US2072619A - Flexible rail joint - Google Patents

Description

March 2, 1937. c. A. DISBROW L'lariiSonflDiSbfow m 6mm,

Patented Mar. 2, 1937 FLEXIBLE RAIL JOINT Clarkson A. Disbrow, New Rochelle, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Poor & Company, a corporation of Delaware Application March 7, 1931, Serial No. 520,902

3 Claims.

This invention relates to rail joints, and has particular reference to improvements in rail joints of either the head-contact or the headfree type in which provision is made for substantially uninterrupted transmission of the wave motion of the rails through the joint.

The invention has special reference to a splice bar construction designed for intermittent contact with and clearance from the rails within zones spaced longitudinally of the bar, whereby, when the bar is embodied in a joint, flexure of the rails within the length of the joint in accordance with the natural wave motion of the rails when traflic passes thereover is permitted. Thus, rail end batter is materially reduced as compared with the rail end batter noticeable in connection with rail joints which are lacking in provision to permit transmission of the rail wave motion through the joints, and at the same time the life of a joint embodying splice bars constructed in accordance with the invention is considerably prolonged as compared with ordinary rigid joints, because of the fact that the provision for flexure of the rails relative to the splice bars within the length of the joint materially reduces the destructive influence of this rail flexure upon the joint considered in its entirety.

i The present splice bar is preferably, though not necessarily, of the headfree type, the same preferably being constructed to take loading engagement at the upper inner corner of its head with the head fillets of both-standard and headfree rail, and in addition, to have clearance at its head from the rail heads, whereby the advantages of a headfree joint are combined with the advantages inherent to a bar constructed to have intermittent contact with the rails in the manner aforesaid.

Accordingly, the invention has in view to provide a splice bar which embodies a novel construction designed to permit substantially free transmission of the wave motion of the rails through a joint employing said bars, which is of relatively low production cost, which is strong and durable, and which serves to impart ample rigidity to a joint where rigidity is required.

With the foregoing and other purposes in view, which will become more fully apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel features of combination, construction and arrangement as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in related views:-

Figure l is a side elevation of a rail joint employing a splice bar constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 1-1 of Figs. 1; and

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, the rails are designated as R, R, respectively, and the splice bar as B, and each rail is inclusive, as usual, of a head In, a web II and a base flange l2, and the head H] is merged with the web I I through a head fillet [3 in accordance with general practice.

The splice bar consists essentially of a head M, a web l5 and a foot IE, but in sectional shape and general design said bar may be varied within relatively wide limits, the head of the bar preferably, but not necessarily, being provided at its upper inner corner with a transversely rounded rib H to take loading engagement with the head fillet l3 of either a headfree or a standard rail, and, in the event the bar is to be used with standard rail, the head of the bar also being formed, preferably, for clearance from the underside of the rail head, this desired clearance being inherent to the use of the bar with headfree rail because of the removal of the lower, outer corners of the heads of rails of this type.

According to the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the figures, the rib or rounded bearing member l! at the upper inner corner of the splice bar is formed medially and at its ends, as at 8 and I9, respectively, for loading engagement with the head fillets of the rails, while between these loading portions of said rib the same is deflected downwardly as at 2|], 20, respectively, for clearance from the head fillets of the rails. At the foot of the bar the same is formed medially and at its ends, as at 2! and 22, respectively, for fishing contact with the upper faces of the rail flanges, and between said portions 21 and 22 is deflected upwardly, as at 23, 23, respectively, for clearance from the rail flanges.

The medial head fillet and rail flange engaging portions 3 and 21 of the bar are of a length to extend outwardly from the end of each rail a distance approximately equal to the length of the zone of maximum wear upon the rail ends, While the head fillet and rail flange engaging portions I9 and 22 at the ends of the bar preferably are substantially equal in length to the length of the clearance portions 20 and 23 of the bar.

In forming the bar the same preferably is rolled to uniform section throughout its length and the clearance portions 20 and 23 thereof preferably are thereafter provided by subjecting the bar to pressure between dies, or by any approved mill or shop practice, thereby to make the necessary displacements or movement of metal so that the rail contact and the rail clearance portions referred to will properly be formed without vertical or lateral deformation of the web and without lateral deflection, bending or bowing of either the head or foot portions of the bar.

It is apparent that the bar B is not materially weakened by the provision of the clearances 20, 23 therein, and the bar therefore is of substantially equal strength to a bar of equivalent section having contact throughout its length with the rails. On the other hand, because of the clearances 20, 23, it is equally apparent that the wave motion of the rails is permitted to freely pass through the joint substantially without interruption, whereby only a relatively minor amount of batter of the rail ends occurs, and whereby the joint as an entirety is proportionately relieved of the destructive influence of traffic passing over the same. Furthermore, the joint bolts are more readily kept tight, the opportunity for wear on the joint bar, the rails and the joint bolts is reduced, and the maintenance cost of the joint is correspondingly reduced and the life of the joint correspondingly prolonged.

The drawing illustrates that in instances where bolt holes occur within the length of the clearance portions of the bar, enlargements 25 of metal may be allowed to extend into said clearances so as not to unduly weaken the bar in the vicinity of such bolt holes. Moreover, the drawing also illustrates the movement or distribution of a suificient amount of the metal of the bar from the regions of the clearances 2023 to insure flexing or yielding of the bar to bending strains i without materially decreasing the strength of the bar. They also illustrate that the bar may be formed for medial clearance at its foot from the rail flanges, as at 26, and for the rail flange contacts at I8, 21, I9, and 22, without any vertical or lateral deflection of the web and without lateral deflection or bowing of either the head or foot portions of the bar, thereby providing intermittent rail clearing portions in the bar which are of reduced height as compared with the height of the rail contacting portions, thus insuring a sufiicient flexibility of the bar to carry out the purposes of the invention.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, Without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a rail joint, the rails, and a splice bar having loading engagement at the inner upper corner of its head medially and at its ends with the head fillets of the rails, the head of said bar being formed for clearance from the rail head fillets between the said head fillet contacting portions of the bar, the bar having bolt holes within the lengths of said clearance portions, respectively, and said bar further having enlargements of metal in line with said bolt holes extending into said clearance portions.

2. In a rail joint, the rails, and a splice bar having base loading engagement at its ends with the rail bases, clearance inwardly of each end from the rail bases, and base loading engagement inwardly of said clearances with the rail bases, the bar having bolt holes within the lengths of said clearances, respectively, and further having enlargements of metal in line with said bolt holes extending into said clearances.

3. In a rail joint, the rails, and a splice bar having loading engagement at the upper inner corner of its head medially and at its ends with the head fillets of the rails, the head of the bar having clearance throughout its length from the under sides of the rail heads and clearance from the rail head fillets between the said head fillet contacting portions of the bar, said bar having base loading engagement at its ends with the rail bases, clearance inwardly of each end from the rail bases, and base loading engagement inwardly of said last mentioned clearances with the rail bases, the bar having bolt holes within the lengths of said clearances, respectively, and further having enlargements of metal in line with said bolt holes extending into each of said clearances.

CLARKSON A. DISBROW.

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