US1673424A

US1673424A - Rail bond

Info

Publication number: US1673424A
Application number: US502430A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ben H Ryder
Original assignee: American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey
Current assignee: American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey
Priority date: 1921-09-22
Filing date: 1921-09-22
Publication date: 1928-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 1945-06-12

Description

B. H. RYDER RAIL BOND June l2, 1928. 1,673,424

Filed Sept. 22. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w# M @Hen/.lder

Afm@

June 12, 1928. 1,673,424

B. H. RYDER RAIL BOND `Filed Sept: 22. 1921 y 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

BEN H. RYDER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN STEEL AND WIRE COMPANY OF NEW JERSEY, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

,Application filed September 22, 1921.

My invention relates to rail bonds, and

more particularly to rail bonds of the com-1 the bond terminals to the desired part of the track rails may be readily and quickly accomplished, in a strong and durable manner, and a bond connection of high conductivity is obtained.

Another object of the invention. is the provision of a rail bond having a conductor of cuprous metal and composite terminals having a center or body portion of cuprous or other metal of high electrical conductivity, and an outer shell of ferrous metal adapted to be readily welded to steel rails, the terminal shells being adapted to engage or contact with the surfaceof the track rails and to be directly connectedpr united thereto b the welding metal used in uniting the bon terminals to the track rails.

Still further objects of this invention consist in the provision of rail bonds having the novel constructions and composition of parts shown in the drawings, to be described more fully hereinafter and to be articularly pointed outin the appended c aims. Broadly, my invention involves the application of terminal shells in the-form of receptacles open on one side and formed of steel or similar'metal to the ends of bond' conductors formed of copper, copper alloys, or other metal of high electrical conductivity. Such a terminal having an outer skin or face of steel or similar metal which may be readily welded to the steel rails in the field is essential. In making m improved rail bond, the end of the terminal is inserted in the terminal shell, and is melted therein, the shell being filled by melting therein additional metal of substantially the .same coinposition as the conductor. Being fused together, a vperfect weld or union between the copper and steel or similar metals forming the conductor and composite terminal is thus secured, and A'the terminal is finished `by a forging operation.

RAIL BOND.

Serial No. 502,430.

Referring now to the drawings forming part/of this specification, Figure l is a side elevation showing a rail bond, of the long terminal type embodying the novel features of my invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation, showing the rail bond of Figure l as applied for use to the flange of a track rail;

Figure 3 isa perspective view showing one form of metal shell used in buliding up or forming the composite rail bond terminals of my improved rail bond;

Y Figure 4 Ais a similar perspective view showing the terminal shell of` Figure 3 and an end of the rail bond conductor, as positionedtherein at one stage in the manufacture of the rail bond.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the metal shell of Figures 3 and 4 as filled with the molten metal forming the center and body portion of the terminals at a later stage in the manufacture of the terminals;

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the built up or composite terminal of Figure 5 at the completion of the forging or terminal shaping operation, by which the built up terminal o Figure 5 is compacted and.

made more dense and finished to the desired size and contour;

Figure 7 is a perspective View similar to Figure 5 showing a modified forni of metal shell, as filled with molten cuprous metal in forming the body or center of the termi- 'nal in accorda-nce with this invention;

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the terminal of Figure 7 at the completion of the forging or formingr operation, in which the body portion or the built up terminal is compacted and made more dense, and the terminal is finished to size and contour;

Figure 9 is a perspective view showingv a modified form of terminal shell r`made in accordance with my invention;

Figure 10 is a perspective View showing the blank from which the shell of F igure9 is formed;

Figure 1,1 is a perspective View showing a further modified form of terminal made in accordance with my invention;

Fi re 12 is a sectional end elevation showing the formof terminal of Figure 1l unitedto a rail connected by means of a 'Webber rail joint.

In theaccompanying drawings, referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 2 designates the conductor of a rail bond having terminals 3 on the ends thereof. The terminals 3, which as shown are of the long terminal type, are formed of an outer shell 4 which is made of steel or similar metal adapted to be readily welded to a steel rail, and a center or body portion 5 formed of copper, a copper alloy, or metal of similar high electrical conductivity. Ordinarily the conductor 2 will be made of a strand of copper wires, although when desired it may be laminated, in such case being formed of a series of fiat, thin, copper strips, or may be made of a solid bar or rod, as will be readily understood.

In makin rail bonds embodying my invention, a Iiollow, relatively thin walled, trough-like metal shell will be formed, either by forging from a solid bar of suitable size and shape, as shown in Figures 3 and 7, or by bending out of a sheet iof steel in the manner shown in Figures 9 and 10. In making terminal shells like those of Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, or those of Figures 7,. 8, and 11, the end of a bar or rod of suitable size and composition will be heated and'then drop for ed to produce the trough-like shells. T e end ofthe shell of Figures 3 and 7 will be punched or drilled to provide an opening 6 through which an end of the conductor 2 is inserted in the manner' shown in Figure 4 in preparation for the later termina] building or forming operations. In making terminal shells like those of Figure 9, a piece of thin metal plate will first be cut to form a blank shaped as shown in Figure 10, having a central portion l0, wing portions 11, and an end portion 13. Thefiat blank of Figure 10 will then be stamped or pressed so as to form a hollow shell 4,

'with the wings 11 bent up to form the cylindrical end portion 12 thereon provided with an opening 6 to receive one end 3 of the bond termlnal 2. The opposite end is closed by bending up the portion 13. The metal shell, after being forged or shaped, will be cleaned so as to remove any scale or rust on the inner surfaces thereof. An end of the conductor 2 is then inserted through theopening 6 or 6', being telescoped within the metal shell as far as 1t will go, as shown in Figure 4. Instead of telescoping the end of the conductor within the shell for the full length of the shell, in the manner shown in Figure 4, the end of the terminal may be nserted only partA way therein, as will be readily understood.

An electric are is inner surface of the shell and to melt the end of the conductor, and an end of a rod of metal of the same composition as the conductor is introduced into the arc and sufficient metal melted therefrom to completely fill the shell or trough. The metal then used to fuse the shell may be heated preliminary to melting the conductor end and the metal rod, and a suitable fiux may be used to prevent oxidation and cause the molten metal to weld effectively to the inner surface of the shell. This molten metal consisting, as it does, partly of the conductor melted down, will be fused to and firmly united with the conductor end.

The terminals 3 after being built up or formed with a body portion 5 within the shell 4, in the manner which has been described, are then drop forged, in dies provided with cavities of the required shape and size. The terminals will be built up of somewhat larger size than that of the completed terminal, so that in the later forging operation, the cuprous or copper center or body portion of the terminals will be coinpacted and made more dense and, at the same time, the composite terminals will he shaped to finished size and contour. After being removed from the forging dies, the flash or fin, which forms on the edges of the terminals in the forging operation, will he removed by shearing or in any other suitable manner, and with the removal of the flash or fin, the bond terminal is completed. A terminal will be constructed on each end of the conductor 2, in the manner which has been described, in making a complete rail bond.

In the application of the rail bonds to the track rails Aas shown in Figure 2, the flat side of the terminal 3, preferably, will be in engagement with the rail flange or such other part of the rail to which it 1s to be semetal of the rail, so that the difiiculties heretofore experienced in welding two dissimllar metals or metals of different electrical conductivity are'avoided and overcome.

In building up the terminals of Figures 7 and 8, 9 and l0, and 11, the same steps will be employed, and the same results will be obtained as have been described in connection with the terminals of the other figures of the drawings.

The form of terminal 14 shown in Figures 11 and 12 is provided with a fiattened side 15 adapted to be placed in contact with the head of the rail 16, and is further provided with a sloping surface 17 which is ada ted to receive the welding metal 18 b w ich the terminal is joined to the rail. .Ihe flat Welding of the rail bonds to the track rails by the use of the electric Varc is more readily accomplished, and whereby the formation of the composite terminals is eiected in a simple, rapid, inexpensive and highly novel l manner.

` Many modifications in the construction of the rail bond terminals may be made, by those skilled inthe art, Without departing from my invention as defined in the appendend claims.

- I claim 1. A rail bond comprising a conductor formed of copper, andyterminals united to each end of said conductor, said terminals comprising a shell formed of steel, the shell containing a copper core integrally connected to the conductor and fused to the shell, said core being composed of a portion of said conductor and additional metal added in a molten state so as to provide a greater cross section of metal than in said conductor and said shell 'being adapted to receive attaching metal for welding the terminal to a rail.

2. A rail bond comprising a conductor formed of cuprous metal and elongated terminals, with the terminals fused to the ends of said conductor, said terminals comprising a couprous metal core composed of a portion of said conductor and additional like metal added in a molten state so as to provide a greater cross section of metal than in said conductor, and a ferrous metal shell fused to said core, said. terminal shells being adapted to receive attaching metal fused thereto in applyin the rail bond for use.

In testimony w ereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

l BEN H. RYDER.