Improvements in and relating to Foot Guard for Railway Tracks.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Foot Guard for Railway Tracks.
I, MICHAEL RILEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at
London, in the County of Madison and State of Ohio, one of the United States of
America, 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 :-
My invention relates to the improvement of foot-guards for railways and has
particular relation to that class of foot guards which forms the subject of my
United States Patents No. 484,461 dated 18th October 1892 und No. 493,649 dated
21st March 1893.
The objects of my invention are to construct a guard of this class of a shape
which will conform to the shape of the rails against which the guard sections bear,
to so form said guard as to allow the flanges of car wheels to clear the same, to
provide improved means for anchoring the guard in its place, and to produce other
improvements which will be more specifically pointed out hereinafter. These
objects I accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in
which―
Figure 1 is a plan view of a railway frog having its angles filled or provided with
my improved foot-guard. Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse section on line .-.c
of Figure 2.
Figure 3 is a detail sectional view on line y-y of Figure 4, showing my improved
anchor in elevation; and
Figure 4 is a view in perspective of my improved guard.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
The body of my guard is formed of two pivoted or hinged plate-sections, a, and b.
Of these sections a are the top plates, & the side pieces, which extend downwardly
at right angles from said top portions, and c are the end plates or pieces.
In my present construction provide the outer longer side of each of the
sections with an upwardly-extending longitudinal flange or projection, which is
indicated at d. The outer edge of each of these projections d is inclined upwardly
and inwardly, while the inner and vertical portion thereof meets the top plate of
the section at right angles therewith, as shown.
The top and end plates of one of the guard sections are adapted to pass beneath
and within the top and end plates of the remaining section, and said top plates are,
near one end thereof, pivotally connected by a suitable pivot bolt or pin, e.
represents the connecting coiled spring, which, as shown, extends transversely
between the side walls of the guard sections, near the forward ends thereof and
serves to press said forward end portions outward from each other.
To the inner end of the pivot-bolt e I pivotally connect one end of an arm g, the
remaining end of which is provided with an eye, with which may be engaged, as
shown, the hook or eye end of an anchor pin g', which depends therefrom. As
indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3 of the drawings, the outer end of this arm g

page_text: may, however, for reasons hereinafter specified, have driven therethrough a suitable
spike. (Indicated at g³.)
As shown in Figure I of the drawings, the guards formed as herein described
are adapted to be inserted, pivoted ends first, in the angles formed by the con-
vergence of the rails of the railway frogs or tracks, and in being thus inserted the
said walls of each of the sections are pressed by the spring into contact with
the inner sides or faces of the webs of the rails h, while the inclined outer faces of
the guard-flanges d, find a bearing against the inclined under sides of the rail-
treads, as indicated at . As shown in the drawings, the outer faces of the flanges d
extend inwardly sufficiently to bring the vertical inner walls of said flanges in
alignment with the inner sides of the rail heads or treads. In inserting one of the
guards between the rails it will be seen that the anchor pin g', being longer than
the height of the guard, will trail on the ground and thus incline said pin outward
from the apex of the angle. In case there is any tendency of the guard to work
loose from its position by being forced outward, it will be seen that said anchor-
pin will, by engagement with the ground, aid in retaining the guard in its proper
place. In case it is desired to anchor the guard to a tie or ground beam, it is
evident that I may turn the arm y outward in the position shown in dotted lines in
Figure 3 of the drawings, remove the pin g' and drive through the outer end of
said arm g a suitable spike g².
By the construction herein shown and described it will be seen that not only will
the bearing portions of the guards be made to conform to the shapes of the rails
against which they press, but that the use of the flanges & brings the top plates a¹
of the sections at such depth as to prevent any engagement therewith of the flanges
of the wheels of passing cars.
To facilitate the removal of the guards from the track-angle, I provide in the
end portion e of each guard an opening, with which may be engaged any desirable
tool for pressing the guard-sections towards each other. While the sections of
the guard are, as shown, made to fit closely against the rail sides, it is evident
that the spring will operate to cause said sections to move with the rails ia
case of inward or outward movement, or expansion or contraction of the latter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a foct-guard for railways, the combination with the pivoted sections a and b,
one adapted to pass within the other as described, of the longitudinal side exten-
sions d projecting upwardly from each of said sections, as described, and having
inclined outer faces, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. In a foot-guard for railways, the combination with the pivoted sections a and b,
one adapted to pass within the other, as described, of an arin g connected with the
pivot connecting said sections, and a suitable pin or spike adapted to pass through
the outer end of said arm, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 30th day of November 1892.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Foot Guard for Railway Tracks.
I, MICHAEL RILEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at
London, in the County of Madison and State of Ohio, one of the United States of
America, 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 :-
My invention relates to the improvement of foot-guards for railways and has
particular relation to that class of foot guards which forms the subject of my
United States Patents No. 484,461 dated 18th October 1892 and No. 493,649 dated
21st March 1893.
The objects of my invention are to construct a guard of this class of a shape
which will conform to the shape of the rails against which the guard sections bear,
to so form said guard as to allow the flanges of car wheels to clear the same, to
provide improved means for anchoring the guard in its place, and to produce other
improvements which will be more specifically pointed out hereinafter. These
objects I accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in
which―
Figure 1 is a plan view of a railway frog having its angles filled or provided with
my improved foot-guard. Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse section on line x-x
of Figure 2.
Figure 3 is a detail sectional view on line y-y of Figure 4, showing my improved
anchor in elevation; and
Figure 4 is a view in perspective of my improved guard.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
The body of my guard is formed of two pivoted or hinged plate-sections, a, and b.
Of these sections a are the top plates, 6' the side pieces, which extend downwardly
at right angles from said top portions, and care the end plates or pieces.
In my present construction I provide the outer longer side of each of the
sections with an upwardly-extending longitudinal flange or projection, which is
indicated at d. The outer edge of each of these projections d is inclined upwardly
and inwardly, while the inner and vertical portion thereof meets the top plate of
the section at right angles therewith, as shown.
The top and end plates of one of the guard sections are adapted to pass beneath
and within the top and end plates of the remaining section, and said top plates are,
hear one end thereof, pivotally connected by a suitable pivot bolt or pin, c.
represents the connecting coiled spring, which, as shown, extends transversely
between the side walls of the guard sections, near the forward ends thereof and
erves to press said forward end portions outward from each other.
To the inner end of the pivot-bolt e I pivotally connect one end of an arm g, the
emaining end of which is provided with an eye, with which may be engaged, as
hown, the hook or eye end of an anchor pin g', which depends therefrom. As
adicated in dotted lines in Figure 3 of the drawings, the outer end of this arm g
Pine T

page_text: may, however, for reasons hereinafter specified, have driven therethrough a suitable
spike. (Indicated at g².)
As shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the guards formed as herein described
are adapted to be inserted, pivoted ends first, in the angles formed by the con-
vergence of the rails of the railway frogs or tracks, and in being thus inserted the
said walls of each of the sections are pressed by the spring into contact with
the inner sides or faces of the webs of the rails h, while the inclined outer faces of
the guard-flanges d, find a bearing against the inclined under sides of the rail-
treads, as indicated at ¹. As shown in the drawings, the outer faces of the flanges d
extend inwardly sufficiently to bring the vertical inner walls of said flanges in
alignment with the inner sides of the rail heads or treads. In inserting one of the
guards between the rails it will be seen that the anchor pin g', being longer than
the height of the guard, will trail on the ground and thus incline said pin outward
from the apex of the angle. In case there is any tendency of the guard to work
loose from its position by being forced outward, it will be seen that said anchor-
pin will, by engagement with the ground, aid in retaining the guard in its proper
place. In case it is desired to anchor the guard to a tie or ground beam, it is
evident that I may turn the arm g outward in the position shown in dotted lines in
Figure 3 of the drawings, remove the pin g' and drive through the outer end of
said arm ga suitable spike g².
By the construction herein shown and described it will be seen that not only will
the bearing portions of the guards be made to conform to the shapes of the rails
against which they press, but that the use of the flanges & brings the top plates a¹
of the sections at such depth as to prevent any engagement therewith of the flanges
of the wheels of passing cars.
To facilitate the removal of the guards from the track-angle, I provide in the
end portion c of each guard an opening k, with which may be engaged any desirable
tool for pressing the guard-sections towards each other. While the sections of
the guard are, as shown, made to fit closely against the rail sides, it is evident
that the spring will operate to cause said sections to move with the rails in
case of inward or outward movement, or expansion or contraction of the latter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a foct-guard for railways, the combination with the pivoted sections a and b,
one adapted to pass within the other as described, of the longitudinal side exten-
sions d projecting upwardly from each of said sections, as described, and having
inclined outer faces, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. In a foot-guard for railways, the combination with the pivoted sections a and b,
one adapted to pass within the other, as described, of an arm g connected with the
pivot connecting said sections, and a suitable pin or spike adapted to pass through
the outer end of said arm, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 30th day of November 1892.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.