US611481A - henigan - Google Patents

Description

Patent ed Sept. 27, I898.

J, M. HENIGAN.

R AIL C L A M P.

(Application filed Feb. 3; 1897.1

'2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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Patented. Sept. 27, I898.

J. m. HENIGAN.

HA I L CL A M P.

(Application filed. Feb. 3, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR .YHE ucnms PETERS on PHOTO-LITHO., wAenmuTbN,-p.c

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JOHN M.- nENieAn, or UVALDE, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF onE-nALE T CHARLES w. WATT, OF sAME PLAcE.

RAIL-CLAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 611,481, dated September 27, 1898..

Application filed February 3,1897. Serial No. 621 ,746. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. HENIGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Uvald e, in the county of Uvalde and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail Clamps or Braces; and I do hereby 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.

This invention has reference to a novel construction in a clamp or brace for railroadrails, the object being to provide a simple inexpensive device of this character which can be applied to rails either at the curved portion of the track, at the switches or sidings, or any other place where it is desired to brace and hold the rails in their correct position.

The invention consists in the features of construction hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specificatiomFigure 1 is a perspective view of the clamp applied to a track and illustrating the manner in which it braces the guard-rail of a switch. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the clamp is applied to the curved portion of the track. Fig. 4: is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective View illustrating another application of the invention to a switch and its guard-rail.

The primary object of this invention is of course to hold the rails in the correct position-that is to say, in a curved track to hold them from spreading; in a switch to hold the main rails from spreading, andalso to hold the guard-rail in correct position in relation to the main rail. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 said clamp is provided with two jaws, one of which is arranged to hold one rail 1 of the track, while the other jaw is arranged to hold the other rail 2 and the guard-rail of the switch. This latter construction is also shown in detail in Fig. 5 and is used in this connection, since at this end of the guard-rail it is not feasible to place another jaw in connection with this and fasten this jaw to the adjacent rail of the track, since this adjacent rail is usually the spring-rail of the switch, which is movable. In this latter case the jaw is fastened directly to one of the ties 4..

In accordance with the pri'nciple'involved by this invention I make a'clamp that is' to be held rigidly in position and which is provided with a jaw consisting, es'sentially, of a base 5, an outer shoulder 6, a return-flange 7, and an inner shoulder 8. These parts form the stationary member of the jaw, while a movable member 9 is employed having a flat portion 10 to rest upon the base and come in contact with the shoulder 8 and the uprising inclined portion 11.to engage the flange of the rail. In use the flange of the rail rests upon the base 5 and is held at one side by the flange 7 of the stationary member 5. When only one rail is to be held in the jaw, this base 5 is just long enough to receive the flange of the rail under the flange 7 and the stationary member 5 to be secured against the shoulder 8,with its uprising portion 1.1 fitting upon and against the flange of the rail. This movable member 9 is held in position by means of a screw-threaded bolt and not passing through openings in the flat portion 10 thereof and the base 5. When it is desired to hold two rails-for instance, the main rail and the guard-rail the base 5 is a little longer and of sufficient length to allow afslight space between the flanges of the two rails to receive the secondmovable member 12. This movable member 12 is provided with a flat part 13, that rests upon the base 5 ofthe stationary member and is provided at its ends with uprising portions 14 to engage the adjacent flanges of the main and guard rails, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Figs. 1 and 2 this construction is shown as applied to the switch portion of the track, wherein two jaws are employed, each of which is provided with a shank 15, having a screwthreaded rod 16 and turnbuckle 17. In this way the clamp can be applied and by means of the turnbuckle can be tightenedto any IOO at comparatively short intervals, which injures the tie in such a manner that it must be replaced. With this invention the tie is not subjected to more than the ordinary wear of railroad-ties.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the invention is shown as applied to the curved portion of the track to prevent the rails from spreading, due to the unusual strain at this portion. This clamp consists of two jaws connected by the turnbuckle or tightening device, as shown.

In Fig. 5 is shown another manner in which this invention is applied and at the end of the guard-rail opposite which is the springrail of the switch. It is obvious that the clamp cannot be fastened by means of another clamp fastened to another rail, since this spring-rail is movable, and therefore the shank 15 is fastened to a plate or bracket 18, secured to the tie 4, and, in fact, in any other convenient manner.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a clamp of the character set forth, the combination of a shank provided at its outer portions with outwardly facing shoulders formed by striking the said shank downwardly at said points and from which continues opposite stationary jaws having outer upturned ends to engage the outer portions of the base-flanges and railway-rails, the one jaw from the position of the shoulder being longer than the other, movable members having their inner ends fitted against the shoulders and their outer portions flared upwardly to pass over the inner parts of the base-flanges of the rail and detachably secured by bolts, another removable member having its opposite ends fiared upwardly and adapted to be placed upon the longer jaw between closelyarranged rails, and a turnbuckle at about the central portion of the shank, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN M. I-IENIGAN.

Witnesses:

J. W. GANs, J. L. MARTIN.

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