US1696316A - Rail bond - Google Patents

Description

; ,Dec. 25,1928. 7 mew c. G. McCAULLEY RAIL BOND Original Filed Dec. 12, 1923 6 147 0 ATI'ORNE S Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,596,316 PATENT OFFICE- CHARLES G. MCCAULLEY, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.-

RAIL BOND.

Application filed December 12, 1923, Serial No. 680,097. Renewed May 16, 1928.

proximate rails and confined between its ends by clips which hold the cable along the top of the splice bar and prevent, to some extent, the vibratory movements which are the usual cause of fracture. Strap bonds cut from sheet metal have been proposed but none have proved to be practical in use. The present invention is concerned with the provision of a reinforced strapbond Whichshall be of simple and inexpensive construction for manufacture and shall meet the requirements of a satisfactory bond in that it shall be of such form and so mounted as to be free from fracturing vibration, of low resistance and high conductivity, and mounted entirely clear of the splice bars track bolts, ioint spikes, etc., and accessible at all times for purposes of inspection or repair while not interfering with the inspection or replacement of any of the other parts enumerated.

In accordance with the invention it is proposed to form the bond as an article of manufacture comprisinga single integral unit adapted to have its ends joined with adjacent rails and to connect the rail electrical 1y while it is held entirely clear of the splice bars. track bolts and joint spikes, and. iffording free accessibility to such parts for maintenance. The maintenance of bonding in connection wth track circuits in railway signalling is a substantial item of expense entailing constantinspection and frequent replacement of defective bonds. Contrarywise, any association of the bonding with the splice bars, track bolts or joint spikes materially increases, the cost of initial assembling and maintenance of the respective parts because of their interdependence. By the improved construction it is proposed that such interdependence shall be eliminated and the improved strap bonds mounted in such relation to the rail and to the retaining and sup porting parts thereof as to permit access to such parts without interference. The improved bond is mounted in the-preferred construction and reinforced throughout the greater part of its length to prevent lateral bending and to concentrate the longitudina movement of the bond due to expansion and contractlon ofthe reds in compensation,

bends are provided at each end. This con i struction elevates the bond above the splice bars, track bolts and joint spikes and renders looking in the direction of the arrows and showing suitable means for fastening the improved bond thereto.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detailed View in,

section through one of the ferrules of the bond showing the means for anchoring it.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View in perspective showing the bend and one ferrule.

Figures 5-8 are views showing suitable alternative cross sectional forms which the bond may be given.

As this description proceeds it will be evident that the improvements herein do not reside merely in the provision of a bond of wide cross-sectional area (specially rolled) I but rather in the formation of such a bond of such means as permit it to be mounted more advantageously on adjacent rails. to provide accessibility without interference to the splice bar, bolts and spikes, and con duct the signalling current with minimum power consumption and losses from one track rail to another. The improved bond. consideredas an article of manufacture consists of an extended section at having three bends at each end the first one of which a carries the metal back on itself in the same plane as the section a, the second of which a carries the metal at right angles from the section a but in parallelism therewith and the third one of which a carries the metal back across the plane of the section a and shown. The conductivity is high and the resistance 10w. Vhile it has been proposed hcrctofore to employ metallicbonds these have not been constructed in the form described nor have they been employed and mounted as elements wholly independent of associated parts of the rail mounting. Accordingly. they have not served the principal purposes with which the improvements are concerned. to wit, elimination of vertical viln'ation and resultant fracture. freedom from interference with the application or removal of splice bars bolts and track spikes. and mounting in an elevated position with respect to the track bed. As shown in Figure 1 the rail sections 1), 0, are unitedby splice bars 6, f, in accordance with established p "notice which are bolted through by bolts r The rail sections are held on the ties It by track spikes i. As an important factor in track maintenance it is desirable that the splice bars, bolts and track spikes, be accessible for inspection or replacementwithout interference by the bond and contrarynvise that the bond be mounted wholly independently of all of such units. These results are attained by mounting the improved bond with its section a in intimate contact with the outer sides of the head of the rails b, c, and wholly above the splice bars (2. f, bolts y, and trackspikcs i. This relationship is secured by introducing the ferrules at at the ends of the bond through holes provided therefor in the web sections of the rails 7), 0, at points beyond the ends of the splice bars a, f, and at a substantial distance above the track spikes 2" The upwardly extending bends a hold the section a of the bond in its elevated position and the bends a not only permit expansion and contraction without. injury or displacement of the bond but impress a spring action thereon to hold the section a yieldingly in intimate contact with the faces of the rails. v The invention is not to be limited to the particular means employed for securing the bond to the rails but those illustrated have been found simple and effective in practice. The ferrules an terminate in flanges which may be upset as indicated in Figure 3 after the ferrules areintroduced through the respective openings in the rail webs, and tapered pins in may. then be driven into the open ends of the splitferrules sons to expand them into intimate engagement with the wall oi the openin". The anchorage is at once secure and efi'ective and insures an eliicient electrical union between the rails and the bond over a large superficial area so as to introduce a factor of minimum resistance at these.

points. The large cross sectional area of the bond throughout the rest of its length insures maximum conductivity. Since the section a. which is the body portion of the bond, is vertically disposed and is pres ed yieldingly against the faces of the rails it is not subject to vertical vibrations and resultant fracture. The bends in the bond onable it to conform yicldingly to any relative movements between the rail sections in lateral and horizontal planes. The elevated position of the bond protects it from the injurious influences of brine and water drip pings from cars and splashings from the rail bed.

In Figures 545 alternative cross sectional forms of the strip 0 are indicated which give. in fact, greater cross sectional area and cor respondingly less resistance. The forms shown in Figures 5 and (S for a given cross sectional area enable the width of the strap to be less so that the clearance between it and the splice bar may be actually greater. This may be desirable under some conditions of use.

As indicated hereinbefore. the invention is not to be limited to the particular form of the bends employed nor to the means for mounting the strap bond on the rails since one skilled in the art may depart from the teaching of the drawings without avoiding the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:--

1. In combination with two rails and splice bars and bolts to connect their ends. a stiff strap bond of metal having an elongated section in engagement with the outer faces of the rails and clearing the tops of the splice bar and terminating at its ends in bends extending downwardly and inwardly, means formed at the ends for engagement with the respective rails to support the elongated sec tion above the splice bar, said bends serving to press the elongated section yicldingly against the face of the rails.

2. In combination with two rails and splice bars and bolts to connect their ends. a still? unitary rail bond of rolled metal having: an elongated section formed in cross section of greater height than width. said elongated section clearing; the top of the splice bar and being in yielding engagement with the outer faces of the heads of the rails and terminating at its ends in bends extending: downwardly and inwardly, and means formed at CHARLES G. MOGAULLEY.

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