US445449A

US445449A - Device to prevent railroad-rails from spreading

Info

Publication number: US445449A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1891-01-27
Anticipated expiration: 1908-01-27

Description

(No Model.)

O. KEELER.

DEVICE TO PREVENT RAILROAD RAILS FROM SPRE ADING. .No. 445,449. Patented Jan. 27, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

CALVIN KEELER, OF HOBART, NEV YORK.

DEVICE TO PREVENT RAlLRGAD-RAILS FROM SPREADING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 445,449, dated January 27, 1891.

Application filed Tune 13, 1890. Serial No. 355,274. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CALVIN KEELER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ho bart-,in the county of Delaware and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Preventing Railroad-Rails fromSpreading; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being. had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for preventing railroad-rails from spreading, and also more effectually holding and retaining the fish-plate in position, whereby the safety of the trains running on the rails is enhanced.

One of the chief causes of railway accidents is due to what is termed spreading of the railsth at is, they are forced apartcausin g the cars to jump the track. This spreading is particularly liable to occur on curves and in bad weather, and is frequently the cause of serious accidents.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and economical device, in which the rails are securely held and prevented from spreading or displacement under ordinary circumstances. The improved construction also provides for holding the fish-plates at the joints securely, and also acts as a nut lock for locking the nuts of said fislrplates.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and definitely pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of arailroad constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the retaining-plates detached.

In the said drawings, the reference-nu meral 1 designates the ties, and 2 the rails. These may be of any ordinary or suitable construction.

The numeral 4 designates fish-plates for which embrace or engage with the Webs ofthe rails, and they extend to about the center of the track, where their inner ends are angularly bent, forming projections 12, through which pass bolts 13, secured by nuts 14:. For the purpose of forminganut-lock these plates may have their outer ends also bent upwardly, forming projecting portlons 15, which are recessed or cut. away at 16, so as to engage with the nuts 7 of the bolts 6 and prevent them from turning, whereby the fishplates are securely held in place. The device also acts as a brake to prevent the rails from tipping over.

From the above it will be seen that an efficient and reliable device is provided for preventing the rails from spreading, which in practical use will be found to be of great value and importance.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim is In a railroad, the combination, with the rails 2, the fish-plates 4, the bolts 6, and nuts 7, of the retaining-plates S and 9, connected together at their inner ends, and their other ends provided with grips to engage the rails, and with upwardly-projecting portions 15, recessed at 16, to engage with and lock the nuts of the fish-plates, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CALVIN KEELER.

Witnesses:

A. M. WARNER, J. DEWITT CHURCH.