Improvements in Rail-bonds for Electric Railways and other Purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Aug., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rail-bonds for Electric Railways and other
Purposes.
A communication from FRED HARRIS DANIELS, of Worcester, State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentleman
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of London,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 rail bond in which this invention is comprised is designed with more
particular reference to its use on electric railways and is of that type in which
the bond proper or connector between the two terminals consists of strands
of copper wire twisted together in rope or cable form. The object of the invention
is to produce a bond in which the wire cable or rope is of so small diameter that
with very little flattening it can readily go in between the rails and the joint plate
or fish plate which binds together the ends of adjoining rails, and furthermore
to provide such a construction as will admit of expansion and contraction of the
rail without disturbing the connections of the terminals with the rails. To this
end the body of the bond is formed of wire rope in such manner that the rope when
united to the terminals will in effect form an endless loop; and the sides of this
loop are brought together at a point in their length between the two terminals
so as to form in effect a bond in which there are two eyes or openings, which not
only admit the free passage of the joint bolts that secure the joint or fish plate
to the rails, but also amply allow for expansion and contraction of the rails.
The nature of the invention will be readily understood by reference to the
accompanying drawings in which:-
:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 is an edge view of one form of bond
in partially completed condition.
Figures 3 and 4 are corresponding views of the completed bond:
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the bond as applied to the meeting ends of two
rails with the joint or fish plate removed.
Figure 6 is a cross section of the same with the fish plates in place.
Figure 7 is a side elevation and Figure 8 is an edge view of a modified form
of the bond in incomplete condition.
Figures 9 and 10 are corresponding views of this modified form of bond in
finished condition.
Figure 11 is a side elevation of the meeting ends of two rails with this
form of bond applied thereto.
Figure 12 is a cross section of the same with the fish plates in place.
The bond in each instance is formed of two lengths a, of wire rope of compara-
tively small diameter, which at their ends are united to terminals b, so as to form
in effect an endless loop with parallel or approximately parallel sides, which when
the bond is in still unfinished condition are separated from one another by an
interval practically throughout their entire length as seen in Figures 1 and 7.

page_text: The terminals b, can be secured to the ends of the wire rope in any suitable
manner, as for example they can be secured or welded thereto by pressure so as
to be substantially integral therewith.
In the form of bond shown in Figures 1-6 the sides of the loop of the wire
rope are brought together under pressure so as to lay side by side throughout
their length except at the points where they remain spread apart to form the
two edges or openings c. These eyes or spread-apart portions permit expansion
and contraction of the rails without disturbing the connections of the terminals b
with the rails, and they are also of sufficient dimensions to admit the free passage
of the bolts m (Figure 6) which bind the fish plates N and rails R together.
After the terminals of the bond are secured to the meeting ends of the rails as
in Figure 5, the fish plates are applied and secured to the rails by bolts as seen
in Figure 6, the bonds being between the fish plates and the rails. The small
diameter of the wire rope of which the body of the bond is composed permits
this to be done with very little flattening of the bond.
In the form of bond shown in Figures 7-12, the two edges or openings c, are
formed by twisting the loop-shaped incomplete bond into what approximately
resembles the figure 8, as will be readily understood by inspection of the figures
referred to. The bond after having been brought to the loop shape shown in
Figure 7, has its sides at or near the middle of their length brought together
and then given a half twist-or a turn of 180°-one on the other, and are then
subjected to pressure at their twisted meeting point so as to flatten them and
reduce the thickness of the bond at that point. To make the bond in this way
the terminals b, in the incomplete bond must be so applied as to face in opposite
directions as seen in Figures 7 and 8, so that when the loop is half twisted as in
Figures 9 and 10 the terminals will, as seen in these figures, face in the same
direction. This bond is applied to the meeting ends of the rails in the same
way as illustrated in the drawing with reference to the other form of bond.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what
manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:-
1. A rail bond having a wire loop-like body provided with terminals, the
sides of the loop being brought together for a certain portion of their length
between the terminals and being separated from one another at other points to
form openings or eyes, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 22nd day of August 1899.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.