An Improved Railway Rail Joint.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1891-Accepted, 4th July, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Railway Rail Joint.
We, ROBERT MORRELL, Gentleman, of Summit, and LAWRENCE SCUDDER
MOTT, Broker, of Newark, both in New Jersey, United States of America, 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:-
The invention relates to joints for railway rails, and has for its objects to provide
a joint which will prevent each rail from moving independently of the adjacent rail
with which it is connected and at the same time to simplify and render the structure
more effective in operation.
With these objects in view this invention consists in the improved construction,
arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and afterwards
specifically pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the ends of two adjacent rails constructed in
accordance with this invention showing them separated a short distance.
Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the ends of two adjacent rails in the
positions they assume when forming the joint.
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the complete joint with the fish
plates secured thereto.
Figure 4 is a cross-section on the line - of Fig. 3.
Like letters of reference mark the same parts wherever they occur in the various
figures of the drawings.
Referring to the drawing by letters, A and B represent portions of two adjacent
rails composed of the usual bases, a, a', webs b, and heads c, c. The base a of
rail A. has a portion removed from the end which is to form part of the joint and
the head c of the same rail has a somewhat longer portion of the same end removed
leaving the web b intact, and projecting, in the form of a tongue, beyond the base
and head. The base a' of rail B has a portion removed from its end and the web b¹
has a slightly longer portion removed leaving the head c' intact and forming a
notch to receive the web of the rail A when the two rails are brought together
as shown in Figure 2, the ends of the bases, webs and flanges of each rail being cut
squarely off as clearly shown. When the rails are brought together with the
projecting web b entering the notch d, the head c¹ of rail B rests upon the top of
the web of rail A. and the base a rests under said projecting web b, the ends of
the respective bases, webs and heads abutting squarely against the other, with the
joint between the heads in a different vertical line from that between the webs and
bases. In this position it is impossible to raise or depress the end of either rail
without correspondingly raising or depressing the adjacent end of the other rail,
and the strain due to passing trains is so distributed that at no time is the strength
of base, web or head compelled to act alone in supporting the weight, the joints,
as before stated, being broken, so that the joint between the ends of the heads is
supported with the full strength of the web and base, the joint between the ends of
the webs by the full strength of the base and head, and the joint between the ends
of the bases by the full strength of the webs and heads.
If the heads and bases were cut on the same vertical line, the whole strain on
the joint would fall upon the web.
Bolt holes e are provided in the webs a and b to receive bolts f by means of
which a fish plate C is secured on each side of the joint as shown in Figures 3
and 4.
As before stated the projecting end of web b entering the notch d in the rail B
Deion cl

page_text: prevents independent vertical, movement of adjoining rails and the fish plates
secured on each side of the rails at the joint- prevent independent lateral movement
of the rails.
In laying the rails the ends are brought into position by lateral movement, the
projecting end of the web-b being entered into the notch d from either side thereof,
which is rendered possible, by cutting, the ends of the.. adjoining bases, webs and
flanges, squarely, at right, angles, to the length of the rails,, and the fish plates
overlapping the ends. of the. webs. and, bolted securely, thereto prevent lateral
displacement.
The construction herein described also permits the slight endwise motion of the
rails due to expansion and contraction by heat and cold, provision being, made for.
such movement in any usual manner, such, for instance, as by making the bolt holes
slightly. larger than the bolts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim-is:
:
1. The joint for railway rails herein described, in which are combined the
following elements the rail A having a portion of its base a and a slightly longer
portion of its head c cut away leaving its webb intact and forming a tongue.pro-
jecting beyond the base and head, the rail B having a portion of its base al and a.
slightly longer portion of its web cut away, forming a notch d to, receive the
projecting end of the web b, the ends of the bases, webs and heads. being cut off.
squarely at right.angles to the length of the rails and the joints between the ends
of the heads, bases and webs falling in different vertical planes, whereby said joints.
"broken" and the strain thereon so distributed that it will fall.at no time upon
a single member (web, base or head) of the rail as.set forth..
are
Dated this 2nd day of June 1891.
ALLISON BROS:,
Agents for the Applicants.