US443965A - Rail-joint - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

15'. P. HOEFPLE.

RAIL JOINT.

Patented Dec. 30

,1 8 E V//// Y\\\\\ L c m T N E V N A WORNEYS UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE...

FRANK F. I'IOEFFL'E, OF MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI.

RAlL-JOINT.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,965, dated December 30, 1890.

Application filed July 5, 1890. Serial No. 357,773. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK F. HOEFFLE, of Meridian, in the county of Lauderdale and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and Improved Rail-Joint, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in rail-joints; and the object of my invention is to produce a simple and substantial joint and to obviate the use of bolts, nuts, and nut-locks.

To this end my invention consists in a metal plate or box having upwardly extending flanges between which a rail may rest, gripping devices secured between the said flanges and adapted to clasp the rail, and a wedge pointing upwardly and located between one of the flanges and a gripping device, so as to hold the same firmly against the rail, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a plan view of the device an bodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line a: 00 of Fig. 1, showing the abutting rails and one of the grips in side elevation. Fig.3 is a transverse section on the line y y of Fig. 2. Fig. A is a broken detail perspective View of one of the grips. Fig. 5 is a broken plan view of the main box with the rails and grips removed. Fig. 6 is a transverse section showing the form of grips used in connection with the rail having the ordinary fish-plates, and Fig. 7 is a broken detail view of a modified form of grip.

The rectangular box A is adapted to rest upon the railroad-tics, and has in its outer edges suitable notches a to enable it to be easily spiked to the ties. The box A is provided with a central recess A, and with upwardly-extending flanges A located on opposite sides thereof, between which the rails B rest. The boxesA should be wide enough to permit the grips C to be inserted between the flanges A and the rails B.

The grips C are formed with vertical lips or ribs 0, adapted to press against the sides of the rails, with longitudinally-extending end portions 0 adapted to rest upon the flange B of the rail and to extend beyond-the recess A of the box A, and with a depending portion C adapted to fit within the recess A, the said portion having a longitudinal slotC therein adapted to fit upon the flanges B of the rails B. I

A wedge D is inserted from the bottom between one of the flanges A of the box and one of the grips C, so as to force the grip firmly against the rails and the rails firmly against the opposite grip, the grips being placed on each side of the rails, as described. It will thus be seen that the weight of the engine and cars passing over the rail-joint, instead of loosening the same, will bind the parts more firmly together, as the base of the wedge is between the lower portions of the grip and the box.

To apply the device, the box A is spiked to the ties, the grips O are placed upon the abutting rails B, and the rails and grips are inserted in the box so that the depending portions 0 of the grips will fit within the recess A of the box, the wedge D being first inserted in the box so as to come between one of the flanges A and one of the grips O, as described above.

If desired, the extending portions 0 of the grips may be dispensed with, as shown in Fig. 7, so that the grips will rest in the recess A, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, and will not extend beyond the ends of the recess. I

hen the device is applied to rails having the usual fish-plates E, grips c are used, said grips being similar in principle to the grips already described, but having a vertical portion 0 and an inwardly-extending portion 0 thus affording room between the inwardlyextending portion of the grip and the base thereof for the rail-flanges and the fish-plates. The grips c are applied in the same manner as the grips G, and the inwardly-extending portions (2 of the grip will press firmly against the fish-plates E, and thus hold the plates and the rails in position.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the device is composed of very few parts, is very simple in construction, and consequently very cheap. By using this device it is not necessary to bore holes in the rails, thereby weakening the same and subjecting them to friction on the bolts, nor is it neces sary to use bolts, nuts, nut-locks, or any means of attachment, and, as shown, thelonger the device is used the more firmly will'the rails be bound together.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a rail-joint, the combination, withtwo abutting rails, of a metal box having a central recess therein and having flanges extending upward on each side of the rails, grips fitting within the recess of the box and between the flanges of the box and the sides of the rails, said grips having horizontal slots therein to fit the rail-flanges,and. a wedge ex- 2. The combinatiomwith two abutting rails, of a box havinga central recess therein and having flanges extending upward on each side of the rails, grips located between the flanges of the box and the rails, said grips having horizontal slots therein to fit the rail-flanges, depending portions to fit the recess of the box, vertical ribs to fit the side of the rails, and end portions extendinglongitndinally beyond the recess of the box, and a Wedge extending point upward between the flange of the box and one of the grips, substantially as described.

- -FRANK F. HOEFFLE.

Witnesses.

J OE S. WHEELER, R. H. MEADOWS.

Images