US1212364A - Method of treatment of worn steel rails. - Google Patents

Description

G. LANGFORD.

METHOD OF TREATMENT OF WORN STEEL RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1915.

Patented J an. 16, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

G. LANGFORD. METHOD OF TREATMENT OF WORN STEEL RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I4, 1915.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G. LANGFORD.

METHOD OF TREATMENT OF WORN STEEL RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I4. 1915.

L lg sfi, Patented Jan. 16,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

worn rail was TED AS PAEENT ICE.

GEORGE LANGFORD, 0F JOLIET, ILLINOIS,'ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN McKENNA PROCESS COMPANY, 'OF MILWAUKEE. WISCONSIN. A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

METHOD OF TREATMENT OF WORN STEEL RAILS.

My invention relates to a method of treatment of worn steel rails to render them usable for the original purpose for which they were employed.

As is wellknown, railroad rails wear out rather rapidly, due to the exacting service required by modern high speed and heavy loading conditions. This wearing out, find, isdue to a number of distinct and separate causes, some of which may be enumerated as follows: (1) The metal of the rail head is actually worn away or lessened by abrasion or attrition. (2) The metal of the head and other-parts is displaced, as by rolling and pounding of the wheels. (3) The ends of the rail are battered and deformed by the wheels jumping across the joints. (4) The fishing including the surfaces forming plates on the lower side of the head are distorted and pounded out.

The first effect is most pronounced on curves and rails are often discarded because of actual loss of metal. The last two effects are the most destructive on tangent track.

The joint loses strength and the rail must be renewed. Since the main body of the rail is still usable, the operating companies have for some time practised cutting off the ends of the rails far enough back to secure a good joint and relaying the rail. This is only a partial solution of the difficulty, as the rails are thereby shortened.

It has been known prior to my invention that used or worn rails may be rerolled by reducing the cross section of the rail throughout its entire length, the old rail serving merely as raw material or as-a billet for the new product. That is to say, if the formerly a 75-lb. rail, this rail may he reduced throughout its entire length to any less size, depending upon the degree of wear or displacement of the metal,

Specification of Letters Patent.

the bearing of the anglecontent will Patented J an. 116, 1917.

Serial No. 28,096.

i but this never has been of interest to the railroads, as the trend of railroad construction is always to increase the weight of rail being laid, or at least to maintain the same weight of rail and this weight of rerolled rail is far too light and is suitable only for mining, lumber and contractors track constructions. Hence, the solution of the problem of making the best disposition of worn rails is not solved by rerolling. Attempts have also been made heretofore to renew the rails after the same have become worn, but so great difficulty has been experienced in securing a satisfactory product that such renewal process has been confined to rails which have become very slightly worn only.

I employ the term renew in contradistinction to the term reroll as indicating a treatment of the steel rail whereby the reduction of the cross section of the original rail is made as little as possible.

There are a number of apparently irreconcilable conditions which are to be met in renewing rails, which conditions I have found it possible to overcome. f the metal of the rails is to be displaced or caused to flow, it is necessary to heat and soften the rails, but it is imperative that the heating be not carried to a point where the carbon be substantially injured. But rolling at this low heat presents very great difficulty. The metal is very stiff and it is hard to cause it to fill the rolls. As the metal cannot be made to fill the rolls, the draft is unequal and, as a result, the rail squirms in the rolls and comes out kinky, as well as having rough spots where the rolls did not touch. These are difficulties in rolling. A number of diificultiesin operation-or use of the rails when so renewed, which will be described later, also arise.

The employment of my invention obviates, to a very great extent, the difficulties of rolling, as well as the difiiculties of operation in the use of the renewed rails, as will become apparent from the following specification.

The objett of my invention is to provide an improved method of treatment of worn steel rails to render them usable for the purpose for which they were originally employed.

Another object is to provide an improved process for reforming an unsymmetrical worn rail into a symmetrical steel rail with the same in accordance a standard 100-lb. rail such as a minimum of effort and cost, the renewed rail having the same general dimensions as the original rail. 7

Another objectis to provide a method of renewing worn steel rails into symmetrical steel rails which will be'straight and evenly formed and free of internal stresses.

Another object is to provide a method of renewing steel rails with a minimum of change in the physical condition of the steel and with a minimum shifting of the metal in the body of the rail itself.

Another object is to provide an improved method of renewing worn rails by rolling them in the same general dimensions as the original rail, but forming the head into a shape following in general the contour of wear.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a renewed rail having full and ample bearing surfaces for the joints or angle-bars, and which will be usable for the purpose for which it was originally formed.

I shall now describe with more particularity the nature of the invention in order that those skilled in the art may employ and practise the same.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the present specification, Figure 1 is an outline of the cross section of a standard rail such as is at present in common use throughout this country, the angleplates for forming the joint being also shown in outline; Fig. 2 is a similar diagram showing a shape which the rail head may assume after considerable wear; Fig. 3 is an outline of the contour which the rail head may assume when worn to a greater degree than shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an outline of the rail showing the same degree of wear as shown in Fig. 3, and indicating, also in outline, the shape into which I form with my invention. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 indicate, in outline, rail heads showing different degrees of wear, and, Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the shape in which I have found it possible to form the heads shown in Figs. 5,6, and 7.

In Fig. 1, I have shown, diagrammatically, in outline for purposes of comparison, is in common use on the railroads throughoutthis country, together with the angle- plates 2 and 3 which are employed for forming a joint 'be tween the ends of the rails. Assume that this rail becomes worn to the condition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The head 4 has lost considerable metal and the bearing surfaces 7 and 8 on the lower side of the head have become virtually destroyed by wear. This is not shown in the figures as it would confuse the drawing, but the same is well understood by those skilled in the art. It is impossible to wedge the angle plates in farther as they strike the web. I find that 9 and 10 on the flange,

would not touch the rolls and 7 mental effect.

these bearing surfaces are of the greatest im I portance, since the strength of the rail joint depends wholly effect of the plates 2 and 3 between the ends of the rails. This fact has hitherto been ignored in pre\-'ious.attempts to renew rails.

As soon as the bearing surfaces and 8 are destroyed so that the angle-plates no longer wedge between the head and the flange, the strength of the joint is gone. Since the bearing surfaces 7 and 8 on the head are smaller than the bearing surfaces faces 7 and 8 become the limiting factors in the strength of the joint. As the joint is the weakest part in the track, the value of the track virtually depends upon the bearing surfaces 7 and 8 between the rail head and the angle plates.

I am familiar with the process of renew practised under the Mc-- ing steel rails as Kenna Patent N 0. 522,228, and as modified by later developments in the art. This process amounts to rerolling the rails with a view to reducing the cross section of the rail equally in all the original height of the original rail. Under the prior practice the worn steel rail shown in Fig. 2 would be rerolled to the outline-shown in full lines 11 (Fig. 2),.but the greatest difficulty is experienced in trying to fill the relatively sharp corners l2 and 13, because the metal is stiff and cold-and cannot be made to flow freely.

As above explained, the heating of the upon the beam or girder these bearing surdimensions, while maintaining rails can be carried only to apoint where the i composition of the steel will not be affected and this point is so low as to secure very little fluidity of the metal.

Due to the great pressure necessary in attempting to fill the corners, the draft is so uneven, being especially light at the worn 2 ow assume that the rail is worn to the shape outlined in Fig. 3. Under the prior practice if it were attempted to renew this type of rail the bearing surfaces 7 and8 would be so narrow as to be of much reduced strength. Furthermore, it would beimpossible, practically, the relative-l;- on the worn 51 cc of the head. Hence, there would be occasonal places where the rail the resulting highly detrito shift the metal in uneven draft would have a too kinky to be -cold state into the corner 12' The rail would not only be straightened but also too' misses rolled into the form indicated in outline in Fig. 8 and designated by the letter A. The rails are placed in a furnace, and the entire rail is heated to a degree short of affecting the quality of the metal. The furnace may be heated by coal, gas, oil or electricity; the only requirement that I impose is that'the entire rail be heated substantially uniformly throughout its entire length. Oth erwise any preferred form of furnace may be employed. The rail is then taken from the furnace and passed through a pair of rolls, making a single pass and is then passed through the finishing rolls, which gives it one of the contours shown in Fig. 8. Assuming that the rails are of an area equal to that. shown in Fig. 5, finishing rolls will be employed which will turn out the rail in outline corresponding to the section designated in Fig. 8 by the reference character A. If the rails which are being renewed are of an area substantially corresponding to that shown in Fig. 6, the finishing rolls which are employed are of such a form as to give an outline of the finished rail as indicated by the reference character B in Fig. 8; and if the rails which are treated are of an area equal to that shown in Fig. 7, the finishing rolls will turn out the rails in an outline corresponding to that designated by the reference character reduced and the flange is reduced as little as possible. The change is practically all made in the head. This rolling and finishing, which I prefer to make in two separate sets of rolls of a single pass through each set, elongates the rail to an amount which will allow the battered ends of the rail tobe sawed ofl, leaving the end where the joint is to be formed in as good condition as the original new rail. This restoration of the fishing, that is the contour of the rail at the point where the angle-plate or fish-plate bears upon the rail to form a joint, is of the utmost importance.

In use of the renewed rail, the same dificulties which were attendant upon attempts to employ the rails renewed according to prior processes, have been largely, if not entirely, overcome. First. The bearing of the'angle thehead is substantially as great as it was in the original rail. The width of the bottom part of the head'is substantially the same as that of the original rail; hence there will be no offset in the gage of the track and substantially none in the height of the track at a joint between a new rail and a renewed rail and ofl'set plates will not be required. Due to following an outline corresponding to the contour of wear, the internal stresses in the rails will be less, the rails will be straighter and more nearly uniform and will wear evenly and a longer useful life of the rail is obtained.

uneven for use. The flanges of the carwheels would strike the angle plates and might either break the joint or the flanges ofthe wheels. Hence, previous to my invention, no attempt has been made to renew a rail as badly worn as that shownin Fig. 3.

According to my invention, the metal is shifted as little as possible and is shifted in the head only. I do not disturb the metal of the web and disturb the metal of the flange 6 as little as possible, only sufficient pressure being placed upon this part to cause the rolls to grip the same.

I have found that it is possible to renew steel rails which have been worn to a very considerable degree by employing an outline which will follow in general the contour of wear. For example, instead of forming the sides of the head on a line perpendicular to the face of the flange, the sides of the head are tapered and joined to the top by rounded fillets such that the metal will very readily fill the same.

I wish it understood that I purposely deviate from the outline of the original rail head. 4

A number of very striking advantages accrue. The width of the head at the bottom is kept more closely to the original width, thus insuring greater bearing of the anglebars at the under sides of the head, at the bearing surfaces 7 and 8, which as above explained are of prime importance. The angle-bars do not project from the sides of the head, and hence there is nogdanger that the flanges of the wheels will strike the anglebars and cause damage. The head top corner fillets are of such an outline that the metal will fill the same. Under the previous practice this has not been possible and has never been attempted. Due to the metal properly filling the rolls, the rails will not come out kinky and less labor of straightening will be required. There is less elongation and reduction in weight per yard in making the properly-filled head sections. The draft is more evenly distributed. The life of the rails is very considerably lengthened; that is to say, rails which have been worn to a degree such that it would not have been possible under prior practice to renew the same, may now be renewed into a shape which is acceptable to the railroads and can be produced at a minimum cost. v

In practice, I follow the following method of procedure: First, the worn rails are taken out of the track and are sorted according to the de ree of wear, as indicated in Figs. 5, 6 and into separate piles or heaps, in, say, three grades, an A grade, a B grade, and a C grade. I wish it understood that a diflerent system of grading maybe employed, the present scheme being only one of a number of ways in which the rails may be graded. The A grade may be or fish-plate upon the lower side of C in Fig. 8. The web is not i in While I have described my invention with considerable particularity, this has been done not in the sense of implying limitations, but for-making clear one manner inwhich the invention is practised. It can be seen that my invention provides a method of renewingrails which permits of greatly prolonged life of a steel rail and therefore teaches an enormous economic saving of material.

1 standard shape of rails may be employed in I do ,not intend to be limited to the employment of any specificor definite outlines in practising my invention, the above examples having been given merely for the sake of illustration and as showing one manner in which the invention may be practised. The same principles which have been pointed out above in connection with one dealing with any other standard shape which has heretofore been devised or may be hereafter devised. of the renewed rail follows the'contour of wear it can be seen that the least effort and the best results may be obtained.

I In a companion co-pending application, Serial N 0. 28,260, filed May 15th, 1915, I describe a method whereby an unsymmetrical rail may be produced by following teachings similar to those above set out. In the present application I describe specifically the production of a symmetrical rail from an So long as the contour.

unsymmetrical worn rail, as being the hardest condition to meet.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is the following:

1. The process of renewing worn steel rails to render them usable for the purpose for which they were originally employed, which consists in heating the rails to a degree short of affecting the quality of-the metal, then changing the contour of the head only, in amount depending upon the degree of wear, but leavmg the flange and web substantially the same and restoring the -reduction of cross section due fishing of the rail to the original or a suitable contour and then sawing ofi the ends of the rail.

2. The process of renewing worn steel rails to renderthem usable for the purpose for which they were originally employed which consists in heating the rails to a degree just short of affecting materially the quality of the metal, then redistributing the metal of the head into a shape following in general the contour of wear, and rounding the upper head corners of the rail in degree corresponding to the reduction of cross section of the rail, in order to fill the rolls entirely, the cross section of the web and flange being reduced as little as possible whereby a rail of substantially the same general dimensions and of the original or a suitable fishing is produced as the original rail.

3. The process of renewing worn steel rails to render them usable for the purpose for which they were originally employed which consists in heating the entire rail to a degree just short of materially affecting the quality of the metal, then redistributing the metal of the head into a symmetrical shape following in general the contour of wear, rounding the upper head-corners and taperihg the sides in degree corresponding to the to wear, restoring the original fishing and maintaining substantially the full width of the base of the head, the cross section of the flange being reduced as little as possible, whereby a rail of substantially the same general dimensions of outline, of fishing and of width of base is produced such that the rail may be employed in the same track with new rails.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 12th day of May, A. D. 1915.

GEORGE LANGFORD.

Images