US1323397A - Rail-brace - Google Patents

Description

C. T. LAMB.

BA'IL BRACE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 17. 1919.

1 ,32 3, 397. Patented Dec. 2, 1919'.

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CLAUDE r, LAMB, or TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.

, nAIL-Bimon Sp'ecifieation'of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

Application filed April 17, 1918. Serial No. 290,734.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUDE T. LAMB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo, State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Rail-Brace; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suchas will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make anduse the same. 7

The present invention relates to a rail brace, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby it can be readily applied to a conventional railroad track at any point in the length thereof and will firmly brace the rails to prevent overturning thereof as well as tie the rails together so that it is impossible for them to spread.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of this character which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in its construction, which does not require to be spiked to the tie or bolted to the rails, which provides a firm support for the rails, and which admits of the brace blocks being interchanged to fit different weights and sections of the track rails.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations' and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description pro ceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following de scription and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of a rail brace constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the same as applied to a railroad track.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same- Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of one end of the rail brace, showing the same as applied to a track, portions being broken away and shown in section to illustrate more clearly the details of construction.

Fig. illustrates a slight modification of the invention.

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

trate one embodiment of the invention, the

numerals l designate track rails which may be of any approved weight and cross section, and 2 an ordinary wooden t1e which extends transverselv under the rails. An elongated flat plate 3 extends under each of the rails.

offset upwardly at L and terminate in stems N 7 Said Ste-HIS eing formed with right and left hand threads, respectively, and being connected by a turnbuckle 6. The offset portions 4 of the plates throw the turn buckle up away from the tie so that there is v ample clearance space for the proper operation of the turn buckle with the plates rest ing flatly upon the tie.

The outer end of each of the plates 3 terminates in an upstanding lip 7 which may have the inner face thereof vertically grooved at 8. Brace blocks 9 are rigid with the outer ends of the plates 3 and have the inner faces thereof properly shaped, as indicated at 9 to fit in the fishing spaces of the rails and engage the outer walls thereof in such a manner as to prevent overturning of the rails. These brace blocks 9 also have a suflicient height to extend upwardly along the outer sides of the rail heads, as indicated at 9, thereby providing a very firm brace for the rails. These blocks 9 are engaged by the lips 7 and may be formed at their outer ends with vertical tongues 10 which engage the before mentioned grooves 8 of the lips. Fastening members, such as the screws 11, are threaded upwardly through the plates 3 into the blocks 9.and serve to rigidly connect the blocks to the plates. Where the lips 7 are formed with grooves 8 receiving ribs or tongues 10 of the blocks, a single fastening member 11 is sufficient to hold the blocks rigidly in position." Otherwise, two of these screws or fastening members would probably be necessary.

The rail brace is intended to-rest directly upon the tie 2 and to be interposed between the rails and the tie, thereby providing a firm support for the rails even though it is placed upon an old tie. It is not necessary to drill any holes in the rails or to weaken the tie by driving spikes into the same. No changes or alterations are required in either the rails or the tie. The brace blocks 9 conform to the contour of Referring to the drawings, which i]lu the outer sides of the vrailsand fit accurately against the same so as to prevent overturning of the rails, and the turn buckle 6 enables the plates to be moved toward or away from each other to adjust the device accurately for the width of the track. Spreading of the rails is impossible, and the device can be readily applied to a track at any point in the length thereof. Furthermore, the brace blocks 9 are detachable and interchangeable, and proper brace blocks to fit any weight or cross section of the track rails can be readily applied to the plates without difliculty' Fig. t illustrates a slight modification in which the end blocks 9 have a skeletonized formation, thereby enabling a saving to be made in material and reducing the weight of the end blocks without decreasing the strength thereof. These blocks 9 may either be made integral with the base plate 3 or be detachably secured thereto by suitable screws 11. The modified form of the invention is used in identically the same manner as the other form and provides a firm brace which will prevent spreading or overturning of the track rails.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A. rail brace including elongated plates adapted to extend under the track rails and terminating at their outer ends in upstanding lips having grooves therein, an adjustable connection between the inner ends of the plates, brace blocks fitting upon the outer ends of the plates and provided at their outer ends with ribs which interlock with the grooves of the lips, the inner ends of the brace blocks beingshaped to conform to the contour of the rail sides with which they have a close engagement, and fastening members extending upwardly through the plates into engagement with the blocks to hold them removably in position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLAUDE T. LAMB.

l/Vitnesses:

FRED CONDER, W. R. STAUGH.

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