Improvements in the Manufacture of Dog Spikes, Nosekeys, and other Holdfasts.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 9th Oct., 1894-Accepted. 10th Nov.. 1894
Improvements in the Manufacture of Dog Spikes, Nosekeys, and
other Holdfasts.
We, THOMAS CLARKE, Engineer, and FELIX HADLEY AND COMPANY
LIMITED, Manufacturers, all of The Nail Works, Eyre Street, Spring Hill, in the
City of Birmingham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the manner in which we produce or manufacture dog
spikes, nosekeys, or other holdfasts, having dog ears or projecting side lugs.
The object of our invention is to produce such spikes or holdfasts entirely by
machine processes instead of by the hand methods of production hitherto
employed.
In carrying our invention into effect we first heat the iron or other metal in a
suitable furnace and roll it to the required section of spike to be produced,
providing also an extension of the metal beyond the spike nose or head, for the
purpose of forming the ears or side lugs in the manner hereinafter described. The
metal is then cut or sheared off into separate spikes in a suitable machine, and
carried down by a mechanically imparted motion and held between dies, when the
extension of the metal beyond the spike nose or head is forced, by a similar
process to that employed in a nail heading machine, into the dies and so formed
into dog ears. Such dog ears or projecting side lugs are for the purpose of with-
drawing the spike when required, from the sleeper or other article into which it
has been driven.
By this our improved process we roll the iron or other metal to the required
section, and form the complete spike with its dog ears or projecting side lugs at the
one heat the whole of the operations being completed before the metal has had
time to cool down below the temperature required for the whole of the machine or
mechanical operations.
We do not employ any one form of rolling or spike cutting or ear forming
machine, but modify such machines and the parts or details of the same to suit
different requirements and varying sections of spikes or other holdfasts, without
departing from the essential features of our invention.
Dated this 8th day of January 1894.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Dog Spikes, Nosekeys, and
other Holdfasts.
We, THOMAS CLARKE, Engineer, and FELIX HADLEY AND COMPANY
LIMITED, Manufacturers, both of The Nail Works, Eyre Street, Spring Hill, in
the City of Birmingham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
[ Prine 8d l

page_text: what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to the manner in which we produce or manufacture dog
spikes, nosekeys, or other holdfasts, having dog ears or projecting side lugs.
The object of our invention is to produce such spikes or holdfasts entirely
by machine processes instead of by the hand methods of production hitherto
employed.
In the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings→
Figures 1 and
invention, while
represent a completed dog spike as made in accordance with our
Figures 3 to 6 illustrate the various stages of manufacture.
The same reference letters in each view indicate the same parts.
In carrying our invention into effect we first heat the mild steel or other metal
in a suitable furnace and roll it to a bar having a form such as illustrated in
Figures 3 and 4 suited to the required section of spike to be produced, providing
also an extension such as A of the metal beyond the spike nose or head, for the
purpose of forming the ears or side lugs B B' in the manner hereinafter described.
The steel or other bar is then cut or sheared off into separate spikes of the required
width in a suitable machine having a fixed bottom cutter such as C shaped to the
section of the dog spike and a top or movable shearing cutter. After the spike
has been cut or sheared off by the top cutter, the motion of the cutter is continued
and the spike is thus carried down until it is brought adjacent to the grooves. D in
the ear forming die E, the spike being prevented from falling away from the cutter
by means of a spring or other retaining piece which presses the spike against the
face of the fixed die E until the advance of the movable die E to the position
shown at Figure 6, when the extension of the metal beyond the spike nose or head
is forced, by a similar process to that employed in a nail heading machine, into the
grooves D D of the dies E E' and so formed into dog ears B B. Such dog ears
or projecting side lugs are for the purpose of withdrawing the spike when required,
from the sleeper or other article into which it has been driven.
As the working ends of the grooves D D' become too much worn and enlarged
by service to properly form the dog ears or side lugs, we grind away the faces of
the dies E E and thus restore the working ends of the grooves to the correct form
with but little inconvenience or waste of metal.
By this our improved process we roll the mild steel or other metal to the
required section, and then form the complete spike with its dog ears or projecting
side lugs at the one heat the operations of cutting or shearing and forcing or
pressing being completed before the metal has had time to cool down below the
temperature required for the whole of the machine or mechanical operations.
We do not employ any one form of rolling or spike cutting or ear forming
machine, but modify such machines and the parts or details of the same to suit
different requirements and varying sections of spikes or other holdfasts, without
departing from the essential features of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The improved method for manufacturing dog spikes, nosekeys, or other
holdfasts, having ears or projecting side lugs, by means of rolling, cutting, and
pressing or forcing processes, effected substantially as herein before described and as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In machines for manufacturing dog spikes, nosekeys or other holdfasts having
ears or projecting side lugs, the use of grooved dies for the purpose of forming such
ears or projecting side lugs substantially as herein before described and as illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
3. In machines for manufacturing dog spikes, nosekeys or other holdfusts

page_text: having ears or projecting side lugs, the combination of a fixed and a movable ear
forming die, with a movable shear or cutter and a suitably shaped fixed cutter
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 8th day of October 1894.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.