail or on the
opposite side. The part re-acting on the key (if any) may have serrations (as the
key, if metallic, may have), and so the better secure the key in position, and it may
act similarly on the fish plates. For securing wooden or other keys in chairs
besides the modes herein-before described, nails or bolts, with or without taper or
points, and of any cross sections, but preferably having heads, for drawing them,
are provided to answer for existing forms and arrangements, and for certain of the
modifications of this Invention. This nail or bolt may be driven in any direction
at any angle, but by preference vertically or thereabout, and so as to be in check or
depressed by the flanges or the outer parts of the passing wheels in case of its
rising by the key getting loose by wear or by shrinking. The nail or bolt may also
be niade to bear against inclined surfaces below the key, and be thereby bent so as
to prevent its working out.
In some cases also it may act on the fish plates. Grooves or holes may also be

page_text: provided in the metallic bodies in contact to guide or give the nail or bolt the
requisite effect. For farther securing its action such nail or bolt, which may be of
iron or steel or their equivalent, may act as a spring by the modes of supporting it
at points only, whether straight or bent in its position.
For securing fish plate bolts the holes in one of the fish plates may be screwed
and act as a nut with or without a check nut, the bolt head and nut being prevented
from turning back by any of the arrangements herein-after mentioned. When the
bolt head or the nut, from confined position, cannot be turned in the usual manner,
the bolt head or nut may be reduced, the bolt, say, to a "stud," and the nut in
similar manner, otherwise the bolt head may be made partly hollow, or the bolt
head or nut nicked across or indented, so as to be effectively commanded by the
wrench.
With the new or improved fish plates, which have ledges at such positions that
the bolt heads and nuts may be so inodified with them as to receive in strips
between them, and so as to grip and lock them all firmly, the slacking of such
plates can only occur by the stripping of the threads or the breaking of the bolts or
nuts. Under a further improvement fish plate bolts or nuts may be prevented from
turning by the angles being prolonged so as to be touched on slacking back only by
the passing wheels, and to prevent such extension of the angle being excessive the
touching part of the wheel may be the flange as it projects lowest. Any nut or
"head" moving back is thus at once in check, and this fact is shown by the wheels
coming into contact therewith and screwing it up.
Other modifications of the fastenings are as follows:-
When forming the holes in the fish plates grooves or holes or dents may be
formed, and the like formed on or in the nuts and "heads," and by inserting pieces
of iron, steel, or other material to act either rigidly or as springs thereon, either
directly or by means of washers or equivalents having dents, holes, and serrations,
several effective checks are provided to act separately or with other checks.
The fish plates may be grooved in rolling so as to assist these arrangements either
vertically or horizontally, or at intermediate angles. Tar, rosin, grease, and analo-
gous materials, simple or compounded by heat or with solvents or admixtures
tending to give solidity by filling up cavities and preventing lodgement of water
between the oxidisable surfaces of rails, chairs, and fish plates, assist the foregoing
improvements to secure farther economy and permanency.
For fastening chairs (or rails without chairs) to sleepers or "longitudinals" by
this Invention, a hollowed or tubular fastening is used, and it may be made in one
or more parts. A central or internal pin, nail, or bolt (or its equivalent), in one or
more parts, and which need not occupy the entire internal space, and may itself
assist the grip on the chair (or rail) and sleeper, presses the tubular fastening or
pins.forcibly into such contact or grip on the chair (or rail) and sleeper or longitu-
dinals as to firmly hold them securely together.
In its simplest form or arrangement it may be a tube of any required length and
diameters, with or without a slit its entire length, and with or without shorter slits
at one or both ends, so as to allow of an outward expansion of the external surfaces,
whereby to take an efficient hold by the requisite action of the central pin forced
downwards (by preference) or upwards, or circularly or otherwise, by acting on
surfaces, faces, or angles, or the fastening may consist of two or more parts outwardly,
say, two half tubes or segments, or their equivalents, to ensure easier extraction and
facility of action. These, or the tube and the pin, may have any kind of cross
sections or vertical or other sections, tending to give a firmer grip outwardly (such
as corrugations in any direction or order, or dents, serrations, circular or spiral
threads, &c.), or with dovetail-like action or other equal or equivalent powers.
For locking in position the aforesaid central pin, where necessary and not already
effected by its configuration, relatively to that of the outer tubular form or to the
sleeper or rail in whatever way forced into said position, whether by vertical, spiral,
circular, or other motion; to prevent turning or other movement from such position
the head or neck of said pin may have formed on or in it flats or faces, projections,

page_text: serrations, corrugations, nicks, grooves, slits, holes, or other surfaces, so that being
placed to act against, on or in any one or more of similar flats, projections, slits,
holes, or surfaces formed on or in adjacent parts of the chair (or rail) or outer
tubular form, cither directly or by the interposition of any one or more keys, slips,
nails, or other rigid or clastic forms or materials, it may be firinly locked and
secured.
To prevent rust and rot, and to facilitate the action of the pressing surfaces
between the aforesaid central and outward parts of the fastening, tar, oil, grease, or
other equivalent matters may be introduced, and thus increase their permanency.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Hawks and Alexander Bridges in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th November 1877.
EDWARD HAWKS and ALEXANDER BRIDGES, both of Leith, in the County of Mid
Lothian, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERMA-
NENT WAY OF RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS."
Our said Invention relates to the forming or constructing of the ends of rails and
to the laying of the same, and has for its object to increase the safety, smoothness,
and general economy of railway transit.
The first part of the improvements consists in so shaping the ends of the rails that
the joint formed by contiguous ends of the two adjoining rails lies in whole or in
part obliquely across the rail that is at other than right angles relatively with the
length of the rail, after the manner shewn at Figures 1, 3, 4, and 5, of the accom-
panying Drawings. In double lines, or where the trains travel but in one direction
on each line, I prefer to lay the rails so that on the inside of each line the said
oblique joints point in the direction in which the train travels. In Figure 1
the side marked bis the inside of the line, and the arrow indicates the
direction in which the train travels. For single lines in place of form-
ing the rail ends, as above described, they may be formed of angles after
the manner of a V, as shewn at c, c, c, Figure 2, and in dotted lines in Figure 6,
the V end of one rail entering a V shaped recess in the end of the next rail, or the
ends may be formed with more than one V. Both of the first described ends and
those of the V's instead of being straight, as described, may be curved or partially
curved, as shewn in Figures 3, 4, and 6, or the said ends may be variously modified,
retaining the general character of the oblique or V shape. They are used preferably
with the hercin-after described improved fish plates, but they may be used with
fish plates of any section or their equivalents.
The object of forming the. rail ends as described is to ensure a gradual, safe, and
smooth passage of the wheels from one rail on to the adjoining rail by their conjoint
lateral and vertical support of the wheels, thus preventing the sudden transition of
the wheels from one rail to the other, and the consequent "jump" of the train
which occurs with the ordinary joint at right angles. The ends of the rails are
made of the foregoing forms by presenting them at the requisite angles to the saw,
or by presenting the saw at an angle to the rails, or in making curved ends by
guiding the saw (a band saw being used in this case) in the required curve, or
otherwise, as may be desired.
For supporting double or bull-headed rails in ordinary chairs, or in the herein-
after described improved. chairs of this Invention, fish or filling plates of the herein.

page_text: after described construction are provided. If supported in ordinary chairs, as
shewn at Figure 8, one such fish or filling plate, with or without a key kɔr a.
supporting piece d on the opposite side of the rail may be used so as to support the
rail by the upper head only.
With the chair, constituting part of this Invention, two improved plates (or their
equivalents) may be used, say from six to eight inches long or upwards for inter-
mediate chairs, and say, from six to eight, or up to twenty-four inches long for
chairs (if any) at joints, in which case they are fish plates. These plates are each
so made as to provide surfaces to bear upon the chair by forming thereon one or
more wings or projections, as shewn at f, f, in Figures 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 (which
are end elevations of chairs provided with fish or filling plates, formed according
to this Invention), so that each such plate in taking the weight of the rail at its
upper head, as in Figures 7, 9, and 11, or at both heads conjointly, as shewn in
Figure 12, and in dotted lines in Figures 9 and 11, bears down on the chair at one
or more parts or surfaces (which may be horizontal, as at g, Figure 11, or at any
suitable angles) either directly, as shewn in the Drawings, or through intermediate
keys or filling pieces. Such bearing surfaces preferably incline inwards, as shewn in.
the Drawings, at say, an angle of 45 degrees, or thereabouts, so as to firmly grip the
rail at the bottom, or the head, or both, when pressure is put on the rail.
The aforesaid projections may be at any height on the plates, and in any number,
and may meet at or continue to any point below the rail, as shewn in dotted lines
at g, g, Figure 9, or up its sides, as at h, h, Figure 12, so that on pressure coming
on the rail the said plates will bear upon or grip the rail upwards, sideways, or
downwards. The plates on opposite sides of the rail or in different chairs may vary
or be similar..
In some cases the improved chair may contain no keys, as is shewn in Figure 11,
in others, keys may be used, for instance, as shewn at , in Figures 7, 8, 9, and 12.
The new chair may have the plate "cast in " it, or afterwards fixed in it by a pro-
jection, as shewn by dotted lines at e, in Figure 11. Pieces d, for supporting the
rail head, may be fixed in the chair by projections e', as shewn in dotted lines in
Figure 8.
'
These improved fish plates for rail joints may be supported by one chair in the
middle, or preferably, by a chair at each end, and they may be used with or without
bolts. The wings or projections on the plates may bear down on the chair only, as
in Figures 9 and 12, or on the key or keys only, where keys are used, as shewn in
dotted lines at m, Figure 8, where k represents a key, upon which the projection /
bears, or the said projections may bear on both the chairs and the keys, as shewn
by both the dotted and full lines at h and fin Figure 8; or the said projections may
bear upon the chairs and the covering j of the keys, as shewn in full lines at f, and
in dotted lines at h, in Figure 7, where the covering of the key is marked j, although
in some cases, as herein-before mentioned, the chairs may have one or more pieces
"cast in " or afterwards secured in them in such manner that the said piece or pieces
may form bearing surfaces for the projections on the improved fish or filling plates,
as shewn, for instance, at j, j, Figure 7, and at g, Figure 11; yet we prefer to cast
the chairs to suit the improved fish or filling plates, as is shewn with respect to
Figures 9 and 12. The key covering j, j, Figure 7, may have serrations at the top,
the side, or both, as shewn in the side elevation thereof, Figure 7a (and the key if
metallic may also have serrations), to secure the key in position. The side of the
key next the fish plate may be formed with similar serrations.
Another part of our Invention consists in securing keys, or fish, or filling plates in
chairs by nails or bolts with or without taper or points, and of any cross section, and
preferably having heads for withdrawing them, as herein-after described. This nail
or bolt may be driven in at any angle, but by preference vertically or thereabouts,
as shewn at in Figure 8, so as to be in check or depressed by the flanges or the
outer parts of the passing wheels in case of its rising by the key getting loose by
wear or by shrinking. The nail or bolt may be made when driven home to bear
against inclined surfaces below the key, and be thereby bent, so as to prevent its

page_text: working, as shewn in the said Figure 8. Where there is no key this nail or bolt
may pass down between the fish or filling plate and the chair. When it is used
between metallic bodies, grooves or holes may be provided in the said metallic bodies
to receive or allow the passage of the said nail or bolt. The said nail may be
caused to act as a spring by forming the chair, as shewn in dotted lines at r, s, t, in
Figure 8, so as to present bearing surfaces to the said nail at portions of its length
only. For securing fish plate bolts, the holes in one of the fish plates may be screwed
and act as nuts, the bolts being formed with screw threads to take into these
screwed holes, as shewn with regard to the bolt in section in Figure 1. These bolts
may be used with or without nuts a¹ When the bolt heads or the nuts from
confined position cannot be turned in the usual manner they may be reduced or
otherwise modified in several known ways. Bolt heads and nuts may be prevented
from turning back by any of the arrangements herein-after described.
Under one arrangement for this purpose the angles of the nuts or bolt heads are
prolonged, so as to be touched on slacking back only by the passing wheels of a
tram. A nut constructed after this manner is shewn in Figure 13. The prolonga-
tions of the angles are marked w. Where the bolt heads or nuts are inside the rail
(where the flanges of the wheels will bear upon the wings or prolongations of their
angles) the said prolongations may be of less extent, as indicated in dotted lines in
the said Figure 13. Any nut or "load" moving back is thus at once in check, and
the wheels coming into contact therewith mark them, and this marking will
indicate to the surface man or inspector which bolts or nuts require screwing up.
Another modification of the locking arrangements is as follows:-When forining
the holes in the fish plates, grooves, or holes, or dents may be made in them, and
similar holes, grooves, or dents may be made in the nuts or "heads;" and by
inserting suitable pins or pieces of metal through or into the holes, grooves, or dents
in both the nuts and plates, the said nuts are prevented from slacking back.
Where washers are used corresponding holes, grooves, or dents are made in them
for the passage of the fastening pin.
Figures 14, 15, and 16 are respectively elevations of a nut, of a washer, and of
part of a fish plate, shewing a mode of carrying out this part of our Invention.
A hole or holes p, Figure 16, is or are formed in the fish plate around the bolt
hole g, and one or more holes, as at v, is or are formed in the nut at the same distance
from its centre as are the holes p from the centre of the bolt hole. When the nut
is fully screwed home a pin or pius or piece or pieces of metal is or are passed
through the hole or holes v in the nut and into the hole or holes P in the fish plate,
and thus the nut is prevented from slacking back. When a washer is used corre-
sponding holes will be formed in it, as at w, w, Figure 15, to allow of the passage of
the pin.
Figures 17 and 18 are respectively elevations of a washer and a part of a fish
plate of a slightly modified form. The washer is fixed by a pin passed through the
hole into the hole p, and the nut or bolt is then screwed home on to the washer,
and locked by a pin or pins passed through the said nut into holes or serrations y
in the washer.
The fish plate may be grooved in rolling either vertically (as at z, Figure 18) or
horizontally, as at 1, or at intermediate angles. When the nut (or bolt) is
screwed home, strips of metal are passed into these slots to bear against the nut or
bolt, and prevent its slacking back; or in certain forms of the fish plate the grooves
may be dispensed with, and dents be made in the nuts, which when screwed home
receive strips of metal between the said nuts and the fish plate, as shewn at 1, in
Figure 12.
We prefer to use with the foregoing improvements tar, rosin, grease, and
analogous materials simple or compounded, tending to give solidity by filling up
cavities and preventing lodgement of water between the oxidisable surfaces of rails,
chairs, and fish plates.
For fastening chairs (or rails without chairs) to sleepers or "longitudinals,"
according to another part of this Invention, an expanding hollow or tubular

page_text: fastening or hollow pin or tube is used. A central pin, nail, or bolt presses this
tubular fastening or pin forcibly into such contact or grip on the chair (or rail) and
sleeper (or longitudinals) as to hold them securely together.
In its simplest form or arrangement it may be a tube of any required length and
diameter, with a slit or slits its entire length, and with or without other shorter
slits at one or both ends, so as to allow of its expansion. The outer tubular pin may
consist of two or more parts, say, two-half tubes or segments, or their equivalents,
to ensure facility of insertion and withdrawal. Suitable sections are shewn at
Figure 10. The tube and the pin may have any form of cross section tending to
give a firm grip, and the hollow pin 4 may be formed on its exterior with corruga-
tions in any direction, or order, or dents, serrations, circular, or spiral threads, and
such like, as at 2, 2, Figure 9, or with dovetail-like action, as at 3, 3, Figure 9.
The expansion of the hollow pin or tube may be effected by making both it and
the central pin of an elliptical form in cross section. The pin is driven home with
the longer axis of its ellipse coincident with that of the hollow pin, and then, by
turning the said central pin so that the longer axis of its ellipse is in line with the
shorter axis of the ellipse of the hollow pin, the said hollow pin is expanded, and
firmly fastened in its place. At A and at B in Figure 9 we have shewn a suitablo
arrangement of this fastening. The outer tube 4 is split or divided after the
manner shewn by the cross sections of various forms in Figure 10, and is formed
with exterior projections 2, 2, or as at 3, 3. It is passed through the hole in the
chair, and into a hole in the sleeper. The central pin 5 is then driven down, and
expands the outer tube 4, and force the projections into the wood of the sleeper.
In order to prevent the turning, rising, or other movement of the said central
pin from its position, it has a head (as at 6, Figures 7, 9, and 10ª, which latter
Figure is a plan of the fastening) so formed, as seen in Figure 10a, that when tho
pin is driven home, the said head may be turned under projections formed on or in
adjacent parts of the chair, as, for instance, at 7, Figure 7.
Where the fastening is used to secure flat-bottomed rails directly to sleepers, the
said projections will of course be on the rail. Or a key may be used, passed
through a hole in the chair or rail (as, for instance, at 8, Figure 7), and the central
pin 5 may also be prevented from turning by passing a pin through the head into
the chair, as at 9, Figure 9.
To prevent rust and rot, and to facilitate the action of the surfaces between the
aforesaid central and outward parts of the fastening, tar, oil, grease, or other
equivalent matter may be introduced (which is not possible in the spike arrange-
ments at present in use) to increase their permanency.
Having now described and particularly ascertained tho nature of our said
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or
may be used or carried into practical effect, we would observe in conclusion that
what we consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. Forming or constructing the ends of railway and tramway rails, so that the
joint made by contiguous ends of two adjoining rails lies diagonally or obliquely across
the rail; that is to say, at other than right angles relatively to the length of the rail,
whether the said joint be straight, as illustrated with regard to Figures 1 and 5,
Vshaped, as illustrated with regard to Figures 2 and 6, or formed of several such
V's, or whether it be curved or partially curved, as shewn with regard to Figures 3
and 4, or as shewn at Figure 6. Also forming the ends of the rails when used
with fish plates, so that the diagonal is not brought to the sides of the rail, as
illustrated in full lines with regard to Figure 5 of the accompanying Drawings.
Second. Fish and filling plates for rails formed with one or more additional
bearing surfaces, consisting of continuations, wings, or projections, after the manner
shewn at Figures 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 of the accompanying Drawings, whether the
said continuations, wings, or projections bear directly upon the chair or upon inter-
mediate pieces or keys, and whether they be formed at the lower or upper part, or

page_text: both, or intermediately, essentially as herein-before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
Third. Chairs for rails and fish or filling plates formed with, or which are pro-
vided with surfaces suited to receive and bear the aforesaid continuations, wings, or
projections upon the fish or filling plates.
Fourth. Securing keys or fish or filling plates in railway chairs by a nail or pin,
after the manner shewn at Figure 8, so that the said nail or pin is depressed or kept
in position by the wheels of passing trains, whether the said pin be bent under the
fish plate or not.
Fifth. Chairs constructed so as to present bearing surfaces to the said pin at
points only, so that the said pin has a springing action, as illustrated by the dotted
lines in Figure 8.
Sixth. Securing fish-plate bolts by forming screws in the bolt holes of one of the
'fish plates, into which the said bolts are screwed, as herein-before described and
illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings, whether the said. bolts be
furnished with lock nuts or not.
Seventh. The improved form of nut or bolt head, described with reference to
Figure 13 of the accompanying Drawings; that is, to say, bolt heads or nuts
formed with prolongations of the angles, the passing train acting on which pro-
longations prevents the "slacking back" of the bolts or nuts.
kr
Eighth. Fastening the bolts or nuts of fish plates to prevent their turning or
slacking back," as herein-before described, whether by strips passed into grooves
in the nut or bolt head, as in Figure 12, or by pins passed through holes in the
nut or bolt head, fish plate, and washer (if there be any washer), as in Figures 14,
* 15, 16, 17, and 18, or by strips passed into grooves in the fish plate, as in Figure 18,
essentially as herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
=
Ninth. The improved fastening for securing chairs or rails to sleepers or longitu-
dinals, consisting of a hollow pin or tube, slit or divided, and furnished, or not, on
its exterior with projections, corrugations, dents, or serrations, through which
hollow pin or tube a central pin is passed to force outwards and firmly fix the said
hollow pin or tube in the sleeper or longitudinal, whether or not the said fastening
be used with tar, oil, grease, or other equivalent matter. Also forming on or fixing in
"or to the chair or rail, projections or surfaces to bear against or take into projections,
serrations, corrugations, nicks, grooves, or their equivalents on or in the aforesaid
central pins, to prevent them rising from their place in the said hollow pin or tube,
or with means for preventing their turning, or with both, all essentially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the. said Edward Hawks, on behalf of Alexander
Bridges and myself, have to this our Specification set my hand and scal,
this Fifteenth day of November, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
seven.
EDWARD HAWKS. (L.S.).