US1214634A - Railroad-spike. - Google Patents

Description

H. s. WRIGHT.

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HARTWELL S. WRIGHT, OF VAN DUZEB, ARKANSAS.

RAILROAD-SPIKE.

. Application filed May 13, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, HAn'rwnLL S. W RIGHT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Van Duzer, in the county of Ouachita and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Railroad-Spikes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a spike and has for its principal object the production of a railroad spike which is provided with grooves so formed thereon as to provide elongated cutting edges so that after the spike has been driven into the tie, which may be easily done, the cutting edges will bury themselves in the wood so as to prevent the accidental displacement or pulling out of the spike.

With the above and other objects in view this invention consists of certain novel combina-tions, constructions, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the railroad spike as constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the spike. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 44; of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the spike, illustrating a part thereof in section, so as to illustrate the manner in which the grooves extend continuously around the spike and also show the cutting edges as the same appear when burying themselves in the wood of the tie.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals it will be seen that the spike 1 is substantially rectangular in cross-section and has a vertical head 2 formed upon its upper end, while the lower end is provided with a substantially pointed structure 3 for facilitating the driving of the spike into a railroad tie.

The grooves 4: are formed upon the side surfaces of the body 1, extending from the central axis of the side, as shown at 5, extending upwardly at acute angles with respect to the central axis of the spike, whereby each groove upon each side of the body Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

Serial No. 97,352.

will constitute a substantially V-shaped structure. These grooves l are formed upon each side of the body 1 so as to communicate with the grooves upon the adjacent side surface of the body 1, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5. These grooves extend for a considerable distance into the body of the spike 1, as indicated at 6 in Fig. 5, thereby providing cutting edges 7 These cutting edges '1' extend throughout the entire length of the grooves i, and, therefore, at the central portion of the V-shaped grooves l the cutting edges 7 will provide a pocketlike structure for purposes to be hereinafter set forth.

When this spike is in use it may be driven into a tie and since the cutting edges 7 are formed so as to extend upwardly the cutting edges will resist the movement of the spike into the tie. If, however, pressure or strain is exerted upon the spike so as to tend toward its accidental displacement from engagement with the tie the cutting edges 7 will dig into the tie and prevent this accidental removal. It is well known that when spikes and like devices are driven into wood the wood will wedge slightly. Such is the action of the present device when passing into the tie. However, after the body of the spike breaks the wood and the cutting edges pass thereinto, the grooves following in the wake of the cutting edges will receive the wood upon its expansion to its normal position. As the grooves receive the wood the cutting edges will fit beneath the portions of the tie projecting into the grooves so that upon any tendency of the spike toward being removed, the accidental displacement will cause the cutting edges to bite into the wood and hold the spike. The projecting end of each cutting edge upon each side of the spike will cause the wood to wedge at the center of the cutting edge, forming an additional resistance to the removal of the spike. Therefore, it will be seen' that by having the grooves upon each side formed in a V-shaped nature the cutting edges will always be formed so as to provide V-shaped structures and that furthermore, the grooves and cutting edges are formed so as to communicate with each other upon each side of the spike, whereby very eiiicient cutting edges have been provided which will positively hold the spike against accidental displacement, being far more efficient than the ordinary barbed construction of the spurs which are commonly employed along the side edges of the spike body.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. As a new article of manufacture a railroad spike comprising a body having a. head formed thereon, said body having a plurality of V-shaped grooves formed in its side portions, said grooves extending downwardly for a considerable distance into said body, thereby forming cutting edges communicating with the side surface of said body, said spike being adapted to be driven into a tie so as to permit the tie to spring back and partially fill said grooves when the inward movement of the spike is limited so that in case any outward pressure is exerted upon the spike the cutting edges will dig into the tie and prevent the outward movement of the spike, while the ii-shaped construction of the grooves will cause the tie to further wedge in the central portions of the grooves for providing an additiona resistance to outward movement of the spike.

2. As a new article of manufacture a spike comprising a body having a head formed thereon, said spike having a plurality of V- shaped grooves formed in each side thereof, the grooves upon one side of said spike comlnunicating with the grooves upon the adjacent side 'llllGll'QOf, said grooves extending downwardly for a considerable distance into said body, thereby forming upwardly extending cutting edges, the cutting edges upon each side of said spike also being V- shaped to correspond with said grooves, whereby after the spike has been driven into the side portions of a tie in the wake of the cutting edges it may spring back to its normal position into said grooves so as to lit over said cutting edges, whereby the cutting edges will bite into the tie throughout their entire length, while the tie will fur-' ther bind upon the central portions of the cutting edges owing to their V-shaped construction so as to prevent the accidental displacement of the spike.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ailix my signature.

HARTWELL S. WRIGHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, L. G.

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