US477171A - fennerty - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. M. PENNERTY, Deod.

B. FENNERTY, Administratn'x. RAILWAY SPIKE. No. 477,171. Patented June 14, 1892.

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JOHN M. FENNERTY, OF \VASIIINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; BARBARA FENNERTY ADMINISTRATRIX OF SAID JOHN M. FENNERTY, DECEASED.

RA] LWAY-SPIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 477,171, dated June 14, 1892.

Application filed August 6, 1891. Serial No. 401,894. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: with a flat striking-surface 3 and a rail hold- Be it known that JOHN M. FENNERTY, deing tongue or lip 4, having its top surface deceased, late a citizen of the UnitedStates, and pressed below the flat striking-surface of the aresident of \Vashington, in the District of spike-head in such manner that when the 55 5 Columbia, did during his lifetime invent cerspike is driven there is no liability of the tain new and useful Improvements in Railblows of the hammer bending or otherwise way-Spikes, of which the following is a specidisturbing the correct position of the railfication. holding tongue or lip. The penetrating-point This invention has for its object to provide of the spike is formed with a long bevel 5 at 60 an improved railway-spike of such eonstructhe front edge of the spike and with a short tion that it is strong, substantial, and durable, bevel 6 at the rear edge thereof. These bevand possesses characteristic features that renels extend at different angles of inclination der it well adapted for driving without waste relatively to thelongitudinal axis of the spike, of force transmitted by the hammer. and they are of different lengths,with the short 65 [5 The invention also has for its object to inone located at the rearend of the spike. The

crease the holding power of a spike and renrear edge of the spike is formed with a longider it exceedingly difficult of extraction, so tudinal laterally-projecting rib 7 running apthat it is not liable to work loose in any manproximately the full length of the spike and ner under vibrations produced by the rollingextending along the back side of the spike- 70 stock of a railroad. head 2 for the purpose of supporting and The invention consists in a railway-spike strengthening the head, and thereby preventhaving a fiat driving-head, a rail-holding ing it from bending backward. The lateraltongue or lip depressed below the fiat head,a ly-projecting longitudinal rib imparts conpenetrating-point beveled front and rear into siderable strength and rigidity to the spike 75 angles of dilferent inclinations and lengths, shank or body and is square in cross-section, the shortest one being at the rear side of the while its lower extremity gradually tapers spike, longitudinal grooves in its front side and vanishes into the short beveled edge 6 of which diverge from the head portion to the the penetrating-point. The lower end perpoint, and a longitudinal rib so constructed tion of the longitudinal rib is formed with a 80 and arranged as to provide parallel rabbets series of ratchet-like teeth 8, the shoulders 9 at the corners. of which are uppermost, in order to interlock Theinvention also consists in other features with the timber when the spike is driven of construction, which will be hereinafter dethereinto. The longitudinal rib is so disscribcd and claimed, reference being made to posed along the median line of. the spike as 85 the accompanying drawings, in which to provide at each side thereof a rabbet 10, Figure 1 is aside elevation of my improved so that the corners of the spike at the rear spike. Fig. 2 is an elevation looking at the edge thereof are rabbeted in parallel lines, rear side of the spike. Fig. 3 is a similar thereby materially facilitating the entrance view looking at the front edge of the spike. of the spike into the timber, while securing 90 Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the the desired result of rendering it difficult to same. Fig. 5 is aside elevation of amodified extract the spike. The front edge of the construction. Fig. 6 is an elevation looking spike shank or body is formed with a pairof at the rear side of the same. Fig. 7isa transgrooves 12, which diverge from the head porverse sectional view of the modified eonstruetion of the spike to the beveled surface 5 of 5 tion. the penetrating-point. The divergent :11- In order to enable those skilled in the art rangement of the grooves causes them to exto make and use my invention,I will now detend in reverse diagonal directions, and when scribethe samein detail, referringto the drawthe spike is driven there is practically a ings, whereindovetail connection between the same and I00 The numeral 1 indicates the shank of the the timber, which renders the spike difficult spike, and 2 its driving head, which is formed to extract and largely contributes to its holding power. The outer edge of the longitudinal rib 7 is formed with a longitudinal groove 13, and the points of the ratchet-like teeth 8 are likewise grooved longitudinally, as at 14C, for the purpose of facilitating the penetration of the spike, while increasing its holding power.

In the modification, Figs. 5, 6, and 7, the construction is the same as described with reference to the remaining figures, and like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts; but in the modification the sides of the spikes are formed with longitudinal ribs 15, which are rounded or approximately V- shaped in cross-section. These ribs contribute to the holding power of the spike by increasing the available bearing area without materially enlarging the size of the spike in cross-section. The available bearing area of the spike is largely increased by the peculiar construction and arrangement of the longitudinal rib 7, corner-rabbets 10, and divergent grooves 12, and consequently a firm holding or gripping action is obtained-when the spike is driven.

The improved construction provides a strong, substantial, and durable spike possessing characteristic features that render it well adapted for driving in correct relation to the rail-flanges without waste of force on any part of the spike-head. It is difficult, if not impossible, for the spike to work loose or rise, and in fact the holding power of my improved spike is such as to render its extraction so difficult that I specially construct the under 7 sides of the head to avoid slipping of the draw-bar in extracting the spike. For this purpose the sides of the head extend laterally, as at 16, to provide bearing-surfaces 17, each of which is continuous or unobstructed from the rear side 18 of the head to the extremity, or approximately to the extremity, 19 of the rail-holding tongue or lip 4. By this peculiar construction of head the claws of the draw-bar can engage with the bearing-surfaces 17 the full length of the head from its rear side to a point near the extremity of the holding tongue or lip, thereby effectually preventing the draw-bar from slipping when the spike is being extracted. This is a very desirable feature of my improved spike, which will recommend it. as an efficient means for securing railway-rails.

A perfect rail-spike is of vital importance in constructing perfect railways, and While many different forms of spikes have been proposed many of them are objectionable from the fact that they do not possess the de sired holding capacities and the available bearing area does not attain the desired result of perfect interlocked engagement with the timber.

The improved spikes herein described and shown will securely attach railway-rails, and itsholding power is largely increased.

The flat striking-surface of the striker-head, elevated above the top surface of the railholding tongue or lip, is an important and desirable element of the spike, in that it is arranged in line with the shank and receives all the force of the blow of a hammer, in consequence of which there is no waste of force on any other part of the spike-head.

The relative arrangement and peculiar construction of the penetratingpoint fulfills the conditions required to properly guide the spike into the railway-tie and 'onto the railflange,

A firm hold or grip is secured in the timber by the increased available bearing area of the spike, and the construction is such that no lateral blows are required on the head to force it up to and on the rail-flange, because the penetrating-point of the spike is so formed that while it is being driven into the timber or tie the point of the spike has a tendency outward in the timber or tie, thereby causing the upper portion of the spike to closely hug the rail-fiange while being driven.

The divergent grooves cut or separate the fibers of the wood without crushing or tear ing them, so that they are carried down toward the point, and this cutting or separation of the fibers endwise commences at the penetrating-point, and therefore the timber is compressed into the grooves, which makes it impossible for water to enter around the spike and prevents that portion of the timber or tie from decaying or rotting, the peculiar construction of the grooves, whereby they diverge from the head portion of the spike to the penetrating-point or extend in reverse diagonal directions, rendering the spike susceptible of firmly holding in the timber or tie, and it will not yield to the vibratory motions of the rails produced by the rollingstock of a railway. The construction of the grooves is such that when the spike is driven into the timber or tie there is a substantial interlocked connection, which effectually resists tendency of the spike to work loose by vibrations of the rail incident to traffic.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a railspike having a flat driving-head, a railholding tongue or lip depressed below the Hat surface of the head, a penetrating-point beveled front and rear into angles of different inclinations and lengths, the short one being at the rear edge of the spike, longitudinal grooves in the front edge, which diverge away from each other in a direction from the head portion to the penetrating-point, and a longitudinal rib extending along the rear side of the head and formed at its lower portion with ratchet-like teeth, substantially as described.

2. A railway-spike having a fiat drivinghead, a rail-holding tongue or lip depressed below the flat surface of the head, a penctrating-point beveled front and rear into angles of different inclinations and lengths, a longitudinal rib extending along the rear side of the head and having its lower portion formed with teeth, and longitudinal rabbeted corners at the sides of the longitudinal rib, substantially as described.

3. A railway-spike having a fiat drivinghead, a rail-holding tongue or lip depressed below the flat surface of the head, longitudinal grooves in its front side, a longitudinal laterally-projecting rib on its rear side, and a penetratingpoint beveled front and rear into angles of different inclinations and lengths, substantially as described.

4. A rail-spike havinga longitudinal laterally-projecting rib extending along the back of its head and formed with a longitudinal groove in its outer edge, substantially as described.

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