US1126499A - Rail-chair and clamping means therefor. - Google Patents

Description

A. G. LIEBMANN. RAIL CHAIR AND GLAMPING MEANS THBREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28, 1913.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

i limzooeo NORR!S PE TEES UNITED STAIEES PATENT OFFIQE.

AUGUST G. LIEBIVIANN, OF BUTTE, MONTANA, ASSIGNOR T VIGNOLES RAIL CHAIR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

RAIL-CHAIR AND GLAILVIPING MEANS THEREFOR.

Application filed April 28, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUoUsr G. LIEBMANN, citizen of the United States, residing at Butte, in the county of Silverbow and State a of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Chairs and Clamping Means Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway track appliance and particularly to rail chairs, and to clamping means for supporting the rail within the chair.

The object of the invention is the provision of a very simple and effective form of rail chair so constructed thata rail may be supported firmly upon a tie and braced against vertical thrust, lateral thrust and any tendency to tip under the action of a train.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable rail chair adapted for holding rails in fixed position but allowing for adjustment of gage and permitting shimming without disturbance of the primary fastening of the rail to the track and with this adjustability eliminating consequent chance of accidental shifting and lost motion due to the wear of parts and consequent disalineinent of rails, disturbance of gage and overturning of rails.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the body portion of the chair that it may be formed from an I-beam section by means of rolling and pressing, thus rendering the chair economical to manufacture and practical in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide in connection with the chair, rail supporting braces so disposed as to engage between the base of the rail and the head thereof, thus bracing the rail against any tendency to tip, and to provide in connection with these braces means for forcing the braces into rigid engagement with the rail, such means being adjustable so that the rail and the braces may be shifted laterally relative to the chair or adjusted vertically relative thereto.

A further object of the invention is to so construct a chair of this character that the flange of the rail will be relieved of any shearing strain and so that if the rail is deformed by any cause such as the lifting of a portion of the track or the rail, the flange of the rail will not be sheared off but the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 26, 1915.

Serial No. 764,150.

locking keys will yield the slight amount necessary to prevent the shearing action.

A further object is to provide a means whereby a track walker or section hand may laterally adjust the rail relative to the chair or vertically adjust the rail relative thereto without the necessity of removing a large number of spikes, adjusting the rail and then replacing the spikes, this operation requiring a section gang for its proper carrying out.

A further object of the invention is the provision in connection with a chair having oppositely disposed abutments and rail braces of the character before described, of clamping wedges moving inwardly to force the braces into rigid engagement with the rzltil and means for locking the wedges in ace.

A still further object is the provision in a chair as above described, of means whereby auxiliary wedges may be used for the purpose of forcing the primary wedges into their adjusted position and so as to force,

the rail braces into solid engagement with the rail and so as to adjust the rail laterally.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tie and rail and the improved chair applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view partly in elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 2; Fig.4: is a diagrammatic sectional view of a structural element consisting of an I-beam showing in dotted lines the manner in which this structural element is to be sent in order to form my chair per 86.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to these figures, A designates a tie of any suitable construction but preferably of wood and B designates a rail which may be of any suitable form but is illustrated as a standard rail. Resting upon the tie and supporting the rail is my improved chair which consists of a bed plate 1 having a flat lower face adapted to rest upon the face of the tie, the bed plate being perforated for the passage of screw spikes 2 or spikes of any other suitable character. These screw spikes form the permanent or primary fastenings whereby the plate is held to the tie.

he bed plate is formed with upwardly extending transverse flanges 3 constituting parallel spaced abutments. These flanges are spaced from each other a distance greater than the width of the rail base. Each of these abutments is formed with a longitudinally extended slot or opening 4 the purpose of which will hereafter appear.

Disposed between the head of the rail and the base flange thereof on each side of the Web is a bracing plate designated 5. These rail braces consist of rolled sections of metal and are especially designed to provide for the vertical expansion or contraction of the rail. The upper end of each brace is rounded and beveled so as to engage with the under face of the head of the rail at its intersection with the web. The lower end of each brace is formed with an enlarged bevel faced base Which is adapted to rest upon the upper face of the base flange adjacent the edge of the flange. The outer face of each brace is upwardly and inwardly inclined and a wedge-shaped space is thus left between each abutment and the outer face of each brace. Disposed in this space are the primary wedges 6; Both of these wedges are alike in construction. Each wedge has a flat outer face which bears against the inner face of the corresponding abutment and an inclined inner face which bears against the inclined outer face of the corresponding rail brace 5. The wedges 6 are slightly longer than the rail brace 5 and have end flanges or lips 7 which engage over the ends of the corresponding rail brace thus locking the rail brace from any longitudinal movement rela tive to the wedge 6. Each wedge 6 at its middle is formed with a recess 8 which opens upon the outer face of the wedge. This recess 8 on its inner face extends downwardly from the top of the wedge, then downwardly and outward and then extends horizontally outwardly. Each of these re cesses 8 is disposed at the middle of the wedge 6 and therefore each of the slots l in the corresponding abutment opens into one or these recesses S.

Disposed in each recess 8 is a locking member 9. This locking member is angular in form. One leg of the locking member is adapted to extend through the slot 4: while the other leg extends upwardly in the recess 8 and above the upper face of the wedge. Each locking member is formed on its inner side with a straight or vertical face and with a downwardly and outwardly inclined face, and the upper end of each locking member where it projects above the upper face of the wedge is formed with a tapered opening extending parallel to the rail and adapted to receive a tapered key designated 10. This opening is so disposed as to give a point of contact between the key 10 and the surface of the tightening wedge at both ends of the key after the same has been inserted into the opening of the lock.

It will be seen that the member 9 constitutes a tenon and that the recess 8 constitutes a mortise in which the tenon is placed and that this tenon locks the wedge from any longitudinal movement and that the wedge in turn locks the rail brace from any longitudinal movement. Furthermore it will be seen that the'key 10 looks the Wedge from any upward movement and that the farther in this key is driven, the greater will be the downward force exerted upon the wedge. This key be held in place by any suitable means but as illustrated the key is formed with a plurality of transverse perforations for the reception of bolts 11.- As illustrated there are three or more perforations 12 in each key for the reception of the bolt, thus providing for three adjustments of the tapering key 10. The under face of the key 10 is flat but the upper face is beveled or tapered so that as the key is driven inwardly, it willact to force downwardly on the wedge 6. This downward pressure on the wedge 6 will of course be transformed into a lateral pressure acting to force the rail braces 5 into firm engagement with the rail. If now one of the keys 10 be inserted into one tenon to a position where the first bolt hole is disposed beyond the tenon and the other key be driven home, it will be obvious that the rail will be forced laterally and thus will be laterally adjusted relative to the chair. By making the recesses or mortises l deeper than the depth of the tenons 9, provision is made for lifting the rail and braces relative to these wedges and for the insertion of one or more shims beneath the rail to lift it to a greater or less degree. Of course the tapering keys 10 will be adjusted in accordance with the elevation of the rail and these tapering keys will be driven more fully home when the rail rests upon the bed plate of the chair than when the rail is raised by the shims.

While shims may not be used under all circumstances, there has been illustrated, in Fig. 1, a shim designated 13 disposed between the base of the rail and the bed plate.

The advantages of the present chair are as follows: By the adjustment of the taper ing keys 10 in the openings of the looking tenon, the tightening wedges 6 may be tightened or released which will admit of the rail being raised and a shim or shims placed between the base of the rail and the bed plate. By adjusting the tapering keys in the locking tenons, the rail may be moved laterally to allow for a variation in gage as required on curves. The tenon is locked in place by the engagement of the short leg of the tenon through the slot 4: so that the tenon is always held from displacement and thus prevented from gradual working out of the tenon due to vibration and jar. Inasmuch as the tapering keys engage with the locking tenons and force the wedges downward, and inasmuch as the wedges engage with the rail brace upon one side and with the corresponding abutment on the other side, the rail is securely bound to and engaged with the chair.

The construction permits the rail to be laterally or vertically adjusted without removing the primary fastenings, that is, the screw spikes or bolts holding the chair to the tie. This adjustment may be made with a minimum of labor and the only tool required is a sledge-hammer for driving the tapering keys 6 home. By providing primary fastenings not subjected to any pulling action by the thrust upon a rail and with the elimination of consequent spike wear, inferior grades of wood can be used as ties and treated so as to double the normal life of an untreated tie. Thus there will be a decided resultant economy in maintenance in that there will be practically no disturbance of the track.

The improved rail chair will prevent spreading and overturning of the rails due to the shearing of spikes and will provide a safe means of holding the rails to wood ties even under heavy high speed trafiic. Furthermore the improved rail holding means and chair prevents the creeping of the rails or at least reduces creeping to a minimum. Again the rail brace will engage the rail with a certain resiliency and will yield when the rail is placed under undue stress thus preventing the base flange of the rail from being sheared under these circumstances.

The type of chair above described is particularly adapted for lines extending through mountainous districts where the grade of the track is constantly varying and where there is liable to be excessive curvature. Under these circumstances the track is subjected to great stress and strains and the improved rail chair and clamping means is particularly adapted to resist these strains and to be used under circumstances where resistance must be made to lateral thrust. It is the common practice in this country to slightly incline the rail by slightly beveling the face of the tie. It is obvious, of course, that the bed plate may be also supported in a slightly inclined position by beveling the face of the tie or the plate.

Particular attention may be called in connection with my improved rail chair to the oii'icial report of the Block Signal and Train Control Board of the Interstate Commerce Commission, this report being dated June 29, 1912, wherein certain requirements are laid down for rail supports and wherein the board says: fundamental defect in de sign which is most apparent is the failure to realize and appreciate the overturning movement due to the wheel flange pressure against the head of the rail. It is not suilicient that the tie should support the vertical loads and resist directly horizontal thrusts and the tendency of the track to move laterally and longitudinally, but the overturning movement must be resisted. In order that the tie may properly support the stresses transmitted to it by the rail, a suitable fastening of the rails to the ties is most essential. Further the report states that under conditions existing in a large proportion of the railroads in this country the means of adjustment of rail to tie must be such as to admit of blocking up or shimming. The board further says that adequate means should be provided for shimming or for widening gage and this means should not involve lost motion and change of adjustment. It is pointed out that the improved rail chair, as heretofore described, conforms to all of the requirements referred to in this report and at the same time.

.in adjusted position.

2. The combination with a bed-plate having upstanding abutments, of a rail adapted to rest on the bed-plate or on a shim and adjustable vertically and laterally with respect to the bed-plate, means for permanently securing the bed-plate to a sub-structure, adjustable rail wedging members disposed between the abutments and rail, and means operatively engaging the abutments for holding said wedges in adjusted position.

3. The combination with a bed-plate having upstanding abutments, of a rail adapted to rest on the bed-plate or on a shim between said abutments, rail braces engaging the base and head of the rail and having outwardly and downwardly inclined outer faces, vertically movable wedging members disposed between the abutments and rail braces and engaging therewith, and means for holding said wedging members in adjusted position.

4t. The combination with a bed-plate hav ing upstanding abutments, of a rail adapted to rest on the bed-plate or on a shim between said abutments and adjustable vertically and laterally with respect to the bed-plate, means for permanently securing the bedplate to a sub-structure, rail braces resting on the base of the rail and bearing against the under side of the head thereof, said rail braces having outwardly and downwardly inclined outer faces, a vertically movable W8C ge disposed between each abutment and the corresponding rail brace, said wedges having end flanges engaging over the ends of the corresponding brace, and means for preventing longitudinal movement of the wedges.

5. A rail chair including a bed plate, upstanding, parallel abutments spaced from each other a distance greater than the width of a rail base, each of said abutments being formed with an opening, a vertically movable wedge disposed on the inner side of each abutment, each wedge having a mortise opening upon the outer face of the wedge, and a wedge locking member angular in form disposed within each mortise and hav ing one leg thereof projectingthrough the opening in the corresponding abutment.

6. A rail chair including a bed plate, upstanding parallel abutments spaced from each other a distance greater than the width of a rail base, each of said abutments being formed with an opening, a vertically movable wedge disposed on the inner side of each abutment, each wedge having a mortise opening upon the outer face of the wedge,.a wedge locking member angular in form di posed within each mortise and having one leg thereof projecting through the opening in the corresponding abutment, and means for holding said Wedge members in adjusted position.

7. A rail chair including a bed plate, upstanding, parallel abutments spaced from each other a distance greater than the width of a rail base,each of said abutments being formed with an opening, vertically movable wedge disposed on the inner side of each abutment, each wedge having a mortise opening upon the outer face of the wedge, a wedge locking member angular in form dis posed within each mortise and having one leg thereof projecting through the opening in the corresponding abutment, and keys passing transversely through the upper ends of the locking members and bearing upon the upper faces of the wedges.

8. A rail chair including a bed plate, upstanding, parallel abutments spaced from each other a distance greater than the width of a rail base, each of said abutments being formed with an opening, a vertically movable wedge disposed on the inner side of each abutment, each wedge having a mortise opening upon the outer face of the wedge, a ,wedge locking member angular in form disposed within each mortise and having one leg thereof projecting through the opening in the corresponding abutment, and tapering keys passing transversely through the upper ends of the locking members and bearing upon the upper faces of the wedges.

9. A rail chair including a bed plate, upstanding, parallel abutments spaced from each other a distance greater than the width of a rail base, each of said abutments being formed with an opening, a vertically movable wedge disposed on the inner side of each abutment, each wedge having a mortise openiiig upon the outer face of the wedge, a wedge locking member angular in form disposed within each mortise and having one leg thereof projecting through the opening in the corresponding abutment, tapering keys passing transversely through the upper ends of the locking members and bearing upon the upper faces of the wedges, and means for holding said keys in adjusted position.

10. A rail chair including a bed plate, upstanding, abutments spaced from each other a distance greater than the width of a rail base, each ofsaid abutments being formed with an opening, a vertically movable wedge disposed on the inner side of each abutment, each wedge having a mortise opening upon the outer face of the wedge, a wedge locking member angular in form disposed within each mortise and having one leg thereof projecting through the opening in the corresponding abutment, tapering keys passing transversely through the upper ends of the locking members and bearing upon the upper faces of the wedges, each key being formed with a plurality of transverse openings, and pins adapted to be inserted in said openings to hold the keys from shifting.

11. A rail chair including a bed plate, upstanding, abutments spaced from each other a distance greater than the width of a rail base, rail braces adapted to engage the head and base flange of a rail and each having an outwardly and downwardly inclined outer face, a wedge for each side of the rail, each wedge having a flat outer face adapted to contact with the corresponding abutment and an inclined inner face adapted to contact with the inclined face of the corresponding rail brace, locking means for each wedge adapted to engage the wedge and the abutment to hold the wedge from longitudinal movement, and means for holding said looking means in adjusted position and engaging the corresponding Wedge.

12. A rail chair including a bed plate, upstanding, abutments spaced from each other a distance greater than the width of a rail base, rail braces adapted to engage the head and base flange of a rail and each having an outwardly and downwardly inclined outer face, a Wedge for each side of the rail, each wedge having a fiat outer face adapted to contact with the corresponding abutment and an inclined inner face adapted to contact with the inclined face of the corresponding rail bra e, locking means for each wedge adapted to engage the wedge and the abutment to hold the wedge from longitudinal movement, and means engaging the locking means and the wedge adapted to force the wedge downward.

13. The combination with a tie and a rail, of a chair comprising a plate having approximately the same width as the tie, the chair being formed with upstanding abutments spaced from the ends of the bed plate and spaced from each other a distance greater than the width of the base of said rail, each of said abutments being slotted, upwardly and inwardly inclined rail braces resting at their lower ends upon the rail base and at their upper ends engaging beneath the head of the rail, vertically movable wedges longer than said rail braces and having end flanges engaging over the rail braces, means for preventing longitudinal movement of said wedges, and means for forcing said wedges downward and holding them in adjusted position.

14. The combination with a bed-plate having an upstanding abutment, of a rail adapted to rest on the bed'plate or on a shim and adjustable vertically and laterally with respect to the bed-plate, a rail holding member, a wedging member bearing against the rail holding member, means for interlocking the wedging member with the abutment but per mittin g a vertical movement of said wedging member, and means engaging the last-mentioned means for exerting downward pressure upon the wedging member.

15. In a rail chair, a bed plate having an upstanding abutment, a rail brace, a wedging member disposed between the abutment and the rail brace, a member interlocking the wedging member with the abutment and preventing longitudinal movement of the wedging member and preventing vertical upward movement of the wedging member beyond a predetermined height, and means engaging said interlocking member for forcing the wedging member downward.

16. A rail chair having a seat and provided with upstanding abutments, rail braces adapted to engage the head and base of a rail, respectively, vertically movable wedges cooperating with the abutments and rail braces for holding a rail directly on a seat or on a shim, and means for exerting a locking pressure upon the wedges.

17. A rail chair having a seat and provided with upstanding abutments, oppositely disposed braces located between the abutments and having downwardly and outwardly inclined faces, vertically movable wedges disposed between the rail braces and abutments for holding a rail directly on the seat or on a shim, and means for exerting a downward pressure on the wedges for clamping the base of the rail on said seat orshim.

18. A rail chair having a seat and pro vided with upstanding abutments, rail braces adapted to engage the head and base of a rail, respectively, vertically movable wedges interposed between the abutments and rail braces for holding a rail directly on the seat or on a shim and provided with openings, and means extending through said openings for exerting a locking pressure upon the wedges.

19. The combination with a bed-plate having a seat and provided with upstanding abutments, of a rail resting on the seat or on a shim between said abutments, rail braces disposed on opposite sides of the rail, vertically movable wedges interposed between the abutments and rail braces and provided with lips bearing against the rail braces, and means piercing the wedges for exerting a downward pressure thereon.

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

AUGUST G. LIEBMAIJN. [1 s] Witnesses:

Fnnnnnic B. WRIGHT, J. D. YOAKLEY.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G.

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