IMPROVEMENTS IN RAIL JOINTS
Year: 1885

page_text: I JOSEPH KELLOW of Pen Argyl in the County of Northampton and State of
Pennsylvania, in the United States of America, gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN RAIL JOINTS " and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to a device for connecting the meeting ends of rail road
rails, the object being to provide means for this purpose, which will allow of the
expansion and contraction of the rails, and yet will hold the rails firmly and
securely in place.
A further object of the invention is to provide a rail joint which shall be simple
in its construction, strong and durable, and one whereby the parts will be held
against accidental detachment or displacement.
With these ends in view the invention consists in the improved construction, and
combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of two rail road rails showing their
meeting ends connected by my improved joint.
Fig. 2 is a detail view of parts detached.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modification.
Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the same, taken at the meeting ends of the
rails, and
Fig. 5 is a transverse section through, Fig. 1.
In the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts in all the figs, A, A¹, represents the rails, which are formed
on one side at their meeting ends with recesses, a.
B, represents a fish plate having an upwardly projecting extension, a', which
is somewhat shorter than the space formed by the recesses, a, thus allowing for
the expansion and contraction of the rails.
The upper end of this extension, a¹, is on a plane with the tread or bearing
portion of the rails, as shown.
A short distance from the meeting ends of the rails are formed elongated slots, c,
which are adapted to receive arms, d, projecting from the fish plate, B, said arms
being formed near their ends with openings, e.

page_text: C, represents a fish plate having slots or openings, c³, to receive the arms, d, said
fish plate fitting snugly against the rails.
The slots, c, in the rails are some what larger than the arms, d, to allow for
expansion and contraction.
D, represents wedges which engage the openings formed in the arms, d.
The wedges, D, are formed at their upper ends with inwardly extending
flanges, d, which bear against the upper end of the fish plate, C, and their lower
ends are provided with holes or openings adapted to be engaged by spring keys, e¹,
for holding said wedges in place.
In the modification illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the rails are provided at their
meeting ends with recesses, which when the rails are together register.
In this case a single arm to engage said registering recesses is employed, and the
elongated slots, c, omitted.
The fish plate, C, has a single opening to receive said arm. In the modification
shown I employ a bed or chair in which the meeting ends of the rails rest.
The said chair being beveled on one of its inner sides, and straight on the other.
The straight side of the chair is provided at its lower end with a groove adapted
to receive the edge of the base flange of the rail.
Fitting in the other side of the bed or chair, and bearing against the fish plate, C,
is a wedge, D, which holds the parts in position, and prevents upward movement
or lifting of the rails from the bed or chair.
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. The rails having recesses in their meeting ends on one side thereof, in
combination with fish plates connecting the rails, one of said fish plates having an
extension to fit said recesses.
2. The combination with the rails having recesses on one side at their meeting
ends, and slots or recesses, c, of fish plates one of which is provided with an
extension to fit the recesses in the rails and with arms to engage the slots, and the
other fish plate with slots to receive the arms and wedges to engage openings in
the ends of said arms, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with the rails having recesses on one side at their meeting
ends, and slots, c, of the fish plate, B, having an extension to fit said recesses, and
arins, d, the fish plate, C, having slots, to engage the arms, d, wedges having
inturned flanges to engage the upper edge of fish plate, C, and keys to engage
openings in the lower ends of the wedges, as set forth.
11
100x