US1917832A - Rail joint - Google Patents

Description

July 11, 1933. R FARHES 1,917,832

RAIL JOINT Filed July 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l "a :sfiy. 2 W 1 l1 5% 1 U6 (4%" 26 23 WITNESSES: E 'blNll i/EhigpRf I J1 0 er arms, "flaw. ffiJ/uq la @TORNEYS.

E11 L iL k 1 Jul M, 1933, R, FA I wnmsz RAIL JOINT Filed July 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M Z Flaw N l v I r 1 "ignumanaz '26! a2 WITNESSES: I N VEN TOR:

A TTORNEYS.

- Patented July 11, 1933 UNITED sures RoBERrrAB-ms, or s'r. nnvibs, PENNSYLVANIA EA'IL (rams Application filed my '25,

This invention relates to track rail joints of the customary type wherein the conti guous ends of adjoining rails are ov er'la'ipped by joint bars which fit the side hollows of the 5 rails, and which are secured by bolts passiiig through registering apertures in the joint bars and the webs of the rails. More particularly, the present invention relates to a rail joint wherein spring shims are disposed 10 Within the fishing spaces betu een the oint bars and railsat particular areas of the'join't,

the shims having wedge shape'd tongues which are constantly and independentlyurged outward across such fishing spacesto 15 compensate for wear.

The principal object of the invention is to render rail joint self=tightening with capacity to compensate for wear betweenthe undersides of the heads of the rails 'and the 39 subjacent surfacesof the joint bars,- and between the base flanges-of the rails and the base surfaces oft-hejoint bars at the regions where wear is most likely to occur. This object' I attain, as hereinafter fully set forth,

through the provision of spring shims which are distorted from natural shape incident to the drawing together of the oint bars when the joint is assembled, the shims having tongues whichare constantly urgedoi'itward pair being disposed at the centerofthe joint,

with one shim ateachside of the gap between the rail ends, and with their wedgeshaped tongues projecting outwardly in the fishing spaces between'the rail heads at their ends and the top surface of thecenter' of the joint bar. I v

The present invention Queers hem, that showni'n mypending application for U. 'S.

"to cross sectionalshape.

further modiiied, with a ortion ofajoi'nt 1922'. Serial No. 624,479."

Letters Pate11t, Serial No."592,26 i-, filed Feb- I ruary 11, 1932, in that the spring shims which here utilized are d sposed interiorly of the o nt bar, with their tongues urged outwardly across the fishing spaces, whereas in theapplic'a'tion referred to,=the spring shims areshowndisposed exteriorly oi the joint bar's with theirwedge shaped tongues urged inwardly across the fishing spaces between the bars en'drails. 7 Gther objects and advantages characteristic of my invention'will become more appar- Gl'it'flOlIl the detailed description which follows hereinafter, havi u reference tothe' acc'ompanying drawings, wherein there is illu'si hated an example orembodime'nt of myinvention, and certain modifications or alternative forms .whlch the invention may take.

(3f the drawings l Fig. I represents, in perspective, a rail 76 ointe'm'bodying the presentinv-ention, with a pcrtionof a joint bar broken away to'i'eveal the interior of the joint. w

ig. H represents an enlarged sideelev'ation of the rail joint-of Fig. I i 3L Fig. 111 represents across section oflthe same, taken as indicated by the lines III- 111 i es- L a i Fig. I-V'T'epresents a perspective view of one of the spring shims of the r'ailjoin't of the preceding figures. I I

Fig. V represents a view similar 'to that of Figilll'siiowing a rail joint of my invention wherein the joint bars are modified as Fig. VI represents aside elevatioirof an other type ot'r'ail joint ofmy invention wherein-the spring" shim's and jointbars are har'brohen away to reveal the interior of the v VII represents across section of the same, taken as indicated by. the lines *VH VH of Fig. VI. V Y

Fig. VIII represents view similar to that of Fig. VII, showing the position occupied by the spring shim before the joint bar is drawnup.

- Fig. IX r'epresentsja cross section. of the 7 the ralls.

same, taken as indicated by the lines IXIX of Fig. VI; and,

Fig X represents a view similar to that of Fig. IX showing the position occupied'by the spring shim before the joint bar is drawn up.

I/Vith reference to Figs. I to IV of the drawings, the numerals 1 and 2 designate adjoining rails, the numeral 3 designates the joint barswhich fit the hollows at opposite sides of the rails; and the numerals 1 and 5, the center and end fastening means, in the form of clamp bolts, whereby the several parts are secured together, the bolts engaging through registering apertures respectively in said rails and the joint bars, all in the manner well understood in the art.

In the example of my invention shown in Figs. I to III, the joint bars 3 are made of less fishing height than the fishingheight of Each joint bar comprises a head portion 6, a web portion 7 and a foot portion 8. In the fishing spacesbetween the rails 1, 2' and the joint bars 3, spring shims 9, 10 are interposed, there being four such shims at each side of the rail joint in the illustrated example of my invention;

Each spring shim 9, 10 is made of resilient metal and naturally assumes ashape such as shown in Fig. IV, in which the web portion 11 is smoothly rounded and the upper and lower tongues 12, 13 form an obtuse angle with the web portion. The tongues 12,13 are tapered, presenting a. wedge shaped cross section.

IVhen the shims 9, 10 are assembled in a rail joint, their wedge shapedtongues 12, 13 project laterally outward in the fishing spaces between the surfaces 14 at the undersides of the rail headsand the surfaces 15 of the joint bar head 6, as well as between the the sloping surfaces 17 of the foot portions 8 of the joint bars. Incidentto the drawing together of the joint bars 3, in the assembly of the rail joint, the web portions 11 of the spring shims 9, 10 are caused to be flattened against the web 18 of the rail. To illustrate this distortion from natural shape, there is shown in Fig. III, in broken lines at 19, the curvature which is normally assumed by the web portions 11 of the spring shims 9, 10. WVhen the oint bars 3 are drawn together by tightening the nuts 20 on the bolts 4, 5, the resulting flattening of the spring shims 9, 10 causes their wedge shaped tongues 12, 13 to be drawn inward and to; assume a less obtuse 'angle with the web portion 11 than is normally the case. Accordingly, the tongues 12, 13 are placed under stress, incident to the drawing together ofthe joint bars 3, and they are constantly urged outwardly across the fishing spaces so that as wear occurs in the rail and joint bar surfaces at these spaces,

withthe end shim 9 on the rail 1, and likethe tongues spring outwardly and take up or compensate for the wear.

The center shims 9, 10 are disposed at each side of the gap between the rails 1, 2 and are each split at their upper ends to form two separate sections 21, 22, one of greater width than the other. The section 21 is disposed adjacent to the end of the rail 1. Similarly the end shims 9, 10 are split at their base portions to form separate sections 23, 21. Thus along the length ofthe rail joint there are a series of tongue sections 21, 22, 23, 24., independently urged outward across the fishing spaces, and if the wear is more pronounced at certain regions rather than at others, the tongue sections at the particular regions where pronounced wear occurs have capacity to flex independently of the other tongue sections and thus to compensate for ineven wear. Ordinarily the wear is most. pronounced at the center of a rail joint be- 'neath'the rail heads and at the ends of the joint above the rail flanges. For this reason I prefer to employ-the relatively short tongue sections 21, 23 at these areas. Obviously, however, the shims contemplated by this invention may take a variety of different forms. In the form illustrated the center shim 9011 the rail 1 is identical and interchangeable wisethe center shim 10 on the rail 2 is identical and interchangeable with the end shim 10 on the rail.

InFig. V there is shown a modification of my" invention in which a different type of joint bar is employed. The joint bar 3a-therc shown is provided with longitudinal inward- 1y projecting ribs 25, 26. The ribs 25, 26

bear upon the web portions 11 of the spring shims 9, 10,-and cause the spring shims to be flattened against the web 13 of the rail incident to the drawing together of the joint bars. In the regions above and below the ribs 25, 26, the oint bars 3a are cut away as indicated at 27 and 28, respectively, so as not to interfere with the flexureof the tongues 12, 13 at these regions, it being important that there be no obstruction to the change in shape of the shims aswear occurs so that their tongues may move outward freely to compensate for 7 such wear. 1 I V In Flgs. VI to X,inclus1ve, there is shown a further modification of my invention in which separate head and base shims are employed. The-head shims are designated at 29 occupy just prior to the drawing to joint above" the base flanges of the rails. In Figs. VII and VIII, the base shuns 31 V and-32 are clearly shown. In Fig. VIII these shims are shown in the position which they gether of the joint bars 36 by tightening of the nuts 20 on the bolts 5; In this position the base shims 31, 32 have their fiat inner end portions bearing against the webs of the joint bars 3).),

and there is a smoothly rounded curve in the body portion 36 of the shims between theirinner end portions 35 and their wedge shapet tongues 53?. T he tongues 37 pro ect outwardly in the fishing spaces at the recessed areas S held against upward movement by the bolts 5. The body portion 36 of each shim 31, 32, instead of being smoothly curved as shown in VH1, is crimpcd or distorted from natural shape in such manner as to tend to urge the tongues 3T outward in the recessed areas The base shims 31, 32 are preferably split as shown in Fig. VI to provide two tongue sections 38, 39, each section having capacity for independent fienure.

in F IX and X, the head shims 29, 3O employed in this rail joint are clearly shown. as seen in Fig. X, prior to the drawing together of the joint bars 31) by tightening of the nuts 20 on the center bolts e, the inner end portions l0 of the head s iims 29, 3O bear against the web portions of the oint bars 3?), the body portions ell of the head shims 29, 30 assume a smoothly rounded shape, and the tongues e2 project laterally outward .in the fishing spaces a the recessed areas 33- of the joint bars 3?). When the rail joint is completely assembled, as shownin Fig. IX, the body portions 41 of the head shims 29, 30, instead of being smoothly rounded as shown in Fig. I", are crimpcd or distorted from natural shape inv such manner as to tend to urge the tongues 42 outward across the fishj ect.

4 It will be especially noted that in all of the above examples of my invention, independently flexible spring shims are utilized at intervals along the length of a rail joint and '1 are disposed at the primary bearing regions where wear is most likely to occur. It will also be apparent that, as wear takes place at these regions, the wedge-shaped tongues of the shims are urged outwardly across the fishing spaces'to take up or compensate for such-wear. Accordingly, the rail joint of this invention is rendered self-tightening and can continue in, service after the joint bars have become unevenly worn, still eifectively trussing the rail joint and preventing the condition known. aslow joints from occur ring.

V ,lVhile I have described severalembodimentsor examples of my invention, having reference to specificforms which the joint bars and shims may take, itQwill be apparent that numerous changesniay be made in the particular form of theseelements, and that certain features of my invention may at times be used to advantage'withouta correspond- Having thus described my claim: g l

In a rail. joint, the rails and joint bars, and. a spring shim therebetween having'a wedge-shaped tongue interposed in the fishing space between a bar and a rail, said shim being distorted from natural shape incident" "to the drawing together of the bars when the joint is assembled, whereby'said tongue is constantly urged outwardly across said fishing, space. I

2. In a rail joint, the rails and joint bars,

8t ing use of other features, all without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims hereto annexed; j

invention, '1 I and a spring shim having a portion bearing against the web of the rail and a wedge shaped tongue extending acrossthe fishing space between a bar and a rail, said rail en I ,7 gagin portion of the sh m being changed in t s1 ipe incident to the drawing together of the bars, whereby said tongue is urged outwardly across said fishing space.

3, In'arail joint, the rails and joint bars and a spring shnn having a curved portion bearing against the web of the rail and a.

wedge-shaped tongue extending across the fishing space between a bar and a rail, said 4. In a rail joint, the rails and joint bars,

and a spring shim having a smoothly. curved web portion and a wedge-shaped tongue interposed in the fishing space between av bar and a rail, the web portion of said shim being flattened against the web of the rail incident I to the'drawing together of the bars when the:v

and a spring shim having a smoothly curved web portion and wedge-shaped upperfland lower tongues interposed in the fishing spaces between a bar and rail, the web portion of said shim being flattened against the web of the rail incident to the drawing together of the bars when the joint is assembled, whereby said tongues are constantly urged outward across said fishing spaces.

6. In a rail joint, the rails and joint bars, and a spring shim having a splititongue in the fishing space between a bar and a rail, said shim being distorted from natural shape incident to the drawing together of the bars when the oint isassembled, and the sections of said split tongue being urged outward across said fishing space.

7. In a rail joint, the rails and joint bars, and spring shims fittingthe hollow of the rails, one at each end of the joint bar and one at each rail end, said shims having tongues interposed in the fishing spaces between the bar and rails and being distorted from natural shape incident to the drawing together of the bars when the joint is assembled whereby said tongues are constantly urged outward across said fishing spaces.

8. In a railjoint, the rails and joint bars, and spring shims fitting the hollow of the rails one at each end of the joint bar and oneat each rail end, saidshims having split tongues in the fishing spaces beneath th rail heads at the ends thereof and above the rail flanges at the ends of the joint bar, and said shims being distorted from natural shape incident to the drawing together of the bars when the oint is assembled whereby the sections of said split tongues are urged outward across said fishing spaces.

- 9. In a rail joint, the rails and joint bars, and spring shims fitting the hollow of the rails, said shims having wedge-shaped tongues interposed in the fishing spaces beneath the rail heads at the ends thereof and above the rail flanges at the ends of the joint bar, and said shims having smoothly curved web portions flattened against the rail webs incident to the drawing together of the bars when the joint is assembled, whereby said tongues are constantly urged across said fishing spaces.

10. In a rail joint, the rails and oint bars, bolts for fastening the joint bars to the rails, and a spring shim disposed between a rail and joint bar, one end of said shim bear ing against a bolt and the other end of said shim being formed with a tongue extending laterally across the fishing space between said bar and rail, said shim being distorted from natural shape incident to its assembly in the rail joint, whereby said tongue is urged outwardly across said fishing space.

11; In a rail joint, the rails and joint bars, bolts for fastening the joint bars to the rails, and spring shims disposed between the rails and joint bars at intervals of the length of the joint, said shims being arranged with their inner ends bearing against the bolts and their outer ends formed with tongues extendin laterally across the fishing spaces between said bars and rails at the center of the joint beneath the rail heads and at the ends of the joint above the rail flanges, said shims being distorted from natural shape incident to their assembly in the rail joint, whereby said tongues are urged outwardly across said fishing spaces.

12. In a rail joint, the rails, joint bars joining the rail ends, said bars having recessed areasin their head and foot portions, and spring shims disposed between said rails and joint bars, said shims having tongues extending laterally across th recessed areas of said bars, and said shimsbeing distorted from natural shape incident to the drawing togethor of the bars when the joint is assembled, whereby said tongues are urged outwardly across said recessed areas of the j ointbars.

in testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 21st day of July, 1932.

ROBERT FARIES.

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