US1726865A - Safety appliance for railways - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 3, 1929. l .1. E. SMITH SAFETY APPLIANGE FOR RAILWAYS Filed Aug. 16, 1928 #270g/wey,

Patented Sept. 3, 1929.

UNITED sra'rss JAMES E. SMITH, OF SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE.

SAFETY APPLIANCT. FR RAILVVAYS.

Application iled August 16, 1928. Serial.` No. 300,097.

The demand in recent years 'or cars of greater carrying capacity than were formerly in use, with the consequent necessity for locomotives of increased weight, speed and power, has compelled those in charge of transportation matters to practically rebuild their roads to keep pace with modern tendencies.

Roadbeds are now more heavily ballasted and rails are rolled of greatly increased proportions but in certain respects these augmentations have failed to fully meet the demands and provide against contingencies in railway traffic.

Rail-road constructors plan, so far as is possible, to lay out their road-beds on straight lines but it is obviously impossible to avoid more or less curved trackage in their systems.

These curves in the track present a problem, and my invention, which deals with safety appliances for rail-road tracks, has as its general object the providing of means to solve this problem.

It is generally known that on a curve, the

' outer rail takes practically the entire thrust of the rolling stock passing` over it, and a specific object of my present invention is to supply a device, the function of which is to brace this thrust-taking rail and prevent its spreading to such an extent as to de-rail the train.

Briefly, )I provide for this purpose a railsupporting plate, anchoring it to the railroad tie and interpose between the plate and the underside of the head of the rail a brace member, securing the lattter in a socket or mortise of considerable depth so as to prevent movement thereof in any direction eX- 40 cept vertically.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon form a part of this specification.

In the drawing,-

Fig. l is a perspective view of my railway appliance in operative position;

Fig. 2 is the same, except that it is viewed from the'opposite side of the rail;

F ig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the saine, the section being taken transversely of the rail;

VFig. 4 is a perspective of the brace alone, and

Fig. 5 diagrammatically shows a curved rail-road track with the appliance installed on each tie.

Similarparts are identified by like reference characters in all views of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, l represents a rail-road tie having therein transverse grooves 2 into which t the downwardly turned ends 3 of the rail-supporting plate 4.

On the outer end portion o this plate is a projection 5 in which is made a mortise 6, preferably square or rectangular in shape.

lt is obvious that this projection might be made on the under side ot the plate, or partly above and partly below the same; in any event, however, its depth is comparatively great, relative to the thickness of the plate.

Fitting closely this mort-isc is the tenon portion 7 of the brace member 7, the length of the tenen being practically coextensive with the depth of the mortise. Shoulders 7 limit the downward movement of the tenori in the mortise.

The object in making this mortise of relatively deep proportions is to better stabilize the brace, as upon this depends its ability to withstand a certain portion of the thrust of the rail against its free end.

Extending upwardly from the tenon portion of the brace, the latter is inclined toward the rail, under the head of which it closely abuts.

While it is of some advantage to maintain a close contact of the end of the brace with the rail head 8, I do not depend wholly on this to hold the brace in place, for, obviously, it is impossible to either raise the brace or turn it in either direction after the rail is laid, as the tenen and mortise preclude oscillatory movement and the rail head prevents vertical displacement of the brace after once being placed in operative position.

Under certain conditions where the rail is heaved by frost or undermined by freshets, the relative relation of the rail and brace is but slightly changed provided the former remains secured on the holding plate.

Another advantage in this construction is that in the lengthwise expansion or contraction of the rail, due to temperature changes, the brace, not being an absolute iiXture on the rail, is not materially adected by the longitudinal movement of the latter and is less likely to be disarranged than if positively secured thereto.

l provide no abutments or shoulders on the holding plate against which the rail might thrust, preferring to place dependence on the spikes 9 operable through holes 10 in the plate, to secure the rail and plate to the tie.

Any appreciable side thrust on the rail outwardly of the track is immediately taken by the brace; any tendency of the rail to spring inwardly is opposed by the spikes on the inner side of the rail flange. Eventually, however, the thrust is communicated to and taken by the downwardly turned ends of the holding plate deeply embedded in the tie.

So that they may be made more accur ately, the grooves 2 are preferably scarfed in the ties previously to the latter being transported to the point where they are to be used on the line.

The spike holes lO in the plate t and the location of the mortise 6 are definitely spaced and with the flanges 3 made to eXactly fill the grooves 2 in the tie it is obvious that the equipping of the rails with these devices is simply a matt-er of assembling the parts and driving the spikes-an advantage which is revealed in the low cost of installation.

In laying a track which is to be supplied with my device the ties are first approximately placed in position on the road-bed and the rail-supporting plates located thereon. The braces are then assembled in their respective mortises and the rail moved along the plate into contact with their upper ends. The inside spikes are first driven so as to secure the rail firmly against the braces, after which the outer spikes are located in their proper holes and driven into the ties. Any necessary work in connection with correcting the curve in the rail is now performed, the ties properly tamped and the work is completed.

In railway track construction, as in most mechanical undertakings, simplicity is a feature greatly to be desired. I have incorporated in my rail brace and connecting parts those elements only which l consider to be the most essential and have arranged them so as toco-act and function to the best advantage.

The rail-supporting plate, for instance, is very .simply but effectively anchored to the tie by its depending flanges; the brace element depends wholly on its characteristic forni and the weight of the rail to hold it in operative position, as spikes have yet to be improved upon for their particular purpose.

So that, as a whole, my appliance has the advantage of simplicity in structural features, effectiveness in practical use and low cost in production and installation.

And, having thus described my invention, what I claim is:`

A rail-bracing device comprising in combination with a tie having a transverse channel cut therein, a plate, a downwardly projecting tongue on said plate adapted to engage said channel, a mortise in said plate of relatively greater depth than the normal thickness of said plate, a brace surmounting said plate and having a tenon adapted to engage and closely fit said mortise and to provide the sole support for said brace on said plate, said brace inclining toward the rail and to contact therewith only at the junction of the rail-head and web thereof.

ln testimony whereof I ax my signature.

JAMES E. SMITH.

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