A New or Improved Method of Joining Rails for Railway and Tramway Lines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 31st Oct., 1894-Accepted, 22nd Dec., 18°4
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of Joining Rails for Railway and
Tramway Lines.
NEIL DOUGLAS, Inventor, c/o Messrs. Alex. Lawrie & Co. 14 St. Mary Axe,
London E.C. and ALEXANDER MAC DONALD, Merchant, of the same address, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
To prevent the jolting of the carriages and heavy wear and tear of the rolling
stock and permanent way (i.e. ends of rails) caused by the wheels of the carriages
passing over the necessary space at present left between the ends of the rails to
allow of their free expansion. While passing over this space (which is often as
much as half an inch) the wheels get a severe shock which jolts both passengers
and carriages, besides damaging the ends of the rails. There is no doubt whatever
this has caused many wheels to split, resulting in serious loss of valuable lives and
property. Our system of joining the rails would prevent this, and allow the
carriages to pass over smoothly as if the railway road was one continuous piece,
while at the same time allowing for the full expansion and contraction of the rails
without undue strain or pressure. We are well aware there have been a number
of inventions having the same object in view as ours, including cushions, springs,
and pieces let in between the ends of the rails &c. &c. but all of which have failed
to fulfil their purpose. Our invention is very simple and does not add to the
weight of the line. Our method is as follows
The ends of the rails (instead of being cut straight across at right angles to the
length of the rail as at present) are wedge shaped vertically, the thin end of one
lying close alongside the thickest part of the taper of the other, so that when the
two rails are bolted together they are of the same dimensions as an ordinary rail.
Thus supposing the rails are fixed on the permanent way, on looking down on them,
the full length of the tapers on both rails is visible. To effect this, one rail is cut
perpendicularly (or vertically) from the corner of one end to a point about 12 or
15 inches (less or more) across the rail obliquely, and the rail to be joined to it is
cut from the opposite corner, so that the two when bolted together form one
complete rail. The rails are made fast by fish or tie plates with oblong holes,
which correspond with oblong holes in the rails to allow of their free expansion and
contraction.
With regard to the fish or tie plates, if a single one with four holes is used on
each side of the rail, they should be slightly curved lengthways, the curve being
outwards from the rail, that is to say the centre of the fish or tie plate would be
furthest away from the rail. The tie plate will thus always have a tendency to
press outwards from the rail (although when screwed up it will be flat against the
rail like the ordinary fish plate at present used), thus preventing the nuts of the
bolts from getting slack. It would also facilitate the expansion and contraction of
the rails. A single tie plate to go under the rail and up both sides can be used in
a similar way by putting a slight slit at each end (four in all) of say about an inch
or an inch and a half in length, more or less.
Dated this 214 dn of Tu 2004
NEIL DOUGLAS.
ALEX. MAC DONALD.

page_text: A New or Improved Method of Joining Rails for Railway and
Tramway Lines.
We, NEIL DOUGLAS, Inventor c/o Messrs. Alex. Lawrie & Co., 14 St. Mary
Axe, London, E.C. and ALEXANDER MAC DONALD, Merchant, of the same
address, 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:-
To prevent the jolting of the carriages and heavy wear and tear of the rolling
stock and permanent way (i.e. ends of rails) caused by the wheels of the carriages
passing over the necessary space at present left between the ends of the rails to
allow of their free expansion. While passing over this space (which is often as
much as half an inch) the wheels get a severe shock which jolts both passengers
and carriages, besides damaging the ends of the rails. There is no doubt whatever
this has caused many wheels to split, resulting in serious loss of valuable lives and
property.
Our system of joining the rails would prevent this, and allow the carriages to
pass over smoothly as if the railway road was one continuous piece, while at the
same time allowing for the full expansion and contraction of the rails without
undue strain or pressure.
We are well aware there have been a number of
inventions having the same object in view as ours, including cushions, springs, and
pieces let in between the ends of the rails &c. &c. but all of which have failed to
fulfil their purpose. Our invention is very simple and does not add to the weight
of the line. Our method is as follows:-
The ends of the rails (instead of being cut straight across at right angles to the
length of the rail as at present) are wedge shaped vertically, the thin end of one
lying close alongside the thickest part of the taper of the other, so that when the
two rails are bolted together they are of the same dimensions as an ordinary rail.
Thus supposing the rails are fixed on the permanent way, on looking down on
them, the full length of the tapers on both rails is visible. To effect this, one rail
is cut perpendicularly (or vertically) from the corner of one end to a point about 12
or 15 inches (less or more) across the rail obliquely, and the rail to be joined to it
is cut from the opposite corner, so that the two when bolted together form one
complete rail. The rails are made fast by fish or tie plates with oblong holes
which correspond with oblong holes in the rails to allow of their free expansion and
contraction.
With regard to the fish or tie plates, if a single one with four holes is used on
each side of the rail, they should be slightly curved lengthways, the curve being
outwards from the rail, that is to say the centre of the fish or tie plate would be
furthest away from the rail. The tie plate will thus always have a tendency to
press outwards from the rail (although when screwed up it will be flat against the
rail like the ordinary fish plate at present used), thus preventing the nuts of the
bolts from getting slack. It would also facilitate the expansion and contraction of
the rails. A single tie plate to go under the rail and up both sides can be used in
a similar way by putting a slight slit at each end (four in all) of say about an inch,
or an inch and a half in length more or less.
Our invention will be well understood by referring to the annexed sheet of
drawings in which
Figure 1 is a plan of the ends of two adjoining web-footed rails.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section below the head and showing the fish plate
connection by bolts in oval or elongated holes.
Figure 3 represents one of our improved or curved fish plates.

page_text: Figure 4 illustrates one end of a rail, and Figure 5 an end of the adjoining rail.
Figure 6 shows a side elevation of adjoining ends of two double headed rail with
the fish plate and bolts in position.
Figures 7 and 8 respectively indicating an end face view of one rail and a plan of
a double headed rail.
o
Figure 9 is a perspective elevation of a combined shoe and fish plates for a
double headed rail, the ends of each fish plate being severed clear of the shoe for
the production of the curvature or hollow formation of the fish plates which when
tightened up by the bolts are drawn in close to the rails to prevent by their
inclination to return to the curvature the nuts or bolts working loose by the
vibration imparted by passing trains or cars.
A, B, are the rails. C to D the meeting faces. E, E, ordinary but curved
(single) fish plates. F, F, bolts. G is the shoe of which the slotted ends enable
the double fish plates É, É, to be curved. H, H, are the elongated holes in the
rails to allow for expansion and contraction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. Chamfering the ends of rails as and in the manner set forth and shown at
Figures 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 for the purpose described.
2. Curving single fish plates as shown at Figure 3 for the purpose set forth.
3. Slitting the ends of fish plates and of shoes forming part of same, as described
and substantially as shown at Figure 9 of the drawings.
Lahou 180x4
ALEX. MAC DONALD,
For self, and on behalf of Neil Douglas.