Car-replacers.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Car-replacers.
I, JOHN ELDRIDGE NORWOOD, Inventor, of Sykesville, County of Carroll, and
State of Maryland, U.S.A., do hereby declare the nature of this invention 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 car-replacers, the object being to provide improved
clamps for securing the replacer shells to the rails and also to provide improved
means for applying an extension rail to the inside shell.
With these ends in view the invention consists in the novel features of construc-
tion and combinations of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims and
which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the replacer shells clamped to the rails,
and the extension rail in place;
Figure 2, a cross-section through the centre of the inside replacer shell and
rail;
Figure 3, a similar section through the outside shell;
Figure 4, a plan view of the inside shell showing the extension rail in place ;
Figure 5, a perspective view of the outside shell;
Figure 6, an end view of the inside shell;
Figures 7 and 8, detail views of the clamps and keys for the outside and inside
shells respectively;
Figure 9, a detail view of the reversible slug for holding the extension rail.
The letter, A, designates the outside shell, and, B, the inside shell, both of which
are formed with an exterior contour and with flanges, a, b, and are secured in position
alongside of the rails, as shown in Figure 1.
The outside shell, A, has a transverse bridge or web e, at its centre to give it
strength and stability, and two holes, f, one on each side of the flange, a, extending
through the said bridge or web, e, which is provided at the middle between the two
holes with a lengthwise groove, g, having squared sides. The holes are made flaring
toward the open side of the shell to accommodate the thick part of the clamp, C,
which is run through them. The two holes are provided to render the shell
reversible and only one is used at a time.
The clamp, C, is made L-shaped and its long arm has a thick tapering portion, c,
which extends through one of the holes, f, in the shell, and a slight up-bend, d,
beyond which extends a straight portion, i, which fits beneath the rail, and has at
its extremity a hook or catch, ¹, which takes over the inside base-flange of the
rail, as shown in Figure 3. It will be seen that the up-bend, d, in the long arm is
provided in order that the thickened tapering portion, c, can extend straight
through the hole, f, of the shell. When the clamp is through the shell, its short
arm. j, assumes a vertical position and extends across the groove, g, in the bridge.
This short arm has a cross-groove, g', which is half-rounded out and not squared as
is the groove, g.
The key or wedge, D, employed with the outside shell is tapered, and squared
on one side and rounded on the other to correspond to the grooves, g, and, g',
respectively, and when driven in said grooves, will tighten the clamp, and the shell
will thereby be securely clamped to the rail. The advantage of the rounded
groove in the short arm of the clamp is that when the latter cannot be brought by
hand to its proper place, the small end of the key can be inserted in the groove,
then as the key is driven home the clamp will be drawn to its proper place. The
squared groove in the shell prevents the key from turning.
It will be seen that the clamp, C, has a shorter arm, j, than is possible with

page_text: a clamp extending under the shell, and that by passing the long arm directly
through the shell, the clamp has greater strength and the strain upon it is less.
The inside shell, B, for the other track-rail, has a hole, m', through the middle
of its flange, b, which fits between the tread and flange of the rail, and said shell
is secured to the rail by a clamp, E, having the form of an open link, which
embraces the rail by passing beneath the same. The projecting arm, m, at one end
of this clamp is introduced through the said opening, m', in the flange from beneath
and has on its end a lip, m³, which takes over the flange to prevent the clamp from
dropping back through the said opening. At its opposite end the clamp has a
hook, n, which projects up on the outside of the rail, and the inside of this hook is
made flaring, as shown at, n³, Figure 7.
The key, F, which secures the inside clamp is a tapered bar flat on one side and
rounded on the other to correspond to the hook of the clamp. The small end
of this key is inserted in the clamp with its round side uppermost and fitting the
hook and its flat side ou the flange of the rail, and the said key upon being driven
home will tighten the clamp and the replacer shell will be securely clamped in
place against the rail.
.
It will be seen that this clamp is strong and at the same time is of small size and
light in weight, and can be easily handled and applied.
The flange, b, of the shell, B, is made with projections, z, which take against the
rail and prevent the shell from tilting.
The flange at the broad end of the shell is extended beyond the inside edge of
the said shell to form a bearing surface for the extension rail, G, and on each side
of this flange is a perpendicular wall, o, against which the end of the extension
rail will abut squarely. A bur or lug, p, is formed integral with the wall and the
flange, b, at the outside edge of the latter, and takes over the side of the base-
flange of the extension rail, G, while the other side of said base-flange is confined
by a slug, r, which fits loosely in a hole, r, through the flange, b, and projects on
opposite sides of the latter. This slug is provided on each end with a projection
or lug, which takes over the flange of the rail as stated.
When the shell, B, is placed in position with its end-flange resting on the cross-
tie it will be seen that the slug, r, will be pushed up through the hole, r, by
coming into contact with the upper surface of the cross-tie, and hence the upper
lug, will project from the upper surface of the flange of the shell so that the
rail-flange can be readily introduced beneath it. The arrangement of parts is
precisely the same on the opposite side of the shell, and hence an extension rail
can be applied as readily at one side of the track as at the other. It will thus be
apparent that this slug is reversible and will secure the rail on either side of the
flange, b.
The hole,, is flared or enlarged at its opposite ends (indicated in Figure 6) so
that one or the other of the projections, 2, of the slug will take into one of these
enlargements.
The slug, r, is provided with vertical grooves, s, which are engaged by pro-
jections, s¹, from the sides of the holes, ¹, whereby the said slug will be properly
guided in its movements and cannot turn in any direction in the said hole.
The extension rail, G, is used when the wheels of the car have been thrown so
far from the track that the replacer will not receive them, and the extension serves
to guide the wheels to the replacer.
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 1
claim is
1st. The combination with the rail, of the outside replacer shell, A, having a
bridge with a transverse hole extending therethrough and provided with a groove;
a clamp running through said hole and beneath the rail, and having at one end
a hook which engages the inside of the rail-flange and at its opposite end an
arm provided with a groove coinciding with that in the bridge of the shell

page_text: and a key introduced between the bridge and said arm and occupying the said
coinciding grooves, for the purpose set forth.
2nd. The combination with the rail, of the inside replacer shell, B, having a
flange fitting up to the said rail; a clamp connected at one end to the flange
and extending beneath the rail to the outside of the same; and a key introduced
between the outer end of said clamp and the outside of the rail, whereby the
replacer shell is clamped in position.
3rd. The combination with the rail, of the inside replacer shell having a hole, m',
through that portion adjoining the said rail; a clamp extending beneath the rail
and having at one end an arm which is introduced through said hole and provided
at the opposite end with an upward projection on the outside of the rail; and a
key introduced between the said upward projection and the rail whereby the
replacer shell is clamped in position.
4th. The combination of the rail, the inside replacer shell, B, clamped thereto
and having a flange extending across its broad end, and a bur, p, on each side of
the flange; a reversible slug extending loosely through the said flange and having
projections on its opposite ends; and an extension rail the flange of which
fits beneath one of said burs and one of the projections of said loose slug, as set
forth.
5th. The combination of the track-rail and an extension rail, G; the inside
replacer shell clamped to the track-rail and having a flange extending across its
broad end and an abutting wall, o, on each side of the flange; and means attached
to the shell-flange for confining the base-flanges of the extension rail, as set
forth.