Improvements in Railway Rail Joints.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Rail Joints.
1, SAMUEL HEY of 17, Hanover Street Keighley in the County of York Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention as communicated to me from
abroad by John Hinckley Williams and Thomas Mair of 23 Central Street and
53 State Street respectively, both in Boston, Suffolk County, State of Massa-
chusetts, United States of America, Gentlemen, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to that class of rail joints or couplings in which a pair
of angular jaws are pivoted on opposite sides of the rails, having arms which
extend under the base of the rails, and clamping faces confronting the webs of the
rails, the design being to produce pressure of the clamping faces against the webs
by downward pressure of the rail upon the arms of the jaws which extend
under them.
The invention has in view the provision of means in a rail-joint of this
character, for adapting the jaws to different thicknesses of the base of the rails,
and it consists in a number of novel constructions and combinations of parts
recited in the appended claims.
The accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, illustrates an
embodiment of the invention.
Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the improved rail-joint.
Figure 2 shows a plan view, and a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows an end view, with one of the rails in section."
Figure 4 shows a perspective view of one of the fish-plates.
Figure 5 shows a perspective view of one of the base castings.
Figure 6 shows a perspective view of one of the angular jaws.
a a designate two rails, whose ends meet and which are to be connected together
by the improved joint or coupling. This joint or coupling is of the following
description. A base casting b rests upon and is secured to certain of the ties in
the roadbed, and the said casting is formed near its ends with upstanding ears b.
Angular jaws c c are fitted to work on the ears, the said jaws being formed with
lugs having semi-circular sockets c in their outer sides for engagement with the
ears b. The lower arms of the jaws extend under the bottom of the rails, said
arms being extended so as to engage both rails. The upper arms of the jaws
extend over the upper side of the base of the rails, and they are extended
laterally so as to provide clamping faces c, confronting the webs of the rails on
opposite sides.
It will be seen that downward pressure of the rails on the lower arms of the
jaws has the effect of moving the clamping faces c2 inward toward the webs of the
rails. It is desirable that both sets of arms of the jaws fit closely against the base
of the rails, and as the thickness of the base varies in different rails, means are
provided for adjusting the jaws to any thickness of base. The clamping faces c
are obliquely arranged, as shown in Figure 2. Fish-plates d are provided, to fit
between the clamping faces and the rails, and these fish-plates are provided with
flanges d', formed to interlock with the jaws, by projecting between the jaws and
the base of the rail. Both the fish-plates and their flanges are wedge-shaped, as
shown in Figures 2 and 4, so that the act of driving the fish-plates between the
rails and the jaws has a tightening effect, the wedge-shaped flanges d¹ causing the
fish-plates to press downwardly on the base of the rail.

page_text: Stops are provided at the ends of the ears 61 6', to bear against the ears c
and prevent end wise displacement of the jaws c during the operation of driving in
the fish-plates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A rail joint or coupling comprising a pair of angular jaws pivoted on opposite
sides of the rail and having arms extending under the rail and clamping faces
confronting the web of the rail, and fish-plates between the said clamping faces and
the web of the rail and interlocked with the jaws, with provision for vertical
adjustment to suit the thickness of the base of the rail.
2. A rail joint or coupling comprising a pair of angular jaws pivoted on
opposite sides of the rail and having arms extending under the rail and oblique
clamping faces confronting the web of the rail, and wedge-shaped fish-plates having
wedge-shaped flanges for engagement with said jaws and adapted to bear on the
base of the rail.
3. A rail joint or coupling comprising, first, a base having upwardly
projecting cars, each provided at one end with a stop; secondly, angular jaws
having lugs formed to rock on said ears and to abut against the stops, arms
extending under the rail, and oblique clamping faces confronting the web of the
rail; and thirdly, wedge-shaped fish-plates interlocked with the jaws between the
said clamping faces and web.
DL: 10th day of tamunt 1000
SAMUEL HEY.