US2056251A

US2056251A - Railroad track construction

Info

Publication number: US2056251A
Application number: US1333A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert L Cairncross
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-01-11
Filing date: 1935-01-11
Publication date: 1936-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 1953-10-06

Description

Oct. 6, 1936. 4 R. CAIRNCROSS 6,

RAILROAD TRACK CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 11, 1935 Patented @ct. 6 1936 warren srrss ear lo aosaesr aarnnoan TRACK cons'rnnc'rron Robert 1L. (Cairncross, Chicago, lllll. Application. January it, was, Serial No. 1,333 9 (Claims. (cl. 238-249) This invention relates to improvements in railroad track construction and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is more particularly concerned with means operating in connection with a tie plate for holding the rail in operative position against certain movements detrimental to track up-keep and maintenance.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a simple and emcient construction which reduces to a minimum, rail creepage caused by combined wave motion and traflic movement in either direction, as well as'longitudinal expanof those parts of the ties upon which the tie plates engage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of this kind including a. tie plate wherein the holes for the spikes (either cut or screw) are staggered so as to reduce the liability of splitting the ties.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a construction of this kind which is practical and is of minimum initial cost comparing favorably and competitively with that of struc-= tures at present used for somewhat similar purposes.

The above mentioned objects of the invention as well as others, will more fully appear as it proceed with my specificatlon.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view through a rail adjacent a tie end and illustrates the tie plate and associated parts in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. '1. I

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view through a part of the construction shown in Fig. 2 as taken on the line 3-3 thereof.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a certain rail retaining member or spring forming a part of the improved construction and which will be described in greater detail later on.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawing- 5 indicates a, railroad cross tie; 6 indicates a tie plate thereon and l indicates a rail having a base flange 8. This flange is adapted to seat upon the top surface of the tie plate between a pair of spaced inner and outer end shoulders t and to respectively. As shown herein, the top surface of the plate between said shoulders is slightly inclined and the bottom surface thereof is substantially flat. If desired, said top surface may be flat and parallel with the bottom surface which may have tie entering portions thereon, without departing from the spirit of the invention. The top surface of the end portions. of the plate, beyond said shoulders, are inclined in opposite directions so that said end portions taper in thickness outwardly. In the inner faces of each shoulder 9 and ill, one adjacent each side of the tie plate is a recess ii, the purpose of which will soon appear. On the outer end of the tie plate, in line with the associated shoulder recess ii, is a raised ledge Ma.

In said tie plates are openings l2l2 and l3--l3 respectively, the former being arranged in the plane of each shoulder illl so as to cut through the same and the latter being formed more closely to the inner and outer ends of the tie plate. It is pointed out at this time, that openings l2 and i3 are disposed in different planes transversely and longitudinally of the tie plate. This offsets the spikes with respect to each other, so that the tendency to split the tie,

when the spikes are applied, is eliminated.

, Preferably on the top surface of the tie plate, along each end thereof, is a raised rib or shoulder Ml, which is of a length approximating that of the recesses l l., Such a tie plate, readily lends itself to manufacture by rolling or otherwise and is, therefore, practical.

Associated with each opening M is a retaining member of peculiar construction, in that one end is adapted to provide a heavy laterally inward pressure on the rail base and the other end is adapted to impose a downward pressure to hold the tie plate and tie in a firm continuous engagement. This retaining member which is best shown in Fig. 4, is made of a suitable length of spring stock of the desired width, bent to form an inner end, inverted U shape loop portion 65 and an upwardly arched outer end portion it, the said end portions being connected by a reversely curved, intermediate portion ll. The free marginal partlB of the inverted U shaped loop portion is substantially straight to a height somewhat greater than that of edges of the base flange. Parts of said portions, near each side i3 and shoulder thereof are punched outwardly to form shoulders end of each retaining member is a slightly elongated opening ZI]. This opening is preferably formed by punching.

In connection with each retaining member, I employ a screw spike 2|, the shank of which extends through the opening 20 in the retaining member and through the hole I3 in the tie plate to be threaded into the tie. This spike has a head flange 22 at the top end, the under surface 23 of which is flat and disposed in a plane at a right angle to the axis of the spike. This flat underside of the head flange operatively engages the top surface of the bowed outer end part of the retaining member. plate shoulders receives a spike 24. As shown in the drawing, these spikes are of the cut type adapted to be driven into the tie but ordinary screw spikes may be employed if so desired, in which case the holes would be circular.

With the tie plate properly positioned on the tie and with the rail base engaged in its seat on the tie plate, between the shoulders thereon, the

spikes 24 may be entered into the tie. Assume that holes have been drilled in the tie in line with the other tie plate holes I 3. A retaining member is then positioned in place with its opening 20 aligned with an associated tie plate hole l3 and with the bottom edge of the inner end of the retainer engaging on the top surface of the base .flange as best shown at the right hand side of Fig. 1. The retaining member for the outer end of the tie plate is disposed upon the raised ledge Ila. The outer end of said retaining member then engages against the associated shoulder M at the end ,of the tie plate. The screw spikes 2! are then inserted and initially tightened. This distorts the bowed end of the retaining member downwardly to impose a downward pressure thereon which acts to tension the entire retaining member. With a track bar fulcrumed against the side of the ball of the rail and with the bottom end of said bar engaged against the inner end of the inverted U shaped portion of the retainer, the top end of said bar is swung outwardly. The bottom end of said bar then forces the said inner end 18 of said retainer portion I 5, outwardly beyond the edge of the rail base, whereupon said end snaps into the recess H in the shoulder and into place against the adjacent edge of the rail base. The parts are so proportioned that at this time the shoulders 19 engage the top surface of the rail base flange and the bottom edge of said inner end of the retaining member substantially touches the top surface of the tie plate.

With the parts in this position, the inner end of the inverted U shaped portion of the retaining member imposes a considerable inward pressure or thrust against the edge of the rail base flange. The screw spike is then tightened. This tends to press down or flatten the bowed outer end portion of the retaining member placing it under a tension which brings the reversely curved intermediate portion I! of the retaining member into substantial engagement with the tie plate. This through said intermediate portion, further tensions the inverted U shaped end to cause it to exert a further inward pressure on the base flange edge to cause it to tighten up its frictional grip on the edge. Due to the difference of the characters of the metal of the rail base flange member and the retaining member, this frictional grip is indeed considerable and sufficient to hold the rail against longitudinal movement. This grip, of course, could be increased by roughening as by knurling or otherwise, that surface area of said Each opening l2 in the tieretaining member engaged with the edge of the rail base.

It is pointed out that through the peculiar arrangement and shape of the parts of the retaining member, a downward pressure on the bowed part thereof is translated into a greater lateral pressure on the said inner end of said inverted U shaped portion. It is preferable that two of such retaining members be employed with each plate, with one retaining member on each side of the rail and at opposite sides of the tie plate. When only one retaining member is employed, with each tie plate, said members are arranged in staggered position, that is, the retaining memhere on alternateties are positioned on one side initial loss of free height to which all springs are subjected as well as to the slight natural fatigue which is inherent in them. These losses, however, are compensated for and the pressures are increased laterally against and downward upon the rail base as the screw spike is tightened thereby depressing the outer end and. reverse curve portion downwardly and inwardly, thus augmenting the compression.

It is, of course, not desired that an over pressure ,be applied on the retaining member but only enough to hold the tie and tie plate in continuous contact or engagement, otherwise this overpressure might act reversely with a tendency to lift or pull the screw spikes.

It is apparent that with the pressure grip of the inner end of the inverted U shape portion against the rail base edge, the rail is held against longitudinal shifting or movement. With the shoulders l9 engaging the top margins of the base flange as mentioned, only a minimum of wave motion is possible in the rail.

Thus the construction described holds the rail against creepage and longitudinal expansion and contraction movement due to temperature changes and confines wave movement to a minimum. As the tie plate and tie are held securely together there can be no relative movement to cause mechanical abrasion between them.

The construction described is practical, is inexpensive to make and install and operates efficiently for its intended purpose.

While in describing the invention, I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be particularly set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination with a tie and a rail, a rail retaining member having an inverted loop portion at one end engaging the edge of the base of the rail and an upwardly bowed portion spaced.

said downward pressure through said intermediate portion being translated into a laterally inward pressureto cause said loop portion to exert a force to firmly frictionally grip against said edge of the raid base.

2. In combination with a tie, a tie plate and a rail, a rail retaining member having an inverted loop portion at one end engaging the edge of the base of the rail and an upwardly bowed portion spaced laterally from said base and connected to the loop portion by an intermediate portion, and means passing through said upwardly bowed portion and tie plate and into the tie and operable to impose a downward pressure on said upwardly bowed portion, said downward pressure through said intermediate portion being translated into a laterally inward pressure to cause said loop portion to exert a force to firmly frictionally grip against said edge of the rail base.

3. In combination with a tie, tie plate and a rail, means on said tie plate providing an abutment for one edge of the base of the rail, a rail retaining member having an inverted loop portion at one end engaging the other edge of the base of the rail and an upwardly bowed portion spaced laterally from said last mentioned edge of the rail and connected to said loop portion by an intermediate portion, and means passing through said upwardly bowed portion and tie plate and extending into the tie and operable to impose a downward pressure on said upwardly bowed portion, said downward pressure through said intermediate portion being translated into a laterally inward pressure to cause said loop portion to force the first mentioned edge of the rail base against saidabutment and to firmly frictionally grip against the second mentioned edge of said base portion.

4. In combination with a tie and a rail, a rail retaining member having an inverted loop portion at one end engaging the edge of the base of the rail and an upwardly bowed portion spaced laterally from said base and connected to the first mentioned portion by an intermediate portion, means on said loop portion providing a shoulder overhanging and engaging with a margin of the rail base associated with said edge, and means passing through said upwardly bowed portion and extending into the tie and operable to impose a downward pressure on said upwardly bowed portion, said downward pressure through said intermediate portion being translated into a downward and inward pressure of the inverted loop portion to cause it to firmly grip against said edge of the rail base and to cause the shoulder thereon to firmly clamp down upon the associated margin of the rail base.

5. In combination with a tie, a tie plate and a rail, a rail retaining member having an inverted loop portion at one end engaging the edge of the base of the rail, an upwardly bowed portion spaced laterally from the base of the rail and overhanging a part of the tie plate, and an intermediate portion connecting said loop and said bowed portion, a shoulder on the tie plate for engagement by the end of said upwardly bowed portion and means passing through said upwardly bowed portion and tie plate and extending into the tie and operable to impose a downward pressure on said upwardly bowed portion, said intermediate portion operating to translate said downward pressure into a laterally inward pressure of the loop portion to cause the same to exert a force to firmly frictionally grip against said edge of the rail base.

6. In combination with a tie, a tie plate and a rail, means on said tie plate providing a shoulder for engagement by one edge of the base of the rail, a rail retaining member for the other side of the rail comprising an inverted loop portion at one end for engaging the other edge of the rail and an upwardly bowed portion spaced laterally from said other edge of the rail and connected to the loop portion by an intermediate portion, a

second shoulder on the tie plate for engagement by the end of said upwardly bowed portion, and

means passing through said bowed portion and tie plate and extending into the tie and operable to impose a downward pressure on said bowed portion, said downward pressure through said intermediate portion being translated into a laterally inward pressure to force the first mentioned edge of the rail base against its shoulder and to firmly frictionally grip against the second mentioned edge of the rail base.

7. In combination with a tie, tie plate and a rail, a pair of longitudinally spaced, intermediate shoulders extending transversely of the tie plate and each having a recess therein near opposite sides of the plate and which shoulders receive the base of the rail between them, other shoulders located one at each end of the tie plate, a rail retaining member for each side of the rail base and positioned in the plane of said recesses, each retaining member including an inverted loop portion, a part of which is disposed in an associated recess and in engagement with an associated edge of the rail base, said retaining members each also including an upwardly bowed portion connected to the loop portion by an intermediate portion, the ends of said bowed portion of said retaining members being engaged with said other shoulders respectively, a screw spike passing through the upwardly bowed portion of each retaining member and through the tie plate and into the tie andbeing operableto impose a downward pressure on said upwardly bowed portion, which through said intermediate portion is translated into a laterally inward pressure to cause the inverted loop portion of each retaining member to firmly frictionally grip against the associated edges of the rail base.

8. In a construction of the kind described, a rail retaining member of flat spring metal and having an inverted U shaped loop portion at one end, an upwardly bowed, apertured portion at the other end and connected to the loop portion by 9. In a construction of the kind described, a tie plate having a pair of transversely extending intermediate shoulders, each with a recess therein, arranged near opposite sides of the tie plate, the end portions of the tie plate, outwardly from each intermediate shoulder tapering in thickness toward the associated end of the tie plate, a shoulder on each end of the tie plate in line with the recesses, there being spike openings in said tie plate, one in each end portion thereof in line with an assbciated recess and there being other spike openings, opening through each of said intermediate shoulders, the spike holes being offset into different planes, transversely of the tie plate.

ROBERT L. CAIRNCRQSS.