Improved Method of and Means for Electrically Connecting Railway Rails.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Means for Electrically Connecting
Railway Rails.
I, GEORGE HASKELL SCOTT, of 30 Channing Street, Worcester, Mass., U.S.A.,
Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide simple and efficacious means for
electrically connecting the ends of railway rails.
The invention comprises a rod or wire of suitable length having its ends bent at
right angles. The ends are fitted with sleeves, having an annular collar at one end,
and fitted into a transverse hole in each rail. The sleeves have flaring open ends,
whereby, when the bevelled end of the sleeve is hammered against a metal block,
placed over the connecting rod or wire against the inner end of the collar, the central
portion thereof will be first forced out to hold the rod or wire in place, and then, by
continued blows, headed, and the end of the rod or wire also headed to securely hold
the parts and form a perfect electric bond connection of the ends of the rails.
Dated this 12th day of October 1896
PERCY R. J. WILLIS,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Means for Electrically Connecting
Railway Rails.
I GEORGE HASKELL SCOTT of 30 Channing Street, Worcester, Mass., U.S.A.,
Inventor do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be partiicularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement
My invention relates to that class of electrical rail bonds in which a plain
cylindrical connecting rod or wire is used between the devices fitted in the openings
in the rails.
Theobject of my invention is to produce an electrical rail-bond, of as simple
construction as possible, which may be easily and securely applied to the rails, and
whereby a perfect electrical connection may be maintained between said rails,

page_text: Reference is to he had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification, in which
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of part of two rails with their ends abutting
and my improved bond device applied thereto for obtaining an electric connection
between said rails,
Fig. 2 represents detached views of the two parts composing one end of said
bond device.
Fig. 3 is an outer end view of one of the cylindrical collars of the device hereinafter
described.
Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section through the parts shewn in Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through said parts shewn in Fig. 2 and part of
a rail flange with the cylindrical collar fitted in the opening of "said mail flange
and a metal block fitted over the connecting rod against the head of said
cylindrical collar preparatory to hammering upon its opposite end to fasten the
device in the rail, as will also be hereinafter described.
Fig. 6 represents the parts shown in Fig. 5 after the bond device has been
thus fastened on the rail, and Figs. 7 and 8 shew modifications in the construction
of the cylindrical collar hereinafter described.
A, B, represent parts of two rails with their ends abutting, as is indicated by the
division line C.
D, D, are the cylindrical collars which fit in the rail flange openings, and E the
connecting rod or wire extending between said collars.
The essential features of my invention consist in the special construction of
the collars D D and the manner of fastening the same to the ends of the
connecting rod and in the openings of the rail flanges. Said collars are made
cylindrical in shape upon both their outer and inner surfaces and are also made
of the proper size to fit tight in the openings of the rail flanges when driven
therein. Their longitudinal openings are of the proper size to admit of the ends of
the connecting rod being easily inserted therein and also to fit snugly when inserted
therein. Upon what is to be the inner end of each collar, when fitted in the rail, ns
aforesaid, is formed an external annular rib or flange a, adapted to bear against the
inner side of the rail flange when said collar is fitted in place. The outer end of each
collar is also provided with an internal bevel b, flaring outward from its longitudinal
opening e, and an external converging hevel e may also be formed on suid end, if
desired; but I do not limit myself to said external bevel, as it is not an essential
feature of my invention.
In Fig. 7 of the drawings I have shewn one of the collars provided with only the
internal bevel, the outer edge of the end being made square. While this construction
is not as desirable as to having both edges bevelled I reserve the right to make the
collars thus if desired, as previously stated. I also reserve the right to make the
collars of square form in cross section, as is shown in Fig. 8, or other shapes adapted
to fit the shape of the connecting rod upon which they are used.
In applying my improved rail bond to the rails, the collars D, D, are first driven
into the openings in said rails. The ends of the connecting rod or wire are then
inserted (at the ribhed or flanged ends of the collars) into the longitudinal
openings of said collars and pushed through to within about one-sixteenth of an
inch of the outer ends of the collars as is shewn in Fig. 5. A metal block F is
now placed and held by one hand against the inner end of one of the collars, as
is shewn in Fig. 5, and with an ordinary flatheaded hammer in the other hand
said collar is struck a number of times squarely upon the bevelled end, the result of
which is to first cause the collar to "buckle" or to be forced out laterally at the
centre, and then, as the blows are continued, to head over on to the outer surface of
the rail flange around its opening, and by the time the end of the collar is flattened
down to a level with the end of the connecting rod, so that the hammer will strike
thereon, said rod is so securely held against longitudinal movement in the
opening of the collar that by the continued hammering upon the end of said collar
and the end of the rod, both are perfectly headed over, the collar onto the rail flange,

page_text: as aforesaid, and the rod onto the internal bevel b of said collar, as is shewn in
Fig. 6, thereby securely holding the bond from longitudinal movement in the rail
flange opening. Said hammering operation also results in forming a very perfect
surface connection between the rail collar and connecting rod. In fact the connection
between said parts in practice is so perfect that when cut through in section the
lines of division between the parts are scarcely perceptible. This result of so
perfectly heading and uniting said parts is mainly due to the employment of
the internal bevel b on the outer end of each collar D. By thus bevelling said ends the
impact of the hammer is first directed against the central longitudinal portion of the
collar, and consequently forces it to be forced or squashed out laterally at the centre
before it cominences to head. It also facilitates the heading operation, as the
natural tendency of the stock as it is hammered down toward the level of the end of
the connecting rod is to be spread rather than to be forced laterally toward the
centre. Then again, by the use of said bevel, when the end of the connecting rod
is reached in the hammering operation, it is permitted to spread or flatten out
against said bevel surface, and thus forms a very perfect and secure clench in the
collar to hold it from being pulled out or becoming loose. Should it become at all
loose, it may be readily tightened again by a few blows of the hammer. Not only is
the outer end thus securely held, but owing to the hammering on the outer end
against the metal block on its inner end, the collar is also headed and forced out
laterally at said inner end, and thus produces a tight connection throughout its
entire length to hold it securely froin movement longitudinally in either direction.
It is obvious that while the rib a is a desirable feature in the construction, not
being absolutely essential, I reserve the right to dispense with the same, as shewn in
Fig. 7, if desired.
From the foregoing description it is obvious that my improved bond may be easily
and quickly applied, and when thus applied produces a perfect and secure bond
connection for the electric current between one rail and another.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
(1) An improved electric rail-bond, comprising in combination a connecting rod or
wire, and two collars, one for each end of said rod or wire, adapted to fit over the ends
thereof, and in the openings in the rails, and made cylindrical in shape, also provided
with an external, annular rib or flange at its inner end, and an internal, annular bevel
at its outer end flaring outward from its longitudinal opening, and also preferably
having the exterior of its outer end bevelled in the opposite direction to said internal
bevel, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
(2) The combination of the rail and the connecting rod or wire, with the collar D,
adapted to fit in the usual transverse opening in said rail and over the end of said
connecting rod or wire, and having the internal, annular bevel 6 flaring from its
longitudinal opening, whereby, when said bevelled end of the collar is hammered
against a metal block, placed over the connecting rod or wire against the inner end of
said collar, the central portion thereof will be first forced or squashed out to hold the
rod or wire in place, and then, by continued blows, headed, and the end of the rod or
wire also headed to securely hold the parts and form a perfect electric bond connection,
substantially as set forth.
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