Improvements in the Construction of Rail Joints and in Methods of Forming the same
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 11th Dec., 1897
66
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Rail Joints and in Methods of
Forming the same."
(A communication by WILLIAM J. AUSTIN of Milwaukee, in the County of
Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, United States of America.)
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both
in ne County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick and 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 certain new and useful improvements in the con
struction of rail joints and in methods of forming the same.
The object of this invention is to provide a simple, strong and rigid connection
between the abutting ends of the rails, the construction being such that the
greater part of the work may be done in a shop or foundry and the joining of
the rail ends completed by pouring a comparatively small amount of molten
metal into suitable cavities formed in the metal sleeve which serves to unite the
rail ends.
In the following description, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in
which,
Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectional view of a rail joint embodying this
invention drawn through the sprue hole or opening in the sleeve through which
the molten metal is poured to fill the interior chamber.
Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view drawn on line x-x of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view drawn on line y-y of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a cross sectional view showing a modified form of construction drawn
on line - of Figure 5;
Figure 5 is a side view with a portion of the sleeve broken away to show the
location and arrangement of the holes formed in the web of the rail.
Like parts are identified by the same reference letters throughout the several
views.
A A are the head portions, B B the webs and CC the base flanges of abutting
rail ends to which this invention is applied as shown in the drawings. D
designates a metal sleeve formed to any suitable shape on its exterior and with
its interior surface conforming to and adapted to embrace the webs and base
flanges of the rail ends, so as to afford a strong support for the rail ends against
any tendency to lateral or vertical displacement.
The sleeve is also formed with an interior cavity or recess D₁ preferab:y
elongated longitudinally of the sleeve, and so located that when the sleeve is
adjusted upon the rail ends, the web of the rails will divide the cavity into two
chambers or parts, the webs being provided with apertures or holes B¹ B', two or

page_text: more of which are usually formed in each rail, and at such distance apart as to
leave thin dividing walls or partitions between them. The apertures B1 B are
so located as to communicate between the chambers or parts of the cavity I¹ when
the sleeve is in place.
At one side of the sleeve I) is arranged a suitable sprue hole F communicating
with the interior of the recess or cavity D and through which molten metal may
be poured into said recess or cavity.
This improved joint is applied to the ends of the rails in the following
manner: --
The sleeve is slipped over the abutting ends of a pair of rails, and adjusted
so that the centre of the sleeve is approximately at the line of division between
the rail ends. Molten metal is then poured into the sprue hole F and fills the
cavity or recess I flowing through the apertures B₁ B from any portion or
chamber of the cavity to the other, so as to completely fill the cavity on both
sides of the web of the rails. The thin walls or partitions between the apertures
1313 will be melted by the heat of the molten metal and fused thereto in an
obvious manner.
The body of the metal thus formed in the cavity ID will consist of a solid block
Fon both sides of the webs with connecting bars or links E El extending
through the apertures or holes B B and a projecting neck Flikewise filling the
sprue holes as shown in Figure 1. The square or approximately square enis
of said blocks of metal abut squarely against the end walls of the recess or cavity
in said casting and serve effectually to prevent longitudinal movement of the rail
ends.
The filling of metal will serve to effectually secure the rail ends in position
within the sleeve D and rigidly unite the rail ends to each other and to the
sleeve by the fusion of the metal to the respective walls of the chambers and
by the links EE extending through the rail webs.
It will also be observed that by the fusion of the partition walls between the
apertures or holes B B to the cast metal filling the cavity D', an electrical bond
is established between the rail ends, thereby obviating the necessity of separately
bonding the rails when used upon electric rail-roads.
Referring now more particularly to the construction of the sleeve itself, it is
obvious that where it is to be applied to new track or loose rails in an old track,
it may be formed integrally in a single casting and slipped onto the ends of the
rails as the latter are laid, but when it is to be applied to rails already laid, it is
mbre conveniently formed in two parts d d as shown in Figure 4, and united by
a bolt or rivet H.
The parts d d of the sleeve D may also be formed with the interior
cavity of sufficient size to extend from the base flange of the rail to the head,
as also shown in Figure 4, with projecting lips or flanges I I at the ends of the
sleeve, and near the centre adapted to lap over the base flanges of the rails, as
shown by dotted lines in Figures 4 and 5. The split sleeves may be formed of
cast metal, malleable iron or rolled steel, or in any other convenient manner.
This improved joint is very simple in its construction, affords a strong and
rigid support for the rail ends, and makes a very satisfactory joint, serving in
effect to make a practically continuous rail. A great advantage gained by this
improved device is that by this improvement the greater part of the work may be
done in a shop or foundry, and the sleeves shipped in quantities to the localities
where they are to be used, when all that is necessary to complete the joint is to
adjust the sleeves in position on the rail ends, and pour into the cavities the
described filling of molten metal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. An improved rail joint comprising a metal sleeve or support shaped on is

page_text: interior to conform to and closely embrace a pair of rail ends and provided with
an interior recess or cavity upon each side, a pair of rail ends fitting within sa.d
sleeve or support and provided with apertures in their webs and a filling of cast
metal flowed into said cavity or recess and through said apertures.
2. An improved rail joint comprising the abutting ends of a pair of rails
provided with apertures in the webs thereof, a metal sleeve or support in two
parts shaped to embrace the base flanges of the rails and to form a recess or cavity
on each side between the sleeve and the opposing portions of the rails, a rigid
connection between the parts of the sleeve, and a metal filling cast in said cavity
or recess.
3. An improved rail joint comprising the abutting ends of a pair of rails
provided with apertures in the webs thereof, a metal sleeve or support, in two
parts shaped to embrace the base flanges of the rails, and having projecting lips
or flanges formed to project over the base flanges of the rails, with upwardly
projecting sides forming a recess or cavity on each side of the web of the rails,
a rigid connection uniting the parts of the sleeve, and a metal filling cast in the
cavity or recess.
4. A method of joining rail ends consisting in adjusting upon a pair of aligne l
rail ends a metal sleeve or support conforming to the contour of said rail ends
and having a cavity or recess in its interior, and pouring molten metal into said
cavity.
5. A method of joining rail ends, consisting in adjusting upon a pair of
aligned, and perforated or apertured rail ends, a metal sleeve or support shaped
upon its interior surface to conform to the contour of the rail ends and provide 1
in its interior with a cavity or recess, pouring molten metal into said cavity and
through the perforations in the rail ends, and fusing the partitions between said
perforations to said cast metal filling.
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