US87998A

US87998A - Improvement in spikes

Info

Publication number: US87998A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1869-03-16
Anticipated expiration: 1886-03-16

Description

gieten SWAIN WINKLEY, O4? NEW YORK, N. Y.

team Patent No, 87,998, dated Mam@ 16, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPIRES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom'it may concern:

Be it kno wn that .I, Swan: WINKLEY, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Spikes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this speciiication, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The said invention relates to hook-headed spikes, with barbed, or ridged Shanks, which may be driven into a wooden railroad-tie without preliminary boring, and then have the head turned quarter Way round, to bring it over the foot of the rail, and the barbs, or ridges on the shank in contact with fresh libres that were previously opposed to the smooth sides of the shank, and therefore remained comparatively uncrushed.

In using these spikes, it has been found difcult to drive them with the exactitude required. When driven a little too far, the hook-head could not be turned over the foot of the rail, and, when not enough, it failed to hold the rail iirmly.

It has, therefore, vbeen found desirable to have a gauge, by which the projection of the spike from the tie, to properly lit the rail, would be insured, without requiring special care from the workman.

The improvement which I have invented consists of a wing on the side of the hook-head, which wing is formed with an inclined, or wedge-shaped lower side, so that, when the spike is placed 4with the wing over the foot of a rail, and the spike driven home, with the wing bearing upon the rail, the turning of the spike through one-quarter of a revolution, to bring the hook over the rail, wedges lthe rail securely to the tie.

To enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains, to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation, with reference to the annexed drawing, in which a spike is represented on an enlarged scale.

The wedge-shaped cutting-edge of the point of the spike, being placed transversely to the tie, severs the fibres as it is driven, and crowds them outward, for .the reception of the body of the spike, those opposite the smooth sides being comparatively uncrushed.

When the spike has been drliven as far as the bearing of the wing a upon the rail will admit, a wrench is applied to thehead, and the hook-portion bis turned over the rail, the wedge-shaped formation of the lower side of the head, between the extreme point of the wing a and the hook b, causing the latter to wedge the rail forcibly to the tie. At the same time, the projecting barbs, or ridges, are brought into contact with the libres that were before against the smooth sides of the spike.

It will be seen that this formation of the head permits the use of projections, or barbs, or ridges, on the shank of the spike, that may be made circular, instead of helical, or like a screw, and therefore may be made more cheaply.

With circular ridges, or barbs, the wings .may be placed on one or both sides of the head, so that the spike may be turned in either or both directions.

What I claim as my invention and improvement in spikes, is-

The projecting shoulders, or rings, on the sides of the body of the spike, in combination with the inclined, or wedge-shaped head a and b, constructed substantially as described.

SWAIN WINKLEY. Witnesses:

M. RICHARD Snvnnson, WM. KEMBLE HALL.