US732317A - Railway-rail joint. - Google Patents

Description

No. 732,317. PATENTED JUNE 30, 1903.

. T. POWELL.

RAILWAY RAIL JOINT. APPLICATION FILED APR 21, 1903.

H0 MODEL.

- 7 Y \7 E \ww M al hforge ys U ITED STATES iatented J urie 30, 1903.

THOMAS POWELL, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-RAIL JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,317, dated June 30, 1903.

Application filed April 21, 1903- Serial No. 153.653. (N model.)

To all whom itmay concern: v

Be it known that I, THOMAS POWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Swiss-.

vale, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Railway-Rail Joint, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway-rail j oints,

and has for its object to improve devices of this character and produce a joint which will firmly support the adjacent rail ends and ef-- the claims.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the joint from inside, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation from outside, the rail. Fig. 3 is a side elevation with the cap-plate removed. Fig. 4 is a side elevation with the cap-plate and lock-plate removed.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5 5- of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the lock-plate. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the clamp-bolts detached.

The adjacent rail ends are denoted by the characters 10 11 and are provided with spaced apertures in their vertical "webs, preferably elongated to provide for the expansion and contraction in the ordinary manner.

Upon one side of the rails, preferably upon the inner sides, is a clamp-plate 12, having transverse apertures corresponding with and disposed to register with the apertures in the rails, except that beneath one of the end apertures a wedge-shaped lug 13 is formed,

with its thin end next the aperture and with upwardly-curving lateral wings 27., as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the object to be hereinafter.

explained. Disposed upon the opposite side of the vertical webs of the rails is an opposing clamp-plate 14, preferably of steel and provided with spaced apertures corresponding to and registering with the apertures in the rails and inner clamp-plate.

Transversely disposed through all the reg istering apertures in the clamp-plates and rails,except one of the end series, are threaded clamp-bolts 15, having nuts 16, and by which means the clamp-plates and rails are firmly united.

As many of the registering apertures will be employed as may be required, but generally six will be sufficient, three upon each side of the joint between the rails 10 11, as shown, and with five of the threaded clampbolts, three upon one side and two upon the other side of the central point, as shown.

Each of the clamp-bolts extends beyond its respective nut and is provided with oppositely-disposed recesses 17 just outside the nuts 16, leaving portions of the bolt intact outside the recesses, as shown.

Disposed outside the plate 14: is a lockplate 18, having spaced apertures 19, corresponding to and registering with the apertures in the plates 12 14 and rails 10. 11.

The inner face of the lock-plate 18 is formed with longitudinal spaced ribs 28 29, forming a channel for the nuts 16 and in which they are held and prevented from turning, the lockplate thus forming a nut-locking means, as shown.

All the apertures 19 in the plate 18, except the one at the end, corresponding to the vacant series above noted, are extended at one side, the extensions corresponding in'width to the necks of the clamp-bolts between the recesses 17 and with inclinedside walls 20, as shown in Figs. 3 and 7. By this arrangement after the nuts 16 are set up as tightly as necessary the lock-plate 18 is set over the outer ends of the clamp-bolts and then moved longitudinally, which will cause the inclined portions 20 to pass beneath the heads formed by the recesses 17 and thus draw the plate 18 into close engagement with the plate 14 by its ribs 28 29, as will be obvious. The portions of the clamp-bolts outside the recesses 17 extend beyond the lock-plate, and to protect these ends and likewise. form a protection to the recesses and apertures a coverstrip 21 is employed having apertures corresponding to the clamp-bolts and likewise having an aperture at one end corresponding to the vacant apertureabove mentioned.

' Extending from the lock-plate 18 is a stud 22, engaging a corresponding aperture in the cover-plate andrwith a transverse aperture outside the latter to receive a collet key or wedge 23, as shown, by which means one end of the cover-plate is secured in position.

The before-mentioned vacant series of registering apertures in the parts 12, 11, 14, 18, and 21 are adapted to receive a clamp-bolt 24, having a head 25 at one end anda transverse aperture at the other end, the latter disposed above the wedge-lug 13, in vertical alinement therewith, and adapted to receive a split keywedge 26, which when driven downward will be spread apart by the central projection of the stop 13 and fit against its wings 27, and thus firmly lock thebolt 24 in position. The wedge-key thus acts in two directions, one to draw the parts firmly together and the other to prevent the removal of the bolt unless the distended ends be restored to their original form by the forcible withdrawal of the wedgepin, a movement which will not take place when the device is in use and which will not be affected by any jarring or concussion to which they will be subjected. By this simple arrangement a very rigid and strong joint is formed which not only securely holds the rail ends together, but also prevents any loosening by the jarring or concussions to which they will be subjected and which will not permit any deflection at the joints by the weight of the passing trains. The device also serves as an efieetual locking means to prevent any backward movement of the nuts 16.

The cover-plate 21 serves an importantpurpose in protecting the parts from moisture and dust and the bad effects of snow and ice and is therefore a very important feature of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. In a railway-rail joint the combination with the adjacent rail ends having a plurality of spaced transverse apertures through the vertical webs, of a clamp-plate having apertures registering with the apertures in said rail ends and engaging one side of the webs, an opposing clamp-plate having correspondin g apertures and engaging the .opposite sides of the webs, threaded clamp-bolts engaging said registering apertures and provided with nuts and with transverse recesses in advance of the nuts, a lock-plate having apertures corresponding to said clamp-bolts, said apertures having contracted extensions with inclined shoulders and adapted to engage the recessed portions of the bolts and serving to forcibly compress the lock-plate relative to the nuts, substantially as specified.

2. In a railway-rail joint the combination with the adjacent rail ends having a plurality of spaced transverse apertures through the vertical webs, of a clamp-plate having apertures registering with the apertures in said rail ends, and engaging one side of the webs, an opposing clamp-plate having corresponding apertures and engaging the opposite sides of the webs, threaded clamp-bolts engaging said registering apertures and provided with nuts and with transverse recesses in advance of the nuts, a lock-plate having spaced longitudinal ribs engaging said opposing clampplate and provided with apertures corresponding to and engaging said clamp-bolts in advance of said nuts, said apertures having eontracted extensions having inc-lined shoulders and engaging the clamp-bolts opposite said recesses, and serving to compress said lockplate in position relative to said opposing clamp-plates and likewise forming a nut-locking medium, substantially as specified.

3. In a railway-rail joint, the combination with the adjacent rail ends having a plurality of spaced transverse apertures through the vertical webs, of a clamp-plate having apertures registering with the apertures in said rail ends and engaging one side of the webs, an opposing clamp-plate having corresponding apertures and engaging the opposite sides of the webs, threaded clamp-bolts engaging said registering apertures and provided with nuts and with transverse recesses in advance of the nuts, a lock-plate having apertures corresponding to said clamp-bolts, said apertures having contracted extensions with inclined shoulders and adapted to engage the walls of the recessed portions of the bolts and serving to forcibly compress the lock-plate relative to the nuts, and a cover-plate having spaced apertures corresponding to and adapted to engage the extending ends of said clampbolts, and means for detachably connecting said cover-plate to said lock-plate, substantially as specified.

4. In a railway-rail joint, the combination with the adjacent rail ends having a plurality of spaced transverse apertures through the vertical webs, of a clamp-plate having apertures registering with the apertures in said rail ends and engaging one side of the webs, an opposing clamp-plate having correspondin g apertures and engaging the opposite sides of the webs, threaded clamp-bolts engaging said registering apertures and provided with nuts and with transverse recesses in advance of the nuts, a lock-plate having apertures corresponding to said clamp-bolts, said apertures having contracted extensions with inclined shoulders and adapted to engage the walls'of the recessed portions of the bolts and serving to forcibly compress the lock-plate relative to the nuts, a cover-plate having spaced apertures corresponding to and adapted to engage the extending ends of said clamp-bolts, a stud projecting from said lock-plate and adapted to engage an aperture in said coverplate and provided with a transverse aperture to receive a holding-pin, substantially as specified.

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

THOMAS PO\VELL.

Witnesses:

JOHN MAKIN, HARRY BELL.

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