IMPROVEMENTS IN ANA T DAGURION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Wilson, of Athlone, in the County of West-
neath, Ireland, and Laurence Wilson, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Timber Merchants, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ANA
T DAGURION"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Wilson & Laurence
Wilson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th April 1880.
SAMUEL WILSON, of Athlone, in the County of Westmeath, Ireland, and
LAURENCE WILSON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Timber Merchants.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY KEYS, AND IN THE METHOD OF SECURING THEM IN
POSITION."
Our Invention relates to the keys which are employed to hold railway rails in
position within the jaws of the chairs. The said keys are usually made of wood,
and are driven in a horizontal direction into the spaces existing between the webs
of the rails and the jaws of the chairs so as to wedge the rails against the chairs.
In practice the vibration caused by passing trains, and the effects of corrosion,
wear, and contraction tend to loosen these keys, and if not tightened up in time
the loosened keys work out of their places in the chairs. To lessen this tendency
is the object of our Invention. We saw or slit the leading end of the key for a
distance from the said end towards, or to, or past the centre of the length of the
key, and when the key is driven into position we drive a wedge, or two or more
wedges, into the slit or saw-gate so as to expand the smaller or leading end of the
key. The said wedges may bo flat. or round, or be otherwise made of suitable
forms. When employing round, square, polygonal, or other shaped tapering pins
or wedges we bore or form a hole, or two, or more holes in the key in addition to
the formation of the slit or saw-gate, and we drive a pin into the hole or into each
hole after the key is driven into position. The arrangement may be varied by
employing two keys, or a key in two parts, or made of two pieces instead of a split
key. If preferred the preparatory sawing or slitting of the key may be dispensed
with, and a wedge or pin be driven into the solid key or into a hole formed in the
said key, and also if preferred the key may be secured at both ends by the means
herein indicated. Although our Invention is particularly applicable to wooden
keys we do not confine ourselves to any particular material in respect either of the
keys or of the securing wedges or pins.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Samuel Wilson & Laurence Wilson in the Great Scal Patent Office on
the 29th October 1880.
SAMUEL WILSON, of Athlone, in the County of Westmeath, Ireland, and
LAWRENCE WILSON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Timber Merchants.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY KEYS, AND IN THE METHOD OF SECURING THEM IN
POSITION."
.
Our Invention relates to the keys which are employed to hold railway rails in
position within the jaws of the chairs. The said keys are usually made of wood,
and are driven in a horizontal direction into the spaces existing between the webs
of the rails and the jaws of the chairs so as to wedge the rails against the chairs.
In practice the vibration caused by passing trains, and the effects of corrosion,
wear, and contraction tend to loosen these keys and cause them to work out of the
chairs, especially in dry weather, thus necessitating daily inspection and attention
along the whole line of rails. Many of the keys require to be re-driven into the
chairs, and are thereby injured or broken, or otherwise they become too small to be
used with safety. To lessen these disadvantageous tendencies, to increase the safety
of the rails, and also to reduce expenditure of labour and waste of keys, are the
objects of our Invention. Wo saw or slit the leading end of the key for a distance,
or to or past the centre of the length of the key, and when the key is driven into
position we drive a wedge, or two, or more wedges, into the slit or saw-gate so as
to expand the smaller or loading end of the key. The said wedges may be flat or
round, or be otherwise made of suitable forms.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood we have attached
hereunto a Sheet of Drawings, wherein is represented a perspective view of a
railway chair having a short length of rail secured therein by our improved means.
In the said Drawings a represents a length of rail which is secured within the jaws
of a chair b by means of a wooden key c. The said key is supposed to have been
driven into position in the direction indicated by the arrow, so that the end on
which the mark is placed would be the leading end. This loading end has
formed in it a vertical cut, saw-gate, or slit d, which extends from the end of the
key to a point about midway in the length of the key, or which extends a suitable
distance from the end of the key. After the key has been driven into position, as
is usual, a wedge e is driven into the said saw-gate or slit, and is forced inwards to
a suitable extent or degree so as to expand the end of the key and to force the one
part of the divided end against the side of the rail, and the other part against the
jaw of the chair. It will be seen that in consequence of that part of the leading
end of the key which in the example projects beyond the chair being expanded and
forcibly pressed against the edge of the jaw the said key will not be so liable as it
is at present to move in a direction contrary to that in which it has been driven
into position, and therefore will not be liable to become loose. Two or more wedges
might be driven into the slit d in place of the one wedge represented in the
Drawing. The key should be made a little larger towards the solid or driven end,
and when placed in position the somewhat smaller and leading or slit end becomes
expanded by the introduction of the wedge, whereby the key is prevented from
moving backwards. Should it in time become loose it may be at once tightened
by driving the key a little further homo and by tightening the wedge at the other
eud. In those instances where the key when driven is sufficiently tight without
the wedge, the slit being almost closed, the wedge may be dispensed with, and only
added when the key becomes so loose as to prevent of and require its introduction.
Keys at present in use can, when desired, be made secure by this system when and
as they become loose or work out in about as short a time as is consumed in the

page_text: introduction of the rough packing at present employed to tighten them up, a
practice which is both unsystematic and unsatisfactory in its results. Although we
prefer the slitted end of the key to project beyond the chair, as indicated, we do
not confine ourselves to this. The wedge might in some cases be corrugated or
roughened to increase its hold upon the key. When employing round, square,
polygonal, or other shaped tapering pins or wedges we bore or form a hole, or two,
or more holes in the key in addition to the formation of the slit or saw-gate, and
we drive a pin into the hole or into each hole after the key is driven into position.
The arrangement may be varied by employing two keys, or a key in two parts, or
made of two pieces, instead of a split key. If preferred the preparatory sawing or
slitting of the key may be dispensed with, and a wedge or pin be driven into the
solid key or into a hole formed in the said key, and also, if preferred, the key may
be secured at both ends by the means indicated. Although our Invention is
particularly applicable to wooden keys we do not contine ourselves to any particular
material in respect either of the keys or of the securing wedges or pins.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of our said Invention, and
the manner in which we carry the same into practical effect, we would have it to
be understood in conclusion that we claim,-
First. The method of securing railway keys, substantially as set forth and
indicated herein before and in and by the accompanying Drawings.
And, Secondly. Slitting railway keys and securing them in the chairs by driving
wedges or pins into the slits, or into holes bored on the lines of the slits,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lawrence Wilson, for myself and on behalf of
the said Samuel Wilson, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-
eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and eighty
Witness,
ARTHUR LEDGER,
(Clerk to Edward K. Dutton),
41, John Dalton St.,
Manchester,
(Agent for Patentees.)
LAWRENCE WILSON. (L.S.)