US2858078A - Track-to-tie connector for railways - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 28, 1958 t A. D. FAIRCHOK TRACK-TO-TIE CONNECTOR FOR RAILWAYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 16, 1954 In=1 E INVENTOR amd/mw 53., 5940005041, dzrfi A M ATTO EY I Oct. 28, 1958 A. D. FAIRCHOK 8 TRACK-TO-TIE CONNECTOR FOR RAILWAYS Filed Aug. 16, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 T IIEr- 7 I*1r:= 8

49 i L20 27 2a /a 9 -5 v\\\\ 1N VENTOR Tail]. BY dig Get. 28, 1958 A. D. FAIRCHOK TRACK-TO-TIE CONNECTOR FOR RAILWAYS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 Filed Aug. 16, 1954 m f/b s m c We Trar I ii Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view and showing the rail mounted therein;

United States Patent Ofiice 2,858,078 Patented Oct. 28, 1958 2,858,078 TRACK-TO-TIE CONNECTOR FOR RAILWAYS Andrew D. Fairchok, Richmond, Va. Application August 16, 1954, Serial No. 450,074 1 Claim. (Cl. 238-288) My invention relates broadly to railway systems and more particularly to a construction of track-to-tie connector which eliminates conventional spikes which are customarily driven into the railway tie.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a construction of track-to-tie connector for railways by which a track system may be rapidly installed without the necessity of the driving of spikes into the ties, and the rail system. rapidly removed for re-installation at another location.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction of track-to-tie connector in which the tie is recessed tojreceive and support the rail connector where the connector is bolted to the recessed tie, and where the rail is fastened by a clamp into the connector.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a construction of track-to-tie connector for railways in which the connector forms a cap which straddles the tie and is fastened to the tie in such manner that the load over the tie is distributed at the same time that a seat is provided for a rail without the necessity of driving spikes into the tie.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a track-to-tie connector for rails in which the connector forms an upwardly projecting cradle extending longi tudinally for supporting a rail and an integral downwardly projecting cap extending substantially transversely or normal to the direction of the cradle for straddling the rail tie and forming a fastening means therewith.

A- still further object of my invention is to provide a track-to-tie connector particularly suitable for fastening the curved track bed sections of rails to a tie.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the production of a track-to-tie connector which reduces time necessary for installing or dismantling a track systerm as set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig, 1 is a front elevational view of a railway tie con- "structed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 isa top plan view of the railway tie shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the parts of the track-to-tie connector in juxtaposed position to the tie; Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the rails connected with the tie by means of the track to-tie connector of my invention;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through a rail illustrating more clearly the manner of supporting the rail with respect to the tie, utilizing the track-to-tie connector of my invention and showing the cradle in end elevation;

through the cradle Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken line 9-9 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 10-10 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 11-- 11 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the fastening plate which fastens the rails to the cradle;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the cradle which supports the rail in position and which receives the fastening plate of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing the application of my invention to a curved rail system;

Fig. 15 is a horizontal sectional view taken through a curved rail fastened in the manner shown in Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 shows a cradle of curved contour as used in the form of my invention shown in Figs. 14-15; and

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the fastening plate used in the form of my invention shown in Figs. 14 l6.

My invention'is directed to a construction of track-totie connector for railways which may be quickly installed or dismantled for putting into operation a railway system or removing the system to some other location. In this application of my invention the track-to-tie connector is particularly effective in meeting military requirements where a rail system must be quickly installed and removed as part of a military operation. However, the basic application of my invention resides in the installasubstantially on tion of railway systems which require the minimum expenditure of labor and time for installation and substantially protects the system against sabotage in that no spikes are used in fastening the rails to the ties. The time necessary for driving such spikes is saved and the relative ease of endangering the rail system by removal of such spikes is blocked.

I provide a special form of tie which is provided with transversely disposed recesses along the top thereof adjacent opposite ends to receive a saddle. The saddle is constituted by a plate having a downwardly depending portion with a transversely extending gripping portion therein engaging the recess in the tie and an upwardly extending portion having a longitudinally extending part disposed on an axis normal to the axis of the downwardly extending tie-gripping portion. The upwardly extending longitudinally disposed portion of the plate is shaped to receive and grip the flange of a rail. The said upwardly extending portion includes a removable fastening plate detachably engageable with the said upwardly extending portion for clamping one flange of the rail in position where the attachable plate is secured through fastening bolts. These fastening bolts, and also the bolt which attaches the saddle to the tie, are provided with special locking arrangements which render the dismantling of the rail system through sabotage time-consuming and impracticable.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, reference character 1, in Fig. l, designates a rail tie having transverse slots formed therein adjacent opposite ends as designated at 2 and 3, and 2a and 3a. These slots consist of transverse mortises in the top of the rail tie, symmetrically disposed with reference to opposite ends of the rail tie. symmetrically disposed between the slots 23 and 211-312, I provide holes 4 and 5 located just below the center of a horizontal axis through the rail tie and serve as a means for receiving fastening bolts 6 and 7 which extend through pairs of depending flanges 8 and 9 integral with connector plate 10 and flanges 11 and 12 of the downwardly extending portion of connector plate 14. The flanges 8 and 9 of connector plate 10 and flanges 11 and 12 of connector plate 14 form. downwardly depending cradles which extend transversely of the connector plates longitudinally disposed as compared to the rail 19".

upwardly extending cradles formed by plates and 14. The lower surfaces of connector plates 10 and 14 are provided with downwardly extending lineal projections 28 and 29v and 28' and 29 which extend into slots 2 and 3 and 2a and 3a, respectively, for keying the cradles to the rail tie. The flanges 8 and 9 are each apertured at 8a and 9a in line with the hole 4 through the tie so that when the connector plate it; is positioned over the rail tie, enabling the flanges 8 and 9 to embrace opposite sides of the rail tie, the bolt 6 may be passed through the locking strap 6a, the washer 6b, the aperture 8a, hole 4, through aperture 9a, through Washer 60, and fastened by means of cotter pins 6d.

The connector plates 10 and 14 each have upwardly extending portions disposed on axes which are normal to the planes of the downwardly extending portions 8-9 and 1112. These upwardly extending portions of the connector plates serve as seats for securing the flanges of the rails. In Fig. 7, for example, I have designated the rail at 19 having oppositely directed flanges 20 and 21. The flange 263 is inserted beneath the upwardly and inwardly projecting lip 22 of the upwardly extending portion of the connector plate. The opposite flange 21 of the rail is engaged by a detachable plate 23 which is secured to the connector plate 10 by means of bolts 24 which engage screw threaded apertures 25 in connector plate lit. The detachable plate 23 is shaped to clamp flange 21 against connector plate 10 and to abut against an upwardly projecting ledge 26 formed on connector plate 10. The fastening means for the rail is identical in each of the connector plate structures with the exception of the fact that the connector plate 14 is reversed in position with respect to connector plate 10, and for purposes of simplification I have indicated in Fig. 6 the fastening bolts at 24, and in Fig. 5 the screw threaded apertures at 235', and the detachable plate at 23', corresponding to the parts described in association with connector plate 14. The fastening bolts 24 and 24 are each headed and are locked in position by locking straps 2'7 and 27'. The reversal in position of connector plate 14, with respect to connector plate 10, results in the locating of the detachable plates 23 and 23 in positions inside the rails 19 and 19', giving an added security to the rail system against sabotage, in that a more congested or more confined operating space is available between the rails than outside the rails, This is not a hindrance however to the proper installation and removal of the rail system when using intended tools for removing the locking straps.

In Figs. 14-17, I have shown a structure of a track-tor tie connector for application to a curved track section. In Fig. 14 I have shown a rail tie 1' which is slotted on the top surface thereof adjacent opposite ends in a manner similar to the structure illustrated in Figs. 113, but where the slots are slightly curved as represented at 2 and 3 and 3a and 2a. These slightly curved slots receive downwardly extending projections 28 and 29" on the connector plate it), as shown in Figs. 14 and 16, for keying the cradles to the rail tie 1. The cradles are constructed as heretofore explained in connection with the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1-13, except for the curvature provided in the downwardly extended projections 28 and 29 and 28 and 29, and the curvature imparted to the upwardly and inwardly projecting lips 22 for gripping the left hand flange 20 of curved rail 19"; and also the upwardly projecting ledge 26" and the detachable clamping plate 23". The detachable clamping plate 23" engages the right hand flange 21 of curved Fastening bolts 24" secured by locking straps 27" maintain the detachable clamping plate 23 with respect to the connector plate 10. The right hand rail 19' is secured to rail tie 1' in a manner similar to the fastening arrangement heretofore described except that the locking of the coacting parts is reversed and rail 19 has the right hand flange 21" thereof engaged beneath the upwardly and inwardly projecting lip 22", while the left hand flange 20 is clamped by the detachable plate 23 secured against the upwardly projecting edge 26" by bolts 24", each secured by locking straps 27. Thus it will be seen that the parts of the cradle are all curved to meet the conditions of the curvature of the rails 19" and 19". The cradles are fastened to the rail tie 1' in the same manner as described in connection with the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1-13 by means of headed bolts 6" and 6 secured by locking straps 6a and 6a. The means for fastening the curved rails to the rail tie may be applied with the same rapidity as such means are applied to the straight rail system shown in Figs. 113, and the disassembling is possible when the proper tools are available with corresponding conservation of time and labor.

While I have described my invention in certain preferred embodiments, I realize that modifications may be made, and I desire that it be understood that no limitations upon my invention are intended other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

A track-to-tie connector for railways comprising in combination, a rail tie having pairs of spaced curved preformed slots rectangular in cross section adjacent opposite ends thereof and formed on substantially common centers in the top surface of the rail tie, tie plate members each forming a central seat for a rail and having depending curved peripheral projections at the limits of the opposite sides thereof shaped to snugly fit said slots in the rail tie for keying the tie plate members thereto, an upwardly projecting and inwardly curved peripheral lip integrally connected with each of said tie plate mem bers, said lips being formed on the exterior portions of oppositely located tie plate members and extending over a portion of the seat in said tie plate members for engaging the exterior curved flange of a curved rail having the vertical web thereof disposed on an axis normal to the plane of the top surface of the seat in said tie plate members, an upwardly and inwardly curved projecting peripheral ledge formed on each of the adjacent interior portions of said tie plate members, and aligned with the depending curved projection thereon, curved detachable rail holding plates each having one portion thereof abutting with the interior of the peripheral ledges of said tie plate members and another portion thereof extending over and engaging the top surface of the interior flange of the curved rail for fastening the rail to the associated tie plate member, securing means passing through the curved detachable plates and entering said rail tie plate members for clamping said curved detached plates over the top surface of the interior flange of the curved rail and against said upwardly extending curved projecting ledges as abutments, integrally connected depending plates on opposite ends of said tie plate members embracing opposite sides of the rail tie, and means extending through said end plates in alignment with the web of the curved rail when located in the seat formed in each of said tie plate members for securing the tie plate members to the rail tie.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 361,199 Adams Apr. 12, 1887 893,962 West July 21, 1908 1,055,218 Petersen Mar. 4,'1913 1,073,773 McGonigal Sept. 23, 1913 1,174,085 Moir et al. Mar. 7, 1916 1,230,533 Stiles June 19, 1917 1,482,676 Cullen Feb. 5, 1924 1,577,830 Kruttschnitt Mar. 23, 1926 1,862,520 Fairies June 14, 1932

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