US504066A - Metallic eaileoad tie - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fw S. KETOHUM. METALLIC RAILROAD TIE.

No; 504,066. Patented Aug 29, 1893,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I. s. KETGHUM.

' METALLIG RAILROAD TIE. Patented Aug. 29, 1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK S. KETOHUM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

M ETALLIC RAI LROAD-Tl E.

EiPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,066, dated August 29, 1893.

' Application filed December 21, 1892. Serial No. 455,885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK S. KETCHUM, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Railroad-Ties; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to metallic ties for railroads and it consists in the construction and novel combination of parts, hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the sameletters of reference marked thereon indicate the same parts of the invention in the several figures.

Figure 1 is a viewin perspective'of myimproved tie and track fastener with a portion of the tracks or rails as they appear secured in position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged central longitudinal section of the left hand end of the tie and rail with the right hand portion broken away as indicated by the broken lines. Fig. 3 is a transverse central section of the tie with the rail and fastening device removed therefrom. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the locking lever removed from the tie, and Fig. 5 shows the double wedge-shaped split key, both before and after it is inserted in the tie and its tongue bent to retain it in position.

A is the tie, and it consists of a single piece of metal, preferably of iron or steel, and manufactured in any approved manner. This tie, A, is constructed with a longitudinal central rib, B, the crown, b, of which is circular or elliptical in form while the sides or walls, b b, are approximately vertical,to form a square bearing for the rail flange and retaining key. The immediate central portion of the tie is cut away to form a recess or opening, 0. A portion of the metal forming'said space is left attached at one end to the body of the tie on each side of the central rib, B, and is turned downwardly at each end of the opening, 0, to form anchor flanges, c c, which, it will be observed, extend a short distance below the base line of the tie and tend to prevent the lateral displacement thereof. The side flanges, D D, are bent downwardly and slightly flare outwardly to facilitate com pacting and retaining the ballast.

E E are the recesses which form the seats for the rails, and are formed by cutting away a portion of the central raised rib, B, down to the upper face, a, of the body of the tie. This leaves a broad level seat for the rail, F, the whole width of the tie, and as the recesses, E E, between the rib, B, are about the width of the flanged base, 6, of the rail, F, it follows that the spreading of the rails is impossible.

G is the locking lever, the forward end of the under side, g, of which is beveled to correspond to the bevel of the face of the flange, e, of the rail, F, while the head, H, thereof is knee-shaped and the under side is formed with a rabbeted recess, h, as shown, and the contour of the top of the head, H, of said lever is similar to the top of the rib,'B, while the top, t', of the forward portion of said lever corresponds to the under side, W, of said rib.

K is a double wedge-shaped split key, the main portion or body, k, of whichis comparativelyrigid, while the tongue, tapers from the heel, 70 to the point, 70, that is to say laterally, and the whole key tapers vertically from the heel, 70 to the point, it being formed with a bevel on top of the body and tongue and a bevel on the outer side of the tongue, while the body, is, is comparatively square. The ties being laid at suitable distances on the road bed, and the rails placed in the seat recesses, E E, the locking levers, G, are inserted in their retaining recesses, I, one on each side of therail, so that the beveled end of each lever covers the flange of the rail. The key, K, is then inserted and driven home, and in the act of doing this the side bevel of the key forces the lever in toward the rail and at the same time the top beveled portion of said key raises the head, Gr, of the lever, H, causing its forward end, g, to impinge more firmly (if possible) upon the rail flange.- Itwill thus be seen that this double action of the key produces a double motion of the lever, both forcing it forward and clamping it against the flange, thus locking the parts almost as firmly and rigidly as if the rail and tie were formed of one piece of metal. The key be- 5 ing, driven home as above described, the

tongue, 7,2, is bent outwardly as shown, so as to form a shoulder against the rib which securely retains it in place. It will thus be seen from the above that a track can be laid to rapidly and accurately without the use of 1 5 self-ballasting by reason of the flaring flanges,

D D, and additionally anchored by the aid of the flanges, c 0, still it will be observed the extreme ends of the tie are left open, as is also the space between the anchor flanges, c c,

20 so that should tampiug be necessary it can be accomplished from both ends of the tie and the middle through this means to impact the ballasting directly under the rails.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

The tie, A, having rib, B, provided with rail seat recesses, E and E, and recesses, I I, in combination with the rail, F, the lever, G, adapted to be inserted in the recess, 1, and lock the rail to the tie, and the split key, K, which, when inserted in the space formed by the rabbet, h, in the lever, G, and the recess, 1, will rigidly retain said lever in place, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK S. KETOI-IUM.

Witnesses:

HENRY J. ENNIS, GEO. D. WYoKoFF.

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