US512392A - John phelan - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. PHELAN.

' RAIL JOINT. No. 512,392. I Patented Jan. 9, 1894.

a IE! llllllllllllllllll l NITED STATES PATENT rFIcE.

JOHN PHELAN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO RANKIN O. NEBINGER, OF SAME PLACE.

RAIL-JOINT,-

SPEGIFIGATTON forming part of Letters Patent No. 512,392, dated January 9, 1894. Application filed September 20,1893. Serial No. 485,?)95- (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that 1, JOHN PHELAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints; 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 an improvement in that class of rail joints wherein fish plates are employed to hold the contiguous ends together, and it consists of certain improvements in the construction of such'j oints whereby the plates are made to grip or bind against the rails more securely and thereby effect a better joint; and it also consists of an improvement in devices for holding the nuts of the plate bolts, which devices are especially adapted to my improved construction and by which the release of the nuts unintentionally is rendered impossible.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a detailed description of my invention: Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a complete arrangement; Fig. 2, a cross. section on the line oc-a;, of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a cross section on the line i --y, of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a detail view in perspective of the wedge for holding the nuts. I

The reference'letter (It indicates the contiguous rail ends which rails may be of any preferred form, although I have here shown them as the style usually employed in street railways. Arranged on opposite sides of these rails are the fish plates 5 and c, the former b,being of the usual form, while the plate 0, is provided, in addition to the usual flanges d, with the vertical ribs e. These ribs are arranged in pairs and extend from the outer side of the plate to a point beyond the edges of the flanges d, and the space occurring between each pair is cast with a raised portion therein, thus elevating the plane of the plate at this point. Between each pair of ribs e and in the raised portion between them is formed a bolt hole f, through which the bolt g is adapted to extend, its head being arranged on the outer side of the plate I). Fitted on the end of the bolt 9, adjacent to the plate 0, is the usual not h, which is adapted to be screwed down between the ribs e, and to rest loosely on the raised portion between them.

2' indicates a wedge which consists of a substantially fork-shaped device tapering to a small thickness at its lower end and having two arms or prongs 7t, and joined by a body portion Z. Surrounding the body of the wedge and extending parallel with the arms 70 down to their lower ends is a fiangem which forms as it extends along the arms an elongated recess or passage of a size capable of receiving and holding snugly the nuts h of the bolts 9, while the space or passage between the arms is is of such a size that it will snugly hold the bolt. This wedge is shown in use in Figs. 1, 2, 8, and 4, of the drawings and there it is passed one between each pair of the ribs 6 and resting upon the raised portion between the ribs, with the nut h fitting snugly between the parts of the flange m, and the bolt received by the passage between the arms 7t.

As this wedge is driven down the nut is consequently forced out and the plates drawn more tightly together. Formed integral with the plate 0, and just below each pair of ribs 6, is a stationary wedge n, which is arranged so that its smaller end will be received between the arms is of the wedge 71, when the latter wedge is placed in position and as said wedge is driven home the ends of the arms 70 will be forced over the gradually diverging sides 0, of the wedge 12, and thereby cause them to spread and to bind firmly and immovably on said sides. To facilitate this operation the arms 70 are constructed of spring metal and are given a very strong resistance so that when driven down by the help of a hammer or other driving tool they will bind against their respective sides with force sufficient to overcome all tendency to be displaced accidentally. Thus it will be obvious that by this construction a combined nut lock and device for tightening the fish plates is provided, for, owing to the incapability of the wedge 11 from turning between the ribs e, the nut cannot be displaced without removing the wedge i, and owing to the tension 4 their operation.

, base plate,

Formed on the lower flanges of the plates 1) and c are the grippers p, which extend downwardly therefrom to a point below the base flanges of the rails a,and thence inwardly for a distance equal to about that of the vertical portion of the grippers. These grippers are adapted to co-operate with the base plate g, which is located under the base flange of the rail and has its lower face formed with two laterally inclined portions 0", one on each side, and extending nearly to the longitudinal center of the plate. These inclined portions are adapted to be engaged by the inwardly extending arms of the grippers 19, so that when the plates?) and c are tightened, by the means before described, the grippers will be drawn inwardly with the plates b and c and cause the base plate (1 to be forced up against the base flange of the raila, by reason of the grippers acting on the inclined portions 0' of such By this construction it will be obvious that a much more secure joint is produced than ordinarily and that the parts when properly arranged will be as rigid as possible under any circumstances.

Having thus described my invention, What Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'- 1. A rail joint comprising a pair of fish plates arranged one on each side of the contiguous ends of the rails, a bolt passing through the rails and plates, a stationary 35 wedge formed integral with one of the plates and adjacent to the bolt, and a fork-shaped removable wedge adapted to pass below and on each side of the nut or bolt head and to have the ends of its arms pass on either side of the stationary wedge and thereby lock itself and the nut in place and assist the bolt in its function of binding the plates, substantially as described.

2. A rail joint comprising a pair of fish plates arranged on either side of the contiguous ends of the rails, a bolt passing through the plates and rail and provided with a nut, a pair of ribs formed on the fish plate upon which the nut rests and on each side of the nut, a stationary wedge formed onthe plate having the ribs and directly under the nut, and a removable forked wedge adapted to pass between the ribs and under and on each side of the nut and to have the lower ends of its arms pass one on either side of the stationary wedge and thereby lock the wedgein place, and prevent the nut from being displaced and assist the bolts in their functionof binding the plates, substantially as described.

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

JOHN PI-IELAN.

Witnesses:

THOMAS A. BELL, JOSEPH HARPER.

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