US2483741A - Track coupler - Google Patents

Description

@ci 49 i949. P. A. STURTEVANT I 2948397421 A TRACK COUPLER Filed March 14, 1946 Patented Oct. 4, 1949 lcifisa'ni-r Timon Courir-En "riti 'Ajsmrcevantfnlihliiist, nl; applicati@ March r4, 1Mo-"serial No. censor "io'iola'ims (01."273'84241) Thisv invention "relates to ltrackrail couplers or j 'ointsandtparticularly-toi such vaszmay' be usedzfor joining the vrails of. sinallwindustria-l,railroads, miniature railroads-,\toy electric and other trains. etcz, 'and for assembling; :cbnnectingbeanis in structural Work.

Heretofore such ydevices have'been more oril'ess complicated, involving ydetachable parts, sliding connections, nuts yand bolts, andthe like, and arie diiicult yto assemble', :maintain and; disassemble. Pants are vliable to be mislaid or. 10st, to be distorted in attempting tofas'semble or takel apart; the :alignment "is` not ,good zand. vthe joints come apa-rt.

`It -S one object `of `this :invention to pr'ovide 'a couplerl 'Whichis- Aautomatic: in fits `locking v"and aligning features; vwhich lis v:extremely simple lin its construction .and method Vof Tassexnb1jr-a1'a'd disassembly, cannot fbe 'fdistorted fin. Aassembly or disassembly',xhas 11o-separate pieces :to Ybe mislaid and 10st, and. which `is yrugged inconstruc'- tion, ecient inr operation, economical in manufacture-, andfoi long life.`

-In carrying out `the invention .in the lpreferredr form, -a coupling plate ma-ybe rivetedror otherwise-'secured to a flange atoneo the Aadjacent ends `of therail sections or connecting beams to. be joined. rEhe projecting :end of thepiate ma'y be'piovided withv spaced tongues-or ifingers which are bent to `pass through openings or notches formed in a flange of the other adjacent railsection or -rconnecting; beam end', one on feach Vside of the Web of theraiL `'Ilieend :of tthe'second. section of Athe rail -or connectingY beam bears against these vfontfamily projecting tonguesrand the ends ofthe tongues #bear against -vone face of the flange beyond the notches, vWhile theslanting or 'diagonal parts of Ythe ton-guesfe'ngage vwith the edges of the notchesfin theiiangesfand'slide `and lock the rabutting Vends of the "sections in proper position with nrespect. to each other.

To assist lin vthe alignment of the; rail sections or connecting beams-and maintaining" them in that condition, apair of 4side rail clips may be riveted or otherwise secured 'to-'the web :of the one section and 4grip the sides of the Web'of the other section when the -two'adjacent ends voi the sections arefbrought. together. j c

The attachment is conveniently -rmade by tilt.- ing the adjacent;- sections upward slightly in order iorpsmii thehboliegvef ihesvizvortinanesiiwning and. locking. -nglers crimenes. through the' slots or openings in the iiang'e f theother 'section, Then viih'en the track lor connectingfbeain sections are `r1oit/'ered or pushed downwardly', the

i3 two ysections' are Adrawn together into properposition by the tongues and notches andzthe side clips engage the Webrof the opposite .end,fand both sections arefthus tightly -held together iin perfectfalignment jbothy horizontally and vertically andcare locked against longitudinalseparation, and any Weight imposed on the joints .only tends :to hold lthem :the more tightly together.

s The-disassembly is equallysimple and expeditions.` The rail' or connecting beam sectionsare simply raisedat the 'joint and the sections f'will eomeapartforfcan bereadiiyzpulledapart. There are no nuts and bolts to takeout and fiese, fno sliding members which stick and refuse toslde, and no vv'loosepieces to be taken care of and'apt to-befmislaidand lost. s

This `ease and dispatch of assembly and disassembly is particularly important andI valuable in connection with miniature vtrains and railroads for #street #Carnivals and the vlike, Whichn'otonly move .frequentlybut Where it isim-portant toget the railroad and )trains started early at newil'ocations toattract attentionand excite the interest of the public .in the Acarni-val as a Whole'as well as in the railroad and trains. Il-reoluently, .with this inyentionrthe miniature trains andrailroad Vare the first attraction voperating at a carnival, and their quick and readyassemblagefrom the'trucks tov operative `condition never fails to 4attract the public. c c

In such-places, too, theresis frequently not suicient 'time to -eyen oir the surface .of the ground accurately where the railroad is to be laid, so that some of the joints between rail or trackdsections may'not be well supported, but with these -jointsfthey support the load and trains regardless and any tendency to be depressedby the weight only/ looks them together-the tighter.

And :thevsameismtrue for toy trains and railroads, Where :perhapsior lack of room the track cai-1 be permitted to b e `laid v on the floor lfor a limited time Vonly and then must be taken .away and .stored-` n AQhildren,jaije apt to be linripatient in getting ready to. startthe trains as well as in packing upv afterwards," and` may not khave acquired jsufiicient mechanical skill to operate sliding or other tricky connectors Which are diicult to handle, and theywfare apt to `resortto `force, sunclflr as Yjumping on the jointsin an attempt to straighten them outl withthe result that the )darts are distorted `ror destroyed, and the dilculty may not. be readily overcome.

Eutttith vthis intention there yare no loosey parts Y sections are merely grasped,l brought and hooked It is taken as cheapness of construction and efficiency of operation, al1 make it especially advantageous and important.

Further objects and advantages will appear from the detailed description and claims to follow, in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates, by way of' illustration and not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention, and in which- Fig. l is a plan view of the rail joint;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation, looking toward the right end of Fig. 2, the rail, however, being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the meeting ends of track sections with the joints applied to the rails;

Fig. 5 is a detail View of the rail joint looking in the direction of the line 5--5 of Fig. 4, but with the ends of the rails tilted up in position to thread or hook the tongues on one rail through the flange openings on the other;

Fig. 6 is a similar view onV the line 6-6 of Fig. 4 showing the same parts and positions with re'- spect to the other rail of the track sections;

Fig. '7 is a detail plan View of the end of the rail having the flange openings;

' Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the bottom plate with its interlocking and supporting tongues; and

Fig. 9 is a cross section of the ties.

Referring to these drawings. the adjacent rail sections I and I I, as seen in Figs. 1 to 3, are preferably square-ended, the one rail I having openings I2, preferably in the form of open-ended slots or notches, Fig. '7, in one of its flanges near the end of the rail and one on either side of the web I4 of the rail. While openings I 2 are shown in bottom :Gange I3, it will be understood that the structure shown is illustrative only and that openings I2 need not be located in bottom flange VI3 solely.

A track coupling clip, Fig. 8, which may be in the form of a plate I5, is secured by rivets I6, or otherwise, to the underside of the bottom flange Il of the abutting rail end IIJ. The plate I may be substantially the width of the bottom flange of the rails, if openings l2 are located in bottom flange I3, and is provided with two forwardly projecting spaced tongues I3 underlying the bottom of rail end II'. These tongues or fingers I8 may be bent or formed with slanting portions I9 passing up through the openings or slots I2,V respectively, in the bottom flange I3 of the other rail end II, and with end ,portions 2i! extending over and bearing upon the top side of the bottom flange.

When the two rail sections are assembled as in Figs. 1 and 2, the bottom end of the rail section II rests upon the plate I5 and tongues I8 and is supported thereby, and the ends of the tongues rest and bear upon the iiange I3 and are supported thereby, so that the two abutting ends of the rails interlock and support each other. Any tendency to separate longitudinally in use 4 or to pull apart is resisted by the portions I9 of the tongues I8 engaging the edges 2| of the slots I2, and both edges 2|' and 22 of the slots engaging the slanting portions I9 tend to guide and bring the ends of the rails together in the desired positions when the joint is being assembled.

These tongues or fingers I8 are hooked or inserted through the openings I2, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, by slightly raising the adjacent ends of the rails and directing the ends 2n into and through the openings I2 in the bottom flange of the other rail, and then lowering the two ends. In such lowering of the ends, the edges 2| and 22 of the openings or slots tend to engage and slide along the inclined or offsetting portion I9, so that when in horizontal position, as shown in -Fig. 2,

-the ends of the rails are drawn closely together in alignment positions and are automatically locked against longitudinal separation or movement by the tongues and notches. A slight clearance is left between the ends of the rails for expansion and contraction purposes, 1%;4 of an inch being suicient in the particular instance of Fig. 4l. The joint is thus self-supporting vertically by the interlocking hooks or tongues and openings and any rotational tendency is prevented.

Side clips 30 of relatively heavy material are secured, as by rivets 3i or otherwise, to the web of one rail end, in this instance the end II, and project forwardly to engage and tightly grip the web of the opposing rail end when the joints are assembled, as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The free ends of these side clips are bent, curved or flared outwardly a little, as at 32, to receive between them the end of the web I4 of the opposite rail section as the two rails are lowered into final locking position after being hooked together by the tongues I8. Thus, as shown in Fig. 5, at the rst hooking of the rails in their tipped-up position, the clips have not engaged the opposite rail web. But, as the two ends of the rails are pressed down or lowered to the horizontal position, the clips slip over the two sides of the web and slide down into the position of Fig. 2. The flaring ends 32 ensure this proper action even though the two rails, at this time more or less loosely hooked together should not have their webs in exact alignment at the start. The side clips thus continually align or ensure the alignment of the webs and assist the bottom clip in aligning the two rail sections in the joint.

The track surfaces of head or heads ofthe rails are at the same level at the juncture 33, Fig. 2, since the rails are of the same height and the bottom of rail II is supported on the tongues I8 and plate I5, 'which Aextend forwardly from the bottom of rail Il).

The coupler is thus automatic in its positioning, locking and aligning features.

While aligning side clips 30 are shown attached to the rail section having the slots I2 in the lower flange, they4 may be applied to the other section so far as their main functions are concerned. But the arrangement shown is preferred for various reasons, including the strengthening of the end having the notches cut in the flange, ease of manufacture, and other reasons.

Fig. 5 shows the invention embodied in complete track sections, such as may be used in miniature railroads, and the like.

In such track sections the rails and cross members, corresponding to ties in railroad lines, are all secured tightly together and are handled as such units in assembling, disassembling, transporting'and storing.

reversed intpositiomon .the tworraiis ci the tra-cit atthe .mints- 'Thus,.thetwoclipsiare attachedto the upper rails. inv fEig. v:4.ign .the position aseshownin 21,. 2,. `B and 5, while .they reversed. inlpositioncon. theiother-'rails'of 4V.th-e ii' @int asfshowxrzinfsaidtfgure and in Eig. @6. IOtheiwvise there inoidiierenee in f construction .and -operation.

. efendsfofthe itrachisections may `Joe coupled together YbyL-slightiy :their ends z andsub" stantialily Ssimuitanseously threadng'the tongues 1&3 thifotiglfr.then-'slots` lf2.. of the lower yflange Vof the'gcther mail: sections; and:thenllcweringor pushing'fdown 'itl-1e. :hooked .ends :of 'the :sections .In such lowering of rtheinintszthe.track-sections and vrails iare :automatically 'aligned :and locked., as described.. .my-load imposed on :the rai-ls .and idi-'nts-.f-'only.Lholdsnthemlmore .tightly .together in alignment both vertically and horizontallyieverallimpertant advantages -`resiilt from .this

reversal ci .position .of the locking .and aligning clips :on the lwo :rails tof :thev sections. Al/T'lflatever speci @stresses .'an'dstrains-sniaydevelop in one railc'efi thetrarclgadue to the lo'catien'eofithe bottom clips 'onezrailzand the I.slots and :side .clips 'onthe'otherabuttingirail at afjeintiofithe sections Willi-beioiset or balanced `hy'those .simultaneously .develop'edjn the other .rail .of the joined sections. Arbetteribalarrced andfstronger zjointicf theitrack sections results..

sAgaimfwithltlreelips and 'flange slots 'reversely disposed dnthis :mannen ythe -endsfof :the track sectionsrare .theisameiandiitidoes not matter-Which Aenolsaolf `the sections Vare brought together .tor :joining .herezare no.spairsaorrightsiandileitsto bel :kept 2in. animi .ziny laying. .the :traclvor 'in the handling.. -rloafiding zand storing 'of fthe sections. This :is :of 'importance iin 'systems `Where :speed of handling :and-track 'layinggis imperiative,l asin miniature. railroads',:fand is specially :desirable- 2in tracks-afer 'tey ftradnsrwhere children areaintended to hanrll'efthefsame- 'lloattention need be paid as to which ends of the sections are to be joined.

This arrangement also insures vthe proper joinu ing ot the .rails .at .the .endsof .the .track sections,

since it is necessary to thread the tongues 'through the slots in both rails before they can be lowered even approximateiy ior locking.

While' the track rails are :preferably .of subh vstantia-lly- .the cross-sectionyshown, they be varied fas desired. 'friendV that `for commercial miniature railways, apparatusnof the full scale of thezdrawingsgsaye Fig. 4, is satisfactory, the rails being about one foot apart inthe track-and an "all-metal or steel construction throughout bein-g. used. Obtieus-ly; forrother `ilsnzrrposes the dimensions and .materials may be adapted therefor.

As previously stated, openings l2 and plate i5 need not be limited in their location to bottom anges I3 and I1 because it is apparent that sub- In practice; applicant :has

"stantially fthe-same *results can bei obtained rin 'structures having' .these vlaarts locatedaelse'where .as :ferrfexanipleftheupperzflariges as yby'f'recesss'- ing. .plate "Hi .income railfsection land extending tongues l 8-\ downwardly throughY theropenings t2 dispesedlin :the '.-adjacent #rail :section It is v.intended therefore that-tli-ewscope .Tof y.the .ini'r-ention 'shallffextendftor coversuch variations.

iMoreoverathe typeof. jointfdis'close'd hereinsmay be :used tor other' .purposes 'Without "departing i:the scopeof ythe invention. Forfexample, connecting fbeams 2 in structural Work may have this-joint?appliedftherebetween; Such connecting beamsil'iave heretofore-been tied together by bolts, .bars and other :tie `platesthatnecessitatedA special assembly work by `.la-bor ori-the -job and required time fand :additional :tools :to complete'I .the '-saime. The use .of.my .improved .typei-of joint-provides: an exceptionally strong. connection fand :eliminates Athis-.special'assemblyWork and labor. Thezappli'- vcatlon :of a tload lor any increase thereof while .the dead fis applied. :tends to increasevthe i locking grip-.or action .between the connecting. beams. The parts A.cannot YJoeidislodged. ibut firmly vheid together., the .assembly being Sim-ple as =heretoimei-.explained .while no :removabieivpart fneedabe .use

Without furthervelabbration, tithe -foregoing 'will so `tui-ly explain fthegiszt-of invention that others may, by applying cnrrentflinowledge',readi- .lllyadapt the samefor 4.use :under -varying condi- .tions .oiservicaf-without eliminating :certain fteaF tures,Whichmayproperty be saidato constitutethe essential .itemsof fnoveltyfinvolved, which items vare in-tendedto .bel dened andisecured 1to V:ine by .the following-claims l Irelaim:

1. .A .track .rail fjointfeomprising ra .ipa-ir .of rails .having `.adiacentendsf, one of said rail-s having .openings in :a :dange thereof near 'its saidend .and supporting members secured :to the: other 'raiiiendsand projecting upwardly Iand forwardly in `supportihg engagement with the end iloffthe opposed...reil,. saidmembers .passing ythrong-hsaid `npenings.and .supporti-aghi engaging the upper face :of `said. .aange whereby va self- `ipport-.ag Jointis formed etween the :ai s.

.2..- A track .rail joint-comprising .a painof rails .having .adjacent ends.. one -of said rails `having openings `adlange thereof near its said-end, andsupporti-ng Tmembers: .secured tothe vother rail and .extending .in .supporting engagement ,with .the -end .of said .flange and fslantingl'y .upwardly .through .said openir-rgs` `in engagement .vvith `the.for-ward. .edge of rsaid* openings and thenceintobearing engagement with the top .face-ofsaidflange -beyond .the openings whereby the endsare .drawnsand held together and supported rby .said members, openings fand flange engagements.

(3. A.. track. irai-1 joint .comprising a. .pair .of rails .hayingfadjacent ends, one -ofsaid rails having openings Yin .a flange .thereof `hear lits said end, .and supporting members :.secured.. to- Athe other `and Vextending .in supporting engagement withf'the .end of said .flange and v.s1antingly. .upwardly through said .openings in, engagement the :forwardand V.rear .edges of .saidopen- :ings and thenee .in-to 4bearing engagement.. with 'the .top..face. .of .said flange beyond the .openings .whereby said .ends- .are drawn to. andV .held -in .position Vand .supported by said. members, fopen ings and flange engagements.

4. A track rail joint comprising a pair of rails having adjacent ends, one of the rails having openings in a ii'ange thereof adjacent but spaced from the end of the rail and one on each side of the web, and a pair of spaced supportingtongues secured to and projecting on opposite sides of the web from the end of the other rail, said tongues being engaged by the end of the firstnamed rail and having offset portions passing through said flange openings respectively and bearing at their free ends upon one face of the flanges adjacent the openings, whereby the said ends are interlockingly engaged and self-supported in alignment to form the rail joint.

5. A track rail joint comprising a pair of rails having adjacent ends adapted to form substantially a continuous track rail, one of the rails having an opening in a ange thereof near the end and on each side of the web of the rail, and a pair of spaced tongues secured to and projecting forwardly from the end of the other rail also one on each side of the web of said other rail, said tongues receiving and supporting the 'end of the opposing rail and having intermediate slanting portions passing through said openings respectively and adapted to engage the forward and rear walls of the openings, the free ends of the tongues engaging and supportingly bearing upon one face of the flange beyond the openings whereby when assembled the adjacent ends of the rails are positioned, interlocked and selfsupported in alignment.

6. A track rail joint comprising a pair of rails having adjacent ends, one of the rails having openings in a flange thereof adjacent but spaced from the end of the rail and one on each side of the web, a pair of spaced supporting tongues secured to and projecting from the end of the other rail also one on each side of the web of said other rail, said tongues being engaged by the end of the first-named rail and having offset portions passing through said ange openings c respectively and bearing at their free ends upon one face of the flanges adjacent the openings, and side clips secured to the opposite sides of the web of one rail end and embracingly engaging the web of the other rail end whereby the said ends are interlockingly engaged and selfsupported in alignment to form the rail joint.

7. A track rail joint comprising a pair of rails having adjacent ends, one of said rails having openings in a flange thereof adjacent the end, one opening on each side of the web, a supporting plate secured to the bottom of the flange of the other rail and projecting beyond the end thereof, said plate having spaced tongues extending slantingly through said openings respectively and bearing on a face of the flange beyond the openings, said plate, tongues, openings and flange forming an interlocking self-supporting joint between said ends of the rails, and a pair of side clips secured to the opposite sides of the web of the rail having the openings in its flange, the free ends of said clips embracing the web of the opposing rail to hold the same in alignment.

8. A track rail joint comprising a pair of rails having adjacent ends, one of the rails having openings in one of its anges near the end, one opening on each side of the web of the rail, and a supporting plate secured to a flange of the other rail and projecting beyond the end thereof, said plate having forwardly extending tongues spaced on opposite sides of the rail web and with inclined portions adapted to be passed upwardly through said openings respectively when the ends of the rails are raised to a relatively inclined position, the said inclined portions engaging the forward and rearward edges of the openings when the rail ends are lowered to the horizontal position whereby to position and lock the said rail ends together in alignment, the free ends of the tongues supportingly bearing upon the upper face of the ange beyond the openings and the end of the rail resting on the said plate and tongues in advance of the inclined portions whereby the rail joint is self-supporting.

9. A track rail joint comprising a pair of rails having adjacent ends, one of the rails having openings in a flange thereof near the end, one opening on each side of the web of the rail, a pair of clips secured to the opposite sides of the web adjacent the head of the rail and having projecting flaring ends, and a supporting plate secured to a flange of the other rail and projecting tongues with inclined portions adapted to be passed through said openings respectively when the ends of the rails are temporarily inclined longitudinally toward each other, said inclined portions engaging the forward and rear edges of said openings and the said clips embracing the web of the opposing rail when the said rail ends are depressed to the horizontal position whereby to position and lock the said rail ends together, the base of the one rail end resting on said tongues and the free ends of the tongues resting on the top of the ange beyond the openings whereby the ends are vertically self-supporting.

10. A track section joint, each section including rails and ties rigidly secured together, selfaligning and locking connections for the ends of the rails of the sections including openings in anges of one rail end of each opposed pair of ends, tongues secured to the opposite rail end of each pair adapted to be threaded through said openings by tilting the sections at an angle to each other and passing the tongues through said openings, the engagement of the tongues and opening walls serving to position the ends in alignment when lowered to the horizontal, the

end of the one rail engaging said tongues and the free ends of the tongues engaging a face of the flange beyond the openings whereby the joint is self-supporting, pairs of side clips secured to the web of one rail of each pair and adapted to clasp the web of the other rail when the joint is lowered to align the rails at the joints, the ends of said clips freeing the ends of the opposing rail when the two sections are inclined for connecting the said tongues and openings together.

PAUL A. STURTEVANT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 426,877 Stream Apr. 29, 1890 901,857 White Oct. 20, 1908 1,201,725 Hansen Oct. 17, 1916 1,389,781 Peifer Sept. 6, 1921 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 175,631 England June 15, 1922

Images