US1046769A - Rail-joint. - Google Patents

Description

H. E. GIDDINGS.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23, 1912.

Patented Dec. 10,1912.

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H. E. GIDDINGS.

RAIL JOINT.

' AYPLIOATION FILED JAILZB, 1912.

1,046,769. Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

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HOMER E. GIIDDINGS, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

RAIL-JOINT.

Application filed January 23, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, HOMER E. GiDDINcs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Worth, in the county of Tarrant and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to rail joints, and has for its primary object to provide a joint of this character in which the rail ends will be securely held, so as to prevent the splitting, spreading or lateral displacement thereof, and that will afford a smooth joint between the same, so as. to obviate the pounding of the car wheels when passing over one rail end onto the other, and also that will relieve the strain upon the bolts connecting the rail ends to the joint.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a rail joint in which a solid bed plate is employed, and on which rest the rail ends, the bed plate being formed with inner and outer side plates joined by a central bond which is designed to be disposed between the rail ends, so as to give continuity to the tread surface of the rail at the joint to prevent the pounding of the car wheels when traveling thereover, and also that will obviate the breaking or mutilation of the bolt members which are passed through the side plates and webs of the rail ends, thus assuring a firm and solid connection between the rail ends.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a rail joint of this character which is simple in construction,strong, durable, thoroughly reliable and efficient in purpose, and inexpensive in manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail joint constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the meeting ends of rails mounted therein. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 83 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the joint, with one of the rail ends removed. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of rail joint. Fig. Tis a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1%,1912.

Serial No. 672,853.

side elevation thereof. Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the removable fish plate, the same being detached from the rail joint.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 5 and 6 designate the meeting ends, respectively, of railway rails, each being of the ordinary well-known construction, including a base flange 7, vertical web 8, and a ball or tread 9, and these rail ends are adapted to fit within a rail joint, presently described.

The rail joint comprises a bed plate 10 which may be of any desirable length, and is preferably constructed from metal, on which rest the ends 5 and 6 of the rails. the under face of the plate 10 being formed with a medially disposed depending reinforcing truss 11, the latter extending longitudinally for a portion of the length of the said plate, and is adapted to materially strengthen the same. Intermediate the ends of the plate 10 and rising from the inner side edge thereof is an inner side plate 12. the same facing an outer side plate 13 which is of greater length than the said inner side plate, although, if desired, both the inner and outer side plates may be of equal length. The inner and outer side plates, on their outer faces, are provided with vertical reinforcing ribs 14, and are joined medially of their length by means of a cross bond 15, against which abut the rail ends 5 and 6, when engaged between the said inner and outer side plates, and rest upon the bed plate from which the same rise.

Formed on the upper edge of the outer side plate 13 is a verge'or crest 16, the same being of any desired length relative to the said outer side plate, and is formed with a groove 17 on its inner side correspondingly shaped to the outer edge of the balls or treads 9 of the rail ends 5 and 6, so as to accommodate the same, thereby enabling the car wheel, in passing ofi of one rail end onto the other, to travel upon the said verge or crest 16, so as to obviate the possibility of the pounding of the car wheel at the joint between the rail ends, and by providing the bond 15 the car wheel, at the joint between the rail ends, will be prevented from sinking, thereby causing it to roll smoothly over the joint, or without possibility of a thud or bumping action, and in this manner the car wheel will be prevented from dropping at the point of the joint between the rail ends.

Straddling the bed plate 10, at opposite ends thereof, are clamp members 18, one end being upwardly directed to lie against one side of the web of each rail, while the other end is provided with a hook 19 which engages one edge of the bed plate 10 of the rail joint, and passed through these clamps 18 are bolt members 20, which also pass through the web 8 and plate 13 and likewise passed through the inner and outer side plates are similar bolt members 21, the bolt members 20 and 21 being also passed through the webs of the rail ends, thereby fastening the said rail ends in the rail joint. The cross bond 15 is designed to support the crest and bind the outer plate 13 and the inner plate 12 firmly together, so that the strength of the joint does not depend upon the bolts 20 and 21. v

In Figs. (5, 7, 8 and 9, there is shown a modification of rail joint, which comprises a base plate 22 which may be of any desired length, and upon which rest the ends 23 and 24 of the rails. Formed integral with the base plate 22 and rising therefrom is an outer side plate 25 which is of the same length as the said base plate, and is formed at its upper edge, medially thereof, with a verge or crest 26, the latter containing a groove 27 correspondingly shaped to the outer edges of the balls or treads of the rail ends 23 and 24 for receiving the same, thereby enabling a car wheel to travel thereon, when leaving one rail end and passing onto the other, so as to obviate the pounding of the car wheel at the joint between the rail ends. Projecting laterally centrally from the outer side plate 25 and the crest 26 is a cross bond 28, against which abut the rail ends 23 and 24 when mounted upon the bed plate 22, the cross bond being designed to form a medial support for the car wheel when rolling thereover off of one rail end onto the other. Thus in this manner a smooth joint is had between the rail ends, thereby obviating the possibility of bumping action at the joint between the said ends.

Formed on the inner longitudinal edge of the base plate 22 is an upwardly and in wardly directed locking flange 29, in which is engaged one edge of a removable fish plate 30, the same being formed with a central enlargement 31 on its outer face engaged by means of a nose extension 32 formed on the cross bond 28, the plates 25 and 30 being designed to rest against opposite side faces of the web of the rail, and are provided with alining openings 33 for receiving bolt members 34 which are also passed through elongated openings 35 formed inthe webs of the rail ends in alinement with the openings 33 in the said plates. The elongated openings 35 in the webs of the rail ends will permit the free expansion and contraction of the rails. It will be seen that the rail ends cannot sag and will be held secure against spreading or lateral dis placement with respect to each other, when mounted in the rail joint.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with rail ends, of a rail joint comprising a bed plate on which the rail ends rest, outer and inner side plates rising from the said bed plate, a bond uniting the said side plates medially thereof and against which the rail ends abut, a crest formed on the outer side plate and engageable with the outer edges of the balls of the rails, and clamps straddling the said bed plate and engageable with the rail ends.

2. The combination with rail ends, of a rail joint comprising a bed plate on which the rail ends rest, outer and inner side plates rising from the said bed plate, a bond uniting the'said side plates medially thereof and against which the rail ends abut, a crest formed on the outer side plate and engageable with the outer edges of the balls of the rails, clamps straddling the said bed plate and engageable with the rail ends, and a truss depending medially from the said bed plate and disposed longitudinally thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HOMER E. GIDDINGS.

Witnesses:

J. O. SHELTON, OSCAR PARKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent Washington, I). C.

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