IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Newton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
July 1867. A communication from abroad by Gustavus Natorp, of the
City of New York, in the United States of America.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERMANENT
WAY OF RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object to effect the splicing or joining together. of
the rails of railways. This has heretofore been done by what is known as the
fish joint, which consists in the use of two side plates or braces arranged. on
either side of the T or other rails (where the ends of two rails. come
together); these plates are securely bolted to the rails and to each other by
screw bolts (and nuts), which pass through the plates and also through holes
made in the shanks on their vertical portions of the rails; this fish joint so
braces the upper and lower portions of the ends of the two rails together as to
effect a very complete and sufficiently rigid splicing or joint, but making holes
through the rails for the passage through them of the bolts which secure the
plates is objectionable, as these holes must necessarily weaken the rails at the
points where they should be strongest.
The present Invention has for its object to brace and join the ends of the
rails by means of side plates without puncturing or in any manner weakening.
the rails. And to this end the Invention consists in effecting the rigid

page_text: coupling together of the ends of the rails by means of side plates or braces
rigidly clamped to the rails without the use of any bolts or other appliances
which penetrate and thereby weaken the stock of the rails. The ends of the
rails are placed in a clamping stand, shoe, or chair, which may be made of a
bar of iron or steel bent into the proper shape, the end being formed to take a
bearing against the outer surface of one of the fishing plates; the other or outer
portion of the stand is formed with an eye and female screw, and provided
with a screw bolt and jam nut.
The operation of the several parts is a follows:-The ends of the rails being
brought together the fishing plates are placed one on each side, as usual, the
screw bolt (if it be desired, there may be more than one) is turned until its
bearing end presses hard against one of the plates; this operation will draw
the clamping stand or chair hard against the fishing plate, and thus the opposite
exterior surfaces of the two plates are securely clamped between the bearing
surface and the end of the bolt or bolts or set screws, and the two plates are
rigidly held tight against the opposite sides of the ends of the rails embraced
between them. When the several parts have been thus adjusted or clamped
up jam nuts insure the holding of the set screws in adjustment, and if deemed
expedient the retention of the jam nuts may be insured by slipping under
them a bar or key. Of course other means or devices for effecting the
clamping of the stand with the fishing plates may be employed. The bolt
may be made without any screw threads and with an eye, and may be forced
up by a wedge-shaped key, or a wedge may be applied immediately between
the stand and the " fish plate."
Numerous changes of detail may suggest themselves in experimenting upon
and carrying out the Invention, but the gist of the Invention is based on the
broad idea of effecting the splicing of the rails with side (or fish) plates by
clamping the parts rigidly together, without in any manner perforating or
otherwise weakening the stock of the rails.