US1835640A

US1835640A - Connecter for multipiece rails

Info

Publication number: US1835640A
Application number: US504499A
Authority: US
Inventors: Drake Claud
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1930-12-24
Filing date: 1930-12-24
Publication date: 1931-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 1948-12-08

Description

Dec. 8, 1931. c. DRAKE CONNECTER FOR MULTIPIECE RAILS Filed Dec. 24, 1950 [/vvs/vToR 614/1110 DRAKE Patented Dec, 8, 1931 UNITED STATES APATENTOFFICE I CONNEGTER FOR MULTIPIECE RAILS Application filed December 24, 1930. Serial No. 504,499

This invention relates to a connecter that is intended to be used for joining multi-piece rails of the type that consist of two parallel insulated sections which form the opposite 6 sides of an electric circuit. 7

One object of my invention is to provide a connecter for rails of the type mentioned, which, in addition to establishing proper electrical connection between the similar sections 10 of two abutting rails, will also securely hold the rails against relative movement in a vertical direction, in a lateral direction and in a longitudinal direction. 2

Another object is to providea rail connecter of the character mentioned, that is inexpensive to manufacture and which can be applied to the rails quickly and without the necessity of manipulating nutsor other threaded fastening devices.

I have herein illustrated my invention embodied in a connecter for a toy train track rail of the kind disclosed in my United States Patent No. 1,605,521, dated November 2, 1926, but I wish it to be understood that my invention is applicable to a connecter for any kind of a rail that comprises two parts or sections through which an electric current is flowing, and which are insulated from each other in order to prevent the current from short-circuiting or passing from one section of the rail to the other section of the rail,

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevational view, partly in vertical section 'illustratingmy improved connecter arranged in operative engagement with two longitudinally aligned rails whose terminal ends are disposed in abutting orapproximately abutting relationship.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the connecter disassembled from the rails. 7

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1.'

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the tie bars. I p

' In the drawings A and A designate two longitudinally aligned or abutting rails, each of which is made up of two identical sections of such cross-sectional shape that when wheel.

they are arranged in parallel relation, they will co-operate with each other to produce a rail having a horizontally-disposed base portion, a vertically-disposed web portion and a head that will serve as a tread for a 155 Said sections form the opposite sides (positive and negative) of an electric circuit, and said sections are insulated from each other by an insulator an, as shown in Figure'2. The two sections of the rail are rigidly con-" nected together byrivets y, or any other suitable means that will maintain said sections in rigid relationship and prevent the electric current from passingfrom one section'to the, other. I The connecter that I, have devised for joining two rails of the character mentioned has provision for establishing proper electrical connection between the longitudinally, aligned sections of two abutting rails A and" A and also provision for preventing said rails from separatingiand from moving vertically or laterally relatively to each other.

In the preferred form of my invention herein illustrated said connecter comprises a device B, shown in Figure 3, constructed so as to bridge the joint between the rails A andA and embrace the base flanges and vertical webs of said rails, and it comprises one or more tie bars C, shown in Figure 5,

disposed transversely of the joint between the rails and maintained in interlocking engagement with the rails by the device B.

In the form of my invention herein illustrated the deviceB is made up of two op- 30 posed members or side members constructed of metal and combined with an insulator 1 that prevents electric current from passing from one of said side members to the other side member. As shown in Figure 3, each of the side members just referred to has a substantially horizontally-disposed, channel-shaped portion 2 whose top leg has an upwardly-projecting flange 3 andwhose bottom leg has a downwardly-projecting flange 4. When said side members are arranged in opposed relation the horizontally-disposed, channel-shaped portions 2 of same co-act with each other toform in eflect a sleeve that is adapted-to receive the base'flanges of two through said flanges and..througlrJthe-iin sulator 1. In order that the rivets 5 will not form a path through"whiclrthe-electriccurrent can flow from one side memberto the other side member ofthe device B, insulators -16are icombined'with thevrivets 5 in such a vway that at least oneend portion of each ,rivet: will be maintained out .of' electrical contact withzoneiof the flanges fl through .whichthe rivet passes.v The depending flanges 4 onthedevice Bare preferably made of suchdepth that. when the connecter is in use. the bottom edges of said flanges will contact with the supporting surface: on which the rail lties ,2 rest, and thus effectively prevent the-ends ofthe rails A, and A from deflecting ,under load, 1. e, when a wheel travels over .the jzOlIllZ between the rails. Y Y

'llhe tie bar C,. p reviously referred to, is also preferably constructed of metal, and is H intended to .bearranged transversely of the joint between the rails A and ,A' and held in ;interlocked engagement with said rails by ul eansof the device B. Preferably two tie bars C are used and slots 7 are formed in :the

abaseiflangesof the rails, as shown in Figure l soas to receive :lugs or aiwularl r-disaosed a a: l

proyectlonsdon the tie bars. Afterthera1ls A and A have been arranged 1n abutting or approximately abutting relationship, the tie rbars C are appliedto the bottom faces of the flanges of therailsin such a way that the lugs or extensionsuon said tie bars will proacct upwardly through the slots 7 in the base fiange s of the rails. Thereafter, the device Bis moved longitudinally of the rails into a position, where it bridges the joint :between the :rails and clamps the tie bars C to the base flanges of vtherails. The preferred method of using my improved connecter is to first slide the device Hover the end portion of one .of the rails, for example, the rail A, and move said device longitudinally of the rail into the position shown in broken lines in Figure 1. The .tie barsC are next. interlocked with thebaseflange of the rail A by inserting the lugs-8 on said tie bars in the slots 7 inthe base flange of said rail, after which the device B is moved longitudinally of the rail A in the opposite direction far enough to lap over said tie bars and retain themin position; The other end portionsof the tie bars Care then interlocked with the hase flange of the rail A, after which the device is moved longitudinally in a direction to embrace the end portion of the rail A, and thus securely hold the tie bars C in interlocked relationship with the two rails, as shown in full lines in Figure 1. To disconnect or disassemble the rails A and A it is only necessary to slide the device B longitudinally into such a osition that the tie bars-can be disconnected-from thebaseflanges of the rails.

A rail connecter of the construction above described makes-it possible to join two multipiece abutting rails without manipulating n-uts, screws orother threaded fastening devices; it establishes proper electrical connectiolrbetween the 'longitudinally-aligned sections of the rails without danger of short circuits-being produced, and it securely holds the abutting rails against relative movement either vertically, laterally or longitudinally.

While such a connecter .is not limited to use:

with toy train track rails, it is particularly adapted for this purpose on account-efthe ease with which it can be applied -to or re- ;movedfrom the rails, and on account'of its low cost of manufacture, it being preferable: .toconstructthe device B from two identical sheet metal stampingsthat-can-be shaped and combined by simple punch press operations,

and it also being preferable to use a sheet metal stamping to form the tie bars thus described, my invention, what I claim asnew-and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: I I

1. A means for joining rails o-f'the type which form the opposite sides of an electric circuit,.consisting-of a device adapted to be arranged in engagement with the ends of abutting rails and having provision for mechanically connecting the, rails together and maintaining the opposite sections insulated from each other.

.2. A means for jOlIllIlg rails of the type that consist of two insulated metallic sections which form the opposite sides of an" electric circuit, consisting of a device adaptedto be arranged inengagementwiththe ends ,of abutting rails and having provision for holdingisaid rails against relative movement, and means combined with said device for establishing electrical connection between the co-actin-g longitudinally-aligned sections of the rails which form the opposite sides .ofzthe circuit. I

3. A means for joining rails of the type that consist of two insulated metallic sections which form the opposite sides of an ,electriccircuit, consisting of a device adapted to be arranged in'engagement with the ends of abutting rails and having provision for holding said rails against relative movement either vertically, laterally or longitudinally and means combined with said device for establishing electrical connection between the co-acting longitudinally aligned F thatconsistoftwo insulated metallic sections 7100 sections of the rails which form the opposite sides of the circuit.

4. A means for joining rails of the type that consist of two insulated metallic sections which form the opposite sides of: an electric circuit, consisting of a device constructed to embrace the base flanges of abutting rails and bridge the oint between same, said device comprising opposed side me1nbers that are insulated from each other.

5. A means for joining rails of the type that consist of two insulated metallic sections which form the opposite sides of an electric circuit, consisting of a device constructed so as to bridge the joint between abutting rails and bear upon the base flanges and webs of said rails, said device comprising opposed side members that are insulated from each other.

6. A means for joining rails of the type that consist of two insulated metallic sections which form the opposite sides of an electric circuit, consisting of a device constructed to receive the base flanges and Webs of abutting rails and having provision for preventing said rails from pulling apart endwise, said device also having provision for establishing proper electrical connection be tween the respective longitudinally aligned sections of the rails.

7. A means for joining rails of the type that consist of two insulated metallic sections which form the opposite sides of an electric circuit, consisting of a device constructed to receive the ends of abutting rails and bridge the joint between the same, and a tie bar we tending across the joint between the rails and held in engagement with the rails by said device.

8. A means for joining rails of the type that consist of insulated metallic sections which form the opposite sides of an electric circuit, consisting of a tie bar extending across the joint between abutting rails and interlocked with the rails, and a device telescoped over the ends of the rails and over said tie bar for holding said tie bar in operative engagement with the rails and for maintaining said rails in longitudinal alignment with each other.

9. A means for joining rails of the type that consist of insulated metallic sections which form the opposite sides of an electric circuit, consisting of a device made up of two opposed metallic side members insulated from each other and constructed to form a sleeve that receives the base flanges of abutting rails and act as fish plates that engage the webs of the rails, and a means that co -acts with said device to prevent the rails from pulling apart endwise.

10. A connecter for joining abutting rails of the type referred to, consisting of a device constructed to receive the base flanges and webs of abutting rails and composed of two opposed side members, depending portions on said side members joined together, an insulator arranged between said depending portions, a tie bar extending across the joint between the rails and held in engagement with same by said device, and means for interlocking said tie bar with the rails at opposite sides of the joint between the rails.

11. A connecter for joining abutting rails of the type mentioned, consisting of a device adapted to be telescoped over the end portions of the rails so as to bridge the joint between the same, said device being composed of two opposed side members having substantially horizontally-disposed, channel-shaped portions whose top legs have upwardly-projecting flanges and whose bottom legs have downwardly-projecting flanges, an insulator positioned between the downwardly-projecting flanges of said side members, and devices passing through said insulator and the flanges between which it is positioned for connecting said side members together.

CLAUD DRAKE.