US978499A - Nut-lock. - Google Patents

Description

J. P. SPEGK.

NUT LOOK.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 21, 1910.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. SPECK, 0F HEWITT, OKLAHOMA.

NUT-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 13, 1910 Application filed May 21, 1910. Serial No. 562,697.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs F. SPEoK, citizen of the United States, residing at Hewitt, in the county of Carter and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Nut-Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in nut locks, and the invention has for its object a quite eflicient device of this character which is designed particularly for use in connection with rail joints, and which includes a chair adapted to receive and support the meeting ends of the rail sections, and a single member connected to the chair to engage with and positively look all of the nuts at the joint, the said member being movable relatively to the chair in order to release all the nuts simultaneously, when occasion requires.

A further object of the invention is a device of this character which serves to materially increase the strength and rigidity of the joint, and which obviates the necessity of employing track walkers to inspect the joints and tighten the nuts.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists essentially in certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following de scription and accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view showing a rail joint equipped with my improved nut lock; Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the rail chair, showing the locking means carried thereby, the pivoted plate being removed.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

The present invention is designed particularly for use in connection with rail joints, and, for the purpose of illustration, is shown and described as applied to the meeting ends of the companion rail sections 1 which may be of the usual or any desired construction or design.

A fish plate 2 lies against one side of the meeting ends of the rail sections and conforms to the contour thereof so as to fit snugly thereagainst, the upper end of the fish plate fitting beneath the overhanging tread portions of the rail sections, and the lower end portion of the fish plate extending entirely over the adjacent base flanges. At its lower end the fish plate is integral with a substantially flat base plate 3 that extends transversely beneath the meeting ends of the rail sections and forms a support therefor, a relatively short lip 4 upstanding substantially perpendicularly from the base plate 2 and engaging the corresponding base flanges to hold the rail sections against lateral movement relative to the base plate and thus maintain the rail sections in alinement at all times. The base plate, fish plate, and lip co-act to constitute a chair for the reception of the meeting ends of the rail sections. The fish plate 2 is formed in proximity to its opposite ends with pairs of longitudinally spaced openings 5 which register with the usual openings that extend transversely through the web portions of the meeting ends of the rail sections. A plurality of bolts 6 are passed respectively through these registering openings to connect the meeting ends of the rail sections together, the bolts being engaged by nuts 7 that are all arranged in abutting relation to, and are screwed up tight against the fish plate.

The specific locking means consists esseutially of a single keeper bar 8 which is substantially straight throughout its length and has substantially parallel side edges, the keeper bar being sup )orted from the fish plate above the nuts 7 and being disposed longitudinally, that is, in the direction of the length of the rail. The ends of the keeper bar are bent substantially perpendicularly as indicated at 9, and bear respectively against the opposing faces of cars 10 that project substantially perpendicularly outwardly and laterally from the upper end of the fish plate, the ears being preferably located at the side or vertical edges of the fish plate, as shown. The cars and bent ends 9 are correspondingly perforated, and a pivot pin 11 is passed through each adjacent ear and bent end 9 so as to pivotally connect the looking bar to the fish plate to turn about a longitudinal horizontal axis. The plurality of locking tongues 12 are extended angularly from one of the side edges of the keeper bar,

at suitable longitudinally spaced points. Each locking tongue lies substantially in the plane of the keeper bar and is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the length thereof.

In its normal or operative position the keeper bar is disposed on the opposite side of its pivotal axis from the fish plate 2, and lies in a substantially vertical plane with its lower edge bearing upon the upper peripheral faces of all of the nuts 7, which are turned square for this purpose. The tongues depend from the keeper bar and fit snugly between the nuts of the respective pairs whereby to positively hold the nuts against turning movement. In addition to this function, the locking tongues serve to weight the keeper bar to hold the same in an operative position against accidental swinging movement away from the nuts.

When it is desired to simultaneously release all of the nuts, it is merely necessary to lift the keeper bar to swing the same ,away from the nuts so that the locking tongues are withdrawn from between the same. It will therefore be apparent that the release of the nuts may be expeditiously effected, and does not involve any injury to the parts of the nut lock as would hinder or prevent its reuse.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to use in connection with rail joints, but is susceptible of general applicatlon.

If desired, the chair may also include a fish plate 13 which is pivotally connected to the lip 4 to turn about a longitudinal axis, the fish plate being adapted, to be swung against adjacent sides of the rail sections and being formed with openings through which the bolts 6 are passed. By employing this second fish plate, a more complete chair is provided.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

The combination with a rail chair including a base plate, and a fish plate upstanding from one side thereof, the fish plate being formed with pairs of longitudinally spaced bolt openings; of a keeper bar disposed longitudinally above the bolt openings and pivotally connected to the fish plate to turn about a longitudinal axis, and longitudinally spaced locking tongues extended angularly from one longitudinal edge of the keeper bar and normally depending therefrom between'the bolt openings of each pair.

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

JAMES F. SPECK. [L.s.]

\Vitnesses J. H. CoRLooK, W. P. HIGGINS.

Images