US1235775A - Rail-clamp. - Google Patents

Description

A. DUMONT.

RAIL CLAMP.

APPLICATION FiLED APR. 9.1917- Patented Aug. v 7 1917.

ALBERT DUMONT, or DETROIT, MIHIGAN.

RAIL-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Allg. 7,1917.

Application filed April 9, 1917. Serial No. 160,821.

To all 'whom t may concern.' v

Be it known that I, rALBERT DUMONT, a citizen of the United States, residing atDetroit, in the county of l/Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Clamps; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates generally to railroad appliances, and more particularly to certain new and useful improvements in rail clamps.

The primary obj ect of the invention is to provide a means whereby the ends of two adjacent rails may be firmly clamped togethe'r without the use of bolts or other similar loose securing elements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rail clamp, the greater 'portion of vwhichfis disposed beneath the flange of the rail and thus out of the way of the wheels of the trains, and also in such a position that will not invite meddlesome persons to.

reliable in operation, and well adapted to i the purpose for which it is designed.

With these and numerous other objects in View, the Vinvention consists of certain novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of partsV which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing wherein the preferred form of the invention yis illustrated:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device constructed 'in accordance with this invention, showing it in clamped relation with the ends of a pair of adjacent rail sections;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the device applied to the rail, taken on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In specifically describing the structu-re shown in the drawings above briefly described, similar reference characters willjbe used to designate like parts'throughout the several views, and reference will be herein made to the various elements by their respective indices. To thisend, the letters A, A represent the ends of a pair of adj acent rail sections, which are of the usual construction having a tread flange a, base flange b and a vertical web c connecting the two flanges. Obviously, these parts foim no part of the present invention, and are merely shown and described for the-purpose of making the use and construction of the present invention clear.

ingprovided at its edges with inwardly extending lugs 3 havingalined apertures 4f.

therein, while the member 2 is provided intermediate of its edges with a lug 5k also having an aperture 6 therein. The lug 5 is disposed between the lugs 3, the aperturc 6 being alined with the apertures l, and a pivot pin 7 is theninsertedthrough these apertures to hinge the two members together. As shown, they are hinged together at a'point intermediate their upper and lower ends. l l

The inner sides of the upper ends of the members l and 2 engage the opposite sides of the web c of the rails and are provided with opposing recesses 8 which receive the opposite'sides ofthe base flange b.

To prevent the clamp from moving longitudinally along the rail, a small stud or pin 9 carried by the member l is inserted in an opening d in the web of the rail. This pin 9 may be formed as an integral part of the member l, or itmay, as here shown,`be driven intoa socket arranged in said member. i

The inner sides of the lower ends of the members 1 and 2 are provided with opposing recesses 10, which are substantially semicircular in section in order to provide for the reception of a wedge member. This wedge member consists of a longitudinal pin l1, which is greater in diameter than the distance between the opposite walls of the recesses 10 whenthe members 1 and 2 are in position upon the rail ready to .be v

rupt taper 12 which is sufficient to expand the lower ends of the members l and 2 to allow the pin 1l to be driven between the same, and when this is done, the upper ends of the members are moved into their clamping position.

In applying the attachment to use, the two members while in separated condition, that is, with the pin 11 removed, are disposed on opposite sides of the rails. rfhe pin 7 is then inserted in place, and when it is desired yto clamp the ends of the rail sections together, the pin 11 is driven into place.

It will be seen that the hinge and wedge member are disposed directly beneath the central portion of the rail, and hence there are no projecting or protruding members to become broken. Furthermore, in such position the separable members will not become readily detached or invite meddlesome persons to interfere with and detach the same. 1

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, use and operation of the device will be readily understood without a more extended explanation.l

As various changes in form, proportion, and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of this invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the precise construction herein shown andtd'escribed.

I claim l. A device of the class describedvcomprising a pair of clamp members hinged together between their ends, one of the ends of said members being adapted to engage the opposite sides of the rail, and means for relatively expanding the other ends of said member so as to move their first mentioned ends into clamping position.

2. A device of the class described comprising a pair of clamp members hinged-to gether between their ends, one of the ends of said members being adapted to engage the opposite sides of the rail, and a wedge member inserted between the other ends `of said members to relatively expand said other Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing Washington, 1D. C. I

ends so as to move their first mentioned ends into clamping position.

3. A device of the class described comprising a pair of clamp members hinged together between their ends` one of the ends of said members being adapted to engage the opposite sides of the rail, and a pin inserted longitudinally between the other ends ofsaid members to relatively expand said other ends so as to move their first mentioned ends into clamping position.

4l. A device of the class described comprising a pair of clamp members hinged together between their ends, one of the ends of said members being adapted to engage the opposite sides of the rail, the innerl faces of the other ends of said members being provided with opposing recesses, and a pin inserted longitudinally between the said other ends of said members to relatively expand said other ends so as to move their first mentioned ends into clamping position.

5. A device of the class described comprising a pair of clamp members hinged together between their ends, the inner sides of one of the ends of said members being adapted to engage the opposite sides of the web ofthe rail and being provided with opposing recesses vto receive the base flange thereof, and means for relatively expanding the other endsV of said members so as to move their first mentioned ends into clamping position.

6. The combination with a rail oint, of a clamp composed of a pair of clamp members hinged together between their ends, one of the ends of said members engaging the opposite sides of said rail, and a wedge pin inserted between the other ends of `said members for relatively expanding said-other ends so as lto move their first mentioned ends into clamping position, the hinge of said member and saidA pin being disposed directly beneath the rail.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

, ALBERT DUMONT.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH V. KRIMMEL, JOHN F. EATHERLY.

the Commissioner of Patents,

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