US401346A - Method of finishing railroad-spikes - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOIVARD GREER, OF LAKE VIEW, ILLINOIS.

METHOD OF FINISHING RAILROAD-SPIKES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 401,346, dated April 16, 1889. Application filed. January 1'7, 1889. Serial No. 296,690. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,-

Be it known that I, HOWARD GREEK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lake View, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented 0r discovered a certain new and useful Improvement in the Method of Finishing Railway-Spikes, of which improvement the following is a specification.

In operating my present improvement, I commence with the spike as ordinarily made, or with any form or construction of spike or spike-blank of substantially the general form and construction desired in the finished article, but preferably of steel. In the use of railway-spikes the entering or lower end frequently comes in contact with a knot of such hardness and character as to bend, deflect, or twist the spike out of vertical position.

By my improvement I give to the spike a point or cutting-edge and a temper such that it will cut through the knots usually encountered, and also will out, instead of break, the wood fiber, as a result of which it will be driven straight, and also when driven will be surrounded on all sides and throughout its entire length with comparatively unbroken walls of wood, and thereby its holdin g power will be brought to the maximum.

Taking either the ordinary spike or any specially-made spike-by which I mean a machine-made article or blank-J first grind the point to the usual or any desired bevel on one or both sides, according as a'wedge shape or chisel shape is desired. This grinding is done in such way as to heat the point of the spike or spike-blank to what may be termed a tempering heat, or a heat at which steel will take a temper-say, cherryred, or thereabout. The method of doing such grinding is already well known in the art. In this way a well-finished cutting-edge will be made at the extremity of the point; and in order to preserve this cutting-edge, especially as against injury from the miscellaneous handling or banging which spikes are aptto receive in packing and transportation, I next temper the point thus made. ThisI do while the point still retains the tempering-heat, produced as above stated.- 1

While still at that heat, or before it becomes so far cooled as to be incapable of being tempered, I subject the point of each spike to the action of water or steam, or of any other tempering fluid or liquid adapted to produce a tempering effect. The water or other fluid may be applied in the form of a jet, drip, or small stream, or the hot point of the spike may be dipped into water or other liquid, or other suitable mode of application may be adopted. In this way the spikes are finished and perfected so as to improve their driving quality, especially in knotty ties; also theirholding quality when driven, especially in the softer class of woods, which are now chiefly employed, as hard woods are becoming scarce; and, still further, their durability is increased, as the point, being tempered, is not liable to be injured by handling or transportation.

While the method herein described and claimed can perhaps be used with greatest advantage as applied to spikes made distinctly from steel, it may also be used with good results on those steel-like irons which will not take a temper, or even in the finishing of wrought-iron spikes, the only difference being that the fluid or liquid hereinbefore spoken of as doing the work of tempering would in such case perform an operation more in the nature of case-hardening; but the result as regards improving the point or cutting-edge of the spike would be the same in kind, and differing, if at all, only in degree.

I believe that I am the first to temper or artificially harden a spike-point in any way; but the completed article forms the subjectmatter of a separate application.

I claim herein as my invention- The method of finishing spikes, which consists in grinding the point on one or both sides, heating it by the grinding operation, and tempering or hardening the point so heated, and at the same heat, by subjecting it to the action of a suitable tempering or hardening fluid or liquid, substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HOWARD GREER. Witnesses CHARLES F. Lonson, CHARLES A. ALLEN.