US1890843A - Device for facilitating the breaking of metallic rails - Google Patents

Description

J E. BUSBY Dec. 13, 1932 DEVICE FOR FACILITATING THE BREAKING OF METALLIC RAILS Filed Sept. 19, 1951 Patented Dec. 13, 1932 warren STATES- PATENT OFFICE JUNIUS E. BUSBY, OF JACKSON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF" 'IO BRADLEY COOMER, OF BEATTYVILLE, KENTUCKY DEVICE FOR FACILITATING THE BREJEKING OF METALLIC RAILS Application filed SepteinbenIE, 1831. Serial No. 563,884.

This invention relates to the operation of breaking metallic rails, particularly railway rails, and pertains particularly to an improved device for facilitating the accomplish ment of this operation.

At the present time the method employed in the cutting and breaking of railwayrails is to place beneath each end of the rail which is to be broken, a pair of angle bars which are placed one upon the other. The rail is located adjacent some fixed body under'which a crowbar may be engaged and as a usualthing it is placed on an adjacent railwaytrack near the fixed rail of the track. vVith the rail tobe broken arranged in this position notches are cut in the base thereof at the point where the rail is to be broken and several laborers a1 then provided with crowbars which are dis posed across the rail adjacent the notch with the ends thereof beneath the ball of the fixed track rail. Weight 'is then applied to the crowbars so that the center of the rail therebeneath will be bent down and caused to break transversely at the point where the cuts were made with a track chisel. This method is unsatisfactory for the reason that it is extremely difficult to maintain the rail n place upon the supporting angle bars even though men may be placed at each end thereof to hold the rail against movement. In addition to this it frequently happens that the men holding the rail are injured when it slips from position.

The primary objectof the present invention is to overcome the difficulties above set forth by the provision of a novel type of support or cradle for the ends of the rail which is being cut or broken, by means of which the said rail is firmly held in the proper position with respect to the fixed or track rail, for the application of the necessary pressure thereto by the crowbars of the track laborers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rail supporting device for the purpose described, which may be readily coupled with the fixed track rail with which it maintains connection while in use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a rail supporting device for the purpose above set forth which is so designed as to facilitate the turning of the rail which is being operated upon, when such turning 1S necessary.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but'may be changed or=modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient. features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing s Figure 1 illustrates the application of a pair of supporting devices to a fixed track rail showing in dotted position thereon, the rail which is to be broken and the position of the crowbars through which pressure is applied thereto;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in top plan of the supporting device; V

Figure-3 is a view of the supporting device in side elevation showing the relation which it assumes to a track rail g1 Figure 4 is a view in side elevation of a slightly modified form of the device shown in Figure 3. e

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 indicates gen-.

erally the rail supporting device embodying the present invention. This device comprises an elongated base 2 which is preferably of wood and which has the bottom surface at one end cut awayto form the inclined shoulder 3 which, when the base is placed upon a track tie, will overlie the adjacent flange of the adjacent track rail.

To the top surface of the base 2, there is secured the body 4 which is preferably formed of an elongated strip of strap iron which has a straight central portion 5 which is secured to the top surface of the base by bolts or other suitable securing elements which are indicated by the numeral 6. One end of the body 4 extends beyond the end of the base in which the shoulder 3 is formed and is formed to provide the downturned hook portion 7 which lies beyond the adjacent end of the base 2 as is clearly shown in Figure 3. This hook stands up beyond the plane of the top surface of the base 2 so that it may readily engage over the ball of the fixed track rail without preventing the base from restin firmly upon the underlying tie. r

p The fixed track ra'l referred to is indicated by the numeral 8 and the supporting ties therefor are indicated by the numeral 9.

At the opposite end of the straight central portion 5 of the body 4 from the hook 7, the body is bent to form the straight vertical wall portion 10, the rearwardly and upwardly inclined portion 11 which forms an integral continuation thereof, and the downwarc ly directed and rearwardly inclined brace terminal portion 12 and which, of course, forms a continuation of the inclined portion 11. The end edge of this terminal portion 12 is sunk into the base 2 as indicated at 13.

In the use of the present device for the purpose of breaking the rail at a point substantially midway between its ends, two of the devices are employed, each being placed upon a track tie as illustrated in Figure 1. The rail to be broken, which is shown in dotted lines and indicatedby the numeral 14, has its base notched at the point where it is to be broken and it is then placed upon. its side across the supports 1, resting upon the fiat central portions 5 thereof. The notched portion of the rail is located between the supports 1. After the rail 14 has been placed in the position described upon the supports, a pressure is applied downwardly to the rail upon opposite sides of the notch therein by means of crowbars which are disposed across the rail to have their ends engaged beneath the ball of the adjacent fixed rail 8. The positions of su h crowbars are shown in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 3 and the bars are indicated by the numerals 15.

WVhile only two crowbars have been illustrated it will, of course, be understood that a larger number may be employed and in a majority of cases a greater number than two would be necessary. WVith the crowbars in the positions shown, a strong downward pressure can be exerted upon the rail 14 to cause the rail to bend and snap at the point where the notches have been cut with a chisel.

In Figure 4: there is illustrated a modified form of the supports shown in Figures 1 to .3 inclusive. This support which is indicated generally by the numeral 16 is of exactly the same design as the support 1, with the exception that the base 17 thereof is of materially less height than the base '2 of the first mentioned form. This modified form of support is employed with one of the first mentioned supports for the breaking of a rail at a point near one end. In this connection the rail is placed over the two supports, that is the first described or full size support, and the second support, in the same manner as described when breaking a. rail in the center and using two of the first size supports. With the small support the rail to be broken may be placed closer to the fixed track rail and a greater leverage can be had and more power ful pressure applied thereto than would be possible when using the two large supports.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that by the use of the supporting device herein described the rail 14 which is to be broken may be firmly held in position while this operation is being performed.

The book 7 of each of the supports is engaged over the ball or tread of the fixed track rail 8 and the rail 14 is located at the proper distance from the fixed track rail for obtaining the greatest amount of pressure thereon bythe use of the crowbars 15 and as will be seen upon reference to Figure 3, the straight wall portion of the body 4, which is behind the rail 14 will effectively prevent the rail from moving while the breaking operation is in progress.

The inclined brace leg 12 at the rear end of the body 4 serves to effectively brace the vertical wall 10 and the inclined wall portion 11 operates when the rail 14 is turned over, when it is necessary to apply pressure to the opposite side, to facilitate this turning as the portion of the rail striking on this inclined wall will slip off, thus causing the rail to move back into the area disposed between the ends or the straight or cradle portion 5 of the support.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. In a supporting device of the character described, a body having a flat area in which an elongated piece of work may rest, means located at one side of said area for coupling the body with an adjacent fixed member, and means at the opposite side of said area from said first means providing an abutment facing the area against which the said piece of work may bear, the said area and means at the two sides thereof being in a line extending transversely of the piece of work lying across the area.

2. A support for elongated metallic bodies of the character described, comprising an elongated body having a straight portion intermediate its ends, a raised hook forming an integral continuation of the elongated body at one end, an abutment wall formed at the opposite end of the elongated body against which a metallic body lying across said central portion may bear, and a base structure for supporting said body, said hook member being disposed at a sufiicient elevation above the top of said base for engageinent across the tread of a railway rail when the base is resting upon a supporting tie.

3. A device for supporting an elongated metallic body in the manner described, comprising a base, and an elongated body disposed upon said base and comprising a straight fiat portion disposed substantially midway between its ends, a hook forming one terminus of the body, a straight vertical wall disposed at the opposite end of said straight portion from the hook, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined wall forming a continuation of said straight wall and a downwardly di-' rected bracing terminal portion forming a continuation of said last mentioned wall and secured to said base.

i. A device for supporting an elongated metallic body in the manner described, comprising a base, and an elongated body disposed upon said base and comprising a straight fiat portion disposed substantially midway between its ends, a hook forming one terminus of the body, a straight vertical wall disposed at the opposite end of said straight portion from the hook, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined wall forming a continuation of said straight wall and a downwardly directed bracing terminal portion forming a continuation of said last mentioned wall and secured to said base, said base having the underface of the end adjacent said hook cut away to form an inclined shoulder for dIsposition over the base flange of a railway rail and said hook being extended beyond the said end of the base and disposed at a higher elevation than the top surface of the base.

5. A supporting device of the character described, for elongated elements, comprising an elongated body having a straight portion intermediate its ends, a raised hook forming an integral continuation of the elongated body at one end, said raised hook being designed for engagement over the tread of a railway rail to position the said body at 'ight angles thereto, an abutment wall formed at the opposite end of the straight portion from the said hook and extending substantially perpendicularly to the portion, said abutment wall being designed to have the elongated element positioned thereagainst when disposed transversely of the said straight portion, and brace means for said abutment wall forming an integral continuation of the wall and the terminus of the body.

6. A support for elongated metallic bodies of the character described, comprising an elongated body having a straight portion intermediate its ends which is horizontally disposed when in working position, a hook forming an integral continuation of the elongated body at one end and normally disposed at an elevation above the straight portion and directed away from the same for engagement with an adjacent fixed body, and an abutment wall formed at the opposite end of the elonelevation above the straight portion and directed away from the same for engagement with an adjacent fixed body, an abutment wall formed at the opposite end of the elongated body against which a metallic body lying across said central portion may bear, and brace means for said abutment.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JUNIUS E. BUSBY.

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